The Wish of a Filly

Chapters

An Unexpected Find
An Unintended Harm
A Daring Plan

An Unexpected Find

Chapter 1

An Unexpected Find

Sweetie Belle hummed happily to herself as she pranced through the nearly deserted marketplace, her eyes glued to the Carousel Boutique just across the bridge.

She glanced up at the clock tower as she stopped to readjust her saddlebag which was filled with everything that she would need for her sleepover at Rarity's. She was going to arrive right on time. When it came to plans with her sister, Sweetie Belle always tried to be punctual, as she knew that Rarity appreciated it.

She had been looking forward to this night for the last two weeks. A night alone with the best sister ever. Imagining the games that they would play together, and hoping that Rarity might even let her help with one of her dresses, Sweetie Belle entered the shop.

Immediately, Sweetie Belle's gaze landed on the mannequins on the far side of the room, still wearing their featured outfits, and then shifted to the racks of clothing toward the back. Usually at this time in the evening, Rarity was carefully storing away the clothes and tidying up the shop. Where was she?

Confused, Sweetie Belle climbed the stairs and found Rarity in her bedroom. Her older sister was deep in concentration as a floating needle sewed the hem of a dress that was draped over a mannequin.

"Rarity?" Sweetie Belle said uncertainly.

With a start, Rarity spun around as the needle fell to the floor. "Oh, Sweetie Belle, you frightened me." The needle began to glow with a blue light as it rose back into the air and returned to its work on the hem.

Rarity spared her sister a quick glance. "Whatever are you doing here at this hour?"

Sweetie Belle felt her heart sink. "Uh...I'm spending the night with you...remember?"

"Oh my stars!" Rarity gasped, rounding on her. "Was that tonight?!"

"Yeah." Sweetie Belle sighed, already knowing what was coming.

"Oh, Sweetie, I'm so sorry!" Rarity said despairingly as her little sister's ears drooped sadly. "I've just been so busy...I thought your visit was next week!"

Devastated, Sweetie Belle fought back her tears. "But...but I've been looking forward to this for two weeks!"

"I know, Sweetie," Rarity stated, looking thoroughly miserable, "but I have no time. I have five more outfits to make after this one, and they're all scheduled to be picked up tomorrow morning."

"It's not FAIR!" Sweetie Belle squeaked in anger. "You never make time for me!"

"Oh come now, that's not true. I-"

"You always put your stupid shop ahead of me!" Sweetie Belle sobbed. Then she fled the room, bounded down the stairs, and crashed through the front door.

As she reached the bridge, she slowed to a halt and leaned over the edge to gaze at the river below. Watching a small group of ducks dunking themselves and quacking merrily, Sweetie Belle struggled to gain control of her tears.

She hated it when her sister cancelled their plans. Rarity was always taking on more work than she could handle, and Sweetie Belle was always the one that paid for it. How could she do this to her? Did she really think that little of her?

With her head hanging low and ears drooping, Sweetie Belle shuffled dejectedly back home.

It just isn't fair, Sweetie Belle thought to herself. Why doesn't Rarity ever make any time for me? She always makes time for her stupid clients. Does she really think that they're more important than I am?

She paused in front of her home and stared at the door for a moment, and then with a miserable sigh, she stepped inside.

"Sweetie Belle?" Her mother blinked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly found a lump in her throat as her eyes brimmed with tears.

"She was too busy, wasn't she," her father stated as he rose from his armchair and crossed the room to her.

Sweetie Belle nodded sadly as she accepted her father's hug. Clutching him tightly, Sweetie Belle sniffled. "Why does she always do this?"

"Rarity has a very demanding job, honey," her father answered. "Some of her clients are very important ponies, and they expect a lot out of her."

"I know it doesn't seem fair, dear," her mother added as she joined in the hug, "but you've got to understand. This is what your sister has always dreamed of. She'll make time for you later. She always does, you know that."

"I know..." Sweetie Belle agreed despondently. "I just wish she could have made time for me tonight."

After her parents released her, she announced that she was going to bed and trudged up the stairs.

Sweetie Belle let her saddlebag fall to the floor and climbed into bed. She pulled the covers up to her chin and stared at the ceiling for a long time before finally drifting off to sleep.

Without warning, a knock at her bedroom door abruptly woke her. Sitting up with a start, she could see the first rays of morning light stretching across the floor.

Sweetie Belle yawned as she rolled out of bed and opened the door, but then froze with her mouth still wide open.

Smiling sweetly, Rarity said, "Good morning, Sweetie Belle."

"W-what are you doing here?" Sweetie Belle stammered, shocked at finding her sister here so early.

"Well, my client just picked up her outfits and since I had a little bit of free time, I thought that we might share some breakfast."

"Breakfast?" Sweetie Belle repeated, still feeling a bit overwhelmed. Then, finally realizing that she was going to be spending the day with her sister, she began hopping up and down excitedly. "Oh, yes, yes, that would be so cool!"

