//------------------------------//
// My Sister 
// Story: A Shadow Hangs Overhead 
// by BronyWriter 
//------------------------------//

Rarity sat in her chair in one of the patient therapy rooms and waited for Dr. Mind to arrive. She had been led into the plain white room by an orderly who was currently standing next to her. The thought briefly crossed Rarity's mind to talk to the orderly to pass the time, but she didn't want to risk him getting mad at her for something like that. Most of the orderlies were always so serious and intimidating. One wrong word to him might set him off, so Rarity settled for looking around the room... again. Just like every other day she had been led here. It was small and plain white with no decorations on the walls. The lone table and pair of chairs were also plain white, and the room had only a single door and two-way mirror. 

It was boring, just like it had been every other time she had been here. 

The door opened up and Dr. Mind walked in, giving Rarity a warm smile as he did. "Good afternoon, Rarity. So sorry to keep you waiting." He reached his chair and set Rarity's file on top of the table. He nodded to the orderly. "You can just wait outside." The orderly returned the nod and trotted out of the room. Dr. Mind sat down at his chair and opened up Rarity's folder. 

"So, Rarity, how are you? I heard you had another visit from your friend Cheerilee the other day."

Rarity smiled and nodded. "Oh yes. We had lots of fun. She brought me some sewing stuff and I taught her how to do a few things." Rarity's smile slowly faded, and she flattened her ears. "I do wish that I could have kept the needles, though."

Dr. Mind gave Rarity a small smile and put a hoof on her shoulder. "We wish we could have let you keep them too, Rarity, but given the nature of your case..."

Rarity subtly nodded and lowered her head. "I know. It's because I'm a murderer and you think I might hurt ponies with them."

"It's just a precaution, Rarity," Dr. Mind insisted. "I'm sure if your behavior is good enough in the future and we feel we've made some progress you can have some of those things in your room." Dr. Mind's small smile fell, and he sighed quietly. "Unfortunately you've only been here three months, so my supervisors don't feel that they can trust you yet."

"I know," Rarity mumbled. She looked back up at Dr. Mind with wide eyes. "How many months am I going to be here?" 

Dr. Mind grimaced and looked down at Rarity's file. "Rarity, I hate to say this, but... it might not be months. It will probably be years." 

Rarity's eyes widened further, and she flinched back with a squeal. "But I don't have that bad feeling that made me like killing them anymore, I promise!" Rarity reached a pleading hoof to Dr. Mind. "I w-won't ever hurt anypony ever again, I swear!" 

"Rarity..." Dr. Mind quietly sighed and ran a hoof through his mane. "I'm afraid that we cannot know that just yet. I know you think that, and that really is a good sign, but you haven't been here long enough for us to know that for sure." He gave Rarity a small smile. "Believe me, this is for your benefit as well. If you did get out and for whatever reason... did it again, the punishment would be more severe. Imprisonment, maybe death. We don't want that to happen to you, so we want to make sure that you are better before we can release you." 

Rarity wrapped her forelegs around herself and began sobbing. "B-but I am all better! I p-promise! I never want to hurt another pony again even a little bit." 

Dr. Mind slid off of his chair and sat next to Rarity. He reached a hoof up to begin gently rubbing her back. "Rarity, I believe that, and so does Dr. Redheart. We do not believe that you are an evil filly, no matter what you did." 

"I just want to go home," Rarity moaned. "I don't want to be here anymore. I... I don't like it here." 

"Rarity, you won't be here forever. In fact, you won't even be here most of your life if you really don't want to hurt anypony ever again." Dr. Mind lifted Rarity off of her chair and wrapped her in a hug, allowing Rarity to lean against his chest. "You aren't a bad pony, Rarity. When you came here, I read up on some other ponies who killed ponies, and you are nothing like them."

Rarity sniffled and wiped her eyes with a foreleg. "Then why am I here? Why did Princess Celestia make me come here for so long?" Rarity looked up to Dr. Mind with watery eyes. "I hate it here. I hate this thing I have to wear all the time..." Rarity rubbed her light green patient's gown, reminding herself once again of how uncomfortable it was. "It's ugly and uncomfortable, and I hate having to wear one every day." 

A tight feeling welled up in Rarity's chest, and she suddenly felt as if she had difficulty breathing. She began quietly hyperventilating. She felt Dr. Mind's comforting hoof run through her mane, pushing a few loose strands out of her eyes. Somehow his touch only made things worse, and she began wiggling in his grasp, trying to escape from his embrace. "I... I hate this gown, I hate that I have to have a horn blocker w-whenever I go outside, I hate that I can only go outside for a few hours a day, I h-hate that none of the other foals here like me, I hate that you think I'm going to murder some if I have sewing needles in my room!" 

