Hours Always Slip By When You Could Be Doing More
Author's Note
I am sorry for making a sad story for you.. It was supposed to be melodic, and definitely sad, but with something heartwarming at the end - but around issues like this, you can’t always get away with non sadness. I hope fourths, you enjoy this anyway. It came from a special place from me. I hope you have a good holiday season this year!
Hours Always Slip By When You Could Be Doing More
“What do you mean that you don’t take cats for boarding? Don’t you have the room for it now with Fluttershy now having her animal sanctuary?”
One white hoof slammed down on the desk as Rarity stood off against the mare on the other side of the room, eyes narrowed to slits. This could not be happening, not today, not when she had to leave the train in - oh sweet Celestia, an hour. How had things turned out so wrong so fast?
“I’m sorry Rarity, I just can’t keep Opal for two days here. I don’t have another staff to help run this place - Zipporwhill is just a volunteer of mine, and considering that she has school, it isn’t like she can afford to help me run this place at night,” Dr. Fauna said, as she opened several cabinets, poking her head inside, before retreating it to slam them again. “Maybe if you had told me sooner, I could have arranged things, but…” She paused, turning to face Rarity with a raised brow. “Why don’t you have Fluttershy run things?”
An albeit small, yet all the same frustrated snort escaped Rarity. “Oh, I would have, most certainly. That had been the plan until…” Rarity raised a hoof in the air, gesturing towards the one window in the office. “The map does what it always seems to do at unseemly times: call. Both Fluttershy and Applejack are once again out of town on some kind of friendship mission, at the worst possible time too!”
“Call?” Dr. Fauna said, raising an eyebrow as she continued her search of medication. “It’s still doing that whole thing even after Princess Twilight moved to Canterlot?”
“It seems so,” Rarity replied, a bit of annoyance seeping into her tone. “I mean, I have no problems with helping out as many ponies as we can by way of friendship missions, but… does it always have to come at such inopportune times?” She huffed. “What else can I do with Opalescence for these next two days? I’d say I’d watch her on my trip to my shops, but I’ve already promised Sweetie Belle to take her with me, and we’ve got the tickets and everything!” Not to mention, Rarity had already bought her sister tickets to one of the shows on Bridleway, to make up for the fact that Rarity would probably be too busy to actually spend much of the time doing what her sister would have liked to do on a more… calm trip to Manehattan and Canterlot.
“I’d say you could just leave her at Fluttershy’s sanctuary - it would be what I would recommend in a normal situatio- here it is!” Dr. Fauna said, as her hoof quickly wrapped around a bottle that she pulled out and held out to Rarity.
“Thank you, dear,” Rarity sighed, as her magic quickly picked up the small bottle, and after one quick check of examining the label, she nodded. “Yes, we both know… we can’t just do that. But thank you for the refill anyway. I guess I’ll have to find someone else to take over watching my Opalescence.”
“What about your parents, they’re still going to be in town, right?”
Before Dr. Fauna had even finished the question, Rarity had been shaking her head, a pained expression on her face. “No. Never. Never again. I know you mean well by your suggestion, but… my mother is frightfully forgetful, and my father doesn’t know how to take care of a cat at all. It would be a disaster.”
“... Is your sister going to be out and about on your trip to Manehattan and Canterlot? She’s getting older, right? Maybe she could watch her?”
Almost at once, the shaking of Rarity’s head resumed, until the mare paused. Well… that was true. Her sister was much more mature than she was the last time she had tried - and key word tried - to pet sit. Much more capable, too. Not to mention, she was able to help that other darling filly out with her dog. Maybe, just maybe… “You may have just given me an idea that could work out. Sure, it will be a bit more expensive to have a cat on-board a train, but…it’d be worth it.” A firmness had been given to the statement, as Rarity nodded to herself, blue eyes practically shining.
“I’ll have to make a few changes but - yes, thank you so much for the suggestion-” Rarity said, glancing at the clock again, and felt herself almost feel faint, as she realized the minutes had been dripping away as she conversed. “- but now I must run!” Rarity said, quickly nestling the bottle within her saddlebags as she turned to head to the door.“The train is going to be leaving at the top of the hour, and I must collect Sweetie Belle, Opal, and the rest of the things before I depart!”
