Disclaimer: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic and it’s creative properties is owned by Lauren Faust and Hasbro, not me.

Sweetie Belle: A Filly Among Princesses

Sweetie Belle yawned as she rolled onto her side, facing towards the window. The sky was a pale gray, small flakes of white fluttering down from the sky. She looked to the clock on her wall and noted that it was a little bit past nine in the morning.

It was weird, really; it wasn’t even the end of October, yet there was already several inches of fluffy white powder covering the majority of northern and central Equestria. Canterlot was getting reports from all corners; some weather control teams were asking what was wrong with the weather, and if they had reason to be worried. Rainbow Dash, had personally answered the vast majority of them, with a little help from Twilight, seeing as the planet’s axis was changing, whatever that meant.

The weather ponies were currently being paid through the castle, seeing as weather was still going through its transition from pony-dependent to a more primal, uncontrollable state (aside from Rainbow herself). The Princess of Weather and Water had actually come up with the idea of hiring ponies to study the weather and see if they could come up with a way to figure out a way to predict it ahead of time. She knew what was going to happen, but she couldn’t relay the message to all ponies in Equestria fast enough, regardless of whether or not she was the one of the fastest fliers in the land.

Sweetie Belle crawled out of her bed, shivering as the cool tile floor touched her hooves. She slipped on some slippers and trotted to the bathroom to brush her mane a little and make herself look presentable for breakfast.

Presentable...

The little filly sighed as she looked into the mirror. She focused her magic on the brush before her, and grunted a little before lifting it into the air and slowly pulling it through her purple and pink mane. Rarity had begun to help her control her magic, and encouraged her to practice when she could.

The truth was that Sweetie Belle’s magic was hard to use. She was embarrassed when she struggled to lift her spoon whenever she dined at the table with the others. Other times she found herself randomly flipping over chairs while trying to move a stool to reach a book in the library. She had even set a roll of fabric on fire once. Twilight still wasn’t sure what to make of that instance. Princess Luna had found the whole incident rather entertaining, though.

Thinking of the midnight alicorn brought a smile to her face. Luna, as she preferred being called outside of public events, had also taken initiative in helping Sweetie Belle. She gave Sweetie Belle a few tips on keeping her magic flow steady, and how to not overexert herself too much when moving larger or heavier objects. In the last week alone the filly had made astounding progress according to her sister and Luna. She wasn’t fooled though; she was behind for her age as far as magic went.

A polite knocking at her bedroom door shook her from her thoughts. “Lady Sweetie Belle? Are you awake?”

Sweetie Belle set down her brush and looked to the door. “Come in, Miss Lily Wing.”

The door opened, and a young pegasus mare walked in. She had on the standard guard uniform of gold, the only difference being a sun insignia blazed onto either side of her armor, signifying her rank as the sole member of the Honor Guard of Princess Celestia. “Good morning, Lady Sweetie Belle. I trust you slept well?”

Sweetie Belle beamed. Lily Wing was a wonderful pony once she got to know her. She appeared a little distant at first, but she quickly warmed up to the filly over time. Seeing as Celestia rarely had any need for escorts, Lily Wing sometimes volunteered to serve as the personal guard of Sweetie Belle.

“Yeah. Is Rarity awake yet?”

“Princess Rarity is actually in the dining hall right now. She’s having a light snack, but I do believe she’ll be going to bed shortly.”

“Awwww...” Sweetie Belle sighed. “She had night duty again?”

Lily Wing smiled with sympathy. “Yes, she will be off to her personal chambers to rest very soon, Milady. Princess Rarity and Princess Luna have been taking most of the late shifts in the court recently. Though, now that Princess Celestia isn’t in charge of sunrise anymore she’s been offering to take more late shifts as well.”

“I wish Rarity wasn’t always up so late...I barely get to see except when we have lessons.”

Lily Wing placed a gentle hoof on Sweetie Belle’s head. “Now I’m sure her Highness feels the same, but it’s part of her duty, Lady Sweetie Belle.”

“I know...I know...”

“Come, let’s see if we can find her before she goes off to bed.”

Sweetie Belle and Lily Wing quickly made their way towards the dining hall. Sweetie Belle rattled off all the plans she had for today, namely making Snow Ponies and Snow Angels in the gardens. Lily Wing chuckled, remembering fondly of her own times as a filly during the winter.

“Ohhh! You’re going to make Snow Ponies? Can I help? I’m the best Snow Pony maker! We can add carrot horns to make them look like unicorns, or branches with dead leaves for wings, or maybe give them straw for a mane!”

Then there was Pinkie Pie, another pony that had been making Sweetie Belle smile a lot as of late. The Princess of Emotion and Laughter had been a new playmate of sorts for Sweetie Belle...when she wasn’t discussing the ongoing trade disagreements with the Griffon kingdom. Her visit with Celestia to the Griffons’ lands was a good one, but some issues had yet to be resolved, unfortunately.

“That’d be great, Pinkie Pie. Um...I mean, Prin-”

Pinkie Pie gave Sweetie Belle a light noogie with a hoof. “Oh, stop it, silly filly! You can call me just plain ol’ Pinkie when we’re by ourselves.” She gave the filly a playful nuzzle before following the filly and pegasus. “So, you going to get breakfast?”

“Yeah, Lily Wing said Rarity was there, and that she may still be eating. I want to say hi to her before she goes to bed.”

Pinkie smiled. “Yeah, Rarity’s been a busy bee with night court. She talks to all sorts of ponies, and does a really really good job with staying awake...” She leaned closer and whispered to the two. “I think she’s been drinking a lot of that coffee though from the kitchen...the yucky, bitter stuff.”

Lily Wing laughed. “Oh dear, that’s the special blend for the graveyard shift patrols. It’s the strongest blend we have in the entire castle.”

“Hehehe, good thing Rarity’s an alicorn then, right?”

The Captain of the Guard nodded. “Right, Milady.”

The trio reached the doors of the dining hall and were greeted by the sight of Rarity and Celestia, who were discussing something in hushed tones.

“...just hope she doesn’t think I’m pressuring her too much, Celestia. She’s a wonderful little filly, and-” Rarity noticed the three enter and stopped whatever she had been saying. “Oh, Sweetie Belle! Good morning to you, dear.”

The two sisters greeted each other with a sisterly embrace before Rarity turned her gaze to Pinkie and Lily Wing, giving them a nod.

“Rarity, do you want to go outside and play in the snow? Pinkie Pie and I are going to make Snow Ponies!”

Rarity sighed, her eyes showing genuine disappointment. “Oh, Sweetie Belle...I don’t think I have the energy to go outside. You see-” She covered her mouth with a hoof and yawned. “Luna and I spoke to some representatives all the way from Flank Beach. That’s a good three day walk from here, and they were on a tight schedule...oh, Sweetie Belle, I’m sorry. Please don’t be so sad.”

Sweetie Belle expected her sister to decline the offer from the start, but a small part of her had hoped otherwise. “It’s okay. Pinkie Pie said she would play with me, so it’s not like I’ll be alone.”

“I’m sure your sister will have free time soon enough, Sweetie Belle. The snow may be around for only a little while for now, but Rainbow Dash said it should return when the winter season actually starts,” Celestia said with a reassuring smile.

Sweetie Belle looked to her sister with the cutest puppy-dog eyes she could muster. “Will you be able to play outside next time?”

Only years of being an older sister had helped build an immunity to such a vicious assault. Rarity let out a small sigh before pulling Sweetie Belle under her wings and wrapping a foreleg around her. “I will do what I can to make some free time for us, alright? I can’t promise that I’ll be able to play out in the snow, but I promise to try and make more time for us. Alright?”

“Thanks, Rarity.” Sweetie Belle nuzzled the alicorn. She felt her sister’s hold around her tighten a little, and she swore she heard Rarity whisper something. “What did you say, Rarity?”

“N-nothing, Sweetie Belle,” Rarity replied. “Now, go get some breakfast. If I don’t see you before dinner today, I’ll be sure to tuck you in for bed tonight.”

Sweetie Belle quirked an eyebrow. “Okay...are you okay, Rarity?”

Rarity fluffed her purple mane with a hoof while smiling. “Of course I am. I got to see my favorite little sister before I went to bed. Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

Yeah, Rarity definitely was acting funny. “Alright...good night...er morning, Rarity.”

Rarity bid her sister and the others a good day and headed off to her own chambers. As soon as the Princess of Generosity and Beauty was out of sight, Sweetie Belle plopped down onto her haunches and pouted. “Why’s Rarity acting all weird?”

Pinkie Pie and Celestia shared a look with each other before the Princess of the Sun spoke. “Weird in what way, Sweetie Belle?”

“She’s...I don’t know, she’s just not acting like...herself. Usually she’s a little grumpy when she hasn’t gotten enough sleep. She’s never really mean, but...” She groaned in frustration. “It’s complicated. You have to know her like I do.”

“Maybe she’s trying to be less of a grouchy-face? She’s a princess now, after all. You can’t be all frumpy around the ponies coming to speak to you.”

Sweetie Belle put the thought aside for now, and looked to one of the chefs that had managed to walk to their table without making a sound. “O-oh! Um...hello.”

The chef gave a polite nod to Sweetie Belle. “Good morning, Lady Sweetie Belle.” The stallion gave a bow to Pinkie Pie and Lily Wing as well. “Your Highness. Captain Lily Wing. Can I get the three of you anything this fine morning?”

“Waffles?” Sweetie Belle asked with a big grin. “Oh, and some milk!”

“Oatmeal with a dash of brown sugar and a side of vanilla yogurt, thank you,” Lily Wing replied.

Pinkie Pie beamed. “A banana nut muffin, some bran flakes with strawberries, and a glass of orange juice, please.”

The stallion gave a nod. “Coming right up. Princess Celestia, care for some more chai tea?”

Celestia gave the stallion a grateful smile. “Yes, please. Be sure to thank the kitchen staff for the fine work, too. The breakfast souffle was wonderful.”

“The honor is ours, your Highness.” The stallion gave a final bow before making his way back back to make their meals.