Rarity's tears came faster, and she began pushing harder against Dr. Mind's chest. Dr. Mind released his grip on her, and Rarity ran away from him until she reached the wall. Her hyperventilating increased, and with a scream, she slammed her hoof on the wall. "I hate these walls! I hate that I'm going to be behind them forever! I hate myself for being a murderer, I hate that I can't see my mommy or daddy or Cheerilee more than once a day at best! I hate that the only ponies that I talk to around here are you and Dr. Redheart and some of the other ponies that work here! I hate that you all think that I'm going to be a murderer again if you let me go!"

"Rarity, I don't think that!" Dr. Mind insisted. He reached a hoof out to her and took a step towards her. "I need you to calm down, Rarity. Everything is going to be fine."

"No it's not!" Rarity screeched, batting his hoof away. "It's never going to be okay again! I'm a murderer! Everypony hates me for that!" 

"Rarity, not everypony hates you!"

"Yes they do!" Rarity's tears dripped onto the floor, and her legs began shaking. "I hate it! I hate everything! I hate this place, I hate these walls, I hate how you watch me all the time in case I do something you already told me you don't think that I'm going to do! I hate the ponies who work here, I hate Dr. Redheart, and I hate you!" Rarity's eyes hardened into a glare, and a faint snarl played at her lips as she took a threatening step towards Dr. Mind. "You keep lying to me about everything! You keep telling me that I'm not a bad pony, but you keep me locked up like I am one!" 

Dr. Mind lowered his hoof and took an uneasy step away from Rarity. "Rarity, please calm down. You're not helping anypony by reacting this way. We're just trying to help you."

"You're lying to me again!" Rarity screeched. "All you do is lie to me, and I'm sick of it! I'm sick of this place! I'm not as sick in the head as you think that I am!" Rarity's lips curled into a full blown snarl, and she slammed her hoof on the ground. "Get me out of here! I can't be here for years! I can't be around ponies who hate me for what I did for years and years!" 

"Rarity, I need you to calm down!" Dr. Mind reached out his hoof to her again. "I know this hurts, believe me. I understand that you're upset right now, but if you calm down, we can talk about it, okay?"

"I don't want to talk about it!" Rarity snarled. "I wanna get out of here! I can't be here forever; I can't do this anymore!" The tight feeling in Rarity's chest traveled up her body until it reached the base of her horn. Her horn was bathed in an increasingly bright blue light as pure magic surged through it. "I want you to let me out of here! I wanna go home!" 

With one more yell, a bright beam of blue magic shot out of Rarity's horn, missing Dr. Mind by inches and colliding with the wall behind him. Dr. Mind quickly backed up until he reached the door, and pounded on it. Within seconds an orderly ran in and grunted in surprise when he saw Rarity's magical surge. He ignited his own horn, and a band of green magic wrapped itself around Rarity's horn, nullifying her magic. Rarity squealed in pain as the magic was negated, and she collapsed onto the ground, rubbing her forehead at the base of her horn. The orderly ran up to her and wrapped her in his forelegs, pinning Rarity's forelegs to her side. She squirmed in his powerful grasp, but she couldn't wiggle out. 

"Don't hurt her!" Dr. Mind cried as the orderly took a horn blocker out of his pocket and slipped it over Rarity's horn. Rarity squealed again and began thrashing about more violently. Dr. Mind rushed over to the pair, and sat down in front of Rarity, putting a hoof on her shoulder. "Rarity, Rarity I need you to calm down now, okay? You're not helping yourself if you act like this."

"I just wanna go home!" Rarity moaned. "Please don't keep me here for years! Th-these have been the most awful months of my whole life! Just l-let me out of here! I promise I won't hurt anypony! I promise!"

A second orderly ran in, and the one holding Rarity motioned to her with his head. "Get a straitjacket. She's hysterical." 

"No!" Rarity stopped struggling, and lowered her head. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. "I'll be good. I-I'll be a good pony. I'm sorry that I did that. I d-didn't mean to get so angry." 

Dr. Mind rubbed Rarity's shoulder and brushed a few strands of her mane out of her face. "I know you didn't, Rarity. You've been under a lot of stress lately from everything that has been happening. I blame myself for that." 

"I just wanna go home." Rarity sniffled and Dr. Mind levitated a nearby tissue box over to them and dried Rarity's eyes with one. "I can't be here anymore. I know I murdered ponies, but I can't do this for years." Rarity looked back up at Dr. Mind with wide eyes. "Can't you fix me faster?" 

"We're trying to help you, Rarity. Please believe me when I say that." 

Rarity subtly nodded, and relaxed slightly when she felt the orderly's grip on her loosen up a little. "I'm sorry I shot the magic at you," she muttered. "I didn't want to hurt you."

Dr. Mind gave Rarity a small smile and put a hoof on her shoulder. "Rarity, it was just a typical magical surge. Ponies your age frequently have them. I don't think you attacked me, I think that you just got a little too upset and your magic got a little out of your control, that's all." 

The door behind Dr. Mind opened gain, and Dr. Redheart, another orderly, and another doctor that Rarity didn't recognize came in. Dr. Redheart had a slight glare on her face, and it took Rarity a moment to realize it wasn't directed at her, but the other doctor. The other doctor walked up to Rarity and peered down at her. "She surged and attacked you, is that correct, Dr. Mind?" 

