As Rarity gently levitated the pan off of the burner, humming to herself as she cooked a simple meal for her and her sister, she smiled warmly as she saw Sweetie Belle trotting down the path from the window. She was on her way home from school, but Rarity had noticed something different about her recently - she seemed distant, not herself, and dispondant this morning. So, since she had some free time today, she had decided to cook Sweetie's favorite meal to surprise her when she got home from school.
The house smelled exquisite - one of the benefits of this dish was how good it made the house smell. It had always worked - no matter how sad Sweetie Belle had been, walking into the house to smell it had always, always cheered her up.
So when Sweetie opened the door and kept her grim expression, not reacting at all as she walked to the table to sit down, it did alarm her.
"Hey, Rarity," she croaked, still sounding sad. Rarity let out a deep sigh as she grabbed a plate, trying to wonder what this might be about. Did some colt break her heart?
"Hello, Sweetie Belle. Did you have a good day at school?" she asked, placing a plate in front of her sister, trying to probe gently.
"Yeah, it was fine," Sweetie sighed, "I got a perfect score on my test. Miss Cheerilee was really proud of me."
Okay, not a problem with school, Rarity thought.
"And how are you and your friends? Some mean colt didn't hurt your feelings, did he?" Rarity asked, a bit more direct.
"Rarity, why are you asking so many questions?" Sweetie Belle asked bluntly, taking Rarity back a bit.
"Sweetie Belle..." she spoke softly, putting a hoof under her sister's chin, "Something is bothering you. I can tell, you know."
"Mmmm..." Sweetie mumbled, looking off to the side.
"You can tell me!" Rarity urged, feeling her sister's pain. As a big sister, all she wanted to do was help - no matter what.
"Please, just tell me what's bothering you, and we can work through it together!"
"Rarity, am I evil?" Sweetie asked suddenly, looking her sister in the eye.
The question took Rarity back. She blinked, wide eyed at her sister, lowering her hoof. She was able to compose herself after shaking her head slightly.
"G....Goodness, no, Sweetie Belle! Whyever would you think such a think of yourself?" she gasped. Sweetie Belle let out a deep sigh.
"I...If I tell you, you're just going to hate me," Sweetie spoke earnestly.
"Sweetie Belle!" Rarity exclaimed, almost hurt by the comment, "Sweetheart, I couldn't possibly hate you! No matter what!"
She again raised her hoof, sternly pushing Sweetie's face to look her in the eyes.
"No. Matter. What."
Sweetie Belle sniffed, as if she were about to cry. Rarity, almost panicking now, darted her eyes as her mind raced, trying to figure out what would cause her dear sister to say something like this.
"I...I've been having dreams, Rarity," Sweetie Belle started to admit.
"Okay, okay," Rarity spoke kindly, urging her to continue.
"D...Dreams about...well...."
Rarity blinked, patiently waiting for her to continue.
"H...Hurting ponies," she spoke softly.
Rarity couldn't lie to herself - her reaction was visible, however subtle, as she winced at the words. Sweetie Belle noticed, and began to cry outright, turning away from her sister in shame.
"S..,Sweetie Belle! Please don't cry!" Rarity urged, trying desperately to compose herself.
"Y...You hate me!" Sweetie whined, starting to sob, "I saw it in your face! You hate me! I'm a freak!"
"Sweetie Belle, I do not hate you!" Rarity spoke desperately, thinking on the edge of her flank. She didn't really know where this conversation was going at this point, but she had to convince Sweetie Belle that she didn't hate her - that was the only thing she was sure of right now.
"T...There's something wrong with me!" Sweetie sobbed, "C...C...'cause, when I dream about this stuff, I feel all...tingly, and...and..."
"Please calm down!" Rarity urged, trying to rub a hoof down Sweetie's back, "Please, just relax, okay? Sweetie Belle, I promise you, no matter what, I want to hear what you have to say! I'm your sister! No matter what, I'm here to help you, okay?"
"B...But..." Sweetie Belle sniffed, "What i...if I end up hurting somepony? W...What if I'm no better than Cozy Glow? Or Sombra?"
"The fact that you are worried about that in the first place means you are nothing like them," Rarity reassured her, now stroking her mane slowly.
"I....I don't want to hurt my friends..." Sweetie repeated.
"And you won't!" Rarity responded.
"B...But when I think about hurting them, I...I..."
"But you never would, right?" Rarity clarified. "That's the difference, Sweetie Belle. It's fantasy."
Sweetie Belle still looked to the side in shame.
"All ponies start to have fantasies as they grow up," Rarity began to explain, "It's just a part of maturing. It means you're growing up. You're starting to discover those little things that make you tick, and as long as you know how to distance those things from reality, you're going to be just as beautiful and radiant as you always have been."
"W...Well, I doubt many ponies grow up with these kinds of fantasies..." Sweetie mumbled.
"Sure, but there are several silly ones!" Rarity began to chuckle through tears, "You know, I know a stallion who covers himself in tubs of Jelly!"
Sweetie smiled for the first time since getting home.
"Y....You know, I actually know him too," she replied dryly through her small smile.
"Sweetie Belle, you don't owe anypony an apology for the things that go through your mind," Rarity reassured. "Your friends may or may not understand. It can be our little secret, if you want. But you are not less of a pony for feeling this way. You are still the sweet, kind, thoughtful, generous, compassionate, inspiring sister you have always, always been."
"Thanks, Rarity," Sweetie Belle replied earnestly, her smile now full and true.
"Our actions define who we are," Rarity continued. "What's inside can motivate us, but it doesn't have to - and you are a corageous and brave young pony who has a strong sense of right and wrong. Nopony will ever feel unsafe around you, Sweetie Belle."
Rarity gave her sister a warm hug, feeling her tears drip down onto her shoulders.
"You're the best sister ever," Sweetie Belle spoke weakly.
"I'm just your sister," Rarity corrected, "And this is what sisters do."
