Mind's eyelids swiftly flew open like window blinds, revealing his red tired eyes. He buried his head into his hooves and gave a loud groan that ringed against the walls of his nursery.

While his thoughts still meandered around the words of the silhouette, a morning spent watching Dragon Paws and half an afternoon spent coloring with crayons kept the pacified pony strong enough to go about the day usually. The living room smelled so thickly of foal powder that Mind could swear clouds were seeping out of his diapers with every move. Mantra watched him amass the pile of crayons beside his foalish-looking creation.

A startling chime rang throughout the mansion. Mind was left to play alone in the living room with a pet on his head. Mantra returned with her former AFDL mentor, Azure Burst, standing beside her. The cobalt stallion made himself at home and took a seat beside the coloring pony.

“What are you drawing, sport?”

“I’m drawing the ocean.”

“I hope you’re using one of Snowy’s diapers for reference.” Azure chuckled while Mind’s snickers followed it like a toppling domino.

“Where is Snowy?”

“He’s back at home; his sister is babysitting him today.” Mind rolled his eyes at the thought, given the fact that she was the younger sister. “I just came by to check up on you. Mantra told me about her birthday, and the thought of two foals being alone in such a big house didn’t sit right with me. It’s a good thing I did too, somepony here is running around with her diaper off.”

“Hey!” Mantra interjected while blushing. “That wasn’t the deal! We were supposed to watch him togeth-”

“Go bring me a diaper right now, young lady.”

“But… But…” Azure stared her down with a smile that would fade at the first sign of disobedience. “Yes, sir.”

“Make sure you bring one of the Starry Skies; you need the thickness today.” Starry Skies; the same white diaper with moons and stars on it Mind was put in usually at night.

“I gotta’ go get it from my bedroom then; a certain stinky pony here went through all the ones in his nursery.”

She begrudgingly made her way out of the living room through the foyer. Magic bound around Azure’s horn, gently taking out Mind’s pacifier with a little plop, and lay it on the table.

“Let’s talk, Mind.”

“Oh boy. Is it your turn to lecture me on getting over my nightmares?”

“No, nothing like that. Well, maybe not directly.”

“What do you mean?

“Mind, I’ve known Polyamory for a long time, and I’ve had to help her through some really hard times. She joined my support group shortly after her suicide attempt and I helped her come to terms with fully accepting her AFDL side. She had a little problem with selfishness, but in fairness, a lot of AFDL’s have that problem at first. All it took me was showing her a more conscientious point of view, and I watched her grow into a brave and caring mare. One who was dedicated to make every part of herself a part of her life. And even after her mother’s cancer diagnosis, I watched her leave my support group confident she was going to be just fine. She left very shortly before you joined, actually. Of course, I liked her enough to maintain a close friendship with her outside of the group. And then she changed her name after her mother died. My point, Mind, is that you need to let her in.”

“I suppose I have been kind of naughty.”

“Do you know why she came to me instead of asserting herself over you?”

“That is unlike her. Why is that?”

“She’s afraid. After her mother died, she chose to evade and ignore her problems from then on, except for when she took you into her care. But still, for four years, Mind. She wants to respect your desire to facing your problems head-on, and she wants to help you as much as she can, but she doesn’t know what to do, and that has her utterly terrified.”

“But it’s not entirely wrong to evade problems when there’s nothing one can do about them in the immediate moment.”

“Exactly.”

“So, you want to give her baby time to take her thoughts off of it?”

“Yes. She’ll empathize with your situation better if she feels more invited. Maybe she’ll even find the courage to-” He was interrupted by a hoof’s nudge.

“She’s coming back.” Mind said breaking into a whisper. A hoofstep from atop the foyer stairs made Azure’s ear flick. Mind’s ESP at this point had become an immediate logical conclusion to a lot of his seemingly peculiar connections to everything around him.

A blushing Mantra lay on her back before Azure, who called Mind over, causing the mare to put her hooves over her face, her embarrassment compelling her to look away from the sight of her exposed self laying helplessly before the two, one of whom she would normally look down upon in the same scenario.

“Today’s your lucky day, sport; at the risk of sounding braggy, I’m going to give you some lessons about taking care of a filly that will blow your mind. I mean, split your mind. ‘Fiss’ your mind?” Mind rolled his eyes at the unamusing pun; he didn’t even want to bother correcting him that the verb form of “fission” is “fission”. “That’s a dad joke, we tell those a ton. But yeah, these tips are things that I’ve learned over my years as a caregiver.”

“Are you sure we should be discussing them in front of her?”

“She’s just a baby. She doesn’t know what we’re talking about.” Mantra brought her upper hooves down, folding them with a pout. “First of all, based on what I was told, you did really well on your first day handling her. You even went so far as to change a messy diaper, and believe me, this little filly is quite a stinker.” Mantra gave a mortified groan in response, and then had her plot lifted magikinetically and the fresh diaper slid underneath her. “Now, diaper changing should be seen as a ritual. If you see it as a chore, a task, or even a responsibility, it gets monotonous for the changer.” He then started to apply powder to his hoofs, then massaged it into her rear end. “And you should know, of all ponies, that you don’t want to be changed by sompony impatient. This is why the best caregivers are also the biggest babies.”

“That makes so much sense~”

“What’s important is that you separate your empathy from your role,” Azure then started wiping his hooves clean, “because empathy can sometimes get in the way of your judgment. Be empathetic, but be decisive. You don’t need consent to change the filly, nor do you need to respect her privacy.” He then taped up the fresh pant, Mantra’s crotch and rump now sported the moons and stars proudly on the white extra thick garment. “Give her what you, as the caregiver, believe she needs.” He then took a gaze into her pink eyes. “In all my years of caring for this filly, I’ve learned that she’s a little bit hornier than most and needs to learn some self control.”

“I learned that one first-hoof. Maybe one of these days, she’ll learn to control it herself.”

“If you ask me, I think the real way she’d learn is if you do a little of this on her you-know-what” he said as he tapped his horn with his hoof, “and stop right as she reaches her event horizon.” With her face beet red, Mantra furled her brows and bellowed out to them.

“You better fucking not!” Her pink pacifier with the marigold on the button was swiftly shoved into her muzzle.

“See, this little potty-mouth just lost her talking privileges, and if she says anything or takes her paci out without daddy’s say-so, she’ll be getting a time out.”

“No spanks?” Mind asked as Azure lifted Mantra into a sitting position to put up her hair and tie it into a cobalt blue bow.

“Spanking isn’t an actual punishment,” Azure said while rolling his eyes, “and I’ve never met a foal-at-heart who actually enjoyed time out.” With another glow of his horn, he proceeded to carry Mantra over to the couch to be cradled in his lap and to be pet affectionately. “Sport, could you get me a bottle out of my bag?”

“Yes, sir.”

