Diamond in the Flames

Twilight had lent Rarity the Royal Chariot, which she had been modifying with magic for the past few decades. As a result, Rarity had been able to make it to Manehattan within an hour, touching down a block away from their apartment building.

The little calm before the storm gave Rarity an opportunity to reflect on her conversation with Twilight. Unfortunately, that reflection didn't provide any new insights. Rarity didn't know how to help Sweetie, but she knew she had to find a way, somehow. It was something to figure out when they weren't currently in a crisis.

The moment they arrived, Rarity rushed over towards their home, waltzing straight past the guards and taking the elevator straight up to the top.

The scent hit her nose the moment the door opened, and she wrinkled it in disgust.

"Well, this is a rather familiar scene, I must say," Rarity said as she stepped inside and saw Sweetie sitting on a couch, holding up a bottle of liquor.

Sweetie perked up when she saw Rarity, an unhinged grin spreading out across her muzzle. "Rarity!" she exclaimed, dropping the bottle to the floor and letting its contents spill out. "You're here! Oh, this is perfect!"

"Really. How so?" Rarity asked, noticing that this time the stench was much stronger, and that the floors were glistening the sheen of a liquid coating, along with numerous remains of broken bottles.

"You can be a witness, of course!" Sweetie tapped a hoof to her chin. "Wait, I should probably explain from the beginning. See, I've been making sure that nopony ever tries to screw with us again, and I think it's been working, but you know how it is in show business. If you don't do something really big, ponies are just going to forget and move on to the next shiny thing."

The dread that had been building up in Rarity's heart rose further. "And what exactly is it that you have planned for your pièce de résistance?"

"I'm going to invite Fire Tone over," Sweetie explained. "And then we're going to have a fight, and it'll be all his fault. He's going to lose his temper and start smashing things, and then oops, at some point the fire catches on all this alcohol he spilled, and we get to have a new beginning and he'll look like someone who attacks defenseless mares and sets their homes on fire."

"And you think that everyone will believe you?" Rarity didn't know why she was entertaining Sweetie's insane plan, but she had to admit she was darkly curious as to how far her sister had thought this out.

"Everypony loves me, and the point isn't that they'll all believe my story. The point is that enough of them will, and the rest will know what happens if they ever betray me like he did." Sweetie grinned deviously. "And now that you're here, you can back me up so that our case will be even stronger!"

"Sweetie, I am not going to help you frame somepony for arson, even one as vile as Fire Tone," Rarity said firmly, and Sweetie's face fell.

"Oh, I thought you came here because you finally realized I was right." Sweetie's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Scootaloo and Apple Bloom told you to come, huh? And here I thought it was because you loved me."

"I do love you, dear. Truly." Careful not to step on any broken glass, Rarity trotted towards her beloved. "But I wasn't certain where we stood, and I was hoping that your old friends would be able to remind you of where you came from."

"They reminded me that everypony used to think I was a dumb, naïve idiot, and they were probably right. Poor old Sweetie Belle, with her heart in the right place but an empty head. At least she's pretty and good at singing." Sweetie's voice rose as she said the words in a mocking tone, her head swaying back and forth. "Well, now I'll show them all what I can do."

"We've already seen what you can do, my love, and we love you for it," Rarity said, taking another cautious step forwards. "We've seen how kind you can be, and how you can be a light in the darkness that gives the rest of us hope. That achievement is far more impressive than the ability to tear down an institution built on lies."

Sweetie scoffed. "Yeah, and what's that gotten me in return, besides being humiliated in the press over and over again?"

"Well, there's me." As much as Sweetie's reliance on her was problematic, perhaps it would be useful in making her stand down in this moment. Rarity had managed to make her way over to Sweetie, and now reached out a hoof towards her. "I love the light within your soul, Sweetie, and I would hate to see it snuffed out."

"It's okay," Sweetie said, taking Rarity's hoof with her own. "You'll love the new me too. I promise."

"I told you before," Rarity said. "I won't be with a monster."

The grip grew uncomfortably tight. "I mean, I've already got this whole place set up to frame someone for arson," Sweetie said in an unnervingly casual tone. "If you want to break my heart, I can just tweak my plans a little and figure out something else for Fire Tone."

Rarity froze. "And here I believed you still loved me," she murmured, shocked to her very core at what had become of her sister.

