> Sleeping Belle
>  by wayward_pony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> 1 -- "Stepping In"
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


1
"Stepping In"


It was well past eleven. Sitting in her living room Rarity sipped some chamomile tea, the closest thing to a nightcap she would have (given that she seldom drank alcohol outside of a social occasion). She thought over her day's events, how little had actually gone according to plan. She was a bit behind, but not yet frazzled:

If I move the final touches to the reconstruction of Cheerilee's Mom's wedding dress to tomorrow afternoon, I should have time to work on the custom, three piece Cute-ceañera ensemble for Dinky Hooves for the rest of the evening. Putting down her mug Rarity rubbed her temples and sighed. Rarity, oh, Rarity...  relax, dear. You're working much too hard. There is still plenty of time for another thing to go wrong... such as finding out Sweetie Belle stole the last of your custom thread to fix her slightly worn Crusader cape and Button's beanie. You can recover, and if you want things to go well for the next couple days, you'd best get to bed before tomorrow begins. She looked down at her mug, taking the last sip. It tasted good and was all empty except for the bag.

Getting up, and using her magic to carry it with her, Rarity took the mug into the kitchen and cleaned it, properly disposing of the tea bag. She then put the dish away, giving her already spotless kitchen one final look over for the night. Hard to believe she had two younger ponies running around in here not hours before... though why had she agreed tonight, of all nights, to allow Sweetie to have a small pajama party? She was much too generous and she knew it... though she and Sweetie did have to have a talk before, given what was going on. It was no matter, this was all in the past and things were planned for appropriately.

The mare grinned as she felt a warm, fuzzy sensation against her foreleg. Looking down she saw Opalescence rubbing on her knee.

"Well, then," she said, with a smile. "You're just going to be up all night, aren't you? A nocturnal creature. Do get the mice, dear." Turning away she clicked off the light with her magic. "Good night, Opal... pleasant dreams, should you get bored enough to nap."

She glanced back to see Opalescence slowly following her, looking a tad bored but like she knew she was going to be alone for the night... typical of most cats, Rarity knew despite being aloof they are not anti-social animals. Opal followed Rarity until she got to the hall upstairs, where the cat promptly got distracted by her shadow in the dark, mostly due to multiple low-level light sources not on during the day. She started doing her typical spooky, sideways dance, heading back downstairs to a place where she understood how the light worked at this time of night... it was almost non-existent and, given that Opal could see in the dark, that was fine.

Noticing Sweetie Belle's light was still on, Rarity silently crept by Sweetie's room and looked inside. There the filly, and her coltfriend, were asleep on Sweetie's large bed... snoring happily. Sweetie was on her back, Button's was rump in the air. They hadn't even made it under the covers; it looked like they had simply passed out. Crayons and drawings lay beside them, the newest half done (Sweetie's of singers she admired, Button's of cruder-looking video game characters). The two were, of course, dressed in pajamas, Button's faded sleeping clothes contrasted against his darker coat. Rarity noted he looked a tad better without the beanie, but it was his favorite, lucky hat, and she could relate. So many customers swore by a particular piece of clothing, sometimes quite ratty-looking, that they'd just never let it go. He'd gotten a score of over 9,000 in one of the first video games he'd played wearing it (the one, he said, using terms Rarity couldn't recall, where the characters all turned blonde when they achieved their "final form" which, as it turns out, was never truly final). For that reason they were inseparable.

Using her magic to gingerly remove the drawings and tools, Rarity noticed Button's top was backwards. She shook her head, wishing she was his mother so she could fix it and have it not be too awkward. At least she had Sweetie Belle to focus on, but she would let them both sleep for now. They had had a big day of running around... both outside and, when the sun finally set, in. Tomorrow would be the same.

Before clicking the light off Rarity examined her little sister. She was snoring, mouth wide... it was cute. Her tops matched the rest of her quite well. With her magic she clicked the light off and began to tip-toe away, only to realize something, turning back around.

Click!

She looked at Sweetie Belle again and realize that the filly was not wearing any bottoms. They were still neatly laid out at the side of her bed.

"Oh, dear."

This would normally not be a big deal, had Sweetie Belle not started wetting the bed a month before.

