//------------------------------// // Chapter Two // Story: No Sweets for Sweetie // by fallen starr //------------------------------// The dust that ponies kicked up outside didn’t seem to like to stay outside. Rarity cleared her throat again, thankful that she had a covered glass of water. She had made it to Appleloosa two days ago to deliver the clothing and make any final adjustments. The mare, a lovely young earth pony, had adored her dress. Once she had made the small adjustments the dress needed, she had found the rodeo team. She had expected the vest to be nearly perfect, like the mares dress had been. They would have been, too, except the team had simply guessed their sizes. The two mares and one of the stallions, thankfully, hadn’t been far off the mark, and their adjustments were easy. Another stallion had overshot his measurements by more than a smidgen, but Rarity had done her best to adjust his vest so that it wouldn’t be a hindrance as he used his lasso. The last stallion of the team, Duke, posed the largest problem. He was quite possibly the most muscled stallion Rarity had ever laid eyes on. He would have made Bulk Biceps look like a beginner. “I sure am sorry, ma’am,” he drawled, as Rarity fussed over his vest. She could cut away and make room in the much too small garment, but that would ruin the insignia on the back. She hadn’t brought enough cloth to make up for the difference so the vest would be able to buckle in the front, either. She closed her eyes for a moment. “It was a simple mistake. I shall fix it.” I hope, she added, biting her lip. Had the vest been overly large, she could have made it work, but it was too small. She couldn’t simply magically enlarge it. Doing so would weaken the fabric, and with the casual flexing power of that pony, it would rip before the show was half over. “Ma’am,” Duke tried again, walking over to her. Her eyes met his, and he shrank back. “I only wanted to say that you don’t have to go through all this here fuss. It was my mistake. You made exactly what we asked you too.” He smiled, and Rarity finally relaxed slightly. He isn’t bad looking. He’s just so…muscly. His dark brown hair off set the green of his coat, and his eyes, the color of sunlight through whiskey, made her never want to look away. “I’ve brought you your bits,” he said, his accent elongating his words. Still, the muscles. If only they weren’t quite so…big. He seems a gentlecolt. Rarity smiled. “Oh, darling, I would feel just awful leaving you without a vest to wear with your team before the rodeo this weekend.” She placed a hoof on his shoulder. “After all, I want to be able to see my team from the stands.” His eyes shone as he smiled. “You’re staying to watch?” Oh, but he’s such a sweetheart. Perhaps I could get over the size of his muscles. “Of course. I need to make sure my designs stand up. These are the first rodeo costumes I’ve ever made that are going to get regular use.” His cheeks took a pinkish hue as he opened his mouth. Whatever he had been about to say was cut off, as a flash of magenta appeared between the two, a scroll falling to the ground as their eyes focused. “Wha—What was that?” he asked, still blinking away spots from his eyes. “Oh dear,” Rarity said, picking the scroll up. “It’s a letter from my friend Twilight.” She unfurled it, glancing at him. “I’m sorry, but this must be urgent. I don’t even know how she teleported this scroll from Ponyville.” “I have all day, ma’am. Take your time.” With a smile, she began reading. Rarity “Hmm, not even Dear Rarity? No time for niceties?” she murmured, mostly to herself. I know you’re on an important business trip to Appleloosa but you have to come back to Ponyville. Sweetie Belle collapsed earlier at Sugarcube Corner. They’ve admitted her to the hospital, and I’m acting as her guardian until you are able to be here. The doctors say she’ll be fine now, but also that it’s urgent that you’re here. Twi Rarity stared at the letter for a moment, her mouth moving but not forming words, her eyes no larger than pinpricks. Then she was running, the letter falling to the ground as she moved as quickly as she could to the train station. She was breathing hard as she made it to the ticket booth. “When’s the next train to Ponyville?” The stallion behind the ticket booth gave her a concerned look. “Tomorrow.” Oh, no, no no. “What about close to Ponyville? “Still tomorrow. No trains going that direction for the rest of the day.” Rarity blinked. Then she blinked again. “No. No, no, no.” Turning she ran back toward the center of town, bursting into the sheriff’s office. She grabbed the first officer she could find, her expression almost manic. “I need help.” “Okay, ma’am. What seems to be the problem?” The officer pushed her hooves off his uniform as he asked, making sure there were a few steps between them. “I have to get to Ponyville. My sister…” Her heart pounded against her chest. She had known better than to leave Sweetie Belle by herself. She was no better than their parents, running off and leaving the poor filly. “She’s…I need…” “You’re Braeburn’s pal, ain’t you? Come on, let’s go find him and get you sorted.” He trotted ahead of her. “So, what exactly has happened?” Rarity was barely keeping her breathing under control. “My sister is in the hospital. I don’t know why. She’s all alone. Our parents are gone on a trip, and I need to be there.” She felt the tears running down her face. “I need to get to Ponyville." He led her back to Appleloosa Boutique, where Duke was still sitting. “Ah, Duke, just the pony I wanted to see. Will you make sure Miss Rarity stays here while I go and find Braeburn?” Inclining his head, Duke glanced between the sheriff and Rarity. “Yessir.” He glanced at Rarity once more, as she took slow deep breaths to try and calm herself. “I reckon she’s worked into a tizzy.” “Good reason, though,” the officer said as he left the shop. Gingerly, Rarity picked the letter back up. She should have realized something was wrong This was Twilight’s own writing, and it was sloppy. She hadn’t even bothered signing her whole name. She didn’t understand what could have been wrong. Sweetie had that stomach bug the