Pattycakes: Needs

Fluttershy and Rarity had gone from the spa back to Fluttershy's house.

Now, were going to engage in a little bonding experience with a little role reversal mixed in.

Rarity raised a concerned question as Fluttershy laid on the changing table, “Dear...how would one do this again? It's been years since I've had to put anypony in diapers.”

Fluttershy said through the pacifier, “Mm-hhmmpppff. Mmm mmmmfff fffmmm-”

Rarity chuckled lightly to herself before pulling out Fluttershy's pacifier, “There. N-ow, what were you going to say, sweetheart?”

Fluttershy blushed at not even realizing the pacifier was still in her mouth. Sure, she had taken it out once leaving the spa, but...that was outside. In her home, she had no issue keeping one in for hours after taking in each soothing suckle of the rubber distraction.

...She had kinda forgotten it's powers of relaxation since it had been awhile from her own last baby session.

She commented after wiping her mouth of the sliver of drool dribbling on down her chin, “S-sorry. Um...well, the first thing you should do is actually grab a diaper.”

Rarity rolled her eyes, grasping one in her magic before sarcastically replying, “Well, obviously.”

“Good. Next, lift up my flank. Put the diaper under me. And...oh! Yes, don't forget to thread my tail through.”

Rarity raised her friend's backside up slightly, then slid the diaper underneath her body before gently pulling Flutters's long tail through the hole in the bottomside.

“Powder well. Then, bring both the top and bottom to my hips. Finally, secure the tapes and it's done.”

Rarity noticed the baby powder she held being non-name brand, wondering, “Wait, Fluttershy, from where do you usually purchase your baby powder?”

“Local store. Called Bag 'N Brag. Why?”

“Why?! Ugh, please tell me you don't use this same baby powder on myself and the others!”

“What? Why?”

“Fluttershy. Answer the question.”

“...Y-yes?”

Rarity gained a most displeased frown, usually the kind seen in use after witnessing a particularly tacky outfit being displayed by a simply out-of-the-fashion-loop pony.

She glared at the run-of-the-mill powder, then went about sprinkling it onto Fluttershy's behind without a word.

After she magically rubbed in the powder, Rarity brought the top of the diaper up and over Fluttershy's backhooves. Manually holding the diaper at bay, Rarity finally closed the procedure by sticking the tapes snugly to the front's sides.

Fluttershy had her fronthooves pulled forward to bring her into a sitting position without her needing to do anything, aside from asking Rarity if something was the matter with that noticeable frown upon her face.

Rarity sighed, explaining in detail a few things, “Okay. Dear, it is very simple. I have a very tidy coat. Very kept with. Now, that baby powder is...well, below my fine coat's threshold. It saps away precious revitalizating nutrients my hair needs to stay shiny. Which affects my self-esteem! Which will also affect my work effort! Which will also affect my ability to perform responsibilities as a fantastic friend to you all! Do...you see where I'm getting at?”

Fluttershy was frightened now, stammering out a scared response to her friend's growing voice, “W-what do you want me to do?!”

“Throw. Out. That. Powder.”

“O-okay. And...I guess I can also just buy higher quality baby powder from now on.”

Rarity grinned at getting her way, delightfully popping the pacifier back in the distressed Fluttershy's mouth, “Lovely. Now, what should we do next, my wittle, wittle pony?”

Everypony sat at the table, awaiting Pinkie Pie to return with their cupcakes.

Rainbow still ground her teeth, “Better not be sugaring those damn cupcakes, Pie. I'll come back to haunt you if I die from this.”

Scootalo giggled, finding Rainbow's slight threats funny.

She poked Rainbow, getting her attention.

Rainbow stared down with a frown, which quickly evaporated once looking at Scootalo.

She asked with a confident smirk, “What's the prob', little sis'?”

That still got to Scootalo. Not in a bad way. Actually rather nice.

She did like being the big sister, but being the younger one was even better right now.

Scootalo's grin increased.

Rainbow raised an eyebrow, saying with false caution, “Keep that smile up, and it might fall to the floor, Scoots.”

Scootalo lessened it a bit before asking, “Can I have the first one? I'll be like a taste-tester! Make sure the cupcakes aren't too sweet for you!”

“Yeah, sure. Have at it.”

Pinkie Pie hopped out of the kitchen with a tray of cupcakes bouncing on her tail.

At the table, she simply flicked her tail, sending them flying into the air. As she casually took her seat, they landed perfectly without a single flick of icing being disturbed.

