As Applejack became more totalitarian of a family dictator, Sweetie Bell engaged in another survival strategy: she tried to conform. She wanted to please the Apple family. She felt a faint glimmer of hope in trying to do as Applejack expected of her. She also thought that when she became an adult mare, she could make her own decisions, leave Sweet Apple Acres and live like a normal unicorn and learn some magic.

Despite being rescued by Granny Smith back in Nimbuscait, Sweetie Belle slowly gave up hope that she could escape from the Apple family, and figured she had to accept this new life Princess Celestia gave her. Celestia took away Rarity, and her own life as she knew it, and planted her in Applejack’s family. Sweetie prayed most nights, asking, even begging why Celestia did this to her.

Granny Smith’s death was just as hard on Sweetie Belle as it was for Applejack. Granny Smith was the one mare in the family the unicorn filly trusted, the one who saved her life. Now she was gone, and Applejack reigned supreme over her entire life...and she never let up on her threats of having her dehorned. Applejack slipped those words in her scoldings and her casual talk when she ranted about unicorns and magic. One time Sweetie Belle asked her what about all the other unicorns in Ponyville, the ones who bought their apples.

“Apple Belle, them unicorns are good customers, and Ah don’t mind them bein’ in Ponyville and all, but Ah sure ain’t havin’ none of them and none of their hocus pocus magic on mah farm! Ah won’t risk Celestia ventin’ her wrath on us!”

“But AJ, you met her. Isn't she nice?” Applebloom protested.

“Heh,” Applejack spat, “That’s what Celestia WANTS y’all to think. But anypony is a dumbass fool to assume that Celestia’s jus’ nice and all friendlike. She’s just puttin’ on a show to reward her subjects for our loyalty and servitude, but any smart pony knows that they can be wiped out in the blink of an eye. Any wise pony knows he or she better live in fear. That’s what Princess Celestia really wants, and Ah ain’t riskin anything or anypony dear to me by trottin around like she can’t hurt us, because she can! That’s why she took Granny Smith from us.”

And of course, Applejack glared at Sweetie Belle, with a brief flicker of subconscious hatred in her eye.

That made sense to Sweetie Belle. She felt horrible. Rarity was too decadent, too posh-like and self centered of a unicorn, obsessing about clothes and ignoring real problems in the world. And so Celestia acted, and to prevent Sweetie Belle from following in Rarity’s hoofsteps, Celestia killed Rarity, and placed Sweetie in the ultra-pious Apple family.

So she tried to hoof down and do as she was told. She hated life, but reminded herself of what Applejack said, and did what she could to make the best of it. On days Applejack wasn’t full of loathing and hatred for the filly, she saw an improvement in her attitude and behavior.

However, of all the things Sweetie Belle had to deal with on a daily basis, from the moment she woke up to the moment she was back in bed, one thing was inevitable: the magic. It would not be ignored. It would not be suppressed. It would grow in her whether she wanted it to or not.

When young unicorn foals come of age, their magic systems begin to develop and become active. The process is almost like a magical form of puberty. The body begins to produce magic, which is stored in the horn. As her system’s magic capacity began to grow, she would ‘max out’ and unwittingly release small sparks of magic from her horn.

In other families, parents celebrated their foals’ ‘first spark,’ and dutifully began bringing home spell books. At the Ponyville school, foals’ whose magic was just beginning to blossom were placed in a standard magic training program during the day. Most unicorn parents hardly objected, unless they wanted to train their little ones themselves.

The onset of magic development wasn’t always perfect; foals experienced aches in their bodies as they were exposed to their own magic for the first time, most often in their horns. Some stayed home from school. While lucky unicorn foals experienced little pain or odd sensations, others experienced what doctors called ‘magic migraines,’ which kept the poor foals in bed.

Another great symptom was magic radiation sickness the foals experienced as their bodies were exposed to more radiation. The sickness lasted at least two weeks as their bodies adapted to the radiation of magic.

Learning to control their magic was a long process, and almost every unicorn can say he or she was uncontrollably shooting sparks everywhere at some time or another. One of the many functions Twilight Sparkle had in Ponyville was workshop classes for foals and their parents to help cope with this important stage in their lives.

But for a little white filly who was destined for a magicless life on the apple farm, the onset of magic meant the start of a new living hell.

Sweetie Belle experienced more headaches and was still forced to work and complete her school work. She began to feel itching, burning and aching sensations all over her body, and sometimes it really bothered her, and yet she had to pretend like nothing was wrong when Applejack was around.