Rarity whimpered under the mare's piercing gaze, and Dr. Mind shook his head. "No, I wouldn't call it that. We were just talking about... the possible duration of her stay here, and she became agitated. She didn't intend to surge, of course, Dr. Merrin." 

"Be that as it may, I feel that solitary confinement for the rest of the day is in order," said Dr. Merrin. "I don't like it, but she did technically attack you, and there are rules about that sort of thing. Also, I think the horn blocker may be necessary for each of your sessions if she's going to become agitated during them."

"No!" Rarity wailed. "I don't wanna go there, and I don't wanna have the horn blocker on all the time!" Rarity slid one of her forelegs out of the orderly's grasp, and she reached out a pleading hoof to Dr. Merrin. "I didn't mean to do it. I'm sorry that I did something bad. I'll do better, I promise!"

"I'm sorry, Rarity, but there are rules for patients attacking doctors." Dr. Merrin turned around and began walking out of the room. She stopped when she reached the door and turned her head back to the group. "Only for the day. She can come out at bedtime."

Rarity let out a wail and began sobbing as the orderly lifted her into the air with his magic. Dr. Mind shot to his hooves and followed right beside Rarity. "Rarity, it's okay! You're only going to be there for a few hours, that's all. It's really not that bad." 

"I don't wanna go to solitary!" Rarity wailed. "I w-wanna go h-home! Please don't make me go to solitary!" 

The trio reached a row of solitary confinement cells, and the orderly opened the nearest one up. Inside was a padded room with only a small cot and a toilet for contents. Rarity squealed and began violently thrashing about, trying to escape from his grasp, but she could not break free of the magic. "Rarity, please calm down. You're going to be okay, I promise. You can come out for bedtime. I promise that you're not going to be here forever."

The orderly set Rarity down on the padded floor and backed out of the room, still holding Rarity in his magical grasp. Rarity continued struggling, but couldn't move her body more than a few inches. "Please don't make me stay here!" Rarity moaned. "I'm sorry that I shot the magic at you! I didn't mean to."

Dr. Mind grimaced and looked sadly at Rarity. "I'm sorry, Rarity. I'm truly, truly sorry." 

The orderly released Rarity from his magical glow, and pushed the door shut, trapping Rarity inside the room. Rarity let out a piercing wail when she heard the door lock, and curled up into a ball on the floor, sobbing her eyes out. "I'm sorry I'm a bad pony! I don't want to be, I promise!" Rarity covered her head with her forelegs and squeezed her eyes shut. "I promise that I don't want to be a bad pony." 

After a good half hour, Rarity finally cried herself out. She sniffled and wiped her puffy red eyes with a foreleg before looking over to the small cot. Her legs shaking, she pushed herself to her hooves and trudged over to the cot. She pulled the blanked and pillow off of the cot with her mouth, grateful for the small mercy in that they were clean. As in the prison cell, she laid the pillow out on the ground underneath the cot and laid down, resting her head on it. She pulled the blanket over herself and curled up into a ball, hoping not for the first time that maybe, just maybe this time she'd disappear and be forgotten by the world. 


*  *  *  *


It had been two days since Rarity's stint in solitary confinement, and she was meeting with Dr. Mind for the first time since then. Dr. Merrin had come to talk to her once she was released from the cell, but Rarity had refused to say a single word to her. She had been given back to Dr. Mind the following day, and they were back in the patient interview room. 

"How are you feeling, Rarity?" Dr. Mind asked. "I know that couldn't have been easy."

Rarity stared at the ground, her ears flattened and her head lowered. "I'm a bad pony."

"Now Rarity, don't talk like that. You're not a bad pony."

"Then why did you put me there?" 

"Well..." Dr. Mind uneasily scratched the back of his neck. "Rarity, it wasn't my choice to put you there, it was Dr. Merrin's. She feels that protocol must be observed if an... incident like the one that happened a few days ago occurs." 

Rarity reached her hoof up to her head and lightly tapped the horn blocker that was locked onto her horn. It had not come off since the incident. "Is Dr. Merrin ever going to let you take this off? Am I ever going to be allowed to use magic ever again?"

"Of course, Rarity!" said Dr. Mind. He reached a hoof out and gently put it on one of Rarity's forelegs. "Dr. Merrin thinks that it's just a prudent precaution. I assure you that I ask her every day if we can take it off when you're not meeting with me."

"And she says no because I'm a murderer." Rarity's lower jaw quivered, and a pair of tears streaked down her face. "She thinks I'm a bad pony."

"Rarity, nopony here thinks that!" Dr. Mind sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Look, I cannot deny that you did a very bad thing. It was a poor decision born of a horrible situation, but that doesn't make you a bad pony."

"Then why am I here for years?" Rarity sniffled and wiped her eyes with a foreleg. "W-why can't I just go home? I promise that I don't have that bad feeling anymore!" Rarity's body was wracked with a powerful sob, and she put her head in her hooves, her voice coming out in a whimper. "I promise." 