The agreement Rarity and Sweetie Belle had come to was the same when Sweetie had gone to sleep at Apple Bloom's -- wear protection under your PJs, and you may go. In this particular case Sweetie could have him over and this was the perfect way to hide it. Granted Rarity had seen Sweetie Belle wearing her protection since and, frankly... it would be somewhat apparent even under her pajamas, not that a little colt or filly would know. Spatially, Rarity's abilities were quite good... both she and Rainbow Dash shared this in common. Much to her dismay she could tell the few mares in town that involuntarily leaked and wore dresses along with protection from those that simply liked to dress up. At least this particular brand did not crinkle (and they had just one package of those left when Applejack had gone in for Apple Bloom), but Rarity knew they would be much too bulky to completely hide.

Rarity stared for a bit, biting her lip.

Sweetie, what am I going to do with you? She let out a sigh. "It's okay, they're both asleep now... Sweetie is just as likely to have an accident tonight as she was yesterday." It's happening more than twice a week and you know it... "I have to do something. Sweetie might wake up cold, wet, and embarrassed... then I'll need to get yet another mattress."

Rarity approached slowly, already having made up her mind what she was going to do.

"Okay, she's on her back. This should be fairly easy."

Her horn glowed and out from under the bed came a small, pink duffel bag. It was exactly where it was always kept. She manually unzipped the bag, quietly, looking at the supplies -- there were five diapers out of twelve left and a container of foal powder, its seal still unbroken. Rarity found herself scowling, if only for a moment:

Sweetie Belle, you and I agreed that would help keep you dry! She shook her head, unable to stay angry despite her best ability. Well, to be truthful, even I'd have trouble using it on myself. "It's so... puerile and smelly. It would be demeaning, especially in this case." She looked over at her snoring sister, taking a diaper in her magic. "Sweetie, if you can hear me I do feel bad for having to do this to you... let's just get it over with."

It had been six years since Sweetie Belle was toilet-trained, and yet this position already felt so familiar. Rarity could recall changing Sweetie Belle's diapers, at an age where she could even talk, and how... she didn't mind at all. In fact, like most foals, Sweetie Belle's bladder had trained months before her bowels. Rarity's body and magic remembered all the motions it was about to carry out, quite well at that.

Using her magic to gently raise Sweetie Belle's legs (and effectively her rump), Rarity opened up the diaper with her hoof and slid it beneath her sister. She lined it up perfectly, tenderly laying Sweetie's backside down, her legs splaying a bit in an almost undiginfied manner as Rarity pulled it up to make sure it would fit snug. She checked her sister's face. The filly was actually smiling a bit... perhaps having a good dream or, in some barely remembered way, this was strangely comforting.

Sweetie's legs went right back in the air, held together this time by Rarity's magic. The mare took the container of foal powder, slowly broke its plastic seal (making sure to be as quiet as possible, as not to wake either sleeping pony). She then sprinkled a little bit on Sweetie Belle's rump and inside the diaper... a lot more came out than she thought was going to when it came time to turn the container vertically and get some in the diaper, enough to make a small mountain, but using her magic to spread it around a bit, from front to back, it ended up being excessive, but not overly so.

Rarity set aside the powder and pulled the front of the diaper up between Sweetie's thighs. Again the filly smiled. There were just two velcros on the front (and one on the back for the tail), just like with an infant foal's diaper. This part would be easy. Rarity began taping the diaper up, slowly... again, careful not to make too much noise as she adjusted the tabs and pulled it taught. Sweetie Belle was nearly diapered.

Rarity knew these diapers were called Youth Briefs on the package, but she also knew how manufacturers sometimes... played with names for their products to give them a different ring. This was something she could appreciate, but only externally. The term "brief" was much more dignified than diaper, but it still performed the same function. This was all simply smoke and mirrors for dignity's sake (and marketing).

The front half of Sweetie Belle was securely diapered. Using her magic to roll Sweetie to the side, Rarity secured the final velcro and it was done.

"Whew... that wasn't so bad."

She then used her magic to grab Sweetie's pajama bottoms, opening up the waistband to slip her little sister inside. She used her magic, again, to raise Sweetie's legs... having to hold a sleeping filly gently in her aura was more difficult than it seemed, as her motions had to be especially gentle (as did her grip), even more so than when working with the most delicate of threads.

I'll just put these on you and nopony will be any wiser! Rarity smiled. "Oh, this was much too easy."

"Um... what- what're you doing to Sweetie Belle?"