One fun day, Sweetie Belle staggered all the way to school. She lasted the morning in class, then at recess, she puked. Cheerilee, having taught for years, knew her plight and took Sweetie Belle to the infirmary.

Sweetie Belle begged Cheerilee not to send a note to Applejack.

“Sweetie Belle,” Cheerilee said soothingly, “It’s just magic sickness. Each unicorn goes through it. I do think you need to go home and rest. I’m sure Applejack will understand.”

Applejack understood allright, and she showed it by lashing her with a rope until her flank was bright red, then dragged her out to the chapel in the farm and made her sit and pray.

Sweetie Belle tried to stifle the magic at home, and she got motivation from the Apple ponies to do so: a beat to the horn. That hurt like hell, and it caused her to involuntarily collapse in a heap, unable to move for at least a minute.

But the magic would not be ignored. It was a part of her and would drive her to hell and back to make itself known to poor Sweetie Belle.

In mid Spring, Applegem paid a surprise visit to Sweet Apple Acres. Applejack was thrilled to see her and told her to invite some of the Nimbuscait ponies to live here (many more ponies were needed as she was expanding Sweet Apple Acres).

“I’m sorry, Applejack, dear,” Applegem lamented over tea in the parlor of the house that afternoon. “But nopony in the family will even see you, write to you or talk to you. They’re all very angry with what happened.”

“Ah, know, Gemmy,” Applejack sighed, “Ah was really hoping we could patch things up now that Granny Smith is gone.”

“So was I, but they won’t have any of it. Apple Thumper was all a-rage for a week, saying if you showed up in Nimbuscait again, he’d personally tie you to the pyre and burn you.”

“Heh,” Applejack chuckled nervously, then she grew bitter. “All ‘cuz o’ that damn unicorn brat. She hexed Granny Smith. Ah know so. Ah should’ve ripped that horn out of her fer that.”

“It’s sad, really,” Applegem lamented. “Oh, by the way, dear, I was disturbed when I received your letter about Apple Belle generating magic. I bought a couple of things during my stay in Abille.”

Applegem opened one of her side bags, and pulled out a leather cone-shaped article with straps and buckles one it and everything.

“What is that?” AJ enquired.

“It’s a horn cap, dear. Place it over Apple Belle’s horn, and it will stifle the magic. It’s got thin iron plates underneath the leather. The iron will keep magic from flaring up in her and should help to prevent further growth, provided she wears this cap alot.”

“Why, that’s awful kind of you, Gemmie,” AJ thanked her.

“Not at all, I’m sure. I’ve also brought some medicine from the alchemist in Nimbuscait. We would have had some made for you, but you had arrived on the weekend, and the alchemist there wasn’t available.”

Applegem pulled out a jar full of a thick milky liquid.

“What is that? Some kind of weird milk?”

“Something like that,” Applegem replied. “I’m not sure exactly what it’s made from, the alchemists like to keep their concoctions a secret for business’ sake. What that will do is it will seep into the magic glands and the horn and slowly kill them, making Apple Belle no longer able to make magic. She must have a spoonful twice a day at breakfast, and at bedtime. The alchemist warned that for a first few days as it begins to take effect, the filly will feel sick, but its normal, and after a week or two, she shouldn’t feel a thing. It is imperative, he said, that Apple Belle finish this bottle from the start, and not miss a dose.”

“Very well, she’ll start this at supper.” Applejack replied.

“Yes, a double dose, one at supper and one at bedtime should be sufficient.” +

After a hard day of working the fields, Big Mac, Applebloom, and Sweetie Belle washed up over by the pumps and washhouse, and entered the house.

“Ah’m famished!” Applebloom blurted out.

“Well, that’s mighty good to hear,” Applejack said from the kitchen, ‘Cuz Ah got carrot soup and salad on here fer ya.”

Supper was a typical event: the fillies ate silently as the adult ponies talked. When she saw Applegem, Sweetie’s heart sank and she felt afraid, but she greeted her respectfully, pretending not be frightened of the mare who suggested the whole dehorning thing.

Applegem talked about her trip to the Apple family up in the town of Abille, some creepy place just south of Nimbuscait.