"Rarity, I believe you, but my supervisors and Princess Celestia just want to be sure." Dr. Mind scooted closer to Rarity and gave her a small smile. "I promise that I will work as hard as I can to make sure that you are out of here as soon as possible."

Rarity looked over to Dr. Mind with wide eyes. "When will that be?"

Dr. Mind's smile fell, and he sighed quietly. "I don't know, Rarity. I don't know."


*  *  *  *



Five years later


Rarity smiled as she put the felt marker down on her desk, her eyes scanning her latest design. It was a simple dress for Dr. Redheart based on her doctor's outfit. Of course, Rarity would never have the means to actually create it, but it was fun to at least draw out her designs. It was something to pass the time in her room. 

Finding no flaw in her creation, she levitated a piece of blue painter's tape and used it to tape the design onto the wall of her room next to the dozens of other designs she would never get to create. Still, dreaming and creating was the only thing that kept her going in this place. 

Rarity leaned back in her seat and sipped from a small paper cup of water as she scanned her various drawings. She clicked her tongue when she found a few problems with a couple. Emeralds on the hem line? What was she thinking? That pattern shouldn't go on the shoulders. It fit more on the haunches. No, that hat wouldn't do with that dress at all. Rarity sighed and put the cup down. Oh well, it was a learning experience. 

Rarity heard a buzz coming from her door and swiveled her right ear in that direction. She heard it open and three sets of hoofsteps enter her room. 

"Good afternoon, Dr. Mind. You're here to take me to our daily session?"

Dr. Mind chuckled and walked up beside Rarity. "Well, it's something a little different today, Rarity." 

Rarity raised an eyebrow and raised her cup again, gently swirling it around as if it was a fine wine that she was trying to air out. Her eyes were still fixed on the drawings in front of her. "Indeed?"

Dr. Mind nodded. "Indeed, indeed." He smiled as he scanned Rarity's wall of designs and took a deep breath. "It's a wonder to me that you don't have your cutie mark in design, Rarity. At the rate you churn these out on top of the quality of them all, I would have pegged you as having gotten your cutie mark a long time ago." 

Rarity flattened her mouth in a subtle grimace, and her gaze flickered down to her flank. It was still as snow white and blank as the day she had been born. "Well, you know what Dr. Redheart keeps saying: it will come in time." 

Rarity sighed and poked at her shoulder-length mane to make sure that it was still done up in its ponytail. Part of her still wished that she was allowed access to the sprays and gels that allowed her to keep it in the perfectly curled style she favored when she was a filly, but lack of access to those materials meant that she had settled for a shorter tail and mane done up in simple styles. "Having said that, I do wish it would come a little faster. I'm a young mare, and I don't know about you, but I don't know of any young mares my age that don't have their cutie marks."

"Yes, I can imagine that that would be a little frustrating, Rarity," Dr. Mind agreed. He shrugged. "Well, I'm sure it will come soon. Maybe when you get out of here?"

Rarity chuckled and smirked. "Oh doctor, let's not entertain any delusions about my release." Rarity rested her elbow on the table in front of her and leaned her head against her hoof as she continued scanning her designs. "I know that five years from now I'll be transferred to an adult facility where I'll spend the rest of my life drawing designs that will never come to be and wasting away doing nothing of consequence." Rarity shrugged her left shoulder. "Such is life, I suppose. Some of us don't get a good draw." 

"Now Rarity, I don't think that's going to happen." Dr. Mind pulled up a small stool and sat down next to her. "You're going to get out of here one day." 

"I know. Like I said, I'll be transferred to an adult facility when I turn eighteen." Rarity sighed and looked back down at her blank flank. "I do hope I get my cutie mark before then." 

"Rarity..."

"Doctor, I've been here since I was eight years old. Five years two weeks ago." Rarity raised her head and glanced over at Dr. Mind for the first time since he had come in. "If talks about my release were going to have occurred, they would have done so already. I think we can all agree that I'm only here because of the nature of my crime as opposed to you attempting to fix any lingering negative feelings about what I did." Rarity shrugged again. "As I said before: such is life. I've accepted the fact that this just happens to be mine." 

Dr. Mind grimaced, but said nothing further on the subject. Rarity spaced him another glance and noticed the grimace, so she gave another small smirk. "You said something about a new session today?"

Dr. Mind stood up from his seat and smiled. "Well, I wouldn't exactly call it a session, Rarity. More like... a surprise." 

Rarity fully turned her head towards Dr. Mind her eyebrow raised curiously. "Indeed?"

Dr. Mind nodded, his smile growing a little wider. "Your mother and father arrived a few minutes ago. They brought somepony with them."

Rarity raised her other eye brow and turned her body towards Dr. Mind. "Is that right? I assume it isn't Cheerilee. She comes at least once a week." 

Dr. Mind shook his head and beckoned Rarity to follow him. "No, it's not Cheerilee. I'll let them tell you who it is." 

