//------------------------------// // Eavesdropping // Story: Sister of mine // by Comrade Abigor //------------------------------// If she could get her hooves of the pony who invented homework, Celestia would have to build a whole new type of prison just for her. Make a new moon just to send her there fir twice the time Princess Luna spent in exile. Needless to say, Sweetie would rather be out and play than stay inside and do homework. What was even the point, she learned more from following Rarity and her friends around than by doing this. She stopped the work and groaned in frustration, throwing her head back. Laughter could be heard from downstairs. Rarity's friends had come over and were having a little get together. While she had to stay in her room and do homework. Why did life have to be so unfair? Not that she necessarily wanted to get involved in their thing, but she still felt a bit left out. The filly got up her chair. Rarity would always complain that she had a habit of eavesdropping. What did she know. Sweetie couldn't be blamed things got so boring around here and the adults wouldn't willingly let her in the conversation. Careful not to make a sound as she walked, the little filly left her room and approached the stairs. With an expert's skill, she managed to find a position where she could both hear and at the same time not be noticed by anyone. Yes, she has been doing this a lot. "And then ah said, not mah apples you're not!" A chorus of laughter burst throughout the room. The group was gathered in a circle and was enjoying tea. How rude. Sweetie Belle does love tea. However, she would have suggested chamomile instead of green tea. "That's almost as funny as the time when Gummie broke into my supply of California Pancakes, hopped the train to Manehatan, poisoned the water supply, caused an a bunch of foals to fight it out and then came back with a postcard to apologise cause she forgot to lock the door to my room" Pinkie Pie burst into laughter, but this time she was not joined by the others who simply looked at her with concern. "Is....she....going to elaborate on any of that?" Temptress asked with worry and confusion. "No. And it's better we not ask." Rainbow responded, having grown used to the nonsense her pink friend spoke. But at the same time felt a bit of worry at how eerily similar her story was to the event two months ago of an orphanage in Manehatan somehow ending up with all the orphans having ingested drugs which caused them to be overly energetic, which ended up in a mass brawl. "Pinkie is random that way. Best you just ignore it and just go with it " Twilight added "Anyway enough about us. Tell us a bit about you, Temptress." "Oh I'm not that interesting, trust me. You'd much rather interview a ladybug." "I'D MUCH RATHER NOT!" Twilight burst but then composed herself and gave a sheepish smile "Sorry. I...don't really like ladybugs" "I can see that" Temptress said, having almost been jumpscared into spilling her tea. Thankfully her cup remained full and her coat clean. "Let's start with where you're from. Certainly not Ponyville." Rainbow Dash offered. "Oh, well, i was born in Manehatan but I've always been on the move. Before now I've done a mostly nomadic life and never really settled." "And what did you do for a living before?" Applejack was the one to ask. "Oh, I worked as an escort most of my life. On the side I would also make clothes for other girls working, or would fox the clothes they had that were damaged. You pick skills in life, I'll tell you that. After that I tried working as a barista in Las Pegasus but that didn't go too well so I'm here now." She finished and took a sip from her tea. "Did you just said you worked as an escort?" Rarity asked. "Yeah. Why else would i have such a name as 'Temptress Eye'." Temptress replied. "What's an escort" Fluttershy questioned. Rainbow Dash leaned in and whispered something in her ear that caused her ti blush and her eyes to widen "Oh" "Are there any issues regarding my past profession?" Temptress asked with a bit of passive aggressiveness in her tone. "NO, no darling!" Rarity jumped in defense "It's just that....." "Ponies don't just tell you they worked like that" Rainbow Dash finished for her. "Isn't that illegal?" Twilight pointed out. "Well what can I say. I like to be open about things. Sure, ponies keep secrets. I keep secrets. But I try to be as open as I can so that ponies know me for who and what I am. And it helps filter ponies out. If they leave after they know me for real, then they're not really worth my time. If they stay after learning things about me, well, guess I made new friends." Temptress took a break to have another sip of tea "As for the legality. Well, what can I say. I am no longer practicing plus I didn't really enter willingly in the business as I was brought in from childhood. So if I'm in trouble for that, sue me" she said in an almost smug manner before turning to Rarity "This isn't gonna affect our agreement, is it?" "Oh, uh, no of course not." Rarity said, having been broken from her state of surprise "Like you said I can't blame you for something you didn't choose. Or blame you for your past at all so don't you go thinking I'll kick you out for what you used to do." "That is relieving to hear" Temptress poured some more tea in her cup while making sure to refill other's as well "What about you all? Any secret you may want to share?" Temptress offered, only to receive silence with exceptionof Pinkie who was raisingher hoof "Come on it feels very, freeing. Lay it bare!" She tried adding some