“Wait, Rarity! One last thing. The next refill will be sometime after Hearths Warming. I’ll send you a letter when it’s ready.” Dr. Fauna said, a tired smile on her face. “Hope you have good holidays.”
“To you as well,” Rarity said, returning the smile before she was out of the door.
“And why do I have to watch her?” A small whine escaped the filly, as she lay on the seat, face down to look into the cat carrier beside her. Spitting could be heard from within the carrier, making sure that both Sweetie Belle, Rarity, and anyone within the vicinity could know that the cat inside was just as unhappy with the situation as the filly verbally complaining.
“Because no one else could, darling, and you know we need to keep a close eye on her. And in a way Sweetie, she is your pet too,” Rarity said, a gentle chiding tone to her voice as she curled up on the seat, eyes not set on Sweetie or the carrier for the moment, and instead on the small to-do list in front of her of the various things she’d need to do when she reached Manehattan. Cancel the other hotel and find one that actually allowed pets, go to her boutique and make sure things were running smoothly despite the holidays looming overhead, help finish what dresses she could, find the time to go to the Bridleway show, and then on top of that catch the train to Canterlot to make sure that things there were also going smoothly.
“No she isn’t. She hates me,” Sweetie mumbled, picking up a hoof and placing it closer to the edge of the carrier suspiciously, and not even jumping back as a white paw came out, batting at the hoof just out of reach, claws out. “See?”
“No, she doesn’t, she just… shows her affection in strange ways. Plus, I’m sure that she’s just a bit angry being cooped up like this.” Rarity said, looking up from her list momentarily before looking back down at it. Would it be easier to just let her workers take care of finishing the dresses there? Maybe… but then it wouldn’t be one hundred percent Rarity authentic. And she couldn’t bring herself to let that happen. But if she let her workers help, she would have time to work on some of her gifts for her friends. It was still about two weeks until Hearths Warming, but the earlier she could finish all her friend’s gifts, the sooner things could calm down. Not to mention, she’d maybe have to ship Twilight’s - if they couldn’t meet up in person before the holiday, then it would be something she had to -
“But I still don’t understand why I have to take care of her!” Sweetie said, frowning. “Wouldn’t Fluttershy be the better choice?”
“On a map mission, dear.”
“Applejack?” Sweetie tried.
“Also on the mission.”
For a moment, the filly paused, thinking. “Rainbow or Pinkie?”
“Rainbow is out of town practicing for a Wonderbolt’s routine, and Pinkie is currently knee deep helping the Cakes sort out orders, and not to mention planning her winter bash like normal.” Rarity said calmly, putting down the list once more. “Plus, unlike Applejack, Twilight, or Fluttershy, while I know both would mean well, I don’t know if they’d be able to give Opalescence all the attention she needs.”
“And I will?” Sweetie said, tilting her head as her frown deepened. “I thought we were going to do some stuff around Manehattan!”
“Oh, we will! It’s just… well, I’m going to be very busy with my shop. It is primarily going to be a business trip after all.” Rarity stated, now giving Sweetie Belle her full attention. “And since you’re still young, and this city is rather dangerous, I thought you knew you’d primarily be staying in the hotel.”
“Oh.” Sweetie said, shoulders hunching slightly. “I mean… I kind of guessed it.”
Seeing Sweetie’s expression, Rarity quickly put a foreleg over to give Sweetie a squeeze with. “While most of the time might not be as exciting as it could be, I do have this-” Two tickets levitated out of the saddlebags resting on the floor, waving themselves in front of Sweetie Belle.
For a moment, Sweetie stared blankly at them, before recognition lit up her eyes. “Are these Bridalway tickets?!” She practically shouted, quickly tugging the tickets into her own magical grasp, a squeal of excitement escaping her as she waved them around. “We’re really going?! Really!?”
“That is the plan, darling.” Rarity said, a small giggle escaping herself at seeing how excited her sister was. Ah, how the young were sometimes.
