I intensely concentrated on my sewing machine. It was a Friday after an extremely busy week and I was almost done with all I needed to do before I needed to catch a train to Canterlot. There was a sale at my shop there this weekend and I had to do some things. The bell from outside my sewing room made me jump, but I promptly went out to greet the customer. But then I saw the person who came in was no customer.
“Hi Rarity!”
Blood rushed to my ears at the sight of my younger sister. In my working trance, I didn’t realize how late it had gotten.
“Oh no… I said I’d spend time with you tonight, didn’t I?” I told Sweetie Belle
Sweetie Belle glanced over at my pile by the door I planned to take to Canterlot.
“You forgot?” she asked, the demeanor change chilling.
“I’m so sorry, Sweetie Belle,” I said. “If you'd like to wait here, I shouldn’t be in Canterlot for more than an hour or so. Make yourself at home, and we’ll have a lovely sister evening when I get back, alright?”
Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened at the mention of Canterlot. I could tell she didn’t pay attention to much more after that.
“Can I come with you?” she asked.
I shook my head.
“We’re preparing for a pretty big event for the weekend. And besides, there aren’t many ponies your age that come by the shop there and you'd just be bored.”
“Aw come on,” Sweetie Belle protested. “You’ve let me help you out here. What, do you think I’ll embarrass you?”
Well, maybe… but not exactly. I was less worried than I would have been 5 years ago, certainly. Sweetie Belle was 14 now and I was proud of the mare she was becoming, but I still didn’t want to think about her as well as everything else I’d have to deal with while I was there.
“Sweetie Belle, just trust me,” I insisted. “I think it’d be better if you stayed and I could completely focus on you when I’m back. But if you don’t want to stay, I understand. We’ll find another time, I promise!”
“So I’m coming in second again and I’m supposed to be okay with it?”
I sighed as I couldn’t blame her for being annoyed. This was far from the first time my work had gotten in the way of our plans.
“I… Sweetie Belle, I’ve had a lot on my mind this week,” I told her. “I’m trying to make it up to you.”
Sweetie Belle’s stiff expression relaxed slightly.
“You are. I guess I can stay,” she decided.
“Marvelous! I’m sorry I won’t be able to cook tonight, but I’ll bring home some dinner. There should be some snacks if you get hungry.”
Sweetie Belle’s expression remained flat, but nodded.
“I’ll see you when you get back.”
I winced a bit at my sister, hoping that she wasn’t madder than she seemed. But I couldn’t worry about that for too long.
“Alrighty then. Just a couple more things to do and I’ll be off!”
Fortunately, I was able to return to Ponyville in a timely fashion.
“I’m back, Sweetie Belle!” I called out. “Everything alright here?”
I looked and there was no sight of my sister. It didn’t surprise me that she wasn’t in the shop area of the boutique, but why wasn’t she responding? Maybe she was upstairs and didn’t hear me. I went to drop off some things in my back sewing room before I checked. I noticed that two mannequins in the room were bare when they were supposed to have dresses I needed to have finished by Monday afternoon.
“Odd,” I thought. “I know they were there when I left. I wouldn’t have been so careless as to do something with my work and not remember, right? But the only other pony who could have come in here besides me is…”
The thought almost made me want to vomit.
“No. Sweetie Belle wouldn’t have,” I declared.
I tried not to fear the worst as I continued to search for my sister and my unfinished dresses. I went to my bedroom and there Sweetie Belle was. She started breathing heavily and eyed me cautiously. I glanced around my room. There were scissors on the floor and I noticed Sweetie Belle had started a fire in my fireplace… and to my absolute horror, I saw fabric in it becoming more and more ash every second.
“No!!!! NO!!!” I screamed running towards the fireplace. But it was too late. I turned towards my sister, barely able to make her out due to the anger blurring my vision.
“I… I’m sorry… I didn’t…” she started, her expression still petrified.