Rarity got to her hooves and followed Dr. Mind out of her room, stopping briefly so that one of the orderlies Dr. Mind came in with could put a magic blocker on her horn, and towards the visitor's room. Rarity noted with more than a little curiosity that Dr. Mind seemed to have a spring in his step that generally was not present, particularly where she was concerned. Yes he always tried to remain positive for her, but today he seemed downright giddy. Either the special visitor was that good, or he had some other part of his life that had taken a turn for the better recently. 

The group reached the visitor's center and Dr. Mind swiped his key card. The door alarm buzzed, and the door itself swung open revealing an empty room save for Rarity's parents sitting at a table in the middle. Rarity smiled and trotted over to them. Rarity's mother and father both smiled at her when she walked in, but Rarity's mother's smile faltered slightly when she saw the magic blocker on Rarity's horn. She had never taken to the idea that Dr. Merrin required Rarity to have one on at all times when out of her room. The tantrum that she had thrown when Dr. Mind had informed her of the rule gave even the most experienced orderlies the shivers when they remembered it. 

Rarity reached the table and sat down beside her mother, who wasted no time in wrapping her forelegs around her and giving her a friendly nuzzle. "Hey, Rarity. How are you doing?" 

"Oh, same old, same old, Mother," Rarity replied. "Just the normal routine." Rarity raised her head and looked between her mother and father. "Though I will say that this is a bit of a break from said routine. You usually aren't here for another four hours. On top of that, Dr. Mind told me that a third party was participating in this visit?" 

"There is," said Rarity's father. He leaned over and put a hoof around his wife's shoulders. "She's here right now."

Rarity straightened up and raised an eyebrow. "But it's just the three of us here. Who else is...?" Rarity's words were cut off when Rarity's mother gently held Rarity's hoof in one of her own and placed it on her stomach. "We just got back from the doctors for the results. The ultrasound showed us that it's a filly." 

Rarity let out a quiet gasp and brought both of her hooves to her mouth. "M-Mother? Are you saying...?"

Rarity's mother broke out into a wide grin. "You're gonna have a little sister, Rarity." 

Rarity's eyes widened, and for a few moment she could do nothing other than stare at her mother's stomach. Finally, it clicked in her mind completely and she jumped into the air with a squeal of joy. She rushed over to her mother and threw her forelegs around her shoulders. "Mother this is the most wonderful thing I've ever heard!" Rarity's eyes welled up with happy tears, and she gently placed her hoof on her mother's stomach again. "When is she due?"

"In about eight months," her father replied. 

"There's more good news to that, Rarity," said Dr. Mind, who had just walked up to the trio. "Should you continue your streak of good behavior, I've convinced Dr. Merrin to let you out of the hospital on the day your mother gives birth so that you can be there with her when your new sister comes."

Rarity let out another quiet gasp, and she fixed Dr. Mind with a watery smile. "Thank you," she whispered. "I'll be the best patient you've ever had. You won't have to worry about a thing with me!" Rarity leaned into her mother's shoulder and nuzzled her. "I want to be there when my baby sister is born."


*  *  *  *


Rarity groaned and tapped her hoof on the hoof rest of her chair. Her mother had been in labor for six hours, and still she received no new news about either her condition or the condition of her new sister. A messenger had been sent to the psychiatric hospital with the news that Rarity's mother was in labor, and Dr. Mind and Dr. Merrin had both signed off on a temporary leave from the hospital. Of course, she was still given a magic blocker and two orderlies at all times, but Rarity saw it as a necessary evil. She had a new sister on the way!

Rarity glanced back at the two orderlies, both of whom were sitting a few seats behind her in the waiting room. One was reading a newspaper and the other had his head tilted back as if he was asleep. Rarity smirked at them before turning her attention back to a table that held a small stack of magazines. She had already read through all of them, yes, even the cheesy tabloid magazine filled with nonsense stories, but she figured that as long as she had nothing else to do, she might as well read through some of the more interesting ones again.

As she grabbed a fashion magazine from Canterlot, she heard the doors to the waiting room slide open, and she looked to see an orange earth pony with a long blonde mane and tail and three apples for a cutie mark walk in. They made eye contact and exchanged a smile. The pony trotted over to Rarity and sat down in the seat next to her. 

"Well howdy do there, miss. You here waitin' on someone?" 

Rarity nodded and put the magazine back down on the table. "Oh yes. My mother is here giving birth to my new sister!" 

The pony's eyes and smile widened, and she grasped Rarity's hoof in both of hers and began shaking it. "Well congratulations! You must be happier than a--"

"Hey!" Rarity and the pony both looked back to the orderlies, one of whom had stood up and was pointing at Rarity. "No contact, please."

The pony frowned, but released Rarity's hoof. She looked back over to Rarity and for the first time, she noticed Rarity's horn blocker. She flinched back a few inches. "Uh... what's that for?"

