At my friends’ insistence, I now stand in front of the door to my sister's shop in Ponyville, the Carousel Boutique. But, after what I suffered at my parents’ home, I am both very nervous and reluctant to knock on the closed door.

“Well? Go on, Sweetie Belle. Knock on it,” my orange filly friend, Scootaloo, encourages me impatiently. “What are you waiting for?”

“She's probably just nervous to see her older sister after what she endured at her parents’ place,” Ocellus guesses wisely. “Having seen that myself, I don't blame her.”

“Yeah, I'm nervous,” I confirm while still eyeing Rarity's front door with worry. “What if Rarity rejects me too? After what I suffered at my Mom and Dad's place, I just don't think I can take much more.”

“Well, I uh . . . You're never going to find out unless you try,” Scootaloo encourages. “If it helps, do you want me to knock on the door?”

“Or y'all can just go on inside,” Apple Bloom reminds us. “This ain't just 'er home, it's a shop and it's open at this hour.”

I moan a bit as I cringe nervously.

Then I squeak, startled, when a hoof lands on my shoulder. So far, the sound I just made sounds the closest to my actual voice that I ever heard since my transformation.

After that, I whip my head back to look at who touched me. Upon doing so, I see Apple Bloom reach an encouraging hoof forward as she says, “Go on Sweetie Belle. We'll be right beside ya. We'll even explain yer situation if y'er too nervous to talk.”

Feeling a little more encouraged, I nod at her then look forward, breathe deep, then knock on the door.

“It's oh-peeeeeeeeen,” my sister calls through the door almost melodically, then says in a more normal tone, “Come in, darling. Don't be shy.”

I take another deep breath, hold it, then release it slowly before I rise from my sitting position. After that, I push open the door. A familiar bell rings above the door when I do so. My friends shortly follow when I cross the threshold.

“Welcome to Carousel Boutique,” says my distracted sister who appears busy working on something. I can't tell what it is but I have all the evidence in the world that it's probably another dress. The reason I can't be too sure is her back is to me and her own white body is blocking my view of anything ahead of her. But, given the fact that I know that is a sewing workstation and the fact that various fabrics are floating nearby her as if waiting their turn to be used, I'm as positive as I can be as to what she's doing without totally knowing for sure.

“Make yourselves at home, darling,” Rarity invites. “I'll be with you in a moment.”

“Thank you Miss R,” Scootaloo responds.

At first my sister is looking down and concentrating hard on her work. But, upon hearing Scootaloo's voice, her head and ears perk up in surprise for some reason. Following that, she turns her head about to look back at Scootaloo with her sapphire eyes. What she sees seems to double her surprise.

“Oh my goodness! So many guests have come to my shop. And what are you doing here, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom? Isn't it a little late for you to come to my shop?”

“Ah, well . . .” Scootaloo begins in very familiar sort of discomfort. Her attitude is downright identical to how she reacted in front of my parents. “. . . the thing is-”

“And who is this?” my sister interrupts as her reading glasses float off her face as she regards me. “A changeling in my shop?” Scanning further, she soon corrects herself. “Actually, no. I sit corrected. There are two changelings in my shop right now.

“Hello, Ocellus. Nice to see you again.” She tilts her head curiously. “And who is your new . . . friend?” Rarity asks with a short pause which, to her credit, is the only sign she gave so far which reveals how nervous she is to meet me. I know for a fact that my sister saw evil changelings on the same day that I had, but I heard she had a few more encounters against them since then.

Maybe we all made more encounters than we realize. When it comes to changelings, we can't be totally certain how many times we met them in disguise. That makes me wonder if at least changelings can tell the difference or not while they are disguised.

“Well, there's a lot to explain,” Ocellus offers sheepishly. “I see you are working on another dress.”

Rarity glances at the dress she was working on as she explains, “Correct. I was working on some touch-ups on an old order I was falling behind on.” She sighs. “I really need to hire a little more help these days. Between my work with my various shops and the work I do at school, I am really getting loaded on some backorders.” She looks up. “Plus I would like to get to this work when inspiration strikes me.”

Next, my sister swivels on her stool until she fully faces us. “I take it this is going to be a long story, isn't it? Why don't you all come in and lock the door. After that, I'll prepare us a spot of tea while you all explain to me why you have come to my shop tonight.”

