A Brother's Love for his Sister...In a Dress
A Brother’s Love for His Sister…
She thought it looked nice.
In the mirror before her was a lavender unicorn pony in a modified look of her Grand Galloping Gala dress, with a few extra laces along the trim of the waist and collor, and violet lining on the stars. White hooves placed a small felt hat a top her purple and pink striped head with a small peacock feather adorning it. She turned around slowly to look unto herself, when a blue glow suddenly took the hat off and replaced it with laced pale lavender Berge’re (*1) slim hat with a smaller feather and dark indigo sash around the crown.
“Hmmm…” the white unicorn designer surveyed her work. She played with her indigo mane until she used her magic to take off the hat and place a feathered headdress on instead. “Yes that would do nicely. What do you think darling?”
The model did a little pose to see how it looked all together. “Well, I like the headdress, but the lace doesn’t look like much with it. But why do you need my opinion, this is for a client isn’t it Rarity?”
“Yes, but the client loved how your dress looked at the gala, but they wanted to add lace to their theme,” the white unicorn said as she placed more glitter on the stars. “Thanks again for being my model, Twilight. This particular client gave me a horrendous deadline and all my mannequins were involved in another Cutie Mark Crusading adventure…sigh…What will Sweetie and her friends think of next? I’m just sorry I had to interrupt your special day with your visitor.” Rarity turned to said visitor. “Thank you for your patience, dear. I know you haven’t been expecting this on your weekend off.”
The white unicorn stallion with blue striped mane and tail, and a cutie mark of a blue shield with a magenta star in the middle and three smaller blue stars on top of the shield, nestled on the plush waiting couch of Carousel Boutique. He didn’t wear his captain armor regalia since he was, as Rarity had said, on his weekend off as Captain of the Royal Guard. Shining Armor just smiled and shrugged. “It’s fine; we have plenty of time for the weekend.”
“Still thank you both so much. Hmmm… You know what Twilight I think you’re right about the lace, but it is the lace that they want. But don’t worry this is just one of the dress prototypes they were looking into.”
“One…of?” a sweat drop formed on the lavender cheek as she was herded to the dressing room.
‘Click.’
Her ear twitched and she looked back to the platform modeling room, there was that sound again. She had been hearing that sound occasionally from the modeling platform, but all she saw was her brother smiling a quizzical look. She smiled back, thinking nothing of the noise, and followed Rarity.
Shining Armor craned his neck making sure his little sister was out of sight then sighed in relief, he was glad he wasn’t caught. Using his magic he levitated the camera from its hiding place to eye level, he grinned as he looked through the pictures of Twilight posing in her original gala dress and the modified one on the screen. ‘Twilight looks just as cute as she did back at the gala,’ he sighed dreamily.
All big brothers (and sisters) have their quirks when it comes with their little siblings: most form love-hate relationships while some can be over protective, and there are some that are BBBFF’s. But even BBBFF’s have secret quirks that they would do anything to see their siblings in a most endearing (NOT PERVERTED) way.
In Shining Armor’s case, his secret quirk is seeing his little sister in adorable dresses.
It first started when Twilight was just a filly and little Shining Armor had first thought of his dream of becoming a part of the royal guard. Back then Cadence loved to dress Twilight up for playtime and it gave Shining a chance to play pretend and go save the ‘princess’ Twilight. He loved how Twilight always looked cute in the princess dresses and the little dances she did for him in them on his birthdays and to cheer him up when he would come home from guard training in such a depressed mood. He still remembered how she tried to dance like a Flamareco dancer, tried being the key word, but he would always smile at her dance.
However she too was growing up and her hopes of being a student at the Academy for Gifted Unicorns had made those ‘dress up days’ be a long ago memory. Oh, they still played games and gave each other company but he missed how she looked in a dress.
When he found out that Twilight and her friends were going to the Gala earlier that year he was ecstatic about not only seeing his sister after so long, but she had wrote to him about the dress she would wear.
He still remembered his reaction to her, also from his own guards on that most mundane and boring of events.
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“Now remember boys, do not do any insignificant job the nobles ask of you, only in case of an emergency. Just stand guard and be vigilant.” Shining Armor in his full captain’s uniform paced in front of the line of his guards for the event. “Just keep things rolling as normal. Any Questions?”