“It’s important that you don’t stop caring for your baby just because you’re having a conversation. Foals don’t understand grown-up talk, so she’d feel neglected if you stopped a diaper change just to talk to grown-ups.” Mind’s astonished face stared back at him from the glare from the bottle of chocolate milk. “I find carrying a conversation over my foals like that is very powerful; they still know I love them, and they’re reminded of how small they really are.”

Azure’s magic gently took the bottle out of Mind’s hooves, then he replaced the pacifier with it, from which Mantra started drinking promptly, staring into Azure’s face with her eyes a slightly brighter tint than Azure’s. His caressing helped her to fight off the urges that ironically he was making her feel with all this talk around her.

“Actually, why don’t you feed her?” And upon his suggestion, Mind gladly obliged and sat close to Azure on the couch. Mantra lay across his lap, cradled in one hoof and being fed the bottle by another. “Now, bottle feeding is really good quiet time, but instead we’re going to make her feel even smaller, which is also perfectly okay.” Mantra’s eyes still radiated harshly, unable to give any kind of auditory response to the stallions’ laughter due to the milk she was slowly drinking.

“So, should I just keep bottle feedings quiet normally?”

“It depends on what you, as daddy, think your filly needs. You can’t exactly keep pushing her buttons and expect her to be good, that’s not fair, and that’s an error I see a lot of ponies make in the caregiver role. But if you feel she’s earned a reward, you may feel free to spoil her. This brings me back to time out: Another common mistake I see is caregivers making their littles sit in time out for up to an hour, sometimes in a diaper on the verge of leaking.”

“Oh yeah, that’s lovely.” Mind said, rolling his eyes.

“I usually put my foals in time out for five minutes. Sometimes ten if they’re really bad. I’m sure this little filly could tell you stories about my time outs if she weren’t so small at the moment. As I said, if you expect her to be good, you can’t push her buttons all the time, and I practice what I preach; I gave her plenty of opportunity to decompress, but she ended up pleasuring herself like a naughty mare. She even tried to hide it from me, but a good daddy knows what a naughty mare’s horn glows for. I didn’t want to put her in time out because she was naughty, I wanted her to truly learn why she was being punished; because she broke my trust. I had her face the corner and think about what she did, but I gave her a pacifier too. Pacifiers are really good for helping foals focus their thoughts.”

“Oh wow, I never picked up on that.”

“She really is a good girl, though; it only took her two times from me for her to learn. So hopefully, you won’t have to put her in time out. Hopefully she still remembers that I don’t allow her to touch her diaper. She’s also not allowed to use magic.” His voice then changed tone to focus toward a regressing Mantra. “You don’t want to disappoint daddy now, would you?” A gust of air sounded through her bottle and her pink eyes started to dull. “Oh come here.” Azure’s magenta aura wrapped around Mantra and pulled her in close for some gentle pats on her back. “I know. I know you’re a good girl. You haven’t been in time out for a long time. But for your daddy’s sake, let’s just make sure you stay that way. Mind, how about we put on her favorite show for her?” A loud belch followed his suggestion.

“That sounds like a great idea, Azure.” Mind replied with a smile, then taking Mantra back into his hooves with a pacifier floating back into her mouth.

“I’m actually really glad you’re not completely adamant against watching ‘girly horse shows’.” He said with a snide somewhat mockingly mimicky intonation.

“Nonsense. What kind of daddy won’t watch his baby’s favorite shows with her?”

“See, you’re a natural~” Azure then lifted a blue pacifier with his magic and levitated it into Mind’s mouth. “Lesson over~ Cartoon time~” With a few giggles, Mind lay down with Mantra, suckling his pacifier strongly.

“So much for ‘student surpassed master’ little girl.”

“Did she really say that? That’s an interesting claim coming from a filly who isn’t even potty-trained.” The two shared another laugh at Mantra’s expense. “In seriousness, it’s a learning experience for both of us. But I won’t bore your baby brain with my stories.”

“H- Hey!”

“Also, just a reminder that good babies address their babysitters with respect.”

“But I- ...Yes sir.”

“Good colt. Now watch this ‘girly horse show’ with your foal.”

Mind easily felt his little one’s excitement, both arousal and genuine heart-warming joy. While Mantra and her mentor attentively watched the cold open lead into the theme song, Mind’s entertainment was the tempest in the brain of the little filly laying beside him while Azure poked her with his hooves and encouraged her to sing along to the theme song with him. Mind would’ve never imagined thirty seconds of Mantra and Azure singing would make him smile so wide, and even break into laughter toward the end.

“Don’t worry, Mind. Soon, she will teach you all of these songs, and I’m sure she’d love to hear your lovely voice sing them.” Mantra nodded her head enthusiastically to Azure’s proposal. “How about you give it a try?”

“What? But all I know is the first line.”

“Oh c’mon, do it for her~” And with a reluctant sigh and the pacifier still giving him blush-inducing lisps, Mind started to sing the theme song.

“Ponies like me~ Ponies like me~ Something, something, I gotta’ pee~” Before Mind could even complete the humming part, they all burst into laughter.

“Oh, wait wait! Shhh! This is the Nightmare Night episode; one of Mantra’s favorites.”

“Is it really, sweetheart?” Mantra nodded enthusiastically once more, and the three settled down and watched the color-shifting screen for the next fifty minutes; successfully catching two episodes. By the end of which, Mantra’s eyes were marigold again, and Mind detected no trace of her libido left.

Azure allowed another episode to run, but praised Mind for watching and allowed him to return to his drawing. He was pounced upon trying to get off the couch, Mantra wrapped her hooves around him tightly to reaffirm to him her sincere gratitude.

“That’s adorable. She’s very happy you watched her favorite show with her.”

“I can see that~ I love you too, sweetheart, but I have an ocean to finish coloring. You can help me color the sky, if you want~” Mantra clapped her hooves together in joy then ran over to Azure, pointing at the pacifier in her mouth.

“Is it important, little one?” She nodded, and with a smile, Azure telekinetically pulled it out. She then gestured him to lean into her. Mind watched her whisper into Azure’s attentive ear.

“Don’t ask me, ask Daddy.” Her hooves clipped across the floor over to Mind and she delivered him the same secret while a blush formed on her cheeks.

“But sweetheart, I really need your help coloring this sky. It’s a whole lot to color by myself. Plus, I’d rather you do something I can actually trust you to do~” A mischievous smile was all Mantra’s gaping golden eyes and pink plastered face needed to receive to take the hint. Her blush quickly faded when she held the crayon in her teeth to help her partner complete his creation. Mind occasionally took brief glances at his filly’s behind waiting for the perfect opportunity to “check” her. He ended up getting too wrapped up in drawing his ocean, and before he knew it, a sky blue crayon rolled across the page and a pink mare lay on top of him, keeping him bound to the floor with hugs and kisses. “Help! I’m being attacked by a stinker!”

“And who are you to be calling somepony else a stinker?” Azure inquired as he brought himself over to the entanglement.

“I’ll have you know that my padding is qui- Ha ha ha!” Mind was suddenly at the mercy of magenta lights delicately abrading against him, and then a collective effort of hooves attacked him from all fronts, leaving him to wiggle and laugh helplessly.

