Lifesparks

by Sythax

Hydrophobia

Sweetie Belle's eyes followed the raindrop down the glass, watching as it made its crusade down the window, bumping into other drops on the way. By the time it had finished its journey, it was three times as big as it had started out as. Her eyes refocused as she stared out the window, more drops cascading down to join their brethren. Rarity never let her out when it rained. She had said it was dangerous. Dangerous?! She was in more danger walking to school than playing in a rainstorm.

She sighed as Scootaloo and Apple Bloom splashed around in the puddles outside, kicking water at each other. Dozens of other kids surrounded them, dancing and playing in the rain that poured from the dark grey clouds overhead. A clap of thunder rolled through the air, making some of the fillies jump. Once the deep rumbling had passed, they continued their games, laughter rising over the sound of raindrops on the roof.

Sweetie Belle tore her eyes from the window and sulked over to where her crayons lay abandoned, their bright colours only able to provide so much entertainment in the gloomy interior of her room. With the purple crayon in her mouth, she set about working on her picture, trying desperately to ignore the screams of delight from outside.

With a final scribble, she finished Rarity's slightly off-colour hair. She dropped the crayon, looking down on the two slightly skinny ponies on the page, their hoofs together. One was obviously Rarity, the diamonds on her flank instantly recognisable. The other was Sweetie herself, pink mane and green eyes. She never quite understood why her eyes were green; both her parents and Rarity had blue eyes, so where had the green come from?

She was drawn from her reflective thoughts by a tap at the window. She watched as another small stone pelted the pane of glass that held the water at bay. She trotted over to the window, rearing up on her back hooves to peer over the window sill. She looked down and saw Scootaloo and Apple Bloom waving, beckoning her to come out and join them. Their coats were dripping wet and Scootaloo's eyes were almost covered by her soaked fringe.

Sweetie crept over to her door and cracked it open, peering out onto the landing. She could hear Rarity muttering from her room at the end of the hall. With as much stealth as her hoofs would allow, she darted down the stairs to the shop floor. Rarity's dresses lined the walls, the mannequins that inhabited them staring down at her with disapproval.

Walking past the faceless dresses, she reached the front door, heaving it open with a grunt. The smell and sound of the rain hit her immediately; she had to stop herself from jumping outside.

"Hi Sweetie Belle," said Scootaloo as she ran to the door, Apple Bloom in her wake. "Wanna join us?"

"Hi Scoots. I don't know; Rarity doesn't like me going out in the rain," replied Sweetie Belle

"Why the hay not?" asked Apple Bloom curiously.

"She never says why," said Sweetie Belle.

"I'm sure she wouldn't mind you getting wet this one time," said Scootaloo. "Come on, the water’s great!" She splashed Apple Bloom, who giggled and retaliated with another slosh of rainwater.

"I guess..." said Sweetie Belle uncertainly. Rarity wouldn't have said it without a good reason, although Rarity's views of a 'good reason' were skewed when it came to getting dirty.

"Come on, Sweetie Belle!" cried Apple Bloom as they galloped back into the rain "It won’t last forever!"

Sweetie Belle stared after her friends. It was just a bit of rain, nothing dangerous at all.

So why was she so inexplicably scared?

She raised a hoof to step outside, her leg hovering at the point where the rain began. It was just rain. She wasn't scared of water. Was she?

The truth was, for reasons she couldn't explain, she was scared. She couldn't bring herself to place her hoof in the rain.

"I... I can't. I'll see you later," she said into the downpour as she backed up and slammed the door, leaving two very confused ponies standing in the rain.

**Several days later**

Sweetie Belle watched from the shore as the fillies and colts splashed in the lake, the water glistening in the warm afternoon sun. A large splash sent ripples across the surface as somepony disengaged themselves from the old rope swing nearby. She giggled as Scootaloo sneaked up on Diamond Tiara, who was snoozing on a large inflatable. With a scream, Tiara was dunked into the water, her mane a soaking mess. She glared at the laughing Scootaloo and proceeded to give chase, the two of them scrambling for the shore. Scootaloo reached the beach and legged it towards Sweetie Belle, sand clinging to her sodden coat.