“This… is amazing!” Sweetie practically shouted again, before halting in her excitement, and turning to face Rarity. The excitement vanished, and suspicion had quickly replaced it. “You didn’t just get me these in order to get me to watch Opal, did you?”
“Do you really think I could get tickets the day before we’re going to see the show?” Rarity said, raising a brow. The matter of fact that she could, knowing this show’s designer, was not part of the equation that Sweetie knew. Even if she could, that wasn’t the case in this matter anyway.
“Hmm… I guess not. I still can’t believe it!” Back to excitement the filly swung, smiling. “This totally makes staying in the hotel worth it.”
“And - if we have the time, when we head to Canterlot…” Rarity began slowly, making the filly look to her, eyes wide as she waited for the news of the next surprise. “Maybe the two of us could go ice skating? I heard there’s a wonderful rink up there, and since we’ll be staying in the castle suite-”
“We’ll be staying in the castle suite?!” Sweetie said, nearly squealing again. Rarity could only let out another laugh, nodding.
“Yes, we will. So it will be quite a lot of fun, won’t it?”
“Definitely!” Sweetie said, sitting up and now looking out of the window, her excitement renewed despite the promise of watching over Opal.
“See?” Rarity said, petting the cat currently curled up tightly on a pillow in the middle of the hotel room they were in. Not nearly as nice as the one they would have originally gotten - but sacrifices had to be made sometimes, and sometimes, it is for the best that they were made. The hotel room was a pale blue with stripes, and two windows to look at the skyscrapers around. “She’s nice and calm now.” Rarity said simply, patting the cat a few more times. At first, Opal had seemed annoyed, before finally giving in to the petting, and even letting out a small purr in response.
“I guess I see,” Sweetie Belle had jumped on the other bed for now, her small suitcase still yet to be unpacked. Yet, with a cautious leap, she got off to look at Opal. For a few moments, both cat and filly regarded each other suspiciously, before Sweetie Belle hesitantly put a hoof out, giving Opal a small pet. The cat didn’t purr like it did for Rarity, but it didn’t take a swipe at Sweetie like it used to do when she was younger. After a few moments, more pets came, and Rarity could only let a small relieved sigh. So she could both trust Sweetie to be mature, and Opal to not scratch up her sister unprovoked. Good.
“Now, I need to go make a run to the store. Just get a few things done, before we go shopping later.”
“Shopping?” Sweetie Belle said, tilting her head.
“Why, yes! While I’ll be checking out some of the other fashion shops, I’m sure we could check out a few stores you’re interested in. Maybe even get some presents for your friends while you’re here? It’s not everyday you go to Manehattan after all.” After a moment, Sweetie nodded at this.
“I guess it would be sort of fun to see what is here,” Sweetie acknowledged.
“And then, tomorrow morning I’ll visit the shop again. But in the evening…” Rarity said with a prim smile, leaving the sentence hanging.
“Bridleway!” Sweetie Belle said, standing straight up from the petting with a wide grin. “I can’t wait! Though… what am I supposed to do between now and when you get back?”
“Surely you brought something to do while you wait for me?” Rarity said, an eyebrow going up as she looked at the suitcase left on the bed.
For a moment, Sweetie thought over what she packed before nodding. “Actually… yeah! I have a few books and even the pages of some of music lessons.” Sweetie said, sweeping her tail slightly.
“Good,” Rarity said, her horn lighting up as she opened her own suitcase, and taking out a fine dark blue hat to put upon her head. “Now, all of Opal’s things are in… this bag.” With another second, a smaller bag was floated over to Sweetie’s bed. “It has her food, water bowl, and of course her medication.”
“Medication?” Sweetie asked, now climbing upon her own bed again. The tiny filly seemed to look at the bag then at the cat, raising a brow.
“Yes, remember when I had that fright with Opal last Christmas Eve?”
For a few moments, Sweetie didn’t seem to, her face blank, before she blinked, a realization seeming to come over her. “Oh yeah! You… were really scared. And that’s why she takes medication now?”