As she says this, I can't help but notice she keeps a cautious eye on me. To her continuing credit, she isn't panicking or fainting, yet I still note that subtle wary look in her eyes. Seeing an un-reformed changeling before her eyes is quite likely bringing back some bad memories for her.

I realize this is ridiculous, but I had hoped she would immediately recognize me on sight for some odd reason. Maybe if I was wearing something distinctive like Apple Bloom's big red bow behind her head, it might have tipped my sister off enough to set her on the right track. As it stands, however, I must appear to be a moderately dangerous stranger standing in her shop. Probably the only reason she isn't freaking out right now is because she is observing how calmly my friends are reacting around me.

We did as she suggested. As she prepares tea for her guests, we elaborate on why we've come and how this happened. For the most part, it is my friends doing the explanation.

During that time I am totally shocked at how calmly my sister is hoofling the news. I see her floating up tea bags and sniffs them casually before setting them in the tea cups while we tell her what should be very alarming news. The way she is reacting is as if she hears news like this every day. And here I was thinking she'd need her fainting couch in seconds. My sister used to be a very dramatic drama queen when it comes to issues like this. I still haven't figured out where she stores all of her ice creams, too, which she tends to nibble on whenever she feels the need to calm down.

“Would you like one lump or two, darling?” my sister asks Ocellus.

“Lumps?” Ocellus replies with a tilt of her head. “What's that?”

“Sugar cubes, my dear,” Rarity replies. “I'm asking you how many of those you want in your tea.”

“Oh!” Ocellus straightens her head as she blinks. “Um . . . I'll try it without for now. Maybe I'll request one or two of them later.”

“As you wish.” My sister floats a teacup on a white saucer to Ocellus who accepts it with her forward hooves. During that time the changeling sits on the floor.

“Forgive me for saying, but you seem awfully calm right now,” Scootaloo remarks with surprise. “I didn't expect that of you.”

I glance at Scootaloo while thinking about the fact that I'm apparently not the only one to regard my sister with surprise over that fact.

But I look back at my sister when I hear her sigh. Upon doing so, I notice a bit of pain cross her face as she looks down.

“To tell you the truth, it is very sad to hear our parents’ reaction over this news,” Rarity admits with regret.

I widen my eyes as I reiterate questioningly, “Our parents?”

Rarity turns her head to give me a focused and emphatic look as she says, “Yes, my dear. Our parents.”

I brighten almost to an ecstatic level as I ask, “So you believe us?!”

“Quite right. I do,” Rarity confirms.

“Wow, Miss Rarity. Even Ah am sur-prised ya are accepting our story so easily,” Apple Bloom remarks with bright surprise. “'specially after how 'er parents reacted before this.” Following this comment, she blows on her tea which I can tell, by the smell of it, has an apple flavor to it. It's probably more akin to apple cider rather than regular tea.

The pained look returns to Rarity's eyes as she waves us off with a hoof while she says, “I'm sure my parents were just caught off-guard and mortified by the circumstances of this whole fiasco, but as for me . . .” She hesitates for a moment as she gives a simple shrug before going on to say, “. . . I suppose I've been on enough adventures in my time to realize that strange things do indeed happen, especially in our town. Ever since Twilight showed up it's been one fiasco after another.” She closes her eyes and cuts a hoof across the air as she says, “Not that I'm complaining too much. Having Twilight come to us has certainly been worth it.”

Rarity opens her eyes again and focuses on me as she asks, “And you say my friend, Starlight Glimmer, was attempting to reactivate the Friendship Map?”

“Yes,” I report. “To little success so far, but she did say she used the map a few times to successfully locate other ponies. She wanted me to try it to see if I would have any success using it too, but she didn't expect the results we ended up with. Not by a long shot.”

“Starlight seems to be mostly convinced that this is indeed Sweetie Belle,” Ocellus reports as she looks from me to Rarity. “She assigned me to watch her just in case. If this isn't Sweetie Belle then I'd be more prepared than most to react to the danger. If this is Sweetie Belle then I'd be the most prepared to explain to others, and to her, what's going on.”

