The Sissy in Shining Armor

by The Conflicted Writer

Rating: teen
Tags: Fetish, Shining Armor, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Princess Cadance, Romance
Length: 13821

(Adult Baby stuff) Shining Armor is supposed to be an adult. His desire to wear puffy diapers and tutus and dance around in that is just some silly notion. His dear wife, Cadence, disagrees as she listens to him talk about it.

Shining Armor is supposed to be an adult. He's grown up, right? King of an empire. He's not supposed to think about being a ballerina or a baby, to dream about wearing puffy diapers and tutus and dance around in that is just some silly notion. His dear wife, Cadence, disagrees, and has a fair bit to talk with him about all that.

Contains Adult Baby/Diaper Lover themes, diapers, sissy stuff, and Cadence being motherly.

Published 2023-11-03 03:20:00 UTC
Last updated 2023-11-03 03:20:00 UTC

Self-Exploration

Author's Note

Didn't feel like asking around for a thumbnail or an actually good synopsis for this one, so just enjoy if you're the kind of person who wants to.

I wrote this a long time ago in the hayday of the MLP craze. There's actually, like, 20,000 more words to this whole thing, but with retrospect and trauma, I don't really like the rest anymore. So whatever, here's the part I liked the most and felt like "me".

The thing about writing is your put yourself out there, totally. You do that with drawing, too, but I feel there's a degree of separation more than with writing. This was an attempt for me to deal with and address a lot of feelings I didn't quite understand about myself at the time. I'm not more aware of them and in tune with them, so the exploration here isn't quite "me" anymore, but a snapshot of a time in my life I can look back on, though can't be anymore.

Anyway enjoy the diaper pony story for the people that care.

Self-Exploration

The Sissy in Shining Armor

*This is a babyfur story, and not one that tries to be anything too amazing. It’s mostly shameless fluff, though absolutely not intended to be a fetish fuel story, but certainly fetish from one perspective. Enjoy it for what it’s worth, and have a good time.

“Happy Birthday, Shiny,” Cadence said, giving him a kiss on his cheek. The warmth on his cheek was soon chilled by the soft wind winding its way across the balcony, although the fuzzy heat in his chest defied the weather. Below them spread the grand plains of one of the Crystal Empire’s more remote regions. Swaying fields of grass were broken up by ‘teething’ crystals jutting forth from the ground, sunlight shimmering through the facets until it was cut into a thousand different colors.

A little cake was placed in front of Shining Armor, said stallion smiling wide. “Aww, you shouldn’t have,” Shining said, nosing her back. “I would have gotten a cake in two weeks, ya know.”

“That’s too long a wait.” She sat down next to him, a fork and knife floating over. “Just because you have royal duties doesn’t mean you have to completely miss out on your special day. Besides, I may as well make use of the personal kitchen in our penthouse. Ah, forgive me, ‘the royal chambers’.” She gave a giggle.

Shining rolled his eyes. “Royal duties, yeah. This week, I trained some grunts on how to hold lances and made them run laps before I was told there were other ponies for that. Sure is important compared to being captain of the guard, huh?”

“Hush, you. Your job is important. Besides, you know this is only temporary until we can get the Crystal Empire back on its hooves.” With a spark of her horn, the candles on the cake lit up. “Then you can go back to being captain and the only time I can spend with you is when you’re sleeping and all I can do is stare at you.”

He gave her a little shove. “Har, har. You know full well I can’t have the same duties back home anymore, being a married stallion and an unofficial king to boot. From now on it’s just you and me and whatever it is we’d like to do.”

“And I suppose you’d like to boss all your old buddies around proclaiming your kingliness?”

“Oh, no. When we get home, I want to hide away in a tower and have it just be us until the next crises destroying Equestria shows up.”

With a giggle, she levitated some plates over to them. “That’s what I love about you; a lot of guards just want to attack things. You’re gentle, you’d rather defend, you want to protect. I wish others were as sweet and emotional as you.”

“Guess I’m just one of a kind, huh?”

“That just makes me all the luckier. It will be nice to drop the princess act and just be ourselves. I’ve missed cuddling you and hearing you proclaim my beauty. Now blow out the candles and make your birthday wish so you can tell me about it.”

“Not this again,” Shining said while rolling his eyes, still smiling. “You do this every year, and every year I’m going to say—”

“That it ruins the wish and it won’t come true and blah, blah, blah.” She leaned against him. “Seriously, that’s just a superstition. I’d probably be more apt to grant it myself if you actually told me, you know.”

“What if I told you that my wish was granted the second you said ‘I do’ to me?” Shining gave her a kiss through her mane.

“I’d say that might have been one birthday wish, but not the others since then. Come on, in the decade we’ve known each other, have any of your wishes come true? Let me grant one this time.”

Shining chuckled before taking a deep breath and blowing the candles out. “Five years of being married to you is more than anything else I could wish for. Besides, tradition is tradition.”

With a scoff, she cut two slices and placed them on the table in front of them. “Really, sometimes I think you’re avoiding me. Do you wish for something embarrassing? Because if you wish my plot was bigger I won’t laugh, I swear.”

He chuckled and levitated a fork. “Believe me, you’re perfect as you are. I’d never change a thing about you. But my wish is mine alone.”

“So you do make a wish!” She declared, magically taking his fork and getting a chunk of cake. “I knew it! Come on, tell me!”

“Nope,” Shining said with a shake of his head. “Just let it go.”

Cadence sighed and gently shoved the cake into his mouth. “I don’t think so. We go through this every year. I just want you to be happy. You know I’d do anything for you, right?”

“Not everything,” Shining said through his full mouth. He gulped and licked his lips. “Besides, everypony is entitled to secrets, right?”

“Not from your wife, you aren’t.” She gave his nose a whack with the fork, getting frosting on him that he promptly licked off.

“Oh yeah? Then tell me all of your secrets, then I’ll tell you mine.”

“Hmm... a fair point.” She took a bit of her own slice before feeding him more. “Alright, I’ll tell you my wish if you tell me your wish, deal?”

“Woah, woah, hey, I don’t want to do this, okay? Come on, everypony needs secrets.”

“No, everypony needs a kick in the flank. Why would we need to keep secrets from each other?” She fluttered her eyelashes and gently leaned into him. “Don’t you trust your wife at all?”

Shining sucked air through his teeth and rubbed the back of his head, turning to gaze down at his kingdom below. “Cadence... look, it’s nothing important. It’s silly and stupid.”

“Then it shouldn’t matter unless you’re lying.” She furrowed her brow. “You are hiding something and you’re worried I’ll make fun of you. Or I’ll be insulted. Or something.”

“No, it’s...” He looked to the side. “Look, I don’t want to talk about it. Not now at least.”

“When, then?”

“I... I don’t know. Maybe never.”

Cadence huffed and ate another bite. “Look, Shining, I know something has been bothering you for a really long time. Now I’m convinced this has something to do with it. I love you and only want to see you happy.”

Shining smiled once more and leaned down to give Candace a kiss. She brought a hoof to his lips instead.

“Shiny, don’t distract me.”

“I’m not, I’m thanking you,” he said after pushing her hoof away. “You care, I know, but this isn’t a big deal, I promise, and it’s something I want to keep to myself.”

Cadence shoved more cake into his mouth. “You’d feel a lot better if you told me, you know.”

Shining took a deep breath through his nose. “Well... maybe you’re right, but I... I just can’t.”

She furrowed her brow and hummed. “Are you scared?”

He said nothing, instead his lips scrunching.

While nuzzling him, she said, “I’d like to change my body.”

He blinked and looked down at her. “What?”

She blushed and flared her wings. “I hate my body. I don’t like being an alicorn. It feels so wrong to... to just be three things all at once. I don’t feel like I fit in, and not just because I’m a princess. I feel like a freak, incomplete despite having all three types of ponies in one. If I could, I’d like to go back to just being a pegasus and get rid of my horn. I just don’t feel right like this.”

“Uh...” Shining rubbed his hooves together and averted his gaze. “That’s... wow.”

“That’s my secret. I’ve never told anypony before, and I really can’t believe I never told you.” Cadence rubbed her horn, her brow furrowed. “Well... I did tell my parents when I was young. They told me it was a phase and I’d grow comfortable. It never happened. I... well, I once asked them if I could get the horn removed. I didn’t know about the importance of being an alicorn at the time. They got mad at me. Really mad.”