Lily Wing smirked as she watched the stallion enter into the bustling kitchen. “That’s Barley, isn’t it?”

“Hm?” Celestia looked to her Honor Guard before nodding. “Oh, yes. Barley returned from his vacation trip to the the Serpent Isles.”

“No kidding?” Lily Wing laughed to herself. “I imagine he picked up some exotic recipes?”

“Seven different ways to serve coconuts, a few plantain recipes, and over two dozen veggie barbeque meals.” Celestia rolled her eyes as Lily Wing made a face. “Oh, Lily, you really should open your mind up to new foods more often. I tried this spicy potato soup he makes, and it was delicious.”

Lily Wing grunted. “I’m fine with my down-to-earth meals, thank you very much, your Highness. Nothing wrong with the basics.”

“You have to admit it becomes a little bland after awhile, though.”

Lily Wing amber eyes settled on the small cup of chai tea the Sun Princess was drinking before glancing up at the regal sister. “I suppose I’ll try some of this chai tea you enjoy so much. Personally, I think a drink that sweet should be considered a dessert rather than part of breakfast.”

The Captain of the Guard made her way towards the kitchen to inform the chefs of the addition to her order. Pinkie Pie leaned close to Celestia and spoke softly. “She felt irritated.”

Celestia sighed. “Yes, Lily Wing’s a wonderful pony, believe me. She just...well, forgive the expression, but she can be a bit of a stick in the mud at times. She likes to have order and prefers her peace and quiet.”

Sweetie Belle watched the mare from afar. “Why is her cutie mark a lily, Princess Celestia?”

Celestia chuckled. “Lily Wing loves to work with flowers, particularly when it comes to growing them.” She lowered her voice before continuing. “She’ll deny it six ways to next week, but she’s an expert in the language of flowers, too. Her favorite is the lily, as you may have guessed. Beauty, elegance, and sweetness...purity is a common one. She matches those attributes too, though she may seem to be a little...abrasive at times.”

Giggling, Pinkie nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I can tell. She tries to hide it, but she really cares about everypony.”

Lily Wing returned with a cup of chai on a tray that she held in her teeth. “Honestly, your Highness, they added cinnamon, cloves, sugar, and honey to this. They may as well give me some marshmallows and whip cream to go with it.” She sipped it before her eyes widened a little. “I...guess it’s not that bad...”

“Hehe, see, Lily Wing? It’s never bad to try something new!” Pinkie Pie said as she watched Lily Wing set down her brew.

Lily Wing cleared her throat before speaking. “I suppose not, Milady. I...may have to try this again. I’m sure it’s better than drinking coffee every morning.”

Soon breakfast was served, and Sweetie Belle couldn’t have waited a minute longer. She dowsed her waffles in blueberry syrup before going to town on the delectable meal. Pinkie Pie took her time eating, remembering that she had to maintain some level of dignity (though she chugged her orange juice in the typical fashion).

“Princess Celestia?”

Turning to Sweetie Belle, Celestia smiled. “Yes, Sweetie Belle? You can call me Celestia, too, by the way. We’re here by ourselves, after all.”

“Oh, yeah. Um, well, Celestia, I was wondering...can I...well, I was thinking for the Winter Solstice concert...if you would want to hear what I wrote so far...”

Celestia’s eyes widened a little. Sweetie Belle was already composing music? “You’ve written something already?”

“Well, not a lot. Just a little. It’s about...” Sweetie Belle looked to the floor and smiled shyly. “...it’s about Princess Luna. She’s been helping me learn more about music and magic. She’s a really good teacher.”

Celestia felt her heart warm at the sound of filly’s praise for her younger sister. “That would be wonderful, Sweetie Belle. I’d be happy to hear it later.”

“Would tonight work? Since it’s going to be played at night, I think it would be best to hear when the moon’s out.”

Celestia’s interest grew. “Well, this must be a really nice little bit of music you composed, hm?” She laughed a little as Sweetie Belle’s blush darkened. “Oh, Sweetie Belle, I’m just teasing you a little. Yes, I would love to hear your composition tonight.”

“Thank you, Celestia.” Sweetie Belle trotted over and wrapped her hooves around the princess in a quick embrace. “Since you’re Luna’s sister, I thought you’d like to hear it first.” The little filly lowered her voice before continuing. “Just be sure not to tell her. I don’t want her to find out about it yet.”

The regal alicorn nodded. “Very well, I shall not tell a soul about your music until you want to make it public.”

Sweetie Belle looked to Lily Wing and Pinkie Pie, who gave reassuring nods. Satisfied with their responses, Sweetie Belle continued her breakfast.

“So, I heard the griffons are still not entirely happy with the current negotiations,” Lily Wing stated as she read a section of the Equestrian Inquirer. She looked to Celestia and Pinkie Pie before continuing. “The papers say they feel that Equestria’s got wealth to spare, and that with current trade agreements the griffons are still feeling cheated out of what they rightfully deserve as far as metal prices go.”

Celestia sighed as she set her tea down. “Yes, I’m afraid Pinkie’s charismatic speech on how we should try and look at things from the other pony...or in this case griffon’s...shoes wasn’t effective enough. You see, while we may have more wealth, we also have a larger population and more business and trade within the country as a result. The griffons are...very set in their current position though. Finer Edge’s case with his tool-crafting agreements isn’t the only one we’ve had brought to our attention.”

Pinkie Pie nodded, a small frown marring her features now. “Yeah. I really hope we can fix things between our kingdoms though.”

“That may happen sooner than you think.”

The three mares and one filly looked to the entrance, only to be greeted by Rainbow Dash. “Hiya, Dashie!”

Rainbow Dash greeted the mares with a nod before sitting down, placing a scroll on the table. It had a broken wax seal that looked to be from the griffon kingdom. “I got word from an old friend of mine.”

Pinkie’s eyes widened as soon as she recognized the griffon insignia. “Gilda?”

Dash nodded. “Yeah. I already read over it already. She apparently landed a job as one of the Griffon Kingdom’s ambassador’s guards. She says that she wants to talk at some point with me...and you as well.”

Pinkie’s eyebrow rose. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

“From what I can tell? Either or. I’m pretty sure she knows our new situation as princesses though, considering she had this formally written up and mailed to the castle directly.” She shook her head. “She was really brief, which is typical of her in letters.”

“Well, I hope she isn’t planning on being a big meanie-jerkface again,” Pinkie said, her voice laced with a small amount of annoyance. “She wasn’t that nice when I met her.”

Rainbow Dash nodded. “I know. Still...maybe she wants to start over. We grew up together in Junior Speedsters Flight camp, after all.”

Celestia recalled Twilight explaining the situation with Gilda in one of her early letters, so she had an idea of what was going on. “Sometimes friends change with time, Rainbow. You remember how she treated your friends, and how she reacted to you when you told her you didn’t like the way she was acting. She probably thought the same of you, not expecting you to be so disapproving of her behavior.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“If you want, I’ll be with you when she arrives.” Pinkie offered.

Dash smiled. “Thanks, Pinkie. You don’t have to though. I’m a big filly.”

Pinkie rolled her eyes. “Oh geesh, Dashie. I just meant to be there for moral support, and if she does end up turning out to be a little sorry for what she did, then I’ll want to be there too. To let her know that I want to be her friend.”

Sweetie Belle’s curiosity finally voiced itself. “Who’s Gilda?”

Rainbow Dash sighed. “An old friend of mine, Sweetie Belle. She’s griffon.”

“Oh! Yeah, we learned about the griffons in history class. They’re really tough, and are part eagle and part lion.” She took a few bites of her remaining waffle before continuing. “They sound scary...”

“Well, they are tough, but they’re not bad. Gilda’s got a bit of a mean-streak to her, but it comes with being a griffon. They’re very proud, and value strength,” Rainbow Dash explained. “However, they’re also one of our neighbors, and an ally.”

“Rainbow Dash is right, Sweetie Belle. Even though we’re having disagreements with them right now, neither of us would want to break our ties with one another. We’ve been on friendly terms for more than five hundred years now, and even before that we were rather good to each other.” Celestia looked to the paper Lily Wing had been reading. “Rainbow, is it my understanding that the ambassador will be arriving in about two weeks’ time then?”

Rainbow nodded. “Yeah. Gilda will be with the ambassador when she arrives.”

Celestia smiled. “Yes, I believe Mildred is the current ambassador. She’s a great griffon, and very wise.”

As soon as Sweetie Belle had finished her breakfast, she hurried to her room to get her winter scarf and boots on. Ten minutes later and she was rolling in the fluffy white powder while Lily Wing watched from a bench.

“Hey, Lily Wing, want to help me make a snow pony?”

Lily Wing gave a small smile. “I’m afraid I’m not much of a snow artist, Sweetie Belle.”

“Awww, that’s okay! I’ll help you!”

“Yeah, it’s not so hard! All you got to do is try, Lily Wing!”

“Gwaaaah!!!” Lily Wing jumped up into the air, her wings locking to her sides as she wheeled around. “P-Princess Pinkie Pie!” She took in a deep breath before exhaling slowly. “You surprised me...”

“Teehee, why would I scare you? Come on! I got some carrots so we can make a unicorn!”

Lily Wing found herself thrown onto Pinkie’s back before being carried towards Sweetie Belle. “Milady, please, this is-”

The Captain of the Royal Guard was soon rolling a snowball around the snow covered gardens, struggling to keep herself from breaking it under her own weight. She had already destroyed the first one, and was now bound and determined not to make the same mistake again.

“See? Isn’t this fun?”

Lily Wing chanced a glance towards the Princess of Laughter, her eyes going wide as she looked to see a perfect snow sculpture of Sweetie Belle posing. A few feet ahead, the filly stood, a single hoof raised while her nose was lifted in a rather snobbish manner. She opened an eye and grinned.

“Wow, Pinkie Pie! It looks just like me!”

“H-how did...but...” Lily Wing swore that no more than five minutes had passed since she had joined the duo in the snow. How had the pink alicorn managed to make such a detailed sculpture in such a short amount of time?”