Button's gravelly, half-asleep voice cut through the silence. Rarity froze, turning to him. His eyes were fluttering, barely open. The words had been a struggle to get out. He smacked his lips, literally on the verge of falling asleep again, hanging in between consciousness and rest waiting for an answer.

Rarity thought quickly. She could panic, and then both would definitely wake up. She tried something she had read once in a book, when two daring secret lovers of the same sex had been discovered by one of their younger brothers, unbeknownst to them both, on the bunk above.

"Go back to sleep, Button," she said, soothingly. "It's okay. You're just dreaming."

She messed up the line, but the result was the same. Had Button been awake enough to process that made no sense he would've definitely woken Sweetie Belle up (with his brain breaking from what he saw Rarity doing). As it was he was just waiting for a bit of soothing music to escape Rarity's lips, and, satisfied with that, was already drifting back into slumberland.

"Whew." Good thing Sweetie Belle can sleep through anything.

She looked back at Sweetie Belle who had stopped snoring, but was still fast asleep.

Rarity pulled the pajamas on her sister, above the waistband of her diaper, tucking it in nicely so no bits of white showed. She then pulled the drawstring closed and tenderly pulled the covers over both sleeping, little ponies (using her magic to gently turn Button on his side). Neither would be the wiser as to what had happened when the morning came... at least Rarity hoped, though she knew it was not likely.

She was almost home free. Both little ponies a snored blissfully as Rarity used her magic to gently tuck everything away. It didn't take long, though the re-zipping of the bag was louder than expected, both continued to snore. She was at least happy that Sweetie Belle would have a dry bed and pajamas in the morning... though she wished she had done this all by herself.

When all was finished, Rarity tip-toed away from the pair, shut the door behind herself, and, standing alone in the hall... let out a huge sigh. That was too close.

Now Rarity just had herself to worry about, as it was rapidly approaching midnight. The whole ordeal had taken under five minutes, but a good ten minutes would then be spent in the shower, and then after that five to ten to properly dry. It would be well after eleven forty-five by the time Rarity laid down to rest. Still, all in a day's work for a big sister.
> 2 -- "Sleepy Little Filly"
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


2
"Sleepy Little Filly"


Rarity awoke to the sound of her alarm clock. Seven AM, time to get up... whether she'd slept well the night before or not. The mare reached over to shut it off, then stretched back, taking off her sleep mask. She could've stood to sleep an hour or two more, but would function fine on this sleep. Besides, if she didn't get up she knew Sweetie Belle and Button Mash would soon be out of bed. It would be a good idea to have breakfast ready.

Setting her hooves on the cold floor Rarity gingerly crept across the hall, looking in to Sweetie Belle's room to see that Button Mash was no longer there and Sweetie Belle seemed to have shifted to her side during the night and appeared to be stretching. Rarity looked down the hall to see the bathroom door closed, a light underneath it. She walked passed and down the stairs quietly.

Opalescence meowed when she saw her mistress coming, signifying that the kitty cat could use a little something to eat herself. Soon Rarity was being followed by her meowing pet, but she was quick to sate Opal's appetite. Using her magic, Rarity pulled a few treats from a bag in her kitchen drawer for the cat, who greedily ate them as they touched the floor. Then the sleepy mare started up the burner on the stove, getting everything ready to make breakfast. Cooking, when compared to last night's activity, also felt familiar... but was much more relaxing. She would make pancakes for all three... maple syrup, blueberries, strawberries, and a touch of garnish for good measure.

It didn't take long for one of the two to come down stairs. Button Mash was first, of course. He came bounding down the stairs, promptly sitting at the table, still wearing his half backwards pajamas, but also his signature beanie. Rarity did not take her eye off the burner, wanting to get the pancakes -just- right before serving.

"Hi Rarity!"

"Good morning Button," she said, with a nod. "Slept well, I take it?"

"Uh-huh!" the beanie-clad colt replied. "Like a log!"

"That is wonderful. Do you know if Sweetie Belle is still asleep?"

"She's in the bathroom." Button rolled his eyes, not that Rarity could see. "She always takes so long in there, and she's taking super long today. It's so frustrating... I'm hungry right now!"

Rarity nodded.

"It is... understandable that you might not see why it's so necessary, but believe me, it is."

"A mare has to look good?" Button said, with a questioning tone, sounding as though he was echoing some other pony's idea.

Rarity shook her head in disbelief.

