Rarity had a very strict routine with her evenings. This is what everypony who had ever tried to ask her for late night plans had been told. It was, for the most part, very true. Starting no later than half past eight she'd pick up a book and read until nine or until the end of the chapter, depending which came first. She then draw a bath, making sure the temperature was to her liking and that her herbal blend diffused properly into the water. She'd let herself soak for no longer than ten minutes to let the herbal blend do its work on her skin. She'd dip a cloth in the water and then carefully remove her makeup before submerging beneath the steaming surface, letting the blend of temperature and herbal water open her pores.

She'd then rise like some odd version of the phoenix, rub herself down with the finest soap, ensuring every inch of her immaculate body was well and truly clean. Washing this off with the aid of an exfoliating sponge ensured she never had to worry about blemishes developing, truly a blessing. Next she'd take her various hair cleaning products - the particulars of which are a secret from even her friends - and go through the time consuming process of tending her hair.

By this point it was usually half passed the hour. She let the water out, remaining in the tub while it did. Once fully drained, she'd use some magic to remove the last bit of water from her skin as she stepped out from the tub, sending it down the drain. She'd dress in her evening robe, apply a blend of various beautifying products to her face, and put a series of curlers in her hair. By this point she was an odd sight to see. A sort of light green monster in a frilly pink robe. Somepony somewhere likely had seen her in their nightmares in this form. Others had seen her like this in some of their special dreams.

This was the routine, the nightly ritual Rarity had nearly always followed. Of course there were exceptions. She couldn't exactly manage all of this when she was out solving a friendship problem, it was a difficulty even her ingenuity hadn't tried to broach. She did have a miniaturized version of her ritual for the road, but it was nothing as wonderful as her usual self indulgence.

There were other reasons to not go through with the ritual beyond travel. Today had presented one of those reasons. She had watched a young filly display certain skills that were... impressive was a kind word for it. A very good reason to Rarity to forego her nightly routine - at least in part - was a good sisterly chat. As far as Rarity was concerned, one night wouldn't be the end of it all. She'd hop right back to the routine the next night, family was more important.

She had considered putting the talk off until morning, after all, she had been the only one to see the other ponies off besides Crescendo. She had done a blitz on her stock of fairly common clothes, finding and packing the pieces before bolting out the door. She was glad she had elected to wear the outfit that afforded her the opportunity to wear flats instead of heels - she might've been well skilled at running in heels, but all heels had a point at which they'd snap dramatically and send you right into a puddle of mud. She had a variety of outfits that were well complimented by a good smattering of mud after a set of heels betrayed you, but she wasn't chasing a possible love interest to the train station just as they were about to leave forever - she was just delivering a gift.

Even so, even having been the only one to run all the way out there to see them off and present a final gift; even with the fact she had gotten back to the Boutique five minutes after the point she should've been relaxing with a nice book; and even though she felt she could really use the relaxation, she simply couldn't do it. Family was more important. She needed to talk with the filly.

Walking up the stairs to the residential portion of the Boutique, she found it slightly odd how quiet it was. Sweetie was usually up late on her computer, doing some thing or another. She'd usually have to tell her little sister to quiet it down a tad bit, but not tonight for some reason. Rarity arrived at the door to the room, hesitating slightly as she considered whether or not to actually try and talk to her sister. The sound of gaming wasn't present, but there was light coming out from under the door, Sweetie was definitely inside. This was a subject that needed to be brought up eventually, but was now the time?

"There's no time like the present, Rarity." She thought to herself. Nodding at her own internal voice, she knocked at an acceptable level on the door. It was at this point Rarity realized something. It was hard to notice it when she had hesitated, or when she had been looking for the sounds of her sister gaming, but now it was obvious. Not because she had noticed it, but because she found herself not noticing it. There had been noise. It just happened to be a sound she wasn't looking for and so hadn't noticed as much as she had noticed the lack of the sounds of gaming. The type of sound you could more than recognize due to its abrupt halt. She had heard it halt as suddenly before.

Rarity sighed, opening the door, more than aware what she'd find. "No, please, Ms. Applebloom, I want to talk with you too." She said as she entered. The earth pony filly was currently frozen in the window, her body stopping abruptly in the action of slinging her overalls on without even having her shirt on. Sweetie was in her bed, hiding her presumably naked form with a blanket.

Rarity walked over, sitting down on the bed, patting the space beside her for Applebloom. Applebloom, for her part, was just as close to fully diving out of the window into the tree across the short gap, but in the end, she elected to take the talking to and then walk out the front door. It would likely result in less pain if she did that. At least physical.

"W-we can explain!" Sweetie squeaked, pulling the covers higher up, covering her nose. Rarity pulled the blanket down slightly, placing an open hand on the side of Sweetie's face.

"You are growing up so fast." Rarity said, a twinge of nostalgia evident in her voice. It hadn't been so long ago that the Cutie Mark Crusaders had failed in one of the most spectacular of ways at their talent show. Not too long ago, it seemed, they had gotten their cutie marks. Now... now they weren't really fillies anymore.

"I'm not mad at either of you." Rarity said, retrieving her hand, looking over to Applebloom before moving right back to Sweetie as the farm pony threw on her shirt without a bra on. It wasn't as if Rarity hadn't seen everything the pony had to show, but certain things were just common decency. "Maybe a tad disappointed that you thought you still needed to hide it from me. Most everypony in town already knows after all."

It was true, you'd have to be blind, deaf, and thoroughly disconnected from society to not think the two young mares were an item. True, they didn't kiss in public or share milkshakes like other couples, but the way they were always a joint package, how if you wanted one, you'd have to tie down the other to not get them too was evidence enough. It was, as some put it, an open secret. Well known to be the case, but no pony actually had ever been told by the two ponies.

