Envy is Magic

Sweetie Belle woke up, and immediately wish she hadn’t.

It's not that she was late for school. In fact, she often rose out of bed quite early. There weren’t even any tests scheduled for today that she should be worried about. The sight awaiting her however was enough to ruin her morning. She hoped she was still dreaming but as Sweetie rubbed her eyes and deftly swished her curly mauve hair out of her face the source of her dismay remained in view.

Three dresses hung from her closet door, their elegant beauty shining agonizingly bright in the dim light of her bedroom.

“Great…” Sweetie grumbled, tossing her blankets aside and trudging over to her bedroom mirror. The pale, skinny girl in the mirror balefully traced her eyes over Sweetie Belle and sighed. The dresses WERE fabulous, as could be expected of a talented fashionista. No doubt Rarity had prepared them last night in anticipation of school picture day near the end of the month. They were delicate, fabulous, sexy, and slightly revealing without being trashy. Truly appropriate clothes for a yearbook photo. The problem was that she would be wearing one of them.

Despite being in her late teens Sweeties body hadn’t quite gotten the puberty boost she’d expected. Every year she was waiting for the day her immature little body would begin its transformation into adulthood. With another small sigh, Sweetie pulled up the hem of her shirt and eyed the mirror mournfully.

Her bottle green eyes traced the cute, round curvature of her adorable girlish face, to her sad, undeveloped chest that didn’t even necessitate a training bra. Further down her soft, slightly pudgy tummy sat nestled between her less than ample hips. At five-foot two she was barely taller than she was at 10 years old, and certainly shaped the same. Her legs weren’t stick thin, but they weren’t shapely either. Her arms were skinny limp noodles… and the sad excuse for a rump nestled below her tail belied all hints of maturity.

With the speed of a sad turtle, she undressed, the child sized nightshirt falling next to the hamper by her closet. Sweetie Belle swished her long, fluffy tail and laid out her clothes for the day. Her wardrobe had changed little over the years, despite her sisters repeated offerings to create new custom clothes just for her. A lot of her clothes were as immature as her body. Sweetie had just expected to one day outgrow her old digs and then would accept Rarity's offer to craft some fitting outfits… however, that day never came, and Sweetie could sense that her older sister felt burned by the repeated rejections to create new clothes.

Last year Sweetie had seven outfits to choose from.

“Morning mom, morning dad,” Sweetie Belle descended from the stairs morosely.

“Morning, sugar!” Her father bellowed, walking over and bending down to give his daughter a kiss on the forehead.

“Honey! Cheek! You’re going to poke your eye out on our daughters horn!” scolded wife.

Magnum laughed. “It's not that big, don’t worry!”

A scowl briefly crawled across Sweeties face. “I’ll see you after school, dad, thanks.”

“Ok Sweetie! Have a great day!” Magnum tousled Sweeties hair and marched out the door to work.

The kitchen table was well spread with a variety of healthy looking breakfast items. Bagels, croissants, several kinds of cream cheeses and a pot of tea. A lovingly arranged vase of flowers sat crowned in the middle of the breakfast spread like a tower above a small town. Everything was a little too nice.

“Is Rarity still here?” asked Sweetie Belle, taking a seat.

“In the bathroom, Sweetie,” replied her mother, buttering a poppy seed bagel. “She’s putting on her face.”

“I’m right here darling,” a svelte voice sang out behind her. Sweetie Belle swiveled in her chair as Rarity sauntered into the room.

Tall, sexy, curvy, buxom and naturally beautiful, Rarity typically stood at a lofty five-foot nine, however she had donned 3-inch heels and stood at an imposing six-foot tall. There wasn’t a day gone by the fashionista wasn’t strapped into something that made her taller. The wardrobe she had on was business casual, but with those DD-cup breasts straining the fabric it was more business-sexy, and the black pencil skirt did wonders to accentuate those long, firm legs and plump thighs and rear. It was hard to believe that Rarity never got into modeling.

“Ohhh you look marvelous today, Rarity!” beamed mother, her proud smile a million bucks. “What’s the occasion?”