“Sir if I may speak frankly sir?” said one guard, second to last.
“Yes, Corporal?”
“Sir, the only things rolling will be my eyes at every conversation of the nobles talking about their money and luxury at this joke of a party.” He said with a deadpanned tone.
The other guards tried to keep their composure but most still snorted a guffaw, but Shining Armor gave genuine chuckles at the comment.
“I understand Corporal, but make sure they’re not in sight of that and just endure this as we’ve done before. Besides I’m excited for this year’s gala.” He paused as the corporal looked at him, puzzled. “My sister’s coming!”
“Little Twilight Sparkle? Really?”
“Yeah, I can’t believe it’s been close to a year since she moved to Ponyville. She writes me every week after she gives her friendship reports. And she wrote me that she’ll be attending the gala, I mean even living in Cantorlot she’s never been to the gala, and secretly I’m glad of it. But this year she’s coming with friends.” Shining looked as the dropped jaws of his guards, almost looking at something over his shoulder, but he didn’t take notice. “Yeah I know it’s shocking she has friends now, I can’t wait to see--”
“Shining!”
He gasped and smiled as he turned to the sweet voice of his little sister. “Twily! Oh It’s good to--” He too dropped his jaw.
There’s no way this mare, no, this ‘princess’ could be his little Twily?!
She trotted up to her brother in a blue-indigo ball gown and high collor decorated with stars on the hem of her waist and trim of the dress, her mane was held up in a bun and star ear-clips behind her ear.
“I’m so glad to see you big brother. Can you believe it, I’m in the gala!”
He just stared at her. She looked at him confused but noticed he was looking at her dress, she giggled as she posed for him.
“Like my dress? My friend Rarity made this along with all our dresses for the event.”
“You--You look beautiful Twilight,” Her brother finally found his voice and smiled at her. “It really suits you.”
“I’m glad you think so,” then she smiled apologetically. “Sorry Shining, but I was hoping to catch up with Princess Celestia. So I wanted to see you first, and say ‘Hi’. But we could meet up after the gala maybe, I’m sure you’re busy with security.”
“Yeah…Sure Twily! We’ll catch up later. Try to…Enjoy the Gala.” He hid his tone of the uncertainty that she will.
“Thanks Shining.” She walked over to kiss his cheek then waved to the still slack jawed guards. “Hi boys, enjoy tonight too. Bye!” And with that there went Twilight to meet the princess.
Shining Armor sighed big after he lost sight of his sister, shook his head and looked back to see his blushing guards also watching the departing unicorn mare. Time for big brother/captain mode.
“Ahem! ATTen shun!”
They immediately stood to attention with embarrassed looks; they temporarily forgot she was their captain’s sister.
“You have your orders, so to your posts. Dismissed!”
Almost too quickly they left the captain alone by the palace entrance. For a few moments Shining Armor stared at where they stood, before walking around a column just out of sight of prying eyes.
Suddenly muffled thumps came from behind the column. Looking behind it was Shining hitting his head on the column mumbling to himself.
“Stupid! Stupid! Why didn’t you bring your camera!? Twilight looked so adorable in that dress.” He stopped and sighed, maybe he could get it when he sees her again later.
After all nothing really exciting happens at the Grand Galloping Gala anyway.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Now let’s see how this looks.”
Rarity’s returned voice got him out his memory as he looked back at the platform and almost fell off the couch as he hid his camera.
There stood Twilight in a in bell shaped lace covered pale pinkish-lavender-ish gown with a black corset around her torso and the same gown colored sleeves on her front legs, a veil of lace adorned her mane with a black crown/top hat over her horn. He had to chuckle at how her blush went right along with the look.
“You’d make a perfect Dracolta’s bride Twily.”
“I guess so, and you can be our first meal together, brother.”
“Heehee, now now children. Please turn and pose, Twilight.”
A sigh--‘Click’--Turn--‘Click’--Pose--‘Click’--Pose again, then… ‘Click’
Twilight looked around the room, then asked her designer friend, “Rarity do you hear a strange clicking noise? I’ve been hearing it every time I’m on the platform.”