“I just packed the snow together, silly. It’s really easy!”

“B-but...you...I...” Lily Wing sighed, reminding herself of Celestia’s words on Pinkie Pie. The party pony was an Element of Harmony, and was talented in her own way. Confusing and confounding ponies while disregarding the basic laws of time must have been among them. If it were Celestia, Luna, Twilight Sparkle, or even Rarity, who were knowledgeable with magic, she could see such a feat in only a few minutes, but...

“I see. It’s a very lovely sculpture, your Highness.” She swore that she had even made individual eyelashes for the sculpture!

“Hey, Pinkie, think fast!”

The alicorn’s ears twitched and her front hooves crossed before she turned her head, only to be smacked in the face with a snowball.

“Waaaahahahaha! Oh, that was perfect!” Rainbow Dash was standing on the far end of their play area, pointing a hoof and laughing. “Hahahahh...man, that was-oof!!”

Four snowballs smacked Rainbow Dash in the stomach, knocking her over a small bench and causing her to fall over. She got up, an unamused look on her face as she regarded a certain filly who was whistling innocently while Pinkie Pie was studying a particular mound of snow with intense curiosity.

“Lily Wing, you’re on my team! We’re having a snowball fight!”

Again Lily Wing was at a bit of a loss. “Princess Rainbow Dash, I’m not sure-”

“Yeah, snowball fight! Pinkie’s on my team!” Sweetie Belle cheered.

Rainbow Dash laughed. “Ha! Don’t celebrate yet, kid! Lily Wing and I are going to bury you two up to your snouts in snow by the time we’re done!”

The day would forever go down in history, according to Princess Rainbow Dash, as “one of the most epic snowball fights to ever happen in Canterlot. Period.” The four had started by building individual snow forts to hide in. After their small defenses had been set up, they began with the simple lobbing of snowballs at each other. Pinkie Pie managed to convince the next twelve guards that passed by to join in. About halfway into the fight, Twilight Sparkle and Spike got involved and created a third team of their own. Soon an all out snowball war had started, ending when Rainbow Dash conjured up a whirlwind with her magic and lobbing snowballs in all directions. It had come down to Sweetie Belle, who had been saved from the barrage by Autumn Night, a second year unicorn stallion who bravely dove in front of her, taking the projectiles intended for her.

Rainbow Dash smiled triumphantly as Sweetie Belle cowered behind her ruined fort. “Give up, Sweetie Belle. I win.”

“Milady...” croaked Autumn Breeze, half buried in a pile of white powder. “Don’t...give up.”

Sweetie Belle felt her knees quake as Rainbow Dash formed a large ball of snow above her head.

“Oh, Rainbow, your magical control has gotten better!” Twilight commented happily as she shook snow out of her mane.

“Huh?” Rainbow turned to her friend. “Y-you think so?”

Sweetie Belle saw her opening. She let out the loudest battle cry she could, which amounted to a rather adorable scene to those watching. Snowball in one hoof, she dove over her barrier and leaped at the chromatic alicorn. Rainbow Dash was given a face-full of snow, but reflexively lobbed her own projectile at the filly, grazing her on the side. The two crashed into a heap, the filly lying over the body of her fallen adversary.

Pinkie, Twilight, Spike, Lily Wing, and the guards all gasped at the sight. Silence fell over the battlefield.

Then, Rainbow let out a snort. The snort soon became a giggle, then a chuckle, then full-blown laughter. Sweetie Belle joined her, enjoying the moment. “Well, Sweetie Belle, looks like you got me. Rather brave move on your part.” She ruffled the powder-covered filly’s mane. “Not bad.”

Sweetie Belle simply beamed proudly. She had won! Victory was hers today!

As a reward for her heroic act, Sweetie Belle was given an extra large mug of hot cocoa with marshmallows, courtesy of Pinkie Pie. The filly drank the cocoa, enjoying the rich-flavored beverage as it’s warmth spread from her snout to her toes.

“Well, I must say, I wasn’t expecting the fight to get that huge.” Lily Wing commented while drinking a cup of chai tea. Pinkie Pie and Sweetie pretended not to notice the choice of beverage for the time being.

“We should do that every weekend! Rainbow, can you make it snow more next weekend?”

Rainbow Dash shook her head. “Sorry, Pinkie. I can’t really decide what the weather will do so far ahead. I...actually don’t really have too much control at the moment.”

“What do you mean, Rainbow Dash? You made that wind appear out of nowhere and took out almost everypony!” Sweetie Belle asked.

“That’s just a little whirlwind, Sweetie Belle. Nothing too fancy or big. I mean...if I really, really tried, maybe I could make it snow. It’s not that easy, at least it isn’t right now. I can’t just make weather happen, either. I have to keep it balanced.”

“Balanced?” Sweetie Belle asked. “What do you mean?”

“Well...like, for instance, if it rains a lot in a place without wind, then it’ll probably rain there again when the water evaporates. Clouds will form over the already wet area and unless the wind blows them, they’ll probably just rain again. I have to make sure the wind’s where it’s supposed to be, too. I can’t just change it, or that would cause a lot of problems.”

“Like what?”

Rainbow tapped her chin. “Well, for starters, maybe I decided to make the wind blow through Appleloosa instead of Hoofington in the spring. Lots of plants and trees need their seeds to be blown through the air by wind. If I decided to not let it be windy in Hoofington during spring, those seeds wouldn’t be spread. Most of them would probably not grow because the bigger trees would blot out the sunlight.

“On top of that, Appleloosa’s rainy season is in the spring when the winds are weakest. The warm air manages to stick around for a little bit, and since it’s still a little cool in the early spring, the warm and cold air meet and cause storms to form. Storms are good for rain. If I blew all that warm air away, there would be no storms.”

Sweetie Belle sat in silent wonder, her eyes glued to the cyan mare while she slowly sipped her cocoa.

“It seems you’ve done a lot of study on this, Princess,” Lily Wing stated with a smile.

Rainbow Dash smiled proudly. “Hey, I was the captain of the weather team back in Ponyville. It pays to know a thing or two about weather when it’s your job.”

“Yeah...those are cool magical powers, Rainbow Dash...” Sweetie Belle frowned. “I just wish Rarity was able to show me her magic.”

Pinkie’s ears flicked a little as she smiled. “Rarity’s got a very important job, just like the rest of us, Sweetie Belle. Don’t forget, she’s got magic that’s not...not so easy to see. Like me!” She grinned as Sweetie Belle quirked an eyebrow. “Like right now, I can tell you’re confused. Not just by that look on your face, either. You feel confused because ‘how can magic not be easy to see’, right?” Pinkie giggled as Sweetie Belle just stared at her in clear confusion. “I don’t understand magic like Twilight or Rarity might, but I know it works in different ways.”

Rainbow Dash tried to help. “Yeah, like...when Luna or Celestia move the Sun and Moon. You don’t see the magic that moves them...but it does it. Maybe...” She hummed in thought. “Maybe Rarity’s magic is sort of like that.”

“She’s a princess of Generosity and beauty though. How does that work?”

“Why don’t you ask her?” Pinkie suggested.

Sweetie Belle went quiet. “I...well, she’s really busy with being a princess, and-”

“So are we, Sweetie Belle,” Rainbow Dash cut her off, giving the filly a small grin. “That doesn’t mean we’re not too busy to take a little time for ourselves, though. Besides, I think that little snowball fight managed to help all of the guards let loose for a bit, you know? I mean, it’s no fun to be all business and no play. That’s just plain lame.”

“Boo~ooring!” Pinkie Pie added. “I know Rarity’s been a night owl lately, but I know she’d love to talk to you about her magic, Sweetie Belle.”

“How do you know? You talk to her?”

Pinkie tapped her horn and flexed her wings before pointing to her crown. “Princess of Emotion. It’s my job.”

“Oh...right.”

Sunset crept up on Sweetie Belle before she even realized it. She had finished her math and science homework (Twilight had been nice enough to help her through the harder problems), and spent the rest of her day in Luna’s private music studio in one of the towers. The Princess of Night was likely busy with attending the throne, so it was the perfect time to get more work done on her composition.

A quiet knock at the door shook Sweetie Bell from her work. She looked up from the table and was greeted by two alicorns, one who she hadn’t seen since early this morning.

“Rarity!” Sweetie Belle got to her feet and ran to embrace her sister. Rarity returned the hug with as much fervor as the filly.

“Hello, Sweetie Belle. I hope you don’t mind, but Celestia mentioned you’ve been busy with some music.” She smiled as Sweetie Belle’s cheeks turned a little rosy. “Would it be alright if I listen as well?”

“Um...” Sweetie Belle looked down for a moment before smiling shyly. “If you want. I...don’t want to spoil anything for you, though. I wrote the music about Luna...but it’s also sort of...well, you’re sort of why I wrote it, too.”

Rarity felt her heart melt. “Oh, Sweetie Belle...” She nuzzled her sister. “Well, I will respect your wish to keep it a secret for now...if you want I can leave for now and-”

“N-no...you can stay...” Sweetie Belle’s eyes held an anxious glow in them. “I...just don’t know if you will like it.”

“Now, that’s just absurd, Sweetie Belle. The fact you wrote the music alone is more than enough reason for me to enjoy...”

Celestia felt the smile on her own face grow a little. She definitely saw how the two were related, and not just by looks. Despite the fact that she was still a filly, Sweetie Belle tended to carry (at least to a degree) the same grace that Rarity had. They both enjoyed peaceful activities, though like any filly Sweetie Belle was inclined towards playing intense games as well. Such an example was the amazing snowball fight that had apparently occurred in the gardens today.

The two alicorns took separate cushions and waited patiently as Sweetie Belle made some last minute corrections on the music score she had written out. Rarity noted quietly to the Sun Princess how there were at least five or six sheets of paper with music on them.

Apparently Sweetie Belle had only written them for the piano, and was beginning work on the other instruments.