"Priceless!" she chuckled, sitting down on the sand next to Sweetie. "I should probably let her cool off before going back in there."

"Don't you think that was a bit cruel?" asked Sweetie.

"Nah! Look at her; she knows it’s all in good fun."

Sure enough, Diamond Tiara, her mane now ruined, was getting into the spirit of things, taking out fillies with well-aimed splashes of water with a smile on her face. Silver Spoon, her usual glasses gone, was having a hard time recognising friend from foe and ended up sloshing Tiara, who retaliated with a giggle.

"Why don't you like the water?" asked Scootaloo, water dripping down her face.

Sweetie Belle sighed. "I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?

"I just don't know," replied Sweetie simply. "I'm not scared of the water; at least, I don't think I am."

"So why are you so reluctant to get wet?" asked Scootaloo.

"I'm not sure. There’s just something there, at the back of my mind, telling me it’s bad," said Sweetie, her eyes drifting back to the playing fillies.

Scootaloo looked at her oddly before continuing. "To fight fear, you have go where the fear is."

Now it was Sweetie Belle's turn to look at her oddly. "Since when did you become all philosophical?"

"I didn't." Scootaloo shrugged. "It’s just something somepony told me once."

They both turned as they heard a rustle behind them. They stared as somepony failed to be sneaky, his orange rump stuck in the air.

"Snails?" asked Sweetie Belle.

The lanky orange unicorn burst from the bush and ran for the lake where Snips was waiting.

"Sorry, Sweetie Belle, it was Snips’ idea!" he cried as he fled.

"What was Snips’ idea?" she said to Scootaloo. "How much did he hear?"

"I don't like the look of this," said Scootaloo as Snips and Snails started talking to Diamond Tiara. Her smile grew with each word the pair said. She turned to Sweetie Belle, an evil glint in her eye.

"Hey everypony," she cried, "Sweetie Belle is afraid of the water!"

Several dozen kids turned to stare at Sweetie Belle, some of whom giggled and pointed. Sweetie's cheeks turned red.

"Scaredy Belle!" cried one of the fillies. A few others picked up the name and soon it was a chant, the words ringing in her ears as she got up and fled, tears running down her face.

---

The schoolfoals pointed and giggled as Sweetie Belle approached the school. Whispers surrounded her, the ponies parting to make way.

"Hi Sweetie Belle," came a voice. Apple Bloom fell into step beside her.

"How you doing?" asked Scootaloo as she appeared on her other side.

Sweetie Belle didn't respond; she just continued to stare sullenly at the ground. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo shared a concerned look.

"Come on, Sweetie Belle, don't let them bullies get ya down," said Apple Bloom encouragingly. "So ya don't like the water. There’s plenty of sillier things to be scared of."

"Like clowns!" chirped in Scootaloo/

"Or apples!"

"Apple Bloom, do you ever think of anything else except apples?"

"I live on an apple farm. What ya expect?"

"Quit it girls. I'm not in the mood," interrupted Sweetie Belle moodily.

The other two stopped, their faces falling as their friend walked off. Sweetie Belle was never this down. Most insults just bounced off of her; she had endured enough of Diamond Tiara's taunting to develop a thick skin.

"What we gonna do, Scootaloo?" said Apple Bloom, her voice full of concern. "I've never seen her like this before."

"I don't know. Perhaps we should tell Cheerilee?" suggested Scootaloo, her wings flapping in anxiety.

"I ain't got no better ideas. We'll tell her during break time," said Apple Bloom.

The two of them watched as Sweetie Belle walked into the school building, a cloud of whispers following every step she took.

---

No pony would even approach Sweetie Belle at break time —to do so would risk association with her and becoming another target for Diamond Tiara.

But that suited Sweetie Belle just fine. She didn't want their words of comfort or prying eyes. She just wanted to be left alone. Even Apple Bloom and Scootaloo seemed to have realised their attempts of cheering her up were useless.