Rarity giggled as she led the way down the stairs and into the living room. With a wink and a smile at her parents, she lifted a large wicker basket with her magic and lowered it onto Sweetie Belle's back. "Won't you carry this?"

"Of course!" Sweetie Belle answered enthusiastically. Turning to her parents, she called, "Bye mom, bye dad, love you!"

"Love you too!" they both echoed as she pranced out of the house behind her sister.

As Rarity turned and began to lead the way in the opposite direction of the park, Sweetie Belle cocked an eyebrow. "Where are we going?"

"I thought we'd eat out by the lake," Rarity answered. "The water is always so gorgeous this time of the morning."

Sweetie Belle couldn't stop grinning as she followed her sister out of town and down to the lake. How could she have thought those awful things of her sister last night? She should have known that Rarity would make it up to her. She was the best sister ever after all.

Once they had reached the shore, Rarity's horn began to glow with a bluish light as the basket on Sweetie Belle's back opened and a neatly folded blanket floated out. It hovered three feet in the air as it unfolded itself and then spread itself out over the ground.

Rarity took several moments to gently tug at the edges until every last crease had been straightened out, then sat on the blanket as the wicker basket landed lightly beside her.

"I made us some of my cucumber sandwiches," Rarity stated happily as a large platter of sandwiches rose into the air and came to rest on the center of the blanket.

"Mmm, that sounds delicious!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed, eyeing the sandwiches hungrily.

"Would you like some tea?"

In the most sophisticated voice that she could muster, Sweetie Belle answered, "I would be delighted!"

With a laugh, Rarity poured the tea and the two sisters began their breakfast.

Looking out over the lake while she ate, Sweetie Belle understood what Rarity had meant. The crystal clear water reflected the beautiful orange and red sky as flawlessly as a mirror, and the end result was stunning. It looked as though they were seeing the sunrise both in the air and on the ground.

"You were right, Rarity," Sweetie Belle told her. "The lake is gorgeous."

Rarity smiled pleasantly. "Yes. It is beauty such as this that inspires my work. I often come here when I have a difficult order to devise new concepts."

"Do you have any more orders now that you've finished the one from last night?"

Rarity nodded. "I'm making several dresses for a photo shoot that Photo Finish will be hosting in Canterlot in three days. All the major celebrities will be attending, such as Hoity Toity, Sapphire Shores, Trenderhoof, and I've even heard tell that Princesses Luna and Celestia may be there!"

"Wow!" Sweetie Belle's eyes were wide with awe. "That's amazing! Your dresses could be all over Canterlot if you pulled this off!"

"I know! This is such a momentous opportunity for me!" Stomping her hooves in excitement, she continued, "That's why I've got to get home as soon as possible and get to work!"

Sweetie Belle's face fell. "Oh...so you'll be working all day today?"

Rarity frowned at the change of tone in her little sister's voice. "Yes, Sweetie, that's why I decided to share breakfast with you. I'm going to be too busy to spend any time with you later, so I wanted us to have a nice morning together before I got started."

"I...I just thought that we could...spend the day together..."

"Oh, Sweetie Belle," Rarity said as her ears drooped regretfully. "I told you in your room that it was just a breakfast."

"I know," Sweetie Belle sighed. "It's just...we were supposed to spend a whole night together, and now all I get is just a stupid breakfast."

Rarity flinched at her words, but remained silent as she watched her little sister stand up. As Sweetie Belle started away, she quickly called, "Sweetie Belle...don't you want to finish your sandwiches?"

Sweetie Belle hung her head gloomily. "No thanks, I'm not hungry anymore."

She ignored Rarity as she continued to call after her, and quickly made her way toward the nearby tree line. Fighting back tears, she trotted among the trees until she could no longer hear her sister, and then flopped down on the soft grass and started to cry.

Suddenly, she caught scent of a wonderfully sweet smell.

With the scent to guide her, Sweetie Belle made her way toward a large rock that sat beneath a huge oak tree. As she drew near, her eyes landed on a small space between the rock and tree and kneeling down, she found the most beautiful flower growing in complete shadow.

Without hesitation, Sweetie Belle reached a hoof into the small space and pulled the flower from its hiding place. As the sunlight hit its petals, she gasped in wonder. The flower was a light golden color, and in the direct sunlight, it seemed to sparkle like a gem.

"Wow! What a find!" exclaimed an excited voice from behind her.

With a cry, Sweetie Belle whipped around to find Twilight standing right behind her.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," she said with a sheepish grin. "I was on my way to Zecora's and happened to notice you over here. I was wondering why you were reaching under a rock." Staring at the flower in awe, she asked, "Do you have any idea what that is?"

Sweetie Belle glanced between Twilight and the flower in her hoof, then shook her head.