Shining bit his lip.

“Oh, sure, they apologized, but it made me afraid. If my parents got angry from the idea, imagine what other ponies would say? I could be shunned or maybe even hated. ‘Everypony only wishes to be an alicorn, and you’re so ungrateful you’d give it up?’ My parents’ words exactly.”

“I’m sorry...”

“Don’t be. If you agree and you think I’m ridiculous for feeling uncomfortable in my own body, you can’t help that. But it was the secret I’ve kept, even if I didn’t mean to, and I shouldn’t have.”

“Cadence...”

She cupped his face in her hooves. “Wait, hold on. I’m sorry for pressuring you. If it’s how I think it is, you’re terrified of rejection. You’ve held onto this and you don’t want to despite your best efforts to let go. You’ve tried to ignore it and have failed despite how hard you’ve tried.

“You don’t have to tell me anything. But I want you to know I think I understand what you’re going through, at the very least. Whatever it is, I understand your fear of not wanting to let something out that you’re afraid will make me see you differently. I’ll love you no matter what it is, though. You could even tell me you’re not comfortable as a stallion and I’d love you. That’s how much you mean to me.”

Shining once more smiled, a bit more downcast than before. “I don’t know what I did to get a mare as great as you. I love you, Cadence, I really do. I might tell you someday, just not now.”

She once again shoved some cake into his mouth. “You can tell me when you feel it’s safe to tell me.”

He gave her a hug. “Come on, don’t let your cooking go to waste. Let’s eat up and head to bed, I’ve got a busy day of signing documents ahead of me.”

She splattered his face with cake. “I swear, sometimes you act like a little kid.”

“Look who’s talking!” Shining replied, throwing some cake back at her.

* * *

Cadence felt a sudden rush of air hitting her body as the blanket was pulled away. A groan escaped her lips as she sat up, rubbing one of her eyes. The bed creaked a few and she turned her head to see Shining moving his legs about. The blanket fell in a heap after he wormed his way out. “Shining, what are you doing?”

He didn’t acknowledge her and instead gave a rather high pitched giggle, eyes closed and a carefree smile on his lips. Lost in whatever dream he was having, he kept squirming and kicking

“Shining?” she said again, eyes widening. She brought a hoof to her mouth to stifle her surprise. Another giggle escaped him and she found she couldn’t help but grin at how innocent he seemed. She leaned down and nuzzled him, and his smile became a bit more bashful.

With a light brush, she moved a bit of his mane away from his eyes. “Shiny, what are you dreaming about that has you so happy?”

His lips pursed as he kicked a bit harder. Suddenly he jolted and yelped, tumbling off the bed and into a heap. Shining groaned and rubbed his head as he stood back up, a blush forming. “Umm... I don’t suppose you only just now woke up, did you?”

“Nope,” she said with a giggle. Cadence stretched her legs and yawned. “It’s a little hard to ignore your husband laughing and flailing around like a foal.”

“I see,” Shining said, his blush getting deeper. “Sorry I woke you up. Had, uh—”

“A good dream?” she said. She tilted her head and magically brought the blanket back to the bed. “You looked so happy, you know. I’ve hardly ever seen such a pure, sweet smile as the one you had.”

He rubbed the back of his head. They both remained silent for a little while, Shining occasionally fidgeting and Cadence with a patient smile, her tail swishing once in awhile.

“Yes,” he said, head drooping. “I was dreaming about my wish.”

“Why do you sound sorry?” Cadence said. “Now I’m even more convinced I should know, since the idea alone brings out that kind of joy.”

Shining scoffed and turned around, trotting a little before turning once more and pacing. “I don’t... I mean, I’m not sure this kind of ‘joy’ is okay.”

“You look like your sister when she’s having a panic attack, and that means one thing; you’re over thinking.” She allowed herself to lay down completely, her eyes full of worry yet a gentle smile apparent on her features. “Why are you so riled about this?”

“Because...” He bit his lip. “Because it’s wrong,” Shining said, moving over to the the balcony doors and staring down below. “There’s just some things you aren’t supposed to do.”

Cadence was immediately by his side, looking down as well. “A long time ago, you weren’t supposed to have friends a different race than yourself.”

“But that’s different.”

“Is it?” She placed a hoof on his cheek and gently turned his head towards her. “I have no idea since you won’t tell me. I’ll wait for you, Shiny, but take a good look at yourself for a moment.”

“What, a stallion and a leader?”

“That’s just it. You said yourself you feel you hardly do those things. And, no offence, but you aren’t in the same royal guard shape you used to be in.”

Shining armor reached a hoof to his chest and pressed.

“You aren’t weak, Shining, and nothing you do, say, or like will change that. But you’re going through some kind of metamorphosis. Maybe nothing as grand as becoming an alicorn, but you’ve been slowly changing. If you don’t want to accept it, then you need to face it at the very least.”

Shining remained silent for a long, long while. His eyes were closed as the wind softly blew at his mane. “It’s not something stallions should do. Anypony, for that matter.”

“Is that you talking, or your parents?”

He paused once more. “My dad.” With a defeated sigh, he wrapped a leg around her neck and gave her a kiss. “Mom found out, but wasn’t so forceful.”

“Found out what?” she beckoned. Cadence gave him a tug and led him back to bed.

“What I like. What fills me with joy just by thinking about it.” He laid down and stared up at the faraway ceiling. “It’s wrong, it’s weird, but I can’t help but be happy thinking about it.”

She gently rubbed his stomach and gave him a light kiss. “Don’t be scared, Shining, I love you and nothing can change that.”

“I hope not.” He turned his head to her, worry quite clear in his eyes. “Just promise we can forget about this after I tell you. I don’t want this to be something that gets in the way of us.”

“I’ve been your wife for five years.” She cupped his cheek and looked right at him. “If I was going to leave you, I would have found a good enough reason by now.”

“Please, just promise me.”

She blinked as he stared at her, his pleading apparent in his eyes as much as his words. “Very well, Shining. You have my word that whatever is going on I won’t let it change the way I love you.”

“Alright, here goes.” Shining shut his eyes tight. “Do you know the play The Forever Foal?”

Cadence giggled. “I remember that one. Not something they’d ever show in a Canterlot theatre, but I rather liked the Manehatten rendition.” She raised a brow. “A story about a princess that, against her will, gets cursed to be young forever. Forced to be a foal... or maybe just young in some places, they never really specified. The poor princess had to endure her friends and family growing up, going through the troubles of always being too young.”

A blush tinged his cheeks and he took another breath. “It... has to to do with that.”

“I figured since you brought it up. What, you wanted to be in the play when your school put it on?” She once again giggled and rubbed his side. “And here I was worrying you were going to tell me you got excited from being punished or some such thing.”

His eyes shut a little tighter.

“So what happened? You wanted to play the part of the prince and your father wouldn’t let you?”

“Not quite.”

“Well?” she said, giving him a little shove.

“I wanted to be the princess.”

Cadence closed her mouth and blinked.

Shining turned over so his back was facing her.

“You wanted to be the... princess?” Cadence asked.

“I know, I know, I’m a freak.”

She scooted closer to Shining and hugged him close. “Shining, you aren’t a freak. But I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

He tried to pull away, but she wouldn’t let him go. At this he smiled, but still did not turn back to her. “I don’t.... I don’t know why, but that outfit just looks... right to me.”

“You mean the dress and the diapers?” she said as she massaged his back. “I’ll admit... this is curious.”

Shining’s face turned completely red. “Just say I’m a weirdo so we can get back to bed.”

“Nuh-uh, you’re going to talk all about this or it will keep eating at you.”

With a groan, he brought his hooves to his face as if to hide himself. “Please no.”

“Please yes.”

“Fine.” He flipped himself over so that they were both looking at each other. “I don’t know when it started, but for as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to be... pretty.”

She said nothing and merely watched him.

“Dresses, makeup, bows, and diapers... it’s always appealed to me. In an outfit like that, helpless, just a little foal plain for all to see and pretty to look at. Being in the costume felt as if I was... well, as if I was being who I am.”

“Being in? You mean you’ve actually tried it.”

“Once.” He closed his eyes again. “I was a kid at the time. Didn’t really understand it then. Don’t really get it now.”

Cadence brought a hoof to his face. “Are you saying you don’t feel like a stallion?”

“Oh Celestia, no! I know I’m a stallion. I just... want to be a pretty one.”

