The Bubbly Mare

"Good Friends"
3, 5

Despite not having much in the way of strength or coordination, Derpy found her way into Applejack's forelegs. The farm pony kept a tight grip... security for her friend, among other things.

Derpy continued to shake, her coverings beginning to droop, but Applejack said nothing. She simply picked them up. Nearly uncovered as Derpy was the entire room smelt even stronger of sick and waste than it had before, yet outside of her initial gag the farm pony kept up her poker face. She remained squarely focused on Derpy, which she hoped the mare would find comforting. In any other state, however, Derpy probably would've felt much less clingy.

"Sugarcube, you know Ah can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on. Ah really don't want this to be as bad as I'm startin' ta think it is, but Ah'm here for ya either way. Promise."

Pulling herself up so the two were eye-to-eye, Derpy took a deep breath in preparation to speak, but both ponies knew right away that was a mistake. Applejack quickly manipulated Derpy's back legs so she was facing the trashcan. She picked up the can just in time for Derpy heave up a good two seconds of green bile. By the end she was clutching her gut and Applejack could tell from the labored, shallow breaths that she was in pain. To top it off the blanket had almost completely fallen off and Applejack could see everything... but that wasn't important. The only thing that mattered was making sure Derpy was okay.

"You're okay, you're okay...," Applejack said, quietly, as she took the mare by the shoulders and gently rocked her. For some reason that could help her feel better sometimes, but given how sick she was there was a chance it could just make it worse. Fortunately that didn't seem to be the case.

The pegasus responded by groaning, resting up against Applejack's barrel for a moment. The farm pony gently patted her shoulder.

Come on... yer gonna be alright...

Derpy sat shaking as Applejack picked up the blanket, gently placing it around her shoulders. She then looked down at her exposed, soiled garment then back up at Applejack.

"Just lay down, sugarcube," Applejack said, calmly. Derpy looked at her, body stiffening. "Now Ah don't give a you-know-what about what yer wearin', or what condition it's in. Ah just want you feelin' better." She chuckled. "You know, Ah hate seein' a grown mare cry... Makes me wanna do the same. Jus' lay back, catch yer breath... you're with friends now. Dun think about nothin' else."

Slowly Derpy did as she was told. Applejack heard a sigh, then saw a slight smile. The farm pony then assessed her friend's condition, taking off her hat and throwing it to the side table. She knew she wasn't going anywhere... not for a while at least.

"I'm really cold, Applejack," Derpy said, flatly. The farm pony reached for a loose blanket, but Derpy shook her head. She stopped with it still in grasp. "I've been hot for so long it feels kinda nice."

"Well, you're probably worn out from pukin' yer guts up," Applejack said, setting the blanket aside while letting out a sharp laugh, along with a wince. "Truthfully, ya look a tiny bit better since ya puked." Looking over her friend a second time, Applejack stopped at the diaper. Get it outta yer mind... She attempted to pull a bit of loose covering over the garment, but Derpy reached out and gently touched her hoof. She retracted it quickly, biting her lip.

"It’s okay, Applejack. Really! I don't mind... I like the cool air."

The farm pony sighed.

"Not to, ya know... contradict m'self jus' now, but you know it's in pretty bad shape, right?"

Derpy nodded.

"I know. I don't know where it came from, but I know."

"While you were asleep, ya kinda lost control of, well, everything, so... Granny put it on ya, just as a precautionary sort of thing. It's kinda part of, well... a costume, Ah guess. They work, as you might've guessed."

Derpy let out a small chuckle. It seemed laying down was actually helping her feel a bit better. Applejack couldn't help smiling back.

"Like a Nightmare Night costume?"

"Somethin' like that." The farm pony put a hoof behind her head. "Let's try not to focus too much on where they came from. Ah just wanna cover you up outta respec-"

Again, Derpy let out a chuckle... beginning to relax.

"They're really big. Were they Big Mac's?"