“That is indeed why she takes medication now.” Rarity said, trotting over to give Opal one more pat, before going to the door. “Now, I’ll see you later. Take care, and take care of Opal! If you need anything, there is a small cafe in the hotel lobby. You can borrow some bits from my bags - as long as you spend wisely.” Rarity said, narrowing her eyes slightly before smiling. “Be back soon!~”
And with that, Rarity was out of the door.
Though it was also truly boring now. A small groan escaped Sweetie Belle, as she writhed around the bed, trying to focus upon the text in front of her. When she had asked about getting a book on the history of ponies getting cutiemarks, she didn’t think it’d be this boring! She thought it would at least help her out with her own special talent, but this book was less of a way to know how others could potentially get their cutiemarks than a dense guide on what cutiemarks ponies had gotten in the last few centuries. Sure, in a way it was interesting, but when you had nearly twenty pages dedicated to those with cutiemarks having to deal with gardening, it got a bit tiresome to read.
And there was nothing like her cutiemark in there either, which in another way was also disappointing. Twilight had told them that three ponies getting the same cutiemark was rare - but apparently Sweetie hadn’t until now realized how rare exactly that was. Clearly, most ponies got their cutiemarks singularly. There was only one brief mention of two ponies having similar cutiemarks appear near the same time, and that part hadn’t been elaborated on in a way Sweetie would have liked.
Now what was left to do? Sweetie had already set out both Opal’s food tray - filled with food, and a pill stuffed inside the rather bad smelling meal - and Opal’s water tray. Not to mention the litter box as well. And she had quickly realized that despite Opalescence now allowing her to pet her, she wasn’t one to want to play - or maybe it was just because Rarity had forgotten Opal’s cat toys. Considering that bringing Opal had been a last minute plan, that wasn’t surprising, but it also made things kind of boring.
Sweetie had also sung the few Show Tunes melodies that she had brought with her, but Sweetie had been quick to find out that could keep her occupied for so long, especially when she had already known most of these to heart by now. Maybe she could try some of Sapphire Shore’s songs? But… Show Tunes was more of in her range. There was always Colorura’s song tho-
“Sweetie! How are you?!” A voice called out, as the door to the hotel room swung open. And there, standing in the doorway, was a very frazzled looking Rarity. Almost immediately, the filly’s ears perked. Both in gratefulness that Rarity was finally back - but also in worry. Her sister only usually looked like that when things were truly stressful.
“I’m… good. Kind of bored, though. Are you ready to go shopping now though?” Sweetie said, picking her head up from between her forelegs as she smiled as her sister. The smile, however, only made the strained smile on Rarity’s petered out.
“I’m so, so, sorry darling, but… there has been a disaster in the store today.” Rarity said quietly, sighing. “It turns out, several things have gone wrong while I was gone - it always seems to be the Manehattan branch that does it - but - I must go out again. And we may not have time for shopping tonight, but I promise that I’ll make it up to you somehow. I just… things are bad right now.” As she had spoken, Rarity had gone to her suitcase, frantically searching for something within it, pulling out more than one articles of clothing and just depositing it on the floor.
“Oh…” Sweetie said, her enthusiasm deflating slightly. That was… disappointing. But also understandable. “Do you think we might have time for shopping tomorrow after Wicked…?” She asked softly, ears folding against her head as Rarity seemed to give it some thought, before a nod came.
“Yes, I do believe so - if nothing else goes wrong - be back as soon as I can! Remember, there is stuff to do downstairs if you get bored!” Rarity said as she practically ran back out, the door shutting behind her with a tug of magic.
And with that, there was now silence in the room again, as Sweetie stared forlornly at the door. Well… this sucked. It was completely understandable, but it still sucked. Now she was back alone again, and with now even more nothing to do. Sure, she could check downstairs, but… was there was much down there to do either? Perhaps. But if she spent doing it today, then she wouldn’t have anything to do in the morning when Rarity was gon-
A small meow came from next to Sweetie, as the filly nearly jolted when she realized that Opal had come up right next to her, staring her down. The cat’s green eyes blinked slowly as she stared at Sweetie, making Sweetie almost blink wildly in response. “Oh, hi Opal.” Sweetie said after a moment - it was almost easy to forget her, after having set her stuff up. The cat then looked at the door, before pressing herself up against Sweetie, a small purr escaping her.