“...And of course, Applejack, I told them about all the help needed down here at Sweet Apple Acres, and quite a few ponies agreed to move down here. Apparently it’s getting too crowded in Abille,”

“Well, that’s a dandy relief,”

“Of course. They should be here in a couple of weeks,”

After the dishes were finished, the two fillies left the kitchen to join Apple Dumpling in the parlor for their evening schooling.

“Apple Belle, come back in the kitchen! It’s time for yer medicine,”

Sweetie Belle hesitated, then slowly came back. Applejack and Applegem stood there, staring her down.

“W...what medicine?”

Applejack showed her the jar of ‘milk,’ then grabbed a tiny shot glass from the cupboard..

“It’s good fer you. It’ll keep that infernal magic from brewin’ up in ya.”

Sweetie Belle would have simply said, ‘Yes, Auntie Applejack,’ however, her magic driven instinct caused her to hesitate, and she said, “I...I...I don’t want to take that medicine. I can keep my magic from sparking, honest.”

“Don’t you dare talk back to me like that!” Applejack snapped furiously, “Ah said yer gonna take this medicine, and yer’ damn well gonna take it! Now open up, or Ah’ll cram it down yer throat!”

Applegem didn’t even give Sweetie Belle a chance to respond, instead she bit her by the ear and yanked her toward Applejack. “You sit there, and do as she says!”

“Ow!”
“Shush up!” Applejack snapped, “Now open up.”

Still she hesitated, then Applegem did the downright cruel thing, she struck her on the horn. Sweetie Belle was instantly paralyzed by the sheer electrical agony as it surged through her. She let out a high pitched squeak and fell to the floor. Applegem then pried open Sweetie’s mouth and Applejack poured the foul smelling medicine in.

It was the most disgusting, metallic, dusty kind of thing Sweetie ever tasted, and her face scrunched up, but she got no time to react as Applejack clamped her mouth shut with her hooves. “Swallow it if ya know what’s good fer ya! Ah said swallow it, or Gemmie will strike you on the horn again!”

Sweetie Belle, fuelled by fear, forced herself to swallow the nasty concoction. Her stomach threatened to eject it, but she managed to hold it in. She laid on the floor sobbing.

Applegem then took the horn cap and placed it over the filly’s horn and tightened the straps. It’s weight pushing any which way on her horn was very uncomfortable.
“This horn cap stays on, you hear?”
Sweetie nodded.

“Enough of the water works, Apple Belle. Now get up and go join Apple Dumpling!” AJ commanded. The filly, crushed into submission again, obeyed.

As predicted, the medicine made her good and sick. The next morning, Sweetie Belle woke up in a sweat, with her body aching all over. She felt weak and hardly able to move at all. When she tried to eat, she simply puked. She felt extremely dizzy and was almost unable to talk. And her horn throbbed with so much pain she could hardly move her head at all.

“Y’best stay in bed,’ Applejack told her, “Must be a real bad bug you caught there.”

A few days later, Sweetie Belle felt well enough to go to school, but that morning’s dose put her out of it again, and she spent the morning in class slumped over her desk shaking. Cheerilee, assuming it was typical magic sickness, took her to the infirmary.

The horn cap didn’t help either. It was itchy, it made her horn hurt and gave her killer headaches, and she felt completely humiliated whenever she was forced to wear it on the farm. On the other hoof, Applejack refused to let Sweetie wear the horn cap when she went to school or anywhere in town. On the farm, however, Sweetie took it off often when Applejack wasn’t looking just for a mere moment of relief from the itching and pain it caused her.

After the first week of that medicine, Sweetie Belle generally felt weaker than usual and even walking or doing the easy chores turned into a difficult feat. She was punished by the Apple ponies for being lazy, but she couldn’t help it.

Then, some good news: one Saturday morning, while the fillies were out helping the other ponies with the farm work, Applejack found the bottle in the garbage can, smashed, and its contents spilled all over the trash. She was livid.

“Apple Belle!” she screamed from the porch of the house. Sweetie Belle came back. “Y...yes, Auntie Applejack?”
“You mind telling me why your medicine is in this here garbage can?”
“It wasn’t me, I swear!” Sweetie protested. “I never knew where you kept it.”
“Don’t you dare lie to me or Ah’ll give you a good paddlin’!
“I didn’t touch it!”
Just as Applejack was about to reach back with a hoof and bop her, she saw the truth in the filly’s eyes. Being one for honesty, or even the Element of honesty and truth, she knew Sweetie didn’t do it.

“Fine, get outta here and finish up yer work! An’ go tell everypony that Apple Cobbler and Apple Leaves almost got them hay pancakes ready.”