"No! Um..." The orange pony thought a moment. "Let's just say it's a private matter. Look, Ah promised not to tell any pony about 'em and I won't."

"Oh." Derpy shifted, looking uncomfortably up at her friend. "Um, okay... I'd feel pretty bad if somepony was talking about mine. I understand."

Applejack smiled.

"What's important is we're gunna give you whatever you need. And Ah mean that."

Derpy smiled. Applejack found herself rubbing her friend's hind leg for reassurance, but quickly stopped when she realized it was going a little too far inside and a little too high up.

"A-hem..." The farm pony pushed herself upright. "Look, I'm gunna go get you some water. If yer up to it, we can talk about what happened..." Applejack approached the wardrobe, grabbing the package of wipes, diaper, and powder. She set them on the edge of the bed. "While I'm out... how 'bout ya clean yerself up?"

"Um... okay." Derpy slowly pushed herself up, still a bit wobbly. "I think I can do that."

Applejack turned towards the door, putting a hoof on the knob. She glanced back.

"You gunna be alright?"

Derpy forced a smile... Applejack knew what that looked like.

"I've done this before... well, sort of."

The farm pony stopped in her tracks as the door creaked open.

"Uh... what'd ya mean by 'sort of'?"

"I wear things that are a lot like these to bed, because... well, I- I have nighttime accidents. It's just something I've had to do since foalhood."

Applejack looked off as an image flashed through her mind. She could vaguely recall seeing Derpy, maybe ten years before, wearing a diaper. She took a breath in preparation to say something.

Derpy shifted uncomfortably.

"I don't like talking about it, either."

It was Applejack's turn to force a smile... she watched her friend swallow, then look to the ground.

"Derpy, it's nothin' to be ashamed of! Ah just kinda have the... vaguest recollection. It's like a distant dream." Applejack shook her head. "Ah don't think any differently of you. It's just how it is, and nothin' else."

Derpy smiled. Applejack knew what her more sincere smiles looked like. She smiled back.

"I'll be okay," Derpy said, sitting with her back against the wall. "Promise."

"Ah know you will. Knock in about six minutes?"

"Okee."

Applejack turned the knob and pulled the door open. She step outside and shut it behind herself, letting out a sigh.

That went better than Ah thought it would.

* * *

The farm pony found herself drinking down a tall glass of water in the kitchen. Afterwards she stood for a moment, silently. Granny Smith sat and watched from the living room, gently rocking back and forth.

"Everything alright in there?"

Applejack swallowed.

"Yup. Everything's just hunky-dory."

She filled a second tall glass, after rinsing out her own, and took it into the living room. She stopped in front of her grandmother.

"Ah don't know if Derpy's up to talking about what happened yet-" she began.

"Maybe, maybe not," Granny Smith responded, "but it's good yer there for her."

Applejack nodded, gritting her teeth.

"Ah'm gunna be up maybe a teensy bit longer. Derpy doesn't normally come 'round here drunk looking for me. Say, if Ah dare ask... how much cider did she have?"

"A bit over half. Enough to give Mac a pretty good buzz, that's for sure."

Applejack shook her head, thinking a moment.

"Okay." She let out a sigh. "Granny, to tell the truth... she's been vomiting pretty bad, and she's in there cleaning herself up 'cause that diaper, well... ya prolly know what happened there."

Granny Smith nodded, yawning.

"You let me know if you or she needs any help cleaning up..."

Applejack let out a bit of a chuckle.

"She'd prolly find that real embarassin', Granny. Ah know Ah would."

"Ah mean if there's any barf on the bed or floor, but'cha know perfectly well Ah mean that, too."

"Yeah, Ah know..." Applejack stared down the hall at the door, sighing again. "Say, Granny?"

"What is it?"

"When Derpy was younger..." The farm pony paused a tick. "She, uh... wore diapers at night, didn't she?"

Granny Smith let out a small chuckle.

