Chapters It had been a long day for Twilight. She'd taken a train from Ponyville all the way to the Crystal Empire to visit a place that Cadance had recommended for her stress. Once she arrived, she went straight to the address she was given, and now stood just outside the building. She took a deep breath and walked inside to see what looked like a standard office area, which did not inspire much confidence in her at the moment, but she carried on in anyway.
"Hello, and welcome to the Crystal Harmony Center, where you can forget about all your stress and pent up feelings," The receptionist said as Twilight walked up, "How may I help you today?"
"Well, I heard about this place from a good friend, and I was hoping you could help me out," Twilight explained, "I've tried many things, but nothing works."
"Well, you're in luck! Here at Crystal Harmony, we pride ourselves on providing the best quality service for a treatment that works just for you," The receptionist explained, sliding over a couple papers, "Just fill out this brief Q&A, and we'll get you set up in just moments."
Twilight took the papers and sat down at a nearby table to fill them out. It wasn't long before she was done and back up at the desk. Once she turned in the papers, the receptionist read over them and then invited Twilight to the back. Twilight followed with both eagerness and wariness. The two stopped outside one of the many doors in the hallway they'd walked down.
"This is the office of one of the best here. Her name is Ginger Lily, and I think you'll like her," The receptionist explained, "She'll have a couple questions for you, and will explain what your treatment will be."
Twilight said nothing as she opened the door. This room stood in great contrast to the rest of the building. The walls were colored in soft, pastel colors, the floor was a surprisingly soft carpet, and there was cutesy décor all over. At the desk sat a light brown Pegasus with a yellow and white striped mane and tail. She looked up and waved Twilight inside.
"Why, hello there, my name is Ginger Lily," She said.
"Nice to meet you, My is Twilight Sparkle," Twilight said as she sat down, "So, I heard you could help me out?"
"Indeed, I can, if you'll let me," Ginger said, "First thing's first: your treatment will be regression therapy. Are you familiar with it at all?"
Twilight just shook her head.
"Well, regression therapy tends to turn people off when they first hear about it, but they find out how well it works once they give it a chance," Ginger explained, "What it is, is you will be slowly regressed to the mental age of a young toddler. It's not all permanent, though."
"So, regressed to the mindset of a toddler. What's involved with that, and why?" Twilight asked cautiously, "And uh, what do you mean by 'Not all permanent'?"
"The only aspect that will stick, should you stay with the treatment long enough, will be the diapers," Ginger explained, "If you should choose to go forward with the treatment, then bathrooms will be off limits to you."
"Not sure if you've noticed, but I'm a Princess. I can't go around wearing diapers all the time," Twilight pointed out.
"I understand where you're coming from, but don't worry about that part. What is anypony going to do? Nothing," Ginger explained, "You're a Princess. If you want to wear rainbow colored PJs day in and day out, there's nopony gonna stand in your way. Besides, if you choose to go through with this treatment, being a Princess, you wearing diapers day in and out could help others who have no choice but to be diapered for one reason or another."
"Well, I... ok, I guess you have a point there... kind of," Twilight admitted, "But the fact of the matter still stands that I DON'T need diapers. I was able to be potty trained."
"And I get that, I truly do get that," Ginger said, "If you don't want to do this, it's perfectly alright. I don't stand for forcing others to do what makes them uncomfortable. However, choosing to go through with regression therapy is to choose to willingly give up a fair few of your big girl privileges such as using the bathroom, feeding yourself, and bathing yourself."
"Alright, so what all would I be giving up?" Twilight asked.
"All bathrooms would be off limits, I would be the one feeding you when we eat, I would be the one giving you a bath, you would have a nine o'clock bedtime, unless some of your duties require you to stay up later than that, I would lay you down for a nap when appropriate at least once a day, your room would be turned into a nursery," Ginger explained.
"Anything else?" Twilight asked.
"Just a few small changes. You'd be given a warm bottle of milk before bed each night, I'd do random diaper checks, even out in public, and change you when appropriate, and breaking the rules would result in either time out or a spanking depending on what you did," Ginger said.
"I see," Twilight said, sighing, "One last question: How would all this help?"
"You'd be able to feel young again. I would take on the role of a motherly figure, taking away a fair bit of your responsibilities and allowing you to re-experience the stress free life of a young toddler," Ginger explained, "It may seem like it'd be an embarrassing change to go through, but that's only because of the social stigma we ponies place on things like this. I can help you get over that stigma, if you'll let me, and then everything else would fall into place."
Twilight just sat in her seat in deep thought, trying to figure out what she wanted to do. On one hoof, she'd be undergoing a very embarrassing therapy. On the other hoof, it was something she hadn't yet tried, and could work. She had to decide if she wanted to be heavily embarrassed or try something else.
"I know this is a lot to take in, so why don't you sleep on it for a day or two," Ginger suggested, "Again, you don't have to go through with it if you don't want. I want you to be able to be comfortable. Don't force yourself to do this if you don't feel comfortable with it."
With that, Twilight said her good byes and took off towards the castle to think it over in more detail, to go over just how her life would change, and decide whether or not she could undertake that change.
It had been a couple days since Twilight left Ginger Lily's office. During that time, she'd even talked it over with Cadance and Shining Armor to get a second opinion on what she should do. Everything was laid out, nothing hidden at all. Arguments on both sides came forward. In the end, Twilight decided to at least give it a chance. Cadance and Shining even agreed to let her and Ginger set up a small nursery in their castle for the next week.
