//------------------------------// // An Unexpected Visitor // Story: Young Love // by SoulSound //------------------------------// Chapter 3 An Unexpected Guest After ten straight minutes of crying, Sweetie Belle was unable to shed any more tears. All those negative feelings that were pent up inside her tiny body were released into Graciela's shoulder. A part of her mane was thoroughly soaked and there was a large wet spot where Sweetie Belle's head is, but Graciela didn't mind. It had seemed like one of those very good, needed crys that everypony has every once in a while, and that was all that mattered. "You all better now?" she asked Sweetie Belle, who was still sniffling. "Uh-huh..." she replied shakily. She tried to wipe away the remnants of the episode, but her efforts were in vain. There were wet streaks where the tears had rolled down her cheek. "Would you like me to walk you home?" Graciela offered concernedly, "It's light outside, but not very many ponies are out so you probably won't be noticed. You are a bit of a mess after all that, but it's acceptable for what you've just been through." Sweetie Belle nodded her head and tried to compose herself. It's one thing to walk in the boutique looking a mess with just Rarity to see her, but walking through town where everypony could see her with tear streaks down her face, her mane messed up and not in the usual OCD way she styled her hair every morning, and taking long shaky breaths was a definite no-no. After a few minutes, she was ready to go. Graciela grabbed her shawl and they exited through the back door. They passed Sergio on their way out and Graciela told him to watch the cart for a little while and that she was going to walk Sweetie Belle home and visit. ∞ They reached the boutique at about 7:20 a.m., and they entered quietly, not sure if Rarity was awake yet or not. They were surprised to find Rarity making breakfast for herself. The white mare looked at the pair and acquired a puzzled look. "Sweetie Belle, what are you doing up this early, first of all, and secondly, who is this? A customer?" Rarity looked to Graciela and apologized, "I'm very sorry, but we aren't open for another few hours." "Oh, no, I'm not here for your wares," Graciela smiled, "I was simply walking Miss Sweetie Belle, here, home. She came and gave me a visit this morning while I set up shop." She looked over to where Sweetie Belle stood in the kitchen, trying to gauge how much food Rarity had made and if it was enough to feed the three of them. "Sweetie Belle," she inquired, "is it alright if I tell Miss Rarity what we talked about, or does she know?" "Yeah, she already knows the general stuff, I guess..." Sweetie Bell . Rarity's eyes suddenly grew wide. "Oh my! Have you eaten yet? Would you like to stay and we can talk about it over breakfast?" "Yes, please." Graciela accepted and cantered over to the breakfast table. She sat down and watched as Rarity made breakfast and Sweetie Belle sat and stared absentmindedly at the wall. Graciela smiled and thought to herself Whatever she's going through, she's going to get through it just fine. Rarity looked up from her cooking for a moment and glanced at Graciela, catching her eye, then nodding her head at Sweetie Belle, then looking back to Graciela, questioningly. Graciela nodded and mouthed: "She's ok. It's normal." Just then, there was a knock at the door that snapped Sweetie Belle out of her trance. She trotted over and opened it to let an orange pegasus in. Scootaloo shuffled in and stood timidly on the front mat. "I-i'm sorry to visit this early," she apologized, "but m-may I have a word with Sweetie Belle in private?" Rarity looked at her, confusedly, but soon consenting. The two fillies trotted up the stairs to Sweetie Belle's room. Scootaloo stopped at the door. She wan't sure how she would go through with her plan. She wasn't sure about many things at that moment. Sweetie Belle jumped on her bed and sat facing the orange filly. "Hey Scootaloo," she said, "you alright? You can come in, you know." Scootaloo shuffled in a few feet and shut the door behind her. Sweetie Belle noted that she looked rather unwell, and that she should offer her some soup and crackers. "So... You wanted to ask me something?" Sweetie Belle asked, concernedly. Scootaloo took a deep breath and closed her eyes tightly, as if preparing to take a hoof to the face. "IreallylikeyouandIwaswonderingifyoulikedmebackbecauseIkeptgettingthefeelingthatyoudidsoidecidedtoaskyousodoyouwannabemymarefriendornot?" Sweetie Belle's face grew redder and redder by the second as she stared at the young pegasus. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, trying to form the words that described how she felt. "I-... I... Yes. Yes. Definitely." Sweetie Belle stuttered, her smile getting wider as tears rolled down her cheek. Scootaloo looked up at her, soon acquiring her own smile. She tackled Sweetie Belle and kissed her passionately. They broke the kiss and remained intertwined for a few minutes before either of them could speak. "How long have you been waiting to ask me?" Sweetie Belle asked. "I dunno," Scootaloo said, "It's been a while." "Do you think we should tell them?" "Yeah, that seems like a good idea." The couple trotted downstairs to find Graciela and Rarity in a quite compromising position on the couch. The four of them stared at each other for a minute before Graciela cleared her throat and shifted out from under Rarity. "Find her?" She asked Sweetie Belle, fixing her mane. "Yeah," Sweetie Belle smirked, "Did you?" "I guess I could make a permanent settlement beside the boutique if m'lady allows it" Graciela smacked Rarity's flank and elicited a small squeak, and a bout of furious nodding from the mare. Scootaloo chuckled. "Cool." Graciela got up from the couch and trotted towards the door. "I'll tell Sergio. Be right back." She winked at Rarity, who in turn made a kissy face in reply. Scootaloo looked up at the clock. "Oh wow, I need to go," she said, "Rainbow is probably already waiting for me to show up for my flying lesson." She gave Sweetie Belle a quick peck on the cheek before cantering towards the door. "Wanna meet up again tomorrow?" "Tomorrow it is! I'll be here." Rarity cleared her throat after Scootaloo shut the door. "Warn us, next time, if you don't mind, dear." "I'll keep that in mind." Sweetie Belle winked at her and trotted up to her room. She suppressed a giggle as she recounted how wonderfully the past few hours had turned out. "Tomorrow..." she sighed. "Tomorrow..."