Rarity felt as giddy as a school filly as she sat in front of her vanity, cleaning herself up. Her tearful rejoicing with her parents and Sweetie Belle had left her a little disheveled, with her mane slightly undone and her cheeks stained with mascara, and she was now rectifying these errors with cheerful enthusiasm. Her parents’ approval of her relationship made her feel as light as a feather, which was really saying something, given her figure. She couldn’t wait to tell Applejack and hear the news on her end, if there was any.
“Rarity?”
Rarity turned. Sweetie Belle had come in without her noticing, and was now standing shyly in front of the doorway, as though conscious of having interrupted her big sister.
“Sweetie Belle! Is something wrong?”
“Well...not exactly,” she said, swinging her foreleg awkwardly, “but it’s something I didn’t think about until now. Can we sit down?”
“Of course, Sweetie. Come here.”
Rarity crossed over to her bed and seated herself upon it, making it creak a bit under her weight. Sweetie Belle hoisted herself up in turn and scooted to the side until she was right up against her sister. With a small smile, Rarity moved her foreleg around her so that she could pull her into a side-hug against her soft side.
“What’s on your mind, little sister?”
Sweetie Belle bit her lip, hesitating. Rarity didn’t like how anxious she was acting, and wondered what on Earth could be worrying her.
“Well...see, I know this is going to sound silly when I say it, but…”
“But?” Rarity prompted.
“...If you’re going to be Applejack’s special somepony, does that mean you’re going to have even less time to spend with me?”
Rarity felt as though an icy arrow had struck her in the heart. Sweetie Belle was looking up at her with the biggest, most innocent puppy dog eyes she had ever made, her lips formed into a little pout. The elder sister had seen this many times before, when the younger was trying to guilt-trip her into doing something with her. However, there was something very different about this look. It was no intentional ploy. Sweetie Belle meant it.
A further pang of guilty heartache went through Rarity’s insides. She well remembered the days when she had been coldly indifferent towards her little sister, shooing her away when she was busy, snapping at her when she unintentionally messed things up. She had selfishly insisted on always having things her way, never giving time for Sweetie Belle when she only wanted a little attention and love from the sister she idolized. Unforgivable things had been said on both sides, resulting in the sisters un-sistering each other and Sweetie Belle seeking solace in Applejack. Naturally, Rarity managed to bring things back to normal, better than normal, but not before she underwent a thorough reassessment of her life with Sweetie Belle. Ever since the Sisterhooves Social, she genuinely wanted to be a better sister than she had ever been before.
And, to her credit, Rarity had vastly improved in her attitude towards her little sister. There was much less grumbling and complaining, and a lot more laughter and playfulness. Yes, she was still busy with her work, but she was always striving to budget time for Sweetie Belle, which she was accomplishing fairly decently. Sweetie was much happier now than in the days before the Social, and no new complaints about not spending time with her sister had risen from her lips, especially not after their camping trip to Winsome Falls.
Hearing this question put to her so simply, so innocently, touched Rarity’s heart. The need for reassurance, the slightest trace of fear in her little voice… It was too much.
“Oh, Sweetie…” said Rarity, softly. “Is that what’s bothering you?”
Sweetie Belle nodded sadly.
“I told you it was silly,” she said, quietly.
“Silly? No, no, not at all! Oh, come here, darling…”
She shifted herself backwards, and pulled Sweetie Belle forward so that she sat in front of her, face to face. She took the little unicorn’s face in her hooves, tilting it up so that they were looking directly into each other’s eyes, blue into green.
“I know I may not have been the best sister in the world,” Rarity conceded. “Ever since I moved out of the house and started the boutique, I’ve become so wrapped up in my work that I barely had time for anything else. Especially you…
“In fact, if it wasn’t for Applejack and the Sisterhooves Social, I don’t think I would have changed much for the better. Our little falling-out finally opened my eyes to what I’d been so selfishly closing them to: that my relationship with my own sister was damaged, and only I could repair it. I did what I had to do...and I only hope I’ve been doing better than before.”
“You have!” said Sweetie Belle, earnestly. “You’re the best sister I could ever ask for, Rarity!”