"Wh- where in Equestria did you hear that?"

"Um..." The colt fidgeted with his propeller, grinning nervously. "Lucky guess?"

Rarity glanced back, a sly smile on her face.

"Oh, I see," she said, causing Button to blush. "Well, she'll be along shortly then... I trust you like pancakes?"

Button's eyes lit up.

"Do I!?"

"Good." Rarity flipped the jack with her magic. "Because they're almost ready!"

Just as she used her magic to grab the plates, as if on cue, Rarity noticed out of the corner of her eye Sweetie Belle traipsing slowly into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes. Judging by her wet mane, and the fact that she was no longer in her pajamas, the filly looked as though she had been in the shower. She also looked a tad sleepy still, but the sugar in the syrup would likely help get her motor going. She sat down beside her coltfriend, glancing over at him as an awkward grin on grew on his face.

"See? I told you Rarity was up," Button gloated. "Also, um... why aren't you wearing your PJs anymore?"

"I don't feel like it," Sweetie replied, matter-of-factly.

Sensing something was off, Rarity stepped in. "Good morning Sweetie Belle," she said, not taking her eyes off the burner.

"Morning Rarity."

"Hey, Sweetie Belle." Button poked the sleepy filly in the shoulder. "You won't believe the dream I had last night. It was about you!"

Rarity chuckled, filling three plates with a stack each.

"Were you two playing that game you like about mining? The one where you can create beautiful things out of blocks?"

"No, we weren't playing video games. Not this time."

Again, Rarity chuckled... this time more nervously.

Hopefully I won't have to suggest his parents talk with him about the Birds and the Bees next. She glanced over her shoulder, to see even Sweetie Belle curiously looking at the colt. "Well, what was it?"

Button giggled, putting a hoof over his face.

"You were getting put in diapers, Sweetie Belle! Seriously I'd never seen anything like it!"

Rarity looked back in horror as Sweetie Belle froze, eyes growing wide. She almost dropped a plate herself, but regained her composure just in time... not that either pony noticed.

"What an... interesting dream, Button Mash," Rarity interjected as she set a plate of pancakes in front of him.  She added copious amounts of fruit and whipped cream, hoping that would shut him up.

"I know!" the colt replied, taking a fork from Rarity's aura, then a huge (and gross) bite from the stack, chewing with his mouth open. "They don't make diapers that fit big ponies, though. Just babies."

Normally Rarity would've corrected him -- she'd been asked a hoofful of times to custom make a few garments to accommodate mares, stallions, and older little ponies like themselves with special needs. Instead, she found herself putting and extra amount of detail into Sweetie's breakfast... shaping it like a teddy bear. She added a few bits of garnish, whipped cream and berries to make it look like he had white hair, a green mustache and blue eyes. Anything to get Sweetie Belle feeling better, stat.

"Good thing it was just a dream," she said, winking at Sweetie Belle as she set the detailed meal down. "That would, of course, be quite cruel to make fun of, wouldn't it? Enjoy Sweetie."

Sweetie Belle gave a light smile, attempting to pick up a fork in her green aura... when that did not work she picked it up with her hoof and dug in.

Rarity turned back to the stove, quickly throwing together her own breakfast as she listened to the two foals talk. Nothing else was mentioned about Button's little dream, and Rarity glanced back more than once to be sure Sweetie Belle was okay. When she saw a sincere smile on the filly's face, she heaved sigh a of relief... it seemed everything was okay. Sweetie was not the best actor, and even though Button's jokes could be exceptionally bad, he always did manage to make her laugh.

Setting her meal on the table, Rarity began eating. She normally took slow, lady-like bites, but today... today she was going to be busy. Even so, by the time she down sat at the table, Button (almost shoveling it in), was about three-quarters done with his meal. By the time Sweetie was a third done with hers, Button was finished, whereas Rarity had barely even started.

BURP!

"That was good, Rarity," the colt said, getting up and leaving his plate where it was. He turned to Sweetie Belle. "See you in a bit!"

He then trotted off without another word, leaving his chair out. Rarity rolled her eyes, but knew Sweetie Belle could have much worse coltfriends, especially when she got older. Plus Button had this sort of naive charm, and she could understand why Sweetie would find it so endearing. It was possible in a couple of years their relationship could grow to something special... or perhaps it would crumble. Time would tell, but for right now things were pleasant. Awkward, but pleasant.
> 3 -- "Alone at Last"
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


3
"Alone at Last"


The two were finally alone. Without Button's chatter and chomping all that could be heard was the ticking of Rarity's clock on the wall and the drip of her faucet. It was otherwise silent.

