//------------------------------// // The Reckoning of Sweetie Belle // Story: The Public Life of Sweetie Belle // by BronyWriter //------------------------------// Sweetie Belle's hoof was shaking as she slowly raised it to bang on the library door. Every fiber of her being told her that if Twilight had indeed altered her memory, she had done it for the best and she didn't need to go prying into secrets that were best left buried with her sister. On the other hoof, it was her mind and they were her memories. What if what Twilight had to hide was something that Twilight had overreacted to? What if it was something that she made a mistake on? Sweetie Belle knocked again, hoping that Twilight would answer the door this time so that she didn't keep having to replay those weak excuses in her mind. Whatever Twilight hid, she probably had a good reason for it. she should just leave well enough alone. She had altered a memory of her sister committing a murder, what kind of pony needs to have memories like that restored? Thankfully, though, a sleepy looking Twilight Sparkle opened the door. Her clear fatigue clearly vanished when she saw the pony on the other side. "Oh. Hey, Sweetie Belle. How are you today?" Sweetie Belle opened her mouth, willing words with anything resembling a casual tone to come out. But with what she was here for, casualness would have to take a backseat. "We need to talk about Rarity," she said simply. Twilight's jaw dropped slightly and she backed away from the door. A magical aura engulfed it and Twilight seemed like she desperately wanted to slam it, but she couldn't. "Sweetie Belle, those ghosts have been buried for ten years," whispered the librarian. "Please just let them be." "I can't," said Sweetie Belle flatly. "I just can't." "Sweetie Belle, do you really want these old wounds to be re-opened? Don't you want those old ghosts to stay gone?" "I do," said Sweetie Belle softly. "Luna help me, I do." To her surprise, she felt tears begin welling up. Maybe it was because they were the only two mares in Equestria that knew who Rarity really was before she had been captured. "Okay," said Twilight. "Then please leave Rarity be. let her rest in peace, especially in your mind." "My mind," mumbled Sweetie Belle to herself. "My mind. Yeah, my mind." "Sweetie Belle, what--" "You changed something, didn't you? Something about that night in the basement with Scarlet Tomato." At the mention of that mare, Twilight flinched back so violently that her magical hold on the door was broken. Sweetie Belle slowly stepped through the threshold, causing Twilight to take a few more steps back. "Sweetie Belle, I was--" "I'm seeing a therapist, did you know that?" said Sweetie Belle. Twilight stopped backing up and thankfully seemed to calm down slightly at the comment. "No, no I didn't know that," she said. "Well I am," said Sweetie Belle. "Oh..." stuttered the librarian. "How...how is that going?" Sweetie Belle refrained from answering for a moment and instead sat down on a nearby comfy chair before staring down at the floor. "He knows," said Sweetie Belle after a few more moments. "Knows what?" asked Twilight. "He knows that I was down in the basement when Rarity killed Scarlet Tomato. He knows that I watched her do it. He knows that I knew who she was long before the rest of the world did." Sweetie Belle's eyes trailed up to Twilight who was backed into a corner and staring at Sweetie Belle with a look of utter horror on her face.Sweetie Belle frowned slightly at Twilight's expression. Sure that was shocking, but the way that Twilight was taking it seemed... excessive. Granted, extreme emotions had always been her way. Still, she seemed far more nervous than the situation called for unless she was hiding something. "Twilight, are you hiding something from me? Did you alter my memories?" Twilight only stared at Sweetie Belle, the same look of sheer terror on her face. Her mouth flopped up and down like a fish out of water, desperately trying to form coherent words. It was as good as a confirmation in Sweetie Belle's mind but she still wanted to hold on to a faint hope that Twilight's actions were a result of her normally extreme emotions. "Twilight," repeated Sweetie Belle. "Did you or did you not alter my memories of the night that I watched Rarity kill Scarlet Tomato?" Somehow repeating the question snapped Twilight out of her shock and she actually managed to close her mouth and take a few deep breaths. She looked down at the floor for a moment before shaking her head and looking back up at her guest. Sweetie Belle was surprised to see that Twilight looked uncharacteristically frail. She suddenly looked like she hadn't slept in years. "Twilight, I--" but Twilight held up a hoof to silence Sweetie Belle. "Sweetie Belle, I know that this is hard for you," began the librarian. "I had to endure everything too but I still can't even begin to imagine what you went through." Sweetie Belle felt as if she should interrupt, but she was suddenly drawing a blank about how to respond to these words she had heard dozens of times before. She merely nodded. "I want to help you, Sweetie Belle, you were just a filly when that happened, you shouldn't have seen what you saw. You deserved a much happier life than the one that you got. You deserved to have a big sister who was there for you during the tough times in your life." "Yeah, I know," whispered Sweetie Belle. "Sweetie Belle, please just trust me when I tell you that you shouldn't re-open old scars. If you want to try to heal them then I will support you in whatever way that I can as I have tried to do for the past ten years, but please, please don't let what happened to you rule your life." "I am not letting