This story is a sequel to Friend of Generosity
After months of watching Scootaloo and Spike, Sweetie concludes it's finally time to educate Scoots on the fine art of being beautiful! Scootaloo isn't so enthusiastic, especially given how Sweetie seems to treat her suitors.
Rarity noticed this as well. She feels it's time for an intervention: Sweetie needs to clean up her act, and Scootaloo needs to learn what really makes a mare alluring. There's no better time than now to teach them both a valuable lesson.
The Generosity Series
Chronological from Top to Bottom:
Lessons in Generosity
Study of Generosity
Friend of Generosity
Allure of Generosity
Heir of Generosity?
Triangle of Generosity
Special thanks to DragonGeek and Cosy Purity for their insights regarding beauty, and especially to Monochromatic for helping me visualize Rarity for this story.
Cover art by one Mr. Sugar, whom I was unable to get in touch with.
Dang, just as inspirational as ever. Did not see Sweetie being such a...hussy? Whew boy did I empathize with Scoot's discomfort.
Also, not that I'm the most qualified to say so, but I think you conveyed your point well and that the story was a delight!
When I saw this listed amongst the "new" fanworks, I cannot tell you how excited I was... I Twilight-fangirled. I can't wait to get into this, even if it's 1 am!
I think you have done a pretty good job of what you were aiming for. As you noted, with a higher word count you could have fleshed out more of your points but I think you have done a successful job of putting forward your arguments for not just two sides of a debate, but a greater overarching concept of a philosophy.
Sure you could have gone deeper into the physical, moral and social differences between Rarity and Sweetie's different modus-operandi but I think your policy of 'keeping it simple' is true to the character of the MLP:FiM concept. It also covers the original point of your Generosity series, you have Sweetie embodying a common impression of Rarity and point out the difference between it and the reality of a Generous Spirit.
Rarity's on my list as my personal second least liked of the Mane 6, ironically enough for the same reasons Sweetie Belle gave in the beginning, but you've certainly made me give her a second look as a character.
An excellent entry into the series, and a vital lesson for both girls. I just hope Sweetie takes it to heart before her reputation is permanently that of a manipulative tease. Nice touch with having her learn all the wrong lessons from her sister.
Of course, after the second Crusader, I have to wonder if and how the third will factor into the ongoing saga...
8619127 basically said everything that I originally wanted to say. All I can add is that even though the wording may differ with culture and gender (“swag” or “handsomeness” instead of “beauty”), the underlying lesson is the same: you need to be confident in yourself as a person, not in clothes or makeup.
(cf: Spike in the previous story, wanting to build the relationship on more than just muscles and a dress.)
Good work on the story, Paul, and God help me in applying the lesson to my own life!
These stories just keep getting better! This one has to be my favorite of the series so far. Thank you for the wonderful stories!
This was beautiful.
"Beauty is about what's on the inside" is a troublesome statement, alright. Anyone that you ask will insist that it's true, but I have met shockingly few people who have been able to explain what exactly that means.
There's a part of me that would point them here, as this story actually explains frighteningly well exactly what it means, or at least provides a vocabulary to explain what it means.
I . . . really can't see this as being Sweetie Belle. I mean, sure, she can be conniving, and has probably the shortest fuse of the crusaders, but I can't see her manipulating ponies or not understanding why upsetting ponies isn't a good thing to do. I liked the message, but this problem made it my least favorite in this series.
I liked all of them but I think this one and the first are my favorites. I must say, Rarity has grasped the concept of generosity in so.many different ways and you have done a great job of portraying them. Kudos to you!
Wow. I'm kinda stunned. I mean I know virtually nothing about makeup being a man, but, somehow I just understood. I could see the beauty. Reminds me of a few crushes I had, whenever someone talks about something they are passionate for it adds such an attractive depth to them.
I liked this story. Sweetiebelle's bitchiness was a bit OC, but, it got the right and wrong messages across real well!
Would love to get a fifth part to this universe!
Awesome series and story!
Just one thing:
Don’t need “the”.
Yikes. That was brutally swift and to the point. Remind me not to cross Rarity in her lesson-teaching mode.
Aww.
I love Sweetie Belle's adorable little voice and laugh, but knowing how she looks up to her older sister... I could actually see her feeling insecure about herself enough to think something like this. 
Wow, you actually made me (for lack of better words)hate Sweetie Belle in this story(at first anyway). But dang if I don't have a new respect for Rarity from this series.
rarity explaining the error of sweetie's ways was really well written
this is a really good way to teach sweetie a lesson: having her apply makeup to scootaloo and then asking scoots how sweetie looked during it is a great way to show that real beauty is being generous to others.