Eventually she sat down at the piano, assuming proper posture. She paused for a few seconds before turning to Celestia. “Um...Princess...j-just so you know, this song might be about the night, but...I like the day too, so-”

Celestia raised a gentle hoof, and understanding smile gracing her features. “It’s fine, Sweetie Belle. Just play as though you were playing for Luna and your sister. Pretend I’m not here. I’m sure it will help you play as you want to play.”

Sweetie Belle gave her a nervous smile before nodding. “O-okay. Um...the title of this song is...Dearest Nocturne. I dedicate this piece to Princess Luna and my sister, Princess Rarity...two ponies who make the night as pretty as it is.”

She slowly began to play the keys with her magic, each note from the piano eliciting it’s tune with deliberate slowness at first. Then, a soft pink aura enveloped a violin, flute, trombone. Rarity would have commented how calm her sister appeared using her magic, but remained silent. All attention focused on her little sister as she took in a quiet breath.

Then...magic happened.

Rarity wiped her eyes as Sweetie Belle finished after about three minutes. Incomplete or not, the song she had composed was pure art. Even Celestia found her eyes growing a little moist.

Sweetie Belle seemed to wake up from a trance, her horn losing its glow as she set the instruments down and stopped playing. She took a slow breath, then looked to see the two in tears. “O-oh no! You didn’t like it?”

Rarity got up, shaking her head. “Oh, nononono, Sweetie Belle! Th-that...” She walked over and pulled her sister into a tight hug. “Oh, Sweetie Belle, if only you knew how beautiful you sounded...if only you could have heard it like I did.”

Sweetie Belle had a confused, yet at the same time pleased, expression on her face. “So...you both liked it, then?”

Celestia chuckled, dabbing her eyes with a tissue she had found on a nearby table. “Sweetie Belle...to say ‘I liked it’ would never do that song justice. No...Sweetie Belle, that song moved me. To tears. I haven’t felt music do that to me since...since Luna last composed music.”

“When was that?” Sweetie Belle asked, oblivious at the moment to how much weight Celestia’s statement held.

Celestia smiled. “Over one-thousand years, Sweetie Belle. There were plenty of wonderful musicians and composers, mind you during that time. Ones such as Beethoofen, or Johann Sebastian Buck...but...” She laughed quietly. “Sweetie Belle...thank you. I haven’t heard something like that for...for...”

“A very long time.” Rarity suggested, earning a nod from the Sun Princess. “Sweetie Belle...I know you were still unsure about Luna’s offer, but...I truly, truly think you should participate in the Winter Solstice concert. Ponies will love to hear your voice. If...if you can make Celestia of all ponies the way she is, then I daresay the concert will be wonderful.”

“I...I know. I wrote this song because I decided I want to do the concert, after all.”

Rarity smiled brightly and nuzzled her sister, sniffling a little. “Oh, Sweetie Belle. That’s wonderful.” She looked to the clock on the far end of the room and sighed. “Oh dear, I’m afraid that it’s close to your bedtime.”

“Okay...” Sweetie Belle sighed. “Um...will you at least tuck me in?” She looked down in embarrassment.

The Princess of Beauty smiled warmly. “Of course, dear.” She turned to Celestia as she guided the filly to her bedroom. “Have a good night’s sleep, Celestia. I trust you’re probably going to be doing the same as Sweetie Belle soon as well.”

Celestia yawned. “Yes, I’m afraid that I’m still a bit of an early-to-bed, early-to-rise mare. I’m sure in time I’ll adjust to a changing schedule.” She looked down to Sweetie Belle and gave the filly a gentle nuzzle as well. “Sweetie Belle, I’m really happy you chose me to share this with tonight. I really enjoyed listening to your song.”

“Th-thank you, Celestia...”

Five more minutes passed before the two alicorns managed to get down from the emotional roller coaster that Sweetie Belle’s music had created. Sweetie Belle was soon tucked under the covers of her bed, Rarity sitting bedside and smiling as Sweetie Belle got comfy. The filly raised a curious eyebrow as Rarity kept staring at her, the smile never leaving her face.

“Rarity...?”

The platinum white alicorn blinked several times. “Sorry, dear. I’m still...” She shook her head before leaning down and giving her sister a loving peck on the forehead. “Sweetie Belle...I know I have said it before, but...you truly, truly are a wonderful singer.”

Sweetie Belle smiled demurely. “Why does everyone keep saying that?”

Rarity chuckled. “Sorry, I suppose old mares like us have a tendency to get caught up in the lives of you fillies and colts.”

“You’re not that old,” Sweetie Belle replied.

The alicorn said nothing for several moments before sighing. “No...I suppose I’m not that old, am I?”

“Rarity, are you sure you’re okay?”

Rarity wanted to say no. She wanted to express her chaotic thoughts and feelings, how she was uncertain of what awaited her and her immortal life, what it would be like to outlive everyone (aside from her fellow princesses) she knew. She instead settled for a nod and nuzzled her sister. “I’m fine, Sweetie Belle. Just a little fatigued, I guess. My intuition tells me tonight is going to be busy.”

Frowning, but accepting her sister’s answer for now, the filly spoke. “Hey, Rarity, what exactly do you do as the Princess of Beauty?”

Ah, yet another question she wasn’t sure she could answer at the moment. She pondered the question for several moments. “Well...hm...that’s a tough question, at least it is right now. I’m still trying to figure that out. I do have an idea though of what it entails.”

“Really? What do you think it means?”

Sweetie Belle felt a comforting warmth as Rarity rested her chin on top of Sweetie Belle’s head. “Well...when you played tonight, for example...you looked so calm. Peaceful and comfortable. When I watched the moonlight bathing you from the window of the studio, I found myself...happy. I think even Celestia was blown away a little by your appearance. You looked like a little angel who had come down from the heavens to sing just for us. I’m sure that whatever Celestia saw, she felt you looked wonderful in your own way as well. Not only that, but you sounded beautiful as well.”

“So...you make things beautiful?”

“Not make...no, I think I do something more along the lines of bringing attention and help beautiful things reveal themselves to other ponies. At least, that may be a part of what I do.” She sighed. “It’s not so clear cut with me, dear. Pinkie Pie, she has an idea of what she can do, but both her and I are what some ponies call the ‘abstract’ princesses,” She paused when Sweetie Belle frowned. “Oh, dearie, they don’t mean anything bad by that. It just means that Pinkie and I have powers that are not as concrete or physical. Our powers are still there, though. You ever notice how Pinkie Pie always seems to know what to say to make you feel better when you need it most? Don’t you ever feel happier just by being close to her?”

“Yeah...but that’s because she’s fun to be around.”

Rarity chuckled. “I suppose that has a bit of influence, but that’s also because you’re still a filly, and playing is part of being a young pony. Pinkie Pie loves to play, so...” Rarity sighed again. “She also can tell what a pony is feeling because she feels it, too. Sometimes it’s harder for her than other times.

“Still, Pinkie Pie is a Princess of Emotion, and Laughter. It’s hard for joy not to follow wherever she goes. Though...she also is the Princess of Hope.”

Sweetie Belle nodded. “Yeah, I remember Princess Celestia and Princess Luna explaining that.”

Rarity smiled. “Right. Well, I’m in charge of Beauty, as I said, but...beauty’s not something that is set in stone. For instance, let’s take your friend Scootaloo...”

“What about her?”

“Well...she doesn’t necessarily act the part of a typical little filly a lot of the time, does she?”

“So? She’s still my friend,” Sweetie Belle said, rising to the defense of her close friend.

“Yes, and I wouldn’t want her any other way. My point is this; she is a wonderful pony who you and Apple Bloom are dearest of friends with. While she may not have the same curly mane as you do, or the pretty bow that Apple Bloom has, she is still a pretty little filly in a way that no other pony could possibly hope to achieve. She is very athletic, has a wonderful heart, and a beautiful smile, too.”

“Ohhhh!” Sweetie Belle nodded. “Yeah, that makes sense. One time I saw her dancing to some ballet-” Sweetie Belle placed a hoof over her mouth and looked to Rarity. “Um, promise me you won’t tell her I said that. She didn’t want anyone to know she dances to stuff like that.”

Rarity’s eyes widened. “Scootaloo dances? I’m sure she’s a lovely dancer; why would she hide it?”

Sweetie Belle’s eyes spoke volumes of how much she agreed with Rarity. “She says it’s not cool enough.”

The Princess of Beauty sighed. The poor little pegasus was still worried about what others thought about her...such was typical of a young pony her age, and Rarity was in no position to criticize. Still...

“Sweetie Belle...I do believe Apple Bloom will be staying during winter break and the holidays.” Her smile grew a little as she continued. “What about Scootaloo, though? If I remember correctly, her parents were going to be going on a second honeymoon, weren’t they?”

The filly nodded. “Yeah, I think they were going on a cruise...oh!” Sweetie Belle’s eyes lit up. “I remember now! She said her parents were going to be stopping in the Sea Serpent Isles, getting on the same cruise as Mom and Dad were.”

“Well...if her parents wouldn’t mind...maybe she could stay here during winter break as well.”

The little filly’s eyes widened even further. “Really? Could she??”
If it’s okay with her and her parents.” Rarity chuckled as Sweetie Belle settled down a little. “If need be, I or one of the girls could even offer to pick her up and bring her here. I’m sure Rainbow Dash would be delighted to see her biggest admirer.”

Sweetie Belle sat up before wrapping her forelegs around Rarity. “Thanks, Rarity. You’re the best.”

Rarity could only chuckle and return the hug. After being tucked in once more, Rarity turned off the lamps in Sweetie Belle’s room and wished her a goodnight before closing the door, leaving a small crack of light for her. The filly gave a yawn before drifting off to the sweet bliss that was sleep.

“Somepony’s knockin’ at the door. Somepony’s ringin’ the bell.” Sweetie Belle hummed. “Do me a favor, open the door and let ‘em in! Ohhh yeaah yeaah!” Sweetie Belle did a cute little spin before hopping into the chariot where to pegasi guards waited, small smiles playing at their lips. It had become a sort of competition for the royal guards serving under the princesses to see who would get to drive the chariot to Ponyville.