“Tickles don’t stop until you admit you’re a stinker~”

“Oh come on!” Mind had to say past the laughter being forced out of him.

“Uh-oh, now you have to admit you’re a stinker and that you love it, or else the tickles won’t stop~”

“No way~” The tickling stopped within the quarter second of Azure pressing his lips against the laughing colt’s belly. “No, wait!” And he broke into another uncontrollable storm of laughter at the mercy of Azure’s vibrating lips.

“Okay okay! I’m a stinker and I love it!”

“You love what?”

“I love being a stinker!” Azure showed his satisfaction with a reprieve to the torture. Mind lay on the floor with aching ribs trying to catch his breath. Azure lifted himself up and carried Mantra over to the changing area.

“Now let’s get this smelly filly changed.”

“I got this~” Mind said with a raised hoof, gently lifting himself to his hooves.

“You can help~”

“Oh… Do I get a lesson on this too?”

“Nope, I already know ‘Daddy’ has this down to a fine science, but I can’t expect a little colt to do something so delicate.” At this point, Mind had already given up trying to decipher the rules; and at this point, the only rule was that what the babysitter says goes. Mantra’s gaze was fixed on Azure as he peeled off one of the tapes, then she was swiftly captivated by Polymo. The plush peacock made bird noises that sounded like a stallion’s voice struggling to maintain a mid high falsetto. In what seemed like an instant, “all done,” was uttered from their foalsitter, and her rump was being hugged by a fresh pant. “Your turn, sport.” Mind looked down at his own sodden garment. “You look surprised. Did you really have so much fun playing that you didn’t even notice how soaked you are? How adorable.”

Polymo was wrapped in his hooves during the process, which seemed to captivate him as well. He had forgotten how inviting the touch of a soft plush was. His change was done before he knew it as well. After which, Azure set them both beside each other and urged them to follow him into Mind’s nursery. Their foalsitter retained strength in the face of Mind’s groans and complaints that he wasn’t even tired yet. When placed in his crib, Mind felt convinced enough to fall asleep with Mantra’s warm body huddled in one hoof, his peacock in the other, and a thin summer blanket gently draped over them.

The red-maned stallion was awakened to be entrusted with dressing up a little foal for a trip to the park. Her eye color was soon matching a pink summer mini-dress with outlines of lilies adorned all over it; a dress short enough to leave the mare’s diapered rump exposed at most angles. It was mostly to embarrass her, but Mind claimed that it was for quick and efficient diaper checks, which Azure assumed wasn’t completely true, but not completely false either. Azure praised the colt for his practical thinking.

“And now it’s your turn, sport. I’m sure we have a nice pair of shortalls for you to wear.”

“Me? I’m sorry sir, but I’m allergic to jean dye.”

“Surprise~” Azure said as he lifted a pair of red swishing shortalls out of one of his drawers. “Your mommy told me about your peculiar allergy, so I suggested these. They’re made from a lightweight nylon material, kind of like track pants. So your body shouldn’t be having issues with these.” Azure gave the pony before him a sincere smile. He stared in awe at the outfit before him, both excited to try it on and very grateful to have someone so thoughtful about him.

“Oh~ Well… Thank you~ Thank you so much, sir~”

“Why of course. I just want you two to be the happiest little foals in the world. And what better way to do that than go out for a walk to the park? Good old wholesome not kinky fun. So no teasing each other… Period.”

Mind walked out the front doors of the mansion donned in the red shortalls comfortably grasping him. The elastic shoulder straps helped bring the outfit to a snug form around his groin. His diaper was out of sight and effectively silenced, but left a highly noticeable bulge. Mantra walked beside him in her pink dress, her unrestricted padding crinkling loud, and a smile behind her pink pacifier. Her crinkling was soon swelled up by chirping birds and soon after by conversation fading in on their walk.

He was dressed like a foal. She was dressed like a foal. They were being escorted by a stallion with a diaper bag on his side. Mind didn’t care what other ponies thought, though; he was going to play at the park. His heart was afloat with ideas of purely recreational fun with no teasing from silly mares to drag his thoughts into the gutter. He felt the same joy overcome Mantra as well, with her normal eye color to show for it.

A mare with a green coat and a maroon mane crossed paths with the party.

“Oh Mantra~ It’s been years since I’ve seen you like this~” Peppi couldn’t hold back a gasp, a giggle, then a squeal. “You two look so cuuuuuute! Two cute foals!” Mantra released a loud exhale through her nostrils and furled her brows. Mind gave a light giggle at Mantra’s genuinely annoyed reaction.

“It’s good to see you again, Peppi. I’d stick around and chat, but I have to get these two to the park.”

“Oh, no worries at all. I have to be somewhere right now too. Don’t have too much fun now, you two~” Hooves clipped along the path, fading out behind them.

“I thought Peppi wasn’t an AFDL.”

“Mares are pretty odd, Mind. Isn’t that right, Mantra?” The pink filly rolled her eyes.

Mantra was lowered into one of the adult-sized baby swings and Azure encouraged Mind to push her. A pair of hooves sent wind blowing through her mane, and it didn’t take long for her to give in to a joyous laughter, and Mind couldn’t stop smiling. Every rearing he did to catch the swing filled him with utter glee.

He kept pushing until the filly’s laughter hushed to giggles. He felt a familiar calling build up, and with one final rearing, the urge quickly overtook him. He turned his head back toward Azure with a face beaming red.

“What’s wrong, sport?” Mind was then smacked in his cheek by the swing, which caused Mantra’s giggles to stifle completely. He shook his head and flapped his lips, then reared once more to push her again. His blush faded and he wore a smile once more upon her giggling again. “I think that’s enough swinging, you two.” He knew… Of course he knew.

The sky, grass, and the entirety of the park all spun around Mantra in a slow centrifugal motion. She giggled to herself at the brief sight of Mind being summoned toward Azure, who sat at a park bench. No-one else was at the park to witness it, but that didn’t stop Mind from blushing at the idea of someone catching him in the midst of a diaper change on a bench. Mind was surprised at how much room was still on the bench, and then it struck him that the benches were made extra large specifically for such purpose to help make those who’d have their diapers changed on it to feel smaller.

The bench spun into Mantra’s view once more, and she got a glimpse at shortalls being magically put aside. The next glimpse, a hoof was petting Mind’s head as a magenta light wrapped itself around his diaper, coming undone. Mantra hopped off the spinning contraption and took a moment to regain her balance before she waddled over to the half done exchange.

“Need something, sweetheart?” Mantra stood there silently, her smile peaking out from her pacifier. “Why don’t you go back to the spinny spin? Once I get this stinky diaper taken care of, he’ll be ready to play again.” He then ran his hooves through her mane playfully. “C’mon, go play~” Mantra giggled away back to the spinning contraption and took a seat to catch momentary glimpses at the bench once more.