So, it is with this news that Twilight finds herself back in Ginger Lily's office, much to the mare's surprise. After the first day, she'd expected Twilight to try something else. Nopony has ever come back after this much time. However, there she was, sitting across her desk from the Princess of Friendship.
"So, I gave it a lot of thought, even talked it out with my brother and Princess Cadance, and I think I want to give this a chance," Twilight said, "They've even agreed to let us use one of the rooms in the castle as a nursery for the next week."
"I see, well that should be interesting," Ginger said, "So, a week long trial. Fair enough. Just going to let you know that I'll be showing you what you can expect should you stay with this long enough. And if it's truly not for you, don't be afraid to speak up at any time and let me know, you won't hurt my feelings."
"Um, ok then. Wasn't expecting to just go all in like that, though," Twilight said.
"Understandable, but I feel like it's best to show you know what you'll ultimately be agreeing to should you want to continue," Ginger said.
"I suppose that's fair," Twilight said.
"Alright then, let me just put in my work approved notice, and we can be off," Ginger said, getting up and out of her seat.
The two ponies walked down to another door that said "Supervisor" in big letters. After knocking and being ushered in, Ginger turned in her notice and was then sent on her way. Their first stop was her own house, where she kept all the supplies one would ever need to take care of a toddler Twilight's size. It took a couple of trips to get it all over to the castle, but they managed. With a little help, they got the nursery all set up and ready within an hour.
"Alright, so now let's get you into your first fresh diaper," Ginger said, walking over to the changing table, "Hop on up and I'll take care of everything for you."
Twilight did as she was told, silently reminding herself that she was giving this a chance, and that meant wearing a diaper for a little while. As Ginger went to work, Twilight took the time to admire the nursery they'd set up. Everything was so calming, so innocent looking. Once Ginger was done, Twilight got down and had a look at herself in a mirror. She blushed when she saw just how foolish she looked with her diaper on.
"See, it's not so bad," Ginger said, "Now, after all that work, I'm getting kind of hungry. You probably are as well, I can imagine."
Twilight was about to protest when her stomach growled.
"So, I'm a little hungry," Twilight admitted, "Could I at the very least have a dress or something to cover this thing up?"
"I don't really see much problem with that," Ginger said, heading over to one of the boxes, "I know many ponies prefer clothing to cover up a diaper. Let's see what we've got."
The first few dresses she pulled out were a little small, but she eventually found one that fit almost perfectly. It was light blue with a white lace trim. The only thing Twilight didn't like was how it didn't completely drape over the back very well. If one were behind her, they could still tell she was wearing a diaper. Ginger, however, was quick to remind Twilight what she'd agreed to.
"Kids your age don't really get a say in what they wear," She said, "If you want to continue arguing over this, then we can either just go ahead and call it quits, or I can send you to your first time out. That, or you can behave, and we can go eat."
Twilight sat down and gave a little thought to her next choice. She wanted to give this a chance, to see if this is something she was truly willing to dedicate to. Besides, she already felt so small, having been talked to like she just was.
"Fine, I'll go along with it," She said, "But I do wish I could cover this thing up more."
"The more you go without completely hiding your diapers, the better off you'll be in the end. Besides, if you do choose to stick with it, then this'll only make it easier on you," Ginger explained reassuringly, "Now, let's go eat."
As the two made their way to the dining hall, Twilight did her best to hide her diaper. She couldn't tell if anypony noticed, but that didn't make her any less self conscious about it. Once she and Ginger had their food, they sat down to eat. Twilight had just wrapped her spoon up in her magic when Ginger took hold of it.
"Now, now, let it go," Ginger said softly, "Remember, Twilight, dependence. Just give up your worries and concerns to me, let me handle things like this."
The dining hall was full of ponies, making Twilight reluctant to let go of the spoon. Not only was she wearing a diaper that could easily be seen from behind, but now she was being asked to let somepony else feed her in front of everyone there.
"I know why you're so reluctant, but I want to help you get over that stigma," Ginger explained, "And what better time than the present. Trust me, nopony is going to make fun of you. If they try, I'll be sure to tell them off."
Twilight still held onto the spoon, unswayed by the reassurance of Ginger.
"Right, well if you won't give up the spoon, then I'll just have to use mine," Ginger said, letting go of the spoon.
Ginger then dipped her own spoon in Twilight's soup and lifted it up to her mouth. Twilight just kept her mouth shut, not wanting to just give in so easily.
"Oh, come now, Twilight, let's open up for the choo choo train," Ginger said, pulling the spoon back slightly.
Twilight's whole face turned bright red as she held up her own front hooves to try and hide from the world around her. Ginger then just sighed and set the spoon back down in the soup before speaking up again.
"Twilight, I want you to try and let go of this feeling of shame and embarrassment," Ginger said, "I know it's not easy, I get that, but try. Just focus on me, and only me, and you'll see how easy it can be."
"I'm already sitting here in a diaper, with a dress that doesn't fully cover it up. That alone isn't easy for me, and every fiber of me is screaming to get back to my room where nopony can see it," Twilight explained, "Can't we just leave it at that for right now? Please? I don't think my face can get any hotter without melting."
"Oh, very well, I suppose there's no harm in it this time," Ginger said, not wanting to risk making Twilight too uncomfortable with the current situation, "But tomorrow, I won't just relent. This week is to show you what to expect from this treatment, to help you give a more realistic judgement rather than just blindly saying yes or no."
That out of the way, Ginger picked up her spoon and brought it back to her side of the table. For the rest of the meal, Twilight kept fighting against herself, trying to keep her composure. She was determined to give this a fair chance.
