Disclaimer: I can claim not to own "My Little Pony" and all that stuff. But the question is...CAN YOU?
My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic - Sweet Shining Love
Chapter 6 - This Bliss
An atmosphere of silence had made itself at home in the Carousel Boutique. Normally, Rarity would welcome such a thing as it allowed her brain to conjure up wondrous works of art that would eventually transform into an incredible outfit to be adored by all. However, she wasn't creating a gorgeous gown at the moment. For this particular silence was of the uncomfortable flavor, so much so that Rarity could taste it, nearly overpowering the spoonful of tomato soup she was consuming.
This air of quiet time was emanating from her younger sister. Ever since she returned home from shopping, she noticed that Sweetie Belle was unusually calm. On top of that, she had this unsettling goofy smile plastered on her face. Green eyes half-open, cheeks as rosy as ever. For much of the day, Rarity kept to herself in her room, going about her usual sketching, sewing and stitching...but in the few instances where she'd crossed paths with the filly, that strange expression was firmly fixed with no indication that it was ending anytime soon.
Despite her growing curiosity, Rarity didn't want to pry. She'd just officially reconciled with her sister at breakfast and shunned the thought of compromising the reestablished status quo between them. But it was lunchtime now and Sweetie's behavior still persisted. She appeared normal this morning, so what could have caused this abrupt switch in tone? And in only a few hours?
Perceptive as she was, Rarity never would've guessed her sister was head over hooves for Twilight Sparkle's older brother and no hints were being given. The best course of action would be to attempt to engage Sweetie in casual conversation and go from there. But if only it were that easy...
"Darling...is the soup to your liking?" she asked.
"Delish..." the younger unicorn sighed.
"You've barely sipped it."
"And it's...amazing..."
"Try some of the garlic bread, too. And the salad I've prepared is-"
"Bee...yoo...tee...fool..."
"Did you manage to finish your report?"
"Uh-huuuuhooowaaa..."
Enough with the nonsensical chit-chat, young lady. I need to know what's going on here! Be polite, but firm...
"Sweetie Belle, is something wrong? You're not acting like yourself."
"Hey, sis...ever notice how wonderful life is? Sometimes it's really great..."
"Um...yes, it certainly has its moments...but what does that have to do with how you're feeling?"
"Absolutely nothing."
Rarity foresaw this conversation going in circles, so she decided to halt her inquires (for now) and focus on the filly's sustenance.
"Would you eat...please?" she pleaded softly with a small smile.
"Whatever you say."
The fashion designer was becoming increasingly concerned with Sweetie's mannerisms. But as long as her sister appeared to be in no immediate danger, she could abstain from further interrogation...for now.
Maybe a good night's rest will set her straight. I hate to do this, but...
"Dear sister...would you object to an early bedtime tonight? School resumes tomorrow, and-"
"Okay."
Rarity could only stare as her unfazed sister slowly munched on her salad, still looking completely out of it. Nothing could've bothered the little lady at this point.
No argument from her whatsoever? Not even a flicker of opposition? Now I know for sure something's off. If this continues, I may have to take her to see Dr. Horse...
"I'm bracing myself for when the other horseshoe drops."
That thought was accidentally spoken aloud, but Sweetie Belle barely heard.
"If you do...just pick it up..."
More hours passed, and more work progressed.
Rarity was now experiencing the same at dinner, as Sweetie was giving a encore performance...whether anypony asked for it or not. She briefly considered peeking into her sister's diary to get some insight, but after the "Gabby Gums" fiasco, it was deemed a terrible idea, no matter how Rarity tried to justify it.
Patience, Rarity, patience. There's no need to sound the alarm...yet...but her speechlessness is maddening!
It was a struggle to think of something to prompt a more normal response from her sibling, but the brain failed to provide any ideas. As much as Rarity enjoyed small talk during a meal, she had to endure and quietly consume her spaghetti.
Relax, girl...you've been working quite a bit since yesterday. An early hitting of the hay for yourself might be in order.