After breakfast, they loaded up the apple cart, and hauled it into the market square in Ponyville. They spent the morning and early afternoon selling apples. In town, Applejack acted joyful and cordial to everypony. She was favorite among them, even the unicorns she secretly despised. The Apples sold out quickly, and Big Mac was getting the cart ready to tow it back to the farm.

Having finished selling their apples and apple goods early, Applejack took her two fillies to the general store. There she ran into Cheerilee. While the two talked, Applebloom and Sweetie Belle looked around at the books.

“Hey, you two! Keep to the farm section where Ah can see you!” she called.

While Applebloom looked at the wide variety of farming publications and books, Sweetie Belle once again followed her magic instinct. If she could describe how she felt about her own magic, she would say that it was hurt, and angry, and still wouldn’t relent.

Sweetie even speculated that she might have smashed the bottle of ‘medicine’ while walking in her sleep. She then bitterly thought, why couldn’t she sleepwalk out of Sweet Apple Acres and far away? Wake up somewhere safe and seek out some unicorns who could help her. She thought if she went across the county line into Corlett, a good sixty kilotrots east, somepony would be willing to listen and help her, and not just send her back to Applejack. That would be at least two or three days to get there on her little hooves, but if she could sneak out of the house during the night when nopony could notice, she’d make the long walk.

Sweetie mused in thought when she got the urge to walk over to the magic book section. The spell books were small, with only a few pages. They were basic spells, nothing fancy; just for levitating and moving objects, making colors with magic, putting on little light shows, and such.

“Those books are about 25 bits each,” the store keeper called to her, startling her.
“Uh, thank you, sir,” Sweetie said in a hushed voice. She breathed a sigh of relief when she realized Applejack didn’t see her here.

She’d have opened the spell books one by one and read through them, but they were sealed. A smaller selection of ‘used’ spell books and scrolls filled a nearby box. She thought to take a look. Sweetie sifted through the spell books with her hoof.
“Those won’t do you any good, little filly,” the storekeeper said, “they’ve been used up. Those are to be recycled by the alchemist and enchanters. You can read them, but you won’t get anything out of them.”
“Oh, ok,” Sweetie nodded sadly. She didn’t really know that was how spell books worked.

Meanwhile, Applejack and Cheerilee got into a heated debate. Sweetie Belle peered around the bookshelf and tried to listen in on them.

Sweetie felt safe looking at the books. She read through the magic self help books, and tried to look for something on horn caps or anti-magic ‘medicine.’ Above the table was an old poster of a famous pegasus, Snowdrop. The words below her read in capital letters, ‘BELIEVE & ACHIEVE.’

Sweetie recalled Cheerilee’s lecture on Snowdrop, who lived thousands of years ago, and invented snowflakes. Apparently Snowdrop was blind, and she made snowflakes.

Sweetie thought about that, and considered that one had to see to design snowflakes. Somehow Snowdrop got the job done. On that note, Sweetie asked herself, how the hell could a magicless unicorn accomplish something magic related? She stared at the poster. It had yellowed, and torn along its edges. This general store was old; it had been built around the time Ponyville was founded.

Sweetie tuned her ears to Applejack’s and Cheerilee’s conversation.

“...this whole thing with Big Mac, it ain’t right, Cheerilee,” Applejack was saying.

“What do you mean it isn’t right?” Cheerilee challenged.
“Well, jus’ look at you two. It’s like two puzzle pieces that don’t fit. Yer’ a fine upstanding school teacher, and everypony respects you. Yer smart, intelligent, pretty, an’ all that, and well, Ah think yer’ out of Big Mac’s league. You can find yerself a much better stallion who’s more compatible with you.”

Sweetie shook her head in disgust. Applejack was trying to split Big Mac and Cheerilee up. That relationship was one of the accomplishments of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She, Applebloom, and Scootaloo got those two to fall in love two years ago, and now they were getting serious.
After chores and supper, Big Mac left the farm to spend the evenings with her.

“So?” Cheerilee argued, “So what if we’re different.”

“Between you and me,” Applejack said quieter, “Ah think ur love with him is a foul trick by them unicorns. They must be laughin’ their flanks off at you two.”
“Really, Applejack?” Cheerilee questioned, unimpressed, “I don’t think so. And why don’t you like us being together? Is it an Apple family thing?”