She smiled and rubbed his nose with her own. “Let me make sure I understand this. You want to wear a tutu and diapers and be a pretty princess?”

“And dance. I really did want to be in that play and be a ballerina.”

“And the play was what made you like it?”

“No. I’ve always wanted to, uh, to wear the protection.”

“Diapers, you mean.”

“Y-yeah...” he furrowed his brow and looked away. “I think I always wanted to wear that stuff. The play just made me figure it out. And the funny thing is I actually got the part, eventually...”

The teacher bit her lip as she looked down at the little colt, his eyes wide as he stared up at her.

“But… but why?” he asked, tears starting to form.

“I’m not saying no, dearie,” the mare said, taking a deep breath. “You just… you can’t wear that outfit.”

“That’s not fair!” the colt said, stomping a hoof. “They get to wear the pretty dresses and the bows and the nice shoes, why can’t I? I want to be a pretty princess ballerina and try for the part…”

She rubbed her forehead and sighed. “Please try to understand, Shining, you just can’t do that. The part has to be played by a girl. And besides that, why would to want to be the princess who never grew up? Aren’t you afraid?”

He looked over at the display rack where the ballerina tutus were. “Afraid of what? I just want to dance and be pretty. The pony in the play gets to do that.”

“Honey, you’d be made fun of. Colts don’t wear dresses, and they don’t dance like fillies. If anypony saw you they’d never let you live it down.”

“But…” Shining kicked at the ground and sighed. “But why? That’s stupid.”

“It’s just the way things are.” She moved over to the colt and patted his shoulder. “Deary, listen... the part is meant to be played by a filly, and you are a colt. You can try out for the part of the prince, at least.”

“But I don’t want to be the prince, he’s not pretty like the princess is. And besides, way back in the times of Shakes Pear, stallions played mares all the time because mares weren’t allowed to.”

The teacher opened her mouth and blinked a few times, rendered speechless. “I, uh, wha?”

Shining gave her a hard stare, a frown creasing his features. “Well?”

“I... okay, look, I just can’t allow it.” She walked closer to him and placed a hoof on his shoulder. “It’s not my call to make. You can whine and plead all you want, but even if I said you could play the part a bunch of other ponies would get mad not just at me for letting you, but mad at you for trying to do it. It’s not a matter of why or how. You just can’t.”

Shining’s eyes filled with tears, but he said nothing else as he turned around. Tail drooping, he walked away with his eyes to the ground.

“Remember, there is still the prince role available!” the teacher called out after him.

“Wait, didn’t you say you got the part?”

“I said I sort of did. That wasn’t the end of it, not at all. You know how Sparkles get when they think they’re right. Stubborn doesn’t begin to describe it.”

“Very good, Miss Queen. Now, this time, could say your lines with a little less emphasis?”

The pony in a tutu on stage scoffed and brushed her mane aside. “Mrs. Earnest, I am the star of the show. Ponies need to hear me, don’t they?”

“Yes, they do. Just please tone it down a little bit. You’re a calm, sweet, gentle princess. Remember, think like an innocent foal.”

“Ugh, fine.” She cleared her throat. “But father, I don’t want to go to the ball. None of the nobles there ever wish to play the games I want to play.”

A slightly older pony standing across the way flipped a few pages in his script. “Page 68, right?”

“Yes,” the teacher droned as she brought a hoof to rub her temple.

“Right, right... Uh, but daughter! You need to mingle with the crowd, for any one of those young stallions could be your future husband. Best to know him now as you grow older.”

“I simply cannot. Who cares of such silly things like land and wars? Why can’t we do other things, like play hide and seek or- I’m sorry, but this character is totally stupid. What princess doesn’t want to hang out with handsome princes?”

The teacher pulled at her mane. “It doesn’t matter whether or not you would do it, it’s what the character does!”

“But, like, what’s my motivation? I don’t get it, she doesn’t act like other princesses. And I seriously can’t concentrate with that twerp in the back seats.”

“Huh?” The teacher turned her head to see a white speck quickly duck his head behind a chair. She raised a brow. “Alright everypony, take ten. Ten Hut, be on the right page next time. Miss Queen, calm yourself down a little bit and try to get into character.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Whatever.”

As the ponies on the stage relaxed and began to mingle, the teacher got up from her seat and made her way to the back. Looking under the seats let her see a pony cowering a bit and trying to make himself look small. She walked down the aisle in front of his and leaned over to see him. “Hello, Shining Armor. Anypony is allowed to watch rehearsal, you know.”

Shining yelped and tried to get up, but wound up banging his head against a chair. “U-uh, I knew that.”

With a giggle, the teacher rubbed his head a bit and pulled him up so he was sitting in a chair again. “Not that many ever do. They usually wait until opening night. May I ask why you are here?”

His cheeks became red and he kicked his hooves a bit, shutting his lips and his eyes tight.

“Honey, sweetie, it’s alright. I can’t very well stop you from watching us practice. Even if I do know that you wish you were up there.”

“I’m sorry...” Shining mumbled. “I promise I’ll sit and be quiet.”

“Shining, I don’t understand your fascination with being the princess.” A look of worry crossed her features. “I’m not judging you, but other ponies might if they found out.”

Shining opened his eyes again and looked up at her, earnest as could be. His voice was adamant, full of worry, and even tinged with confusion.

“I don’t know. I just want to wear the costume.”

The teacher blinked a few times, giving Shining a curious stare.

“And you’re wearing the exact same expression, you know.”

Cadence was indeed giving him a hard stare, though a moment later she was smiling. “I believe it was a look of understanding, Shiny. She understood something a little colt like you didn’t even register.”

“What? I don’t get it.”

“I think you will eventually.”

“Deary... are you...” She bit her lip and looked about. “Shining, how much do you want to wear the costume?”

Shining blushed harder. “A whole lot. It looks like fun to me.”

The teacher sighed. “Alright, come back to the auditorium after we’re done practicing and meet me backstage. I’ll let you try on any costume you want, alright?”

The colt’s expression lit up and a wide grin formed. “Really? I can wear the dress?”

“Shhh! Not so loud. We have to do it in secret, so that means you can’t tell anypony. Would that make you happy?”

Shining silently nodded, still grinning wide as he hopped away.

“What have I gotten myself into now?” the teacher said as she rubbed her forehead.

* * *

“Hello?” Shining called out to the empty auditorium. He walked down the aisles of the empty auditorium, looking intently at the stage and the props.

“Over here,” the teacher called out, waving from one side of the stage.

Shining smiled and quickened his step, trotting up the steps to meet the teacher. “Umm, hello.”

The teacher looked around the auditorium. “Hello? Is anypony else here?”

Shining remained silent so not to interrupt whoever might have responded.

When nopony spoke, the teacher motioned for him to follow as she turned and walked to the backstage dressing room, which was more like several types of rooms in one as it was only an elementary school function. It was a mess of clothing, props, and other things Shining had no idea what they were for.

The teacher locked the door and walked over to a rack of costumes. “You’re only ten years old, aren’t you Shining?” she said as she pulled out a simple pink tutu.

Shining was stunned for a moment, his heartbeat rising from the shock that this was actually happening. “Ten and a half, yes.”

A giggle escaped the elder pony. “Yes, of course, my mistake. You don’t know a lot of things about the world yet. Or at least understand them.” The teacher then reached into a box and pulled out a pure white object, the prop diaper to be used from the cursed princess, as well as a bottle of foal powder and a tube of rash cream.

“Ooohhh... umm...” Shining’s back legs wobbled as he felt a shiver go down his spine. It wasn’t a real diaper, not with such ridiculous proportions. It was a bunch of towels folded into a well cut and stretched trash bag. But it looked right to Shining.

“You know what you’re doing is considered wrong, but you don’t really know why, do you?” The teacher, tutu held in her foreleg and diaper on her back, walked to Shining and proceeded to slip the dress over his head.

“Err,” Shining started, but he was too flustered to say anything comprehensible.

“It probably seems silly that only mares wear dresses when it’s just clothing. Though I have a sneaking suspicion that the diaper catches your eye too.” She slipped his left foreleg through the hole meant for it, then did the same with his right.

“I... yes?” he said, though it was difficult to tell if he was saying yes to the diaper or to grown-ups being silly.

The teacher smoothed out the tutu and nodded. “Lay down, please.”

“Huh?”

“You can’t expect to put on this thing by yourself, can you?” she said as she presented the thick faux-diaper.

