This place is massive!” Rainbow Dash yelled her voice echoing down the halls of the abandoned castle. “How are we going to find where twilight got her book and where are we going to find a counter spell.”

“I have to admit the challenge is daunting,” Rarity said concerned. “Plus I have to express my distaste at the working environment. Twlight’s castle is clean, but this castle,” Rarity wiped the remains of a crushed star spider from her hoof, “Is not clean.”

“Plus it’s full of secret passage going Celestia knows where.”

“Now what kind of attitude is that?” Pinkie said angrily. “You guys need to believe in yourself if you believe you can achieve!”

“Easy for you to say,” Rainbow said with a groan. “You just fall into stuff. I don’t even know why me and Rarity are here we all know you’re just gonna randomly stumble across whatever we need.” Rainbow Dash looked behind her to find that the pink pony she thought she was talking to was nowhere to be found. “Hey where did Pinkie go?”

“She’s not here?” Rarity looked behind and gasped at the lack of a particular party pony. “What the devil happened to her? Oh I can’t imagine our poor Pinkie alone and defenseless and this cruel unforgiving castle. What a world! WHAT A WORLD!” Rarity began overdramatically screaming while Rainbow Dash rubbed her temples. Rarity’s ravings were cut off when a pink blur from the ceiling landed on top of her.

“Hey guys I found a slide,” Pinkie said sitting atop Rarity. “And it led to a secret room full of secret books and secret scrolls and secret big scary spiders.”

“Big scary spiders?” Rarity shivered.

“That’s gotta be what we’re looking for good job pinkie,” Rainbow said flying off to where Pinkie gestured.

“Shouldn’t we check all of the spider free parts of the castle first?”

“Aww don’t be a baby Rarity,” Pinkie commented. “Oh I made a pun I didn’t even mean to do that one.” Pinkie playfully jumped into the slide she discovered. Rarity let out a small whine before slowly making her way down the slide. At the bottom of the slide was a small room with a bookshelf on two sides and a couch in the middle. On the far wall a painting of a stately griffon hung on the wall.

“Who’s this guy?” Rainbow asked eyeing the painting suspiciously.

“That would be admiral black beak of the third griffon battalion,” Pinkie Pie said in a British accent while reading from a scroll. “During the first major griffon expansion his forces were halted by a tribe of unicorns specializing in dark magic here resides the records of their battles as well as recipes for the various potions developed by the young pegasi Double Bubble to aid the griffons in their fight against the evils of dark magic.”

“Nice accent Pinkie,” Rainbow said admiring the performance Pinkie had given.

“Thank you I do stand up on Tuesdays.”

“Girls I think we may have found the jackpot,” Rarity said with glee. “I mean look at the de’cor the tapestries oh and this wonderful painting. This whole room is simply elegant albeit a bit dusty.”

“Yeah I’m sure we can find a recipe to help Twilight out somewhere in here,” Rainbow dash said excitedly.

“Yeah that too I suppose,” Rarity corrected still eyeing the painting. “Alright girls let’s get to work. Rainbow you get that painting down and clean it up Pinkie bust out your sowing needle we’re fixing these curtians.” Rainbow and Pinkie looked at Rarity angrily. “Oh I mean books. Look at them. Go team.”

Applejack was absent-mindedly reading a book, she had not even noticed that Fluttershy had put Twilight in her crib for a nap.

“Well she’s asleep,” Fluttershy said looking fairly exhausted herself.

“Oh do you want me to fix you a drink or somethin’,” Applejack asked politely.

“Oh no I’m fine. You know, Twilight said this morning that she felt normal after she slept.”

“Do ya think that’s true?”

“I think so because when she fell asleep I started feeling normal too.”

“Oh well that’s good. Gives ya time to clear yer head an all.”

“I just don’t know Applejack.”

“Don’t know about what?” Applejack asked genuinely confused.

“I just have these feelings toward Twilight and I know most of it’s the spell, but now even though I feel like normal I still want to take care of her. Is that wrong?”

“You think it’s cuz you want kids of your own?”

“How do you know I want kids?”

“Intuition. Plus you just seem like the type to have kids. Ya know ya ain’t that hard to look at it wouldn’t be hard fer a girl like you to find a nice stallion to settle down with.”

