1 - It Could Only End This Way
Mirage let out a little sigh as he walked down the hallway. He wore the form of a kindly, matronly mare, and it had served him well enough. He had been hired by Cadance directly! Oh had he been shuddering in internal fear that the princess of love would see right through him. He had to do his best to not lie. It was good he had done a lot of grub duty, so when he talked about caring for young a lot, he wasn't lying, really!
"Hello."
Mirage almost jumped free of himself. There was Shining Armor. "Oh, hello," he said in his gentle female voice. "I'm still learning my way around."
"Are you looking for Flurry Heart's room? You're the new nanny, right? Nice to meet you, I'm--"
"Shining Armor." He smiled at Shining. "Who hasn't heard of you?"
He laughed a little, hoof behind his head. "Aw, I'm not that popular. Don't be scared to talk to me if you need anything at all."
"I'll take you up on that offer for directions." Mirage smiled as best he could. He liked to think he was good at pony smiles. Shining relaxed in that subtle way that told him he'd done it right.
As Shining Armor led the way, Mirage thought back to how he had arrived there.
"Not longer than a day," Queen Chrysalis had said firmly. "Not a single drone can last more than 24 hours around that little... thing."
It was his chance to prove himself! He had stepped up and bowed his head low. "My queen. Let me retrieve this love for you. I will not fail!"
She raised a fine brow at him as she popped a grape into her mouth. "You, Mirage? You are obedient, but hardly exceptional."
Mirage felt a part of him wither. He was... mediocre? "Give me this chance, my queen, and I will show just how skilled I really am. The crystal ponies will never even know I'm there."
"Very well." Chrysalis flashed a deadly smile. "I look forward to hearing how poorly this goes. But do surprise me. This is one time I will not hold a grudge if you do. Yes, prove me wrong, and show your worth, Mirage."
She waved Mirage off, and he went forward, firm in his convictions and ready to show the world what he was made of.
So there he was. Shining Armor pushed open the door to reveal a small form that cooed on entry.
Mirage approached with a big grin. "Aw, look who's awake. I'm gonna take such good care of you."
Shining Armor trotted right past Mirage and his horn glowed as he plucked up Flurry and gave her a fond nuzzle of greeting. "You be good. Hopefully this is the last foalsitter we have to get and you two are going to be great friends."
Flurry gave an excitable squeal and reached for Mirage.
Mirage couldn't have been happier. He sat on his haunches and reached out for the foal. Flurry wasted no time in zipping on comically huge wings to hug Mirage. Sadly, the hug was right across his snout and he could see nothing. He was being facehugged by the target.
That was... good right?
Then he felt it. A wave of nausea flowed through him. Sure, it had been preceded by a lovely smooth rush of love, but his emotional belly had become full quickly, and it was still coming in. He had to be strong! He wouldn't surrender so easily or quickly. He would prove his queen wrong, just to show he was worthy.
"Aw, she already likes you." Shining Armor walked for the door. "Call if you need even the slightest thing. Thank you so much for helping." And he was gone with a click of the closing door.
Mirage reached up with his hooves and gently pried the little princess away, the sick feeling intensifying as she cooed and gurgled with joy.
"You're not so bad. You're just a little foal." He was trying to convince himself. "I just have to be strong and last a day. One day..." He looked around and spotted something useful. With a glowing horn, he pulled over a foal's reading book. "Story time!" Hopefully a story would distract the foal and make her stop focusing entirely on him specifically.
So he flipped the book open and began to read a charming little tale of the pegasus that wanted to reach the sun. He was just getting to the good part when he felt a new wave of discomfort roll through him through organs that ponies didn't even have. "Mmf..."
Flurry Heart tilted her head at him and reached up. She booped him right on the nose.
That was it. He couldn't hold it.
With a rush of green magic, he was revealed for his true self.
Flurry Heart didn't care. She seemed even happier to see the real him. She clopped her little hooves and babbled excitedly.
Mirage cringed with horror, his big blue eyes darting around the room. Even as the foal pawed at him with her hooves, he was scared to death that the door would swing open at any moment and reveal the truth to those with the power to do something about it. "Alright!" he squeaked out. "Time for good little grubs to get some sleep."
He bounced up to his hooves, his magic holding Flurry up. "Doesn't that sound nice? A little nap, yes."
That was exactly what Flurry did not want. Her lips trembled as he carried her towards the bed. When he didn't slow and even dared to start putting her down in her crib, she let loose. With a piercing wail, she let everyone in earshot know exactly how much she did not feel like sleeping.
On the positive, the love had diminished. Mirage could get a grip on himself and hurriedly he took on the form of the mare he had been hired as.
It was just in time. The door swung open to reveal Cadance, looking worried. That expression softened at seeing Flurry Heart being put to bed. "She never did take nap time well," spoke the princess in a sympathetic tone as she approached. "Here, she usually nods off after a nice warm bottle." She produced a milk bottle with the magic of ponies and offered it to Mirage.
Mirage accepted it with a glowing horn. There she was... Cadance... He swallowed, hopefully quietly enough to not be noticed. "Thank you! I'll give it to her and get her tucked in."
"You're doing great so far." Her nose suddenly wrinkled. "Oo, Diapers are in the second drawer." She pointed, but did not move to do the changing herself. She instead fled with regal noble bearing.
Mirage's expression went flat. "Gee, thanks..." He had been given that job on purpose. She had a nanny to foist such unsavory jobs on, and he was the nanny! He huffed indignantly, then opened the drawer with his magic. There they were, cleaning supplies and some fresh diapers.
"Alright, just do it," he spoke to himself as he pulled over the cleaning wipes and pulled Flurry free of her soiled garments. He cleaned her up nice and good and even got a giggle out of her before he slipped on a nice new diaper and tied it up. Ta da! He tossed the soiled thing in the hamper and looked mighty proud of himself. Why, he'd only pricked himself on the pin, what, three times? That's still pretty good for his first time.
He claimed it as a complete victory. Mirage grabbed the bottle and held it up to Flurry.
With a happy squeal, she grabbed it and began nursing greedily.
To Mirage's immense relief, she faded to sleep. He had done it. He had a belly overflowing with love, and the foal was comfortably asleep!
When Shining Armor showed up some time later, Mirage was grinning like a maniac.
He did take notice of this. "Uh, everything alright?"
"Better than alright." Mirage nodded. "She's asleep."
Shining leaned to the side to peek around Mirage to the slumbering form. "Oh, well, we'll let her rest then. You can go ahead and take a break. I have her for now, thank you." He moved to hop up on a chair and assume authority.
Barely restraining his cheer of joy, Mirage made a stiff nod. "Of course, sir. I'll see you tomorrow."
Never had he run so fast. He fled the hallways of the crystal palace. He fled the streets of the city made of crystal and the ponies that lived in it. He fled and fled until he got home, slumping down before his queen, panting and heaving.
"You didn't make it a full day," she noted. "But you made it back on your own." She wobbled a hoof. "Acceptable."
He made a sad noise even as she drew the excess love from him.
"Oh, that eager to prove yourself? Well..." Chrysalis leaned in, lashes fluttering. "You can go back tomorrow. You keep coming back with that much love and my opinion of you will only rise, Morose."
"Mirage."
"Whatever." Chrysalis waved it off. "See you tomorrow."
Author's Note
Mirage did good, yes?
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