“YOU WRETCHED THING!!” I screeched so loudly that I almost scared myself.
The emotion in me was so strong, I found myself across the room right in front of Sweetie Belle’s face. It wasn’t far, but I didn't teleport much in general, let alone spontaneously.
“HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!”
A spark ignited from my horn.
“I wasn’t thinking…” Sweetie Belle wailed. “If I could stop myself, I would. Please…”
“What in Equestria is going on here?” A voice demanded behind me.
By this point, Sweetie Belle was already drowning in tears and ran towards our mother. At the sight of our mother, I almost wanted to cry too. Mom embraced Sweetie Belle as she eyed the fire and the burning dresses, but let the situation de-escalate before she spoke.
“Now that you both have calmed down, Sweetie Belle, what could possibly have made you so angry that you burned Rarity’s dresses?”
“I’m sorry,” she said to me. “I regretted it the moment I did it.” She then turned back to mom.
“But she forgot about seeing me tonight and wouldn’t let me go to Canterlot with her because she never lets me do ANYTHING and all she cares about is her stupid CLOTHES!!!”
“I could say the same thing about you!!” I snapped. “What have you done in the past couple years that doesn’t have to do with the ridiculous group of yours!!”
“Enough!" Mom ordered.
She then turned to me.
“Rarity, you have every right to be angry. We will discuss punishment when we get home. But don’t let that anger make you forget what's important. I know you’ll find a way to forgive her.”
I shook my head firmly, the mere mention of forgiving Sweetie Belle making me want to shout all over again.
“I’ll never forgive her,” I declared. “She’s dead to me. Take her home.”
Mom opened her mouth with the intention to respond, but decided against it.
“Come on, Sweetie Belle,” she said, taking Sweetie Belle out of my bedroom. I was then left to finally cry out all my emotions on my bed.
A week later…
I tried contacting the pony the dresses were for, but while the client was sympathetic, I couldn’t get an extension. I had to work all weekend, but I got the dresses done by that Monday. They were nowhere near as good as they would have been if I had the month I was supposed to have. That was honestly what infuriated me the most. I had to be okay with inadequate work. Sure, not everything I made could be the best thing ever, but knowing that this easily could have been avoided just made me less inclined to forgive Sweetie Belle.
But another weekend came around. The mail pony came and I saw there was a note from my parents.
I’m sorry for the late notice, but your dad got called on a last minute work trip and I have to be at my school tonight. Sweetie Belle would normally be fine on her own, but she’s got a pretty bad flu and we both feel bad and worry about leaving her alone in such a state. And perhaps this would be a good opportunity for you two to talk things through. We understand if you’re busy or need more time to process what happened, but we wanted to write to you.
Love,
Mom and Dad
I rolled my eyes and levitated the paper to my coffee table.
“At least they aren’t forcing me or anything, but do they think just that is going to make me forgive her?” I mumbled.
But the thought of Sweetie Belle just lying there feeling awful all alone came to me and I couldn’t suppress my big sister instincts anymore. Mom and Dad were right–somepony should be there with her if possible. I then replayed the evening in my head again. Had I really said my sister was dead to me? Obviously, burning my work was an awful thing for Sweetie Belle to do, but it hit me how wrong I was to scream and get all in her face as I did.
I glanced at my shop. I had worked hard to make up for having to make the dresses again. I could spare a night at my parent’s house.
I approached my parent’s house and my mother greeted me.
“Oh, Rarity. I’m so glad you came.”
“Well, you are many things, but wrong isn’t one of them most of the time,” I said. “She’s my sister and I love her to pieces.”
Mom smiled as she let me in the house.
“Sweetie Belle’s in her room,” she said. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. See you tonight.”
After mom left, I sighed as I approached Sweetie Belle’s door. It was left ajar slightly, likely because she knew there was a possibility I would be here. My magic pushed it open more.
Sweetie Belle sat up a bit, wide eyed at my presence.
