All My Chess Pieces

Sweetie is woken up by a bucket of water to the face. She sits up, spitting water out, and turns to shove a grinning brunette against the wall.

"What the hell?" She shouts.

Diamond Tiara grins, "Chrissie told me to wake you up. Now get your lazy ass down to the meeting hall."

Then she stalks off.

Sweetie sighs and follows her. P.A.R.T.Y. really has very sophisticated headquarters. Some of the P.A.R.T.Y. bases, at least the ones Sweetie has been to, are quite less sophisticated, but as far as bases go, you can't beat the headquarters. Fully stocked with the best arsenal of weapons there is, along with elite training facilities, P.A.R.T.Y. Headquarters was far nicer than even the Republic's or the Empire's headquarters. And of course, the plumbing and air-conditioning sure helps.

Sweetie tiptoes into the meeting hall where Pinkie is talking about their latest attack on the Empire at a Manehattan missile shelter and sits down next to Apple and Scootaloo.

"Why are you so late?" Apple whispers.

"Sorry," Sweetie whispers back, "No one woke me up."

Apple smiles apologetically, "Sorry. Scootaloo and I thought you went to visit Spike. That's what Silver Spoon told us."

Sweetie rolls her eyes, "Since when can we trust Silver Spoon?"

"True," Scootaloo says, only half-focused on the conversation, hanging on to Pinkie's every word.

Scootaloo has been the most committed to P.A.R.T.Y. out of the three girls. She keeps up her training, is always asking questions, and is widely considered one of P.A.R.T.Y.'s most promising new recruits. Sweetie does fine, but Apple perhaps doesn't do as fine. Apple is widely considered one of P.A.R.T.Y.'s most promising new cannon fodder.

Apple giggles, "Scootaloo, you practically worship Pinkie. What happened to your days of idolizin' Rainbow?"

Scootaloo whips her head around, "Those days ended when she LEFT ME JUST LIKE APPLEJACK LEFT YOU."

Sweetie sucks in a breath. They have never ever talked about that since the day it happened. It's become and unspoken rule that that topic is off limits.

Apple draws back as if she's been slapped and her eyes widen in hurt.

Scootaloo's eyes soften remorsefully, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it "

"Don't be sorry," Apple says, turning her attention back to Pinkie, "It's true."

This casts a pall over the conversation, and they all focus on Pinkie. After the meeting is over, Apple charges out of the hall before Scootaloo can say a word. Scootaloo looks at her feet.

"She'll be fine," Sweetie says, trying to keep some peace, "She's just a little upset."

"Yeah," Scootaloo says in a flat voice before walking off in the other direction.

Sweetie sighs. These fights between Scootaloo and Apple have been becoming more and more frequent, and they always leave Sweetie with a cloud of gloom over her head.

"Sweets!" A voice calls.

Sweetie brightens. And there's the one person who can always make her day. She turns around and smoothes her hair.

"Spike!" She calls brightly.

He jogs towards her. Sweetie feels her heart pound.

"Pinkie wants to talk to you," he says.

Sweetie feels giddy. She's developed a crush on her sister's boyfriend. No, it's not just a crush, Sweetie loves him. She loves how even though he's Pinkie's second-in-command, he's not cocky. She lives how he calls her Sweets like a cute pet name. She loves his beautiful green eyes like bright emeralds. She loves his crooked smile that flashes rows of sharp dragon teeth. She loves everything about him, and it makes her giddy.

"What about?" She asks.

"I think I'd better let her tell you," he says in a grim voice

Her smile drops.

"What's wrong?" She asks.

He turns away, "You'll see."

Sweetie trots alongside him as they make their way towards Pinkie's office. Despite Spike's somber mood, she relishes in the envious stares of Diamond and Silver as they pass each other. "That's right, bitches," she thinks, "Spike likes me more than you."