Rarity glanced up at her horn blocker and sighed. "Well, I'm a patient over at the Ponyville Youth Psychiatric Hospital." The pony leaned back another inch, but Rarity gave her a reassuring smile and held up a hoof. "Don't worry, darling, I'm not going to hurt you or anything like that." Rarity motioned up to her horn blocker. "This old thing is merely a precaution those gentlecolts over there take whenever I'm out and about. I'm hardly dangerous... uh..." Rarity frowned and tilted her head. "You know, I don't recall you telling me your name."

The pony blinked a few times, but hearing Rarity ask her name snapped her out of her staring. "Oh, uh... right." The pony blinked a few more times. "Mah name is Applejack. Ah work at Sweet Apple Acres at the edge of town."

"An apple farm?" Applejack nodded, and Rarity returned it. "That sounds interesting. My name is Rarity and I... well..." Rarity gave an amused scoff. "I've been in the care of the government for the past nearly six years." 

Applejack slowly nodded. "Well, pleased ta meet ya, Rarity. Sorry if Ah seem a little nervous 'round you. Ah just wasn't expectin' that is all." Applejack waved her hoof and shrugged. "Well, Ah ain't gonna think less of ya. If there's one thing that mah ma and pa taught me..." 

To Rarity's surprise, Applejack quietly gasped, and began blinking rapidly. "Ma and Pa," she whispered. "Please be okay."

"Applejack? What's wrong?" Rarity asked. 

A tear streaked down Applejack's face, and she wiped it from her muzzle while blinking back more. "M-mah ma, pa, and Ah were comin' back from the market fer some supplies, and somepony forgot ta secure their cart right. I-it rolled down the hill it was on and came straight for us. Pa barely had enough time ta push me out of the way, but..." Applejack whimpered softly and wiped away more tears. "It hit 'em both."

Rarity gasped and put a hoof up to her mouth. "Applejack, that's horrible! I'm so sorry, darling." Rarity reached a hoof out to Applejack, but the warning of the orderly went through her mind, so she settled it on the back of Applejack's chair. "Is there anything that I can do for you, darling? Anything at all?"

Applejack sniffled and shrugged. "Ah don't know, Rarity. Thanks fer askin', though." 

Before Rarity could respond further, the door to the inside of the hospital opened up, and a doctor levitating a clipboard in front of him walked into the waiting room. "Which one of you is Rarity?"

Rarity raised her hoof. "I am, sir."

The doctor nodded and beckoned Rarity. "Good. I just wanted to tell you that the delivery was completely successful." He lowered the clipboard and gave Rarity a wide smile. "Your mother and new baby sister are doing just fine." 

Rarity's eyes widened, and her mouth split into a gigantic grin. "They're okay? I have my sister?!" 

The doctor nodded and motioned to the door. "You can go see them now. They're resting in room twelve-A just down the hall." 

Rarity shot to her hooves and bolted in the direction of the door. Her sister was here! However, just as she reached it, she screeched to a halt and turned her head back towards Applejack who was staring sullenly at the floor. She glanced over at the two orderlies who were both walking towards her before walking back to Applejack. She sat down in front of her and put a hoof on the foreleg rest of Applejack's chair. "I'm sorry, but I have to go see my mother and sister now. If you're still here when I come back, do you want to talk some more? I'd be glad to listen."

Applejack's gaze flickered up to Rarity and she slowly tilted her head in a nod. "Y..." Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat. "Yeah. Yeah Ah'd like that, Rarity." Applejack gave Rarity her best smile and motioned to the door. "You go on ahead and see yer mother and sister. Maybe if Ah don't see ya tonight, Ah can come visit you at the hospital."

Rarity smiled comfortingly at Applejack and, despite knowing the orderlies were watching, put a gentle hoof on her shoulder. "I'd like that very much, Applejack." 

Before either orderly could reprimand her for the contact, Rarity got to her hooves and walked through the door towards her mother's room. The doctor and two orderlies followed beside her, and when they reached the proper hallway, the doctor pointed to one of the nearby rooms. Rarity's mouth split into another grin, and before anypony could do anything, she ran inside the room. 

What she saw took her breath away. 

Her mother was lying on the bed in the room, her mane disheveled and sweat glistening on her forehead, and she was cradling a tiny bundle in her forelegs. Her father had his forelegs around her shoulders, and both were staring at the bundle with wide smiles of their own. Rarity rushed over to her mother's side and saw the tiny filly in her arms. She was the same shade of white that Rarity herself was, and she had a pink and purple striped mane, complete with a tiny horn on top of her head. 

"She's... she's beautiful," Rarity whispered. Her mother extended her forelegs, allowing Rarity to take her sister in her own forelegs. She sat down on the floor and gently cradled her sister. She shifted slightly in her blankets during the move, but otherwise remained asleep. Rarity smiled at her and gently kissed her forehead above her horn. "What's her name?"

"Well, we actually haven't thought of a name yet," said her father. "We were hoping for a little bit of input from you."