Shining took a deep breath and sat down, and then tipped onto his back, feeling quite odd about presenting himself so easily to an older mare.

The teacher slipped the makeshift diaper under his rear and squeezed some rash cream onto her hoof before gently rubbing it onto him. He blushed even harder, but his smile remained. She returned it and reminded him of something from long ago.

“Your mother’s smile when she would clean your bottom, perhaps?”

“Cadence!”

“You’re adorable when you blush, you know.”

She then picked up the foal powder and sprinkled it onto him. The sweet smell filled the air and Shining relaxed more into himself. He hardly noticed as she tenderly wrapped him in the diaper, using the velcro straps to make sure it remained snuggly in place.

“If anypony saw you right now, they’d think something was seriously wrong. But this isn’t wrong to you, is it? You’re just being you.”

Shining took a deep breath, his heart pounding in his ears. He wiggled his legs to feel the thick cushion hugging him rustle and crinkle slightly. Not as much as a real foal’s diaper might, but it was more than enough to make him grin.

The teacher pulled up the leggings so that it covered his cutie mark completely, then pulled him onto his hooves. “There we are. How do you feel?”

Shining took a few tentative steps in, his smile as wobbly as jello and his face as red as a strawberry under his white fur. The plush feeling sent a warm sensation throughout his entire body, running along his spine like an jolt of energy. “I feel good. Like, really good.” He performed an impromptu dance, bouncing on two hooves, then the other two.

“I need to know something, and please be honest with me. Do you feel happy, or do you feel like you?”

Shining paused, nearly falling back onto his rump from the weird sense of balance he now had to deal with. He turned his head to look at himself. Though the tutu obscured his view, he knew the diaper was easy to see to anypony that looked at him. The weight felt just right between his legs and around his rear. The skirt as well, he thought, looked good on him.

“Well, I am happy,” Shining said.

“But do you feel like you?” The teacher asked again. “Is it just a fun kick, or do you feel more right now, more correct?”

Shining thought about it some more. For a moment, he was about to say he didn’t know what she meant.

“I’m still not really sure what she meant, to be honest.”

“But you knew the answer, didn’t you?”

“I... I did, yeah.”

“And I think I know it too.”

“Well, does it really matter? I was just a kid who didn’t know better.”

“Hmm, maybe. But you certainly didn’t resist her putting you in a diaper. Like she said, babies can’t be expected to change themselves.”

“Uh...”

“I do feel... right.” Shining’s smile quivered. He rubbed at his eyes to try and get rid of the sting. “It’s weird, b-but I feel good.”

The teacher smiled a bit wider, nodding at the colt. She trotted around him, observing his costume from all angles. “Hmm... it doesn’t look too bad on you, actually. White does have a tendency to go with anything, though. but the blue helps with the contrast.” She then tustled his mane. “That means you’re pretty, by the way.”

Shining groaned, still rubbing at his eyes for a bit longer before he took a deep breath. “Th-thank you.”

“So... what do you want to do now?” The teacher said, giving the seat of the diaper a pat before walking back around. “You know I can’t let you leave with that, so you can only wear that in here.”

“I know, I know.” Shining sighed and waddled about some more. “And, um, you have to watch me, right?”

“Of course I do. Little foals like you can’t watch themselves, now can they?” She winked at him.

This earned another gentle smile from Shining. He rubbed the back of his head. “W-Well... I’m sure you’re busy, so we can stop now if you want.”

“Nope, anything I need to do I can do in here.” She motioned to the mess of clothing on the floor, covered in a layer of dust. “I’ve been meaning to do some cleaning for a while now. If you want to waddle around in the costume for a while, you are completely free to do so.”

Shining gulped and kicked his hoof against the floor. “Heh, um, well, I was... kind of wondering if I could, maybe, if it wasn’t too much trouble, err, that is...”

The teacher raised a brow, waiting as Shining stumbled through his words.

“Isn’t there... make-up that goes with the character?”

With a tilt of her head, the teacher sighed. “There wasn’t any she was supposed to wear, no.”

“Oh...”

“But let’s suppose you wanted to wear it. Would you?”

“Err, n-not much. Just some blush, maybe some lip gloss.”

“Well, you know you’ve got plenty of blush on your face now.” The teacher giggled as the red on his cheeks widened further.“And I suppose you’d like some bows, too.”

The next thing Shining knew, the teacher was using a brush to gently rub some pink makeup onto his cheeks and applying some soft pink lip gloss. A bow was tied around a bang of blue mane near his ear and another around the base of his tail where it stuck out of the diaper.

Shining wagged his tail, the motion hindered by the padding, and hopped around the teacher while snickering and grinning. He came to a stop when we saw himself in the mirror. As he predicted, there was no hiding the diaper, but that was the point of the costume anyway. Still, something about that fact made his chest swell with a curious tingling feeling.

The teacher trotted behind him and gave a caring, if tentative smile. “You really don’t look bad, to be honest. The outfit becomes you. If I could, I would let you play the part of the princess, but I assume that was just a means to get in this costume, wasn’t it?”

Shining continued to blush, but shook his head. “Umm, actually, I... I do kinda, sorta want to learn the dance moves and the lines and stuff.” He covered his face with a hoof, while the teacher’s eyes widened a bit.

“Really? You honestly and sincerely want to play the part?” The teacher’s mouth hung open.

Shining nodded. “It, um, it looks like fun. Acting and dancing a-and letting ponies see you. I’d like that a lot.” He covered his eyes with a hoof, grinning bashfully.

The teacher walked around Shining one more time, observing him from all angles. She would glance once in awhile at him in the mirror. She was clearly taking her statement about letting him play the part more seriously. “Hmm... well, maybe... ah, what am I thinking? Shining, you really would make a fair princess, but you realize any practice you do would just be between us, right? I can’t in good conscience let you go up on the stage dressed like that.”

“I know, I know. But I’d like to pretend. Please?”

The teacher smiled again and took his hoof, helping him stand up straight. “Very well, but as a colt you’re going to have a bit of a hard time. Your muscles and center of balance aren’t as flexible as a filly’s.”

“Whoa!” Shining shouted, wobbling on his forelegs as he struggled to stand up straight. With a yelp, he fell back and landed on his rump with a little plop.

“Of course, that thick diaper isn’t going to help things at all,” the teacher said with a giggle. She helped him back up, taking a few steps herself to show him how it was done.

“You make it look easy...” Shining said, wobbling some more.

“Years and years of dancing will do that to you. Now come on, the first few steps are the most difficult, but you’ll get used to it.”

“What I wouldn’t have given to see that.”

“What? Me falling onto my diapered butt over and over again while I fail at dancing?”

“It would have been so adorable! My little Shiny, in his little tutu and diapees, trying so hard to dance only to plop onto his bottom.”

“Sure, you think it’s cute, but I was the one who kept falling over.”

“At least you had a cushion to keep you from getting any boo boos.”

“Uh... heh, heh.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, I’m honestly not trying to make fun of you.”

“I know, I... nevermind.”

“Knowing my stubborn Armor, though, he kept on trying and trying until he had every move down.”

“M-Maybe...”

“And you even memorized all the lines?”

“I still have a lot of them memorized now. I’d mess up once or twice, but I could do it if I still wanted to.”

“Do you still want to?”

“...”

“Your silence says it all.”

“Look, just don’t worry about it.”

“So, you did the dancing, you knew the lines, you wore the costume. Is that all? Something happened that’s made you so worried about telling me this.”

“Like I said, I almost got the part. I kept on showing up after school to put on the outfit, practice the dances, read the lines. The teacher seemed to really get into it. Not to toot my own horn, but she seemed really impressed with me and how hard I tried.”

“Another thing you have in common with Twilight; when you put your mind to something, you put your all into it.”

“So, about a week or two into rehearsal, the filly playing the lead role quit the part.”

“Really? Why would she do that?”

“She found out that she had to dress up in a diaper.”

“I... what?”

“Yeah, she apparently didn’t know what the play was about. All that registered was ‘princess’ and she wanted the part.”

“Ugh, I hate it when snooty fillies do that. But wait, there wouldn’t be enough time to find somepony else to fill the part. Unless they already knew the lines...”

“Yep, you figured it out. I was going to play the part after she quit, the teacher had no other choice. She had to make sure I looked as much like a filly as possible and all the other ponies in the play were sworn to secrecy. I was so happy, you have no idea.”