The teeter-totter, the fence, the bench with Azure rubbing foal powder into a white rear end, the swings, the jungle gym, and the bathroom. All came full circle clockwise: The teeter-totter with two seats on each side of it, the chainlink fence with the one opening where the path is and a sign that approved it for foal-at-heart activities, the bench with a colt being taped up into a fresh diaper, the four adult sized baby swings that swung beside one another, the jungle gym’s assortment of slides, tubes, and bars, and the bathroom which most likely had changing tables inside. Azure insisted he needed to keep an eye on Mantra to justify not taking Mind into a secluded place for his change.

The teeter-totter with the woodchips to cushion falls, the fence with a mare walking along the path, and a galloping stallion fully redressed in his red shortalls jumping onto the spinning disc and grasping onto one of the bars. Now her gaze was focused on the colt across from her having the time of his life. Around and around the world spun around them. A magenta aura brought them to a stop, which then prompted Mind to react to the filly’s stare reaching past him and a new, but familiar, heartbeat thumping in his head.

“Sport, there’s somepony here who’d like to see you.”

“Well, this explains why I couldn’t get a hold of you earlier, Mantra. You two dearies look absolutely precious together, separating you would be heartbreaking.” Her posh accent, the baring in her tone; Mind already knew who it was before he turned to face the white mare herself, the sunlight shining radiantly off her violet coiffed mane and diamonds borne on her flank. “It’s an absolutely gorgeous day to spend outside: The blue sky, the green grass, the rainbow streak that follows Rainbow Dash.” In the brief pause, Mind was taken aback by Rarity’s genuine description of the colors around her. “I said ‘the rain-’” And in a flash, the sky blue pegasus landed beside her.

“I heard you the first time, I just wanted to make sure they were paying attention at how fast I swept down.” A thick snark laced the pegasus’ scratchy extroverted voice. “And that I’m still the best and fastest pony in all of Equestria!” Rarity rolled her eyes before continuing.

“Anyway, Twilight was kind enough to remind us to pay our friend a visit since we couldn’t make it to his forgiveness meeting.” Mind’s hoof reached for his pacifier then cusped it.

“We’re… Friends?” Mind then placed the pacifier in his front pocket.

“Why of course we’re friends, darling; my appreciation for color coordination has grown tremendously thanks to you~”

“Yeah,” Rainbow chimed in, “and as awesome as I already am, you really helped me push myself to new limits.” Her smug expression was then wiped clean, and she dug a circle in the ground with her hoof. “The truth is that we were too afraid to show up, and Twilight helped us realize we were being jerks.”

“The point here is that we are more grateful for our talents now than we were before, and you should be too.” Rarity’s horn glowed its signature sky blue aura to open her saddlebag and take out a small box. “I just had to make you something to go with your adorable ensemble.”

“Why don’t you make yourself an ‘adorable ensemble’ if you love it so much?” Mind gave a courtesy chuckle, which left him smiling a smile he originally wanted to veil due to Rainbow Dash’s intonation in her voice at making that joke.

“And what if I did? Would you really judge your friend’s lifestyle?”

“Well, no, but- I know I’d never sport a diaper; not aerodynamic.”

“Oh calm yourself, Rainbow~ It was merely in jest~ Go on and open it, Mind.” Mind proceeded to fulfill Rarity’s request, still smirking at telltale signs Mind would be able to point out even without his ESP; a tough front like Rainbow Dash’s really made it all make sense. Mind opened the small box to find a lilac purple ascot with a sky blue fold. “Oh, and I insist that you try it on right now.” Mantra’s glance toward Azure prompted him to bathe the ascot in his magic and tie it around Mind’s neck, who courteously and reluctantly accepted it.

“What do you say, sport?”

“Thank you, Rarity.” He glanced around at the ponies surrounding him. “Actually, no. I’m sorry, Rarity. I can’t accept this. It’s a reminder of what I was.”

“It’s a reminder of your talent.” Rarity said. “A talent that was a part of you, and a part of you that really made other ponies’ lives better, whether you believe it or not.” Mind was then startled by a pair of hooves wrapping around him and a magenta-maned filly brushing close against him.

“See, sport? You’ve done great things~ Mantra’s awfully happy for you, so you should be happy too.”

“You know, you’re right. I’m sorry.” Mind said. “Thank you all so much for your support.” He then felt himself being squeezed and pulled away.

“Why don’t you two go play?” Azure said as he pet them both. Mantra waved her hoof to the other two mares and dragged Mind off to the jungle gym. The rest of the afternoon was filled with hooves clipping on equipment and the laughter of two foals constantly reaching the wood chips from the tops of slides. All the while, their clothes were kept dry on multiple occasions as they made their diapers soggier without thought.

The setting sun brought their fun afternoon to an end, and a scarlet sky on their escort home. Upon entering the mansion, Mind and Mantra were led to the kitchen. They were stripped down to their diapers and sat in high chairs, side by side. Bowls of purple foal-at-heart mush sat on each of the trays in front of them, and they both adorned matching bibs around their necks. Despite the protection, the two foals were a mess; halfway through dinner, Azure commented on how he was surprised Mantra was cleaner than Mind. This prompted a white hoof to smear the purple mush into the mouth of the filly beside him, which she retaliated against, and he retaliated against her.

Cobalt hooves and magenta light washed up two foals in the bathtub splashing water at one another, as well as playing with bubbles that hovered about them. After their bath, they were both settled into Starry Night diapers and zipped up into hooved sleepers with zippers that parted them all the way down to the hind left hoof. Mind’s was light blue, while Mantra’s was pink with azure crescent moons on them.

The two foals reached for bottles that levitated before them before their babysitter sat on the couch beside them. As the drink hit their taste buds, they both blushed red upon the realization that they were slipped warm milk.

“I have enough time for one more episode of Ponies Like Me, then I’m heading back home to expect my little one.” He then turned his attention toward Mind. “I think the little filly has earned her talking privileges back. What do you think, Mind?”

“I agree.” Mind said with a smile. Azure confirmed with him and gave Mantra a pet on her head. With a plop, the bottle nipple ripped out of Mantra’s mouth.

“You stink~” She then put the bottle back into her mouth with a giggle.

“Oh Mantra,” Azure said, “you didn’t even wait at all. Looks like your privileges are revoked once more.”

“Nah, it’s fine.” Mind said. “Daddy forgives her.”

“Heh heh. What Daddy says goes.” And Mantra’s pacifier remained laying beside the lamp on the stand next to the couch.

The upbeat credits theme to Ponies Like Me ended faintly through the foals’ ears, their babysitter standing before them in the open doorway to a dark night sky. He gave them both a kiss on their cheeks and slung the diaper bag around his neck.

“Now don’t make me come back and put you to bed, you hear? Get to bed on time.”

“Yes sir.” The two said, seeing their babysitter farewell.

“You should come by and give us more lessons, Azure~” Mind said.

“Why? I thought ‘the student surpassed the master’. What more could I possibly have to teach you?” They all laughed and bid each other good night, a yawn trailed off of Mantra’s farewell.