The past week had been hard for Twilight. She had been put in quite a few embarrassing situations. Regardless of how rough it was, she saw the appeal of this treatment. She'd gone in at the deep end, so she knew what she was in for later on down the road. Her decision, however, was final. As embarrassing as it would be for a little while, she wanted to continue the treatment.
As Ginger walked over, she hummed a little tune. Getting closer, she saw Twilight curled up, fast asleep in the crib. She looked so cute like this, but it could not last forever. She pulled the railing down and softly shook the sleeping alicorn.
"Wakey, wakey," She said as Twilight groaned, "Come on, sun's shining, it's time to get up."
After a couple minutes, Twilight finally awoke. Rolling onto her back, she let out a big yawn, stretching wide as her eyes fluttered open.
"Come on, Twilight, time to get ready for today," Ginger said, taking a step back.
Twilight slowly got up and stretched one more time before getting out of the crib.
"I hate to wake you, but the sun's up, and I hate wasting daylight," Ginger said, "Also, the week's over, and I'm curious as to what your thoughts are."
"Can we get some breakfast first?" Twilight asked.
"Of course," Ginger said, nodding.
"And I don't have to keep all this on, do I?" Twilight asked.
"Only if you want to, today," Ginger said, "The week's over, so you don't have to look like a big foal today."
With that, Twilight immediately got herself undressed and undiapered. Once everything was taken care of and put away, the two went to the dining hall for breakfast. Twilight sat down with a plate full of chocolate pancakes and a warm mug of cider. Ginger had gotten a couple of pancakes, hash browns, and a glass of milk. The two ate in relative quiet for a few minutes before Twilight spoke up, finally willing herself to give her answer.
"So, this past week has been... interesting, to say the least," She said.
"I'm sure it has been for you," Ginger said before finishing off her last pancake.
"I can see how it could help out, though. It's a little embarrassing, yes, but being able to feel young, knowing that there's somepony there to take care of your needs... I'm sure it can be very relaxing, very calming."
"That's how most stress therapy is supposed to work," Ginger explained, "The methods are different, but the principle remains the same. Take your stress and give it to someone else. Let them help work out your worries. Regression simply allows one to go back to a time before responsibility, giving them the chance to just enjoy life through the experience of a second childhood."
"I can see that," Twilight said, "What I'm trying to say is that I don't just want to stop. This past week has been hard because we went in full blast. But could we maybe start over from the beginning, next time I come for a visit?"
"Oh, of course," Ginger said, "But what do you mean next visit?"
"Well, I live in Ponyville, not here in the Empire," Twilight explained, "Unless there's a branch in Ponyville that I don't know about, then I'd have to do this on visits here and there."
"There's only two branches that I know of, and the other one's in Canterlot," Ginger explained, "But we go where our clients go. The agency provides housing for its employees, and most of us don't marry because we're away from home too often."
"Well, that's a thing," Twilight said to herself before speaking up again, "So, then you'd be alright moving to Ponyville for a while?"
"I would not mind one bit," Ginger said, "One of the benefits of this job is the travel."
Twilight sat in silent thought for a few minutes, going over that bit of info. She didn't want to ask somepony to just up and move somewhere else just for her sake, but it also sounded like Ginger was not only willing, but also eager to do just that. After discussing a little more, they finally came to an understanding before heading out to take care of the moving process.
Once everything was packed back up, they had it shipped back to Ginger's house. Twilight was ok with the stuff, but she'd wanted to get her own stuff over time. The last stop they made was the agency where Ginger put in a move notice before heading to the train station.
The ride back to Ponyville was a long one, and Twilight ended up taking a nap halfway through. Ginger nudged her awake once Ponyville came into view. She nearly fell off the seat while stretching, saved only by the swiftness of Ginger.
"Now, you can't go falling like that, you'll hurt yourself," Ginger said, pushing Twilight back up.
"Not my fault these seats are narrow," Twilight said, pouting slightly.
"Mmmhmm, sure," Ginger said teasingly, "Just try not to make it so I have to explain why a Princess got hurt on my watch."
"No promises," Twilight said, looking away.
The train pulled up to the station not long after, and the two got off and headed straight towards Twilight's castle. Ginger was in awe as they stood outside the entrance. She'd heard about the castle, but it was awe inspiring to see it first hoof. Eventually, Twilight managed to get her inside and show her around a bit, and it didn't take long for the two of them to run into Starlight... literally. Ginger helped her and Twilight back up after they'd knocked each other to the floor.
"So sorry, I wasn't really watching where I was going," Starlight admitted while brushing off, "I was actually on my way to help Trixie set up for her next show, if you want to come along."
"We'll probably make the show later, but I want to finish getting Ginger settled in first," Twilight said.
"Settled in? What, are we just taking ponies in to live with us now?" Starlight asked.
"Actually, Ginger here is my caretaker," Twilight said, "She'll be with us for a while, not sure how long."
"Ah, so you finally found something that works?" Starlight asked.
"Yea, and I'll explain more later when you and Spike are both here... Don't really feel like repeating myself," Twilight said.
"Fair enough," Starlight said.
The trio said a brief good bye before Starlight took off to go help Trixie while Twilight and Ginger continued to tour the castle.
The night had been a long one. Trixie's show had gone on until just after midnight. After it finished up, everypony went home, with the exception of a couple ponies who stayed to help pack everything up. Once back at the castle, Twilight went to her room to climb into her bed for what would be the last time for a while. Ginger had taken residence in one of the guest rooms for the night, planning on switching room arrangements the following day.