"That's a Wishing Flower, it's incredibly rare," Twilight explained. "Legend has it that if you make a wish, then blow on the petals, your wish will come true." Suddenly growing excited once more, she demanded, "You found it, make a wish! I want to see this for myself!"

"Uh..." Sweetie Belle thought for a moment, but then realized that she already knew what to wish for. With all her might, she wished that Rarity could have more time to spend with her.

Sweetie Belle concentrated hard on her wish as she blew on the golden petals, and was shocked to see them break away from the stem and soar high into the sky. They spun fiercely in the air before abruptly exploding into a cloud of golden dust, and then the wind swept it off in the direction of Ponyville.

"That was incredible!" Twilight declared. "It was just like my book described! I can't wait to get back home and write to Princess Celestia! She's not going to believe this!"

Unsure what to think, Sweetie Belle asked, "Will my wish come true then?"

"If the legend is true, then it should." Waving a hoof, Twilight said, "See you later, Sweetie Belle, and thanks for the amazing experience."

As Twilight trotted away with a huge smile on her face, Sweetie Belle mumbled, "Well, at least it made her day."

Feeling marginally better about the whole situation with Rarity, Sweetie Belle headed back to town, unaware that the cloud of golden dust was even now settling over the Carousel Boutique.

An Unintended Harm

Chapter 2

An Unintended Harm

Several days later, Sweetie Belle was in the Sugarcube Corner with Scootaloo and Apple Bloom eating cupcakes.

Although she was curious how Rarity's order had turned out, she knew not to disturb her sister. Once everything was finished and the order was behind her, Rarity would come to her. She always did.

"What do you guys wanna do today?" Scootaloo asked as she licked the last of the icing off of her hooves.

Apple Bloom shrugged. "I dunno. It's too hot to do much, unless you wanna earn cutie marks for frying up food on the sidewalk."

Sweetie Belle made a face. "Ewww."

"Wanna go swimming?" Scootaloo suggested.

"That sounds way better than eating food off the sidewalk," Sweetie Belle agreed.

As they opened the door to leave the shop, they quickly stepped aside to make room for Golden Harvest and Junebug.

"Oh, hello, Sweetie Belle," Junebug greeted. "Do you know what's going on with the Carousel Boutique?"

"The Carousel Boutique?" Sweetie Belle cocked an eyebrow. "I haven't heard anything. Why?"

"It's been closed for the last two days," Junebug told her. "I was just wondering if you knew when it would be opening again."

The three fillies gazed at one another quizzically as Junebug joined Golden Harvest at the front counter.

Once outside, Apple Bloom asked, "Why would the Carousel Boutique be closed?"

"I don't know," Sweetie Belle answered worriedly.

"You wanna go check it out?" Scootaloo offered.

"No, you two go ahead to the lake," Sweetie Belle said. "I'll check on Rarity and meet you there."

Her two friends nodded their agreement, and trotted off for the lake while Sweetie Belle turned and headed for the Carousel Boutique.

Sweetie Belle frowned as she arrived at her sister's shop and spotted the closed sign on the door. Rarity never closed her shop, even when she had a large order of dresses due out the next day. What could have happened to cause her to close?

Checking the door and finding it unlocked, Sweetie Belle let herself in and was immediately worried by what she found.

She had never seen the shop so messy before. The racks of clothing that were usually against the wall and separated by color and style were instead pulled away from the wall, and several outfits were lying on the floor. One of the mannequins that displayed a featured outfit had been tipped over, and a drawer of one of the desks in the back of the room was hanging open.

Rarity would never allow her shop to fall into such a state. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

Terrified, Sweetie Belle rushed upstairs and burst into her sister's room. "Rarity, are you okay?!" she called as she flung the door open.

With a scream of fright, Rarity tumbled from her chair as the cup of tea that she had been sipping shattered on the desk.

"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity cried as she sat up. "How dare you barge into my room like some sort of uncivilized heathen!" She made a pouty face as she glanced at the mess on her desk. "That was my favorite teacup."

"I'm sorry," Sweetie Belle mumbled with her ears flat against her head and her eyes lowered to the floor. "The shop was such a mess that I was afraid something was wrong."

Immediately, Rarity's anger dissipated. "It's quite all right, Sweetie. I'm sorry I yelled."

As her older sister stood up, Sweetie Belle noticed the stains on her white robe and her disheveled mane and tail. Upon closer inspection, she realized that Rarity wasn't wearing her usual amount of mascara and her false eyelashes were missing.

"Uh, Rarity..." Sweetie Belle began hesitantly as her sister began soaking up the tea with a scrap of cloth. "Um, why are you so...so messy?"

Rarity simply shrugged. "What's the point in wasting countless hours trying to look fabulous when all anypony will see is a failure?"

"Huh?"

She walked to the corner of the room and stood in front of a large mirror leaning against the wall. "Just look at me. I used to be a bright shining star. Why, there were ponies in Canterlot that hung on every word I said. I had celebrities eating out of my hoof, begging me for new, original, stunning outfits that would dazzle their fans. But now...now..."