“Mind, I want to show you something really cool.”

In the north wing of the upper floor of the mansion, right beside the master bedroom, was a filly’s room; Mantra’s old room. Mind was absolutely astonished to find that it was basically a room worthy of a foal princess. Toys were scattered around the soft carpet, plushies about as big as the two of them put together sat in the corners of the room, a changing table their size, with adequate supplies neatly lay in its cubbies, stood beside the walk-in closet which had practically an entire department store of foalish attire. To top it all off, it had a queen size crib. And yet, it seemed its only recent purpose was having a room to sleep.

“This is the best bedroom I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“Aw, thanks cutie. Now get your plot in that crib.” Her eyes started to glow pink and the two found themselves sharing the enormous crib together.

“I do have to ask, though. It looks like you’re not in this room too often. Why is that?”

“Because this room is my kink-free zone,” she said with a smirk, “I try to make this room as foalish and pure as possible. It helps me keep in little headspace when I really want to be.”

“You know that me being in this crib with you isn’t going to help, right?”

“I suppose there’s a first time for everything.”

“Nah, let’s keep this room pure. I like the idea of having a room like that.”

“So, what do you want to-” A yawn interrupted her sentence, and Mind gave one with his mouth just as wide in response. “That warm milk really hit me.”

“Let’s just sleep, then. I’ll just count sheep out loud for you and not say anything else.”

“Hehehe, okay. But as you count sheep, remember that you are only a helpless little foal.” Mind refrained from snarkily telling her that he wasn’t nearly as helpless as her and proceeded to count sheep out loud. He broke into back-to-back yawns at four, her eyelids simultaneously growing heavy, and she didn’t even notice he had stopped counting.

Despite Luna’s diligence to help Mind through his ordeal, he cursed himself being fully aware that she was afraid the silhouette would show up at any moment, and refrained from pointing it out.

“Luna, I think I got this. You really don’t have to be here if you don’t want to. I’m sure there are other ponies dreaming right now who could use your guidance.” Luna gave a couple of courtesy chuckles in response.

“You have a good heart; keeping your guilt from concerning others.”

“Well, of course. I try not to burden others around me; I feel like it’s the right thing to do.”

“Everypony has guilt, Mind. As much as we like to take experience from it and to leave it in the past, there’s always a small part of us that wishes we could take back everything we’ve done wrong.”

“Princess Luna, how much did Celestia tell you about her encounters with me?”

“I don’t think recalling that will help you at the moment.”

“I just want your observation. Indulge me, Luna.” The princess raised a hoof to her mouth, quickly hesitant to do so, but then just as quickly showed trust in the stallion.

“...Okay then… My sister knew of your power and took it upon herself to deal with it directly. She didn’t want to put her student in any harm’s way. When she came back to Canterlot, she assured me that everything was perfectly fine and that there was nothing to worry about, and even ordered everypony in her guard to not pursue you any further. And then Twilight Sparkle broke the spell, and that was when she told us everything...”

“Well? What did she tell you?” Luna put a hoof behind her head nervously. “Princess, I need to know what she told you.”

“You… Tested her because you thought she was faking. You healed her after that, then took her through a walk in the park, then you sent her back to Canterlot.”

“Stop right there. She didn’t tell you about what I said to her that day? During our walk.”

“Well… No.”

“I told her she was evil, Luna.” Luna gave an incredulous hum. “I told her she was evil… For banishing you to the moon… What’s your take on that?”

“My sister felt the same way for a long time. She borne that sacrifice for a long time, probably still does to this very day.”

“I know she does. I didn’t say it to give her a revelation. I said it because I wanted to hurt her.”

“Oh…” Luna didn’t resent him, but she felt forced to word her next statement without sounding resentful. “Expand on that.”

“She said that I was evil. And despite me justifying it and trying to use my power for what I thought was the greater good, I was evil. I am evil. I wounded Celestia in her heart, figuratively and literally, and she forgave me. Fuck, she even apologized to me. I’m not worthy of any of that from anypony.”

“This is that thing talking and not you. Take that anger with yourself and use it to destroy that demon. Promise me you’ll do that, Mind.”

“...Okay. Yeah, you’re right. I’m always doing this shit to myself. Making vortices out of my own thoughts; twisting them to constrict me and drag me down.”

“That’s good that you’re aware. Now go forth and destroy that demon, and prove to yourself that you mean it.”

Luna faded out of his dream once again and Mind took an intrepid step toward the white light to have the silhouette appear before him swiftly.

“I came up with a name for you: The Schism.”

“Should I be flattered?” The silhouette replied with the same filter.

“It’s only a name that makes sense. I don’t see a reason to be flattered about that at all.”

“Your attempts at feigning courage amuse me. ‘Take that anger with yourself and use it to destroy that demon.’ What a load of horseshit.”

“It’s not horseshit. I kept telling Luna that I was evil, but you’re the one who’s evil. You poisoned me into thinking otherwise.”

“Good. Evil. These perspectives don’t really concern you. You know that the world isn’t black and white. No matter how much you try to simplify it and create a black and white fiction, the reality is that your perception of the world and your constant questioning of said perception creates nothing but complicated scenarios; complicated scenarios where nopony is truly good and nopony is truly evil. Luna is evil for becoming Nightmare Moon. Sunbutt is evil because she imprisoned her unappreciated unloved sister for a millenium. But you don’t see them as evil, you don’t even see them as completely good. Ponies who can’t distinguish the lines between good and evil are the truly evil ones.”

“I am not evil. You can try telling me I am over and over again, but you and I both know that that’s not true.”

“Okay… So how are you not evil?”

“I… I always thought about a greater good first. Never for my own selfish gain.”

“You told a stallion to go fuck himself. What greater good does it serve to mind control somepony to try to literally fuck himself?”

“I lashed out unnecessarily a couple of times, but everypony does stupid things they’re not proud of now and again. I did some pretty bad things, but I never took pleasure in it.”

“What about when you had a taste of your plan to take over Equestria? All the guards on duty, Shining Armor, and even Celestia all groveled at your hooves as you stood on that balcony overlooking Ponyville under a freshly risen sun. You had to laugh.”

“Shut the fuck up~” Mind shook his head in fury.

“You had to laugh~ And you couldn’t stop~ You just laughed and laughed and laughed~” Mind threw his hoof at the Schism, making contact with nothing and stumbling over. His head was all that didn’t rest on the celestial path. “Ponies like you have a tendency to claim they do things for a greater good only to justify their own selfish intent. So I’ll ask you again. How are you not evil?”

Mind awoke with the cackling of the Schism echoing through his head. Beside him, Mantra was still sound asleep, despite the generously incandescent sun gracing the room. Mind put on a brave smile, kissed Mantra on her head, and wished her good morning. No secrets were kept, though; Mind told Mantra about the nature of his dream and about the Schism. Mind didn’t despair, however, much to Mantra’s delight, even if he were feigning it, she felt better off not knowing for sure.

