//------------------------------// // SWEETIE BELLE BEAUTIFICATION PROGRAM // Story: Of Robots And Ponies: The Secret Story of Sweetie Bot // by Sparlight_Twikle //------------------------------// “Rarity, what are we going to do today?” “The same thing we do every Sunday, Fluttershy: go to the spa!” Two mares left the Carousel Boutique and trotted towards the sect's spa center. Little they knew, they were followed by two other mares. Lyra and Bon-Bon followed Rarity and Fluttershy, keeping their distance as large as possible. When they saw that their targets entered the spa building, they stopped and gave up. “Come on, Bon-Bon, we're going home. We need to prepare a plan.” *** Under Lyra's basement there was a huge conference room, ready to accommodate several dozens of ponies, but it wasn't actually used by anypony else than Lyra or Bon-Bon. The room was dimly lit with multiple small red lights and adorned with multiple banners of the Evil Robot Empire. On one of the walls there was a large map of Equestria with Ponyville marked with a giant red tack. Next and parallel to that wall, there was a platform with a long desk on it. Lyra stepped up the platform, the lights installed in the desk illuminating her ominously from beneath. Bon-Bon sat down at a long table that stood in the middle of the room. “I see all members of our section of the organization are present, so I'll begin.” Lyra began. “I think I can already trust you enough to reveal what actually I'm doing.” “The Evil Robot Empire has fought with Equestria for a long time. In the last fifty years or so, we switched from direct military attacks, to intelligence and sabotage. Our agents, such as I, disguised as ponies, have been sent to Equestria and they try to plant as many fake ponies as they can. To make those fakes harder to detect, they are programmed to think they're real ponies. They can be used to spy on Equestria's biggest secrets. And here's my objective.” Lyra pulled down a huge slide with three lines of text: 1. INFILTRATE THE SMOOZE CULTISTS 2. ??? 3. VICTORY! “As you can see,” she continued, “my plan is not exactly detailed. The second part of the plan really depends on the results of the first one, so we'll just have to fill it in later. I see a question, yes?” Bon-Bon, who raised her hoof in the air a moment earlier, asked: “So when do we start infiltrating them?” “We already did. Sweetie Belle is our fake,” answered Lyra. “And to succeed, we need to make her join Rarity and Fluttershy in their secret activities. For starters, she has to go with the to the spa!” *** “Rarity, I wanna to go to the spa with you next Sunday.” said Sweetie Belle. Rarity, who was eating her breakfast and reading a newspaper, spat out oatmeal in shock when she heard it. She put the paper on the table, took a napkin, wiped her mouth clean and said: “Well, well, Sweetie Belle. You're going to grow up to be a fine lady. I didn't expect you would take interest in such ladylike activities so soon, like mud baths, instead of getting dirty while playing in m– Erm, that's great, you're surely have a lot of fun.” Sweetie Belle grinned widely. *** Lyra grinned widely. “Just as planned,” she whispered, before starting laughing maniacally. Bon-Bon stood nearby and seemed unimpressed. She was slowly chewing an apple. “Robots sure are interesting.” she remarked. “But why are you so excited? It's just a little filly going to the spa. I understand that it can be amusing, but– wait, are you REALLY sure it's not any kind of a sex toy?” Lyra's face expression instantly changed. She turned serious in an instant. “How many times have I to explain it to you? I didn't send Sweetie Belle to the spa to do any naughty stuff. I sent her to gather important information about the Smooze cult, so we can harness power of Smooze to finally defeat Celestia. Just listen.” Lyra turned on the audio feed, so Bon-Bon, sitting safely in Lyra's villain lair, could not only see on the screen what Sweetie Belle was seeing, but could also hear what Sweetie Belle was hearing. “So it's your first time in the spa?” asked the spa attendant on the screen. “Affirmative,” Sweetie Belle's own robotic voice could also be heard. “Nothing interesting is happening as for now,” remarked Bon-Bon. “My Little Human re-run is airing in few minutes, switch to it.” “Do you really prefer watching a show for little fillies, instead of spying on the most dangerous apocalyptic cult in this part of Equestria?” asked the unicorn, more annoyed than surprised. “Eeyup.” “So go watch it upstairs.” “No way!” protested the earth mare. “What if neighbors see me watching it? I've always watched it here.” “No. If you really want to watch this foalish stuff, do it upstairs.” Bon-Bon uttered few muffled swearwords and trotted upstairs. A minute later Lyra could hear Bon-Bon singing: “My Little Human, My Little Human, aaah aaah aaaaaaaaaah!” Trying to ignore her annoying subordinate, the unicorn got back to work. *** “So how are you enjoying the mud bath?” Fluttershy asked Sweetie Belle. Both of them lay together with Rarity in tubs filled with the