In stark contrast to the difficult evening at the Carousel Boutique, a peaceful one was in full swing at a quiet little restaurant with numerous couples seated at the outside tables. One of them consisted of Shining Armor and Princess Cadance, magically raising their glasses and gently tapping them together.
"A toast...to the most beautiful, graceful creature that ever walked the earth and, uh...uh...the spectacular way the light hits your eyes?"
That was all the stallion could think of to say and quickly retreated to the safety of his beverage, which warranted a few sips.
"Of course it was spectacular how the light hit my eyes...it couldn't be helped when those fireflies got into my face on the way here. Oh, and that was probably the most plain, generic, uninspired praise I've ever heard."
"Is that a fact?"
"Mm-hm. But since it's coming from you, I'll let it pass."
As Cadance took a sip of her own drink, her thoughts were evaluating the situation.
Dear, those complimenting skills of yours need work. How do you expect to sweep me off my hooves with such an unimaginative lexicon? Hmmm...I think I know just the way. We'll pay my sister-in-law a visit tomorrow...
"Well, since the preliminaries are out the way now...are you enjoying your vacation?" Shining asked.
"Yes, along with this vegetable soup. It's out of this world!" Cadance replied, eating a spoonful of her dinner.
"A welcoming tranquil evening like this is definitely a far cry from the two cases of mistaken identity we had to deal with in the past few months. There was Ms. Peachbottom who was mistaken for Ms. Harshwhinny-"
"Ah...the one who did a very feeble job of flirting with you?"
The sour expression Cadance was wearing made her husband shiver. Even though he wasn't at fault for that incident, he evaded answering that question.
"And of course...let's not forget that imposter I almost married."
"I couldn't forget that if I tried."
Both experiences were awful, but the married couple emerged intact and unscathed. King Sombra's return was also on Shining's mind but mentioning that ordeal might've driven the mood into an irreversible low. Even though Cadance seemed to be fine for now, he decided not to push his luck. They knew the future was always unpredictable, but whatever challenges were thrown their way, they'd courageously face it together just like his sister and her friends would.
However, Shining Armor wanted to make absolutely sure no unscheduled surprises were in store for them, so...
"Hey..." he said, holding her hoof. "...I am married to the correct Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, right? You're not a Changeling?"
The smile returned on the face of his beloved, albeit a mischievous one.
"If I am, then just know that it's a Changeling who's madly in love with you."
The mare leaned forward and kissed Shining on the nose. She then resumed the consumption of her hot soup while he let out a cold sweat.
"But if you need further proof of my authenticity..."
She turned her head and jerked it towards a pair of ponies seated at another table. Their plates of food remain untouched and anypony could see that raging emotions were superseding the couple's appetites. The only thing they hungered for was an endless argument. The mare wielded an accusatory tone, while her male companion protested his innocence.
"For the hundredth time, that's not the way it happened!"
"You expect me to believe that this librarian friend of yours was just helping out with your taxes? It's not even tax season, for crying out loud!"
"She's good with numbers and I felt that she was the best pony for the job! Besides, she owed me a favor from-"
"Oh, please! I'm sure she was ecstatic to lend a hoof!"
"No, not at all! She knew about my history with tax evasion! She refused to help! I had to convince her to do it! I asked her what's a little tax evasion between friends and then-"
"No more excuses! You swore that you'd only ever do your taxes with me!"
"You were outta town! What was I supposed to do?"
"Just go ahead and admit it! You'd feel better running off with that other mare letting her do your taxes until the end of time!"
"Really? Y'know what? Maybe I-"
Princess Cadance had heard enough. Everything that needed to be said between those two had been said and it was time to intervene.
"I think they've taken their quarrel as far as it should go."
Shining Armor remained mute and watched as his wife began innocently whistling and bent her head down. Aiming the tip of her glowing horn at the unsuspecting couple, all she could say was...
"Oops."
PSHOOOW!
The Princess of Love's magical beam simultaneously struck both combatants and the world around them transmogrified instantaneously. Any inanimate object looked like a heart to them and the only pony one could see was the other. The anger dissolved like salt in water and was replaced by infatuation. The stallion didn't hesitate to grab his partner hooves and begin a new proclamation.