“What, did you wet your diaper like a foal when you were told?”

Shining shut his eyes as tight as he could.

“Oh my goodness, you actually did.”

“Nnnnnng...”

“I’m not laughing, I’m not! It’s just... wow. Did you enjoy it?”

“Cadence!”

“What? I’m just asking.”

“Yes, fine, I wet myself, just like a dumb little foal! I was so happy to get the part, I used the diaper and I liked it! Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“If it’s the truth, yes.”

“Oh... umm...”

“So you did like it. And I bet your nice teacher gave you a pat on your bum and told you what a good baby you were.”

“It doesn’t matter what I liked or wanted back then. I almost got it, but almost doesn’t count.”

“What happened? Did the principle find out or something?”

“No, somepony worse learned what was going on.”

“But why can’t we all play together?” Shining said, doing his best to look sadly up at a colt. “We have not had merriment in such a long time. What of our hide and seek? Or going to the ponds and simply skipping stones?

“Princess, understand. We have responsibilities, now.” The colt walked around Shining to stand near a group of other fillies and colts, all dressed in mock-adult clothing. “Out lands need tending to, we have things to learn about running businesses so we may do our parents proud. You’re far too little to understand these sorts of thing.”

Shining sniffled. “B-But, I have nopony to play with now. Doesn’t anypony want to play with a filly like me?”

“We are sorry,” a filly said, though her nose was up in the air. “You’ll have to find somepony else to be a foal with. We can not be seen with a princess who can’t grow up.”

“But... my wish... We were supposed... supposed... ahh, horsefeathers!” Shining starting giggling. “I’m sorry, I can’t keep a straight face with Peach Blossom’s hat like that.”

“Whoops,” the one filly said, realizing her mane had bounced up and was forcing her hat to be at a tilt.

“Alright, alright, everypony take a moment to breathe!” The teacher clapped her hooves together. “Peach, use more mane spray next time. Shining, you were good, but don’t sound like you’re about to cry so fast. Sweet Tooth, you were perfect.”

“Thank you, ma’am!” the colt said.

Shining wiped his brow and sat down, his horn lighting up as he levitated a bottle of water to him, grabbing it in his hooves and holding it up to drink deeply.

The teacher smiled up at him, of course noticing the funny way he drank from a bottle. “We’re doing good, ponies, we’re going to be more than ready this weekend.” She stood up and hopped onto the stage, going over to Shining and smiling down at him. “How’re you holding up?”

Shining took a deep breath after pulling the bottle away. “I’m scared, I’m nervous, and I feel like I’m about to wet myself again.”

The teacher snickered. “Remember, dearie, if you need to go, go. Nopony should notice and I’ll wash it afterwards.”

Shining’s face turned red under his white coat. “Th-thank you, but not so loud!”

“Oops, sorry! It’s easy to forget you’re not actually a little foal.”

Shining groaned in his embarrassment, but didn’t stop smiling. “Hey, uh... thank you.”

“For what?”

“For letting me be, well, me, I guess.”

The teacher smiled and was about to say something. Before she could get a word out, another pony shouted out.

“Shining!? What in Celestia’s name are you doing!?”

Shining’s pupils shrunk to pinpricks and he took a few steps back, his tail poorly trying to cover his diaper.

The teacher looked up to see a blue stallion stomping his way down the aisles. “Sir, is there a problem?”

“Problem? Problem!?” The pony made his way onto the stage, all the other fillies and colts backing out of his way. “My son in sitting here in a skirt and make-up, and you have the gall to ask if there’s a problem!?”

Shining whined a bit, scooting back a bit.

“Oh, you’re Shining’s father.” The teacher gulped. “Sh-Shining Night, correct?”

“Don’t even pretend that what’s happening here is okay. How can you, a member of the teaching faculty, allow this to be happening!?”

The teacher said nothing, looking down at the ground.

“And you...” Shining Night turned to his son, scowling deeply. “You told me you were helping with a play, but you didn’t mention this!” He motioned to Shining’s costume. “Get out of that, right now, and we’re going to go home and have a long talk with your mother about this.”

“B-But... but...”

“No buts! Right now or your punishment will be a whole lot worse when we get home!”

Shining gulped, wiping the lips gloss away with a foreleg. He began to sniffle as he pulled the tutu away and fiddled with the bows he was wearing and the safety pins.

“Shining Night, please,” the teacher said. “Don’t be mad at Shining, I asked him to help because of his figure.”

“Then he should have said no,” Shining Night spat, shooting the teacher a dirty look.

Shining bit his lips and snuffled a little harder, his hooves shaking as he began to unwrap the diaper.

“Now, Shining!” his dad barked, stomping his hoof.

With a flinch, Shining tossed the diaper away, and several fillies and colts gasped.

“Ugh, gross! He actually wet it!”

“Oh dear,” the teacher said.

Shining’s and his dad’s faces turned red, but for different reasons. “I-I’m sorry, Dad...”

“You will be when your mother hears this.” Shining Night grabbed Shining by the ear.

“Ow, ow, ow!”

“Come on, we’re going home and you’re not leaving for a long, long time.”

The teacher waved and mouthed, ‘I’m sorry’.

Shining waved back as best as he could with his ear being pulled.

“And that was the last time I ever saw her.” Shining Armor took a deep breath and exhaled.

Cadence’s eyes were full of compassion as she held her husband close. “Oh, poor Shiny.”

“Dad didn’t really get it, I think. He chewed me out for ages about how it was wrong for colts to dress up like fillies and how colts should dress like colts and all that stuff.”

“Wow, I can’t believe him.”

“Don’t get the wrong idea. He was doing the right thing, and it’s not like he was mad forever. I didn’t get disowned, right? He still helped me out with school, helped me get into the royal guard. I wouldn’t have met you if that happened, right?”

“Fair enough. What about your mother? Did she get mad too?”

“I don’t actually know. I mean, she told me I shouldn’t dress up like that, but she didn’t yell at me about it. I think she actually talked him down, because I was only grounded for a month. I thought it would be a heck of a lot worse than that.”

“So that’s it? You never wore the outfit again?”

“Nope, never. Besides, he was right. It’s not right for colts to wear stuff like that.”

“Oh it isn’t, hmm?” Cadence pulled him into a tighter hug. “What about a mare that likes another mare, or stallions in the same situation? Those aren’t wrong.”

“I’m not saying they are, I just mean... gah, I dunno what I mean.” Shining turned over so he was facing away from Cadence. “Thank you for listening, but like I said before, it’s silly and stupid. It’d be dumb to do it again.”

“If that’s how you feel,” Cadence said, still holding him close. “I hope you know that I love you and will do anything for you.”

“Thanks. I love you too, Cadence. Good night.”

With that, the two of them slowly drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Shining sighed and rubbed the towel against his mane, flicking his tail towards the tub to get any last sprinkle of water out. A smile graced his lips as he trotted out of the royal cleansing chamber, best known for its hottub-like bath to those few who had had the fortune to see it.

“Cadence?” he called out.

“Over here, sweetie,” Cadence’s voice rang out. She stepped out from one of the separate areas of their ‘room’ as it were. She was levitating a spatula, and her apron had a few splatters of tan colored goop. “I thought I’d make us some pancakes since you skipped breakfast this morning like the silly head you are.”

Shining rolled his eyes. “Cadence, it’s two in the afternoon. I think it’s a little late for that.”

“It’s never too late to do something special for my little Shiny.” She set the spatula aside. “And just where did you run off to today? You barely gave me a goodbye before you vanished.”

“That’s all I did,” Shining said, levitating his towel back to the restroom. “I decided to go for a run around the kingdom.”

Cadence blinked. “When you say around the kingdom, you don’t mean around, do you?”

“Three laps, not stopping once,” Shining said, smiling rather smugly. “Don’t want to lose that Captain’s Edge, right?”

“I’m so proud of you,” Cadence replied as she leaned forward to plant a kiss on his lips. “Working hard even when he doesn’t have to. You had plenty to drink, right?”

Shining chuckled as he kissed Cadence back. He pulled away and trotted past her. “Yeah, yeah, I brought a big bottle of water. Drank it all up, too. And what else do I have to do anymore? Aside from you doting all over me and exercise, the prince of the Crystal Empire doesn’t have much to do these days.”

