Moments in Time

by Shingo

Picking Up the Pieces

Up above the showroom of Carousel Boutique, the proprietor was hard at work sketching new designs. The leaves had begun to change their colours which meant a new season was coming. And with a new season came new fashions. Rarity was standing in her inspiration room with a pencil at her side. She had three designs already completed and was working on a fourth. As her pencil moved on parchment, the sound of slow footsteps came from the hallway. Walking down the hall was a white unicorn filly with a purple and pink mane carrying a pair of saddlebags. Her head was looking down and she moved as if she was carrying the weight of the world.

“Hello, Sweetie Belle,” Rarity said still sketching. “Are you staying for the night?” Sweetie Belle gave a groan of confirmation.

“I unfortunately won’t be able to spend some time with you for a while,” Rarity continued. “I have to get at least six designs sketched out by tomorrow. I should be done in a couple hours. We can spend time together then, is that alright?”

“Fine,” Sweetie Belle said in a flat tone. “I needed time alone to work on my homework anyways.” The sound of Rarity’s guest room door closing reached her just as she finished her fourth design. The piece of parchment was placed on top of three others and a blank one was brought in front of her. Her pencil touched the parchment and began to move. Just after the first stroke of the pencil, Rarity’s head shot up. A muffled sound could be heard coming from her guest room. What is that? She set her pencil down and followed the sound. As she walked down her hall, the sound became clearer. When she reached her guest room, she placed her ear to the door. On the other side, she could hear gentle sobbing.

“Sweetie Belle?” the sobbing stopped. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” a strained voice said. “Go away, I have to work.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” Rarity opened the door. Within the guest room were three pieces of furniture. A desk sat underneath a window at the end of the room. To the right of the desk was a drawer with three handles on it, one on top of the other. A lamp sat on top of the drawer. Beside it was a double bed with Sweetie Belle sitting atop it. She was holding onto a pillow and her face was buried deep within it. “Is something wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Sweetie Belle said through the pillow. “Go away.”

“Sweetie, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t lie to me,” Rarity closed the door. “Please, talk to me.”

“I said go away!” the pillow was thrown at Rarity. She moved her head out of the way just before it hit her. Rarity looked at her sister. Her eyes were bloodshot and tear stains were running along her face. Fresh tears began to form in Sweetie Belle’s eyes. “Please.” Rarity moved towards the bed. She sat down beside her sister as tears began to fall from her eyes.

“It’s not good to bottle up your emotions,” Rarity wrapped a hoof around Sweetie Belle. “You’ll only self-destruct on yourself if you do. Talk to me, Sweetie, I only want to help.”

“She lied to me,” Sweetie Belle quietly said.

“She?”

“She said that she wouldn’t leave me, but she lied about that.”

“What do you mean by… oh,” Rarity’s expression softened. “Sweetie Belle, I’m sorry about…” Small forelegs wrapped themselves around Rarity.

“It hurts, sis,” Rarity returned the hug. “It feels like my heart has shattered into a billion pieces. I don’t know what to do.” Sweetie Belle buried her face in her sister’s shoulders. Rarity closed her eyes as Sweetie Belle cried on her.

“Rarity, I’m flattered that you would ask me that. But…”

“But? Oh, that does not sound good.”

“Oh, no, it’s not bad news.”

“So is that a yes?”

…

“Is it?”

“No, it isn’t. I’m sorry, Rarity, but I don’t see you that way. You’re a very close friend and somepony I love very much, just not that kind of love.”

“I…I see.”

“What do I do to make the pain go away?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“You pick up the pieces,” Rarity answered. She broke the hug and looked into the crying filly’s eyes. “You pick up the pieces and rebuild your heart.”

“I don’t think I can do that,” a hoof wiped away one of Sweetie Belle’s tears.

“No, you can’t. Not while the pieces are still falling,” Sweetie Belle sniffed. “But when the last piece has fallen, you start picking them up. You rebuild your heart but not as it was before. You can never have your heart in the same shape after it has been broken. It has to be shaped into something new.”

“I don’t want to build a new heart,” another tear was wiped away. “I want my heart to be as it was before, whole and complete. I want things to be the way they were before.”

“That can never happen.” Rarity began.

“Rarity, I don’t want things to change between us.”

“I don’t see how they can’t. After what I asked of you, things will change.”

“Can’t things be the same as they were before?”

“That’s impossible. But the pain will go away, and things will get better. Just not today.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.”

“Things change, Sweetie,” she continued. “Your current relationship with her has ended. But a new one can come from it. It just won’t be as strong as the last.”

“When can I start rebuilding?” Sweetie Belle asked sobbing.

“That’s up to you,” Rarity said. “You can start once all of the pieces have fallen. You can start once you’ve created a foundation for your heart. You could start while your heart is under construction. Or you could start when your heart is completed. Me, I tried while my heart was being built.”

“Did it work?” Rarity offered a weak smile.

“I’ll let you know once I’m done,” Sweetie Belle rubbed her eyes. “Until then, let the pieces fall.” Rarity hugged Sweetie Belle. The filly returned it and tears once again began falling. After a while, Sweetie Belle fell asleep on Rarity’s shoulders. The blankets on the bed were pulled back and Sweetie Belle was placed underneath them. The pillow was covered in a blue aura and brought under her head. Rarity brought the blankets over her sister and wiped a tear away from her face. She slowly crept out of the room to return to her inspiration room. Once she was in there, her pencil was picked up and placed on her unfinished design. A weak chuckle left her mouth as the pencil made its movements. It seems heartbreak runs in our family. A knock on her home’s door stopped her designing. Rarity walked to the showroom floor and opened the entrance. Standing on the other side was a butter yellow pegasus with a pink mane and tail.

“Fluttershy,” Rarity said. “This is a surprise. Is something wrong?” Said pony shuffled her hooves.

“I need to talk to you about something,” Fluttershy said. “Do you have a little time to spare?”

“I always have time for you,” Rarity stood to the side of the door. “Please, come in.” Fluttershy walked into Carousel Boutique. Rarity closed the door and sighed. I’m still rebuilding my heart; I hope you don’t do anything to delay the construction.