"Oh, my sweet Pocket Protector! It was wrong of me to seek financial help from an outside source! Forgive this pathetic pony for his dishonorable conduct!"
"Dearest Check Book! If there was no love in my heart for you, there can be no forgiveness! And my being is full of both! Accept me and my horrible, distrustful nature!"
It was hard to believe that these were the same squabbling patrons from a few minutes ago. Cadance had outfitted the pair with rose-colored glasses, which showed them that all was right with the world. As far as they knew, no force on the planet could come between their love.
Not even taxes.
"You'll always be the number one accountant to crunch my numbers, love! Lock, stock and barrel!"
"Number crunching is the language of love! And we'll speak it to each other longer than forever!"
Satisfied with her work, Princess Cadance turned her attention back to her husband, who was thoroughly impressed.
"So, honey...could a Changeling do that?"
"I'm convinced! You handled that fast!"
"Sometimes I think I'm far too overqualified for this job."
The married couple laughed and happily continued their dinner without any further interruptions.
Preparing a balanced breakfast was always an excellent way to start the day, but Rarity didn't even get that far as the first thing she saw entering the kitchen was Sweetie already up and finishing a bowl of cereal.
"Sweetie, darling! You're up and about? I didn't even call you!"
The filly turned and (unfortunately) still had that same look on her face and that sighing of hers wasn't showing any signs of stopping, either. Although she seemed to be more coherent than before...
"Goodliest of good mornings to you, dearest sister! No need to cook for me, I helped myself!"
Rarity's surprised increased upon the realization that her sister hadn't made a mess like she usually did. Not a drop of liquid spilled as Sweetie placed her bowl and glass into the sink.
"M' kay, I'm off! School's not gonna teach itself!"
Another increase in surprise jolted Rarity's senses.
"Wha...NOW? Don't you think it's a little too early?"
"It's never too early to get an early worm...or something like that! You worry too much!"
"For valid reasons, apparently! This isn't like you at all!"
"What's wrong with getting out there and enjoying a whiff of some of that fresh morning air? Isn't it the jinkiest the way you inhale it?"
"Yes, breathing is indeed a blessing."
Rarity knew when to stand firm and lay down the law, but it wasn't as if Sweetie was really doing anything improper, so there wasn't much she could do to halt her sister's actions. At this moment, it didn't look like anything could've stopped Sweetie from leaving.
"Um, do you have your lunch? I made it last night and-"
"Left it in the fridge for me! Moved it to my saddlebag along with my report!"
Concern was at an all-time high. The disappointment Sweetie Belle expressed from her sister not being able to take her to the Crystal Empire was little more than yesterday's news. She was happy again...maybe a smidge too happy, an attitude only employed on a regular basis by Pinkie Pie. One should never look a gift horse in the mouth, but this mystery was gnawing at Rarity and there weren't enough clues to draw any kind of conclusion, be it negative or positive.
Running under the assumption that the little lady wasn't listening, Rarity spoke her mind.
"I just can't make sense of any of this," she groaned.
Even though she was out the door, Sweetie was within earshot of Rarity's quip. Her mind wasted no time in assembling a logical counterargument...
Oh, Rarity...when you're in love, NOTHING makes sense!
If there's one thing a pony could be certain about in Ponyville, is that Cheerilee loved her job. The pursuit of knowledge was a noble one and she took pleasure in the fact that she sent her pupils home a little wiser each day.
But she'd never witnessed any student arriving to school over half an hour early.
The teacher darted her eyes right and left to make sure she wasn't imagining things. The filly was still there, sitting at her desk with a dreamy smile staring at nothing in particular.
"Sweetie Belle...I'm all for students wanting to learn, but I don't see what can be gained by coming in this early. I don't give extra credit for that."
"The real credit is in your credentials," the little unicorn sighed. "You have the license to teach me the secret of time travel and cold fusion and world peace and whatnot and whodunit and whoudini..."
Cheerilee sweated a bit from Sweetie's strange response (as well as her odd facial expression) and did her best to answer.