“It’s probably the ceiling fans; I’ll have to get them oiled.”
Twilight looked up at the ceiling, but saw nothing.
“What ceiling fans?”
“Oh! Uh…I mean the ones from my sewing room, they are… really loud at times.” The white unicorn hid a nervous voice as
she answered.
Twilight just raised an eyebrow at her, noting the tone, but she just sighed and looked at herself in the mirrors.
‘Click.’
“Let’s see that next dress the client picked out, it doesn’t have lace but it does give that feel!” Rarity loudly exclaimed as she rushed Twilight back to the dressing room. “Must keep my deadline!” As the startled Twilight was practically pushed into the other room Rarity looked at her models brother with a look that had him smile apologetically back at her, before she too left.
‘Not my fault the shutters are loud,’ he mentally said. ‘Be glad I turned off the flash.’ He sighed again and looked at the images in the camera. He looked at the new dress then moved to look at the other pictures Twilight had sent him about the other outfits Rarity had made. He liked her taffeta cape, that detective’s hat she wore during that cake mystery was cute, the simple dress she wore at her birthday party, and then there was her bridesmaid dress; at times he thought it would bring back the awful memory of their fight at the wedding residual, and how it almost cost him everything he held dear.
Yet, he remembered how she looked beside him as his true bride walked down the aisle and how proud he was of his little sister of staying with what she thought was right. Her love for him and to protect him outweighed the near fallout.
He would always look upon her bridesmaid dress with proud feelings, but it was the gala dress he really wanted to see her in again; since he didn’t get the chance last time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard, used all his training and mental strength to not fall on his back and laugh at the sight of the grand ballroom.
Debris of stone and food littered the ground, animals that ran loose were being wrangled back to the gardens, and the ‘noble’ ponies were in the most pathetic states he had ever seen them in. He nearly lost it when he saw Prince Blueblood walk by him, covered head to hoof in cake, and a look of pure shock and humiliation.
To get his mind off things he turned back to the guards that waited for his orders. He found that they were also trying not to laugh themselves silly. “Alright boys let’s get to cleaning up and get things in order again. Hop to it!”
As the guards spread out to their duties his Corporal from earlier quietly spoke to another, “Now that was the best gala ever. Haha!”
Shining let the comment go as he then set off to find the Princess, why would she leave this scene of disarray without a word?
He walked around the front lawns and down the streets until he caught a sliver of color and it was near Donut Joe’s Donut Shop; it’s been awhile since he had a donut. Indeed it was the Princess just leaving the shop…With Twilight! He was glad he had the camera this time but as he got closer…
His jaw dropped again…What happened!?
His little sister’s dress was torn and wrinkled and the clips were broken. She also looked really tired as she talked to the princess. She saw him, said something to the princess and trotted toward him.
“Twily! Are you alright?! What happened to you?!”
“Hi Shining. I’m alright, but is everything alright back at the gala? I hope we didn’t cause too much damage for you and the guards to clean up?”
He didn’t answer for a moment then took in what she had said, “Wait, you caused the ruckus?”
“Well not me really, but my friends. But don’t be hard on them!” she franticly waved her front hooves. “They…we all just wanted the best night ever…haha…” she laughed. “But it wasn’t until after we met up again when we really did…Sorry Shining, for the whole mess, but the others are very tired and just went off to go to bed. I’m afraid that you’ll have to meet them some other time.”
“…That’s okay Twilight, I’m just glad you’re okay, and actually the guards found the evening the most fun entertainment in a long time.” He paused as she sighed in relief. “Are you going to bed too?”
“Well I did promise to meet with you afterward, but I bet you have to help clean up.”
“Not necessarily.”
The unicorn siblings turned to the smiling rainbow-maned alicorn. “I’ll look over the proceedings. You two need to really catch up, take your time.” She winked at them, and then flew back to the palace.
They looked back to each other for a few moments then together they laughed an uproar that they had to quiet down for the sleeping city. They walked off together telling of how the night went for both of them and other stories of their misadventures since they last saw each other.
Shining was still bummed at not getting her gala dress picture though.
Maybe he could think of something when--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“OKAY! Something’s really fishy now!”