it rule my life!" Insisted Sweetie Belle. "I've tried to move on, I've tried to put it behind me and I think I'm doing a good job of it too!" "Then why are you seeing a therapist?" "Because Featherweight feathering told me to, okay?" Twilight scoffed and shook her head. "Don't give me that! You went in because you were scared. You didn't want Rarity's death and murders to rule your life anymore so you decided to get some help. Featherweight's words alone couldn't make you take that step." "Why does it matter?" retorted Sweetie Belle. "Why do you care why I went into therapy? What matters is that I did and it brought up the one question you've been avoiding the entire time I've been here: did you or did you not alter my memory?" Twilight remained silent. Her eyes merely formed into another tired expression, desperately wishing for this conversation to be over. "Twilight--" "Sweetie Belle, leave this alone," growled Twilight with a ferocity that surprised Sweetie Belle. "Please just leave this alone." Sweetie Belle stared at the librarian. She wanted to believe that Twilight's refusal to answer that most important of questions didn't mean a confirmation. Twilight hadn't altered her memory. Shed hadn't altered her memory. "You did it. You rotten liar, you altered my memory," whispered Sweetie Belle. Twilight's eyes widened in horror at the accusation. "Sweetie Belle I was only doing what was best for you, please just trust me!" pleaded Twilight. But Sweetie Belle had already walked out the door. * * * * Sweetie Belle burst through the doors of the clinic, hoping dearly that Working Mind could see her today. June Star looked up when she heard the door open and was surprised to see a frantic Sweetie Belle moving with a purpose rarely found by normal ponies. In truth it frightened her somehow. There was a madness in her eyes that she had never seen before. She wanted something. Something was very wrong. "Sweetie Belle? What are you doing here?" "I need to see Dr. Mind. NOW!" said Sweetie Belle. "I need to know, June Star. I need to know!" "Know? You need to know what?!" "Please, I need to see Dr. Mind!" June Star flinched at the harshness of Sweetie Belle's words but she looked down at the schedule book resting on the desk in front of her. "Dr. Mind is just about take his lunch break. He--" But Sweetie Belle didn't respond. She bolted in the direction of Dr. Working Mind's office, hoping that he could give her what she desperately hoped for: clarity. Answers. Peace of mind. Sweetie Belle burst into his office with a determination that few could match at that moment. "She did, she altered my memory!" Dr. Mind looked up at the frantic unicorn, shock at her sudden entrance etched across his features. "Sweetie Belle, what is the meaning of this?" "Twilight, Dr. Mind, Twilight Sparkle altered my memory of what I saw in Rarity's basement!" Working Mind contemplated Sweetie Belle for a brief moment before sighing and using his magic to summon Sweetie Belle's file from him. "Are you sure?" "Yes," said Sweetie Belle. "I talked to her and she didn't deny it." "But she did not confirm it either?" Sweetie Belle grunted and shook her head. "She didn't have to," insisted the mare. "She refused to answer me directly and that's as good as a conformation to me!" Working Mind was silent as he contemplated Sweetie Belle's words. Eventually he shook his head and used his magic to close her folder. "Very well then. If you truly believe that Twilight Sparkle altered your memory, then I'll restore your memories." With that simple comment, the fire that had driven Sweetie Belle since the conversation with Twilight slowly faded away. It was replaced by a small sliver of hope that welled up inside Sweetie Belle. Maybe she could learn to move on if this memory was restored. If the memory was restored then perhaps she wouldn't wonder anymore. It was a faint hope to be sure and even then she wasn't sure why she was clinging to it, but it was something. Sweetie Belle allowed herself a faint smile as Working Mind came back from behind his desk. She used her own magic to shut the door behind her. It was time. Working Mind wordlessly walked in front of his patient, charging up his horn for the simple spell that would reveal her shattered memory. "You won't feel any pain. The spell will be over soon and you'll remember what it is Twilight Sparkle wanted to hide." Sweetie Belle nodded. Working Mind returned the nod and after a few more seconds, Working Mind's horn had charged up completely. Sweetie Belle took a deep breath as the blue beam of light hit her directly in the head. "You...you're in my sister's class at school aren't you? Yes, your name is Sweetie Belle isn't it?" she said. The mask of calm that Sweetie Belle was trying to keep was slowly starting to slip. Sensing this, Rarity grabbed Scarlet Tomato's head in her hooves and jerked it so that she was facing her. "Leave her out of this, this is just between us," she said menacingly. Tears began falling from Scarlet Tomato's face. "How could you?" she whispered. "How could you let her see this?" Rarity's face contorted with rage. "I said leave her out of this. Celestia help you if you speak to or about her again," growled Rarity. As she wheeled her tray closer to the table, she glanced at Sweetie Belle who was desperately trying to act calm in the face of this situation. Rarity wondered how long she would last once Rarity began cutting in a few moments. Rarity picked up a straight razor and flattened Scarlet Tomato's ear against the table. Scarlet Tomato began hyperventilating. "Please... don't do this," she said. Rarity glared at her. "You read the poster, darling, and you know that I don't like it when ponies say that to