//------------------------------// // Chapter Four // Story: No Sweets for Sweetie // by fallen starr //------------------------------// Rarity sighed as she picked up the plates from the table. She had made Sweetie Belle’s favorite, in celebration of one month clean. While Sweetie was getting a shower, Rarity was cleaning up. Her sister’s voice traveled through the halls, unhindered by the open bathroom door. She still doesn’t trust herself to close the door. At first, Rarity had been worried that Sweetie would just try harder to hide what she was doing, but she was doing everything she could to stay ‘clean’, as she put it. The bathroom door, by Sweetie Belle’s own decision, was to be open anytime she was in there alone. She heard her sister stop short of swearing as a clatter of bottles fell. “Everything okay, Sweetie Belle?” “Yeah, I’m fine. I still don’t understand why you need so many things. A bottle of mane shampoo and conditioner, and then some for your coat, and you’re good.” The water shut off and she heard Sweetie step out of the tub. “I swear you have like ten times the normal amount.” A few moments later and Sweetie walked into the kitchen, her wet, unbrushed mane wrapped in a towel. “Need some help?” Rarity looked down at the plate she was drying. “No, I have this. You go on and spend the last night in that bed of yours. Your new one arrives tomorrow.” A grin spread across Sweetie’s face. “Yeah. I can’t believe you actually bought me one.” Sweetie turned and went up the stairs. Rarity sighed at the water droplets on the floor, finding the mop and drying them up before she finished cleaning and went to prepare herself for bed. After she finished the dishes, Rarity walked into her creativity room, her mind on her sisters hard-won one month anniversary. She thought she had always taught Sweetie Belle that she was beautiful, and that as long as she was healthy everything was okay, but then she had looked at the models she used. They were all thin, though none were unhealthily so, but other models were. So now she was putting a more concentrated effort into using a variety of models. The different designs hanging around the room reflected that now. She walked out of the creativity room and sighed for the third time that evening, staring for a moment at Sweetie Belle’s door. Perhaps I can make a revolution and stop the fashion industry’s part in this. She walked into the bathroom and scrubbed her face clean of makeup as she prepared for bed herself. Nearly an hour later she was turning down the sheets on her bed when she heard a light knock on her bedroom door. “It’s open,” she said, watching as Sweetie stepped inside. Her eyes were red rimmed and puffy, tears still streaming down her face as she stood by the door. “What’s wrong?” Rarity asked, walking toward her. She hadn’t taken two steps before Sweetie ran to her, wrapping her hooves around Rarity’s neck. Sweetie shook her head, so Rarity stroked her back, trying to sooth her without knowing what was wrong. Eventually, Sweetie pulled away and looked at her. Sweetie sniffled and rubbed her eyes before taking a deep breath. In a voice nearly too quiet to hear, she asked, “Can I sleep in here tonight?” “Of course you can,” Rarity said. “But what’s wrong, Sweetie?” The younger mare swallowed, putting her hoof on her stomach. “I can feel all the food. I ate a lot at dinner, you know, and I don’t want it anymore, and it’s everything I can do to not throw it all up right now, and I just need to be with you tonight.” Rarity’s expression softened. “Of course you can stay with me tonight.” She looked directly into Sweetie Belle’s green eyes. “Any night you need me, just come in here, no matter what, okay?” Sweetie nodded, turning and walking to Rarity’s bed. “Thanks, Rarity.” She snuggled between the blankets. “You really are the best big sister ever.” Rarity crawled into the bed beside her, wrapping her hoof around Sweetie. “You don’t have to struggle alone. We’ll work through this.” Using her magic, she pulled the blankets over them and turned out the lights. Softly, she began to sing, feeling Sweetie Belle relax at the gentle melody. It wasn’t long before Sweetie’s breaths evened out and she drifted off. It took Rarity a while longer. She rolled over, staring across the room at a darkened corner. She knew Sweetie was getting better. She could see it, but nights like tonight made her worry. What if Sweetie started again, but got