“No,” AJ replied, “Yer smart, Big Mac, well, he’s dumb. He’s just dumb. Ah mean he’s good at the farm n’ all, but his brain’s emptier than a spider’s web in Winter. He’s just a big dumb lug, and he don’t talk much.”

Cheerilee scoffed, “Big Mac doesn’t seem to talk much, but when he does, he shows me a world of insights and knowledge he has. He’s alot smarter and more inquisitive than you think or he even lets on. He’s your brother-”

“Ah know that.”
“-and you should be supportive of him, not trying to ruin things. If I didn’t know any better, I’d guess you want to control him and make sure he’s helping on your farm.”

Applejack sighed. Cheerilee got her there. “Miss Cheer, Ah do need all the hooves Ah can get at Sweet Apple Acres, and Ah can’t have ponies gettin’ distracted and runnin off-”

“Applejack, I want you to know that I am not keeping your brother from his work, and that is not my intent. As far as I know, Big Macintosh is happy at Sweet Apple Acres, and when he decides he wants to pursue something else, it will be his decision and not mine. Now, I’d like you to stop interfering with us, please. I’m done talking about it.”

“Very well,” Applejack ceded, “by the way, how are Applebloom and Apple Belle doin’ at school?”

“Why do you insist on calling her Apple Belle?” Cheerilee was asking.
“That’s her name. We changed it,” AJ answered, “She just refuses to accept it is all.”

“But still...anyways, the name isn’t my only concern,” Cheerilee went on, “The last few days, Sweetie Belle has been home sick alot, and I’m just wondering if she’s ok-”

“She is perfectly fine. We had some relatives come down from Abille, and she caught a bad bug from them. Now, how are they on their school work?”

Cheerilee sighed, “No less than perfect. I almost wish the rest of my class worked as hard as those two do. What’s your secret?”

“Ah got mah cousin Apple Dumpling schooling them in the evenings.”
“I see. Now, about Sweetie Belle- The last few moons, she has sauntered into class looking very down in the dumps. She has spoken to me about some things-”

“Like what?” Applejack demanded. “Because that filly has no right to complain about anything.”

“Well,” Cheerilee said, trying to gather her thoughts, “Sweetie Belle told me that she gets in trouble for her magic at home, even an involuntary spark, and she told me that magic is not allowed at home. She also said that you refused to let her attend the magic class-”
“Miss Cheerilee, Ah need to ask you not to worry about that. Those matters are Apple family business, and she’s got no right complaining’ to other ponies about it! What else she say?”

“I overheard Sweetie Belle talking to her friends about ponies trying to dehorn her?”

“Hah,” Applejack scoffed, “Now Ah know that is a pure lie. She’s jus’ makin’ that up to get attention. Ah’d never do that to her. And the whole thing about magic not bein’ allowed on the farm is another lie she made up. Y’see the thing is, we do a lot of work around the farm, takin’ care of the animals, gathering the apples, plant’n new stuff all the time. Sweetie just hates the work is all. Applebloom does it no problem, but Sweetie- you know how Rarity raised her. She think’s everypony in Equestria will cater to her, well Ah’m trying to straighten her up and iron that right out of her.”

Cheerilee wasn't solidly convinced, but didn't see a point in pursuing the argument. “Very well. I simply brought it up because lately, she’s been very miserable.”

“That’s jus’ her bein’ a rotten spoiled brat, Ah assure you.”
“You’re nice,” Cheerilee scoffed. Their conversation continued a bit more and Sweetie Belle found the magazine rack.

The magazine rack had weekly and monthly publications from the town, county, and even from Canterlot. Sweetie looked at the magazines about magic. They had new spells conjured up by unicorns for day-to-day life. Then, she looked at the second magazine, and she gasped. Her eyes went wide open and jaw dropped. It was a hell of a shock, because on the cover of the Canterlot Fashion Magic Weekly was Rarity.

‘Ah told you fer the last time,’ Applejack’s words rang out in the back of her mind, ‘Rarity is DEAD!’

Sweetie Belle nervously looked around, and checked to make sure Applejack wasn’t walking around. To her relief, Applejack was talking to somepony else. Cheerilee had bought a box of chalk for her chalkboard and left.

Her heart racing, Sweetie Belle picked up the magazine and flipped through it. Maybe it’s just a memorial tribute thing for her, the thought. Afterall, why would Applejack lie about her being dead?

Sweetie found the article and started reading through it, looking up and checking for Applejack. If Applejack caught her in the magic book section, she’d get whipped for sure.