"We all did!" she exclaimed, as Applejack scowled. "Now, now... Ah know what ya mean. Her mother told me she's been wearin' 'em to bed since foalhood. She didn't call 'em that, though. All-in-Ones, or somethin'... or was it 'Briefs'. Can't remember. Saw her in 'em back when Ah used to babysit overnight, but it's been a long while since, and Derpy doesn't quite like to talk about what's goin' on with her like Diamond did. That's a given, though, seein' how personal this is. She's one of just a few ponies Ah've know who's completely happy keepin' to herself. Besides, she's been doin' jus' fine, and seems content, so why stir things up?"

"Come to think of it she has been doin' pretty well... or at least Ah thought she was."

Granny Smith yawned, sitting back.

"Ponies go through their ups and downs, now. She jus' needs a good friend to talk to. S'why she's here. She values you, Applejack... even if there isn't much ya can actually do for her, jus' knowin' ya care is enough."

"Can't argue with that..." The farm pony let out a sign, then began towards the doorway to the hall. "Thanks Granny. Ah'm gunna go see how she is."

"Ah'll be up a while longer, "Granny Smith replied. "Seems Ah can finally relax a bit."

"Ee-yup." Applejack yawned.

* * *

The farm pony cantered quietly down the hall towards the guest bedroom. She approached and knocked, waiting for a moment. When there was no answer she knocked again, a bit louder this time. Again, there was no reply. She then slowly turned the knob, opening the door just a crack.

"Um... hello? Derpy?"

She heard faint rustling and waited a moment to hear springs settle.

"Applejack... I um-" The pegasus burped loudly. "I need..."

The door swung open and Applejack saw Derpy sitting up right, everything in front of her almost untouched... still wearing the soiled diaper. The pegasus began retching again, slouching forward.

"Don't puke yet! Don't puke yet!!" Applejack found herself whisper-shouting, despite it not making much difference (and probably being counter-productive, as it would just make Derpy tense). She quickly set the glass on the table and dashed to the bed.

As Applejack reached the bed, all that came from her friend were loud, guttural belches. They finally settled down as Derpy began to quake. Again, Applejack just patted her and rocked back and forth. The farm pony then gently put Derpy on her back, so she was laying peacefully.

"Here..." Applejack spun around to get the water, turning back. "Drink it down, slowly..."

She held the glass to Derpy's lips, and Derpy put both hooves on in. It was a big glass, but not too heavy... Applejack could feel a little pressure behind her friend's hooves, but not a whole lot of strength in terms of keeping it steady. It felt as though the glass could slip, so she kept a tight grip... just in case.

"Yer kinda week," she commented.

Derpy nodded, sucking in water fast.

"Hey, hey, now." Applejack pulled the glass away. "Ah know you're thirsty, but yer just gunna throw it right back up unless ya pace yerself."

Derpy looked up at her, hooves together, making those small circles as if she were bored and twiddling her hooves... but Applejack knew better. This didn't look right. It was too uncoordinated and unnatural.

"Ya alright?"

Derpy just breathed in and out... gradually getting slower, her hooves not settling down.

"Nervous?"

"I-..." Derpy took a deep breath. "I can't sit up. I mean, I can, but then I don't feel well after a little while."

Applejack sighed, and began to turn around.

"I'll go get Granny."

"Applejack," Derpy said, quietly. "I don't want Granny Smith taking care of me... like that. Thinking about it makes me feel funny."

The farm pony turned around, looking her friend square in the eye.

"Well, she did it to ya earlier... but you were asleep. Sorta. Uh, thinkin' you can do it yerself?"

"I think so..." Derpy began to sit up. "I just maybe need a little while to feel better."

Applejack watched Derpy's forelegs give out as she reached the top, the pegasus ending up on her back, staring at the ceiling.

"Ya can barely sit up without using the wall," she said, flatly. "Derpy, ya can't sleep dressed like this. You know that."

"Maybe... just a little while longer."