enthusiasm to the challenge "Plus it's a good bonding exercise, as I've come to learn" "Well, I guess you have a point." Rainbow said "I'll go first. I'm awesome. But I guess that's not really a secret" "I'm not sure if that's how you do this Rainbow" Fluttershy pointed out. "Yeah you have to say something REALLY personal like how you like to spy on your own fan club!" Pinkie said with joy. "Hey!! How do you-" "You spy on your own fan club?" Applejack tilted her head "The one Scootaloo runs innthe CMC's clubhouse?" "Uhhh....maybe" the blue pegasus replied sheepishly. "Goodness, Rainbow. There's ego stroking and then there's that" Twilight "And I thought I've seen the last of ponies stroking things while looking at kids" Temptress giggled and sipped her tea. "And I'm not even gonna question what you just said" the purple alicorn said as Temptress simply giggled. "What about you, princess? Anything to share with your friends?" The white unicorn pointed her heterochromic eyes right at Twilight's soul as the bookish mare was put in a very awkward position. "I.... ummm. Okay let me think of something." She pondered on what she could offer in this show and tell "I guess the fact that I really dislike some of the nobles Celestia has me meet sometimes." "Understandable in my opinion" Applejack added. "Applejack! Don't be so rude!" Rarity complained. "What? Those high class, canterlot folk can be very pompous." The farm pony retorted. "You tell me about it." Twilight groaned "I have to sit there and pretend like i care as they sometimes act so high and glorious. It's worse than Rarity and Rainbow Dash combined." "Hey!" The two mentioned ponies called in protest at the same time, which caused the rest to laugh. "Well, if you're so much better why don't you share Your secret with us next Applejack" Rarity demanded catching Applejack a bit off guard. "Yeah, Aj. What's your secret?" Rainbow Dash teased with a chuckle. "Uhhh" the orange pony mare looked left and right, probably looking for a way out before finally giving up and sighing "Well I guess there's no escaping this. So. Here I go" she took a deep breath "I like mares" "Oh." Was all she got as a reaction from the group. "That makes sense" Rainbow said. "The hay you mean by that?!" Applejack questioned. "You never really showed interest in stallions, darling." Rarity replied "And the play colts magazines you keep under your bed that Applebloom once found, then showed to Scootaloo who then showed to me" Rainbow Dash added. "SHE WHAT?!?!" "Someone's gonna die tonight" Temptress whispered to Twilight, which made the alicorn giggle. "ME NEXT. ME NEXT." Pinkie practically demanded to share her own secret at this point. "Go on Pinkie" Twilight gave permission for the energetic mare to speak. "Yay!" Pinkie exclaimed with joy before taking a deep breath in "I sometimes listen in on Mr and Mrs Cake doing it." "Nope." Applejack closed her ears. "Not even gonna ask, Fluttershy you're next" Rarity quickly passed the turn to the only one she knew would have an innocent enough confession to cleanse the room of the sin of letting Pinkie talk. Everypony else seemed to be on agreement with her. "Umm..." the timid pegasus try to make herself seem as small as possible in hopes they would maybe ignore her. Her hopes were in vain as everyone was looking expectantly at her. From peer pressure she gave them the answer they wanted. To the best of her abilities, as all that came out was a soft, unhearable whisper. "Uuhm...way to go Flutters?" Dash tried to cheer her friend on. "What about you Rarity?" Temptress turned to her employer and new friend, who apparently wasn't really prepared for her turn in this little confession game. "Oh, you know. I'm not really one for secrets myself either so there's nothing you don't know about me that i can confess" she rubbed the back of her neck and smiled sheepishly. "Hah. As if we'd buy that" Rainbow Dash scoffed "Ain't no way a drama queen like you doesn't have at least one thing she keeps hidden" "Why, I have never" Rarity pouted "You want a secret? Fine. I once unknowingly used fake gems to make dresses and sold them as if they were with real gems. Happy now?" "Quite" Dash smirked. "That doesn't sound very legally quegally" Pinkie said. "Well like I said I didn't know I had been scammed and when I found out the ponies who bought the dresses were long gone." "Well, at least you didn't intend to trick anyone" Temptress reassured her "Now, doesn't everypony feel much better after that?" "Define better, you're not the one who's gonna be known as the one who stalks kids" Rainbow frowned. "It is kinda freaky what you do if ah may be honest" Applejack teased. "Sure, the one who collects lewd magazines to hide in her closet has all the right to judge me" Dash smirked right back at her friend. "Oh you're gonna die" Applejack gave a threatening glare. "Please don't kill each other, if you don't mind of course" Fluttershy timidly attempted to stop the inevitable fight. Which succeeded in a way since the rest of the group now shared a laugh at how adorable the attempt was. "You know, this wasn't so bad, Temptress." Twilight said. "Told ya." the white unicorn smirked as she finished her tea "Whoo this tea went right through me, excuse ladies but I have to go answer nature's calling." She said and got up. Sweetie Belle practically took flight as she escaped from her spying spot back to her room. If Temptress came up and found her there she'd be in so, so much trouble. Eavesdropping is one thing. Eavesdropping while they're sharing personal secrets with each other is