After reading, Sweetie tried to sum it up in her brain: Rarity was alive. She had recovered from the fire, went out and started a new fashion boutique in Canterlot, and from what Sweetie read, Rarity was having much better success than in Ponyville. She was actually tailoring for some of the elite ponies, including Fancy Pants and his club; even Princess Cadence. She was making colossal amounts of bits. Not once in the interview script was there any mention of Sweetie Belle. She waved a hoof at Applebloom who silently came to her.

“Take a look at this,” Sweetie said, pointing a hoof at a page, “Rarity’s alive.”
“Really?” Applebloom asked in disbelief, and she looked it over-

“Applebloom! Apple Belle! Where are you two?” Applejack snapped. Both fillies rushed over to the farm book section, but AJ was on to them.
“What the hay you two doin’ over there?”
Applebloom quickly covered for Sweetie Belle: “We was lookin at some fancy tractor books over there, h-honest.”
“Y’better not be lyin’ to me, A’bloom!”

Applebloom shook her head.

“Fine. Let’s go, it’s gettin’ late. We gotta get back and milk them cows.”

That night, in bed, Sweetie felt completely restless, and couldn’t sleep. All her thoughts were on Rarity, and the life she had in Rarity’s home before the fire. Rarity was virtually the only family she had; the parents seldom in Ponyville to see her.

Rarity was the uptight, proper, classy kind of unicorn; sometimes even more so than some of the Apple family ponies, but in a different, nicer kind of way. She always liked having her home and workplace (the Carousel Boutique) being clean and tidy, as Rarity had an obsession for cleanliness. The only mess she permitted was in her studio where all the materials and supplies were in such a mess she knew where everything was, and somehow the ‘arrangement’ of things inspired new dress designs.

Rarity was an uptight, finicky one, and at times full of herself, or overboard with her flair for drama. Sweetie Belle on the other hoof was the obnoxious one, full of energy, and with a short attention span. She was more than a hoof-ful for Rarity at times, especially when she was at home bored. Often Sweetie Belle got into trouble, by washing Rarity’s expensive one-of-a-kind wool sweater, causing it to shrink; using Rarity’s expensive gems to make a picture; and filling the whole place with smoke when she tried to cook surprise breakfasts. Somehow, Sweetie Belle never got things right, and she felt little more than a nuisance in Rarity’s eyes.

Sweetie Belle had to admit that Rarity wasn’t always very accommodating of her; it seemed she cared more about her work and desire to climb to fame and fortune in the fashion industry, than about Sweetie.

The two bickered and fought alot, almost to the point Sweetie Belle and Rarity shouted at eachother and hurling insults that cut deep. But at the end of the day, Sweetie remembered, Rarity still loved her, housed her, and fed her. And most of the time Rarity apologized for the things she said. To compensate for the lack of attention, Rarity often gave Sweetie bits and told her to go out and keep busy ‘till sundown.

Then a couple of years ago they had their dispute over the Sisterhooves Social, an annual event put on by the Apple family. Rarity scoffed and ridiculed the idea of her and Sweetie participating. Sweetie got mad and went to Applejack for help. That seemed like eons ago, Sweetie thought to herself. The Applejack of the past was so entirely different, she may as well have been a different pony. Back then, Applejack was kind, patient, and she and Applebloom shared a wonderful sister bond that now ceased to exist.

Sweetie Belle recalled wanting to adopt Applejack as her big sister, and even live with the Apple family, as she felt she meant nothing to Rarity. Applejack mediated the situation and taught Rarity a lesson or two on sisterly love, and even got Rarity to participate in the races at the Sisterhooves social. Rarity seemed a lot more open and patient with Sweetie since then.

Sweetie Belle had somewhat a desire to learn about fashion, and in the months leading up to the fire, Rarity allowed her to watch as she designed and put together new clothes. When she told Rarity she wanted to be a fashion designer like her, Rarity replied, “That’s fine with me, dear, but make sure it’s what you want to do. I’ve a thing for clothes as you’ve noticed, and not all ponies share it. I just don’t want you to trudge through somepony else’s hoofsteps and following their dreams instead of your own.”

Around that time, Rarity bought her a crystal guide book that contained detailed information on all the minerals used to make gems. From then on, Sweetie Belle grew increasingly interested in minerals and rocks, and often visited and bought things at the rock shop. Rarity suggested she take up geology and jewellry when she entered college.