Twilight’s shout woke him from the memory to look worriedly at the dressing room doorway.
“Fishy? Sniff…sniff…perhaps Opal brought some fish in from the market. I keep telling that cat not to bring in smelly things!”
Good one, go with that……Who’s Opal though?
“Not that Rarity! I’ve just been noticing something about these dresses for your ‘client’.”
“Why…whatever do you mean dear?”
“All these dresses fit me perfectly.”
“Well the client did need these to be a perfect fit. You just happen to have the same figure.”
“But that’s just it Rarity, these fit me so perfectly it’s like they have my exact measurements. Besides, at every dress you ask me about how ‘I’ look in each of them. I know your protocol when it comes to your dress making and you always ask the client on their opinion on an outfit, not the model’s opinion. And that clicking sound, there’s a fan in here and I assume that the others are the same brand, and it doesn’t make that sound.”
Why does she have to have such good observations?
“Maybe a coincidence?”
“Rarity, you had told me yourself that no pony has the same measurements nor the same tastes?”
“Well I--”
“Rarity just please tell me what’s going on? I understand that you want my help, but this is making me uncomfortable about this and I feel like I’m wasting my brother’s time on his weekend off. Who is your client anyway?”
“I’m afraid ‘protocol’ has me disclose on his name--Gasp! Oops.”
Oops is right…
“‘His’ name…Rarity why would a male want-- Wait a minute……”
Uh, oh…
“Weekend off, horrendous deadline, Gala dress…Clicking… he even said he brought his... Rarity… Please tell me the client isn’t…”
“……Alright, I won’t tell you. I’m sorry dear but he said he really wanted to see you in your gala dress and maaaybe some other dresses that he would love to see you in. And I must say you were absolutely adora-- Twilight dear, calm down we meant no ill intent on this and he did pay good money--Oh my…’
Oh man…
“SHINING ARMOR!”
Busted!
He shifted nervously as he heard the stomping hooves of his little sister thundered in the boutique. Her next dress was a ruffled layered gown of dark indigo and pink with a torso corset that had cross pattern stitching up to the collor neck, she wore large floppy top hat that had a ring of red chrysanthemums. (*2) Rarity followed her, her magic holding an umbrella that looked like it was made into goofy gothic bear head, and another stuffed bear with a train engineer’s hat and stitches all over its body. The white unicorn mouthed ‘Sorry’ as he looked unto the glare of Twilight Sparkle.
Now he grew up facing glares from his superiors in the years before in the royal guard but his little sister’s glare made them all dull in comparison.
Tarturus had not known fury more than a mare scorned.
“Now, Twilight let me explain.”
“I can’t believe you! You planned this and got Rarity involved having me wear those dresses… and you took pictures of me!” She used her magic to grab the camera and look at the images, her face contorting with each one. Wetness formed around her eyes.
“Oh no, don’t cry Twily. I’m--”
She took off toward a room away from her brother, her tail slapping his cheek in the process; he followed, but was stopped short by the slammed locked door of Twilight’s magic.
“Oh come on Twilight, come out! I’m sorry!”
“No you’re not! I feel so embarrassed! How many of these pictures did you take?”
“I am really sorry Twilight. I just wanted to see you dressed up again like you did when you were a filly. I know you’re a big mare now but you still looked cute in those dresses. Even Cadence thought you--”
“Even Cadence had seen these too!? Behind my back?!... Sob…How could you big brother! Sob… I’m feel so…humiliated…sob!”
Moisture form around Shining’s eyes as he turned to slide his back down the door and thump his head against it. ‘Nice going, idiot.’
“Well…” said Rarity as she too came up to the door. “That was unsettling.”
“I can’t believe you joined in to do this Rarity!”
“Now wait a moment Twilight! I had said this was not for ill intentions dear! And from the bottom of my heart I am truly sorry for not saying anything, and for my little white lies. But please know I would never have done anything of ill will to a model and/or a friend. I know this situation does feel degrading to you but it was not to humiliate you. You know how older siblings are with their younger kin, it’s one of those quirks they would have. It makes them do silly, unintentionally, insensitive things.”
“This is not really helping me Miss Rarity,” Shining commented.