The following morning, Twilight slumped out of bed, got cleaned up, and headed downstairs to eat. When she got to the kitchen, she saw everypony else, all her friends included, already eating their breakfast. Ginger waved her over, having already gotten a good plate set up for Twilight. A small stack of blueberry pancakes sat next to a bowl of oatmeal, with a glass of milk nearby as well.
"We were just introducing ourselves," Ginger said as Twilight sat down, "Your friends seem to be quite nice."
"Yer not too bad yerself, ya know," Applejack said, taking a sip of milk, "Though, how exactly did you and Twilight meet? Ya were getting ready to tell us right as she walked in. Interesting timing there, by the way."
"Yes, well, you may already be aware of Twilight's visit to the Crystal Empire. She went there looking for help with her stress after one of her friends recommended us," Ginger explained, "That's where I come in. I was the one assigned to help her out."
"Ah see. Welp, sounds to me like it's gonna work out this time, which is good cause she's been overworked and overstressed fer far too long," Applejack said.
"Yea, and we've tried helping her out, even Discord has tried, but nothing we did was any good," Rainbow said, "She blew up at me a few times, then just came back to the castle and shut herself in her room cause she felt bad."
"Yes, well all that will fade away now," Ginger said, turning to Twilight, "You want to explain, or do you want me to?"
"I don't think it needs explaining," Rarity said, "If it works, it works, and that's good enough for me."
"That's all good and fine, but I kinda do want to let you guys know to avoid any confusion later on," Twilight said, taking another bite of her pancakes, "What Ginger here specializes in is what's called 'Regression therapy'."
"Did NOT see that one coming," Starlight blurted out.
"She's not getting into something bad, is she?" Applejack asked.
"No, not at all, I just... wasn't expecting that to be what works," Starlight said.
"Basically, what it is, is that Ginger will occasionally bring my mental age down to about that of Flurry Heart," Twilight explained, "As embarrassing as it is to say this, that does mean I'll be playing the part of a foal during those times."
"Like Rarity says, if it works, that's good enough fer us," Applejack said.
"Well, I think Twilight just doesn't us getting blindsided when all this starts," Starlight pointed out, "This therapy involves more than playing the part of a foal for a session here and there. It's a little more involved, and more than just occasionally."
"What do you mean by that?" Spike asked.
"Except for certain occasions such as work and whatnot, Twilight will be a big foal," Ginger explained, "The change will be gradual, with more aspects coming into play as time goes on."
"Hold on a second, are you saying you're gonna turn our friend in a drooling kid?" Rainbow asked demandingly.
"Oh, far from it," Ginger assured.
"I've already given it a short trial, that's why I was gone for a little over a week," Twilight explained, "Though I won't be a drooling kid, I will have a foalish appearance."
Twilight took a few breaths to prepare herself for her next admittance. After she was calm, and certain her face was still purple instead of bright red, she began her explanation.
"I just don't want you guys to be surprised when you see me walking around diapered, with sized up foal clothes. I also may or may not have a pacifier strapped to my clothes at times. Depending on the mood of the day, I may or may not be allowed to feed myself. I'll also be a fair bit more childish and immature," Twilight explained, trying to keep her embarrassment levels to a minimum.
The room sat silent for a minute or two, every passing second causing Twilight to retreat slightly more while her face started to glow brighter and brighter. Eventually, it was Rainbow who broke the silence with hysterical laughter, causing Twilight to slump down, feeling defeated and completely humiliated and ashamed.
"Please excuse Rainbow for her rather rude laughing fit and lack of support," Rarity said in her high class, serious voice, "While this therapy is indeed a tad odd, that does not make it bad or something for you to feel ashamed of. Everypony deals with stress in different ways. I resort to stress sewing or a brief moment's rocking guitar solo, Applejack bucks trees, Rainbow does trials, tricks, and obstacle courses, Fluttershy retreats back to be with her animals, and Pinkie... does whatever Pinkie does."
"So, you best deal with stress by regressing and playing as an adult foal? That's perfectly fine," Rarity said, draping a leg over Twilight's back, "It's what works for you, and that's all that matters."
"Exactly!" Applejack said, "Besides, we're yer friends to the end. Nothing ya do is gonna change that."
"Yea! I may give you a hard time about it here and there, but if anypony else tries, just tell me and I'll sort them out," Rainbow said, having finally collected herself.
"I don't really get it, but if it means you don't work as hard, then that's good," Spike said, "Just don't expect me to change your diapers or anything like that."
"You won't have to worry about that, I'll take care of it," Ginger assured.
To Be Continued...
The rest of breakfast had gone well. By the end of it all, Twilight felt a little more comfortable knowing her friends would soon be seeing her as a big foal. Before long, they had all parted ways, ready to go about their days as usual. After everything was clean again, Twilight and Ginger went out to do some shopping. Twilight was still hesitant about it. Sure, her friends were supportive, but now she was actually going out in public to buy nursery furniture and baby supplies for her own personal use. She was brave until they reached the storefront.
"You're not getting cold hooves already, are you?" Ginger asked.
"A little. I know my friends are ok with it... sort of, but I'm not sure how the rest of Ponyville will take it," Twilight admitted, "I never really gave that any thought till just now."
"It'll be fine, Twilight, I promise," Ginger assured, "And besides, like I said back at the Crystal Empire, nopony is going to say anything bad about this to a Princess such as yourself."
"They don't have to say anything," Twilight pointed out, "I just... I just hope they don't try to alienate me."