Rarity looked at her sister, who's eyes and attention were focused on breakfast. They sat silently for a moment as Sweetie Belle chewed, not even glancing up.

"Sweetie Belle?" Rarity said, her voice almost echoing in the sparse kitchen.  "Are you... okay, Sweetie?"

The filly glanced up, a sheepish, embarrassed smile on her face. She nodded rapidly.

Rarity smiled back.

"Do you know what happened last night?"

Again, Sweetie nodded. "I... um fell asleep."

"It looked like you might've fallen asleep coloring, dear." Rarity replied, rather matter-of-factly. "Not fully dressed yet. It's good to know you were having fun."

Sweetie Belle shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"Uh, Rarity. Did you, um, really...?"

The mare nodded.

"I did what I had to do, Sweetie. You were asleep, so I took care of you. You slept through the whole thing... it was quite awkward, but over with fairly quick. Button did open his eyes briefly, though I think-"

The filly's pupils became pinpricks as she took a breath, eyes already tearing up.

"He did!?"

Holding up a hoof, Rarity smiled.

"Yes, yes, he did, but, a-hem... he was not entirely awake. I think he might've seen what I was doing, but it didn't make any sense to him, so he went back to sleep. Would you rather I let you risk wetting the bed and perhaps even Button Mash?"

Sweetie Belle frowned.

"No, but..." She took a breath. "I, uh- well..."

"Sweetie." Rarity set her fork down and took a breath. "I'd do anything for you. You and I agreed you'd need to wear protection to bed, and I know you wish you didn't have to, but we cannot pretend it doesn't happen. It's... just what some young ponies experience growing up." She smiled. "You will outgrow it, dear, hopefully sooner than you think. If you haven't in a couple months, though I will have to try to make you a few undergarments out of rubber that should hopefully look less... obvious than what you have now."

"You can do that?"

Rarity nodded.

"I can, and have tried a hoofful of times for ponies with special needs, but with little luck. To be fair, it is time-consuming and I have little experience at it. If I don't get it just right the protection is void... but I will set aside the time to master it for you. You are my sister, after all."

The filly smiled again. In response Rarity sighed.

"Now, tell me, Sweetie Belle, and please be truthful... did you not wear it last night on purpose?"

For the third time Sweetie Belle shifted in her seat. She nodded, unable to look into her sister's eyes.

"Sweetie Belle... that is not good."

The filly looked up and bit her lip, her face red with embarrassment, her eyes a tiny bit wet again.

"Thanks, Rarity," she said plainly.

Rarity blinked twice. Despite all that had happened over the past nine hours she was still perplexed.

"Thanks for what, Sweetie...?"

"For, um..." Sweetie Belle looked away, putting a hoof to the back of her neck and blushing. "Putting that thing on me. I kinda woke up, well... really soaked. I could barely walk to the bathroom to take it off it was so swollen."

"Well then!" Rarity grinned at her sister, who shrunk even further back in her chair. "I'm glad I did. Anytime, I guess, Sweetie Belle! Though I'd greatly prefer you do it yourself."

Again, Sweetie Belle blushed, putting a hoof to the back of her neck.

"Well, um, yeah... me too. Totally."

Both ponies looked at each other silently for a moment. Each slowly cracked a smile, then giggled, and finally laughed. The sound of their laughter echoed throughout the entire house. The whole ordeal had ended, this was their final release of energy. Sweetie Belle could easily stay embarrassed, but like her big sister she found herself laughing it off.

Upstairs Button Mash exited the bathroom, ready for the day.  He drifted downstairs and looked into the kitchen, scratching his head at the two young ponies overcome with laughter.. "Girls... I just don't get 'em."

And he wouldn't. At least not for a very long time.
> 4 -- "Rarity's Inspiration"
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


4
"Rarity's Inspiration"


Button Mash left that afternoon none the wiser as to what he'd seen the night before. It was just a dream to him, a strange dream he would likely have again because of how silly it looked. He couldn't make sense of the idea that Sweetie Belle - a filly his age - could wear a diaper (much less almost every single night). Only when he was a bit older and more experienced would that idea make any sense.

