Author's Note

To those who have not read the first story:

STOP

This tale isn't meant for you. This is written for those who are veterans of the emotional trauma inflicted on them by getting through the first tale, as difficult as that was.

I wrote that first story as a means of coping with severe anguish in my life caused by the horrible things that were done to someone I love more than I love myself; things I couldn't prevent. Even though I used a fantasy setting with cartoon characters, the basis of the story was from actual events, as was the pain and the other emotions involved.

So...do not read this story until you have read that one...IF you choose...

...and I am deeply sorry for what you're about to experience...

—Whispers

The Aftermath

Sweetie sat on her bed alone, just staring out the window. Beside her, yellow with age and wrinkled from years of being folded, unfolded, and read over and over again, was the letter she and her sister had received from Warden Chains so long ago informing them of that monster's death while in prison. She only took it from her desk drawer and read it whenever she awoke from one of those nightmares, solely to remind herself he was gone and could no longer hurt her or anypony else.

Some years were better than others. When she was still a filly, and the memories were raw, the nightmares happened almost every month. Now that she was a teenager, she only suffered through them a few times a year, but the pain was always the same.

Once, a few months after she and Rarity had been told of the death, there had been a knock on the front door. Rarity had opened it, spoken quietly to whomever it had been outside, then gently closed it and came to her. When she had told her who the visitors were, Sweetie Belle had flown into a rage and ran up to her room, staying up there the entire night. Even now, years later, Sweetie's face flushed red when she thought about her actions that day and how she shouldn't have blamed that monster's daughters for trying to speak to her.

But she knew that if those mares were to appear today, she'd react the same.

And even though Rarity, her parents, and friends were fiercely protective of her, they couldn't save her from everything.

One month after the hospital

It was a still evening at the Boutique. The setting Sun shone brightly through the West windows as the two of them sat together at the dining room table. Rarity had taken the habit of over-preparing far too much food as a method of coping for the horrors her sister had gone through, among other actions. Always a fastidious mare, she now put extra effort into ensuring there were always fresh flowers at the table, not a speck of dust to be found anywhere in her home, and always ensuring her sister had whatever she wanted, though Sweetie never asked for much. Rarity knew in her heart she was doing too much at times, but she couldn't help herself.

As for Sweetie, she had mostly returned to her former self. She laughed often, played, and hung out with her friends as before...but sometimes, there were days she would go without speaking. These were days that would terrify Rarity and her parents, but the therapist assured them this was normal and part of her healing process; it was best to let her be and allow her to tell them whatever was bothering her in her own good time.

Rarity had prepared a special dinner for herself and her little sister as part of a celebration. They had been eating together for some time while she tried to make conversation with her sister. There were times when Sweetie would shut down, so Rarity was still navigating the treacherous waters until her sister was completely healed.

If that ever happened.

"So! How was your first day back at school?" Rarity smiled at her, hoping this wouldn't be one of those times.

Sweetie took another bite of her dinner before answering. "Okay, I guess. I punched another filly in the mouth at recess. I might have knocked out one of her teeth." At her sister's shocked expression, she looked around the table and added, "Are there any more of those sauteed mushrooms?"

Rarity finally found her voice. "Swee...Sweetie Belle! Why in Celestia's Name would you do that?!"

Her sister calmly took a drink of her tea, stared up at her, then said, "Because she called me a 'slut."

"Wha...what?!"

Sweetie nodded. "Uh huh. She said her Mom had heard what had happened to me and told her that sort of thing only happens to 'sluts."

Rarity's face lost color, and her voice became dangerously quiet. "...did she..."

Sweetie nodded again. "So, when she and her friends cornered me in the playground and started laughing in my face about it, I didn't think; I just did it." Then, her eyes brightened. "That reminds me: I need to tell Mom and Dad about a teacher-parent conference with Miss Cheerilee tomorrow."

Rarity was shaking with rage but managed, "Mother and Father are out of town, so I will attend in their stead." Through clenched teeth, she added, "And...what is this filly's...NAME?" Once she told her, Rarity grimly smiled and said, "Of course." She wiped her mouth and stood.

"You will be fine by yourself for about an hour? There's an errand I need to run; I shan't be long!" Sweetie wasn't fooled for a second.

"No."

Rarity did a double-take. "N..NO?! But...but, Sweetie! I will NOT allow..."

"I said, 'no.' I can't have you fighting for me all my life, Sis." Sweetie looked away and sighed. "Besides, she wasn't the only one."

Rarity's heart went cold. "...what do you mean...?"

She looked back up at her sister as her eyes filled with tears. "I mean, I see the way lots of ponies look at me now. I hear them whispering behind my back...I'm...I'm...tainted now, Rarity, unclean, I heard a mare tell another...I may as well accept it...."

"Oh, SWEETIE!!" cried Rarity as she scooped her up into a fierce hug and wept bitter tears. "It's not true! IT'S NOT TRUE!" she wailed as she held her and rocked her back and forth. They cried together for some minutes before Rarity finally put her down and said, "Sweetie, I want you to listen to me very, very carefully: it was not your fault! What that pervert did to you, he did to other fillies, and he paid for it! Do not listen to anyone who tells you differently because they DO. NOT. MATTER. What matters is how you feel about yourself and how much we all LOVE you!" She hugged her once more.

"I love you so much, Sweetie..."

Author's Note:

As before, this tale is based on true events. For those of you who read the first story but didn't read all the comments, there was an exchange between myself and a few readers where I explained that this very thing happened to my daughter once word spread through our community of her sexual assault. I should say "spread through" my ex-wife's community, for she knew decades before I did, and she never told me. My daughter didn't tell me until she was in her twenties, and she also told me how people back then blamed HER for what happened, even though she was only seven years old...

Please be patient. This story will have a happy ending, that I do promise you.

But we still have some rough patches ahead...