With a wail, she pushed the mirror and let it fall facedown onto the floor. "Now, my star has burned out! I'm a failure, a disgrace! Soon ponies in the fashion industry are going to warn each other to be careful not to 'pull a Rarity'!" Sobbing uncontrollably, Rarity collapsed and covered her head with her hooves.

Unable to comprehend what her sister was telling her, Sweetie Belle asked, "But what about Photo Finish's photo shoot? Won't that help redeem your reputation?"

"No," Rarity gasped as she lifted a hoof away from her eye and peered up at her. "The photo shoot is what ruined me!"

Sweetie Belle's heart seemed to skip a beat as dread formed a hard knot in her stomach. Something had gone wrong at the photo shoot! In front of all those celebrities!

Before she could think of anything to say, Rarity went on. "I finished the dresses with plenty of time to spare. They were so magnificent, I was sure that everypony that saw them would want them. They should have propelled me into stardom!"

"So, what went wrong?" Sweetie Belle asked anxiously.

Rarity lowered her hoof back over her eye. "Oh, Sweetie Belle, it's so horrible. As the models were walking down the runway, the dresses...they...they..."

"It's okay, Rarity. You can tell me, I-"

"They fell apart!" Rarity suddenly wailed. "Just ripped right at the seams! Every last one of them! It's being referred to as the worst wardrobe malfunction of the century! Everypony who placed an order with me has cancelled! My career is ruined!"

Without warning, the blanket from her bed floated across the room and neatly enveloped her quivering body.

Sweetie Belle could do nothing more than watch the lump under the blanket shudder uncontrollably. Desperately, she tried to think of something that would cheer her sister up. She was willing to do anything to take Rarity's anguish away, but nothing came to mind.

Thoroughly depressed, Sweetie Belle flopped down on the bed as she listened to her sister cry. Suddenly, her eyes landed on a box of what looked like half finished dresses.

Wondering what Rarity had been working on, Sweetie Belle hopped off the bed and approached the box.

The dress draped over the box was a stunningly beautiful blue and white ruffle dress. Sweetie Belle gazed at it in awe as she lifted it off the box, and then gasped in shock as it promptly ripped right down the middle.

She turned fearfully toward Rarity, but then sighed with relief when she saw that her sister's head was still beneath the blanket. As upset as she was now, the last thing Sweetie Belle wanted was for her to know that she had just ruined a perfectly good dress.

As she began to look for a place to hide the dress until Rarity was a bit more under control, Sweetie Belle suddenly realized that she hadn't done anything wrong.

With a frown, she studied the dress closer, and noticed that it had ripped along the seam, just as the dresses at the photo shoot had.

All I did was pick it up, Sweetie Belle thought to herself. So how did it rip?

She pulled another dress out of the box and gently held it up. Seeing no visible flaw in the fabric, she decided to try it on.

Sweetie Belle stuck one hoof through the sleeve, but as she stretched to put her other hoof through she felt the dress rip. With a quick glance over her shoulder, she found that the dress had began to rip at the seams as well.

Although she believed that she already knew the answer, Sweetie Belle asked, "Rarity, what is this box full of dresses for?"

Rarity poked her head out from beneath the cover. "Oh, those were just my first pass for the photo shoot. The ones I ended up using were much better."

"And those were made of the same fabric as these...weren't they?"

"Yes..." Rarity cocked her head to the side. "Why do you ask?"

"I think I just found the cause of your photo shoot fiasco," Sweetie Belle stated, gesturing toward the box.

With a quizzical look, Rarity emerged from beneath the blanket and crossed the room to inspect the box.

"Watch." Sweetie Belle lifted the dress and promptly ripped it down the middle.

Rarity gasped in horror, then tipped the box over and began digging through the pile. After several moments of closely studying the dresses, her wide eyes found Sweetie Belle's. "This fabric is defective." She hurried across the room to her closet and pulled several rolls of fabric out onto the floor. Spreading them out over the floor and running a delicate hoof over them, she declared, "They're all defective! These could never be used for clothing!"

Sweetie Belle scratched her head. "I don't understand. If the fabric is so weak, why didn't it rip while you were making the dresses?"

Her horn glowing with a bluish light, Rarity lifted a dress into the air. "When I lift one, my magic is equally distributed over every inch of it. There isn't any strain, so it doesn't rip. I always create them with magic. I rarely touch them physically. That's why they didn't rip until they reached Canterlot." Flinging the dress across the room, Rarity flopped down on her rump and raised a hoof to her brow. "And that's how they've ruined my life!"

Suddenly, Sweetie Belle's heart sank as she remembered her wish.

"This is all my fault," she whispered.

Rarity quickly stood up and patted her little sister on the head. "Oh, Sweetie, don't be silly. This has nothing to do with you. I bought these rolls of fabric when I visited Trottingham several week ago." She turned away and staring out the window. "It was just bad luck that I chose to use them for the most important work of my entire life."