better at hiding it? What if Rarity herself was a weak link that would drag Sweetie down again? All of Sweetie’s friends, all of Rarity’s friends, and their family had rallied around and were working to make things better for her. Applejack and Hydroflame had been supportive and took precautions whenever Sweetie went to one of her best friend’s houses. Everyone was doing what they could to make recovery easier on Sweetie Belle, but from what Rarity knew, it wasn’t as simple as just eating. The largest part was a mental battle that her little sister would mostly face on her own. If tonight had shown her anything, it was that Sweetie was strong enough to ask for support, and that she was trying to get better. With a yawn, Rarity closed her eyes. Everything was getting better, and the morning would bring a bright new day. Rarity levitated the teapot to the table, looking at the three ponies situated around it. Her father sat in his straw hat, letting everyone know he planned to go fishing later. Her mother, as always, had a casual but fashionable blouse and shirt on. Sweetie Belle was munching on a cookie while looking between her parents and Rarity. Finally, Rarity sat, taking the empty seat next to Sweetie Belle. “Thank you for coming over.” Picking up the teapot, Rarity focused on pouring just the right amount of tea in everyone’s cup. Hondo smiled. “Anything for our little girls.” A wink at Sweetie Belle later and she was giggling. “After all, you’re both big important business mares now. It’s nice of you to remember us lowly ponies.” “Oh, father, please,” Rarity said, rolling her eyes. “Their clubhouse isn’t even opened yet.” “Hey,” Sweetie said, glaring at Rarity. “We already have a bunch of applicants, you know. Besides, just you wait; we’ll have more shops than you someday.” “Is that so?” Rarity asked, raising her eyebrows. Sweetie nodded with a grin. “Yep. “ After a few moments, where everypony focused on their tea and Sweetie’s became at least half sugar and milk, Hondo cleared his throat. “So, Rarity. I’m guessing you wanted to talk about something, since this is the first time you’ve invited us back to your house.” The relaxed atmosphere the gentle teasing had created vanished almost instantly. Rarity sat her cup down and looked up at her parents. “I might have overreacted that morning. I’m not certain that I did, but it is possible.” She looked over to Sweetie, who waved her hoof for Rarity to continue. “Sweetie has asked me to sit and talk about my frustrations with the two of you. Since she feels so much better after talking things out with her therapist, she thought we might benefit from a talk as well.” She looked at her parents. The same two ponies who had cared for her and loved her as she was growing. The same two faces that always lit up with pride when she talked of nearly anything she had accomplished. The same two faces that she loved and wanted to please. Then her eyes fell on Sweetie Belle, who kept her steady gaze on Rarity. Swallowing, Rarity stirred the tea in her cup. “These things are rather difficult to say. I was-I am angry with you.” She took a breath to gather her thoughts. “I remember you being at all of my school functions, at the opening of my shop here in Ponyville. I remember us doing things together as a family. Then I moved out, and somehow, Sweetie lived with me nearly half the time. The two of you were never around.” “We—“ Cookie started, but Rarity cut her off. “No, please, let me finish. It started off simple at first. You would even ask me to watch her. Then it was just natural that she would be at my house while the two of you went wherever you wanted to go.” She met her parents eyes, ensuring they were listening. “You missed her first play production. You missed her excitement over carrying the Ponyville flag in the Equestrian Games. You missed her cutecenera, and when you returned, you had nothing more than a little bobble for her.” Rarity clenched her teeth. She would not let her emotions get the best of her. She breathed in deeply thorough her nose and looked at her tea, and her parents took the chance to respond. Cookie looked between Rarity and Sweetie Belle. “We realize we haven’t been the parents we probably should have been. We’ve been to the therapy sessions we were invited to. Sweetie Belle let us know what kind of parents we had been to her, and the three of us worked through that.” Rarity released a breath, nodding. “I know. That’s