“Me taking care of you isn’t such an awful thing, is it?” Cadence followed after him, silently making her way next to him to lead him along. “I had always thought you liked it. Then again, little ones do need somepony to take good care of them.”

Shining groaned. “Cadence, you said you wouldn’t make fun of me, but you make jokes every chance you get!”

“Who’s making fun?” Cadence nuzzled him gently. “I like taking care of little ponies, you know.”

“Yes, I know,” Shining grumbled. A small blush formed on his cheeks, and the corners of his mouth twitched while he frowned. “Seriously, though, can you cut back on it just a bit? I feel weirder and weirder each time you do that kinda thing.”

“Like what thing? Like when I start brushing your mane and you give a cute little purr?”

Shining’s blush turned a little deeper. “Yes, that kind of thing.”

“What about when I fed you your omelett the other day?” Cadence gave a coy grin. “You really seemed to be enjoying yourself.”

“I-I... that doesn’t matter! Cadence, please, you know it’s not right. Stop messing around, okay?”

Cadence huffed. “Shiny, that hurts me. Do you think I’d do anything to purposely hurt or mock you?”

“No, of course not. Which is why I’m asking you now to stop it. For my sake, okay? I get it, you want me to be happy and comfortable with myself. You’ve done that, but please, I can’t take much more of it.”

Cadence sighed, setting her spatula aside and taking her apron off. “If that’s how you really feel, I’ll slow down. But, you know, you sure looked like you were enjoying it.”

“And that’s the problem.” Shining Armor sat down at the table. “I’m not supposed to enjoy it.”

“Ugh,” Cadence said. “There you go, using that word again. Supposed to be, supposed to be a tough stallion. There’s no supposing about it. You can be whoever you want to be. And no breakfast until you get changed.”

Shining gave his wife a confused looked. “Changed?”

“That’s right. You just had a shower, so this will be the perfect chance for you to try on my special birthday present for you.”

Shining chuckled, and also released a breath of air he only now seemed to realize he was holding. “A-Ah, right.”

Cadence once again gave a coy smile.

“It’s a little late for a present though, isn’t it? You gave me a cake last week.”

“Ah, but you’ll get presents from your family next week. I might as well have a leg up over them. I had to do a bit of frantic searching, but this will put a smile on your face or I’ll eat my crown. I have, for you, a new uniform for your new position in the Crystal Empire, as appointed by me.”

Shing perked up at that. “A uniform? Like my old one?”

With a shake of her head, Cadence replied, “Nuh-uh, I’m not spoiling. You can go check our private closet and get it. No pancakes until you do, young colt.”

Shining didn’t seem to take notice of her comment, instead jumping up as though he were a child that had been told everything in the candy store was free. “Finally, I can be something!” Shining said, practically hopping his way to their room.

Cadence smiled and began to follow him at a much slower pace.

With a few more bouncing steps, Shining ran to the closet, thoughts of what could be inside running through his head. At last, maybe he could finally be something useful for Cadence, somepony she could rely on to help as he did for Celestia. Or maybe he could be an instructor and train the new recruits. He magically threw the closet doors open.

If his fur weren’t already white, one could have seen all the color drain from his face.

Rendered speechless, not a sound escaped his throat as his jaw hung loose. He took a few steps back, his eyes darting about yet not looking away from the source of his current distress.

The tutu inside wasn’t anything fancy. A light-pink colored affair that didn’t leave much to the imagination, made of a fairly thin stretchy material. As if that wasn’t enough for his mind to take it, what had one of the biggest diapers Shining had ever seen hung underneath the tutu, the skirt having no hope of hiding the pure white padding. Several stacks of the same, massive padding was underneath on the floor, enough to last a good long while. Shining’s heart beat a little faster when he realized he thought about using them for the intended purpose.

“Surprise,” Cadence softly said from the doorway. “Happy belated birthday, Shiny. Ready for your new position?”

Shining turned his head to Cadence with a bit of a jump. He stuttered and made several noises, but nothing like a word escaped him. He found himself looking back and forth between his wife and the outfit, his cheeks turning redder with each interval.

Cadence slowly walked to him, her smile as gentle as it had ever been. “I see I’ve left you speechless. Come now, don’t you have anything to say?”

“I... I... what?”

“Better than nothing,” Cadence said with a giggle. “Let’s get you all dressed up for your first day as the Royal Foal of the Crystal Empire.” She gently took his hoof and pulled him along.

Shining didn’t put up too much of a fight. He gave a weak tug as he was led closer to the closet, but it wasn’t even half hearted. The dress and the diaper filled his vision, now, as he tried to come to grips with what was happening.

Cadence magically lifted the tutu and the diaper hanging with it, levitating them in front of Shining who shied away just a little. “Which should we put on first? Probably the diaper, since we can’t really expect little foals to keep themselves dry for long.” With another giggle, she levitated the tutu to their bed and took the diaper in a foreleg.

“B-But...” Shining stumbled over some coherent words, still unable to make a proper thought.

Her touch was soothing, not an ounce of force used to push him onto the bed and onto his back. He did not fight as she lightly pulled his legs apart. From the closet came two bottles, which Shining immediately recognized.

“You know, it’s strange. I can imagine you as a little colt, walking down the foal isle of the store, sneaking glances at the diapers and the foal powder. Somehow, though, it’s much easier to picture you doing that now.” She slipped the diaper under Shining’s rear, taking care to pull his tail through the intended hole. “You’re shopping with me, you say you need to use the restroom, and you sneak off to stare at them while you think nopony is looking.”

Shining squealed a bit and she rubbed rash cream onto his loins.

“I know it’s cold, sweetie, but it has to be done or you’ll get a rash.” Cadence grabbed the foal powder and liberally sprinkled it all over him. It was probably more than necessary, but it left the air smelling fresh and sweet. She then tenderly wrapped the diaper around him, Shining’s face turning completely red and stuck somewhere between distressed and embarrassed.

This diaper was massive, Shining noticed. Thick, round, bulbous... just like the prop diaper from long, long ago. Except this one was real, an actual disposable diaper the crinkled with every slight move he made as he involuntarily tested its thickness by closing his legs. That wasn’t going to happen while he was wearing this.

Cadence smiled down at him, lightly touching the front of the diaper. Even that gentle caress was enough to make it crinkle, which sounded like thunder in Shining’s ears. “I see the baby is liking it already. Come now, we still need to get your dress on.”

Shining found himself being pulled up. This time, though, he actually found his muscles working. Except they helped him sit up.

The dress was pulled over his head before he had any time to think about what he was doing, the soft, pink material hugging him all the way down to the waist of his diaper. Shining found himself looking down at himself. The skirt might have blocked his view, but he knew anypony looking at him would see his diaper, plain as day.

And also suddenly realized he was thinking of it as his diaper.

“We’re getting there,” Cadence sing-songed. “A few more trimmings and you’ll be ready for your first day on the job.”

“Wh... wh... why?” Shining finally stuttered out.

Cadence seemed to pay his question no mind, though. Instead her horn lit up and two ribbons, a tube of lip gloss, and a little bottle of blush levitated over. She hummed a merry tune as she used her hooves to apply the blush herself, while the ribbons tied to a strand of his mane and around the base of his tail sticking out of his -- the -- diaper.

“I... b-but... this isn’t...”

“Hold on, we’re almost done. Goodness, you’re so impatient today.” She brushed his mane out of his eyes. “Hmm, I’ll have to use a lighter shade next time. This one contrasts too much. Now, pucker your lips and let Mommy Candy gloss you up all pretty.”

Shining froze completely, but only for a few moments. He hadn’t meant to, as evidenced by the twitching taking place in his cheeks, but he did as he was told. Even with his twitching, Cadence managed to apply the fruity smelling make-up without getting it anywhere but his lips.

“Don’t lick it off,” Cadence said, closing everything back up and levitating it into a neat pile on a nightstand. “I know you like cherries, but I don’t want to have to put it on too many times in one day.”

Shining remained frozen, his features showing no indication of what he could have been feeling. His mouth wobbled a bit, his eyes were wide, but his body lacked the tenseness it had just a few minutes ago. And still he did not resist at all as Cadence helped him to his hooves. A sense of deja vu washed over him as Cadence began to inspect him from every angle.

“I think I see what your teacher was saying, you really do pull it off.” She pushed on his well padded bottom, directing him to their full length mirror.