Then there was the magic. Rarity was full of it, casting magic nearly every waking moment to do her work. She hardly even used her hooves, and Sweetie couldn’t remember any time Rarity wore a hoof shoe that allowed a pony to use hand tools. Sweetie, however, was a late bloomer when it came to magic. In the spring, summer, and fall of the year before the Carousel Boutique burned to the ground, most of the unicorn foals at school were having their first sparks. Sweetie still went out and bought spell books, or took home free ones from school, and tried to read through them, but the thing with spell books was they weren’t written normally. The words were replaced by strange texts of weird symbols and arrangements of dots. Rarity explained that she wasn’t supposed to read a spell book like any ordinary book, it was supposed to be automatically read by the part of her mind connected to her magic system. But, she was still too young to effectively absorb a spell from the books.

“It will come, Sweetie, dear, don’t fret, your magic is simply taking it’s sweet time,” Rarity assured her.

Pretty soon after, Sweetie did have her first spark, and she was over excited. She foolishly assumed she could do anything like her sister, and she ran into the kitchen and cast her new magic on a basket full of apples, trying to move or levitate it. The result was an explosive disaster.

“Sweetie Belle! What on earth are you doing?” Rarity shrieked when she burst into the kitchen, and found her in the middle of what remained of that basket of apples she had bought just the other day.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to! I got my first spark and wanted to- I was just trying to-”

“Why Sweetie Belle,” Rarity said, “Of course you didn’t mean to incinerate my basket, burn my table cloth, and splatter apples all over my kitchen.”

Sweetie Belle thought she was gonna get it big time now. She crouched down, covered her eyes, and started whimpering. “I’m sorry, sis.”
“I’ll clean this up,” Rarity sighed. The kitchen reeked of smoke, burnt apples, and ozone, the foul smelling odour left after raw magic crackled through the air.

The filly saw no point in offering to help. In minutes, Rarity accomplished what would have taken an earth pony up to an hour. Sweetie Belle was amazed with the grace and precision to which Rarity floated the trash can, the broom, the dustpan, the mop, and the water bucket. Pretty quick, the kitchen was spotless and clean.

But to her biggest surprise, Rarity wasn’t angry or upset with her. Surprisingly, she seemed to understand.

“Sweetie Belle,” Rarity said a few weeks later, “I’ve been observing you and your attempts at magic for quite some time now, and-”

“I know, you’re disappointed in me,” Sweetie muttered, looking down at the floor.

“I wouldn’t say disappointed,” Rarity replied, “Concerned would be more accurate. I went through the same troubles when I first began to have magic. Believe me, I stirred up quite some trouble at your age. But this magic business is no light matter. As your big sister, I’m worried about you and your magic, and well, your future. What with your school grades and all...”

“But Rarity, I’m trying to good at school.”

“Frankly, I don’t quite believe that, looking at your report cards. Your class has thirty students, and when your teacher finally checks on you, you and your friends are always goofing off.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll do better, honest.”

“I’ve got a better idea,” Rarity said with a smile. “How would you like to go to the magic academy?”

“Really?” Sweetie Belle’s eyes lit up.

“Yes, the Royal Equestrian Magic Academy in Canterlot. It’s the best school of magic in the entire country. It’s where all the great unicorns come from, my dear. Twilight Sparkle went there, so did Princess Cadence, Shining Armor, umm, Trixie, myself. Believe me, it’s the best place for any unicorn to learn about magic and become masterfully skilled at using it!”

Sweetie Belle’s excitement dampened at the obvious expense of such a place. “But Sis, isn’t it like a million bits to go there?”

“Nonsense, dear. It is pricey, I’ll give it that, but I do know some unicorns in Canterlot who might be able pull some strings and get you in for free.”
“Really??”

“Of course, dear. My friends Jet Set and Upper Crust and I have already talked. They’re both well established in the magic academy, and they can have the school waive your fee.

Sweetie’s eyes glittered with excitement over going to the best school in all of Equestria, but then she felt torn between that and the heartache of leaving her friends, Ponyville, and the life she knew.

“But...what about my friends?” Sweetie never considered leaving Applebloom and Scootaloo. Thing is, the three of them made a pact to stay together and continue the Cutie Mark Crusade until they got their cutie marks. She admitted this to Rarity.

“Sweetie Belle, that’s quite absurd,” Rarity spoke, “The only thing you three are doing by keeping to your silly crusade is you’re going to hold yourselves back from getting your unique cutie marks.”