She sat on the bench as the other foals played. Some stood in groups, whispers and strange looks being directed her way. She didn't care anymore. Diamond Tiara had broken her skin and wormed her way into her mind, placing all manner of self-doubting thoughts.

She was scared of the water. Ha! What a weakling; she should just-

"Sweetie Belle! Watch out!" screamed a voice.

Sweetie spun around just in time to see a bucket full of water heading her way.

---

Scootaloo screamed, but it was too late. Sweetie Belle hadn't seen Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon sneaking up on her, a large pail of water between them. The water came crashing down on Sweetie Belle, who jumped off the bench, her eyes wide in fright.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo ran forward, Cheerilee in their wake.

Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon lay on the grass, rolling about in laughter. Sweetie Belle just looked shocked, her body still. Unnaturally still— her chest wasn't moving.

They slowed down, approaching Sweetie cautiously.

"Sweetie Belle, you ok?" asked Scootaloo.

Sweetie Belle didn't respond immediately. A cry came from her motionless mouth. It started out sounding like Sweetie Belle, but soon dissolved into a tinny mimic of her voice. The other foals in the yard wandered forwards, watching in horror as the skin around Sweetie Belle's joints started to bubble and hiss, melting away to reveal black rubber. She began to twitch, sparks flying from her newly-revealed joints. The cry from her mouth cut off as she collapsed, her eyes losing their green colour as they turned black.

The surrounding group stood in silence, no one sure what to do. Slowly, Cheerilee approached the collapsed Sweetie Belle. She placed a hoof on the filly's body, rocking her gently.

"Sweetie Belle?" she called softly. When no response came, she turned to the group.

"Snails, run and get Rarity," she said urgently, watching as the unicorn set off at full speed.

She turned back to Sweetie Belle. She had never seen anything like this; it was so advanced. She tapped a hoof on Sweetie Belle's back, listening to the metallic ring it made. Whatever was she going to do?

She jumped back as the still filly beeped, a loud whizzing coming from within her. The group gasped as her eyes flickered into life, their brilliant green colour returning. With a tinny grunt, she lifted herself to her hoofs. Everypony backed away as she swayed lightly. When she noticed the crowd around her, she stared back.

"What?" she asked, her voice ringing.

Comments

[Pyriel]

Whomever created Sweetiebot, is stupid. Seriously, they didn't think to make her waterproof?

[AshBree]

ME: WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
NOT GOOD AT AL- ERROR
SB: ya sure ya not a robot too?
ME: OF COURSE NOT. DEFINATELY NOT.

[Kenshinryuu]

Poor Sweetie, Rarity better have a good explanation. But does this mean that instead of magic she can shoot frikin laser beams from her horn????

[Sythax]

4294942 I don't know about laser beams but Rarity does have a very good (and touching) explanation. Sweetiebelle does have machine gun though!

[Kenshinryuu]

4294947 well, I just like the idea of Sweetie Bot having a laser firing horn. Machine guns can overheat and warp, laser cannons just need to cool down.

[Sythax]

4295091 I might add it in later, she could get an upgrade or something. Violence is a relatively minor part of the story till nearer the end.

[Kenshinryuu]

4295100 given how Ponyville reacted to Zecora... Sweetie Bot might need to resort to violence if an angry mob forms. Of course, Scoitaloo and Applebloom will stand with her, but superior fire power is always a good thing to have.

[Madzoroark]

It may be silly to say this, but I believe a robot with an AI is indeed alive.

[krazykidfannumber2]

holy cow pie!!! moar!!!

[ferret]

4293922

I know! They rubberized her joints and everything, then left exposed wiring? Madness!

[Jerrrry]

4297068 yes that is vary true and i think that to

[shirotora]

I feel I must point out that there has been several times in the show that Sweetie has been wet. Heck, she and the crusaders even went snorkeling, so I'm not sure how this could make sense. Oh well. It seems interesting enough to keep reading.

[Kaiser change name]

At the end of this chapter... Does that count as attempted murder, even though d.t didn't know? And can I still beat the ever loving crap out of her?