"That's just crazy talk," Ginger said, "I get it, your nerves are still acting up on this matter. You live here, tons of ponies know you, and you don't want them treating you differently. I've been in this business for a long time, and I can tell you that won't happen. Tell me, did anypony treat you differently or alienate you at the Empire?"
"Well... no," Twilight admitted.
"This won't be any different, I promise," Ginger said, "You'll get some odd looks for a bit, but that's all. Look, if it makes you feel any better, just say I'm a good friend of yours and you're paying for stuff for my baby. You wouldn't be ENTIRELY wrong..."
Twilight just sighed before Ginger managed to finally coax her inside. The place was almost completely devoid of life. The only ponies Twilight saw were the staff, the Cakes, and a couple others she didn't recognize. The two first went to the small supplies to get some diapers, wipes, baby powder, and diaper rash cream before heading over to the furniture. Twilight's face went bright red when one of the couples waved at her as she walked past on her way to the cribs. It didn't take long before she found a nice mahogany crib, and a matching changing table soon after.
The walk up to the cashier was like a walk of shame for Twilight. She didn't look up much, trying her best to stay hidden until everything was paid for.
"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Ginger asked, "We got through without anypony doing anything bad to you. They all seemed to be pretty friendly, as a matter of fact... just like back at the Empire."
"Yea, only I know just about everypony in Ponyville personally," Twilight pointed out, "I thought I could do this... but I'm not-"
"Don't start getting cold hooves," Ginger said, holding her left hoof up to Twilight's muzzle, "Square one, like I said. If you want, we can keep this just inside these walls for a little while. The first bit is to help you get used to being diapered and somewhat dependent on me, your caretaker. That doesn't have to go out in public right now."
"I uh... well, ok then, I appreciate that," Twilight said.
"For now, let's go ahead and get this nursery set up so we can start," Ginger said.
The two took everything up to where the nursery would be and got to work setting it up just right. The whole process didn't take that long, and the two were satisfied with the results. Underneath the window on the far side of the room was the crib, and just left of that was the changing table. Both pieces were upsized slightly and magically reinforced to better fit and support a mare like Twilight.
Wasting no time at all, Ginger motioned for Twilight to get up on the changing table. After a brief moment, Twilight flew up and glided back down onto the soft pad where she was then strapped down before Ginger went about diapering her up. Once The diaper was nice and snug, Twilight got down and sat down.
"And I don't have to go outside like this, right?" Twilight asked.
"Not for now, no," Ginger said, "I'll give it about a month, that sound fair? After that, you will be diapered 24/7. If, at any point, you feel comfortable enough to start phase two sooner, just let me know."
"So, I won't have a choice then after this month?" Twilight asked shakily.
"For the therapy to be effective, no," Ginger said.
Twilight closed her eyes and thought for a few moments. Sure, she could do that. Take a month, let her friends get used to seeing her like this before the rest of Ponyville. Question is, would she really be ready after a month?
It had been two weeks since Twilight's therapy began, and things were going alright. True to her word, Ginger hadn't yet taken Twilight outside in a diaper, nor had she babied her outside the castle. Whenever her friends visited, nothing was ever said about the diapers, even when Ginger took Twilight to the side for a diaper change. Even Rainbow, who had a laughing fit after Twilight's initial explanation, didn't make any mention of them.
Rarity had actually taken the initiative to design some babyish outfits and delivered them very discreetly to the castle one day. Ginger offered to pay for the outfits, but Rarity wouldn't take it. Twilight was a little embarrassed at first, but accepted the gift regardless.
Today found Twilight waking up in her crib cuddling a stuffed fox. Ginger opened the nursery door gently and walked over to the sleeping alicorn. She lowered the rails and gently nudged Twilight awake.
"Wakey wakey, little one," Ginger said as Twilight groaned, not wanting to wake up.
After a few more seconds, Twilight finally shook the invading hoof off and sat up.
"Good morning," Twilight said and she rubbed her eyes.
"It's breakfast time, little one," Ginger said.
Twilight yawned and stretched before climbing out of the crib before Ginger went about their new daily ritual of a morning diaper check. No diaper change was needed, so the two went straight to the dining room where Spike had set out chocolate pancakes, chocolate waffles, and grits. Twilight was about to get her plate ready when Ginger took a hold of it.
"Now Twilight, let me do this," Ginger said, "Dependence, remember? Foals don't fix their own meals. Just take a seat and I'll be right over."
"Right, forgot about that for a moment," Twilight said, letting go, "Sorry."
"It's alright, you're still getting used to it," Ginger said.
Twilight walked back over to the table and sat down. Spike and Starlight said nothing, not bothering to acknowledge the situation. Ginger soon came back over with two plates, one for herself, one for Twilight. Twilight wrapped her fork up in her magic, and all it took to let go was a look from Ginger. It had been this way for the past couple weeks, with Twilight slowly getting more used to being fed, but a little forgetfulness or resistance would sometimes slip through.
"Open up wide for your num nums," Ginger said, bringing over a piece of pancake.
Starlight couldn't help but giggle slightly, eliciting a glare from Twilight.
"Sorry, sorry. It's just never gonna get old hearing her say that to you," Starlight said defensively.
Twilight just sighed before the pancake was put in her mouth. She bit down just enough to take it off the fork.
The rest of breakfast went without incident. After everything was finished and cleaned up, Ginger and Twilight went back to the nursery for a diaper change. Spike and Starlight set to cleaning up, splitting certain tasks between themselves.
Knock, knock
"Be right there!" Spike called out, "Be right back."