"No," Sweetie Belle shook her head, determined to make her sister understand. "You're wrong. It is my fault. I made a wish that you would be able to find more time to share with me."

Rarity laughed bitterly. "Well, you certainly got your wish! We'll have plenty of time to spend together now! All you'll have to do is come find me on the street! Because that's where I'm going to be living!" With a cry, she let herself fall backward and landed hard on the floor. With a sniffle and a pouty face, she said, "I thought my bed was behind me..."

Sweetie Belle contemplated dropping the issue, but knew she couldn't. She had already learned through her experience of writing for her school's newspaper under the alias 'Gabby Gums' that it was always best to come clean.

"No, Rarity, listen," Sweetie Belle insisted. "I found a rare flower after our breakfast together. Twilight was there and she told me that it was called a Wishing Flower. She told me that, according to legend, whatever I wished for would come true." Watching her sister as a look of outrage began to spread across her face, she quickly concluded. "So, I made the wish and blew on the petals and they flew into the air and turned into golden dust and floated off toward town and I think it came here."

"You what?!" Rarity demanded, quickly sitting up.

"I'm sorry," Sweetie Belle sniffed as her eyes began to brim with tears. "I was just upset that you cancelled our sleepover, and I made the wish without really thinking about it."

Rarity stared at the filly intensely as one of her eyes began to twitch. "So...all of this is because you made that stupid wish?" She stomped a hoof in anger. "All of the insults and humiliation I've had to endure were because of a stupid wish?!"

"It wasn't stupid!" Sweetie Belle shouted back.

"It wasn't stupid!" Rarity repeated, exasperated. "Then what was it?! Because it most certainly was not clever!"

Glowering at her sister, Sweetie Belle screamed, "Well...well I wouldn't have made it at all if my sister cared about me!"

With a loud gasp, Rarity placed a hoof over her heart as she flopped down on her rump. "If I cared about you," she whispered as her eyes grew wide. "Sweetie Belle...do you really think that I don't care about you?"

Sweetie Belle turned her gaze away from the pained expression on her older sister's face. "I...well...no, Rarity. I don't think that."

Without warning, Rarity smiled warmly as she blinked away her tears. "Good. Because I do care for you, Sweetie. You are the most important pony in my life." As she stood back up, she continued, "I'm sorry that I cancelled our sleepover, and I'm sorry that I don't make as much time for you as I should."

"It's okay," Sweetie Belle mumbled, feeling awful for what she had just said.

Rarity stepped forward and swept her sister up in an enormous hug. "It really isn't, darling. It's wrong of me to make you feel as though you come second to my work. That isn't at all how I feel. As much as I want to achieve my dreams of moving to Canterlot and becoming a top fashion designer, I want you to be happy even more."

"Really?" Sweetie Belle asked uncertainly.

"Of course!" Rarity answered sincerely.

"And...and you're not mad at me?"

"No, Sweetie, I'm not mad," Rarity stated as she released her. "You had every right to make that wish."

Sweetie Belle wiped her eyes. "And you're better now?"

With a sniffle, Rarity crawled into bed and pulled a pillow over her head. "No, my career is in shambles and my life is ruined." As the blanket floated over the bed and neatly enveloped her once again, she added, "I really want to be alone right now."

Not knowing what else to say, Sweetie Belle slowly backed out of the room and shut the bedroom door. As she descended the stairs, she began to cry.

"What have I done?" the little filly whimpered to herself miserably. "What have I done?"

A Daring Plan

Chapter 3

A Daring Plan

As she reached the bottom of the stairs, Sweetie Belle slowly came to a halt and looked around the shop.

This is all my fault, she thought to herself as her eyes scanned over the disordered room. I can't just cry about it and go home. I have to make this right somehow.

Dejectedly, Sweetie Belle sat at one of the tables and stared at the various bottles of perfume for several moments before she glimpsed a magazine that featured the Wonderbolts on its cover. As she recalled Scootaloo telling her that the Wonderbolts were scheduled to perform in Canterlot later tonight, Sweetie Belle suddenly formed a plan.

She rushed back upstairs and entered Rarity's room, shouting, "I know how we can fix this!"

With a cry, Rarity sat up in bed, holding a hoof to her heart. "Sweetie! Stop startling me like that!"

Realizing that she should have knocked, Sweetie Belle smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

Rarity flipped her disheveled mane indignantly. "Now, whatever do you mean you know how to fix this?"

Practically vibrating with excitement, Sweetie Belle explained, "The Wonderbolts are performing tonight in Canterlot, and since all those celebrities you mentioned were in town two days ago for that photo shoot, I'm sure that most of them are sticking around for the show!"

Rarity gazed at her little sister in confusion. "And how, pray tell, does that help me?"

