Too short to post. Too good to forget.

by alt-tap


Big news

Rarity was looking forward to her weekly spa appointment even more than usual. Sweetie Belle was a wonderful little sister, but her strange propensity for accidentally burning things, even things that shouldn't be flammable, could be downright withering at times.

As Rarity pushed the spa door open Roxie, the mohawked spa receptionist, looked up from a fashion magazine and smiled. “Morning, Rarity,” she said cheerfully. Then she noticed the faint discoloration in Rarity’s mane and the blackened tips on some of the hairs. Her smile turned from sweet to sympathetic. “Sister trouble?”

Rarity sighed and placed a small pouch of bits on the counter. “Rather more sister-centered combustion trouble,” she clarifyed. “I do so love my sweet little Sweetie Belle, but ever since she grew into her magic it seems to be a fire a day, if not more.” She shook her head a little, her frazzled and partially scorched mane flopping limply. “I’ve managed to convince spike to keep an eye on her, at least until she gets a handle on the fire starting, but I am truly at my wits end!”

Roxie closed the bit drawer with a catching, safely securing Rarity’s money. Her supportive smile held fast. “Well, I can’t say I really understand,” she said, taping her hornless forehead, “but it sounds like I should schedule an extra long hot soak and some mane die. The twins will be ready for you in a moment, feel free to take a seat in the waiting room.”

“Thank you, darling,” Rarity said, moving towards the doors to the next room.

Beyond the door she saw Fluttershy lounging on one of the wood framed couches reading a periodical about healthy eating. “Fluttershy, darling! How lovely to see you!” she exclaimed, taking a seat across from her friend. “I didn’t realize you were back already. How was your excursion to the Bongo Bason?”

Fluttershy folded the corner of the page she was on and placed the magazine on the coffee table. “It was lovely, thank you,” she said. Her serene smile seemed nailed to her face, as if she had discovered the meaning of life and was just about to share it. “Sorry I didnt tell you when I arrived. I thought it would be more fun to meet you here so we could talk.”

There was something different about her friend that Rarity just couldn't quite exactly put her horn on, and it was bugging her. “All is of course forgiven.” Her mane was the as long as always. She seemed a bit more ‘at peace’ than usual, but that could easily be the lingering excitement from her recent three month jungle safari on the other side of the world. “Tell me about your adventures. I would just love to hear about such an exotic local.” Her wings were no larger or smaller than before, though wing size probably couldn't change anyway, Rarity reminded herself. She was still the same shade of yellow. She was just as thin… no, no she wasn’t. Either Fluttershy had somehow shaken the skinny bug or she was…

Rarity gestured to her friend's belly with a hoof. “Fluttershy, are you?..”

Fluttershy blushed and, as the name implies, shied away a bit. But her smile became a grin and she nodded ever so slightly.

Rarity sat up straighter and struggled for words for just a moment. “W-well congratulations!”

“Thank you.”

“So who is the lucky stallion?” Rarity asked excitedly, inches from falling off her couch. “Is it sompony I know? Ooh, was it a mysterious jungle pony who swept you off your hooves with his primitive charm and whisked you away to his tree house to show you the true depth of his affection?”

Fluttershy giggled quietly at Rarity’s little story. “That was... awfully detailed.”

Rarity laughed. “Well I have to do something when I’m sitting in a hot tub for an hour and my best friend is out having an exciting and apparently very sexy adventure. So who is it? I’m just dying to know?”

Fluttershy shied away even more and took a deep, calming breath. She knew she would have to tell everypony about it eventually. That didn’t make it any easier, but she had planned on telling Rarity during the spa appointment anyway. She took another deep breath and smiled at her friend. “It’s Discord. The wedding will be in about two months.”

It was not a graceful fainting that overtook Rarity at that moment. She did not dance from her couch, hoof on her head, to dramatically fall onto another couch. Or slump daintily onto the armrest. No.

Her brain stopped working, her body lost feeling, and she blacked out.