Rarity fastened the collar around her new kitten's neck. "There we are, Junie. Perfect." The collar was black velvet and studded with small diamonds. Rarity had hoof-made it — she'd refused to buy any collar from the pet shop in town — only the best would do for her new pet.
Opalescence opened one eye, half waking from her doze in the corner of the room, but happy to finally no longer be her owner's centre of attention. She could now concentrate on the important things in life, like sleep. And eating. And dozing. And meals. And resting.
Rarity stroked the soft white fur on June's back and was rewarded by a quiet purring. She moved her hoof to June's cheek. The kitten nuzzled against her affectionately.
Rarity kissed the end of June's nose and June smiled back at her. June's previous owner hadn't treated her anywhere near as nicely as Rarity did. Miss Rarity was always so kind and generous with her time and gifts, and June was very happy to have a new owner.
"Now, Junie darling, I have to go out into town to run a few errands. I'll leave you some food in a bowl to eat while I'm out," Rarity said, trotting towards the kitchen.
June's smile turned to a frown and her ears drooped.
"Well," Rarity said, noticing June's expression, "I suppose you could come with me… if you wanted to."
June's ears pricked up and her smile returned. She bounded excitedly around the boutique, the diamonds on her collar sparkling in the beams of light as she bounced past the windows.
"Okay, calm down, calm down," Rarity chuckled. "You know, this is a big step — your first trip out with me in public." She looked at the kitten proudly. "Let me find your leash." She hunted through her box of pet things and soon found it. It was black leather with a silver clasp.
She trotted over to June, levitating the leash with her, and used her magic to fasten the clasp to her kitten's collar. "Awww… doesn't that look cute?!"
June grinned, proud to have pleased her owner so much. She almost leaped to the front door, eager to go out to town with Miss Rarity. She licked her fur to make sure she would look like a perfect kitty and make her owner proud.
Rarity used her magic to push open the door and trotted out into the street, following June, her leash held firmly in her mouth.
The post mare gave Rarity a very strange look while delivering the mail to Savoir Faire's café. Rarity noted it but thought nothing of it — the post mare did have vision problems after all.
But as they walked into town Rarity and June noticed more and more ponies looking at them. June looked around nervously at the faces that seemed to be staring at her. She started walking more slowly, which Rarity, holding the other end of the leash, soon noticed.
She stopped and stood beside June, affectionately stroking her fur. "Don't worry, Junie. A lot of ponies just aren't used to seeing a kitten going out for a walk on a leash — that's more something that dogs do." She lowered her voice. "But you and I both know that kittens are much cuter than dogs."
June half smiled.
"Especially my lovely little kitty Junie," Rarity added. "If you ask me, they're just jealous."
June grinned.
"Are we going to carry on then?" Rarity asked, not expecting an answer of course. She continued along the path with June following, and outlined the list of errands they had for the day. "We have to pick up some things for dinner. Sweetie Belle's staying tonight, and that filly has a big appetite. And… oh, yes… there were one or two little treats I wanted to pick up for you… well, for us. They were going to be a surprise, but seeing as you're here with me, I guess you can help me pick them out."
They stepped into the market. There were still ponies looking at them wherever they went. "Come on, Junie, let's go to the fruit and vegetable stall." She trotted off in the direction of the stall, June following.
When she arrived, the market pony gave her a look of surprise. "What can I get you two?" he asked.
Rarity looked at the various wares laid out on the stall. "May I have three cabbages, six carrots, and for dessert, a punnet of strawberries, I think."
"Coming right up!" the market pony cheerfully replied, busying himself putting the required fruits and vegetables into bags. This customer was hardly the weirdest customer he'd had to serve, and one pony's bits were as good as any other pony's. "That'll be fourteen bits," he said, sliding the bags over to Rarity. The coins floated over to him under the control of Rarity's magic as she picked up the produce and deposited it in her saddlebags.
"See?" she said, trotting away with June behind her. "He didn't say anything, did he? It's perfectly normal for a pony to take her pet kitten for a walk." She stopped suddenly. "Oh, of course!"