"We can get on the next train to Canterlot and go prove to them all that you are still a top fashionista!"

Rarity blinked. "How? I don't have time to create any new dresses."

"You don't need to! You have, like, a hundred dresses already made downstairs, and they're all gorgeous!"

"Oh, Sweetie, those dresses won't impress anypony," Rarity stated as she lay back on the bed and pulled the pillow back over her head. In a muffled voice, she concluded, "It's hopeless, just leave me be."

Sweetie Belle stomped a hoof in anger. "You know what the one thing is that I can't stand about you?"

Surprised, Rarity lifted the pillow and stared at her.

"You always give up right away," Sweetie Belle accused. "Like the time the dresses you made for your friends didn't impress Hoity Toity. You just locked yourself in your room until they managed to solve your problem for you."

"W-what a horrible thing to say..." Rarity began.

"NO!" Sweetie Belle shouted in a high pitched squeak. "What's horrible is that I wanted to be just like you! But how could I ever want to be somepony who just lies down and dies as soon as things stop going her way?!"

Furious, Sweetie Belle raced out of the room and down the stairs as tears poured down her face.

"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity called, chasing the filly downstairs. "Sweetie, come back! I'm sorry!"

Sweetie Belle stopped with her hoof on the doorknob. "You are?" she asked hesitantly. When Rarity nodded, she sniffled, "Then, you'll go to Canterlot and try to clear your name?"

Rarity hugged her little sister fiercely. "Yes. But only if you come with me."

Grinning as she wiped away her tears, Sweetie Belle announced, "It's a deal!"

With a sparkle in her eye, Rarity said, "Good. Now help me pick out some dresses that will wow the horseshoes off of those celebrities."

***

As the train slowed to a stop at the Canterlot station later that evening, an absolutely stunning Rarity pranced confidently through the aisle and descended the steps.

Every stallion that she passed as she made her exit stared at her with adoration, to the frustration of several of the mares that were accompanying them. Sweetie Belle giggled as one particular mare slapped her coltfriend, then turned away and refused to meet his gaze.

As they stepped off the train, they turned to meet the train attendant that was carefully lowering the rack of dresses off of the back car.

"Here you go, Ma'am," he said as he wheeled the rack over to them.

"Thank you ever so much," Rarity replied with a beautiful smile. "You've been a doll."

She lifted his foreleg and dropped several bits onto his hoof. Smiling stupidly, the attendant seemed unaware that the bits slipped from his hoof and fell to the ground as he watched the gorgeous mare trot away.

"You really do look beautiful, Rarity," Sweetie Belle observed as she matched her sister's stride.

Rarity winked at her little sister. "I do my best."

Her big sister really had pulled out all the stops in preparing herself for her trip to Canterlot. What had impressed Sweetie Belle even more was how fast she had done it. Excited by the prospect of clearing her name, Rarity had managed to get ready in only half the time it normally took her.

After that, they had painstakingly gone through all of Rarity's dresses until they had filled a rack with some of the best work she had ever done.

As they trotted down the glamorous streets among the elegant buildings and the alluring rivers and lakes, Sweetie Belle and Rarity made their way toward the center of the city.

When she noticed that the streets were beginning to grow more crowded, Sweetie Belle glanced around and saw that most ponies were carrying tickets. Just as she was about to point this out to Rarity, a large stallion wearing a uniform suddenly held out a hoof to stop them.

"Excuse me, Ma'am, but do you have a ticket?" the security guard asked politely.

"Well, I...um, no," Rarity stammered.

"I'm sorry, but nopony passes this point without a ticket," he stated firmly. "Please head back the way you came."

"Please let us pass, sir," Sweetie Belle pleaded. "We're not here for the show. I messed up and ruined my sister's fashion career, and we need to reach Hoity Toity and the other celebrities so she can clear her name."

The guard eyed the rack of dresses behind them before commenting, "Those do look nice." Then he turned his attention to Rarity. "I believe your little sister, really I do, but I can't let you pass. I'm under strict orders to let nopony pass without a ticket. I could lose my job."

Rarity sighed. "I understand."

Raising the rack of clothes high into the air, Rarity led the way back against the flow of traffic and sat under a large tree.

Sweetie Belle watched her sister hang her head as the rack of clothes landed gently beside her. "You're not giving up, are you?"

"What else can we do?" Rarity replied. "They won't let us any closer without tickets."

"Lift me up. Maybe I'll be able to see them."

Rarity shook her head. "Oh, Sweetie, what's the point? We sh-"

"Would you stop feeling sorry for yourself for one second and lift me up?!" Sweetie Belle snapped.

Scowling, Rarity relented. "Fine, but only for a moment. You know I get a headache if I hold you up for too long."

Suddenly feeling as though she were as light as a feather, Sweetie Belle floated up into the air. Once she was high enough, she began scanning the crowd for any sign of the celebrities.

After several minutes, Rarity called, "I'm bringing you back down now."