She threw her hooves around Rarity’s plump belly as well as she could, nestling against her doughy softness. Rarity’s lip quivered as she patted the back of Sweetie Belle’s head.
“Thank you, Sweetie,” she said, as the little unicorn tilted her head up to look at her again. “I don’t want you to ever think that my going out with Applejack will change anything. I realize it may sound a bit hollow, but I will always do what I can to budget time for you. I know Applejack will more than understand.”
Sweetie Belle smiled her most adorable smile, bringing out the dimples on her cheeks.
Thanks, Rarity,” she said. “I promise I won’t complain about you being too busy ever again.”
Rarity laughed softly.
“To be honest, I think that might be necessary to get me back on track,” said Rarity. “Sometimes, a little reminder is necessary, but not too incessantly.”
“Okay!” said Sweetie Belle, and she nestled back against her sister’s gut. “Mmm...you’re so soft…”
“Oh, honestly, Sweetie Belle,” said Rarity, rolling her eyes, yet wearing a small smirk. “You’d make a better cat than Opal for sheer affection.”
“Meow,” said Sweetie Belle, teasingly.
Rarity giggled, though she honestly hoped Opal hadn’t been around to hear that.
“You wanna know one of the best parts about being your sister?” asked Sweetie Belle, a playful smile curling her muzzle.
“What?”
“I know your tickle spots!”
And before Rarity could stop her, Sweetie Belle began running her hooves against her middle, attacking her most ticklish areas. The elder sister burst into a loud fit of decidedly unladylike laughter, collapsing onto her back and kicking her legs as the younger sister kept up her tickle attack, digging her little hooves into the great white belly.
“Sw-Sw-Sweetie Be-he-helle! St-Stop! Ple-Please!”
“Well, ok, but only cuz you said please!”
She pulled her hooves away, relenting at last. Rarity took quite a bit of time to catch her breath, her stomach puffing in and out, carrying Sweetie Belle along for the ride. The little filly grinned in a victorious way down at her sister, but Rarity had a devious expression of her own on her face.
“So...that’s how you want to play, is it?” she asked. “Well, little sister, I, too, know your weak spots! En garde!”
With one fluid motion of her hoof, she flipped Sweetie Belle off of her stomach and onto the bed, on her back. Using that same hoof, she began digging against her own little tummy, and it wasn’t long before Sweetie Belle was in a fit of hysterics, squealing and flailing, trying to get away. Rarity sat up straighter, the better to see what she was doing, but not relinquishing her attack for an instant.
“Do you yield, Sweetie?” she asked.
“N-N-Neverrrr!” Sweetie Belle cried, between gales of giggling.
“Then you’ve forced me to resort to the dreaded ‘Double Hoof’ tickle!” said Rarity, in her most mock-imposing voice, and raising her other hoof threateningly.
“N-No! Not tha-hat!” Sweetie Belle gasped, her eyes widening. “Anything b-but that!”
“Yes, that,” said Rarity. “Have at you!”
Now Sweetie Belle was under attack from two tickling hooves aimed at her belly. She flailed and squealed, laughing so hard she was crying. Rarity, too, was laughing. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had this much fun with Sweetie Belle, just the two of them playing around like when they were younger. Where had all that time gone?...
Her moment of reminiscence had resulted in a lapse of concentration, which Sweetie Belle had taken advantage of. She lunged at Rarity, re-initating another tickle assault on her. Taken by surprise, Rarity rolled off the bed, bringing Sweetie Belle and the top blanket of the bed with her, and the two thudded to the ground in a heap of hooves and cloth.
“Sweetie Belle?” asked Rarity, her voice muffled beneath the sheet. “Are you alright?”
“Yeah, I’m fine!” said Sweetie Belle. “Better than fine!”
She beamed up at her sister from her perch on her chubby middle, the two of them covered in the blanket. Rarity laughed.
“What am I going to do with you, you silly filly?” she asked, putting a hoof to Sweetie’s cheek.
“Love me no matter what?” asked Sweetie, sticking her tongue out.
“I already do,” said Rarity.
She scooped Sweetie Belle into a hug against her barrel and kissed her forehead.
“I love you, little sister.”
Sweetie Belle nuzzled Rarity under her chin.
“And I love you, big sister,” she murmured, happily.