"Sorry, I don't think I'm well versed in those subjects. Regardless...are you okay?"
"How could I not be?"
"Your eyes aren't open all the way and you're speaking very softly. Did you get enough sleep?"
"Enough for both you and me...so now you don't even hafta go to bed tonight! I did it for you!"
"Oh...ah...thanks?"
"You couldn't be more welcome if you tried...unless you were a welcome mat!"
Sweetie was ending every sentence of hers with a sigh. Cheerilee squinted her eyes and observed the young unicorn as closely as Rarity would when she (with Spike's help) would inspect exquisite rolls of fabric or enchanting gems.
"Are you sure everything's fine?"
"Never better. It's just that yesterday, I had one of those epitaphy...epictaffy...elastiskippity-doo-dah..."
"It sounds like you're describing an epiphany."
"Yeah, one of those doohickeys. But fear not! I got my vacation assignment done before my...Tiffany...parsippany...whatever you call it...happened."
The smitten unicorn didn't yet possess the ability to magically float her report over to the teacher, but it looked like she was floating as she made her way towards Cheerilee's desk.
"Here you are, one factual story about my day at the Crystal Empire," Sweetie cooed, slapping her papers in front of the mare.
"Tell you what...if you can give me a few minutes of silence, I'll read it right now."
Blissed out from her newfound feelings, she raised her foreleg and saluted the teacher.
"You got it, boss..." Sweetie murmured, returning to her seat.
Cheerilee kept her eyes on her student and blinked twice.
"Boss?"
"HANG ON, SQUIRT!"
"THIS...IS...SO...COOL!"
Scootaloo could've let out more vocal excitement, but she didn't want to spoil the phenomenal moment. Getting a ride from Rainbow Dash from Clousdale directly to school at top speed would only last a mere sixty seconds or so, but incredible feats like this were best experienced with eyes, not words.
Although Rainbow was known for crashing through obstacles without a second thought, she was mindful of the fact that she had a passenger on her back, which necessitated a certain amount of safety. Rather than suddenly screeching to a halt, she began to lessen her velocity as soon as the rooftop of the Ponyville Schoolhouse was in view, although it didn't bother Scootaloo any.
The flying eventually slowed to a gentle float until her hooves made contact with terra firma. Rainbow checked her watch, the results of which caused her confidence to rise a few notches.
"See? Gotcha here with a whole two minutes to spare, just as promised!" she said with a grin.
Scootaloo couldn't help but return the facial gesture as she hopped off her ride.
"Never doubted you, Rainbow! It was cool to let me hang with you all week! I had an absolute blast and...well, I...I'm glad you took the time to, eh...y'know..."
Both were a bit embarrassed at the sentimentality of it all but knew what the other wanted to say. The older pegasus turned slightly red.
"Eh, heh...stop, I'll get a swell head! Anyhoo, you should get a move on! The sooner you give Cheerilee your report, the sooner she can give you that good grade you deserve!"
Those light blue wings were flapping already, and Scootaloo knew her "big sister" was readying for takeoff.
"Will do! And thanks for everything!" Scootaloo hollered with a wave.
"No prob, kiddo! We'll hafta do this again sometime!"
She watched as the expert flyer disappear into the distance with awe. No matter how many times she witnessed Rainbow Dash's acrobatics, they never failed to dazzle her.
"Geez, I wish I had half her talent!"
"Don't worry! I'm sure you're about nine-tenths of the way to, uh...fifty percent of...whatever you were talkin' about..."
The young pegasus turned to see a friendly face that she knew all too well.
"Apple Bloom! Hey, there!"
"That was some entrance, Scoot! But I dunno if I'd wanna be movin' that fast!"
"Hey, don't knock Air Dash! It's the only way to fly! What do you think, Swee-"
The question remained incomplete, as Scootaloo noticed that the group was one Cutie Mark Crusader short.
"Where's Sweetie Belle?"
"I stopped by the Carousel Boutique to see if she wanted to walk to school together, but Rarity said her sister left early. Like, way early."
"What's up with that?"