"I do love you," Sweetie replied. "Can't you see that's why I'm doing all of this? I just want us to be able to be together without anypony saying anything about it. I'd do anything for you."

"Even blackmail me into a relationship?" The question hung in the air between them, creating a tense silence. Rarity took a step back, her hoof parting from Sweetie's. "Very well, if you've truly fallen so far, then so be it." She took another step, turning away from Sweetie. "Do what you will." Her heart hammered away at her chest as she stopped breathing, every cell in her body concentrating on looking as casual as possible as she walked away from her true love.

Halfway to the exit, she heard Sweetie call out. "Wait!" The anguish in her sister's voice nearly broke Rarity, but she held strong, not looking back. "Please, Rarity, I can't be happy without you."

Rarity finally released the breath she'd been holding, grateful that her gambit had worked. She turned around slowly and smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I think that may be the problem, darling. I cannot be the only light in your life, just as you cannot be the only one in mine. If all that stands between us and the precipice is each other, then one of us is bound to falter and drag the other down into the depths as well, no?"

Sweetie sighed. "I... I just want to be happy again, Rarity," she whispered, tears streaming from her eyes. "It hurts to think when you aren't around."

Rarity sucked in a harsh breath at that. "I'm so sorry, Sweetie." She made her way back towards her sister, placing a comforting hoof on her shoulder. "I never realized how dire your situation was. Can you ever forgive me?"

Sweetie let out a laugh that turned into a choked sob. "I just tried to coerce you into dating me," she said, a bitter smile on her muzzle. "I don't think you're the one who needs to apologize."

"Well, I'm supposed to be the one who takes care of you," Rarity said, pulling Sweetie into a hug. "Though, I've also recently been informed that this is not an attitude that is becoming of a healthy relationship as well."

"I think we're supposed to take care of each other," Sweetie murmured into Rarity's coat, and ah, how nice it felt to hold her beloved sister against her chest once again! "And I tried to do that for you too, but you don't really need taking care of, huh?"

"Admittedly, coming home to a warm bath is quite the treat, but no," Rarity admitted. "I survived quite well on my own, and while I would be very much... diminished, without you, I could continue to live. And I hope you would be able to do so in my absence as well."

"That sounds... healthy," Sweetie said carefully. "But the thought of you not being there still hurts so much. I thought I could fill that void with power, but it doesn't really work like that."

"That it does not, and I am glad you can see that now," Rarity said, relieved.

Sweetie snorted. "For the record, I still don't really feel bad about what I did, and what I was going to do. Everypony in the business deserves whatever's coming to them." She paused, idly stroking Rarity's fur. "But, I guess if it won't make me happy, and it won't bring you back to me, then there's no point in me doing it, right?"

"Let somepony else take on the burden of delivering justice," Rarity said. "And find your own path to happiness."

"You'll be there with me while I look for that, right?" Sweetie looked up at her with wide eyes, and Rarity's heart melted.

"I shall be there with you every step of the way," Rarity promised. She looked around the room, where broken bottles and pungent liquids were strewn about. "Shall we toast to this newfound revelation, or did you empty the liquor cabinet entirely?"

Sweetie pressed a hoof against her chin, sticking her tongue out in thought. "Uhh, I think there might still be some wine in there." She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry for, uhh, destroying our collection."

"Those can be replaced." Rarity smirked. "Fortunately, I keep the most valuable vintages in Canterlot."

"I'll probably have to leave a big tip for whoever has to clean this up too," Sweetie said as she snuggled up to Rarity. "But that can wait until tomorrow."

Rarity nodded. "Indeed. Though, we should write to our friends to let them know that the crisis has passed, for now."

More snuggling, and then Sweetie let out a groan. "Ugh, we're still gonna have to convince them that we're both actually happy in this relationship. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom are gonna be watching us like a hawk for the next little while to make sure you aren't taking advantage of me or something."

"The other Elements will likely be doing the same," Rarity added. "In truth, I think it will be better for us to have friends to lean on in times of need, and to ask advice on matters of the heart."

"Mhm." Sweetie started nuzzling her way up to Rarity's chin. "Things really are going to be different this time, huh?"

Rarity leaned down, capturing Sweetie's roaming lips with a kiss. "It will be even better."

This time, when Sweetie smiled, the whole room lit up. "I can't wait. I love you, Rarity."

Rarity returned the smile. "I love you too, Sweetie Belle."