Beyond that, this wasn't even the first time Rarity had walked in on them like this. The first time she had heard the rustling from the bedroom, she had thought Sweetie was just having some 'personal' time, and so didn't interrupt. She'd notice the sound off and on, but one time she hadn't quite payed enough attention and then walked in on the two, with Applebloom defenestrating herself towards the tree that stood near enough to the boutique to be a relatively safe getaway. The series of encounters she had intentionally not interrupted was the reason she hadn't quite heard the sound. She was just too used to it to notice. It was the quieter of the two activities her sister took part in, oddly enough, and so was - despite the connotations - the preferred nightly recreation in as far as it didn't interrupt Rarity's nightly ritual.

"Well, yeah, but that's different." Sweetie argued, letting the blanket lay like a bib across her chest. "Like everypony knows that Scoots is dating like five guys and three girls, but she won't let anypony catch her with any one of them in bed unless they're meant to join in." Rarity quickly filed away the image of the little pegasus taking eight ponies at once for destruction at the earliest moment.

"Have you told Applejack?" Rarity asked, looking to Applebloom, now clothed. The farm pony looked ashamed, looking down with a shake of her head. "Do you mean to tell her?" She shook her head once more. "Darling, Applebloom, you have to tell her at some point."

"That's just it." Applebloom sighed. "I don't want to tell her. Or anypony for that matter."

"And why's that?" Rarity asked gently, giving the younger mare all the time she needed to formulate an answer. Applebloom closed her eyes in thought. It wasn't exactly clear to even Applebloom why she didn't want her sister to know. It wasn't as if they were that good at hiding it. They practically hung off of each other in public. They might as well be connected at the hip!

"Because... because then its real." Applebloom confessed in a near whisper. Rarity nodded solemnly. Sweetie, for her part, didn't seem shocked or offended by this. This might've been one of those questions that they had talked around enough that both of them had something approaching an understanding concerning the question's hypothetical answer - despite the fact that neither of them had actually gotten as far as asking said question. Sort of how no polite couple asked 'Are they real or did you just spend a lot of money on them?'

"Applebloom, dear, I can tell you are worried." Rarity began, placing a gentle hand on her sister's lover's shoulder. Applebloom looked up to look Rarity in the eyes. "I hope you understand that just because something is real doesn't mean it's any less than something secret."

"I-i-it's just that... that I've tried with other ponies." Applebloom confessed. "I've tried dating before... and it never works out. We'll do well up to the point of letting it stop being a secret... and then they leave." Rarity let a gentle smile touch her features.

"Dear, I think that if Sweetie wanted to stop the relationship that it wouldn't have lasted this long." Rarity said, looking over to the mare in question. Sweetie nodded as she looked to Applebloom. "I know secrets can be enticing, exhilarating, and even invigorating, but being honest with those around you is important." Rarity returned her gaze to Applebloom, squeezing her shoulder gently, as if her grip would grant the young mare strength. "Trust me, Applejack already knows and only waits for you to tell her. She wants to be happy with you, we all do. She doesn't want to put you in a position to lie about you and Sweetie, and so she is just waiting for you to tell her yourself."

Applebloom looked between Rarity and Sweetie, conflict written across her face. It was obvious, at least to Rarity, that Applebloom desperately wanted to shout that she and Sweetie were together as a pair, but that fear still had a grip on her heart. She was a captive in a sense, both wanting to be free but scared what freedom meant for her and the life she loved.

"You don't have to tell her tonight or tomorrow or even overmorrow. Do it in your own time, don't let me force you into it. Just be sure that you two do tell us all when you are ready." Rarity said before standing up from the bed. "You two can continue having your fun in here for the night, but do be sure you get home in time to not be suspicious. Wouldn't want Applejack on your case for not being on time for chores." With that, Rarity left the two young mares in the room, closing the door. She could already hear them talking to one another. That much was always good.

Rarity sighed, looking around the hallway as if to find her next task - a result of abandoning her nightly ritual. One thing she did need to do, however, was check to make sure the place was well and truly closed up. She hadn't technically opened up during the day, so everything should've been closed as tightly as the previous night, but Rarity hadn't succeeded at business by assuming things.

Slowly, she began checking over the windows, starting in the upstairs - disregarding the one in Sweetie's room. Sweetie would take care of that on her own - especially since she hated the cold. Her route eventually went downstairs, checking over the back door and the windows until she came around and checked the front door, finding it unlocked. She paused, and then shook her head. She had come in after delivering a gift. She likely had just forgotten to lock it back up.

That thought departed her as soon as it came to her mind as a gentle, yet wholly unexpected, tap touched her on the shoulder. She turned all at once, lighting her horn, only to be confronted with black and a flash of green even as she went to scream.

The two young mares made their way along the path. Rarity had suddenly disappeared from the Boutique, but the sound of talking and the furious scribbling of pencil emanating from the fashionista's locked room had assuage all fears. She had likely had inspiration for a design of some sort. It usually happened that way. Fortunately, it wasn't Rarity herself they had needed. Rarity's words to them had struck a cord, and something had to be done. There were steps to be taken in the morning, yes, but certain steps couldn't wait.

Sweetie Belle knocked on the door and then moved back to stand beside Applebloom, hugging her in a display of comfort and support. A brief moment later, the door opened up slowly. A blue stallion peaked out, his black hair in its usual somewhat disheveled look.

"Hello?" Crescendo asked, looking out to the two mares who called at such a late hour.

"We need to talk." Sweetie said in her most serious tone.

Author's Note

Overmorrow - Noun
(archaic) The day after tomorrow.

I'm frikin bringing this word back, so help me.