"Derpy," Applejack sighed. "You're drunk, dizzy, and prolly a lil bit hung over... that's likely gunna get worse in the morning. It's prolly gunna take all the way 'til tomorrow afternoon for you to start feelin' yourself again, and even then yer just gunna wanna sleep."

"Really?"

"Ya might be able to get up before then, but for right now we're prolly lookin' at at least a couple more hours in bed. Y'all should be restin' soon, not worrying about all this stuff that's long past. Can't do nothing for it now."

Derpy shut her eyes.

"But I wanna talk to you."

"And Ah'm here to do it... it's just that you need to get changed, and if ya can't do that yourself, Granny's gunna have to do it for you."

The pegasus opened her eyes, looking up at her friend.

"... okee."

"Okay, what?"

"You can go get Granny Smith. I'll be okay."

"Alright."

Applejack nodded, then left the room. She went down the hall into the living room, opening her mouth in preparation to speak.

She saw Granny Smith was asleep in her rocking chair, which was still lightly rocking. She wasn't asleep like she normally slept. Her posture was significantly more relaxed, collapsed inward, her head off to the side, her mouth agape and tongue out. For an older mare Granny Smith's falling asleep was usually kinda funny, maybe even a bit cute... here she looked just dog tired.

Applejack bit her lip. Ah can't do this. She approached. "Granny? ... um, Granny?"

The only response Applejack got was Granny Smith's snoring picking up in volume. The older mare was out.

The farm pony sighed, taking a sudden interest in her hooves.

You know what you gotta do, AJ. Gotta take charge. It's right. Make things better... the only reason ya gotta.

Applejack picked her head up and turned around, heading back down the hall.

She entered the room again, finding she'd left the door open. Derpy's eyes were closed until she heard Applejack's approach. The farm pony shut the door behind herself.

"Is Granny Smith coming soon?" the pegasus asked.

"Derpy, Granny Smith is out cold and Ah don't have the heart to wake her," Applejack responded. "You really can't do this yourself?"

Again, Derpy tried to push herself up, forcing a smile through what Applejack could easily read in her face as, at the very least, discomfort. The farm pony saw her shaking again and put a hoof up.

"It's okay, Derpy," she said. "Just... just take it easy. All right?"

"I want to, Applejack... really! I don't know why I can't do it now! I feel sick and really weird."

"Ah know, Ah know," Applejack looked down at the diaper pulled from the package, and put her hoof on it. You can do this, Applejack. She then looked at Derpy, pulling the diaper open and holding it up.

"Um..." Derpy's eyes went wide. "What're you doing?"

Applejack approached, setting the clean diaper beside her friend.

"You know full well what I'm doin'," she replied. "It's either this or Ah go wake up Granny Smith... which you know Ah just can't do. She looks plain exhausted. We all are."

Derpy lowered her head, nodding a tiny bit.

"I, um..." She took in a breath. "I understand."

"Hey," Applejack gently poked the bed. "Look up at me." Slowly Derpy did as she was told. "Ah'm doin' this 'cause it needs to be done. You trust me, right?" Slowly but surely, the pegasus nodded. "'cause of the mess, though... once Ah start cleaning ya up, Ah can't stop. Ah just want to make sure you know that, right?" Again, she nodded. "Okay... Ah'm just gunna do it, then."

Applejack turned back, grabbing the wipes and powder in less than two seconds, then placed both hooves on the front of Derpy's diaper. Derpy immediately looked away as Applejack pulled open her friend's top left tape.

Scriittccchhh!!! That was a familiar sound to both ponies. A bit of the outer shell was ripped from the diaper along with the tape.

This is it... you can do it.

Applejack focused on the right tape, which came a bit easier, then the two bottom tapes, looking up at her friend's face in between pulls. She was looking away, to her left... head down, eyes closed.

"Here we go... ya alright?"

Derpy nodded.

Jus' keep focused on the job.

Applejack slowly pulled open the diaper, and saw the mess before her. This was gunna take some time... and she was already regretting committing herself to it. Anything for a friend, though.