Rarity floats her cup of tea near her lips. She takes a few seconds to blow on it before speaking again. “I take it this means you'll be excused from my class for the next few days. It wouldn't matter anyway. The Headmare gave you an assignment so you're certainly excused. I would add that your actions have been 'generous' enough to warrant a passing grade from me anyway.” She smiles at Ocellus as she says, “And, speaking from a personal standpoint, let me just take this opportunity to thank you for taking care of and watching after my darling baby sister during her time of need.”

Ocellus blushes shyly but also gratefully as she bashfully waves off with a hoof and says, “Ah . . . it is nothing. I'm just glad I can help.”

“I wouldn't call it nothing,” Rarity says with a slight grin and equally slight narrowing of her eyes. “Seriously, I can't thank you enough for taking your time to care for one of the ponies who matters to me the most in my life. I am ever so grateful for your actions and I am indebted to you for it. You shall accept this. I insist.”

Rarity's look shifts between my club sisters next as she says, “That goes for you two as well. You believed her during her moment of crisis and supported her when she needed you the most. I can't thank you two enough.”

Apple Bloom's chest puffs out in pride as she happily and proudly reports, “Well, Miss Rarity, that's just what we Crusaders do. We help other ponies, so of course we ain't abandoning one of our own during her time of need.”

“Yeah! What she said!” Scootaloo fiercely and proudly agrees.

“Does this mean I can stay with you?” I ask my sister hopefully.

“But of course, darling,” my sister replies as if that should have been obvious. “In fact . . .” She trails off as she looks to her right thoughtfully. A few seconds later she floats her as of yet untouched tea back to a table then rises from her seat. She moves to a work desk and floats out a piece of paper and a quill. She dips the quill in an ink bottle using her magic then proceeds to write something after she floats her tiny reading glasses back to the bridge of her nose. While writing, she says over her shoulder, “I'm writing a note to Miss Cheerilee to explain the fact that my sister will need to be excused from classes for the foreseeable future while we deal with a family emergency.” She pauses a moment as she looks fully over her shoulder at us and me in particular as she adds, “After all, that's not really a lie. We really do have a family emergency to deal with.”

“Boy, I'll say,” Scootaloo strongly agrees.

Rarity returns her attention to the note and resumes writing it.

A short while later, Ocellus gives a fake cough a bit as a signal she wants attention. She does not seem to gain it from Rarity, but the changeling goes on to say, “Um . . . Professor, may I remind you that the Headmare assigned me to watch after your sister? As such, I kindly request permission to stay here in your lovely home for as long as Sweetie Belle remains here, too.”

“Yeah! Us too!” Scootaloo requests brightly as if she suddenly realized it was a great idea to ask as well.

“No!” I object, much to my club sister's surprise, so I clarify, “Not you two. At least, not yet.”

Scootaloo's orange fur seems to bristle a bit as she asks in surprise, “Uh . . . why? Why would you not want the two of us to sleepover? We used to do it all the time. You need us, and it kind of sounds fun anyway. Remember when we used to do that while searching for our cutie marks?”

I shrivel a bit with an apologetic look to her as I say, “Yeah, I know, but trust me . . . I have my reasons.”

Scootaloo squints an eye at me as she repeats, “Why? Are you too ashamed to have us around you now?”

“No!” I strongly object again. I give an uncomfortable look to Ocellus beside me then look back at Scootaloo as I decide to partially explain the truth to her. “It's just that . . . right now I want to be alone with Ocellus. I feel that if I am more alone with her, she might be more forthcoming about some secrets of the changelings that she might otherwise be too uncomfortable and/or forbidden to say in front of outsiders to the pack. Right now I might need to know some of those secrets, though, because it could involve things I could be going through.”

“Or already have,” Apple Bloom realizes with a blink. “Ah remember that hiss ya made in front of your parents. The only other time Ah ev'ah seen something like that was in front of other real changelings during a time when they weren't so nice.”

“Exactly,” I agree as I look at Apple Bloom. “Right now I am going through some disturbing and confusing things and I want Ocellus nearby to explain to me what I might need to know.” I look back at Scootaloo. “But she might not be allowed to do it if you two are around. I want to make sure you two understand that I'm not rejecting you because of you specifically. There are other factors involved.”

Scootaloo closes her eyes for a second, shakes her head, and cuts a hoof across the air as she says, “Say no more.” She opens her eyes and looks back at me. “I understand now.” Then she tilts her head at me. “That said . . . is there anything more you want us to do for you?”