Dr. Peculiarity pulled some strings to get Mind’s appointment bumped up to that very day. The long wait for the test results to develop passed in an instant. In her office hung the results from both his MRI and his CT, multiple angles of each one side-by-side. She pointed to his CT at the angle from above.

“Do you see what I see, Mind?” Mind stepped closer to it and examined it thoroughly.

“Is that an embolism?”

“Yes. It looks like when your horn was removed, your cornual nerve was blocked magically and not surgically. You need to have such a spell touched up often otherwise it’ll wear off and your cornual nerve will continue to output magic where your horn should be.” A spike of guilt that wasn’t his own ran through Mind. He turned his concerned gaze toward Mantra, who was listening attentively to the doctor and masking it. “But because you don’t have a horn, the magic is concentrating next to your brain and it formed an embolism right where your horn is supposed to be. An unnatural clotting of blood right next to your source of magic output is probably what’s causing your nightmares too.”

“So,” Mantra said, “what do you suggest, doctor?”

“Well, normally I’d imagine Mind would be able to treat it without resorting to anything invasive, but without his magic, this thing is going to require surgery to remove.” The very thought of surgery made Mind’s heart sink. “Reattaching it isn’t a possibility either, is it, Mind?”

“No, Doctor; I don’t know where it even is, but I really don’t want it back anyway. I’m actually surprised you even suggested reattaching it.” Mantra felt in her gut the need to interject, but was caught in traps of her guilt of her own.

“Bygones are bygones, Mind. But if your horn’s really gone, then you need an operation to get rid of the embolism and block the cornual nerve.”

“Alright.” Mind said unhesitantly with a hard swallow. “I’ll do it.”

“Mind, no. We’re getting your horn reattached.” Mantra said. The other two looked at each other, then back to Mantra. “Your horn is in Canterlot Tower. We can go get it and I can reattach it. I’m sorry, I should’ve told you sooner.”

“Wait, you can reattach horns, Miss Mantra?” The doctor inquired incredulously.

“I was the one who detached it in the first place. The spells didn’t get too in depth into the specifics, but it got done what I thought was the right thing to do. I didn’t think something like this was going to happen. I’m so sorry, Mind.”

“I am not allowing you to reattach any horns, Miss Mantra.” The doctor said. “We’ll reattach it. If I were somepony else, I would have my license revoked if I allowed a licensed medical professional to operate on her own family.” Mind saw through Dr. Peculiarity’s smart choice of words straight to her heart.

“So, if I got you his horn, you could reattach it?”

“Absolutely. In fact, I insist that this is the best option.”

“It’s settled then.”

“I need consent from Mind.”

“I-” Mind said. “I don’t know...”

“Clearly you two need some time alone to think about it. Let me know when you come to a decision. Oh, and give Princess Celestia my regards, Miss Mantra.”

“It makes sense, sweetheart.” Mantra said to her daunted stallion sitting across the kitchen table from him. “You get your horn back and then you can treat the embolism yourself. And then you have all your abilities again and can become the greatest doctor anypony has ever seen.”

“Mommy, I can’t have it back.”

“Oh come on.” Mantra said defiantly. “You’re not going to control minds again. I got Twilight and Nightward working on it to make sure the mind control spell is neutralized.”

“You don’t understand; this wasn’t a mind control spell, it was telekinesis on certain cells in the brain to compel mind control.”

“Yes Mind, I know. Neurons. Snowy told me. Twilight and Nightward told me. Trust me; if anyone can sever your magic connection with ponies’ neurons, who better than the Princess Of Friendship and the top DPS of the Lunar Guard?

“But what if it’s only a temporary fix?”

“Oh, now you’re just assuming the worst-case scenario.” Mind got up and slammed his hooves on the table.

“I don’t want to hurt you!” He broke into deep breaths before his now silent caregiver, his voice started to break as his eyes gleamed. “Please, Mantra. I don’t want to become the Schism.”

“Alright, fine. I get it... Come with me. I want to show you something, sweetheart.”

Mantra then led her partner through the mansion, up the foyer stairs and into a room on the mansion’s south wing. Many heavily aged paintings adorned the walls of this room; paintings solely of landscapes. Each piece’s style matched with one another. She toured Mind through the many corridors of paintings.

"You asked me before what my connection with the Royal Pony Sisters is. I'm sorry, with all that's going on, I keep forgetting. My history with the Royal Sisters dates all the way back to my ancestor, Valiant Strokes.” Before for the corridors of art stood a statue of the stallion; one that resembled the same one that stood flamboyantly in front of the mansion.

"Valiant Strokes was a painter. He went all around Equestria painting every single landscape he could find. He came really close to killing himself trying to scale the mountains within the Frozen North, but he did it because he loved Equestria so much.” Mind gave a passing glance at the same painting of the field underneath the rainbow-smothered Cloudsdale he saw before in the hallway. Then to the dark clouds overshadowing the sky-climbing snow-capped peaks of the Frozen North.

"One day, he was commissioned to do a painting for Celestia and Luna. A changeling disguised as a guard made an attempt on their lives, which most certainly would've been successful had it not been for Valiant's interference.” Mind gazed upon the unfinished painting of the princesses sitting at their thrones; a streak of darkened red blood stained across Celestia’s chest. "His act of bravery saved the sisters, but left him with irreparable nerve damage at the base of his horn. Well, irreparable at the time, probably. But anyway, he lost stability on his magic grip, and he couldn't paint anymore.

"As thanks for his bravery, Celestia and Luna made him a count and gave him his own estate. Despite owning this manor, he still regularly took trips all around Equestria. One day, he met a lovely lady and settled down with her."

"Huh. So you're a countess?"

"Mhm. Countess Mantra, last daughter of the House Of Valiant Strokes. Anyway, he continued to travel the world to behold Equestria’s sights. Even when he had a wife and a family that meant the world to him, the world itself was incomparable, despite him no longer being able to paint.

“The moral of the story, Mind, is that your dreams are irreplaceable. Your dreams and your goals are your reasons for living, and not even those you love, those who are the world to you, can replace them.” Mind felt something precarious impending, which was reinforced by Mantra’s turquoise eyes. “Mind, I am not going to allow you to render me unworthy of your love. To render me the reason you can’t pursue your dreams. To render me helpless and impotent to any obstacle that we may pass.”

“You’re giving me an ultimatum,” Mind said calmly despite his heart beating fast, “and you mean it.”

“And I hate it. I hate ultimatums with a passion and feel sick having to be the one to make one, but your unbearable fucking stubbornness has forced my hoof: Mind Fission, you are getting your horn reattached or else I’m leaving you.”

“Mantra…” Mind waited for her to continue. “You’re right, I’m being stubborn. I’m being stupidly stubborn, and it’s not something new to me. I’m so sorry, Mantra. Snowy puts up with this shit from me all the time-”

“Mind, stop! You need to stop guilt-tripping and beating yourself up!”