She turned back to face the market stall they'd just left. "Oh, sorry, do you know of anywhere where I might be able to get some meat?"
The market pony furrowed his eyebrows. "Meat?"
"Why of course," Rarity explained like she was talking down to a foal, "kittens don't eat fruit and vegetables."
"No," the pony replied, "of course not. There's the pet shop on the high street, if you were after pet food, or a specialist shop around the corner that sells some meat that your… your kitten might like."
"Thank you kindly, good sir," Rarity offered before trotting in the direction of the latter establishment.
Rarity pushed open the door to the specialist food shop. She wrinkled up her nose trotting in, followed by June on her leash. She cautiously approached the pony behind the counter. "Ummm… one meat please?"
The shop owner seemed confused. "One meat? You mean one portion of it?"
"Ummm… yes, that's what I meant, of course."
The shop owner walked to a refrigerator. "Catering for a dragon, eh?" She opened the fridge door.
"No, just my lovely kitten Junie," Rarity answered.
"Oh, I see," the shop owner said in surprise. "Well, what would you like? Beef? Pork? Ham?"
"Meat," Rarity replied simply.
The mare sighed and rolled her eyes. "Okay, meat." She took out a piece of ham and placed it on the counter.
Rarity eyed the pink slab up suspciously. "I like the colour," Rarity said, "what do you think, darling?"
June smiled and nodded. She liked the colour too. She wasn't so keen on actually having to eat it though. She'd tried meat before once or twice and it didn't agree with her stomach.
"We'll take it," Rarity informed the shopkeeper.
"I'll wrap it up for you," the unicorn replied, levitating it into the air and wrapping it in a large white sheet of paper. She floated it over into Rarity's levitation field, and then Rarity levitated it into her saddlebags.
Rarity thanked the shopkeeper and then she and June left the shop through the front door.
"Please, Miss Rarity, may I speak for a moment?"
Rarity rolled her eyes. "Of course, Junie. Though really, if you're going to break character, I'd prefer it if you did it when we had more privacy."
June flopped her long yellow mane over her face, a little ashamed. "It's just… I know I'm a kitten, but… I don't really have to eat that meat, do I?"
Rarity chuckled and stroked June's mane, pushing it back to be able to see her big pale blue eyes. "Oh Junie, you weren't worried about that? Of course you don't. I know I get carried away with the whole kitten thing, but it's just fun — I know you're a pony really. The meat is just for pretend."
June breathed a sign of relief. "Thank you, Miss Rarity." She brushed back her mane and adjusted the cat ear headband she was wearing. "Meow~"
Rarity smiled and cuddled June. She gave her a playful slap on the flank with her hoof, eliciting a squeal of delight from her pet. Rarity picked up the end of June's leash, leading her to the hardware shop.
The bell rang on the door when Rarity and June entered the shop. "What can I do for you?" asked the shop owner. He finished stocking the shelf before turning around. Though he was somewhat startled at the sight of an adult mare dressed up as a cat, like an oversized filly, the pony at the other end of the leash was Rarity — a near neighbour by virtue of owning the boutique a little way down the road from his shop, and thus worthy of his respect — so he didn't question the situation.
"I'd like to purchase some rope," Rarity answered.
"How much?" the shop pony asked.
Rarity thought for a moment. "I'll pay whatever the standard price is, I suppose."
The shop owner chuckled. "No, I meant what length?"
Rarity buried her face in her hoof. "Oh, of course!" She regained her composure. "I suppose whatever length might be necessary to tie down a disobedient kitten." She looked at June and blushed slightly.
The shop owner walked closer to them and lowered his voice, although there were no other customers in the store to overhear. "Ummm… would that just be a length long enough to use as a leash?"
"Errr…" Rarity thought for a moment about how to phrase it. "Enough to bind together two front hooves and two back hooves?"
June stepped towards Rarity and whispered something into Rarity's ear.