I pause for a moment as I give her request serious consideration, then I brighten as I widen my eyes with a look of realization. After that, I turn to her and say, “There is one thing I'd like you two to do for me. I'd like for you to request Miss Cheerilee to give me some assignments so that I don't fall behind in her class.”

“What?!” Scootaloo asks in confusion while narrowing one eye at me. “How can you think of homework at a time like this? If you ask me, I think you have enough on your plate.” She shrugs. “Besides, having a break from school might be nice.”

“I enjoy our education and I don't want to fall behind,” I tell Scootaloo. “Please, Scootaloo? For me? Having some homework assignments might even take some of the stress off of me. I want to do some things to help me feel more normal.”

“Ah . . . well . . . okay. If you say so,” Scootaloo somewhat accepts.

“Anything else?” Apple Bloom offers.

I again pause for another moment as I consider that request. Soon after I have another thought so I look back at Apple Bloom this time and say, “Yes. There is one other thing I can think of.

“Wait! No. Actually two things,” I correct myself.

Apple Bloom lifts her left hoof while balancing the tea on the other as she asks, “Number one?”

“Number one, I want some regular reports on the progress of our clients,” I request. “I am not in any decent shape to go out in public right now. After all, I want to keep the panic to a minimum, but that said . . . I also want to do whatever I can to help our clients. Let me know how it goes, especially if you two get stuck. If you do, I might come up with some ideas which could help. The three of us always work as a team for these assignments after all. That's how it's always been and that's how it always will be. Even if I look like this,” I gesture to myself, “I still want to help.”

Apple Bloom nods proudly at me in agreement as she says, “Ya got it, Sweetie Belle. Ennah'thang for our dear old friend.”

“And two?” Scootaloo reminds me questioningly.

I glance at Scootaloo for a second after she asks then look forward a bit blankly as I answer, “Number two . . . I want regular reports on the progress Starlight Glimmer is making.” I look back and forth between both of my club sisters. “In particular, I want to know two things. First of all, how close she's coming to finding a cure for my condition.”

Scootaloo nods in agreement as she says, “That goes without saying.”

“And two, I want to know about her progress in finding out what happened to Button Mash. Check the hospital regularly for a change in his condition. Also check with Starlight especially because I think that, whatever happened to him, it's magical in nature so Starlight is more likely to come up with a theory about what happened to him instead of the doctors. The doctors will probably only tell you how he's doing physically.” I shake my head. “But I don't think that's the whole issue. I think something is wrong with him mentally. In other words, the lights are on but no pony is home.”

“Ya think his soul was transferred elsewhere?” Apple Bloom checks.

I look at her and nod before saying, “I do. I also think that, whatever happened to him, it might have something to do with what happened to me.”

“Huh.” Scootaloo gains a thoughtful look. “You did say in Starlight's office that his cutie mark was transferred from his home to somewhere within the Everfree Forrest. Button Mash's body was in his home until it got transferred to the hospital. When we got there, we learned that his cutie mark is now missing and he's drained of color.”

“Right,” I agree. “It's as if his magic is gone. Drained from his body and transferred elsewhere.”

“Like the Everfree Forrest,” Ocellus brings up with a shudder. “I heard awful rumors about that forest from multiple sources. For instance, Sand Bar once told me that the Everfree Forrest once invaded Ponyville with a bunch of black vines. He said it almost killed his younger sister once.” Ocellus looks between us as she says, “Everypony I ever spoke to all agree that the Everfree Forrest is no place for foals. Professor Fluttershy said that the most. I can attest to this with my own personal experience with that forest too.”

“And Button Mash is a foal,” Scootaloo added with worry. “He may not be my special somepony, but I'm worried for him, too.”

“So you see why I'm making this request,” I point out.

“We do, Sweetie Belle,” Apple Bloom agrees. “And don'cha worry. We'll check on them every single day and we'll request for them to report to us if ennah'thang changes. Ya can count on us.”

“Yeah!” Scootaloo fiercely agrees. “Crusaders forever!”

“Crusaders forever!” we agree together before slapping each other with a hive hoof.

Author's Note

After coming off the heels of the last chapter, I wonder how many of you expected these results with Rarity. Please let me know, along with any other thoughts you have about this chapter.