“I have a business meeting scheduled with a stallion today about a potential swimsuit line,” Rarity pulled a seat next to Sweetie Belle and began daintily adding cream cheese to a slice of whole wheat toast. “If everything goes swimmingly with Hard Bargain I SHOULD have a full swimwear line in time for April. I have several prototype suits in my purse as well, they’re quite lovely and very striking if I do say so myself.”

“Thats fantastic! Can we see them?” asked mother in between bites.

I do apologize mother, but I have them already neatly packed and organized in ascending order of intricacy and I do not have the time to spare,” Rarity's horn flared to life and floated the patterned purse over to the table, clearly packed with garments.

“Okay, I understand.”

“However… I am wearing my second most striking bikini underneath my clothes right now.

Sweetie swallowed her last bit of bagel. “I thought your bra was looking too bright for the shirt you were wearing.”

“Indeed Sweetie. I hope you weren't thinking I was sneaking away this morning with such an obvious fashion faux pas,” Rarity swiftly unbuttoned her conservative white shirt and thrusted her chest out proudly. Her plump, sexy breasts were lovingly cupped by a thin, lacy bright red bikini band that clearly had some kind of embroidered texture in a lighter red diamond pattern that caught the light and accentuated the curve of her milky white titflesh. Inches of cleavage jutted out and wobbled enticingly for any and all to see. It was tantalizing, eye-catching, and absolutely irresistible.

“Wow…. that’s amazing Rarity!” Sweetie Belle exclaimed, her voice cracking.

“Oh my! Rarity that's one of the most beautiful bikini tops I’ve ever seen!,” gushed mother, as Rarity buttoned herself back up. “The material you picked is wonderful! So pretty! And much better than my one piece suits!”

“Thank you, thank you!” Rarity smiled happily. “I’m certain Mr. Bargain will drop dead at the sight of my prototypes.”

“Dearie, you modeled all these yourself?” asked mother.

“Of course, over the past two weeks. It’s why you haven't seen me here for breakfast. I intend to do quite a bit more if these first runs garner approval.

“Well, I think you should have your little sister help you model these outfits to save you some time!”

Rarities light, airy laugh filled the room. “Oh, sorry,” she coughed into her fist, “You were serious about that.”

“Rarity,” said her mother sternly. But Sweetie Belle had already gotten up from the table and was heading out the door, her face burning in embarrassment as Rarity explained that this fashion line was marketed to women… and not little girls.

One tortuous school day later and Sweetie Belle was exiting class in relief. It had been another arduous seven hours of feeling small and inadequate amongst her peers. The slight from her sister had stung her all day and the misery accompanying it was only amplified by her classmates, all of her whom were taller than her. Gym class today had been most agonizing with the jogging they had to do and it was the last period of the day too. Her legs were still sore from the workout and she had lagged far behind her friends. Sweetie bent down to massage her sore calves.

“Hey Sweetie Belle!” a pair of voices chorused.

Sweetie glanced up and smiled weakly. “Hiya Scoots, Applebloom.”

Sweeties two best friends were standing right in front of her with slight smiles on their faces. Neither of them had changed out of their gym clothes yet. Part of the reason she’d left was them. For the past few years she’d watched them grow and blossom into attractive adults while her own body physically stunted. Scootaloo had grown to a staggering five-foot eleven with perky C cup breasts and towered over Sweetie Belle. The many years of training with Rainbow Dash had earned her a lithe, sexy body that was rippling with strong, sinewy muscles (and 14” biceps as she liked to often brag and display like her idol). Applebloom was neither as tall or athletic, standing at a five-foot seven with a much curvier, pear-shaped body and strong legs. Paired with her D-cup breasts and powerful thighs it was like she were twice as wide in the hips as Sweetie was.

“Where didja go right after the bell rang? Y’never split class so early!’ Applebloom exclaimed, sidling next to Sweetie.

“Yeah! And you didn’t even like, wave or look at us either,” Scootaloo plopped down to the right of Sweetie and squatted on the bench, her amazing legs bulging with muscle. “What gives?”

Sweetie Belle leaned back on the bench and shut her eyes. “I’m just tired girls, I wanted to get home so I could get off them and rest.”

Scootaloo considered that for the briefest moment. “Bull!”

