Ponywatching

by ThunderTempest


Prompt #37: Rejection

The dress was beautiful. Everypony had told her so. And as she looked in the mirror, she could certainly see what they were talking about. But to her, there was something missing from it. She shook her head. Now was not the time to be dwelling on the past. She was stepping into a bright new future. Sweetie Belle’s horn lit up, and lifted her veil up and over her head, and stepped out into the hall.

As she trotted down the aisle, she could see her friends, smiling and crying for her, though Scootaloo would deny it later. At the head of the room, Princess Twilight Sparkle was waiting for her, along with her future partner. Sweetie could even see her parents in the front row, as well as a distinct empty space next to them. The dress itched and scratched against Sweetie Belle’s side as she continued her walk up the strangely long carpet, and all she could think of was that if Rarity had made her dress, this wouldn’t have happened. Sweetie pushed that thought down. Rarity was probably busy, anyway. And then she would have just shown up in some fabulous dress and looked better than Sweetie Belle at her own wedding.

No, Sweetie Belle was better off without Rarity being at her wedding. She felt a little bad, but then she remembered all of the times that Rarity had said that she would be there to help Sweetie, and then not followed through.

“Oh dear,” said a voice right next to Sweetie Belle’s ear, “We thought that you were mostly over this, Sweetie Belle.”
Sweetie Belle turned, and there, walking along side her, was Princess Luna.

“Princess Luna?” The wedding scene dissolved around the two of them.

“I understand what it is to be in the shadow of your sister,” said Luna, “I have talked to you about this before.”

Sweetie Belle blushed.

“But this isn’t just about her outshining you, is it?” asked Princess Luna.

“It’s just,” began Sweetie Belle, “she always says that she’s going to help me, or that she’ll be there, and then half the time, she never is.”

“Your sister is a busy pony, Sweetie. She is running two shops, and moves between Canterlot and Ponyville often. But she is not the only pony at fault, here,” said Princess Luna.

“What do you mean?”

“Sweetie, have you ever considered your own part in your relationship with Rarity? It is not wrong to ask that she show interest in what you do and like, but Rarity is a very different pony than you. You need to take that into account.”

“So what are you saying?” asked Sweetie.

“You are pushing your sister away from you. It is not completely intentional yet, but it is happening. I have seen this happen before, Sweetie Belle. Learn to listen when she tells you why she missed an event of yours. The answer may surprise you.”