"Not sure...but she was actin' a mite loopy when I saw her yesterday. She couldn't sit still, her face was red, she was sweatin' up a storm and had trouble concentrating. We were jumpin' rope with Peachy and Sunny...and our gal just shut down, like she forgot how to do it!"
"Maybe she's coming down with something."
"Y'know of anything goin' around?"
"I know this much...we'll be in trouble if we're late for class. Let's move."
Once inside the schoolhouse, Scootaloo saw that Apple Bloom spoke the truth. Their fellow Crusader was properly seated at her desk, with a faraway look in her eyes, blushing cheeks and a crooked smile. Despite the fact that Sweetie's dilemma-turned-journey to the Crystal Empire had only spanned roughly half a day, it was more than enough time for Shining Armor's charm, good looks and any other positive traits he had to offer (unintentionally) work its magic and leave her in a state of jumbled emotions.
"See? It's like the dang wires in her head are all crossed!"
"Then let's uncross them!"
The redhead stuck her foreleg out, blocking her friend's advance.
"No time! Cheerilee's comin'! We can check out Sweetie durin' lunch!"
"Fine..."
All chatter amongst the students ceased as soon as their teacher tapped her desk to get their full attention.
"Welcome back, my little ponies! Hope you all had a wonderful vacation, and I look forward to reading about it in your reports!"
At the Golden Oak Library, another report was on the verge of being delivered.
"-and that's how I learned you should never let a little tax evasion penetrate the stability of a good friendship! Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle! Didja get all that, Spike?"
"Loud and clear, but I don't understand the whole thing."
"What's wrong with it?"
The dragon cleared his throat and took a deep breath before reciting what Twilight had dictated.
"Your letter begins like this...six quills, three jars of ink, twenty scrolls, a loaf of bread, celery, milk, avocados, orange juice, crackers, toilet paper..."
"HUH?"
"This was supposed to be a grocery list, but you somehow turned it into a friendship report. See for yourself."
Spike showed the unicorn the parchment, causing her to turn red.
"Oops! Heh, heh! That could've been bad. Glad you noticed!" Twilight sighed with relief.
"Wasn't that hard..." her assistant muttered.
"At least no real harm was done before-"
"BUUUR-UUURRP!"
A green flash of light from Spike's belch produced another scroll, assuredly from the ruler of Equestria herself. Neither of them were sure what Princess Celestia wished of them, but Twilight was confident she'd be up to the task and if need be, her friends would be ready to provide unconditional help and support.
"Her Highness must be notifying me of a new crisis! What is it this time? Are there mutated rutabagas attacking? Is the coming of the Four Ponies of the Apocalypse imminent? Rebellious books of literature refusing to be read?"
Spike raised an eyebrow at the librarian's last guess.
"Really, sister?"
"Hey, I gotta assume the worst of the worst."
"You always do. Anyway...Twilight Sparkle, with regards to your previous letter, I'm touched that you're thinking about my well-being. I've recently seen the Royal Physician and he has given me a clean bill of health. Nevertheless, your suggested choices for my sustenance do hold some merit and you have my word that they will be added to my diet. I'll be keeping a closer eye on my weight from now on, as well. Thank you again for your concern, Princess Celestia."
"Huh..." Spike said, rolling up the letter. "Looks like you already sent her a grocery list without even realizing it."
Twilight at a loss for words and could only manage bits and pieces of a sentence.
"I...letter...sent...food...you...were...!"
"Hey, you can't pin this on me! When I came home the other day, you'd finished writing and told me to send it off the moment I came through the door! This is on you."
She slumped to the floor and buried her face in her hooves. Spike knew what was coming.
"Here we go..."
"WHAT HAVE I DONE?! THANKS TO MY INCOMPETENCE, THE GRAND POOBAH OF EQUESTRIA THINKS SHE NEEDS TO GO ON A DIET!"
"Yeah, yeah. You're ruined and it's the end of the world as we know it."
"I'll be punished for insulting her like this! I've shamed my entire family! I'm utterly doomed!"
"Could you put off being utterly doomed for a few minutes to help me?" asked a sweet voice.