“C’mon Sweetie, what’s really goin’ on? I barely see ya like, all DAY and every time I did…” Applebloom bit her lip, glancing to Scootaloo who nodded once. “Ya looked like ya were about to cry.”

Sweetie Belle grimaced and exhaled deeply. “Fiiiine. It’s picture day soon and I’m upset OKAY!”

“Well uh, why’s that for?” Applebloom pulled at the hem of her T-Shirt. “Shoot, I don’t ‘member y’all being cross the last couple years.”

There wasn’t any wiggling out of this situation. Trapped and tired, Sweetie spilled it. She told her friends how she was upset at how puberty never came thru for her, how inadequate she felt around her sister, and the rest of the girls at school, and how the slight insult she dealt with in the morning ruined her mood for the day.

“And to top it all off, I just KNOW there’s nothing happening for me in the future too!” Sweetie wiped the slight tears from the corners of her eyes. “I’m too old now. I’m not growing anymore than I am now and I know it, even though my doctor says there's still a chance,” Sweetie sniffled. “I know it’s a lie to make me not feel as bad, but it just does.”

“You’re beautiful the way you are right now!” Scootaloo leaned over and squeezed Sweetie Belle in a big, strongl hug. “Besides! You’re not a doctor! Maybe things are just going to happen late for you!”

“Scootaloo's right, y’all got to not be upset over this, girl!” Applebloom leaned over and joined in on the group hug, squeezing just as tight.

“I just look like a little kid,” Sweetie muttered out. She had been slouching and her face was literally being mashed with her friends’ big soft breasts. She wished she could just crawl into a hole and die.

The group hug finally ended and the girls offered up some more kind words of encouragement before walking down the dirt road to their homes. Sweetie Belle half-listened and mostly nodded and smiled as if she were in a fog. Her heart was still stewing with emotion as she waved goodbye to them. Maybe some sweets at Sugarcube Corner would make her feel better….

“Come again, Sweetie! And be sure to keep that frown upside down!”

Sweetie Belle giggled and waved Pinkie Pie goodbye. Despite not being a filly anymore the bubbly pink mare always had a bouncy fun demeanor that could cheer anypony up. Sweetie gripped the ice cream cone tightly with her fingers and decided to take the scenic route home. Right now she felt a little better and didn't want to just resign herself to laying in bed all day.

Turning a corner she spotted a scaly purple tail disappearing into the woods to the right down the path. Just for a split-second, but definitely saw it.

“Spike?”

Sweetie Belle chomped the last bit of her ice cream and lightly jogged over-

Bumping right into the dragon.

“Oof!” Sweetie stumbled backwards and landed hard on her tail.

“Sorry! I guess I didn’t see you!” Spike bent down and lifted Sweetie Belle back to her feet so easily she might as well have weighed nothing. “Are you alright?” he asked.

Sweetie brushed at a small dirt smear on her blouse. “I’m okay… what are you doing?”

“I’m on a secret mission,” Spike grinned, revealing a small wagon full of books. “Don’t let ANYONE know.”

“Sure thing Spike,” she smirked up at him. Despite the drake being practically the same age as her, he was still technically a kid. A strapping, six-foot tall kid, but one nonetheless. Years from now he’d be a proper teen and who knows how different.

“Well?” he said expectantly.

“Well what?” replied Sweetie.

“Aren’t you going to ask me what my secret mission is?”

Sweetie giggled. “Then it wouldn’t be secret anymore.”

Spike thought about that for a moment.

“True. But I know you can keep a secret, so I’m going to tell you what I’m up to!” Spike said, reaching down into the wagon to pull out a random book.

“I’m getting rid of these books without Twilight knowing!”

Sweetie Belle gasped. “Really? Won’t she be so mad?! Twilight loves her books!”

“Which is a total problem because then there's too much of them,” he grumbled, tossing her the thin novel in his hands. “These are all reprinted, duplicated, yellowed, damaged fiction novels that have NO value at all and are just taking up space in the library.”

“Oh….” Sweetie thumbed through the slim book and dropped it back in the wagon. “How come Twilight won’t just get rid of them if they’re junk books?”