"Go ahead, I should be able to handle this," Starlight said, grabbing another dirty plate.
Spike left the kitchen and ran to the entrance hall as fast as he could. Opening the door, he saw Princess Celestia sitting on the other side.
"Sorry, Princess. I was in the kitchen cleaning up and," Spike started out saying before he was cut off.
"No harm done, Spike," Celestia said, "Just wondering if Twilight's home, is all."
"Yea, she's up in her nursery," Spike said, catching himself, "Er... uh, room. I'll go get her, be right back."
Meanwhile, in the nursery, Twilight was busy playing with some of the toys Ginger had bought her. She was busy trying to put together a castle of blocks. Every time she had come close to finishing, something would cause the whole thing to collapse. Determined to finish what she started before moving on, she kept rebuilding. This time seemed perfect, she was just about to put the last block in place when the door slammed open, startling Twilight and causing her to flop over on her creation.
"What in the world was that for?" Ginger asked.
"And here I thought I could finish this time," Twilight said, turning to Spike, "My hour isn't up yet, by the way."
"I know, I know, but Princess Celestia's here to visit," Spike explained.
"Oh, well that makes sense," Twilight said, grabbing the tapes of her diaper with her magic, "Tell her I'll be down in a moment."
"And what are you doing?" Ginger asked as Spike took off.
"Taking my diaper off," Twilight explained, "I can't go down and visit with Celestia with it on."
"I don't see why you can't, you'll be diapered 24/7 soon anyway," Ginger pointed out, "That means, even around the Princess. In fact, going downstairs diapered may just help with that."
"How's that?" Twilight asked.
"If you spend the day with Princess Celestia while diapered, it could help boost your courage and help you get over that shyness faster," Ginger explained, "She won't treat you any differently, and that kind of attitude will help a lot more than you may realize right now."
Twilight tried to think of a counter argument that wouldn't demonize the Princess, but was unsuccessful. She just accepted it and got up on the changing table to be re-diapered.
"Trust me, Twilight, it'll work out," Ginger said as she put Twilight's diaper back on, "Now, let's go say hi to the Princess, shall we? Don't want to keep her waiting for too long."
Twilight swallowed lightly, hoping it was just some bad dream. The whole walk down, she tried to convince herself it was just a bad dream, that none of it was real. Just as they go to the entrance hall, she was debating whether or not to turn tail and run back, to cower out... but Ginger's argument earlier won out in the end. If Twilight couldn't do this, there was no way this therapy would work, and the past three weeks would have been for nothing. That in mind, she stepped through the door.
To be continued...
Author's Note
Got one more chapter of this shyness, then we'll really start getting into the good stuff.
"And here I thought I'd have to send out a search party," Celestia said jokingly as Twilight entered.
Twilight walked over to where Celestia was sitting as swiftly as she could, trying to make as little noise as possible. She had to keep telling herself it was ok, that nothing bad could possibly happen, but a large part of her didn't want to believe that.
"I hope i'm not getting in the way of anything by dropping by like this," Celestia said, "I'm just taking a small vacation, and didn't want you stressing over a casual visit."
"You're not getting in the way of anything at all," Twilight said, "Just wasn't expecting company is all."
"And who's you're new little friend?" Celestia asked.
"This is Ginger Lily, my stress therapist," Twilight said.
"Nice to meet you," Celestia said.
"Nice to meet you as well, your highness," Ginger said.
"Please, just Celestia is fine," Celestia said, "So, what kind of therapy do you do?"
Ginger and Twilight exchanged a quick glance, mentally choosing who would say it. Twilight swallowed lightly, figuring she was gonna be the one to say it. She sighed and turned back to the Princess.
"It's um... It's age regression therapy," Twilight said softly, her face warming up.
"Come again?" Celestia said.
"Regression therapy," Ginger said, "It's a method where one pony is mentally regressed down to the age of a young toddler, basically an infant, and is cared for as if they were really that young. I'm her caretaker."
"Ah, well that certainly explains a couple things," Celestia said, "And it works, I take it?"
"Yea, it um... it actually helps a lot," Twilight admitted.
"Well, that's all that matters," Celestia said, "Now, I didn't come down here to sit on my flank and talk all day. What do you girls want to do? I'm open to suggestions."
"Well, how about heading over to Sugarcube corner?" Twilight asked, "I could actually do with a good treat right about now."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Celestia asked.
"First, I uh... got something I need to take care of," Twilight said, "But it won't take long, I promise."
With that, Twilight was gone before either Ginger or Celestia could say another word. True to her word, she returned rather quickly, diaperless and ready to go. On their way to Sugarcube corner, they got the royal treatment of ponies bowing as they walked past... much to Celestia's minor annoyance. She just wanted to be treated normal for once.
"Hey Princess!" Pinkie Pie yelled as the trio entered the little sweets shop, "Hey Twilight, hey Ginger!"
Twilight and Ginger put in their order while Celestia looked over the menu. So many sweets, but she couldn't have them all. She eventually settled on a chocolate pie, banana split, and strawberry milkshake. With all orders placed, Pinkie flew to the kitchen to get everything ready as the trio took a seat at one of the tables.
"So, what all do you plan to do for this vacation?" Twilight asked.
"Tomorrow I'll be heading over to Horseshoe Bay, haven't been to the beach in forever," Celestia explained, "Should be fun."
Crash, clang
"I'm ok!" Pinkie called from the kitchen.
Twilight just sighed and slowly shook her head.
"I do hope you have fun," Ginger said, "This time of year, the beach should be fantastic."