One hoof after another, Shining slowly made his way closer at a pace that made it feel like eternity was passing him by. Or maybe that was his heart pounding in his ears, sounding like ticks and tocks that made time seem to slow down.

But the inevitable happened, and Shining found himself standing in front of the mirror. His pupils returned to a normal size when he saw himself. He knew there wasn’t fooling anypony on two things as Cadence turned him to the side. Though he found himself striking a pose of sorts of his own accord.

One; He’d never pass off as a mare, not in a million years. His powerful build, even though weakened from lack of use, was clearly a stallion’s. He looked like a colt in mare’s clothing. And an oversized diaper.

Two; If anypony were to see him, his diaper would be in plain view. There would be no hiding it no matter how hard he tugged on his tutu. Even now, all these years later, it made something in his chest swell.

Cadence stepped into the view of the mirror, laying her chin on Shining’s back. “Well? How do you feel?”

Shining gulped, a smile forming on his lips and his eyes growing moist. “I... I feel... pretty.”

Cadence smiled.

“But-but...” Shining shook his head and stepped away from the mirror, Cadence almost tipping over from her resting spot suddenly moving away. “It’s not right! It’s not supposed to be this way!” He raised a hoof and began to tug at the bow in his mane. Once he did, though, his smile returned and pulled at it in a much more playful way before he jerked his hoof away and growled. “No, no, take it away, this isn’t right!”

“Shining!” Cadence ran up to him and rubbed his shoulders, her husband breathing heavily and shutting his eyes tight. “Shining relax, relax. This is to help you. This is for you. It’s yours, nopony else’s.”

“I.. but this isn’t...”

“Stop saying that.” Cadence lightly kissed his cheek. “Stop using ‘supposed’ and ‘right’ and ‘wrong’. There isn’t any way things are supposed to be. A long time ago, ponies were supposed to hate each other because we were all different. Twilight has literally almost destroyed a town because of how things are supposed to be. It’s not you saying that, Shiny. That’s the little voice your father left in you when he told you that his was wrong, that you were wrong. But you’re not wrong, and neither is this.”

Shining’s breathing slowed down as she once again pulled him to the mirror. “But... other ponies...”

Cadence turned his head so he was once again looking at himself. “They don’t matter, not here at least. This is your time, your way of being. This makes you feel right, like you’re you. That’s fine, Shiny, that really is. If you look in the mirror right now and you see yourself, then everything right now in the very moment is perfect. This is you, Shining Armor. It’s a part of you. I doesn’t have to be all of you, but it’s a big part. Ignoring it is hurting you, I saw it in your eyes that night. You’ve hid it away, but it’s not that way anymore. Now, here with me, you can be all of you.”

“H-How can you say that? I look like a foal!”

“Then maybe you are a foal.” Cadence kissed his cheek again. “And if that’s who you are, then so be it. I’ll love that part every bit as much as the big strong guard. I didn’t fall in love with just that stallion, you know. I fell in love with all of you.”

Shining once again looked himself over in the mirror. Despite his misgivings, he found he was admiring himself and the outfit once more. Here he was, the great captain of the guard of Celestia’s Royal Guard. A diaper was wrapped snug around him, a tutu held tight to his body. Make-up was lightly applied, he had bows, for Celestia’s sake!

But...

“I feel like... me.” Shining smiled, softly at first, then a bit wider and wider until it was a small grin.

Cadence smiled with him and nuzzled into his neck. “Yes, that’s it. Embrace it, you’re you right now. Your cutie mark is tucked away under your diaper. You can forget about that for now and be a cute little foal. I don’t care if you’re a filly right now or a colt in a dress, just be who you really are.”

Shining wiped at his eyes, and right after struck another pose. This one had more energy put into it, and was much more feminine, his back leg jutting out in something reminiscent of a ballet move. “I’m me. I’m really me right now.” He spun about a few times, looking at every bit of himself from his -- yes, his -- oversized, crinkling diaper to the pink of everything he wore. He wagged his tail at himself, shook his bottom, flicked his mane, all sorts of little things. With each motion, he seemed to relax further and further.

Cadence stepped back a little ways to allow Shining to playfully look at himself, but the moment he noticed he leaped over to her and grabbed her in a hug. “Well, we’re feeling affectionate, aren’t we?”

“I d-don’t know what else to say, or do.” He sniffled a bit, closing his eyes and he pulled her in close. “This feels so weird, but so right. Where did you ever get a d-diaper like this?”

“When you’re a princess, nopony questions why you commission a large supply of custom adult diapers made to be needlessly huge.” She gave him a kiss on his lips, getting the taste of cherry as she pulled away. “And you’re not weird. You’re you, and you’re perfect.”

“Still,” Shining said as he nuzzled her, “this is so much to take in. I’m just... I don’t know, I can’t think right at all. All I know is that I’m suddenly as happy as the day you said yes.”

“A little overwhelmed, hmm?” Cadence pulled away, giggling. “I haven’t seen you this chipper since, well, ever. I think you need a moment to absorb all this. Can you be a good little foal while Mommy goes to make sure sure breakfast is still warm?”

“M-Mommy? I don’t, err...”

“You don’t have to call me that if you don’t want to. It just seemed appropriate.” Cadence kept a gentle smile as she spoke. No judgment, no disappointment.

Shining gulped, the blush on his face from more that make-up. “M-Maybe someday. One step at a time.”

“Maybe baby steps would be more appropriate.” Cadence grinned as Shining’s face flushed an even deeper shade. “That’s fine. This is all for you, my special gift for being the best husband a princess could ask for. Whatever you want, you’ll get. Now shake that cute little bottom some more, you’ll get plenty of bum-pats when I get back.”

Shining groaned, smiling all the same as Cadence walked out of the room. Now alone, he turned to the mirror and actually did as she said, ending up making his whole body shiver from excitement. The bow around his tail caught his attention as he back up to get a better view. His horn lit up as a corner of the bow was magically given a little tug as though to make sure it were actually there.

Turning his body, Shining looked as his face, right into his own eyes. A hoof touched at his cheek where the blush had been applied. “Yeah, too dark. Needs to be brighter.” He shook his head and looked again, his gaze becoming just a bit harder. “What exactly are you doing, Shining?” He tilted his head and worked his lips a bit. “Ugh, don’t ever put on lipstick, this barely looks good as it is. But seriously, this is wr... no, don’t think like that. Cadence is doing this for you, it can’t be wrong. She likes it. Right?”

He again tugged at the bow in his mane, easily switching to batting at it. “I don’t get it. Why? Why do you like this? I’ve kept this out of my head for so long, you’d think it wouldn’t feel so good anymore. But it feels better than ever. Just look at you.” He turned his body and made the pose where he stuck a back leg out. “It’s a diaper. Just... just why?

“Because it’s you.” Shining sighed and tilted his head. He brought his leg back down. “It feels right, it feels like it was always supposed to be there. Maybe some part of you never grew up. Maybe you’ve always been a foal deep down.”

He put both his forehooves onto the mirror, his back legs wobbling. With movements that clearly hadn’t been practiced in a long time, Shining slowly pushed himself up onto two legs.

“What about this tutu, and the make-up, and the bows? You’re trying to be a mare when you’re a stallion. You know you’re not a mare, right?”

Shining’s knees almost buckled under the strain of his position. “You know you’re not a mare. You never have been, you never will be, and you’re not trying to be. Don’t make it complicated, because it’s not.” Off the mirror, he wobbled a bit once he had lost his support. “You like this. You feel pretty. That’s all there is to it.”

His heartbeat slowed down as he said those words. Smiling, Shining slowly swayed his limbs about, muscle memory not really working for him as he sloppily made mock movements of a ballerina.

Quite suddenly, however, his pupils shrunk to pinpricks as an overwhelming urge suddenly hit him like a buffalo ramming into him. With a strained grunt, Shining gripped at his crotch and fell onto his rear, a ‘poomf’ and crinkle sounding out.

He huffed and puffed a few times, looking over at the door. “Hnnn, why do I suddenly have to go so bad?” He kicked his legs a bit, accidentally making himself scoot further away from the exit. “Okay, okay, maybe if I hurry, I can make it the the bathroom before I w-w-wet myself.” He shut his eyes tight and began to sweat a little.

“B-But... but I am wearing a diaper. That’s what they’re for.” A wobbly smile forced its way onto his features.

“Ahh, but you can’t do that!” Shining gulped and tried to stand up, his legs shaking a bit. “That’s... that’s just...” He almost said ‘wrong’, but he stopped himself.