“You’re… being very friendly,” Sweetie said, taking note of this. Opal never really purred around her before. Why now? For a moment, the cat looked at the door again before letting out another purr, and settling down to the sitting down filly. For a few moments, Sweetie looked to between the cat and the door. “Do you miss Rarity too?” Sure, it was just a guess, but maybe it was a worthwhile guess. The cat let out another small meow at that, head bobbing slightly. Well now that made more sense! Sweetie hadn’t ever really been left alone with Opal when Rarity wasn’t around - at least not before now. Maybe when she was really young, but that was a long time ago.
This time was definitely different.
“That was dreadful…” Rarity murmured to herself, as she walked to the hotel room, feeling as if she could scarcely take another step before falling over. So much rushing. So much preparation. So much tracking down a lost order due to a miscalculation in the post office. It seems that Ponyville wasn’t the only place with mail problems by far. Everything had led to the exhaustion that Rarity had right now, articulated quite well by the flattened hat on her head that was seemingly about to fall off. Not to mention the tiny bit of fine white powder that clung both to the hat and her purple mane and tail. Of course in the colder region of Manehattan it had started to snow, even if the snow didn’t cling to the sidewalk. Just to check off a perfect day, naturally enough.
It was what happened during the Hearths Warming season, but somehow each year it caught her unaware, coming her in surprise. Every year, thinking she was ready and prepared by the year that had come before, and yet it never got easier. And that made everything so much more tiring. Yet here she was, finally, opening the door to her room finally - even if it was eleven o’clock in the evening.
And to most wonderful of sights, she must admit. A small smile appeared on her face, followed by a raising of one hoof to her mouth as she held back the urge to let out a small giggle. There was her younger sister and her pet, curled up together on Sweetie Belle’s bed, both fast asleep - yet Rarity could almost swear she could still hear the cat purring softly.
So adorable! And yet… it sent another pang. Rarity didn’t mean to neglect Sweetie Belle tonight, but… for half the day, the filly had been cooped up within this hotel room. There was at least evidence she had gone down for a meal, but that was seemingly to the fullest extent the filly had traveled after arriving at the hotel room.
Rarity had to make it up to her. Tomorrow, an evening full of fun! Musicals and shopping, and seeing the delight of the city within the holiday decorations! She would make it the best evening she could for her little sister.
“Bits for the arcade?” Sweetie asked, looking at the pile of bits now on her bed. “And there’s a pool downstairs?” Sweetie asked as she looked back up at Rarity who adorned a small tired smile on her face.
“Yes, darling, there is. And I hope you get to enjoy it to its extent before I come back. I should be finished with plenty of time before the musical now that I’m back on schedule, but I want you to be able to enjoy yourself before I get back.”
“Well… playing video games is more of Button Mash’s thing. But I think I can also really enjoy it!” Sweetie said, hoof wrapping around the bits as she smiled at Rarity. “Thank you Rarity! I can’t wait until I see you tonight.”
“Me either, Sweetie, me either.” Rarity said, smiling, and smiling as Opal came over, to push herself against Rarity’s hoof. “Oh, I would give you some more pets too, Opal, but I must be going!” Rarity said, with a grin. “I’ll see the both of you later. Take care!”
Sweetie had definitely occupied herself with playing some games, taking a small dip in the pool, and even getting another bite in the cafe. At least this wasn’t as bad as the evening had been yesterday - and Sweetie had even the time to make sure she could add the rest of the bits she hadn’t used at the cafe and arcade to her own collection, so she’d have plenty of bits for present shopping later.
And yet when she came back to the room, the process from last night was repeated, with Opal pressing herself up against Sweetie, purring louder than ever, before looking at the door, and doing the same thing. Sweetie had taken the care to administer food, water, and the same medication as yesterday, and yet she was still doing this. It was mysterious, but… maybe it was because Opal couldn’t do the things Sweetie could. Unlike Sweetie, Opal was confined to this room and that was it. Sweetie would probably go crazy too if she wasn’t even allowed to leave here. “I’m sorry, Opal. Rarity will be back soon…” Sweetie said, reaching to stroke Opal again. At least the cat seemed to like that well enough.