finest mud the cult could afford. “Uhm, it's very nice. The warm mud is really good,” answered the filly. “I'm so glad you like it,” said Rarity, with her eyes covered by cucumber slices. “Sure I do!” exclaimed Sweetie Belle, throwing her forelegs up in the air. With a loud screech coming out from her shoulders. Rarity instinctively dove into the mud in fear. “What was that?” she asked, her mouth being barely over the surface. “It was Sweetie Belle, I think,” said Fluttershy. “Sweetie Belle, what did you do?” The filly answered honestly: “I don't know.” She lowered her forelegs, with similar, but quieter screech. “It just happened. I don't even know what is making this sound.” “Everypony, what would you say for a little jacuzzi bath?” Rarity tried to change the topic. “Agreed!” Both mares slowly got up and left the tub. Sweetie Belle had some difficulties, so her sister helped her. “Now, before we go to the jacuzzi tub, we need to shower,” Rarity explained to the filly. The mares trotted towards showers, followed by Sweetie Belle. With each filly's step, a screeching sound could be heard. “I keep hearing that sound,” remarked Fluttershy. “It sounds like grains of sand between two moving metal parts.” “Are we followed by a robot ninja?” asked excited Sweetie Belle. Rarity frowned: “That's no laughing matter, little miss. I fought those bastards in a war. You can't imagine how vicious, cruel and inequine they are.” When they got under the shower and the water started pouring down, Sweetie Belle's body jerked. “The water's too cold?” asked Fluttershy? “Maybe a little,” answered the filly, trying to regulate temperature. *** Lyra came out of the basement. “Bon-Bon, we've got a problem.” “What is it, Lyra?”, answered the earth mare, without moving her gaze from TV screen, where colorful humans were having adventures and learning about friendship. “You know we sent our robot to the spa?” “Yeah, so what?” “I forgot she's not waterproof.” *** Two ponies were enjoying their jacuzzi bath. The third one, a white unicorn filly, not so much. Sweetie Belle's body twitched every few seconds. “Sweetie Belle, are you okay?” asked concerned Rarity. “Yes, I'm—” TWITCH “–Sweetie Belle and I live in Carousel–” TWITCH “–okay.” “I don't think so.” Rarity got up, pulled out her sister from the tub, excused herself and returned home with Sweetie Belle on her back. Fluttershy was left alone. “I have no idea what just happened...” the pegasus whispered and submerged her whole self under water. *** “Sweetie Belle, are you okay now?” asked Rarity during dinner. Sweetie Belle, who had stopped twitching an hour after leaving the spa building, answered: “I think so.” She moved her hoof towards the bowl with carrot roast. The familiar screeching sound could be heard again. “The war was so long time ago,” Rarity whispered to herself, “but those robots keep following me. Where are they hiding?” “Rarity, may I go to the spa next week?” asked the filly. The mare tried to evade the direct answer: “I don't know... I'd have to ask Fluttershy first, if our religion is okay with taking small fillies to such enterprises...” “I'm not small! My size has exceeded necessary levels! Is it about my lack of cutie mark?” “Sweetie Belle, stop talking and eat your dinner!” “I love you!” “Eat!” *** The Celestia's glowing sphere was yet again lowered and Molestia's¹ darkness came upon the magical land of Equestria. In other words, the night came. Two ponies, one robot unicorn and one earth pony, sneaked around the town towards the Carousel Boutique. “I'm saying it again, Bon-Bon: I don't need you today,” said annoyed Lyra. “I'm gonna do everything myself.” “Aww,” Bon-Bon frowned. “I just wanted to tag along, there's nothing interesting on TV.” “Okay, but be quiet!” The mares approached the boutique. All lights had gone off long time ago. All the inhabitants were in a deep sleep. The green unicorn unlocked one of the windows with her magic and quietly went inside. The white mare shook her head with disappointment and loudly exclaimed: “That's stealth? I'm gonna show you real stealth!” After a little preparation, Bon-Bon jumped into the open window, releasing a pseudo-ninja-like battle cry, nudging the frame and making the window shut down with a loud thud. Suddenly, a light upstairs was turned on. “Crap, they're gonna find us!” Lyra said through clenched teeth. Rarity slowly descended from the stairs, armed in a long saber. She slowly walked towards the source of the noise, looking around for anything suspicious. “Is anypony here?” She turned on the light. “It's clear here, too. It must've been the wind.” She trotted towards the window. “As I thought. Sweetie Belle didn't properly lock the window again. What if somepony from the street just entered here? I'm going to have a talk with her tomorrow.” Suddenly, she noticed two female silhouettes. “What these two mannequins do here? Sweetie Belle moved them again? Oh Smooze, since I'm here, I should put them into some use. They can't stand here naked all day.” Rarity put her sword down and searched for two dresses. She levitated the