“...brother Mac, Twilight Sparkle...Applejack! Golden Harvest, Granny Smith! Open the door...let ‘em iii~iiin, yeah!”

“Ready, Lady Sweetie Belle?”

Sweetie Belle’s eyes fluttered as she fell back to reality, blushing. She looked to bright blue maned stallion. “O-oh! Sorry, Azure Skye. I’m ready!”

The two pegasus stallions pulled on the reins before flapping their wings. Sweetie Belle began to hum another tune.

“Oh, there is a place where the grass is what’s for dinner! Charmed, fun, and wild! There must be somethin’ in the water!”

Click!
Click click click!
Azure Skye looked over his shoulder as they continued to push off the ground. He groaned as he turned to his peer. “Summer, looks like we got some paparazzi. Six o’ clock. They’re pegasi, too.”

Summer, a light green mare serving currently under Rarity, sighed. She blew a strand of her auburn and green mane out of her eyes as the two kicked off the ground and began to flap hard. “Ten bits says they’ll try and flank us and get Sweetie to pose.”

Azure chuckled. “Fool’s bet if I ever heard one. I won’t put anything past those ponies.” The two were soon soaring over clouds as Sweetie Belle continued, unaware of the small crowd of shutter-happy ponies following her.

“You could travel the wo~orld! But no one can groove like the girls with hooves! Once you party with ponies you’ll be seeing Rainbooms!” She didn’t even realize she was bouncing in place as she continued. “Equestria girls, we’re kinda magical! Boots on hooves, bikinis on top! Furry coats so cute we’ll blow you’re mi~iind! Aaaaah, aaah ah aaaaah!”

Summer looked over her shoulder when Sweetie Belle looked at her expectantly. Summer grinned nervously. “Oh, Milady, I-”

“Come on, Summer! It’ll be fun!”

Summer nickered. “Well...I don’t necessarily know the song...”

Sweetie Belle beamed. “That’s alright! Azure knows it!”

Summer looked to the stallion, who was flush with embarrassment. He cleared his throat before singing just loud enough to hear. “Equestria girls, we’re pony-fabulous...”

“Fast, fine, fierce, we trot till we drop!” Sweetie Belle joined in.

As Sweetie Belle hopped out of the chariot, trotting happily to school, Azure turned to Summer and spoke, his expression serious. “What happened on that chariot stays on that chariot. Are we clear, Private Summer?”

Summer gave an uneasy grin. Azure Skye was known for being a rather easy-going pony, so it was a little unsettling to see him like this. “Cl-clear as crystal, sir!”

Azure’s expression brightened instantly. “Wonderful! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to confiscate that camera from that one mare who decided to get shots of me on the way here.” He trotted towards a group of photographers, whistling happily to himself. Summer decided on not commenting the fact that he was whistling “Sensational Sunset Shindig”, a Sapphire Shores song that had come out this past summer. She didn’t want rumors to spread that Azure Skye was a closet Sapphire Shores fan...at least not yet, anyway.

“Now then, can anyone solve this problem for me? It’s a little harder than previous ones we did.” Cheerilee pointed to the board, where a two part multiplication problem could be seen.

Cheerilee spotted several ponies looking in through the window, lifting cameras towards Sweetie Belle. She sighed before walking from the front. “Excuse me, children. I’ll be right back.”

Cheerilee opened the door and walked towards the group of ponies gathered outside of her schoolhouse. “Can I help you?”

The photographers all turned towards the teacher, a few even looked a bit surprised. One of them, a young stallion, spoke up. “We’re just here to get some photos for the Pony Today Magazine.”

This wasn’t the first time Cheerilee had to deal with paparazzi. In fact, she recognized several of the ponies already. “I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to stop. My students are trying to learn, and all that flash photography is distracting them.” Her students were trying their hardest not to, whether it was to avoid getting in trouble with her, or because they genuinely wanted to learn. “Now, if you’ll please leave, I would greatly appreciate it.”

“Would you say that Lady Sweetie Belle is a good student, Ms. Cheerilee?”

The fuschia pony frowned. “I don’t believe sharing the academic reports of my students with strangers is exactly a good idea.”

“Is there a problem, Ms. Cheerilee?”

The teacher and group of paparazzi turned to see Azure Skye and Summer looking towards them impassively. Cheerilee gave a small sigh of relief. “Nothing major, Captain Azure Skye. I was just asking these ponies here if they would kindly leave the school grounds. I’m in the middle of class.”

Azure Skye gave her a nod before looking to the others. “I’ll need you all to leave. These fillies and colts are trying to learn, after all.”

“We could turn off the flash on our cameras,” one of the mares suggested, only to receive a stern look from the blue stallion. “...or not.”

The paparazzi left shortly after. Cheerilee gave a grateful smile to the two guards. “Thank you, both of you.” She sighed as she noticed her class glancing towards the window curiously. “Sweetie Belle’s been doing well in school...but I worry about all the publicity she’s been getting as of late.”

Azure Skye nodded. “Well, we can’t really force the paparazzi to leave, though we can highly encourage it.” The stallion looked towards the window where a small group of fillies and colts were gathering. “In the mean time, you probably want to attend to the children.”

Summer waved a hoof to the young ponies, which was returned by a few who had seen her before, among them being Sweetie Belle. Cheerilee gave a final thank you to the two Royal Guards before walking back inside. The colts and fillies immediately got back to their seats, looking to Cheerilee as she returned to the math problem at hand.

At recess, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo were taking turns on the swing pushing each other. Scootaloo was currently pushing Sweetie Belle, who was bound and determined to flip the swing around once. The current record for the highest swinging was held by Aura, but Sweetie Belle was set on-

Click!
Sweetie Belle looked to her side to see several cameras flashing as they took pictures of her.

Scootaloo noticed her friend’s gaze and stopped pushing. “Are those ponies with cameras out there again?”

Sweetie Belle appeared neither upset nor happy, but nodded. “Yeah. Why are they taking so many pictures of me?”

“Maybe because your sister’s a princess?” Scootaloo offered.

“Why me, though? I’m not really a princess, so why are they taking pictures of me?” Sweetie Belle’s face contorted into a confused look. “It doesn’t make much sense to be taking a whole bunch of pictures of me when they could be getting pictures of Rarity.”

“Well...don’t all the guards call you ‘Lady’ Sweetie Belle? You are a lady of the court, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I don’t know what that means, though. The only ‘lady’ thing I’ve done so far is have dinner with Rarity and Luna when some fancy ponies from Manehatten visited us.” She frowned. “It was boring.”

“Yeah...hey! I know, why don’t you hang out with Apple Bloom and I after school?”

“I can’t,” Sweetie Belle replied sadly. “I need to go straight home after school, and the guards always make sure they know where I am after school’s done.”

“Well...” Scootaloo looked around before speaking to her. “What if you snuck out with me after school?”

Sweetie Belle looked nervously to Azure Skye and Summer, who were occasionally looking their way, but didn’t appear to be suspicious at all. Sweetie Belle really wanted to see Apple Bloom. She missed her other close friend dearly, but she was also afraid of getting into trouble.

“I don’t know, Scootaloo. I don’t want Rarity...or Princess Luna or Princess Celestia to get worried.”

Scootaloo’s hopeful smile faded. “Oh...right. Yeah, I forgot about the others...” She laughed sheepishly. “We’d be in big trouble, wouldn’t we?”

“I would. I don’t think you would be, though.”

Scootaloo plopped onto her haunches and groaned. “It’s not fair! You never get to play with Apple Bloom and I anymore.”

Sweetie Belle nodded in agreement. “Yeah, and I-” She looked over her shoulder to see the paparazzi had moved closer. A few were scribbling into notebooks. “What are you writing?”

One of the pegasi stopped what she was doing, a look clearly showing that she had been caught with one hoof in the metaphorical cookie jar. “Oh...just...” She looked around before speaking with an overly cheerful smile. “...writing about the most famous filly in all of Equestria.”

The unicorn filly’s eyes widened. “You mean me?”

Another one of the photographer’s nodded. “Oh, of course! Who else has the best singing voice on this side of Canterlot?” The stallion held up his camera. “Care to give us a smile? Erm...excuse me, little filly...?”

Scootaloo wasn’t to sure she liked the paparazzi. “My name’s Scootaloo.”

“Yeah, and she’s one of my best friends.” Sweetie Belle replied. Several of the ponies began to scribble furiously into their notebooks.

“How long have you known each other?”

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked to each other before Sweetie Belle answered. “A year or two?”

“How is it like going to a common pony school?”

“Huh?” Sweetie Belle quirked an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’ve always gone to Ponyville Elementary.”

“Right, right. Have you ever wanted to go to a bigger, nicer school, like Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns?”

“Um, well, Rarity says when I’m-”

“I thought I had asked that you would all leave the school grounds earlier.”

Everyone turned to see Cheerilee walking towards the group. Her expression was not happy.

“We were just leaving,” answered the mare who had first spoken to Sweetie Belle. “Thank you for your time, Lady Sweetie Belle.” The photographers left suddenly, leaving two confused fillies and an annoyed Cheerilee.

“Girls, did you two say anything to them?”

“Not a whole lot.” Scootaloo looked to the retreating back of the ponies. “Just our names and that we were good friends.”

Cheerilee sighed. “I don’t think you should be talking to those ponies.”

“Why? They don’t seem like bad ponies to me.”

Cheerilee tapped her chin. How could she explain the world of tabloids to the young ponies. She hummed to herself in thought. “Girls...sometimes ponies like to spread rumors...gossip.”

“Oh, Rarity loves gossip!” Sweetie Belle stated.

Cheerilee suppressed a chuckle. “Yes, yes, but um...how to put this...some ponies try to talk about things that are private and personal to ponies. They try to bring it out in the open so everypony knows about it. Sometimes personal and private things aren’t always good to share.”

“Like a surprise?” Scootaloo offered, though she didn’t sound confident with the idea.