why Sweetie wanted us to talk. Why I’m even giving this a chance. I have so many conflicting feelings for the two of you. Right now, there is a lot of resentment, but I’m trying to work through that.” She looked up at her parents, the hurt her words caused apparent in their eyes. “I do love you. I just wish I understood why you changed. I can’t understand why you became so selfish as to leave your youngest daughter so much, just to go site seeing.” Hondo Flanks and Cookie Crumble were silent. Rarity stirred her tea. Sweetie munched on a cookie. After a few moments, Sweetie Belle stood. “I’m going to go out, okay? See what AB and Scoots are doing, you know?” With a small nod, Rarity watched her sister walk out the door. Once the click of the latch reached her ears, she looked back at her parents. “It might not be fair of me, and I understand that. I think I just need some time. Maybe…maybe we could meet again next week. For a family dinner?” Cookie looked at her husband with a small smile. “I think that’s long overdue, sweetheart.” Sweetie grinned at Rarity from behind the counter. When she had walked into Sugarcube Corner later that day to meet up with her friends, Rarity had expected to see Cup Cake or Carrot Cake, or even Pinkie Pie working a late shift, but not Sweetie Belle taking orders. “What do you mean you work here now?” Rarity glanced behind her. Pinkie and Twilight sat in their usual booth sipping on their drinks and watching the exchange with unhidden interest. She turned back to Sweetie, who was still smiling. “I’m still trying to save bits, you know, and so instead of doing odd jobs and having you pay me for helping around your shop, I thought I would get a proper job. The Cakes hired me on the spot when I asked.” “What are you going to do once CMC Inc. opens, pray tell?” “Oh, I can do both. It isn’t like we’ll be all that busy at first, and I’m really just giving them more time to help Pumpkin and Pound with their flight and magic homework. I don’t remember Cheerilee giving me nearly that much stuff about magic in first grade.” Sweetie smiled at her sister, tilted her head slightly, and shrugged. “So, what do you want, Rarity?” With a small, playful huff, Rarity gave her order and Sweetie Belle retrieved the treats. Rarity sat beside Twilight in the booth, looking between her and a grinning Pinkie. “So, were the two of you in on this?” “I was!” Pinkie said. “So was Thunderlane. Although Sweetie was a little wrong. Thundy is helping Pound with his flying and the Cakes are still looking for a unicorn who can help Pumpkin with her magic.” “I’m helping Pumpkin right now,” Twilight explained, “but with the Princesses giving me more and more responsibilities in the government, I haven’t got the amount of time that I used to have. I’m trying to have them send her to Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, but they don’t really want her to go.” Rarity chuckled. “I would say not. Can you imagine separating those two? Why, I dare say it would break both of their hearts.” She poked her milkshake with a hoof for a moment, before looking back up at her friends. “I know I’ve said it before, but I really want to thank you girls for everything you’ve done.” Twilight put her hoof on Rarity’s shoulder. “We’re your friends, Rarity. It’s what we’re here for.” She smiled. “That, and guilt tripping your parents, apparently. Did you ever tell them Shiny and Cadance were just here for a ‘diplomatic visit’?” Rarity giggled. “No, I haven’t. I may at our dinner next week.” “Good.” Looking at the clock on the wall, Twilight scowled. “Now, where are the others?” As if on cue, Applejack and Fluttershy walked in, pulling Rainbow Dash by her tail. “Guys, seriously, that twerp just insulted—“ “Let it go, Dash,” Fluttershy said. She slipped into the booth next to Pinkie, leaving Dash and Applejack. “She’s long gone by now.” With a groan, Dash flopped into the seat next to Fluttershy while Applejack took the last empty spot next to Rarity. “’Sides, RD, it isn’t like what she said was wrong. There hasn’t even been a new Daring Do book out in a few years.” “She didn’t have to say they were just kids’ books like it was some sort of trash, though.” Twilight snorted. “Welcome to the world of the book elitist. Some people think books have to fit into very specific holes to be good.” Rarity sat back and listened as Rainbow explained why Daring Do should be considered a classic, a smile on her face.