Rarity levitated a new bolt of cloth over to her sewing machine while simultaneously threading a new bobbin with matching thread. She was behind on her latest order, but neither Tartarus nor tidal surges were going to get in the way of finishing this project on schedule. Rarity hovered a pair of pinking shears over the fabric, lining up her next cut, but just as the shears bit into the cloth the bell hanging over the entrance to the Boutique rang out.
Stamping her hoof with a little irritation, Rarity took a breath to compose herself. Putting on her most professional expression, she walked out from the workroom and called out with a cheerful tone, "Welcome to Carousel Boutique! Where every garment is chic, unique, and...Oh, it's you, Sweetie Belle."
Sweetie Belle mumbled a little greeting and let her saddlebag of school books slump to the ground.
"Now, Sweetie Belle. You simply cannot make a mess in here today. I'm expecting a very important client this afternoon and I must keep the store spotless to make a good impression." Rarity tilted her head as she realized the time and then asked, "What are you doing back from school so early? Shouldn't you still be in class?" Rarity narrowed her eyes. "You aren't in trouble again are you?"
Sweetie Belle gave Rarity a mildly dirty look. "No, Miss Cheerilee let us out early for a project."
Rarity nodded, appeased for the moment. "Very well dear, I won't keep you from your homework while I go and do my own work. Ha! That was very nearly a rhyme worthy of Zecora!" Rarity chuckled as she turned to head back into the workroom.
"Can you tell me about the birds and the bees?" Sweetie Belle asked from behind Rarity.
Rarity stopped dead in her tracks.
Slowly, she turned around to look at Sweetie Belle. "What did you say?" she asked hesitantly.
"I was hoping you could tell me about the birds and bees," Sweetie Belle repeated.
Rarity fanned herself nervously. "This is most...unexpected. Aren't you a bit young to worry about such things?"
Sweetie Belle frowned. "I'm just as old as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, and they're out finding out the same thing!"
"I see," Rarity said. "Well, I suppose it's only natural. But darling, this really is a conversation you should be having with Mother."
"Why do you say that?" Sweetie Belle asked with surprise. "I bet she doesn't know anything about it."
Rarity blinked. "Oh, I'm quite sure she knows at least a couple of things about it," she replied dryly.
"C'mon Rarity, you've got to help me. Pleeeeease?" Sweetie Belle begged.
"Why the sudden interest in this?" Rarity inquired. A terrible thought occurred to her and a hoof flew to her cheek. "You haven't been snooping around in my private library have you?!"
Sweetie Belle cocked her head. "You have a private library? Is it anything like Twilight's?"
Rarity coughed to suppress a snort of laughter. "Oh, I daresay it's nothing like Twilight's." Her expression turned thoughtful. "Though one never knows. That mare does need to blow off steam somehow."
"Huh?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Err...never mind about Twilight," Rarity replied quickly.
"Rarity, I really need you to help me. I don't want to spend all day working on this assignment," Sweetie Belle whined.
"Assignment? You mean...THIS is the project that Cheerilee gave you?" Rarity asked, somewhat aghast. Sweetie Belle nodded affirmatively.
"This is completely inappropriate!" Rarity exclaimed. "They're supposed to get permission, or something! Mark my words, I'll be bringing this up at the next Pony-Teacher Association meeting!"
Sweetie Belle had no choice at this point. Digging into her arsenal, she put on "the eyes", giving Rarity the most adorable sad-face she could muster.
"Very well," Rarity conceded, unable to resist the cuteness overload. "But as a lady I have no idea how to tell you to write about such things. Perhaps a literary example would be a starting point. Wait here." With that, Rarity turned and went upstairs to her bedroom to fetch one of her favorite novellas. When she returned, Rarity levitated a well-worn paperback over to Sweetie Belle. "Read through this, it might give you some ideas for your...assignment. We can talk about it later, I must get back to work for now."
Sweetie Belle nodded her thanks and Rarity returned to her workroom. Once Rarity was out of sight, Sweetie Belle pulled the book in front of her and looked at the title. "Labors of the Heart?" Sweetie said outloud. "How is this supposed to help me write about birds and bees?" Sweetie Belle shrugged and started to hoof through the pages.
"How can she read this with some of the pages stuck together?" Sweetie Belle wondered. She finally let the book fall open where the spine had the deepest crease and started reading.
Rose Petal ran her gaze over the repairpony, admiring the ripping of his muscles under his coat as he worked to repair the broken sink. She pulled the towel tighter around herself she had grabbed when stepping out of the shower to answer the door.
"What did you say your name was again?" Rose Petal breathed, her eyes never leaving his flank.
"Labor. Hard Labor, Ma'am," the burly stallion replied.
"May I call you...Hard?" Rose Petal asked demurely.
The well-toned plumber lifted his head from under the sink and flashed a dazzling smile. "I would like nothing better." As he ran a hoof through his rough-shod mane, one of the faucets broke, spraying Rose Petal in a stream of water before the handsome stallion grabbed a wrench from his belt and shut the water off.
"Shame on me," he said in his rich baritone voice. "Looks like I've gotten you all wet."
"You have no idea," Rose Petal murmured, a little too loudly. Looking into the stallion's chestnut eyes, she pointed at the wrench and purred, "Is that the biggest tool you have?"
"Oh no, I've got one even larger for...special circumstances," Hard Labor replied, his hoof brushing over the towel, which fell to the floor.
Sweetie Belle's eyes grew larger and larger as she kept reading. Wait, were they...was that...
"EEEEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!" Sweetie Belle squealed, tossing the book away and sprinting from the Boutique, slamming the door behind her.
Rarity came trotting out to see what the commotion was. She spied the book laying on the ground and levitated it up, glancing quickly over the section that Sweetie Belle had been reading. "I suppose that outfit can wait a few more minutes," Rarity said with a naughty giggle, taking the book back upstairs with her.