“I’m sorry, Mantra-”

“‘Mommy!’” Mantra boomed with her eyes glowing scarlet. A scarlet that pierced his very soul. “I am ‘Mommy’. I tried to be your girlfriend; to let you have equal ground, like a normal relationship, but clearly you’re not mature enough to treat your girlfriend as an equal. I am tired of you not letting me in. Tired of you thinking you’re ‘saving’ me by keeping your feelings from me. Tired of you talking back to me over shit that you know you’re in the wrong about, but are convinced otherwise by your mental gymnastics.

“I don’t want to hear anymore of your psychological bullshit, and I don’t want you to put me in situations where I feel like I can’t do anything to help you anymore. In fact, you’re grounded!”

“Grounded!?”

“For two weeks! No more adulting! No more talking, acting, or even thinking like a grown-up. Now, you can be Mommy’s good little baby again and do as she says, or you can have your butt paddled for two hours straight with soap in your mouth.” Mind hesitated to answer, and ended up not answering at all in response to Mantra’s fierce eyes. “As soon as Nightward and Twilight get your horn ready, we’re reattaching it.”

“Yes, Mommy.”

“Come look at this painting.” Mind’s clipping hooves took him to a large canvas depicting a malevolently radiant night sky. The cliffside where Canterlot Castle rested didn’t even take up half of the canvas, sitting at the bottom of the view. “Valiant Strokes painted this on the very night Luna refused to lower the moon. He wanted to preserve her beauty and make such a horrible turn of events into something magnificent because he loved the kingdom and the world for what it was, and didn’t desire to change a thing about it.”

“...It’s very pretty.”

“It’s ‘very pretty’?”

“It’s vewy pwetty…”

“Better, but that’s your only warning, little one.”

“What do you suggest I do now, Luna?”

“Well, it looks like your path is already decided. Arguing with Mantra is hard; that mare is quite stubborn.”

“More stubborn than I?”

“I wasn’t going to say that.”

“I do apologize if I’ve been difficult at all.”

“They wouldn’t be called ‘problems’ if they weren’t difficult to overcome.”

“Thank you for everything, Princess.”

Mind took another confident walk on the path and even paid no thought to the Schism appearing before him.

“Do you have an actual answer to my question yet?” The silhouette said. “I know it sounds like I’m being rhetorical, but I’m genuinely interested. How are you not evil?”

“Everypony has something about themselves that they wish they could change.”

“You can’t be convinced you can lead a normal life based on that ideology alone. How naïve.”

“Well, I’m getting my horn back whether I want it or not. And when I get rid of that embolism, you’ll be gone too.”

“And this is why Mantra shouldn’t do your thinking for you. You really think breaking down some coagulated blood is going to get rid of all the pain you caused to everypony? Not that you’ll care about pain. As soon as that horn goes back on your head, you will feel all that power again.”

“Shut up!”

“What does Mantra know about your powers? She couldn’t even do a hornectomy correctly. She’s a fool to convince you into thinking you won’t make her jump off a cliff as soon as you can. You’re a fool for thinking even for a second that losing your horn isn’t anything except poetic justice. Breaking down coagulated blood won’t redesign your feelings, feelings which you know are nothing but the truth!”

And Mind woke with the last word of his sentence echoing in his head, frustrated that he woke before he could say anything, but then groaned at the realization that he had nothing to retort with.

“I ask a question and you both share your honest answer. But the rules are that your answer must be honest and meaningful. I really want to hear answers from your hearts; there shouldn’t be any secrets kept between two ponies who change each other’s diapers. But there’s another rule that’s very important: Absolutely no teasing. As in no making quips at each other’s smelliness or making each other feel small. We’re just talking this out. You think you two can do that?”

The three sat in a triangle, Mind and Mantra facing across from one another while their cobalt-coated arbiter took an appropriate seat beside them both. They were both freshly diapered with their mouths free. Mantra’s mane was put into the cobalt bow again, and they were both sporting plain t-shirts; Mind’s was baby blue and Mantra’s was baby pink.

“Alright, you two are at an impasse. This is common in any relationship and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Now, I’ve taken the situation and both of your views into much consideration. The root issue at hoof is the fact that neither of you respected each other enough on an equal level. Would either of you disagree with this?” He glanced back and forth at each foal, seeing them both refusing to make eye contact with one another out of nervousness. “It’s important that I get a definite answer, you two. Did you feel like the other was not treating you equally?” They both nodded. “Alright. Mind, did you start feeling this way at all before the Schism?”

“No, I guess not.”

“Okay, expand on that. What changed about the Schism? And be perfectly honest, and Mantra, please don’t interrupt.”

“The Schism is a direct result of remorse from my mind control rampage. The Schism was created by my meddling with arcane magic and years worth of medical experience. This was a problem I felt had to be dealt with head-on. I understand that you prefer to leave your problems in the dust and move on by being a foal-at-heart, but you need to respect that I don’t feel the same way about some of my problems. I’m sorry I made you feel the way you do, I really didn’t mean to.” A moment of silence indicated he was finished, which was further indicated by Azure’s gesturing hoof.

“I thought I already did respect that; I set up the forgiveness meeting and even implored Celestia to publicly pardon you. I did it all head-on because it was your issue, and it’s what you would’ve done. I think I successfully showed you I had full respect for your ideology, but you fail to show me the same respect for mine.”

“I do respect yours, but this is still my issue.”

“Then why do you refuse to let me help you with this? We are a couple, afterall.”

“Because I don’t want to burden you… I mean, you’ve already done so much. I can’t possibly ask you to help me with an issue that goes so deep into my medical jargon.”

“Sounds to me like you don’t think I’m capable of helping you at all.” Her eyes then turned the deepest turquoise Mind has seen them, despite the unmatching flare in her tone. Azure felt the need to interrupt nag at him, but he quieted the nagging, as was his nature. “I don’t need you ‘protecting’ me from the Schism. I don’t need a nursing degree to tell when my baby is miserable, so stop pushing me away!”

“But Mantra, the nature of this-”

“No, Daddy! Stop pushing me away!” Her voice then broke slightly. “Stop pushing me away.” Her breathing grew heavy as a tear ran down her cheek. “We have a plan; we get your horn reattached, the Schism goes away, and then we baby each other happily ever after. No more nightmares. No more problems. Please don’t take that away from me. You’re all I have left.” A drop ran down her other cheek and then drops turned into streams, and she stared down Mind in blurred vision. Azure Burst took a deep breath, knowing he absolutely needed to intervene.

“Poly… Poly, I want you to-”

“Don’t you dare ever call me that again!" Mantra cried, sniping the cobalt unicorn with a vicious glare. "Polyamory died when her mom died! If she were alive, she’d have to live with the pain of losing everypony she cares about! Mantra is blessed with Mind Fission; the world’s most precious foal, and best daddy! She gets to live the joy of foalhood whether she’s a filly or a mommy, and has no significant problems in her life, because her life is everything she ever wanted!”