“No, more like...well, girls, I don’t like using this as an example, but you girls and the fact that you don’t have cutie marks yet.” She noticed their expression fall. “Oh, girls, there is nothing to be ashamed of with that, believe me. However...well, sometimes Apple Bloom, for example, has to deal with bullies like Diamond Tiara.”

“Yeah, her and Silver Spoon are jerks,” Scootaloo grumbled.

“Yes, and I have made it clear to those two young fillies that I do not tolerate bullying. They’ve gotten a little better, but...nyway, sometimes they try to spread rumors...though most ponies tend to spread rumors. Sometimes the rumors aren’t so bad, like So-and-so and so-and-so might like each other. Those can be nice rumors, and perhaps even have some truth to them.” She frowned as she looked to the spot where the paparazzi had been. “Sometimes though, ponies will try to blow things out of proportion, or make something that a pony said sound worse than it is.”

“You mean those ponies over there were trying to make me and Scootaloo look bad?”

Cheerilee gave her best attempt at a hopeful smile. “I’m going to hope that’s not the case, but it very well could be true.” She looked to the two guards, who had been watching the exchange the whole time. She half suspected that they would have stepped in to stop the camera flashes if Cheerilee had not beat them to it.

“Are we in trouble, Ms. Cheerilee?”

“No, no, girls, you have done nothing wrong.”

Both fillies looked relieved. Sweetie Belle perked up. “Thanks for telling us, Ms. Cheerilee. We’ll try to keep away from the popper-rot-zees from now on.”

“Paparazzi.” Cheerilee emphasized each syllable before smiling. “Alright, well you girls enjoy the rest of your recess. I’ll be right inside the schoolhouse if you need me.”

The bell rang for the final time that day as Sweetie Belle trotted towards the chariot where Azure Skye and Summer were waiting, already strapped in and ready to go. Sweetie Belle had told Scootaloo about Rarity’s idea to stay with them in Canterlot over winter break, and the pegasus filly had stated happily that she would love to, and would talk to her parents about it as soon as she could.

The trip back to Canterlot was the same as it always was, Sweetie Belle singing a tune, Summer awkwardly trying to sing along while Azure Skye pretended he didn’t know the lyrics. When they arrived back, Sweetie Belle was greeted by someone she had only seen in passing.

“Ah, Lady Sweetie Belle, I was hoping to talk to you.”

The filly stopped short at the sight of a regal stallion, suave hair, brilliant smile, the works. “O-oh, hello Prince Blueblood.” She gave a little bow as the guards followed suit.

To her surprise, Blueblood returned the gesture, although not as deep of a bow. “Dear, would you be care to perform at a social in the Sun Hall this weekend? I’m holding it for some of the more influential ponies in Canterlot, so you don’t have to worry about entertaining any of the common rabble.”

Sweetie Belle quirked an eyebrow. “Common...rabble?”

Blueblood smiled while chuckling. “Ah, to be innocent at your age. Either way, what do you say, Sweetie Belle. Would you still be interested?”

“Um...I don’t know.” Sweetie Belle hummed in thought. “I think I was going to be visiting my friends Apple Bloom and Scootaloo this weekend. We sort of planned this last week.” She frowned. “Sorry, but I don’t think I can.”

“You’d rather go spend some time with...” He held his tongue, and nodded. “I understand. I suppose Lady Apple Bloom would enjoy your company. Um...who was this other friend of yours? Scooter?”

“Scootaloo.”

“Yes, quite. Well, while it’s a shame, I suppose we’ll have to try again some other time.” He gave a respectful nod to the filly. “Good day then, Lady Sweetie Belle.” He turned around, only to pause and look back towards the young unicorn. “Oh, and if you ever wish to get in with the right ponies, let me know. I have a way of making things work, if you understand where I’m coming from.” He gave a sly wink before continuing towards the castle doors leading inside.

Sweetie Belle gave a confused look to Azure Skye and Summer, who just shook their heads and smiled.

“Don’t worry about it, Lady Sweetie Belle,” Azure Skye reassured the confused pony. “Prince Blueblood can be a bit...” He looked around and to Summer, who simply nodded. He lowered his voice before continuing. “...snobbish. He’s not necessarily a bad pony, but tends to think of himself before others when it comes to manners outside of his official work.” The stallion looked towards the door where Blueblood had entered and sighed. “It’s hard to believe he’s related to Celestia and Luna.”

“Well, he’s like...what, fifty-some odd generations removed?” Summer commented.

“Yeah, something like that.” Azure Skye gave Sweetie Belle a gentle smile. “You don’t have to worry about anything, alright? You planned on seeing your friends, and right now being a filly and going to school are the two big jobs you have.”

“What about the Winter Solstice concert?”

“That too, yes, but that’s secondary to the others.” He chuckled as she gave him weak smile. “I have two foals of my own. Just trust me when I say that you’ll be grown up before you know it and wishing you’d known where all those years of your fillyhood went.”

Sweetie Belle was greeted by Twilight and Spike upon entering the castle throne room. Twilight was currently the only princess holding court, and it had been rather slow. She was delighted when Sweetie Belle asked her for help on her math and social studies homework. It gave her a pleasant distraction from the boredom that usually arose with tending a quiet court.

“Well, I’m quite surprised that you’re already studying the history of Cloudsdale. I didn’t start studying the history of pegasus culture until I was a few years older than you. Then again, most of my studies were in magical history...” She looked at the essay Sweetie Belle was in the midst of writing, smiling as she read the rather neat writing.

“Yeah, Ms. Cheerilee says she thinks we’re ready for it though. It’s really hard to remember some of the ponies’ names. The only two I can remember are Commander Hurricane and Private Pansy...that’s only because they were among the six that founded Equestria.”

“That’s very true, Sweetie Belle.” Twilight chewed on the tip of a quill while she made a minor grammatical note on the filly’s paper. “You have great writing skills, Sweetie Belle. I made a few little notes for you to look at, but otherwise this is a strong rough draft.”

Spike, who had been reading a book titled Stories from the Dragon Tongues, looked up from his dense reading. “I know how you feel, Sweetie Belle. I’m reading about this one wyvern who had fire breath so strong that he melted an entire statue of granite into glass...” He frowned before looking to Twilight. “How come all these stories are so...fairy tale like?”

“Well, Spike, if you must know, it’s because most of draconic history is oratory. That book is a collection by a pony who spent years traveling and speaking with dragons.” Twilight finished the last of the corrections on Sweetie Belle’s two page essay and floated it back to her. “The important thing with reading those stories is learning the lesson behind them, Spike. There’s a moral to most of them.”

“Hm. No wonder they sounded like fairy tales.” Spike groused.

“Oh Spike,” Twilight sighed as she nuzzled the dragonling. “If you want to stop reading them, that’s fine.”

Spike sensed the slightest hint of sadness in her voice. Truth was, he rarely spent as much time with her as he used to, what with him spending his time reading and studying old tomes and her with her duties as a princess. While he wasn’t as big of a reader as Twilight, he didn’t want to hurt her feelings by turning down an activity she shared with him. “I-it’s alright, Twi. I want to still read, but...do you have anything that’s about dragons that’s not as...kiddie?”

Twilight’s eyes brightened. “Oh, if that’s what you’re looking for, then...” She magicked a list from nowhere, looking over the paper with a smile. “Hmm...aha! Here we are.” She highlighted one of the book titles on the list with her magic. “This may be more to your liking.”

Spike looked over the title before his face broke into a toothy grin. “Heroes of Dragonkind? Nice!” He took the list from Twilight before making a beeline for the throne room doors.

Twilight shook her head, her eyes twinkling with laughter. “Still a baby dragon, even if he tries to hide it.” She returned her attention to Sweetie Belle. “Right, now then, Sweetie Belle, did you want to practice your math?”

Sweetie Belle gave a nod. “Yes, please.”

Two hours later and Sweetie Belle had finished her homework for the evening. Her second draft of the essay on Cloudsdale was given Twilight’s stamp of approval (Sweetie Belle had insisted the rubber stamper was not actually needed, much to the alicorn’s disappointment), and trotted outside to play in the snow for a while. It was a bit late, and she would probably be called inside to eat dinner soon. Still, she wanted to enjoy the early winter weather while she could. Rainbow Dash told her it was going to warm up again soon. Fall weather would soon be in Equestria, starting with a downpour throughout the central part of the kingdom, which would melt the snow.

Not that she minded, though. That meant walking around in October would be less chilly for her when Nightmare Night rolled round.

“Oh, hello Sweetie Belle.”

The gentle voice of Fluttershy shook Sweetie Belle from her musings. She smiled to the Princess of Nature before trotting up to her. “Hi, Fluttershy. What are you doing out here?”

Fluttershy smiled before pointing a hoof up to the trees of the garden. “There’s some lovely cardinals flitting around in the trees. I just wanted to watch them.”

“Oh, really? Aren’t they cold and hungry out here? You always gave birdseed to the animals back in Ponyville that stayed around during winter didn’t you?”

“Well, yes,” Fluttershy replied. “Cardinals are wintering birds, though. They have extra fluffy feathers to help keep them warm during the winter.” She watched the red birds chirp as they hopped from branch to branch. “Some ponies, like me, will leave out bird feeders for them during the cold months, but they’re not entirely helpless. They will look for seeds in trees and plants to eat too.”

“Oh yeah, Ms. Cheerilee was hoping you could come to one of our classes sometime to talk about animals and plants with us. We’re studying life cycles and stuff like that, and she wanted me to ask you about that.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t mind that at all. Applejack actually told me about that a while back, and I remember Rainbow Dash visited the schools in both Ponyville and Appleloosa already to give a lesson about the weather.” The yellow alicorn giggled. “She said it was kind of fun to spend a whole day with colts and fillies. I’ll be sure to arrange a time for me to go to Ponyville to give a lecture.”

“Neat!” Sweetie Belle went quiet as one of the male cardinals began chattering at another, smaller male. “Hey, what’s that boy cardinal doing?”