"Well, she's just a little sweetie, isn't she?" Rarity cooed. "I think that should be a part of her name, don't you think?" At that exact moment, a bell began to ring in the distance from the Ponyville Tower signifying that it was eleven o'clock at night. "Bell... Belle. Belle with an 'e' at the end means beauty, doesn't it? How about Sweetie Belle?" She looked expectantly up at her parents, both of whom smiled back at her.

"I think that's a wonderful name," said her mother. A doctor beside them nodded and went off to go make the birth certificate.

"Yes, Sweetie Belle," said Rarity softly. "My baby sister Sweetie Belle." Rarity relished this perfect moment in time and she almost wished it could go on forever. The doctor did trot back into the room after a few minutes, putting Sweetie Belle's birth certificate in a manila folder. Once he did, one of the orderlies stepped forwards.

"It's time, Rarity. Sorry, but Dr. Merrin said she wanted you back at the hospital before midnight." 

Rarity nodded and nuzzled Sweetie Belle again. "I understand. I'll be along in a moment." Rarity extended her forelegs and gently passed Sweetie Belle back to her mother. She got to her hooves and smiled at her parents. "You'll have to bring her by every time you visit me. I want to get to know my sister." 

"Of course, Rarity," said her father. "We wouldn't want you to miss a moment with your sister. You'll have lots of time to get to know each other when you get out soon too."

Rarity's smile flickered, but she nodded and looked back down at Sweetie Belle. She leaned in close to her and gave her a final kiss on the forehead. "Big sister is going to love getting to know you, Sweetie Belle. I'm going to be the best big sister that I possibly can to you. I promise you that." 

With that, and a round of goodbyes to her parents, Rarity followed the orderlies out of her mother's room. One of them smiled at her and patted her on the shoulder. "Congratulations, Rarity. I know that's gotta feel really good, seeing your baby sister."

Rarity returned his smile and nodded. "Oh it's the best thing that's ever happened to me!" Rarity giggled and bounced into the air a few times. "I have a sister! I have a sister!"

Rarity's mirth was cut off when she heard what sounded like a pony sobbing nearby. Her grin faded into a frown, but she couldn't tell where the crying was coming from. Still, it sounded vaguely familiar. 

Rarity's stomach clenched and she let out a gasp when the three turned a corner and saw who was crying. Applejack was curled up on the floor and clutching a worn brown Stetson close to her body. "Oh Applejack," Rarity whispered. She walked up to Applejack and sat down on the floor behind her. "Applejack?"

Applejack flinched, but turned her head to see Rarity behind her. Her face was streaked with tears, and her eyes were puffy and red. "R-Rarity?"

Rarity nodded and put a hoof on Applejack's back. "I'm here, Applejack. I'm here for you." 

"Rarity, no contact please," one of the orderlies said. "You know the rules." 

"Yes, yes, in a moment," said Rarity with a wave of her hoof. "Just let me help her, okay?" 

Rarity nudged Applejack to get her to sit up, and when she had, Applejack threw her forelegs around Rarity and buried her head in her shoulders. "Th-they died! Mah ma and pa died! The doctors said that th-they tried ta save 'em, but they were too banged up from the accident!" 

Rarity wrapped her forelegs around Applejack's waist and gently nuzzled the top of her head as one of the orderlies took a step towards Rarity. "Rarity, you know the rules! No contact!"

"Yes, I know the rules," Rarity said coolly. "Might it occur to you that I don't give a flying feather about the rules right now?" 

"Rarity, you were allowed out because of your good behavior," said the other orderly. "Don't throw that away. Do you understand that Dr. Merrin might order you to go to solitary for this?"

Rarity turned her head back to the orderlies and glared at them. "Yes! Yes I do understand that I am breaking every rule and condition set by Dr. Merrin by not going with you back to the hospital and hugging this mare! I understand that Dr. Merrin may very well wish to punish me for it, but do you understand that this mare is now without parents and need somepony to be there for her right now?!" 

"Yeah, we do, Rarity," said the first orderly. "We do, but it isn't your responsibility to do that, okay? If you want we'll get one of the doctors to come talk to her, okay?"

"No, that is unacceptable!" Rarity retorted. "The doctors have a lot on their plate, and Applejack needs all of the attention and care that a pony can give, and I want to give it!" Rarity's eyes narrowed, and her mouth twisted into a snarl. "If you want to stop me, then you're going to have to tear her out of my forelegs, take that muzzle and those hoofcuffs off of your belts and put them on me and drag me back to the hospital to throw me head over hooves into solitary! I am not leaving this mare until I know she's at least a little bit okay."

The orderly was about to retort, but he was cut off when Applejack's quiet voice broke through. "R-Rarity? You don't need ta do that fer me," she whispered. "Ah don't want you ta halfta go through solitary because of me."

Rarity turned her head back to Applejack and gave her a small, sad smile. "Oh, solitary isn't really all that bad. It's just a little dull, that's all. Don't you want somepony here with you?" 

Applejack sniffled and slowly nodded. "Yeah."