The unmistakable sound was just the thing to counter Twilight's screeching. She lifted her head and saw the face of her (former) foalsitter, whom she adored dearly, with her husband not far behind.
"How can I help anypony when I can't even help myself?"
Shining Armor turned his head and whispered to Spike.
"Twily making nice with all the histrionics again?"
"You were expecting something else?"
Cadance approached her sister-in-law and helped her off the floor. With a serene smile, she smoothed out the disarray (which was only in its initial stages) in Twilight's mane and asked...
"Remember what I showed you at the Crystal Empire's spa?"
It took a few seconds for the purple pony to recall, but she understood what the princess meant. As before, she copied the alicorn's actions of closing her eyes, taking a deep breath and then slowly letting it all out, leaving behind a soothing atmosphere to permeate her being. Twilight was more convinced that the effectiveness was because she was being instructed by an individual she loved and respected very much.
Upon opening her peepers, Cadance's face greeted the unicorn with the same optimism and care as she did during Twilight's foalhood. Although she was usually as cheerful as the next pony, there was something about the Princess of Love that kept a smile stuck to Twilight's face, a phenomenon that she'd be a fool to question.
"Even now, you're still taking care of me."
"Always will."
The two friends shared an affectionate nuzzle of the cheeks, closing this episode of Twilight's rambling.
"Now, as I was going to say...what are the chances of hooking me up with some romance novels?"
"Um, pretty low. I don't get a lot of requests for that. But if memory serves, I might have couple over there."
The librarian nearly frowned as she pointed to a low shelf next to the base of the stairs. Cadance inspected the limited romance section for something worthy of her time.
"Hmmm...hm?"
Skimming through the pages of one of the books for five seconds was enough to make an easy choice.
"Hey, handsome...catch," Cadance quipped, tossing the hardback to her spouse.
Shining almost didn't see the object coming and had no time to activate the magic of his horn. He clumsily caught it with his hooves, desperately clinging to it so it wouldn't hit the floor, lest Twilight's beloved books become dirty or damaged.
"Anything else you wanna lob at me?" he asked, slightly annoyed at what his wife did.
"No. By the way, that volume you're holding is chock full of love poetry."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning you're going to be reciting it to me tonight."
"I am?"
"You am."
Cadance walked over to Shining Armor, flashing a smile similar to the one a Changeling (that had assumed her identity) once used on him. But instead of letting out a malevolent cackle, she gently stroked his chin.
"One more thing. You have to read it with feeling. Passion."
"Say that again?"
"You heard me. And I expect to be swooning before long."
Shining couldn't explain it, but something about her words worried him. He looked to his sister and whispered for-
"Heeeeelp..."
"How?" Twilight asked with a half-smile.
The princess returned to the bookshelf, assisted by Spike who recommended other works of literature which weren't love stories at their core, but had romantic subplots. Although she wasn't expecting anything in exchange for calming one unicorn's bout of franticness, Twilight still felt obliged to aid Cadance in her quest for additional lovey-dovey criteria. The other half of her mouth made an upward curl as the perfect source came to mind.
"Cadance! There's another place in Ponyville that should have what you want!"
"Oh, you know where I can find some more-"
"-romance novels?"
"If you could spare a few."
Rarity was taken aback by the request, but quickly remembered who she was talking to, and it all made sense. Twilight wasn't very impressed when she was introduced to Rarity's secret stash of reading material, but regarding what the Princess of Love was looking for, the librarian knew that the fashionista had books that were right up her alley. Thus, a trip to the Carousel Boutique was in order while her husband stayed behind at the Golden Oak Library to peruse Spike's comic book collection.
"A few? Step into my upstairs office, Your Majesty..."
The two friends chuckled as they made their way to Rarity's room, where she used her magic to slide a small cardboard box out from under the bed. Inside were so many paperbacks, it would've proved impossible to fit any more.
"Behold! My treasure trove of guilty pleasures! Well, aside from my private stock of vanilla oat swirl."
Cadance couldn't help but smile as she scanned the spines of the books for their titles, four of which grabbed her attention immediately. She levitated them to get a closer look.
