The blissful hum that passed thoughtlessly from her pursed lips held an angelic melody.
A slight smile tugged at the corner of Rarity’s mouth as she inspected her reflection while running a fine-toothed comb through her long, luxurious purple mane.
A few months had come and gone and not a single villain had reared its ugly head to challenge the harmony that blanketed Equestria. With the power of friendship spreading throughout the lands, it seemed that nothing could dislodge the tranquility the inhabitants of Equestria had found themselves in.
Twilight Sparkle and her newly appointed student, Starlight Glimmer, were making wonderful strides in their studies of friendship. And while she would not consider herself and the rest of the girls at all obsolete in their duties to aid the young princess, Rarity had noticed that they were not summoned nearly as frequently as they used to be.
Although, she did miss her when her cutie mark glowed. It did look rather fabulous whenever it did happen, if a little strange.
“Don’t be so boastful, Sweetie.” Rarity beamed brightly to her little sister as she lifted a hoof to messily ruffle her mane, her eyes full of pride as she regarded the cutie mark upon her flank. “I am very proud of you for finally obtaining your cutie mark but please, exercise a little humility, won’t you? You don’t have to keep going on and on about it. It’s been almost three months already and I am pretty sure half of Equestria knows the story about how you finally got your cutie mark.”
“Oh I know, but it was so cool how it happened, though—hey! Stop that! You’re gonna mess up my mane! Rarity!” Sweetie Belle squeaked, flailing her hooves up at the onslaught occurring atop her head. A strategic backpedal put just enough distance between herself and her big sister—who still sat at the vanity—to officially end it.
Rarity chuckled, covering her lips with a hoof. “I do apologize, Sweetie Belle. Come here, won’t you? Let me correct my mistake and comb your mane for you. I did quite the number on it and I would loathe for ponies to see my precious little sister in public with such an unkempt mane.”
“And you should! I spent all of ten minutes doing it this morning...” Trotting back towards her and puffing out her cheeks, Sweetie Belle turned about and parked her flank on the ground before the stool Rarity sat upon and inclined her head just right for the mare to have full access to her mane.
“Ten minutes? Celestia forbid! It takes me almost an hour to properly arrange my mane.” Rarity pouted at this admission.
Her sister had the uncanny ability to quite literally wake up with an almost immaculately styled mane. Mind you, her sister hadn’t always had such an ability, in fact it had started just recently... It was on that thought that Rarity narrowed her eyes suspiciously down at Sweetie Belle’s head, moving the comb through the young mare’s mane to correct the frizz she had mercilessly scrubbed into it.
Oddly, her mane felt a little dry… and it smelt kind of strange… as if some kind of hair product had been applied to it.
Just as Rarity parted her lips to inquire as to why that was the case, Sweetie Belle interrupted in a particular tone that she knew all too well. It almost caused the eldest sister to roll her eyes.
“Oh! Rarity, can I ask you a teeny, tiny favor? It’s really important and I’d really like for you to say yes.”
Whatever this favor was, Rarity was not going to like it. She knew that much.
“And that is?” Rarity arched a brow, her magic ceasing the comb’s stroke through Sweetie Belle’s strands.
“Can I… um, maybe use some of your makeup and maybe-if that’s okay, use one or two of your dresses on display downstairs? I understand if you don’t want to, though. I mean… I know you’re very busy with the upcoming Gala dresses for the others, so I don’t really want to get in the way of your work… but I really, really would love it if you said yes, so… pleeeeeeaaaaase?”
Rarity blinked, utterly dumbstruck.
That certainly was not something she had expected to hear. Sweetie Belle taking an interest in her appearance could only mean one thing… and that was her little sister was in fact, not so little anymore.
A part of Rarity had feared the day her sister would outgrow the need to depend upon her; she enjoyed playing the role after all, but then again, another part of her had become very excited over the prospect that both of them could eventually share fashion and makeup tips with one another.
Especially juicy gossip she certainly could not share with a filly of Sweetie Belle’s age.
Rarity almost glowed with happiness as she replied in earnest, her eyes practically sparkling. “Of course you can, Sweetie Belle! And would you like some help with that? I have the most beautiful frock that I designed, and I think it would suit you perfectly… and? If we combine that with the correct application of a little makeup here and there around the eyes? I am absolutely, one hundred percent certain you would become, ahem, the Belle of the ball, so to speak.”