“Oh but I just so nervous around boys. Even thinking about it makes me scared.”

“That’s just nerves sugar cube everypony gets em’ and you’ll get over em’ in time”

“Yeah but that’ll take a long time Applejack, and I want kids now. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. There’s a part of me that just wants Twilight to stay. You know so at least I have something close. Oh I’m such a terrible friend listen to me,” Fluttershy began to sob. Applejack moved in close to comfort her.

“C’mon Fluttershy now don’t nobody have control over how they feel, so it’s perfectly ok for you to have those feelings and that doesn’t make you a bad friend. In fact it’s probably why Twilight picked you in the first place.”

“Thanks Applejack you really know how to make me feel better. I’m just worried about Twilight this must be just awful for her.”

“Yeah it must be a might embarrassing for her, but you heard her back at the castle. Dark magic is affected by inner desires so there’s some part of her that wants this to happen or at least something like this to happen. I sorta feel bad for her about that though. She probably didn’t want that bit of laundry to be aired like it has. And I’m not normally one to judge this sorta thing, to each there own an all, but it’s kinda weird ain’t it?” Fluttershy giggled.

“Yeah just a little bit huh.” The two of them giggled together. They were interrupted by Twilight who was beginning to stir. “I better let her out she probably want’s some time to be normal.” Fluttershy returned shortly with a groggy Twilight following her.

“Thanks Fluttershy,” Twilight said with a yawn. “How bad is it getting?” Twilight asked Applejack.

“Not gona lie this is about the weirdest darn thing I ever seen, but I’m yer friend so I’m gonna try not ta judge.”

“I never wanted it to be like this,” Twilight sighed as she sat down next to Fluttershy. “I’m sorry again about this whole thing Fluttershy I never really wanted anypony involved especially not like this.”

“Wan talk about it?” Applejack asked bluntly. “I mean tha tough parts over with you already told all yer friends about it, and I’ve been here for about five hours so I’m as desensitized to it as I’ll ever be.”

“It’ll probably make you feel better about it,” Fluttershy encouraged.

“Yeah you’re right,” Twilight admitted. “Since everypony knows anyway. I’ve actually done some research on it. Psychiatrists refer to it as adult foal syndrome. It's actually kind of interesting there are several documented cases of it ranging in severity, but nopony knows what causes it.”

“So you like being treated like a foal?” Applejack asked a little bluntly. Twilight grew red in the face but since she was wearing currently wearing a diaper in front of the two people she was talking to she admitted it.

“Yes I like being treated like a foal. It’s just so peaceful and calming you know. You get rid of all your stress and worries. It’s hard to explain plus it’s just super weird.”

“Yeah it’s pretty weird Twi,” Applejack interjected. “But hey you can’t control how ya feel about those kind of things.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Twilight admitted. “It’s been this way ever since I can remember. It’s hard to admit this but I always have a pack of diapers under my bed. Whenever Spike leaves for something that’s when I you know.”

“Oh you had diapers of your own?” Fluttershy asked concerned. “I hope I got the brand you like.” Twilight laughed at this remark.

“You didn’t,” Twilight answered, “but I think I like these better.”

“Just outta curiosity,” Applejack asked. “What exactly makes fer a good diaper?” Twilight blushed.

“I like the thick ones, and having some cute designs on them doesn’t hurt. But none of those discount diapers this princess is purely a designer diaper princess.” All three laughed at this joke. “I think mommy did good in picking these out.”

“Uh-oh looks like you’re getting younger again,” Applejack said noting Twilight's use of the word mommy.

“Yeah well it was bound to happen, and I guess it’s no secret that I kinda like it,” Twilight giggled. “It feews good to get all that off my chest thanks fo wistening to me mommy and AppaJack.”

“It’s what friends are for Twilight,” Applejack answered. Fluttershy lovingly stuck Twilight’s pacifier into her mouth and Twilight embraced her in a hug.

Author's Note

It's good I live far enough in the south to get Applejakcs accent down. At least I think I did. I honeslty debated about whether or not to write her dialect but it's a major part of her character and it didn't feel right without it.