Rarity raised her eyebrows and turned back to the shop owner. "And enough to go around a… kitten's neck." June blushed and looked away, though a big grin spread across her face.
"I would expect four yards to be ample for that."
"Four yards it is then," Rarity confirmed. "How much will that be?"
"Four bits," answered the shop owner, measuring out the rope and cutting it with a blade. He rolled up the length of rope and passed it to Rarity who tucked it away in her saddlebag, paying the stallion his bits.
"Thank you very much," Rarity said.
"And thank you kindly for visiting my store," the shop pony answered warmly as Rarity and June left. Once they were safely out the door, he raised his eyebrows and let out a long whistle. Now that was something you didn't see every day.
"Just one more thing, Junie," Rarity said to June, as they walked towards the sofa and quill shop. June nodded and followed obediently without saying a word.
"Good morning, Davenport," Rarity greeted, walking into the shop.
"Good morning, Rarity," the owner of the shop responded. "That fainting couch you ordered isn't ready yet. I did tell you I'd pop by your boutique when you could collect it, didn't I?"
Rarity smiled at him. "Yes, I'm looking forward to that, but not here about the fainting couch. I was after a couple of decent length quills."
"Length?" Davenport raised his eyebrow. "What difference does length make?"
Rarity sighed. "All the difference, Davenport. All the difference. My kitten here tends to kick when she's being tickled and I wouldn't want to get a hoo— a paw in my face, would I?"
"Your ki—" Davenport noticed a blushing June standing behind Rarity. "Errr… of course. Something like a peacock feather perhaps?"
"That would be perfect."
Davenport took a couple down from a display case. "That will be four bits. Would you like them wrapped?"
Rarity passed over the money. "No, that's quite alright. I can carry them."
Davenport gave Rarity the feathers, and she stashed them in her saddle bags.
She left the shop, pulling June along by the leash. The pair walked home, Rarity proud of her pet, and June happy to have an owner who took such good care of her.
Rarity pushed open the door to Carousel Boutique and the pair trotted inside, both pleased with a successful shopping trip. Sweetie Belle was already there waiting for them. "Hi Rarity! Hi June!" she called cheerfully.
"Hi Sweetie Belle!" Rarity happily responded, unfastening June's leash.
"Meow~" June answered.
Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes. "Oh, you're doing your 'thing'," she groaned.
"Oh come now, Sweetie Belle," Rarity sighed. "You know how much Junie loves it."
Sweetie tutted and started helping Rarity put the food away. "And you don't get anything from it at all, I suppose?"
Rarity smiled. "Well, now, I never said that, did I?"
"What's this?" Sweetie asked, getting something red out of the shopping bags.
"Meat," Rarity answered.
Sweetie Belle flung the meat down on the kitchen counter. "Ewww!"
Rarity raised her eyebrows. "Don't worry, Sweetie! It's not going to bite! Well, not anymore anyway."
"She actually eats this stuff?"
Rarity shook her head. "Oh no, I don't expect she'll actually eat it. We'll just give it to Opal or something."
"M'kay…" Sweetie said hesitantly, reaching into the bag for the next bit of shopping. She pulled out a long coil of rope. "What's this for, Rarity?"
"Ummm…" Rarity blushed. "You never know when a length of rope is going to come in handy."
Sweetie looked at Rarity. Rarity looked to the side, not wanting to look her younger sister in the eye. Sweetie looked at June. June blushed and looked at the floor. Sweetie looked back at Rarity.
"Ewww! Ewww! Ewww!" Sweetie dropped the rope back in the bag. "I'm just going to leave the rest of the unpacking to you! I'm going to go upstairs and have a shower. I suddenly feel the need to be cleansed."
Sweetie Belle walked to the stairs and climbed them quickly.
"Well, that was awkward," June said meekly.
Rarity sighed. "A little. Still… we've only been doing this for less than a month, and Sweetie only met you for the first time two weeks ago. She's still adjusting. Give her time, Junie."
June nodded. "I suppose you're probably right." She smiled. "Yes, you're right. And sorry for talking."