Spike rolled his eyes. “Twilights kind of a…. book hoarder. I don’t think she physically can bring herself to do something like that. Or ask me to directly.” He paused to pull the wagon further into the woods, motioning for Sweetie to come with. “Even after, ngh, arguing with her and explaining that she should devote shelfspace to new books she actually needs space for I couldn't get HER to do it.”

Sweetie Belle followed Spike down the small trail, careful to avoid stepping on any rocks. “That sounds like Twilight all right.”

After a few more feet they finally made it to a small clearing where a small pit had been clawed out in the middle. Spike started to toss the books into the pit as fast as he could.

“What's the rush?” asked Sweetie Belle, who wasn’t that interested in touching the mouldy old books.

“No rush I just, ugh,” Spike stopped for a second to clutch his stomach. “I had like, 3 huge cups of soda at the Hayburger an hour ago and I want to finish this and get to a bathroom.”

“Just use a tree,” suggested Sweetie Belle, walking over to the wagon.

Spike grimaced. “I don’t really want to. We’re in the forest and I don’t want to like, whizz on a sleeping monster or something.”

“Alright, lemme help,” Sweetie Belle’s horn lit up and she began floating books over to the pile one at a time. They were almost done when her eyes caught a hefty moss-green hardcover book that Spike had just tossed into the air.

“What's that one?” Sweetie asked, snatching it with her magic and floating it over to her.

Spike inhaled deeply and spit a stream of fire onto the pile. The books burst into flame and immediately began cooking. “That’s a copy of a secret cursed spellbook I found once… it’s uh, like, really cursed. That's why I’m burning it.”

“How’s it cursed?” Sweetie held the book in her hands and eyed it. The design on the front was intricate and eye catching, and it felt nice to hold it.

“It’s like, I let Rarity use it and like, it kind of made her mad with power and stuff and like… its bad just throw it in the fire I’ll explain in a minute!” Spike ran into the dense foliage at the edge of the clearing with his claws fumbling at his belt.

“Power...?” Sweeties eyes lit up, her thumb tracing a small circle on the books cover. Sweetie Belle looked at the burning pile of ashen pages, then back to the book, then to the fire again.

“Alright Spike, I’m tossing it into the fire!” Sweetie Belle called out into the treeline, then stuffed the spellbook into her knapsack and turned tail towards home. If Rarity had used it and was still fine what harm could there be in taking a look?

Back in her bedroom Sweetie Belle was sprawled out on the comforter with the book wide open on the pillow. She flipped through it with interest, legs idly kicking in the air as she did.

“These are weird,” she muttered to herself, occasionally spying a oddly titled spell name or visual interpretation of an arcane ritual circle. Some of these spells were very dated and needed multiple unicorns to cast too. Sweetie skipped all of the magic that had extra requirements or seemed too difficult.

“Ooh here we go!” Sweetie stopped at a crude illustration of a very tall adult mare next to an average sized smaller mare. A height indicator was next to them, although the numerics were faded. The larger mare was more than two heads taller. “No circles, no rituals. Solo cast! Perfect!”

Sweetie Belle traced her index finger along the words near the bottom of the text. “The spell hereto written may be executed at any time within the regular duration of Lunar and Solar cycles, discounting partial or total eclipse of either body. This particular magical weave self-casts upon verbal proclamation. Alteration of the spell renders said magic inert and useless as said incantation draws, consumes and proliferates the energy triggered via the Sin of Envy, infused with Lust. No other Sin(s) may substitute.”

Sweetie Belle felt a shudder creep up her spine.

Heart’s Desire, Burning Sleep,” began Sweetie Belle, reading the next line. A sickly green light began filling the black text, “Take All Hate, Emotion Cheap… Ascend Thyself With The Jealous Wicked, Goad All Fools, The Weak Strick-ed.”

The magic lettering flowed up to the tip of Sweetie’s horn, traveling down the spiral fluting all the way to the base, where it disappeared inside of her skull. It felt really nice. Like she’d just had a nice massage at the top of her head. Sweetie Belle sat up and inspected her body for any changes. Not seeing anything she shrugged and pulled herself under the covers. Simmering energy settled within her and perhaps tomorrow she would wake up a new mare.