In the meantime Rarity kept track of her sister's nighttime problem. It wasn't anything she needed a chart for; Sweetie Belle simply told Rarity the nights she didn't wake up dry, and Rarity trusted she was always telling the truth. Three to four times a week was a lot, however, even for a filly. Rarity didn't tell her sister, but after a short talk with Applejack during a trip to the spa she found out that Sweetie Belle was having accidents a lot more often than Apple Bloom.

"Guess that's just how it goes, Rarity," Applejack said as she sat back and let Lotus Blossom apply a couple of medicated cucumbers to her eyelids. "Wish Ah could help.  There's always medicine... Apple Bloom didn't have much luck with that, though."

As Aloe Blossom applied a thin green mask to her face, Rarity scowled... thinking.

"Rarity, you must relax, and let us work our magic," Aloe whispered, rubbing her shoulders. "You know you must trust us. We know what's best for you, ja?"

Hearing those words caused Rarity to loosen some, though not entirely. Gears still turned in her head, rapidly.

As Aloe finished applying her mask, Rarity glanced over at Applejack and considered what the farm pony had said. Being an artist, Rarity was accustomed to coming up with creative solutions for all sorts of problems. Medicine was a practical solution, but it would at best mask the problem, and Rarity was all too familiar with hiding imperfections. As a business pony she chose to avoid that, instead preferring to emphasize the strengths and style of her clients that were already there. Sweetie Belle needed to outgrow this problem naturally to feel good about it, but that could take months, or even years. However, she didn't have to wait that long to feel better. Rarity could at least take some small steps towards that.

"Good, good," Aloe said, her voice seemingly more distant. "Let go, dear, yes. We are here for you."

Rarity was, indeed, starting to relax. She had made up her mind as to what she was going to do.

After she got home Rarity set to work, ordering a couple sheets of high-end rubber from Canterlot with her usual supplies. It was the most expensive item in her books, but Rarity would spare no expense to see Sweetie Belle dry and comfortable. She kept thinking Imagine if you had to wear diapers to bed each night... only to get that far in her thoughts. "Oh, I don't think I could! They're so... infantile." This was a problem Rarity never had the misfortune of dealing with.

The mare soon began work on making her sister some All-in-One diapers. Though quite the task, she had her sister's measurements down and a mannequin her size... yet despite having the doll to experiment on, Rarity didn't feel right leaving it all out in her Inspiration Room for her friends to see. This was different than merely talking about disposable products. This project needed to be much more... discreet.

"It doesn't matter if they don't know what it's dressed up for, Opal," Rarity mused to her cat, using her magic to pull the small mannequin and rubber sheets into her bedroom. "Sweetie Belle needs her privacy and that is all there is to it!"

Despite being in her room, where Rarity could work in peace away from the prying eyes of others, the project ended up taking a lot of Rarity's free time. After all, she was used to making formal clothes, not diapers for eight year-old fillies. New orders still came, sometimes requiring her to put this project on hold for a few days. Each night the tiny mannequin stared at her from the side of her bed, reminding her of what she had to do. Though a few extra cups of Darjeeling at the end of each day helped with her progress, after a week it wasn't hard to see what the late nights were doing to the mare.

"Are you okay, Rarity?" Twilight asked, one afternoon while the two were having tea in the library. "You've been zoning out a lot today. Anything you want to talk about?"

"Oh, just thinking about projects, darling. This and that, the usual boring stuff I always do... nothing to worry about."

Twilight raised an eyebrow.

"Um... okay then. Let me know if there's anything I do can to help!"

Rarity smiled. "Will do, Twilight. You will be the first to know. Promise."

Had Twilight known what Rarity was up to, she probably would have recommended some books, but as it was the mare had all she needed at home. Not to mention there was something to be said for working alone on a project, especially one like this... It made it feel more personal, more inspiring.

Scissors snipped, the sewing machine buzzed and stitched a couple hours each night. It would take a few attempts for her to fully understand the techniques she'd need to use to make the leak guards effective enough, as well as some late night modeling from her sister over the weekends. Unlike the mannequin, Sweetie Belle's posture was not perfect and she was not in a permanent, fixed position. She was a filly after all... a hyperactive one, who tossed occasionally in her sleep.