other day, but that should have ran its course by now. “Ma’am, you want to talk about your letter?” Duke asked. “I didn’t mess with it. I sure hate to see you so upset, though.” She looked over at him, the tears in her eyes blurring her vision. “I’m sitting in Appleloosa, while my sister, my sweet, precious little sister, has collapsed for no reason and is currently in the hospital.” She fell to her rump, looking at the ground. “I’m supposed to be looking after her and here I am, stuck with no way of getting to her.” “Well, I wouldn’t say that,” Braeburn said, stepping into the shop. “Come now, Miss Rarity. I’ve found a couple ponies you’re going to be overjoyed to see. Just showed up on my doorstep ‘bout the same time as the sheriff.” Rarity was on her hooves in an instant. “Oh, thank Celestia.” Braeburn chuckled. “Almost literally. I think it was Princess Twilight, though.” Exiting the shop, Rarity saw two pegasus guards standing tall, their golden armor emblazoned with a silver six pointed star, a chariot behind them. “Lady Rarity,” they said, inclining their heads. “The Princess sent us to bring you to Ponyville.” Without even saying goodbye, Rarity was on the back of the chariot and the guards took off. “Am I ever glad to see you,” she said, looking forward between the guards. “I was about to have a nervous breakdown trying to find a way home.” She sat, the adrenaline from her earlier panic starting to wear off. “How did you get to Appleloosa so quickly?” The guard on the left looked back at her. “The Princess sent us hours ago, while she was researching how to long-distance teleport.” “It-It’s been hours?” Rarity asked. The guard on the right nodded. “’Fraid so, Lady Rarity. We got here as quick as we could. The Princess wanted to just pull you to Ponyville, but it seems like she didn’t figure that one out in time.” Rarity suddenly felt light headed. “Okay then. Thank you both ever so much. I can’t imagine how tired you both must be.” The guard on the left smiled. “It’s our honor, Lady Rarity. Sweetie Belle is our friend, and she adores you.” “You know Sweetie Belle?” The guard chuckled. “’Course I know Sweetie Belle, Lady Rarity. It’s me, Rumble.” “Oh my, Rumble, really?” He smiled. “Yeah.” He poked his partner with his elbow. “Come on, Streak, let’s double time this thing.” “For real?” “For real.” The guards landed in front of Ponyville Medic, and Rarity jumped out of the chariot, throwing one last thank you over her shoulder as she rushed into the hospital. She shivered slightly as she made her way to the front desk. The unnatural whiteness of everything, the artificial smell of the air, the long hallways with strange medical instruments. She hated hospitals, especially at night. She made it to the front desk and the welcome stallion looked up at her. “How can I help you?” Managing to keep her voice level as she spoke, she said, “I’m Rarity, Sweetie Belle’s sister. What room is she in?” After a shuffle and a look through a couple files, the stallion looked up. “114. Down that hall and take a left.” With a quick “thank you,” she took off at a quick trot. She made it into the room to see Sweetie Belle hooked to several monitors, her white coat looking rough around the edges. Twilight was asleep in a chair to the side, the princess drooling onto her purple fur. The room was filled with an assortment of presents. A small basket of apples sat on the table next to Sweetie Belle’s bed. Balloons were tied to the railings. Flowers and books were placed on the window seal. She took a few more steps toward Sweetie, her eyes filling with fresh tears. She brought her hoof up to stroke the sleeping girls mane. “Oh Sweetie,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here.” The only reply was the steady beeping of the monitors. She wasn’t sure what to say. She didn’t want to wake her sister, but she also wanted to grab her into the biggest hug she had ever given her. “Oh, hey Rarity, you made it,” came Twilight’s sleepy voice. “I was worried you wouldn’t get my note, or that Rumble and Streak would be slower.” She stretched, getting out of the chair slowly. She walked over to where Rarity was standing. “It isn’t your fault, you know. It would have happened either way.” Rarity looked into Twilight’s face. “Do you know what happened?” “Apparently, her blood pressure was too low. They talked to her after she woke up, but she’s been out again for a few hours.” Twilight looked directly at Rarity. “They didn’t tell me exactly what was wrong. I do have a few guesses, but they are all so different…” “She’s okay now, right?” Twilight nodded. “For now, yes.” Rarity walked over to the chair and sat. “What happened? At Sugarcube Corner, I mean.” Twilight sighed, sitting on the floor next to Rarity. “Pinkie was there, so she would be the better pony to explain.” She stopped for a moment, brow furrowed. “Actually, never mind that. From what I understand, she was in line with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, explaining that she wasn’t hungry because she had ate a large breakfast. Apple Bloom told her she didn’t, since she had woken Sweetie up and they had left your house together.” Twilight looked over at Sweetie, the mare seemingly sleeping peacefully despite all the wires attached to her. “She was about to say something else, when she just…passed out. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were here until the nurses forced them to leave. All the girls stopped by, too, and some of Sweetie’s other friends.” She looked at Rarity again. “Why would she lie about eating breakfast?” Rarity asked, looking at Sweetie. “I even bought her favorite cereal.” For a while, the mares sat in silence, neither knowing what to say. Finally, Twilight yawned and stood, stretching out her wings. “I think I should go back to the castle now. It would probably do you good to go home and sleep, too, you know.” Rarity shook her head. “No, Sweetie needs me here when she wakes up.” A small smile formed on Twilight’s face. “Yeah, I thought so. My blanket and pillow are in the drawer there, feel free to use them.” “Twilight,” Rarity called as her friend turned to the door. “Thank you. For everything.”