Rarity smiled at June. Her silly pet needed to learn that it was perfectly fine to have out of character chats when necessary, especially when no pony else was around. "That's quite alright, darling."
June looked around. "You don't think while Sweetie's upstairs we could…" June trailed off not wanting to say the words.
Rarity used her magic to tug on June's collar, pulling her pet towards her. Her lips met June's and they kissed. Rarity ran her hoof down June's long yellow mane. Her tongue slipped out and June parted her lips, granting it entry. June's pale blue wings fluttered involuntarily when she felt Rarity's tongue exploring her mouth.
June soon felt a stirring in her nethers and broke off from their kiss. She looked at her owner with pleading eyes. "Miss Rarity, do you think we could…?"
"Not right now. Sweetie will be back soon."
"Please?" June begged, fluttering her long eyelashes.
"Later, Junie," Rarity promised. "Now, be a good kitten and have a rest in your basket. You're going to need all your energy for later."
June blushed and nodded her head. "Meow~" She walked towards her basket and curled up in a ball. She closed her eyes.
Rarity prepared a salad made of shredded cabbage and carrots. As she was rinsing the strawberries for dessert, Sweetie Belle came down the stairs, her fur still slightly damp from the shower.
"June's gone to sleep then?" Sweetie asked, noticing June in her basket.
Rarity put the last of the strawberries in a bowl and nodded in confirmation. "Yes, I told her to."
"And she really just does it? Because you told her?"
Rarity dried her hooves on a tea towel. "Mhmm. Of course."
"That must be strange…" Sweetie said, "having some pony trust you to make all their decisions. Having that much power over another pony's life."
"She can stop playing any time she likes. But she knows I'd never do anything to hurt her, and I'll always try to make the right choices for her."
Sweetie nodded. "Because she knows you love her."
Rarity smiled. "Exactly. You understand it then."
Sweetie grinned and tried but failed to hold back a giggle. "And because you decided to use your powers for good instead of evil," she joked.
Rarity laughed too. "Yes, something like that. Now come and lend me a hoof making a salad dressing!"
"Oi! Don't think you can order me around too! I'm not your pet!"
"Maybe not," Rarity said simply, "but you're still my little sister, and while mum and dad are away, I'm in charge of you."
"Fiiine!" Sweetie moaned, but she was happy to help her big sister out.
*
An hour later, June sat at the dinner table with Rarity and Sweetie Belle, her stomach beginning to rumble.
Sweetie Belle looked at her. "Shouldn't a kitten eat from a bowl on the floor?"
Opalesence looked up from her bowl on the floor, in full agreement.
"Oh, hush now, Sweetie," Rarity said. "There's such a thing as taking a game too far, you know. Junie may be my kitten, but she's also my marefriend, and I wouldn't exactly enjoy sitting at the table and eating without her."
June smiled at her. "Thank you, Miss Rarity. Does this mean I can eat using my hooves?" She'd never liked sticking her muzzle directly in bowls — it felt just a little too humiliating.
"Your paws, Junie," Rarity corrected. "And yes, that would be fine."
Junie nodded happily. "Meow~"
Sweetie giggled. She thought it was funny how quickly June could switch the kitten thing on and off. Kind of cute, really. "I wonder if maybe I should get a kitten," she said.
"Owning a pet is a big responsibility, you know, Sweetie Belle," Rarity lectured.
"I know."
June put her hoof up. "Is it okay if I speak?"
"Of course," Rarity answered.
June turned to Sweetie Belle. "You know, there is one pony that might be interested in being your pet, Sweetie…" — she paused for effect — "your friend, Diamond Tiara."
"Diamond Tiara?!" Rarity and Sweetie Belle asked in surprise.
June smiled. "Underneath her exterior, I reckon there's a submissive little kitty, just bursting to get out."
Rarity raised her eyebrows. "Well then. I suppose you never know."
June knew. She could recognize another like her.
Sweetie Belle sat stunned. "Diamond…?"
June got back to her food. She was always happy to help, but right now, she was just hungry.