It had been a couple years since Rarity's first attempt at a similar project for a customer with a disabled colt. Her blueprints (even back then) were a bit rough, but she tried. After two weeks of work, she finally had something to give to her sister.

"I don't know how well this is going to work, Sweetie," Rarity said. She had back to Sweetie Belle as the young filly slipped into the white, prototype All-in-One the older mare had spent so much time perfecting," but we're going to have to try it. Consider it a practice design, okay?"

Sweetie Belle hesitantly eyeballed the rubber-covered terry against her rump, then looked at her sister. She smiled weakly, nodding.

"Okay, Rarity."

Rarity smiled back, feigning confidence... hoping it might help Sweetie Belle feel better about this first attempt. From the pout on the filly's face and the tone in her voice, however, Rarity could tell it didn't work. She watched as her sister left, waddling down the hall and off to bed.

Rarity clicked off the light in her hall and sighed. All either of them could do was hope. Neither was truly happy with this first try, but they had to start somewhere.

The first diaper Rarity constructed was bulky, awkward to walk in, and rustled loudly... not to mention impossible to hide under clothing. Worst of all they found in the morning it didn't work. It absorbed just fine, but all Sweetie Belle had to do was roll to her side in the middle of the night and the leak guard did not keep tight enough. The next time she wet it passed straight through to her mattress. Surprisingly, Sweetie slept okay, though being in icky, damp sheets all night on account of her older sister's experimenting didn't go over too well in Rarity's mind.. or their parents', for that matter.

The mare went back to the drawing board the next night.  She wasn't ready to call it quits just yet, even though her first attempt completely negated her initial goal of making something stylish and compact (and didn't even work).

"Oh, what am I going to do?" Rarity asked herself, looking over at her model and letting out a sigh. One thing you can do, Rarity, is not give up. This is for Sweetie, after all.  Sitting up straight her horn glowed again. "Very well! That was just a- ... a mulligan!"

A couple of weeks passed. A few more failures came and went (along with two new mattresses for Sweetie Belle). Each failed attempt, however, taught Rarity something more about the design. In doing so the strengths of her project became more prevalent, while the weaknesses less pronounced. The entire work was starting to feel less like unknown territory, the garment becoming more compact, more stylish... it was just a matter of making leak guards which could actually hold at this point. Rarity tried different strengths of elastic, different cloths... different ideas. Eventually something would work.

Wiping her brow, Rarity held up a new design for Sweetie Belle to try  -- this one was rubber on the inside, cloth on the outside, with a double-stitched core of terry for good measure. With luck it would perform -almost- as well as a disposable. It only took just over a month, and the prototype was white, but it looked close enough to underwear to almost pass... not that fillies normally wore underwear (that was more of an adult interest).

That night Sweetie Belle slept straight through to the following morning. When she woke up the All-in-One was wet, but she was dry... as was the bed. Stepping out of the shower, she trotted down stairs and into the kitchen, where she told Rarity what had happened as the older unicorn was making breakfast. Before she knew it Sweetie Belle found herself held in a blue magic aura, moving fast around the kitchen like a merry-go-round.

"Success!" Rarity exclaimed, causing Opalescence fall off a kitchen chair with a bushy tail and claws extended. The filly and mare spun clockwise. "You have no idea how glad I am to hear that, Sweetie! It puts my mind at ease!"

"Um..." Sweetie Belle shook her head, belching a bit. "That's... uh, great, Rarity."

"Oh!" The mare came to a stop, putting her sister down. Even though her design worked, she still had to compose herself. "Thank you very much for your patience, then, sister. I hope the reward has been worth it."

"It has," said Sweetie Belle, shaking her head again as she wobbled on her feet. "Really, Rarity! Thank you."

The mare smiled at her sister. Sweetie Belle smiled back... it would just take a few moments for everything to stop spinning and for Sweetie's appetite to return.

After the first success the design was easy to replicate and then improve. The first true batch came a week later, in a variety of colors -- green, purple, and pink -- coordinating with Sweetie Belle's natural highlights, not to mention almost invisible under her pajamas. This was Rarity's goal when she first set out.

Sweetie Belle was happy. Rarity was happy... it seemed as though things were finally returning to normal. The worst thing to come from all this was that each time Sweetie Belle went to a sleepover, or had ponies for the night, the party always had to be themed a pajama party. That was of little consequence to Rarity, however. Sweetie still had her dignity, and that's all that mattered.


The End