Spike whistled at the two-second show.

Pinkie nodded enthusiastically, then motioned for everypony to dig in.

Twilight walked in the building, ears and tail low. She drudged her way to the table, not even bothering to sit with her friends when they moved over for her.

She simply sat on the hard flooring, head directly on the table in a depressed state.

Pinkie hated seeing Twilight like this, guessing where that face came from. She tried to elevate the bookkeeper's mood by sweeping a cupcake to her lips.

Twilight didn't budge a single cheek, instead just taking in the smells of the baked good when that was the last thing she wanted that second.

Rainbow pat Twilight's head, mentioning with a comedic tone, “You know, I hear in some countries it's impolite to walk into a room just to kill its fun.”

Twilight brushed the annoying hoof and cupcake away, stating, “Applejack's giving me a hard time right now. She just doesn't understand that I made a promise.”

Pinkie announced with a sing-song voice, “Did ya make her Pinkie Promise to not do anything baaad?!”

“No. I didn't, Pinkie Pie.”

“Then, that's why!”

“For a pony who loves smiles, you really seem to not want mine right now.”

“Just saying! Don't be such a big baby about it!”

Scootalo, Twilight, and Spike all gave her their most hassled glances she had probably ever seen.
Pinkie sweat at their body language, which basically said for her to stuff her pie-hole and keep it shut.

She giggled nervously, chomping on four cupcakes at once to fulfill their wishes.

Twilight for some reason felt a lot better now, thanking her friend for finally cheering her up, “Good job, Pinkie! You did manage to put a smile on my face. Keep up the good work! And, the not talking for right now. Especially. The. Not. Talking.”

Twilight then went back to her previous comment, “So, yeah. Applejack's being really difficult right now. Seems like the Element of Stubbornness to me these days.”

Dash asked if she could do anything, which Twilight somehow managed to pull off an artfully calm shake of her head.

Twilight definitely didn't want Rainbow's help on the subject...that involved Rainbow Dash.

Huh. Weird.

Anyways, Twilight would just have to do something. Applejack wouldn't really listen all that well on how much losing Rainbow would hurt Fluttershy, least not from Twilight. Maybe she could have Big Mac talk with Applejack on this touchy topic. He was her brother. And, one of Fluttershy's more frequent foals. More so than Twilight was. So he would make the best medium between the two opposing forces. Hopefully. Just can't let Applejack tell Rainbow about her having been Fluttershy's foal this whole time! That...would be very bad. Very, very, very bad. Truthfully, if Twilight had…

If she had…

Hold it, where'd everypony run off to?!

She hadn't even noticed as everypony except Spike had filed out of the bakery.

What?! How?!

Twilight was going to ask Spike on when everypony gained the ability to seemingly teleport off.

She decided not to because Spike had his we-are-all-screwed expression on.

Twilight didn't even have to say a word, only motioned for him to get on with his screaming of trouble ahead as usual.

He did.

Spike then grabbed onto Twilight, tears about to burst from his eyelids, “She's going to the farm!”

Twilight groaned, patting her best baby dragon's back to calm him the buck down, “It's okay, it's ookaayy. Now, was it Rainbow?”

“Uh-huh.”

“She wants to get to the bottom of our friendship issue, doesn't she?”

“Uh-huh.”

“So, while I was thinking for that whole minute, did she just keep asking about the promise?”

“Uh-huh.”

“And...what did you say?”

“We said we didn't know!”

“Why would you say that?!”

“We all panicked! Aside from Scootalo. You know, who actually didn't know about the promise.”

“At the same time?! You and Pinkie both panick at the same damn time?!”

“...Kinda.”

“I was out for a minute! A minute, Spike! And, the both of you couldn't think to just shake me back out of my thoughts! Okay...if you are here, does that mean Pinkie will follow Rainbow until we arrive, then?”

“Yeah.”

“Then, we're fine for a little bit. Still should probably follow them.”

“True.”

Twilight magically levitated Spike onto her back as she got up from the table, and made her way to the entrance.

He delivered one last message before they parted the bakery, “Hey, Twilight.”

She braced herself for more bad news, just expecting it to follow her all day like she would probably have to follow Rainbow, “What, Spike?”

“You were out of it for much longer than a minute.”

“Spike. I never been more tempted in my entire life to spank you. Until this very moment.”

“Says the big baby.”

“That...was actually pretty good,” Twilight had to admit with half-irritation/half-acceptance as she raced off to Sweet Apple Acres.