“Oh but I am helping sir, just sit tight and pay attention soldier.” She pointed her dainty hoof at his nose before continuing.
“Now Shining Armor, you love your sister correct?”
“With all my being.”
“You would never have her do something truly degrading on her just for fun?”
“Never, I would take banishment to the moon for that…Sigh, I just missed those times you would dress up and dance for me after my training days.” He turned his head to the door. “I did want to ask you if you wanted to wear dresses again at least just for the day, but…I was afraid that, since you are a grown up independent mare, that you would say ‘no’.”
“……Sniff…maybe you should of, but you didn’t…sniff!”
“I know Twilight, and right now I’m paying the price for it and I’ll pay it a million times over…We have been growing up a part from each other for so long and I had thought…sigh.” He laid his forehead to the door, his eyes wet. “Please Twilight…I would never want to betray your trust, sniff, I’ll destroy the camera and all the pictures in it to show you I really mean it…I’m so so sorry little sis…”
When was the last time true tears fell from his eyes?
The door suddenly unlocked and slowly opened to reveal a red eyed Twilight to look up at her brother. Her dress was a bit wrinkled from her retreat but she still look cute in it, however that was a far off thought as the two siblings hugged each other. Shining whispered apology after apology and love to her ear. Rarity stayed quiet and she dappled her own tears gently with a tissue at the scene.
Removing herself from the hug Twilight lifted up the camera to her eye level.
“Apologies accepted Shining and…You don’t have to destroy this…Cadence would want to see them after her diplomat trip.” She looked fiercely at him. “But don’t you ever do something like this again, perhaps if you had asked I wouldn’t have minded.”
“Okay Twilight.”
“…I remember those times too… I just want to remember them with you together.”
“I’m sorry, I will if there ever is a next time.”
“Only if you ask first.”
“Alright Twily.”
“Well,” Rarity sighed in relief. “Glad that’s settled, and Twilight dear you wrinkled the dress.”
“I’m still mad at you for going along with this!”
“Come now I was only following customer’s orders, can’t fault me for that.”
“I’ll try.”
“But you must admit it was fun to see you in these dresses. We still need to pose you in this one and the next one.”
“One more, really?”
“This maybe the only chance before he goes back and he did pay.”
“Sigh…Oh alright.” She looked at the camera then handed back to her brother. “You’re no Photo Finish, but at least they’re decent pictures.”
“You should see the other ones.”
“WHAT?!”
“They’re the one you’ve sent me! Honest!”
Twilight just sighed and followed the giggling Rarity with her head shaking.
After fixing up the previous dress, her mane and make up, and posing for the camera, Twilight walked off the platform to the dressing room as Rarity put away the props. Shining walked up to her.
“Thanks again Miss Rarity, not just for the dresses but also for getting us out of that second near fallout.”
“Oh think nothing of it dear. In my opinion you dug your own grave with this situation. I am an older sibling myself, so I understand how certain quirks can manipulate the relationships between siblings.”
“Still thank you again…maybe I should write my own friendship report to the princess. Haha.” He paused as he looked to the dressing room door, then whispered to her, “This last dress…It wouldn’t happen to be--”
“OH PONY NO!”
“It is,” replied Rarity with a smile.
The two white unicorns looked to the door where the shout came from that open to reveal Twilight standing in a loose magenta silk dress with a belt and headband of dark red roses, and a necklace of pearls around her neck. Her face was tainted red from her blush.
“This is a wedding gown!” exclaimed the lavender unicorn, and then glared at her chuckling brother as he pulled up the camera. “S-Stop laughing at me!”
‘Click.’
“But you look so cute Twily!”
“Heehee, and think of it this way dear, at least you’ll have one now than then when you do finally marry,” giggled Rarity as she adjusted the flower headband.
“I hate you both!”
Shining Armor paused in his photography to frown in thought, “…Let’s hope that won’t happen anytime soon. Not as long as I’m your big brother and Captain of the Royal Guard.”
The two unicorn mares stared at him then looked at each other and both giggled loud. Oh a brother’s love for his sister indeed.
A/N: No Inappropriate comments please and thank you.
*1: A silk straw like hat from the 1800's
*2: Think of One Piece Perona's 2 years later outfit