When they reach Pinkie's office, Spike opens the door for her. Sweetie feels like she might burst and she marches inside with a big smile on her face. Whatever Pinkie has to tell her can't possibly be that bad. In fact, it could be good! Maybe it's about a promotion! Sweetie has been working really hard and-

Sweetie stops dead in her tracks. Next to her, Spike's eyes moisten.

Because lying there, on a cot, is a sleeping girl. A girl that Sweetie knows all too well. A girl that Spike knows almost as well. Lying on the cot is Sweetie's sister, Spike's girlfriend, Rarity Belle.

Sweetie opens her mouth to try and say something, but she can't find the words. Spike looks as if he might cry.

"Sorry I'm late!" Pinkie chirps, "I see you've seen the surprise!"

"Wh-what the hell, Pinkie? Is she okay? What happened?" Sweetie asks.

She looks back at Rarity and sees something she didn't notice anymore. Dread fills her stomach, and she feels like she might throw up.

"Oh god, what happened to her leg? Is that a prosthetic?" Sweetie gapes in horror.

"Calm down, she's just fine," Pinkie answers.

"Just fine?" Sweetie screams incredulously, "JUST FINE?! SHE'S MISSING HER FUCKING LEG!"

"Calm down, Sweetie. I'm going to wake her up in exactly five minutes, and I can't have her woken up a second before. It's just enough time for her tranquilizers to take effect so when she wakes up, she's not totally catatonic," Pinkie answers.

Sweetie lowers her voice, "I still deserve answers. I'm her sister."

"She was there with the Republic when we went to kill the Empire's soldiers there," Pinkie answers, "Fluttershy blew up the place, but Rarity didn't get out in time, so we rescued her and brought her here."

Spike has indeed started to cry, and Sweetie feels a stab of jealousy in her stomach. She shakes off the feeling as soon as it comes. She has no room for jealousy. Her sister is alive and here and Sweetie hasn't seen her since the day of the First Battle.

Five minutes later, Pinkie shakes Rarity awake. Rarity blinks her eyes open.

"Wh-where am I?" She asks, disoriented.

"P.A.R.T.Y. Headquarters!" Pinkie shrieks in a bright voice that makes Sweetie's eardrums hurt.

Rarity winces, starts awake, and sits up hurriedly, "Wh-what? What happened? Where's Fluttershy? Did they succeed in blowing up the shelter?"

"Weeeell," Pinkie says, drawing out the vowel, "Here's the shortened version."

Pinkie takes a deep breath and spits out everything rapidly, "You saw Spike and went all loopy and then Shy activated those bombs and you were all loopy and Shy was all like, 'Rarity! Come on!' And you were all like, 'I'mma be loopy!" And so the bombs went off and also sorry but they blew your leg off but it's okay because we gave you an awesome replacement and you won't even have to learn to walk again, that's how awesome it is and Shy and the other Republicans are all alive and safe so it's all good right?"

Rare stares at Pinkie for a moment, processing the information. When it does process, she looks down at her leg and almost faints. Spike steps forward involuntarily. Rarity looks up and finally notices him.

"Spike!" She springs up from her bed and runs into his waiting arms. Spike wraps his arms around her and kisses her. Soon, they're giggling and smiling as if they were in high school. Sweetie feels a jealous pinch on her stomach.

Rarity notices Sweetie, and a ginormous smile crosses her face

"Sweetie!" She exclaims.

And in that moment, all jealousy is forgotten. Sweetie rushes towards her sister and almost knocks her over with a hug. As Sweetie hugs her sister, the only things that cross her mind are that her sister is here and warm and alive and Sweetie is happy. Truly happy.

Spike tugs Rarity's arm, "Come on! I want to show you around!"

Rarity laughs and leans into him as they walk off. Once again, Sweetie feels a stab of jealousy. Rarity's been gone for five years, and Sweetie's been with Spike that whole time! Sweetie deserves Spike more than Rarity and- no! Sweetie buries the feeling of jealousy in her stomach. Spike belongs to Rarity, and he always will.