“I’m here!~” Rarity’s voice came through the other side of the door, before it swung open. “Oh, it’s good to see you and Opal getting along so well Sweetie. I forgot to mention that last night, but you two looked positively adorable snuggled up together!”
Sweetie felt herself heat up beneath her white fur, as she bobbed her head. It… kind of was embarrassing in a way, but Sweetie couldn’t say that she wasn’t glad for the company of the cat rather than the loneliness that would have stretched without Opal around. “Thanks…?”
“Oh, but we must get going Sweetie. Traffic is horrendous, and we don’t want to be late to our show, do we?” Rarity said, levitating from her bags the tickets. “Get your bit purse also, we’ll have plenty of time for shopping also while we’re out there.”
A small meow echoed across the room, in response, as Opal leapt off the bed from her spot next to Sweetie, and went to stare right at Rarity, eyes intense. For a few moments, Rarity seemed to tilt her head before laughing. “Oh Opal, we’ll have time to snuggle also later. When I get back to the hotel, we can snuggle the night away. We only take the train in the morning.”
The response didn’t seem to pacify Opal, as she meowed again, a bit of more insistently this time - before going to lay on her own bed, away from both Sweetie’s and Rarity’s. Sweetie couldn’t help but frown at the cat, before going to her sister’s side. She was… starting to understand more of Opal, but that didn’t quite mean Sweetie did yet. Cats just seemed pretty weird still in general to her. “We’ll be back later Opal!” Sweetie said, hoping that maybe her response will help also, as she reached with her magic for her coat - it was quite chilly at this time of year.
Hopefully Opal wouldn’t be too alone with both of them gone yet.
“Now come on, let’s get going.” Rarity said, ushering Sweetie out of the room, with the door closing behind both of them this time.
“That… was… a rush!” Sweetie cried, as she trotted happily next to her sister, eyes alight with excitement as she ran down the carpeted hallway of the hotel, past the numbered doors in order to get to their own door. Rarity could only chuckle - Sweetie was only running like that because she didn’t have the mountain of bags that Rarity was carrying right now. And yet, it was good to see her sister happy as such.
“I’m glad you like it, Sweetie. Now, was your favorite part the musical or the shopping?” Rarity asked, a teasing note to her voice as she finally made it to the door Sweetie was bouncing in front of.
“The musical, duh! But… I guess the shopping was cool too. I got all the gifts for my friends,” Sweetie said, smiling more happily. “Now I don’t have to go shopping later! And it was so cool seeing how all the stores got Christmas decorations in their windows, and, everything was great!”
“What about for mother and father?” Sweetie opened her mouth, before closing it in response to that question.
“Oh. Yeah.”
Rarity let out another smile as she gave a bit more power to her horn in order to open the room and levitate the bags in. “Right. At least I don’t have the pleasure of being dragged around them in different stores anymore.”
“You only have to do that with me now,” Sweetie said, sticking out her tongue slightly, before hopping up onto her bed, using her magic to fling her coat to the floor.
“Hmph, I suppose I do,” Rarity said, before heading over to her own bed. While she was tempted to sleep right then - while she was nowhere near as exhausted as she was the day prior, she was exhausted in a different way, and yearned to just rest - she had one last promise to keep. “Opal! Come here. Now we can snuggle together!”
There was no response. Rarity frowned, now moving to the edge of the bed to look down at the cat bed, and the cat looking up at her from it. “Opal? Are you okay?”
The only response was a look given through green eyes, that made Rarity immediately get off her bed, and crouch down to Opal’s level. “Darling… are you okay?” The question was repeated, as Rarity’s own eyes narrowed as she looked at her cat. The cat wasn’t moving. A small, albeit weak, meow escaped the cat, before the small rumble of purring.
“Is she alright?” Rarity’s head snapped around, to see Sweetie Belle looking at her and Opal.
“No,” Rarity breathed softly. “Sweetie, go flag down a carriage right now. We need to find a twenty four seven vet.”