"Oh, I do hope so," Celestia said.
Crash
"I'm still ok!" Pinkie called out.
"I'm gonna go help her out," Twilight said, getting up.
"No need! Here you go!" Pinkie yelled as she reached the table.
"Your culinary skills never cease to amaze me," Celestia said, "How you take a mess like the one you made and turn it into something sweet like you do is beyond me. And you're very fast on top of that."
"Pie family secret," Pinkie said as she gave everyone their orders.
"Oh come on, not even a hint?" Celestia asked, fake pouting.
"Sorry, no can do," Pinkie said, sliding back to the counter.
"She's good. Even the face didn't work," Celestia said softly to herself.
"That's just Pinkie, an enigma in pony form," Twilight said as she sat back down.
The trio talked a little more, laughing and having a good time. The whole time, Twilight's bladder kept filling up. She didn't pay it any mind for the first little while, but then it hit her. She couldn't ignore it any longer, but decided to just let go like she had been doing the past couple of weeks. She remembered all too late that she wasn't actually diapered, and all her pee soon started cascading down to the floor.
"Twilight, is everything alright?" Celestia asked as Twilight's face turned bright red.
"Yea, everything's fine," Twilight said, trying hard to play cool.
"You know, you really are a terrible liar," Ginger pointed out, "You just had an accident, didn't you?"
"I... I... I just got caught up in the moment, and I forgot I took my diaper off before we left, and I just..." Twilight explained as she quickly turned into a humiliated mess.
"It's alright, Twilight, it's ok," Ginger said, pulling the distressed alicorn into a tight embrace.
Without saying anything, Celestia lit up her horn and the mess was swiftly cleaned up. The smell lingered momentarily, but not for long, and it was hardly noticeable anyway. Eventually, Twilight calmed down, but still felt completely humiliated. As soon as she got a free moment, Ginger suggested the three go to the park to relax and forget about this whole incident. Wanting to take her mind of having wet herself like that, Twilight quickly agreed, and they all headed off.
The day was finally coming to an end as Twilight, Ginger, and Celestia arrived back at Twilight's castle. Twilight hadn't had any other accidents, but she did have a few really close calls. After getting inside, Celestia excused herself to the kitchen while Twilight and Ginger went to the nursery.
"I didn't want to say anything earlier with the Princess around, but I think it's about time we switch to diapers full time," Ginger said as they entered the room.
"Um... why? The month isn't over for another two weeks almost," Twilight said.
"Yes, I get that, but you had one accident earlier and then a couple times you almost had another," Ginger pointed out, "I won't force it, but I do honestly think we should switch over."
"I'll think about it," Twilight said as she got up on the changing table, "This is going so much faster than I'd expected."
"Yes, well that does happen sometimes," Ginger said as she got to work rediapering Twilight, "I've had ponies who take it like ducks to water, and I've had others who can never get over their shyness. You are somewhere in between, and it does come somewhat naturally to you, even if you don't want to believe it."
Twilight just laid there in silent thought as Ginger finished up. Once off the table, she walked over to the closet and got out a cute little poofy dress. She wasted no time putting it on before she and Ginger went to the kitchen to find Celestia, who was enjoying the last bits of a bowl of ice cream. They grabbed their own treats and sat down to chat for a little bit about the day. Just before eating, Ginger also tied a bib around Twilight's neck so she wouldn't ruin her dress. Celestia couldn't help but giggle at the sight, especially when Ginger started feeding Twilight.
Eventually, the trio split off for the night and went their own ways. Twilight was tucked in just before Ginger read her a bedtime story. It took a few minutes, but Twilight soon drifted off to sleep. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Twilight was quickly getting into her regressed routine.
The next morning, Ginger walked in and woke up Twilight. Something was different this morning, however.
"Well, well, looks like somepony finally had an accident last night," Ginger said.
"Wait, what?" Twilight asked.
Twilight sat down and looked down, sure enough, her diaper was soaked.
"We both knew this was going to happen," Ginger said, "Now, let's get you changed and head down for some breakfast."
Twilight walked over and climbed up on the changing table. Once she had a fresh diaper, she and Ginger went down to have some breakfast. Instead of chocolate stuff, everything was blueberry flavored this morning. Once breakfast was over, Celestia grabbed her luggage and said her good-byes before departing.
"That was a fun little visit," Ginger said.
"She finished off all of our pancake mix, by the way," Starlight said.
"Well, she does love pancakes," Twilight said.
"I noticed," Starlight said through gritted teeth, "Anyway, so we still up for the pet playdate later on?"
"Oh, of course!" Twilight said.
"Alright then," Starlight said, "Still wish I could go."
"Um.. you can?" Twilight said, confused, "Just because you don't have a pet doesn't mean you can't come along."
"I'd just feel awkward," Starlight explained.
"I know a thing or two about feeling awkward," Twilight pointed out, "But none of our friends make me feel weird or awkward about being diapered and babied, so they won't make you feel like the odd one out cause you don't have a pet."
"I think I'll probably still pass till I can get a pet," Starlight said.
"Alright, but you're welcome to join at any time," Twilight said.
Before heading out, themselves, Ginger and Twilight went up to the nursery to play for a while. Twilight had given up on the blocks for today and instead focused on playing pretend with the various stuffed animals she'd collected over the past couple weeks. Even Ginger joined in for a couple roles. The little play was about a pirate who had foalnapped a Princess in order to marry himself into the royal family. About halfway in, the play was interrupted by a diaper change.