me. I'm afraid that I'm going to have to think of other fun things to do while you're still alive. Now hold still or I'm liable to mess this up," said Rarity. Scarlet Tomato shut her eyes tight as Rarity began slicing off Scarlet Tomato's ear. As Rarity continued to slice, Scarlet Tomato's whimpers of pain became louder and they gradually turned into cries of pain. Sweetie Belle was silent for now so Rarity ignored her. With one quick tug using her magic, the ear was ripped off of Scarlet Tomato's head. She screamed in pain as Rarity nonchalantly tossed the ear aside. "Okay then, one more to go and then we can move on to your lips and teeth. You know, I really hated that smug grin you were giving me this morning darling. It was extremely rude." Scarlet Tomato didn't respond except to cry in pain. As Rarity moved on to the right ear, she noticed that Sweetie Belle had picked up the severed ear and was examining it in her hooves. Rarity saw that she was going a little green. "Sweetie Belle, put that down please," said Rarity as she began slicing off the left ear. Sweetie Belle tossed the ear aside and with what seemed to Rarity be a great deal of effort, she began watching again as her sister sliced off the other ear. With another sharp tug, the other ear came off with little effort. Scarlet Tomato forced her eyes open and turned towards Sweetie Belle. "How can you just sit there while she does this to me?" she asked the frightened filly. "What did I say about talking to my sister?" "You're friends with my sister, you're just a filly you shouldn't see this." "Shut up now!" commanded Rarity. Sweetie Belle was crying now, on the verge of completely breaking down at any moment. "I know you, you're not like your big sister and you never will be. You--" before she could finish her sentence, Rarity used her magic to force Scarlet Tomato's mouth open and she shoved the razor into her mouth. She proceeded to slice open everything in Scarlet Tomato's mouth, paying particular attention to her tongue. Scarlet Tomato screamed in pain and thrashed about on the table, but she couldn't do anything to stop the vicious assault. "I told you to stop talking to my sister!" screeched Rarity. "You didn't listen to me and now look at what's happening to you!" After a few more seconds of slicing, Rarity removed the razor allowing Scarlet Tomato to spit out a lot of blood. Rarity saw with satisfaction that she had also sliced out a few of her teeth as well. "Are we through being foolish?" she asked. Scarlet Tomato merely spit out more blood. "Very well then, I suppose that I can leave your lips and teeth alone for now. What say you to a little skinning, hmm?" said Rarity. She fired up her horn and levitated her sharpened vegetable peeler towards her. Scarlet Tomato eyed it with fear but she couldn't form any coherent noises with her mouth sliced up like it was. Rarity had made sure to do a little work on in her throat as well. Rarity placed the vegetable peeler on Scarlet Tomato's stomach and was about to begin when she heard a small voice beside her. She registered it as Sweetie Belle's and she turned her head to face her. "What's that, darling?" she asked. "Can...can I do something?" she asked. Rarity groaned in frustration. "First off Sweetie Belle, I have already told you Celestia knows how many times that you are just going to be watching for this one. Secondly, you look like you are about to keel over and die at any second. This is clearly disturbing you and I haven't even gotten to the worst parts yet, not by a long shot. Furthermore, if I was in my right mind now I would send you back upstairs where you belong!" Rarity thought about that last part for a few seconds. "In fact, yeah! You've seen enough, Sweetie Belle. Go upstairs and get yourself to bed! I'll be up when I'm done here, okay?" said Rarity. To her utter relief, Sweetie Belle nodded and slowly began trotting towards the steps. As Sweetie Belle walked towards the stairs, she accidentally bumped Rarity's tray and the resulting collision sent it crashing towards the ground, scattering all of the assorted sharp objects on the floor. Rarity gave an angry groan. "Sweeeetiieeee Bellllle! Look at what you've done!" she said. Sweetie Belle looked at the assorted knives on the ground and before Rarity could do anything, she grabbed a scalpel, rushed over to Scarlet Tomato, and stabbed her in the leg. Scarlet Tomato was convulsing in pain and blood was pouring from the stab wound in her leg. She was bleeding far more than was normal unless... When she saw what she had done, her sister violently backed away from the bleeding mess that was Scarlet Tomato and quickly began crying. "Rarity! I don't understand, why is she bleeding like that!? I...I only meant to give her a little cut!" she said hysterically. "You severed the femoral artery, Sweetie Belle! She's...she's already dead," said Rarity. So she was. Scarlet Tomato lay motionless on the table, eyes wide with fear, looking directly at Sweetie Belle as if staring directly into her soul, pleading her to not do what she had just done. Sweetie Belle sat in the corner, not even crying anymore. She just looked at the mare that she had just killed, almost in a contemplative way. Sweetie Belle began shaking violently and before Rarity could say anything, she pulled a bucket close to her and vomited into it. When she finished, she still had the look of contemplative shock on her face. "What did I just do?" "What did I do?" "Sweetie Belle? Sweetie Belle, are you okay?" Working Mind was talking. He was... no, no that wasn't right! he had altered the memory to... oh no, no that wasn't why it was...!!! Oh Celestia, no. She had killed Scarlet Tomato herself. Sweetie Belle screamed.