Fluttershy’s smile didn’t falter as she spoke softly. “Oh, he’s just keeping the younger male from getting too...hm, what’s a good way to put it...well, he’s making sure the younger cardinal knows who’s the older cardinal and to not get too full of himself.”

“Shouldn’t we stop them from fighting?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“Don’t worry, he’s not going to hurt him. Cardinals are territorial, but they’re not mean birds, either.” Fluttershy chuckled quietly as one of the females flitted in between the two, causing the two males to scatter onto either side of a branch. “Looks like the female’s being a little pushy, though.”

One of the males sitting on the top branch let out a whistle, followed by a few shorter chirps. Fluttershy closed her eyes and let out a content sigh as it continued several more times.

“Wow, that’s a pretty song.” Sweetie Belle said. “How come I never hear them in Ponyville?”

“Oh, you do, but most of them are closer to the Everfree Forest.” Fluttershy licked her lips before mimicking the bird’s call. The cardinal cocked its head before repeating the song, which she called back. The cardinal flitted down from the top of the tree, landing on Fluttershy’s outstretched hoof.

“He’s so red.” Sweetie Belle said with giggle. “Kind of like a fluffy tomato, heheh.”

“He is, isn’t he?” Fluttershy lowered her nose, nuzzling the little bird affectionately. She lifted her hoof, and the bird flew back up into the tree. “These cardinals have been in the garden since I first got here. A few of the other animals have popped their heads out, but most are either hibernating, nocturnal, or they migrated south.”

Sweetie Belle wet her lips before whistling to the sound of the cardinal call. The cardinals all looked to her with varying degrees of interest, but returned to their business upon seeing it was her. “Aw...how come they won’t fly down to me?”

Fluttershy’s smile faltered a little before she placed a gentle wing on the filly. “Would you like it if I asked one of them to fly down?”

“If...if that’s okay...”

“I’m sure it won’t be a problem.” Fluttershy closed her eyes and went still. Her horn gave of a faint, yellow glow. One of the females looked down to her before hopping down the branches and flitting to the ground, giving what probably qualified as a curious look.

“Hello, Ms. Cardinal. My friend Sweetie Belle was wondering if it’d be alright to pet you. Would that be okay?”

The cardinal gave a quiet chirp before flitting onto Sweetie Belle’s back. Sweetie Belle laughed as it’s little claws tickled her skin. “Teehee, wow, she’s so fluffy.” She nuzzled the bird gently as it gave a little trill. “How come all the girls aren’t as red as the boys?”

“Oh, that’s because females use their colors for camouflage.”

Recognizing the word, the filly perked up. “Oh, that means...um...to blend in with your surroundings...right?”

“That’s right. You see, the female usually sits on the eggs to keep them warm while the male goes looking for food to give her. When the babies hatch, the female will go to a new nest and lay more eggs while the male takes care of the hatchlings.”

Sweetie Belle looked to the cardinal on her back with mild awe. “The girl cardinals have more than one nest?”

“Usually.” Fluttershy answered.

The cardinal pulled at a strand of Sweetie Belle’s hair playfully before flitting off her back and flying up into the tree to join the rest of her group. “Hey, Fluttershy? I have a question...”

The mare sensed the unicorn’s change in tone. She gave a comforting smile and sat down in the snow, not minding the cold at all. She was quite warm thanks to the energy coursing through the fauna and flora. “Go ahead.”

Sweetie Belle kicked a small pile of snow away before speaking. “Do you...do you remember when you were doing that modeling for Photo Finish?”

Fluttershy’s ears drooped a bit. “Oh, well...yes, I remember. W-why, did you see her somewhere?”

“No, but...you got really famous for a little while...and, well...” Sweetie Belle let out a breath before continuing. “It’s just, I got these popperotties following me and-”

“Actually, um, I think it’s pronounced papparazzi.” Fluttershy corrected.

“Right, and so I saw some of them at school today, and they were asking me lots of questions and taking pictures of me, and...” She looked to her feet. “I didn’t mind the attention, but Rarity always told me that “I shouldn’t let things go to my head”, so I tried to be polite...” She frowned. “Is it bad to like the attention?”

“W-well, I don’t like lots of attention, but...that’s just me.” Fluttershy lifted a wing so Sweetie Belle could crawl under and stay warm. “However, I...I think that it’s okay to like being admired, too.”

“That, and Prince Blueblood wanted me to sing for some ponies at a party he’s having this weekend. Something fancy, but I said that I had other plans with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, because I do, and...” The filly groaned in frustration. “What do I do?”

Fluttershy could sympathize with the filly. She was still so young, yet she was living among such influential people. She was bound to receive some attention from ponies.

“Well, Sweetie Belle, I think that it’s important to remember who you are.” She laughed as Sweetie Belle gave her a somewhat flat look. “I mean...really, it’s important to remember what makes you the pony you are. Do you sing because people like it, or well...do you sing because you like it?”

“Why does everyone think I’m such a good singer?” Sweetie Belle blushed. She didn’t sound upset, just embarrassed. “I mean...I like singing because it makes me happy. I can sing about whatever I want...”

Fluttershy nodded. “You see? Right there is a small part of who you are. Cameras and magazine articles are okay, but it’s important to be true to yourself. Your friends are important to you, so you still see them when you want to.”

“Well...what about Rarity? How come she doesn’t see me as much anymore if that’s the case?”

Oh. Fluttershy should have been prepared for this. She recalled Rarity having a ‘heart-to-heart’ talk with her a day or two ago about the increased amount of time between seeing her sister as of late. “Oh, Sweetie Belle...I...” She paused, thinking her words carefully. She could sense the gloomy thoughts coming from the filly. “Your sister loves you so much. You have to realize that, even if she’s not around as much as she used to be. Why, she was telling me earlier today how happy she was to hear you sing.”

“Yeah...I made her and Celestia cry.”

“That was a good cry, though. You made them so happy.” She nuzzled the filly. “Rarity is a busy pony, but she is always thinking about you in the back of her mind, Sweetie Belle,” She whispered quietly as she continued. “She’s actually planning on making you, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo dresses for the Grand Galloping Gala.”

The filly sucked in a breath of air. “Sh-she is?”

“Don’t tell her I told you. She hasn’t said so, but I think she wants it to be a surprise.”

“Oh. I promise not to tell,” Sweetie Belle did the motions of a Pinkie Promise before smiling. “You’re right, Fluttershy. Rarity’s a great sister. I...I’m being a little selfish, I guess.”

“I don’t think you’re being selfish, Sweetie Belle. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to spend time with your family, especially when you have a sister like Rarity.”

Sweetie Belle found herself feeling a little better. Looking up, she gave the yellow mare a smile. “Thanks, Fluttershy.”

“It’s nothing, Sweetie Belle. I...I hope you don’t mind me saying this, but I kind of see you as a little sister too...well, I’ve started to, at least. I’ve started feeling that way towards all of the girls...um, except Luna...we’re close, but...” Sweetie Belle didn’t know what to make of the faint blush on the mare’s cheeks, but thought nothing of it. She knew Fluttershy and Luna were good friends.

A cool wind blew by, and the cardinals all went quiet before flitting off to some low-lying shrubs, likely to hunker down for the night. Sweetie Belle shivered a little as well, despite wearing her scarf, hat, and boots.

“We should probably get you inside before you catch a cold,” Fluttershy suggested. She didn’t even wait for a response from the filly before lifting her up onto her back and covering her with her wings. Sweetie Belle gave no protest, finding the soft feather blanket of the Princess of Kindness all too comfortable.

Sure enough, the following day Rainbow Dash’s prediction was true. The sun was out, the sky was mostly clear, and the snow was beginning to melt. The air still held the nip of autumn, though. Cheerilee was a bit relieved, considering she wanted to take the kids on a field trip to Sweet Apple Acres as a follow up on the importance of crops and soil and how all of nature fits together to make the food that ponies eat.

When Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo arrived with the afternoon class, they were greeted by Apple Bloom herself. She was accompanied by Big Mac and another stallion that neither were familiar with.

“Hi, ya’ll. Welcome to Sweet Apple Acres!” The stallion gave the class a smile. “For those of you who haven’t met me yet, my name’s Braeburn. I’m Big Mac and little Apple Bloom’s cousin. I’m from Appleloosa, way out in the western portion of Equestria!”

“Are there cowponies in Appleloosa?” asked a colt.

“There most certainly are! Why, we’re plannin’ on holdin’ the Equestria Rodeo in ‘nother year or two when our town’s more settled in.”

“Wow...” a few of the colts and fillies whispered.

“So, I hear you foals wanted to learn a thing or two ‘bout how we go ‘bout harvestin’ the apples. Well, we’re in the middle of applebuck season right now, so I’ll give you kids a sample of the work we do.” Braeburn turned to Big Mac. “Where’d you like me to hit this time, Macintosh?”

Big Mac glanced over to a nearby cluster of Granny Smith trees. “I reckon those apples are ‘bout right.”

Braeburn nodded. “Alright, kids, follow me.”

Ten minutes later and Braeburn had bucked a bushel of apples from one of the trees, and was letting the foals each have one (after they were inspected for worms, bruises, and the like) for an afternoon snack.

“Mr. Braeburn?”

The young stallion tipped his hat up before smiling down to the young unicorn filly. “Well, now I recognize you. You’re that young lady who’s the sister of Princess Rarity, right? Lady Sweetie Belle, if my memory’s correct.”

Sweetie Belle gave a small bow that her sister would have been proud of. “Yes, sir. I’m one of Apple Bloom’s friends.”

Braeburn’s eyes widened. “Shoot, that’s right. Heh...” He lowered his voice. “Kinda hard gettin’ used to the fact that me an’ my kin are sorta royalty.” He grinned before taking his hat off and giving a quick bow. “I remember the other night that Apple Bloom was sharin’ a few stories ‘bout you two an’ a little pegasus filly...let’s see...what was her name?”

“That’d be me!” Scootaloo piped up. “I’m Scootaloo.”

“Oh, sure!” He threw his hat back on and laughed. “I remember you and Apple Bloom were racin’ round the barn on your scooter the other day. Somethin’ ‘bout gettin’ an off-road racin’ cutie mark.” He shook his head while smiling. “If I only had a chance to be a colt again.”