“S-sure! Thanks, sis! I would like that… but... I’m not really sure how to-uh, apply that kind of stuff, properly, you know?” The young mare admitted with a nervous glance over her shoulder up at her beaming older sister. “Well… I kind of do, but, I sort of made a mess of things when I tried it last… I kind of ended up looking like one of those rodeo clowns… so I would really, really appreciate all of your help, Rarity.”
Drawing the comb back, Rarity tapped it to her pouting lips as she turned her gaze up towards the ceiling. “I have always wanted to try and add some light pink eyeshadow on you… but then again, perhaps a light shade of green would suit you better? Perhaps for the shock and awe rather than the-ooooh! Perhaps a sort of mint, or, maybe, a cyan shade? Hmmm… to be honest, Sweetie Belle, I think you will be able to pull off pretty much anything with your naturally dual coloured mane...”
It took a full minute for the penny to drop and for Rarity to look down at Sweetie Belle with a suspicious glare. “Wait a minute… what do you mean by ‘the last time’ you tried it?”
Sweetie Belle sat up erect, trying her hardest not to smile guiltily and failing miserably as she did so. “I… might have borrowed some of your makeup once…”
“Once?” Rarity demanded, leaning down towards her.
Sweetie Belle shrank back, batting her eyelashes. “Okay… maybe twice?”
“So that explains that one time I couldn’t find my blue eyeshadow and rouge lipstick a couple of months back…” Rarity tried her best to look disappointed, but she couldn’t help but smile. After all, she herself had done something similar when she was a filly.
Granted, Rarity had gotten one of the largest spankings she had ever had in her life from her Mother and Father when she was discovered, but that was to be expected.
Bright blue lipstick was a little bit difficult to get off of bleached white wallpaper...
“You’re not mad, are you?” Sweetie Belle’s guilty little smile melted into a frown. “I’m sorry, Rarity, I really am! I just wanted to… well… we were just—”
Rarity sighed. “Why am I not surprised you were not alone in this theft? I can only assume it was you that suggested it in the first place, since no one else really knows where I keep my beauty products.”
“Y-yeah… sorry…”
“Don’t be, Sweetie Belle.” Rarity placed a hoof on her shoulder as she gently shook her head. “To be honest, I did something similar when I was your age. So I understand. It’s all a part of growing up…” Placing the comb down onto the vanity behind her, she asked the question that had been weighing on her mind the entire time. “So why the sudden interest in your appearance? Is it because of… a certain somepony?”
“A-ah well…” Sweetie Belle stood up and glanced up towards the mirror, mocking a look of surprise. “Oh! Thanks for doing my mane, Rarity!” She glanced to her right hoof as if looking at a watch. “Oh look at the time! Gotta go! I think I hear Scoots and Applebloom calling for me! Bye!”
Like a bolt of lightning, Rarity watched as her little sister fled from her bedroom.
“Oh… my… GOSH!” Rarity stood up in a flurry, grinning from ear to ear as she trotted on the spot, tilting her head from side to side and squeaking in her excitement. “My little sister has fallen in love! I simply cannot believe it! This is shocking! Scandalous! Unimaginable!”
Giving a sly glance to the mirror, Rarity grinned to her own reflection as she formulated a plan of action. “I have to know! I simply HAVE to know! Maybe Applejack has heard something… maybe Applebloom has slipped up and accidentally told her already? Maybe I should interrogate Scootaloo or—”
Although she knew such speculations were somewhat farfetched, Rarity could not help but work herself up over it. Why else would a mare her age be suddenly interested in beautifying her appearance?
Her smile melted away as she sighed. “My little sister is finally growing up.”
Rarity lifted the comb to return to grooming her mane and, just as she glanced away from the mirror, something warm and wet dribbled down her cheek, quickly catching her attention as it fell.
A trail of blood trickled from her left nostril.
“O-oh dear...” Rarity opened up the drawer under the vanity cabinet and withdrew a handkerchief with her magic that she quickly and firmly pressed against her muzzle. She tilted her head back to combat the nosebleed. “I must have worked myself up a bit too much.”