“There’s nothing wrong with it,” he tried to affirm to himself. “What do you want, Shining? she said you can do what you want.” With a few struggled huffs and puffs, he took a few steps forward.

“I don’t know!” Shining yelled. His walking was strained, held back. He couldn’t tell if it was because he was trying to hold it or if he was holding himself back. “I don’t know what I want.”

He shook his head. “What about what you need?”

Muscles tensing, Shining froze in place as his face turned red and an embarrassed grimace came out. He took a few more deep breaths before he again found himself on his rear, grabbing the front of his diaper, back where he started. Rocking back and forth, he realized how much he must have looked like a toddler at that moment. More so, he realized he had waited too long. Now he couldn’t walk without relieving himself into his diaper.

“Why did this have to happen?” Shining moaned to himself, though his grimace bounced back and forth between that and a smile. If he called out, no doubt Cadence would help him. It would be embarrassing to the point where he’d want to hide under his sheets all day, but he wouldn’t have to wet himself like a foal.

But isn’t that what you want?

Indecision gripped Shining as he kept rocking, moaning some more, eyes closed tight. Soon, though, he found he didn’t have a choice any longer. He misjudged his balance as he tilted back just a bit too much. With a yelp, Shining fell onto his back and onto the carpet. His face was in shock for only a moment before bafflement covered his features.

A soft hiss sounded out as he felt his crotch grow warm, liquid filling out his diaper for only a few moments before it sucked it away. The diaper became warm, puffing out even more than it already was. If he had the thought to sit up and push his tutu aside, he would have seen a yellow stain beginning to form and grow.

He stared up at the ceiling, cheeks seemingly stuck in a permanent blush and his mouth a line. Not a thin line, just a line as he tried to come to grips with what exactly had just happened. His eyes were locked up into the air, but he didn’t see anything at all. Not until Cadence walked into his field of vision, looking down at him with as loving a smile as ever.

“I wet myself,” Shining said simply.

“I can see that,” Cadence said, leaning down to give him an upside-down kiss. “Although more like you’re wetting yourself. Exactly how much did you drink on your run?”

Shining’s diaper crinkled and made a squishy noise as as he hopelessly tried to cover the ever-growing stain as he kept wetting. Yet somehow, despite his shame being on display, or maybe even because of it, the ballerina dressed pony found himself giving a tiny smile.

“Come now, there’s no hiding what you’ve done,” Cadence said, lightly pulling his hooves away.

There’s no hiding who you are.

The underlying message felt as loud as if it had been blasted on a speaker. “I-I guess I can’t...”

The alicorn felt at his soggy diaper. “It’s a good thing we got this on when we did. Looks like you really need diapers after all, what with such a foal you are.”

Shining closed his eyes and twitched. There was no malice in her voice, no mocking. It was said as if it was a fact.

“I’m a foal?” His voice cracked as he spoke.

“Hmm... you know, I had thought to say it was your choice.” Cadence helped her husband sit up straight, of course making even more crinkles sound out. “But I don’t think it is. You are a foal, it’s something you can’t help. But that’s fine.” She pulled him into a hug and rubbed his back. “If you’re a foal, I’ll love you all the same with each diaper I change and every time we go out to dinner.”

“You would do that,” Shining said as he hugged her back, covering her cheeks and lips in shiny gloss. “I don’t know why you would, but you would. I love you, Cadence. I don’t deserve you.”

Cadence giggled and returned the kisses when he gave her a moment to do so. “You say that again, you’ll get a spanking and a timeout. If there was ever a pony who deserved all the love in the world, it would be you. Now come on, breakfast is getting cold and I don’t want you sitting in a soggy diaper any longer than you have to.”

Shining found himself being pulled to his hooves, his diaper sagging somewhat. His attention was placed onto the diaper pressing against his legs as he was pulled along. “I didn’t even notice I’d stopped wetting.”

“You are a foal, it’s hard for me to imagine you’ll even know when you start,” Cadence said with a giggle. “Now sit your bottom down and let me make sure you’re well fed.

“You don’t have to feed me.” Shining’s voice was so quiet that it was a wonder Cadence had replied to him.

“I don’t have to do a lot of things.” She pushed him into a chair and a bib was magically tied around his neck. He got to see the ‘Precious’ written in fancy cursive with a little heart underneath before it was placed onto him. “And yet I do them anyway. Funny the things that love has us do, hmm?” Cadence pulled a plate in front of him, a pancake decorated with whipped cream and various types of berries into a smiling face sitting on top.

The blush on Shining’s face somehow defied all odds and deepened even further. He moaned and covered his eyes but kept on smiling as Cadence cut a piece and lifted it to his lips.

“Say ‘aaahhh’, please.”

“Ahhhh, please.”

Cadence snorted a laugh, accidently sending the pancake piece squishing into a white furred cheek and covering it with syrup. “Darn it, Shiny, don’t make me laugh while I’m trying to feed you!”

An innocent smile adorned Shining’s lips.

“Curses, sweet smiles. My one weakness.” Cadence forced the forkful through Shining’s lips.

Wordless, Shining allowed himself to be fed bite by bite. Every once in awhile he would coo or chuckle at a silly face Cadence would make at him, usually of the fishy puckered lip variety.

“Open up the tunnel, the yummy express has a fresh shipment for the tummy factory.”

Shining’s stomach grumbled as he rubbed his midsection. His diaper crinkled when he accidentally ran his hooves over it, though how accidental it was could have been disputed. “Sorry, I think the factory is packed full.” He smiled. “The tummy factory appreciates your delivery, though.”

Cadence pouted just a tad and looked at the two remaining bites of pancake. “Come on, baby, you’re almost done. Just a few more.”

Shining shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’m too full.”

“Hmm... Aha!” Cadence wrapped her forelegs around Shining in what looked like a hug.

Caught up in the moment, Shining returned the gesture with a coo he hadn’t meant to give. A brow was raised, though, when Cadence began to pat his back with a fair amount of force. Just as he was about to ask what she was doing, a decent sized belch escaped his mouth. Shining wondered if the blush from the makeup would permanently glue itself to his face is his kept getting embarrassed like this.

“That should be much better.” Cadence picked the fork back up and danced it in front of Shining’s lips. “The factory was all stuffed up with silly gas build up.”

If shame could be personified, Shining was sure his face would show it off perfectly. But, in a way, he supposed he asked for this. Opening his mouth, Shining accepted the last two bites without any fuss, liking his lips each time and subsequently getting met with the taste of cherries and maple syrup.

Cadence smiled and kissed Shining’s forehead. “Mommy has such a good foal, eating all his nummies like a good princess. Aren’t we stuffed and happy? I bet we are.”

“Y-Yes, Cadence,” Shining muttered. “I, uh... you’re good at this, you know. Really making me feel like... like a...”

She smiled and helped him stand back up, gently pulling him along back to their bedroom. “Oh, Shining, I’ve always been good with foals. I guess that’s why you were first attracted to me, hmm? Maybe you just knew I was going to take care of a sweet foal like you.”

Shining’s lips scrunched, unsure of how to respond.

“Because we both know I’m not making you feel like that. You are what you are. I’m simply here to take good care of you. Speaking of, you need a change.”

“I, uh, am a little wet,” Shining said. The sag of his diaper had gotten a little more pronounced now that his accident had time to settle. Though he would be a lying if he said the sensation was completely unpleasant. Just another reminder of his situation, another part of...

Another part of being me.

Cadence took notice of Shining admiring himself and nuzzled him. “Don’t worry, you won’t be in that dirty diaper much longer.” Her horn lit up as the door to their bedroom closed on their tails. “But I’m afraid it might be just a few minutes before you get in another diaper.”

“Huh? Why’s that?”

Their mattress groaned a bit as Shining was laid onto it, Cadence climbing on top of his so their stomachs pressed together.

“I told you before that this being you was just a part of you. There are other parts about you I still like.”

She very gently touched at Shining’s diaper and began to untape it, bottles of rash cream and foal powder floating over as she snaked one of her fore legs under his back.

“Right now, I’m thinking about one part in particular.”

Shining felt his face turn into the hottest crimson it was ever going to get, but for a plethora of reasons beyond embarrassment. Oh course he wouldn’t forget, not with Cadence around. There was so much more to him than any one thing, and so much more to her

They were husband and wife, after all.