“What do you mean?” Sweetie asked defensively.

“Well,” Rarity explained, “First of all, you three are getting older, and soon you’ll come of age when you’ll outgrow the whole Cutie Mark Crusaders thing. I’m surprise it’s lasted this long, and you three have done quite a bit. But none of you have your cutie marks. Am I right?”

“Yes...”

“And on top of that,” she continued, “your magic is just beginning to grow, and so far, without the proper schooling, training and spells, you won’t get any further than most of the unicorns in town who can hardly levitate a thing. Scootaloo i going to have to learn to fly someday, I’m sure she’ll be sent to a flight school up in Cloudsdale, and Applebloom, well...I think she’ll be learning how to run the farm at Sweet Apple Acres.”

“Oh...”

“What I mean is, you three are going to be split up by the circumstances of your lives, and you will each have to carve out your own path. By sticking together, you’ll be doing each other and yourselves a dis-service.”

Sweetie Belle didn’t like what she heard, but she somewhat understood. “...but...we don’t want to be blank flanks forever...that’s why-”

“Sweetie,” Rarity said a little more sternly, “It’s time to grow up. You have an opportunity to attend the best magic school in all of Equestria. Do you really want to pass that up for the sake of your friends? What will they sacrifice in return. I think the longer you keep up your Cutie Mark Crusader business, the longer you will remain blank flanks. Cutie marks were not meant to be acquired in group ventures.”

Sweetie looked down at her flank. She had trouble wrapping her mind around what Rarity just said. Rarity was right about getting in free at one of the most expensive and best known schools in the country. All these years, she felt useless and nothing more than a worthless nuisance to Rarity. And now Rarity was offering her a chance to go to a school where she could learn all kinds of things and get lots of new skills. It was the chance of a lifetime.

“I’ll go to the magic academy, sis. Thanks,” Sweetie said, resigned to her sister’s expectations. “But...can I still be friends with-”

“Of course, dear! You’ll always be able to write to your friends and they can write to you. You’ll always be friends, even when you become adult mares. I think those two will realize they need to take their own paths when you take yours. It will be good for the three of you, trust me.”

“Okay,” Sweetie nodded, “I want to ask...are you doing it to get me away? I know I’m not much more than a useless-”

“Shhh,” Rarity replied soothingly, and she hugged the filly. “I’m very sorry for all the things I’ve said to you, Sweetie, and I’m terribly sorry I wasn’t there for you as much as I should have been. You know how I get carried away with my work. I’ve so much to do to keep my business running and the bits coming in so I can support us. I want to get you into the magic academy to...make up for my...poor job as a big sister. That way, I can focus more on my work, and you can learn all the magic you want, and find out what you want to do in life and succeed. I regret I wasn’t more attentive to you, but that’s just the way it is.”

Sweetie Belle, knowing how Rarity was, understood. Going to the academy for free was a huge gift she thought made up more than for all the times Rarity called her a useless nuisance, and wished she was gone.

“W...will you still want to see me?”

“Of course! I’ll make sure to come visit when I’m in Canterlot, and I’ll have you here during the holidays and school breaks. No matter what happens, you and I will always be family. I’ll buy you a spellbook for telepathy when we get to Canterlot, and I’ll get myself one too, so that we can both learn the spell and we can communicate to each other as often as we want.”

As per Rarity’s intent, she made arrangements with her friends in Canterlot, to stay there for a few days and have Sweetie Belle enrolled at the magic academy. Sweetie Belle asked that her last day at the Ponyville school not be announced- she felt afraid of betraying Applebloom and Scootaloo, and didn’t want them to know and get upset with her.
“I think it’s better you tell them. Not easy of course, but you should, nonetheless,” Rarity told her.

And then there was the sick, cruel twist of fate that completely changed everything. Turned out Sweetie Belle’s last day at school was the day the Carousel Boutique burned down, and Rarity hospitalized. That evening, they were to take the next train to Canterlot.

Everyone at school noticed the fire when they ran outside for lunch hour and saw the column of smoke rising into the sky from the edge of town. Sweetie Belle was a little oblivious, and assumed it was another building on fire.

Then when the foals came back inside for class, Cheerilee told her she had to stay behind afterschool.

“But why, Miss Cheerilee? I didn’t even do anything.”

“That’s not the point...” Cheerilee tried to explain. “Look, just stay after class, and I will explain the reason then.”