"Wait, give me one more minute!"

Searching the throng of ponies with more urgency, Sweetie Belle finally caught sight of Photo Finish and several of her models, and then she saw Trenderhoof and Fancy Pants mingling with them.

"I see them, Rarity!" Sweetie Belle shouted excitedly. "They're right over there!"

Rarity lightly set her on the ground. "But however are we going to get over there?"

Sweetie Belle studied the tree, then shifted her gaze over to the rooftops as a plan quickly formed in her head.

Wordlessly, Sweetie Belle suddenly jumped up and caught hold of a branch. As she pulled herself up, she heard Rarity exclaim, "Sweetie Belle, get down from there this instant! You could get hurt!" Ignoring her sister, she continued to climb as Rarity began to yell. "Sweetie Belle?! SWEETIE BELLE!"

"What is she doing up there?" the security guard asked as he rushed over to Rarity. "Tell her to come back down."

Flipping her mane indignantly, Rarity retorted, "She won't listen to me. I'm her sister, not her mother."

With a growl of frustration, the guard began climbing the tree as Sweetie Belle reached the top and leaped onto a nearby roof. Carefully approaching the edge, she took a moment to locate the small group of celebrities, then hurried off.

Hopping over a small gap between roofs, Sweetie Belle glanced back and found the guard charging straight for her. She cried out in fright and galloped across the rooftops, but it wasn't long before the much bigger stallion caught her by the tail.

"You've got to get down from here before you hurt yourself," the guard began. "Come with-"

Suddenly, the Wonderbolts soared by directly overhead, causing the guard to flinch and release her tail. Racing away, Sweetie Belle watched them as they preformed a couple aerial stunts and then landed on a raised wooden platform on the other side of the street.

"That's where I need to get," Sweetie Belle mumbled to herself as the Wonderbolts began waving to the sound of thunderous applause.

As she searched for a way to cross the street, her eyes landed on a large banner depicting the Wonderbolt's symbol that spanned the gap. Wondering if it would hold her weight, she started toward it.

"Wait kid, stop!" the guard shouted from behind.

Just then, the shingles broke lose under their combined weight and started sliding off the roof.

Running in place as the shingles continued to slide out from beneath him, the guard tripped and fell from the roof and landed awkwardly in a large bush.

Knowing that she was about to tumble over the edge as well, Sweetie Belle leaped toward the banner and desperately clung to it.

Without warning, the wire holding the banner in place snapped, and Sweetie Belle swung across the courtyard.

Gripping the banner for dear life, Sweetie Belle screamed as she crashed through a tree, and emerged with a terrified squirrel clinging to her face. Blinded, she slammed into the side of a building with a loud grunt, and watched the squirrel hop onto a windowsill. It chattered excessively, its tiny fist waving angrily at her as she climbed down the banner and dropped to the ground.

Sweetie Belle pushed her way through the crowd toward the raised platform, and quickly clambered up the ladder. As she reached the top, she heard several shouts of confusion from the throng of ponies below, and glancing up, saw the quizzical looks of the Wonderbolts.

Spitfire cocked an eyebrow. "You lost?"

"I'm very sorry to interrupt your show," Sweetie Belle said apologetically, "but there is something that I have to set right."

Just then, the security guard pulled himself up onto the platform. With dirt smudges all over his uniform, and a twig stuck in his mane, he saluted Spitfire. "I'm very sorry for this intrusion, Ma'am. I will remove this foal at once."

Sweetie Belle backed away from the guard and hurriedly explained herself. "I ruined my sister's business and I have to fix it. I have to. Because she's the best sister ever, and I love her, and I would do anything for her!"

As the guard advanced, Soarin suddenly stepped forward and stopped him with a hoof. "She's gone through an awful lot of trouble to get up here." Looking at Spitfire, he stated, "I think we should hear her out."

Nodding, Spitfire smiled at her. "Go ahead, kid."

She turned and gazed out at all the confused faces staring up at her and felt a panic begin to rise within her. As she began to tremble, her eyes landed on Rarity, still standing under the tree.

I have to do this, Sweetie Belle told herself. For Rarity, I WILL do this.

Her resolve hardened, she looked straight at the group of celebrities below and began. "Two days ago, Photo Finish hosted a photo shoot that featured dresses made by my sister, Rarity. During the shoot, the dresses split at the seams, and all of you have withdrawn your orders. My sister worked really hard to make it this far, and win your approval. Would you please, please, give her another chance?"

"I, Photo Finish, have never been so humiliated in all my life," Photo Finish declared resentfully. "Why should a designer as negligent as your sister be given another chance?"

As the other celebrities began nodding and mumbling their agreement, Sweetie Belle proclaimed, "Because it wasn't her fault!"

"Oh, I see!" retorted Hoity Toity. "Then it must be the fault of the models. Perhaps the dresses were unable to withstand their level of pizzazz!"