"Love Hectogon? Passion in the Blood? Crazy Rich Ponies? The Molten Lava of Desire?"
That last book's cover depicted a gorgeous mare (who looked almost unhealthily thin) in a loose white dress locked in a passionate embrace with a handsome stallion, who bore a messy mane and a sneaky grin. Behind them was a large and lovely mansion set ablaze, while a volcano above it all was blasting its fiery contents into the night sky.
Needless to say, Rarity's white coat was powerless to hide the red streaks that were invading her sweating face.
"Guilty pleasures, hm?"
"Eh, heh...dreadfully...guilty, darling," she muttered.
There was no need to tease the unicorn, as she seemed embarrassed enough.
"But it is a 'Canterlot Times Best Seller' and all, so..."
"I'll take your word for it...and all four books, as well. I'll return them as soon as I can."
"You needn't hurry through the pages! There's no rush, enjoy yourself! Feel free to bring the ones you haven't finished back to the Crystal Empire!"
"Are you sure?"
"Call it an extended borrow."
Cadance's smile widened not only at the prospect of various love-related subject matter at her disposal, but for the fact that there was another reason she just happened to be married to.
"Thank you so much! But first things first! When it comes to reading, my Shiny is going to be quoting romantic poetry to me this evening!"
Try as she might, Rarity found it difficult to contain her excitement for Cadance's "dastardly" plans, causing her to prance in place.
"Ooh, he will?"
"If he knows what's good for him."
Rarity then traded her prancing for giggling. The unicorn may not have had a special somepony of her own, but she shared the princess's mentality that being in love was absolutely once of the things that made life thrilling.
"Oh, you're wicked! Won't you give that poor husband of yours a break?"
"Can't help it. I'm in love."
The two sighed at the exciting thought of romance in their lives. But having a friend that you could gossip with about the campy content and typical tropes of a dreamy novella could be just as rousing.
Rarity and Princess Cadance would've had to work harder if they wanted to match Sweetie Belle's amount of sighing (not that they'd care to try). Even now, the potential frustration of a quiz wouldn't have been enough to dissuade the white filly's mindset. She was breezing through the quiz like a pleasant stroll through a lovely, quiet meadow. Time seemed to stand still, and she could only see Shining Armor's face. Nothing else mattered.
Simultaneously, Sweetie was currently (and unknowingly) under the watchful eyes of Rarity, Cheerilee, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, each one equally curious as to the cause of the young unicorn's behavior. They also shared an equal amount of desire to uncover the truth. The steadiness of Rarity's relationship with her sister was (from her perspective) being thrown into question once more, Cheerilee was monitoring what looked like her student's inability to focus, and the two other Cutie Mark Crusaders wanted to ensure their comerade's safety, because if even one of them wasn't at their best, the crusading would be put on indefinite hold until the problem was resolved.
But all of those issues were nonexistent in Sweetie's brain. Whatever could occur tomorrow was of no concern to her. Relevancy lied in what was happening now. Maybe she couldn't properly describe in detail what was she was feeling, but she adored it and wanted to see this through to the end.
An end which she hoped would never show itself.
TO BE OR NOT TO BE...CONTINUED... (BUT PROBABLY THE FORMER)
MAN! I apologize for anyone patiently waiting for this sixth chapter! It should've been posted a few months ago, but my computer suddenly somehow deleted more than half of what I'd written, so I hadda scramble to rewrite all of it! (Thankfully, I recalled most of what had been lost.) Then I realized the chapter's length came up a bit short (at least by my standards), so I added in another long scene! Afterwards, the holidays started rolling by, so I got distracted during that time!
TALK ABOUT YOUR SETBACKS!
But as the old saying goes, better late than never, so here it at last! Hope you enjoyed it, as I did the best I could to retype a good amount of it. So, what's gonna happen next for Sweetie Belle and her friends? And for Rarity, as well as Cheerilee? Everything for Shining Armor and Princess Cadance seem to be coming up roses, but will Sweetie disrupt their garden? Keep on reading to find out and I'll catch you next time!