For a moment, the filly stiffened, eyes wide, before she raced out of the room, hoofsteps loud as they carried her away - and Rarity could only think that the sound matched the fearful beating of her own heart as she used another hoof to stroke her purring cat.
“Why are we going to a vet?”
Sweetie Belle was shivering slightly, as she realized in the rush of everything, she had forgotten to bring her coat. Rarity on the other hoof had never took hers off, and was currently holding the cat carrier to her chest tightly. When no answer came out of the older mare, Sweetie felt another shudder run through her, before she turned her eyes to the lit roads of the night. Manehattan at night just an hour ago seemed so fun, seeing the brightly lit shops, even if Sweetie couldn’t see the stars above. Now, it just seemed dark and dreary without the stars.
“Rarity, why are we going to a vet?” Sweetie asked again, most insistently this time. Traffic was slow, and the stallion pulling their carriage was trying to find an open vet as best as he could, but… it was hard.
“Sweetie… Opal has been sick. For a while now. I thought you knew that.” Rarity’s voice, compared to the warmth and love in it earlier, was now brittle, as two hooves pulled the cat carrier closer to her body, as if trying to spread her heat to the carrier. “Last year… she was diagnosed with something. Something terrible.”
“Yeah, but… she seemed fine earlier. She was even purring all the time, and even when you said to go get the carriage.” Sweetie said, trying to keep her voice steady, but it cracked on the end, as she leaned towards her sister, also hoping to catch a hint of warmth. Still, unlike the carrier in her lap, her sister didn’t seem to notice her.
“She was purring all the time?!” Rarity said, her voice near alarmed, and Sweetie shrank down. Her sister very rarely screamed like that. Sure, she had her more fantastical worried moments, but this… this was different. This was terror mixed with sadness, mixed with something else.
“Yes, but… doesn’t that mean cats are happy?” Sweetie said, quietly, now looking in the carrier, as the entrance to it was facing her. A blanket, and Opal were in there, yet neither seemed to move.
“No, not always. Most of the time, yes, but there are times when it means they are stressed, sick, or worried,” Rarity sighed. “It’s not common knowledge amongst those who don’t know cats well.”
“Oh…” Was that what Opal had been trying to tell her? Not to comfort her, but that she had been sick? Sweetie couldn’t help but be a bit sick at the thought. Did she miss the signs? Slowly, she raised a hoof, pressing it against the carrier. No stirring from the cat. No purring. Nothing. For a few moments, terror flooded Sweetie. “Is she dead?” Sweetie said, the emotion seeping into her voice as she retreated her hoof.
“What?!” Rarity said, feeling alarmed as she quickly unlatched the carrier and putting a hoof inside, seemingly not a hint of fear over that. For a few moments, Rarity’s eyes were wide, before she relaxed. “No, no, she’s breathing for now. She’s good-” Rarity said, retreating her own hoof and closing the carrier for now.
And yet, the feeling of terror did not leave Sweetie, and the younger sister doubted it left Rarity either as more and more minutes passed as they searched the city. Until finally - there was a vet.
“Thank Celestia!” Rarity cried, seeing the bright twenty-four / seven light blaring, with her quickly jumping off the carriage, and Sweetie soon following suit. A few bits were hastily passed to the driver with magic, before he quickly ran off. Quickly enough, Rarity was opening the door to the vet office, letting Sweetie Belle in first, while levitating the carrier, and heading inside. Inside… well, it was certainly a bigger place than what Fluttershy’s living room, or even where Dr. Fauna worked Sweetie thought to herself. The walls were a pale yellow, and there seemed to be one large receptionist room with two hallways on either side of the room leading further into the building.
“Please! Please, we have a lethargic cat that needs help!” Rarity said, stomping her hoof on the ground, as Sweetie trembled while now in the warmth of the vet office, her eyes darting around to strangers looking around.
Still, the receptionist seemed calm as she put a hoof down on the table. “Put the carrier here - we’ll get a doctor out to check her. Let her warm up.” The mare said, leaving to go find the doctor it seemed, while both Belles waited by the front desk, trying to not acknowledge it had been nearly twenty minutes since they first set out.