At his words, laughter broke out among the crowd.

Dread knotting in her stomach, Sweetie Belle desperately tried to think of something to say.

Suddenly, she felt a hoof on her shoulder. "Sorry, kid," Soarin said gently. "I think it's time you got off the stage."

"No!" Sweetie Belle yelled, shrugging off his hoof and glaring at the celebrities. "It was my fault!"

With a collective gasp, the laughter died. Stepping forward, Fancy Pants asked, "You...sabotaged her?"

"Well, no..." Sweetie Belle hesitated. She tried to think of a way to make them understand, but then decided to just tell them the truth. "I found a magical flower called the Wishing Flower, and I made a wish. I was angry at my sister for not having any time to spend with me, so I wished that she could find some time." Hanging her head in shame, she concluded. "The dresses falling apart and all of you withdrawing your orders made my wish come true. All of this is my fault."

"That's preposterous!" Hoity Toity exclaimed. "There's no such thing as a Wishing Flower!"

"Actually," came a voice from above. "There is."

Glancing up, Sweetie Belle was shocked to discover Princess Celestia swooping down to land beside her.

"Princess Celestia!" somepony in the crowd cried, and then everypony in the courtyard hurriedly bowed.

Her mouth hanging open in disbelief, Sweetie Belle stared at the princess stupidly. "P-Princess Celestia, w-what are you doing here?"

Seemingly oblivious to the fact that she wasn't bowing, Princess Celestia smiled pleasantly. "I just happened to be flying along, and saw you running across the rooftops. Since seeing little fillies on roofs isn't a very common sight here in Canterlot, I thought I should take a closer look."

Before she could respond, Princess Celestia turned toward the crowd. "The Wishing Flower is an extremely rare flower that can grant any wish. However, it only allows itself to be found by somepony deemed worthy." Glancing down at Sweetie Belle, she winked. "And who is more worthy than a filly that could stand to learn a valuable lesson."

Grinning ear to ear, Sweetie Belle replied, "You're right, I did learn a valuable lesson. I learned that-"

Gently placing a hoof to Sweetie Belle's mouth, Princess Celestia suggested, "Why don't you tell your sister instead?" Turning her gaze to Rarity, she called, "Won't you join us?"

The crowd parted as Rarity trotted toward the platform. With the rack of clothing following closely behind her, she beamed up at her little sister.

Princess Celestia lowered her head and urged, "Now, my little pony, tell your sister what you have learned."

"I learned that it doesn't matter how much time I get to spend with my sister. What's important is that we're always there for each other." Smiling lovingly at Rarity, she concluded. "I would do anything for her, and I know that she would do anything for me. And that means more to me than a hundred sleepovers."

Hugging the little filly to herself, Princess Celestia jumped off the stage and landed elegantly on the ground. Turning her gaze upon the group of celebrities, the princess asked, "What do you say? Since Rarity was undone by magic, can you find it within yourselves to give her a second chance?"

As the celebrities voiced their affirmation, Rarity hugged Sweetie Belle tightly. "That was the single most stupid thing I've ever seen anypony do," she said sternly, but then smiled. "And I will never forget that you did it for me."

Once Rarity had released her, Sweetie Belle asked, "Princess Celestia, how did you know what had happened?"

"Oh, I received a letter the other day from Twilight telling me that you had found the Wishing Flower and made a wish." Her eyes sparkling, she added, "I knew that I would be hearing from you. Although, I must admit I thought it would be through a letter and not a personal audience."

"Excuse me, Rarity," somepony said from behind.

Turning around, they found Fleetfoot holding a dress. "Are these for sale?"

Rarity grinned broadly. "They most certainly are."

"That's great!" Fleetfoot replied. "This dress is amazing. It's so aerodynamic, it wouldn't even slow me down."

"Yes, my friend Rainbow Dash inspired me to create a whole line of dresses that are stylish and chic without hindering flight performance," Rarity stated, glowing with pride. "I'll let it go for ten bits."

"Whoa! That's a steal!" Fleetfoot exclaimed. "I'll take it!"

Sweetie Belle glanced away from the two and noticed the security guard looking over the dresses, the twig still stuck in his mane. Giggling, she told him, "You got something in your hair." As he pulled the twig free, she apologized, "I'm sorry I put you through so much."

The guard shrugged. "It's all right, you were doing what you thought was right. I can't fault you for that." Holding up a dress, he asked, "What do you think about this one? I think my wife would look lovely in it."

"It's beautiful!" Sweetie Belle agreed. Suddenly getting an idea, she turned to Rarity and yelled, "Hey, Sis, can he have this dress for free?"

Rarity laughed. "I think we owe it to him, look at the dreadful state his uniform is in!"

As the satisfied guard walked off with the dress, Rarity pulled her sister close. "I love you, Sweetie."

Happy that everything had worked out in the end, Sweetie Belle sighed contently. "I love you too, Rarity."

The End