“Rarity?” she said groggily.
She really was having a rough time of it, the poor dear.
“Hi sis,” I said. “You rest. Just wanted to let you know I’ll be here if you need anything.”
“Thank you for coming, truly. You… you know I’m sorry, right? I should never have dealt with how I was feeling that way.”
I sighed again and went closer to the bed.
“You didn’t burn my dresses just because I didn’t let you go to Canterlot, did you?” I asked.
Sweetie Belle hesitated, but shook her head.
“I wasn’t at my best last week, either,” I continued. “I’m sorry, too. I’m sorry for getting so angry and for any time I’ve made you feel unimportant.”
Sweetie Belle seemed relieved–like I had said something she didn’t know she needed to hear. I felt a good sense of closure, too.
“Were you able to remake the dresses?” she asked.
“I was able to complete the order on time, if that’s what you mean.”
“Good,” Sweetie Belle said. “I forget it must be hard balancing your job and your family.”
I nodded.
“Sometimes I do better at it than others,” I noted. “But as much as I love my job, I’ll always love my family and the great ponies in my life more. Even if it might not seem that way.”
“I know,” Sweetie Belle assured. “And I guess there are worse things in life than having a sister so talented she created a fashion empire.”
I laughed and rustled Sweetie Belle’s mane gently.
“You focus on getting better now, okay?” I told her.
Sweetie Belle smiled and closed her eyes.
“Thanks again, Rares. I love you.”
Author's Note
Another fic inspired by Little Women–based on the scene where Amy burns Jo’s manuscript. Thanks as always for reading. 
I sighed as I approached Sweetie Belle’s door. It was left ajar slightly, likely because she knew there was a possibility I would be here. My magic pushed it open more.
Sweetie Belle sat up a bit, wide eyed at my presence.
“Rarity?” she said groggily.
She really was having a rough time of it, the poor dear.
“Hi sis,” I said. “You rest. Just wanted to let you know I’ll be here if you need anything.”
“Thank you for coming, truly. You… you know I’m sorry, right? I should never have dealt with how I was feeling that way.”
“I wasn’t at my best last week, either,” I said. “And I know you didn’t burn my dresses just because I wouldn’t let you go to Canterlot with me. But it’s water under the bridge now. You just focus on getting better, okay?”
Sweetie Belle nodded. I gave a soft smile and started to leave the room.
“Oh, Rarity?” Sweetie Belle asked as I was about to close the door. “Who takes care of you when you’re sick?”
The randomness of this question puzzled me, but I figured Sweetie Belle would explain.
“My friends sometimes make things for me or send me good vibes,” I responded. “But I guess nowadays, I’m mostly on my own.”
Sweetie Belle’s face fell.
“Does that bother you?”
Truth be told, it did bother me a bit. Most ponies I knew had somepony at home to talk to at the end of their day. Somepony to support them. But here I was living and working by myself at the boutique. But I couldn’t let Sweetie Belle know I felt that way.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Apple Bloom said that Applejack gets mad at her sometimes because the pressure of taking care of her gets too much,” Sweetie Belle explained. “I mean, I know their situation is a bit different with their parents gone…”
“I'd be lying if I said that pressure isn't hard sometimes,” I admitted. "But I love being your older sister and I wouldn't have it any other way. Don’t you worry about me.”
I didn’t want Sweetie Belle or anypony to worry about me. Because despite everything, I had a great life. And my response seemed to assure Sweetie Belle as she smiled and closed her eyes to go to sleep.
“Okay. Thanks again, Rares. I love you.”
“Rest well, my sweet."
Author's Note
This was the ending I wrote first. But I’ve written about Rarity’s loneliness so many times and it felt like an unnecessary turn to bring it up again in this fic. So, I decided to make Rarity and Sweetie Belle talk through what happened more instead. But at the same time, I liked some of the ideas I presented in this ending, so I decided to share it.