yellow one and put it on the unicorn shape. Then she took the pink one and tried to put in on the earth mare shape. The dress slipped from the back and fell down on the floor. “Hmm, it doesn't fit.” Her eyes suddenly sparkled with joy: “I—DE—A!” She took a pin, grabbed both the dress and the pin, and walked to the earth pony. “Now if I pin the dress to the mannequin here...” She focused, laid the dress correctly and prepared to pin it. She slowly moved the pin towards the target, but it seemed like eternity, as if the target tried to move away from the pin. Just a little more... “Ah, forget it,” she resigned. “I'm too tired, I'll do it tomorrow.” She put the dress back on the hanger, put the pin back into a cushion, grabbed her sword and returned to sleep. When the light in Rarity's bedroom went out, Lyra broke silence. “That was close.” Bon-Bon seemed annoyed: “She wanted to pin a dress to my flank!” “Calm down, we still need to go upstairs. Or, actually only I need. You can stay here and pretend to be a mannequin again, or just simply go home.” The robot unicorn grabbed her saddlebag, which was hidden behind a cabinet, put it on and walked upstairs. Halfway, she noticed she was wearing a very fancy yellow dress. She tore it off her and threw away, before continuing her tour. When Lyra arrived into Sweetie Belle's bedroom, she noticed that the filly wasn't asleep. “Hello, Lyra,” she whispered. “Meeting you has a high positive emotional value!” “Hello, Sweetie Belle. Suspend system.” Lyra whispered back. Sweetie Belle's body stopped moving. The green unicorn walked towards the motionless robot, took out tools and a bottle of oil, and uncovered her. She quickly disassembled limbs of the robot, cleaned all the parts from traces of mud and put in fresh oil. When she was done, she covered the filly back, whispered “Wake up” to her ear and walked back downstairs. When she arrived back, she saw Bon-Bon. “You're still here?” she asked. “Get going, we don't have anything to do here.” The earth mare spat out the paintbrush and slowly climbed the window Lyra had opened. Moment later, the unicorn followed and they returned home under cover of the night. *** “Good morning, Rarity!” The white mare turned to her other side. “Not yet!” “Come on, Rarity, I prepared breakfast!” Sweetie Belle's voice was coming from the kitchen. “Did you burn anything?” Rarity asked half-asleep. “Actually, it's still burning. But don't worry, flames are not too big.” Upon hearing these words, Rarity got up almost instantly. She galloped towards the kitchen. When she was running downstairs, she suffered a huge shock. “Who tore my beautiful dress! I'll destroy them!” Shreds of a yellow dress lay down on the stair steps. “Sister, the flames are too big now!” “This crime cannot go unpunished! When I know who did it, I'll shove these shreds into their throat!” “Sister, did you like the curtains in the kitchen?” “Or from the other side!” “Because we have no curtains in the kitchen now!” “I'll put into the shreds as many pins as possible before shoving...” “Rarity, dresses are on fire!” Rarity finally reacted to Sweetie Belle's words. “What!? I'm coming!” She ran towards her sister's voice and skidded to halt in the kitchen. The fire was engulfing a pan and food products that lay nearby. The clouds of black smoke filled the air and slowly escaped through an open window. “My dresses!” “I was kidding, only the curtains burned,” Sweetie Belle admitted. “Help me with extinguishing.” Rarity turned water on and magically directed the stream at the flames. After a minute, the fire was put out. Neither the curtains nor pancakes survived the flames. “It looks like no breakfast for me,” remarked the mare. “I'm sorry.” “You're always sorry. It's the third curtain set this month.” “Rarity,” Sweetie Belle tried to change the topic. “I got visited by a green pony this night!” “Aliens?“ Rarity said with condescending tone. “Really, darling, it was probably just your hallucination. Go talk to Twilight, but she'll probably say that that alien of yours is not scientifically possible. Which won't mean anything – I swear to Smooze, one day that pony will call her own self ‘not scientifically possible’. Speaking of which, have you heard that weird noise we kept hearing yesterday?” Sweetie Belle stopped for a heartbeat, listening to the silence. “Negative,” she answered. “I haven't heard that ninja robot today.” “That's splendid. Sweetie, make me a sandwich. I have some important thing to do.” Rarity trotted outside the kitchen to the store. She took a look around. It looked exactly as she left it yesterday, but she felt like something was missing. “Weird, where are those mannequins I dressed at night?” She took few steps forward, looking around. When she inspected everything at eye level, she raised her head and looked at the ceiling. “Aaargh!” On the ceiling, some words were crudely written using black paint: NINJA ROBOT WAS HEAR ____________________________________________________ ¹ In “Friendship is Witchcraft”, Luna's real name is Molestia, but it doesn't mean she's molesting anypony.