Sweetie Belle smiled softly. “I was just wondering how everything is going with the family. I haven’t really gotten to talk to Apple Bloom lately, and Scootaloo says she doesn’t really talk much about...well...”

Braeburn’s smile softened a little. “That’s mighty kind of you t’ ask, little miss.” She sighed. “Great-auntie was a wonderful mare. A true lady. Heh, I remember the handful of times I got to stop by for the family reunion, she always made sure I’d gotten enough to eat before I went off to play with Big Mac an’ the others. Made sure I ate my veggies, too.”

Sweetie Belle smiled. “We all miss her.”

“We’re takin’ it day by day.” Braeburn replied. “How ‘bout my little cousin, Applejack? She doin’ alright?”

“Yeah. I think she’s getting better...” Sweetie Belle answered. “I think she’s looking forward to when you all visit Canterlot for the holidays.”

“Hoo boy. Y’know, I only been to Canterlot once, and that was way back when I was younger than you two fine ladies.” He rubbed his chin in thought. “Wonder if that donut shop is still in town...”

“Oh! That’s right!” Scootaloo gasped. “Sweetie Belle, my parents said I can stay with you in Canterlot for Hearth’s Warming!”

“You can?!” Sweetie Belle smiled brightly. “Great! Did you get to tell Apple Bloom?”

“No, but we can right now!”

The two fillies quickly ran to their earth pony friend, eager to share the news.

“I think these apples aren’t ripe yet...” said a young filly. “They’re kind of sour...”

Braeburn chuckled. “Granny Smith apples are always sour. Here, let me get you an apple from one of our Gala trees. They’re a lot sweeter...”

The field trip had lasted the entirety of the class for Sweetie Belle, so she and Scootaloo simply stayed around afterward to spend some time with Apple Bloom. The two pegasi guards in charge of bringing Sweetie Belle home had parked near the Apple family barn a short time ago, and were patiently waiting for her.

“I’m glad that we can all spend some time together this weekend,” Apple Bloom said while carrying a small load of Granny Smith on her head towards the apple cellar. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle each carried a small basket of their own, Scootaloo by wagon via her scooter and Sweetie Belle with her slowly developing magic.

“Yeah, and we’ll get to hang out during the holidays!” Scootaloo added. “I can’t wait to talk to Princess Luna and Princess Celestia! I bet they can get our cutie marks to appear!”

“No, I already asked them about that.” Sweetie Belle sighed. “Princess Luna said those things take time and self-discovery.”

“Awww.” Scootaloo grumbled. “Hmph. Well, we’ll just have to try being guard ponies. That’s got to work.”

“Or maybe royal bakers!” Apple Bloom added.

“I don’t know. I tried baking a pie. It...scared one of the chefs who was in the kitchen at the time.”

“Hm.” Apple Bloom hummed in thought as she dropped the bushel alongside the others. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”

Eventually Sweetie Belle had to bid her friends farewell. Before she left, Big Mac had given her a bushel of various fruits and vegetables to take with her.

“I know Applejack won’t complain ‘bout most food, but I’m sure she’d like to have some home grown food to eat once in a while. Let her know we’re doin’ alright,” the stallion had explained as he placed the bushel onto the chariot.

The ride home, as always seemed to come to an end before it even began. She managed to get Lightweight, one of the two pegasi flying the chariot, to sing a song while his co-pilot Typhoon Dancer merely shook his head and faced forward.

Sweetie Belle asked one of the guards to carry the bushel of food to Applejack’s room and relay the message from Big Mac for her, seeing as she was too small to carry the heavy load. She made her way to her room and dropped off her saddlebag, unaware of the other pony in the room with her.

“Sweetie Belle, dear, can we talk?”

Sweetie Belle jumped before looking to see Rarity sitting on her bed, her eyes scanning a particular magazine. When Sweetie Belle opened her mouth to ask her sister what she was doing in her room, Rarity merely lifted up the magazine being held in her magic, showing the page she was reading.

Lady Sweetie Belle: Caged Songbird or Reluctant Princess?

Recent events in Equestria have caused quite a wave within the kingdom. From the addition of six new princesses, weather being less controllable, and even the change in the movement of the planet itself, to say ponykind has been adapting well to the changes is an understatement.
For one little filly though, the lifestyle of high society seems to be too much for her. Photos of her taken at Ponyville Elementary show her with her close friend, Scootaloo. Sweetie Belle had complained to her friend about the lack of a social life, stating that she barely got to see her due to the relocation of her home in Canterlot. She had even planned on sneaking away from her Royal Guard escorts just so she could get a chance to spend time away from being a lady of the court.
Her singing talents have made her a slowly growing icon in the Canterlot social cirlces, but she still remains aloof to the public. However, is it possible that she is trapped in a life that she doesn’t want? Some ponies sympathize with...

Rarity set down the magazine, her face unreadable. Sweetie Belle was worried that she had upset her in some way, but couldn’t tell.

“I-I didn’t tell them anything like that! I was just talking with Scootaloo when-”

Rarity gave a nod of understanding. “It’s alright, Sweetie Belle. I believe you.” She tapped a hoof on the plush comforter of Sweetie Belle’s bed, offering her a spot to lie on. Sweetie Belle complied.

“I don’t want to leave Canterlot, Rarity. I...I kind of like it here. It’s fun to get to play in Luna’s music studio, and all the guards are really nice to me.”

Rarity smiled. “Do you truly mean that?”

“Yes! Honest! I don’t want to be in Ponyville if you’re not there!” She had moisture glistening in her eyes now.

“Oh dear, I didn’t meant for you to get upset.” Rarity pulled her sister in close, speaking softly. “I imagined that this was the case. I’m ire to admit it, but these ‘journalists’ do a good job. This article makes you seem like a helpless victim of circumstance. I was made a princess, and you had no other choice but to come with me,” the platinum white mare sighed wearily. “Sweetie Belle...do you...do you think that I’m a bad sister ever?”

“Huh?” Sweetie Belle’s eyes blurred, but she didn’t sob. Tears poured down her face. “No, Rarity! I mean, you can be dramatic at times, but nopony’s perfect! I mean, I’m kind of a lousy cook, and I don’t always think things through...” She frowned. “You’re a great sister, Rarity. Almost too good for me...”

Rarity nuzzled the filly gently. “Now stop there. That’s not true at all.” She smiled when Sweetie Belle looked up to her. “Fluttershy...she told me that you talked to her the other day about me.” Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened a bit, but Rarity’s smile only grew. “She told me how you only wish you could spend more time with me, and that you felt like you were being selfish.”

“I...yeah...”

Rarity lowered her eyes to Sweetie Belle’s level before whispering. “I thought we could make a promise to each other. I got the idea from Celestia.”

“What kind of promise?”

Rarity spoke softly. “Well, Luna and Celestia made a promise after the Nightmare Moon incident. They promised each other they would always make time for each other, no matter what the situation. They promised to always put aside a certain time during the week where they would get to spend together, just the two of them. A few hours during the week where they could talk, gossip, and just do whatever it is that they do together.” She could see the light go on in Sweetie Belle’s eyes. “Perhaps we can make a promise like that?”

Sweetie Belle missed the slight hitch in Rarity’s question, but she was all for the promise. “Sure.”

Rarity and Sweetie Belle linked their right forelegs together and shook once before speaking simultaneously. “I promise.”

“Right then,” Rarity began. “So, what do you think would be a good day to share time together?”

“Maybe...every Wednesday? After school, when I get home? Until dinner time?”

Rarity nodded, liking the idea. “That sounds wonderful. In fact...” She looked at the clock, “...today is Wednesday, if I’m not mistaken. It’s about three hours before dinner time for us, too.” She chuckled. “When did you get so clever?”

Sweetie Belle giggled. “What do you want to do?”

The alicorn tapped her chin. “Well, I heard that there’s an indoor tennis court somewhere in the castle. I have yet to see it, but Twilight said it was in the gymnasium. What do you say we play a game of badminton?”

“I’m not very good at it. The stick’s are too big for my mouth to hold onto.”

“Well, we’ll just have to make this an opportunity for you to practice your magic, too.”

“You mean you’ll help me?”

“But of course. After all, I am your big sister.” Rarity placed a hoof to her chest proudly. “I shall teach you everything I can, including how to use the TRADITIONAL ROYAL CANTERLOT VOICE!”

Sweetie Belle found herself blown off the bed, rolled up in the sheets as Rarity looked over the edge at her. “Oh dear, it seems our dearest sister has fallen from thine bed! Sweetie Belle, do you insist on lying in that heap of sheets for the remainder of thine day? ‘Tis a silly thing to do, is it not?”

Sweetie Belle giggled as she was blown back a few more inches from her bedside before being picked up by Rarity’s magic. She gave her sister a giddy smile before wrapping her in her hooves. “I love you, Rarity.”

Rarity’s heart melted. She felt her eyes water, and spoke softly. “I love you too, Sweetie Belle.” She wiped her eyes and cleared her throat. “Well then, let us get to the badminton court. I wish to get some practice in so I can show up Blueblood during the Canterlot Spring Recreation Festival next year.”

“Raaarittyyy...” Sweetie Belle groaned before giggling some more. Rarity only smiled proudly before doing her best imitation of a Canterlot aristocrat, nose stuck up while pretending to adjust a bowtie. In public, it would have been something that would have caused the princess a lot of problems.

However, with Sweetie Belle, she could care less about the way she looked. When she was with Sweetie Belle, Rarity could be the mare she truly was...

…a big sister with a bigger heart.

End of Chapter 3- Sweetie Belle chapter 1

Next up: Loyal to her kingdom, her friends, and her ideals, Rainbow Dash is a mare who’s proud to say she is a princess of Equestria. However, her duties are both vast and important to the land. How does one mare cope with the burden of guiding the weather, the oceans, and all the bodies of water while also being the Spirit of Loyalty? Sometimes the answer is harder to see than one may think.