another. Quickly, she closed the door behind her and sat back on her table to do her homework. She should be fine. No traces of her crime. Nothing to point that she ever left her room. To anyone's guess, she has been here the whole time doing her annoying homework. All dhould be fine. All should be- A knock at the door startled her to the point she almost fell off her chair. Had she been caught? No. Maybe Temptress got lost and wanted to ask where the restroom was. Yeah. That's it. The filly got up and went to the door. When she opened it, she found a smirking Temptress on the other side. Something about that smile made Sweetie feel uncomfortable. "The restroom is that way." Sweetie pointed. "And how would you know I was looking for the restroom?" Temptress now grinned widely, causing the filly to freeze in fear. She pushed the foal inside as she entered and closed the door behind her. "Please don't tell Rarity! I didn't mean to listen in on you all!" Sweetie practically begged for mercy at this point, while backing up as the larger mare kept advancing towards her. "Goodness, you can be very stealthy but should you get caught you give in so easily." Temptress rolled her eyes "Calm down I won't be a tattletale." "Y-you won't?" "No. I can't blame a child for being curious. Besides. You've kind of impressed me with how stealthy you are. If I wasn't always so aware of my surroundings i would have never known you werr there." Sweetie felt more calm now, knowing she was safe from being discovered by her sister. And having someone appreciate her sneaking capabilities felt good for once. If a bit weird. "I think we can put your skills to good use" Temptress stated. "What?" Sweetie tilted her head in confusion. "I can't be the only one who has heard your sister cries at night. If you can find out why that is, I guess we can help her." That peaked Sweetie's interest. She never thought on spying on Rarity at night. She was mostly interested on listening on ponies while they conversed. Not much conversation a pony can do alone in her bedroom. "I don't really want to bother her. She's probably just sad about mom and dad. Besides, she'll get over whatever it is." "And how long has this been going for?" Temptress asked, almost rhetorically while her magic grabbed an apple from a fruit bowl Sweetie has in her room in case she gets ravenous and then summonsa knife which which she peals the fruit "Cause if you have managed to go through your grief after all this time, she should have been able to do the same. It would be over by now. That little game you saw us doing back there, that was something I planed in order to get Rarity to come out straight about what's bothering her and have her friends help her go through it. But she didn't. She just made up a lie about selling faulty products once, not sure if that even happened at all if I may be honest. She chose to lie instead of saying what's bothering her. And I wouldn't take it Rarity would keep it secret from her friends that's she's still grieving for her parents. So trust me. That's not what's bothering her." Sweetie Belle just stood there, frozen. A part of her wanted to yell out that she herself hadn't completely passed the grief of losing her parents. But another part of her knew that if she opened up right now she may show a little too much emotion. And something told her that at this moment, it would be best that she show as little weakness as possible. Temptress was looking threatening and terrifying all of a sudden. Like a hungry wolf looking down at a sheep seperated from the flock. But as strange as the situation was, or as menacing as the mare before her seemed, Sweetie couldn't deny the logic in what she was saying. Rarity was hiding something. Something that was bothering her, enough to make her cry at night. And if it isn't because if their parents, then what? "W-what's bothering her then?" The foal stammered, while at the same time she was involuntary making herself seem as small as possible. To her surprise, Temptress gave a slight chuckle before her expression changed to an almost loving smile. "That's what I want to find out." The mare lowered herself to where she was in direct eye contact with Sweetie Belle before putting a hoof on her cheek. Her heterochromic eyes locked with the filly's "Look. I'm sorry if I scared you. I can be a bit rough and pushy sometimes. Can't help it, it just happens. But please know that I'm only looking to help your sister. She took me in when I had no place to go, I only want to return the favour to the best of my abilities. And I can tell she's dealing with something tough. I just don't know what that is, and I doubt she'll willingly say it. So I need your help to find out what that thing is that's bothering her. Do you wanna help your big sister?" "Of course I do!" Sweetie exclaimed. She felt a bit more comfortable now that Temptress was being less scary. And she did want to help Rarity. If Temptress was gonna help her with that, then all the more reason to trust her. "Then what I need you to do is try and see if you can find out what her problem is, come tell me what you find and we'll come up with a solution together. You're nimble and small enough in size to move around unnoticed. And you know her better than I do, so you'll probably notice any unusual things easier. What do you say, darling? You in on this?" She smiles and offers a slice of apple to the filly. Sweetie Belle had a new wave of determination rush through her as she stood up straight and gave a confident smile. "I'm in!" She takes the slice of apple and eats it.