"I think you may had a point yesterday," Twilight said as she climbed up on the changing table, "I had an accident yesterday, almost had a couple more, wet myself last night, and just had another accident without realizing it."
"Yes, it seems you've taken to these diapers quite quickly," Ginger said, "I'm guessing you want to take my suggestion, then? Go to diapers full time?"
"Well... it might be best, yea," Twilight admitted, "I'll just have to get over other ponies finding out."
"And I'll be right by your side to take care of any who dare make fun of you," Ginger said, taping Twilight's new diaper up.
"Thanks, I'm just really hoping you don't have to do that," Twilight said before getting off the table.
"Do you still want to wait another couple weeks for everything else?" Ginger asked.
"I may be ready to wear diapers outside, but I'm not yet ready to be babied out in public," Twilight said, "It's not so bad when it's just us, or Spike or Starlight if they walk in, but I'm just not ready to do it full time."
"Fair enough," Ginger said, "Now, let's finish this play up. That Princess needs saving after all from that mean little pirate."
It was time. Twilight and Ginger finished up their little game a few minutes ago, now it was time to go outside. Twilight stood in front of the doors to the outside world, doing her breathing exercise. While she was dressed up, anypony looking from nearly anywhere behind her, or anypony with a good sense of hearing, could tell what she was wearing underneath. Breathing out one final time, she opened the door and stepped forward cautiously, taking one agonizingly long step after another.
Once she reached the ground, everything seemed to get worse. As her back hooves touched the ground, worst case scenarios started playing in her head, making her want to turn and go back inside. Before she had the chance, however, Ginger's hoof touched her shoulder.
"You can do this, Twilight," Ginger said, "And remember, I'll right here the whole time."
"I know, I just... you think you're ready, then you start and you get cold hooves, and every fiber of your being is telling you to run away and go back to your safe place," Twilight stammered.
"I know, I know, the first steps are always tricky," Ginger said, "But I know you can get over this. I know you can power through it."
"But I don't WANT to power through it," Twilight said, "I just... I just don't want to be afraid of going outside the rest of my life."
"You won't be, don't worry. Your friends and I will see to that," Ginger said, "Speaking of said friends, aren't you all having a meet up soon?"
"Yea, I couldn't find Owlowiscious, so I hope Spike took him out," Twilight said.
Though still somewhat shaky, Twilight eventually led the way to the usual meeting place. The walk was uneventful, and the duo arrived without a hitch. As they approached, the rest of the crew was lounging around, snacking and chatting away.
"Well, well, look who finally decided to show up, the wittle baby pwincess," Discord said, earning him a jab and stern look from Fluttershy.
"Glad you could make it, Twi," Applejack said.
"Indeed, and might I say that dress looks absolutely stunning," Rarity said.
"Thanks, girls," Twilight said, taking her place among the group at long last.
Within mere moments, Twilight picks up on the conversation and joins in. Every so often, Discord gets in a little quip or pun about Twilight, and she does her best to just take it as preparation for what could very well lie ahead with her new padded public appearance. Fluttershy tries to get Discord to stop, but Twilight talks her into just letting it happen, saying she'll let them know if it really starts to be too much.
An hour and a half pass, and eventually Twilight and Ginger excuse themselves from the conversation to go find a private spot for a diaper change, Twilight's first outside the castle. Within moments, the used diaper is replaced with a fresh one, and then is promptly thrown in a special little bag that Twilight enchanted with a pocket dimension to give it more space than it would appear to have otherwise. However, it very quickly becomes apparent that more than just Twilight's diaper was changed.
Having been changed so often during playtime at the castle, Twilight's mind has already started to associate diaper changes with infantile behavior and playtime. Without even trying, she jumps from the ship of adulthood down to foalspace. Ginger catches on and snaps her out of it, remembering Twilight's wishes from earlier.
Dry and freshly padded up once more, Twilight rejoins the group with Ginger in tow. Over time, she was able to relax, and her brain got caught up in youthfulness. As the conversation went on, with some fun activities here and there, Twilight regressed more and more. Her friends eventually took notice of Twilight's behavior shift, but she just waved it off in favor of playtime, feeling too comfortable and at home for the time being. Her friends were alright with this side of her, but weren't truly comfortable enough to join in, so she instead ran off to play with the pets.
"So, how often does she get like that?" Applejack asked.
"About an hour each day," Ginger said, "Strange though since she said she didn't want to be babied outside, and she's already taken her hour today."
"Didn't want to be babied outside? What's with the diapers, then?" Applejack asked.
"Her choice, after one accident and a couple of close calls yesterday," Ginger explained.
"She won't be like this all the time, will she?" Rainbow asked, "It's funny, but it's also kind of a little weird."
"No, she won't be like that all the-" Ginger started out before a loud noise broke her concentration.
The group all turned their heads to see Twilight and the pets all bundled up under a tree, having obviously just crashed into it. Twilight didn't seem phased by the crash at all, happily cheering only a brief few seconds... the pets on the other hand didn't want a second go.
"As you can see, though, she has fun with it," Ginger said, "And that's the whole point of it all, for her to have fun and relax. Whether she'll admit or not, she's taken to this treatment like a duck to water, which is a good thing."
As the pets come over to get close to their owners, it's made obvious that playtime should soon be over. Twilight isn't far behind, not exactly wanting to stop any time soon since she basically just started playing. A few gentle words snaps her out of her youthful mindset and brings her back to full on adulthood. And this is just the beginning of her new lifestyle.
Author's Note
Sorry about the lateness, work's been getting in the way. Hope you guys still enjoyed!