"Well then I'm here for you, Applejack. You don't have to be alone." Rarity nuzzled the top of Applejack's head again. "I'm here for you. It's going to be okay." 

Rarity flinched when she felt a hoof on her shoulder, but she didn't let go of Applejack. "Rarity, I know you want to help this mare, and that's noble, but Dr. Merrin will get you in trouble if you keep doing this. You know we have to tell her about it." 

Rarity turned her head back to the orderly and glared at him. "I think I made my position on that quite clear. Dr. Merrin can wait. Dr. Merrin doesn't need me back at the institution. Applejack needs me here." 

"Dr. Merrin can revoke visitation rights, Rarity," the orderly shot back. "I know you want to see your sister some more after tonight, right? If you don't come back with us, you won't be able to." 

Rarity's ear twitched at the threat but her glare did not falter. She hugged Applejack tighter and began rubbing her back. "Can I at least walk her home?" Rarity looked back down to Applejack. "Do you have anypony to be there with you at your house?" 

Applejack nodded and wiped her eyes with a hoof. "Yeah. Mah granny, brother, and sister are back at the farm." 

"Well they can come get her." The orderly poked Rarity's shoulder. "Rarity, I don't want to have to secure you and drag you back to the institution, but I will if I feel that I have to. You wouldn't want Applejack to see that, would you?" 

Rarity shook her head, but did not look back at the orderly. "No. I wouldn't. Would you want her to see that? All I'm asking is a half hour to walk Applejack home to make sure that she's okay. You can either grant me my request and ensure that I come quietly, or you can drag me away and I'll see if I can't overload a horn blocker." 

The orderlies exchanged a brief glance with each other, with one shrugging to the other. The one closest to Rarity sighed and rubbed one of his temples. "Fine. She'll have to ride in the wagon we brought you in, though, and we're going straight back to the hospital after we drop her off." 

"Thank you," said Rarity stiffly. "That's very kind of you." 

Rarity ran a hoof down Applejack's mane and gently kissed the top of her head. "We're going to take you home to be with your family now, Applejack. You just talk to me about whatever you need to, and I'll listen. I want to help however I can."

"Th-thank you, Rarity," Applejack whispered. "Thank you."

Rarity stood up and helped Applejack to her hooves, letting Applejack lean on her for support. Applejack took a moment to put the Stetson on her head, and the orderlies led the two of them out of the hospital. They went out a side door towards the wagon that Rarity had been brought to the hospital in, and the orderlies opened the door so the two could get inside. Once they were in, Applejack threw her forelegs around Rarity's waist and began sobbing hysterically. Rarity held Applejack and let her cry until she had no more tears to shed. 

When she had finished, the ride was still going on, so Applejack moved to talking about her parents. She talked about her favorite memories with them, how she hoped they were in a better place, and how she hoped they were proud of her. Rarity chimed in with a comforting word every now and again, but mostly she just let Applejack talk. 

Finally the wagon stopped, and Rarity stood up to see where they were. She looked out the window and saw a farmhouse near rows and rows of apple trees bearing ripe red apples. "We're here Applejack. I see a lot of apple trees." She looked down at Applejack who was getting to her hooves and smiled at her. "Your home is very beautiful. Maybe I can come visit sometime."

Applejack returned Rarity's smile and put a hoof on her shoulder. "Rarity, we Apples pride ourselves on our hospitality, but believe me when Ah say that y'all are welcome whenever you like. Yer family too. You've done somethin' fer me that Ah can never repay."

Rarity scoffed and waved a hoof. "Repay. Such a silly word for a situation like this. I was glad to help you, Applejack. There is no punishment that I may receive for this that would make me go back and do it any other way." Rarity put a hoof on Applejack's shoulder. "I'm here for you whenever you need me, Applejack. You know where I am."

The doors behind Rarity unlocked and swung open revealing the two orderlies. Rarity nodded at Applejack, and the two hopped out of the wagon. After one final goodbye, Applejack trudged towards the farmhouse and walked inside. Rarity sighed when the door closed behind Applejack and turned to the orderlies. "Well, I said that I'd come quietly."

The orderly to Rarity's left clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Dr. Merrin will not be happy about this, Rarity. It'll be half-past midnight by the time we come back. Expect to be in solitary for a while."

"Was it worth it, Rarity?" the other orderly chimed in. "Was it worth whatever punishment Dr. Merrin is gonna give you? We could have just had a doctor help her out."

A small smile crossed Rarity's face, and she turned her head towards the farmhouse. "It most certainly was. You should have seen that girl when we arrived. What I did meant the world to her."

"Yeah, well..." Rarity heard a horn ignite and the sound of hoofcuffs being taken off a belt. "You know we gotta..."

Rarity nodded. "I know."

Rarity hopped back into the wagon and allowed the orderly to hoofcuff and muzzle her. She laid down on the floor of the cart and tried to get comfortable as the wagon began moving to take her back to the institution. As the sight of Sweet Apple Acres faded away in the distance, Rarity smiled. I'm glad I could be there for you, Applejack. I hope I can see you again.