Soon enough, the receptionist mare and another had come out, with the doctor having a stethoscope, quickly using magic to put it on herself and open the door to the cage, quietly pulling Opal out.
Opal… who looked lifeless. Green eyes were locked on a place far away, past all the ponies present as the doctor checked her heart rate, even leaning in closer. For a few moments, the doctor checked again and again before pulling away slowly, and not moving to take her. “I’m sorry.”
Two words. Two words from some stranger that Sweetie had only seen for the first time a minute ago, yet they made the world of difference, as her ears folded back. “Oh.”
Rarity, on the other hoof, said nothing, simply staring at the tiny limp body in front of her.
“Would… you both like some time with her in the back?” The doctor asked, seeming to try to get Rarity’s attention whose face snapped up, and a small nod was given. Slowly, blue magic surrounded the body, and Sweetie soon realized it was Rarity, not the doctor who was carrying what used to be Opal to the back, and Sweetie found herself moving after them without even thinking.
It was a vet room, and the three entered, though the doctor moved to the door after Opal was put down gently. After a few moments, Rarity slowly looked at the veterinarian. ““How did it happen?” She asked softly, one hoof reaching to stroke the body. “She was fine just a couple of hours ago?”
The vet seemed to consider things. “Has she been suffering from anything?”
“Cancer. She had a tumor growing inside her.” Sweetie’s head whipped to face Rarity as she spoke, green eyes widening. That’s what happened? “We had found out before the holidays last year…”
“Then it’s likely the tumor burst, and she died from internal bleeding. There was nothing that could have been done about that.” The vet sighed.
“How long she was in pain?” Rarity whispered, stopping her stroking. Her face was hidden by her now messed up hair, curling around her face.
“Only a few hours. It usually sets on quickly.” The vet said, not blinking. It seemed to not be that unusual of an occurence.“I’ll… give you two a few moments.”
“Thank you.”
Both were silent was she left.
“Why didn’t I see that something was wrong?” Sweetie said softly, a sense of hollowness now in her chest as she realized that the most time she had sat with the cat on the small table in the middle of the room, had been the last few days. And she might have been…
“Oh Sweetie-” Rarity had turned towards her now, unshed tears within her eyes. “You couldn’t have known.” A hoof reached for Sweetie Belle now, wrapping her in a big hug.
“But… but you said purring could mean anything! What if she was trying to tell me- tell me something was wrong?!” Sweetie said, blinking her eyes now, surprised by her own tears. This was horrible. She didn’t - it wasn’t even her own cat. It was Rarity’s. And yet she was sad anyway, as she leaned in the hug her sister was giving her.
“Yes, but that also might have meant that she was just… happy. At the end, she was purring because she was hurt, yes. But I’m doubtful her tumor had burst when she was with you, dear-” A small hiccup like noise left Rarity, as she quickly wrapped her other foreleg around Sweetie too. “She… she probably was just enjoying her time with you. I just wish I could have hugged her before she went…”
“She… she always missed you when you went out of the hotel room. I could tell you guys had a really strong bond.” Sweetie whispered, hugging her sister back slightly.
“Oh, of course she did-” Rarity sighed, now leaning back to wipe her eyes with one hoof. “Did you know, she always kept me on track while I worked? She was always a wonderful dear like that… and she always… well, she was a good cat.”
“... Can you tell me more about her?” Sweetie breathed, as the two finally released each other from the hug, both now looking at the small body. “After we get out of here…?”
“... Yes, Sweetie, I think I will. I… think it would be good for the both of us.” Rarity sighed, now going over and stroking Opal a few more times. “... I think, for both of our sakes, we should go back home. I’m sure Sassy can take care of the Canterlot Boutique. We… we have some matters to take care of.” Rarity paused in her stroking. “I’ll go fill out some paperwork… you stay here Sweetie. And thank you. For being there for her, while I couldn’t be.”
Rarity dipped her head slightly, before leaving the room, and leaving Sweetie in it.
The hollowness remained in the young filly’s chest, but… there was something else there too.
Now she just had to figure that out.