She tried as hard as she could to show strength, and attempted to mask her pain. Mind slowly crawled over to his sobbing little filly. His psychic connection with her feelings forced his hooves to reach toward her and pull her in. His chest was starting soak, smothered by the bawling filly.

“It’s okay,” the red-maned stallion said while stroking her back. “Daddy will never leave you. Just go ahead and let it all out.”

“I don’t want you to leave.” She cried a bit more into his chest fluff. “I couldn’t handle not knowing for sure if my mom really loved me. I thought if I just numbed myself with foal-at-heart life, I wouldn’t ever have to face that. But now I’m afraid of losing you too. I’m in fear for my life, and I don’t want to lose you!”

“Your mom would be proud of you.”

“I miss my mom, Daddy! I miss my mom. I miss my mom...”

“It’s okay to miss her. I know for a fact that she would be proud of you because she told you she was. I may not have ever known my biological parents, but a parent doesn’t tell their children they’re proud of them unless they really mean it. She might not have completely understood your little side, but she still believed that you would grow into an incredible courageous young mare, which you did; you basically saved Equestria for goodness sake. You did save Equestria, Polyamory.”

“Daddy, I love you so much. I love you.”

“I love you too. Does my little filly feel all better?”

“Let me go get something, Daddy.” Mantra, with permission from Mind, galloped up the foyer stairs.

Azure Burst lifted Mind toward him with magic and gave him a bone-crushing hug.

“Thank you for that, Mind.” He released him before Mind felt the need to call out for air.

“Hey, I had a lot of psych classes for a reason.”

“Psych class has nothing to do with a daddy’s love for his filly.” Stomping was made on the stairs back down. Azure widened his eyes at what Mantra brought back down with her; a white alicorn plush with sky blue eyes and a long heart-red mane and tail. “Sweetie, what are you doing with Courage Flame?” She then sat in front of Mind and held it in her hooves before him.

“Daddy, this is Courage Flame. He was born at Build-A-Pony when I was a filly. He was my favorite plushy to go on adventures with. He’s the prince of the faraway land of New Equestria. His cutie mark is a fire that represents his vicarious bravery in the face of impossible odds and the most dire of circumstances. He also has very powerful magic; he can even stop time, but his time stopping power is on a one second time limit.”

“Wait, what? But if time is stopped-”

“He can’t reach the time limit, exactly.” Mind gave her a dull stare. “Hey, I thought it was clever when I was a filly. Anyway, even a brave hero like Courage Flame was a foal at one point, and he had a mommy who took care of him and changed his smelly diapers. But most importantly, he was my consult: To this very day, he would advise me, and he shared his courage with me to do anything I can. And quite honestly, I’ve slept with him every single night except for the nights I slept with you.”

“He sounds amazing~”

“And you want to know what he’s telling me right now?”

“What?”

“Nothing. Because I’m giving him to you so he can watch me and be happy for me. Happy that I don’t need his guidance anymore.” Astonishment took Mind for a few seconds before he looked back up at her from the plush and smiled at the pink mare.

“This makes me happier than you could imagine. But hold on, it’s my turn.” Mind stood up and galloped toward his nursery. Mantra hugged her alicorn hero in her hooves once again then held him before her.

“Yes, I’m sure I want to do this. I’ve relied on you for so long. You’ve helped me get through so much. I’m sorry I didn’t introduce you to my daddy sooner, but I wanted to make sure he was the one before I did. And I promise you that you will see how far your help has gotten me. And I promise you I will be happy.” She sniffled and hugged Courage again, the streams on her face strengthening and grazing against the corners of her smile. “I promise you, Courage Flame, that I’m going to be okay… I’m going to be okay.” Mind returned with Polymo sitting on his back, and put him in his hooves as he sat down in front of her. “No, I got him for you.”

“I can’t let my little filly go to bed at night without a plushy in her hooves. I want you to have Polymo to remind you that life is not about picking and choosing the colors we want to see; we have to embrace every color so that they can all come together into something truly beautiful.” The two foals, with their plushy offerings in hooves, merged together for a long hug. There was a chime that ringed through the mansion. Azure took it upon himself to answer it.

“Hey Poly,” Azure said upon his return, “how about we let the foals babysit the plushies and I take you to the park?” His magic was already at work on the pegasus that walked in with him, who now lay before him. The stallion’s magic slid a thick fresh diaper under Snowy’s naked rear; he lay silent. “Are you and Mind going to have fun while we’re gone?”

“Yes, Daddy.” With Snowy freshly diapered and Mind checked, the front door closed behind Azure and the filly donned once more in her pink summer mini-dress. “‘Poly’?”

“I made a quintessential breakthrough with Mantra.

“Oh?”

“I helped her come to terms with the loss of her mother.”

“Oh… Wow… I’m really proud of you, Mind.”

“I feel really proud of myself for that. I really feel like I just made her the happiest filly in the world.”

“I’m glad. What about you, though?” Mind took a heavy sigh before answering.

“I’m a little nervous about the reattachment. I really want this to work out, but… Snowy, did you ever think that I was evil?”

“What- No, of course not!”

“It was just a question, Snowy. You’re getting unnecessarily angry again.”

“No, I’m not! I don’t understand why you can’t just fucking get over your shit. You keep twisting everything into something new to blame yourself for and I’m fucking tired of it.”

“Snowy, I’m having the worst crisis I’ve ever had in my life. I thought you’d actually show me some sympathy for once.”

“I am sympathetic. But every time any of us try to help you, you just deflect to another ‘problem’. It’s not just me; Mantra and Azure Burst are fed up with it too. The difference is that they didn’t have the guts to tell you directly right away.”

”Do you have any idea what it’s like to have a voice within yourself constantly nagging at you? Plaguing your sleep and your life as a whole all the time?”

“Mind… Are you trying to say that I don’t know what that’s like?”

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t-”

“No! Stop! You can’t believe every single thing that that voice tells you. If I ever truly believed what mine told me, I wouldn’t be sitting here beside you today. In fact, you’re one of the reasons that I am still alive today.”

“Snowy…”

“You’re not evil. Promise me that you will get your horn back, and promise me that when you do, you will be the same Mind Fission that I always knew.”

“Snowy… I promise you that I’m going to put all of this behind me for good. But not only am I promising you that I’ll get my life back on track, but I truly want to; I’ll do anything to get it back to normal. I already cemented my place in Polyamory’s heart, and I’ll do anything to truly earn back your friendship.”

“Mind… Our friendship was never truly lost. You’re my friend and my brother, and you always will be.” The two’s upper hooves wrapped each other in a long hug while Mind promised that he was going to defeat the Schism the next time he saw it. The pegasus’ wings spread around him warmly.

Mantra lay in her crib with Mind that night. He was wrapped snug in his hooved sleeper and Mantra’s forelegs. Before he knew it, he already found himself falling fast asleep and swiftly was transported to the celestial path once more. Luna stood before him waiting, but said no words, only gave a nod and an assuring smile. The Schism appeared before the stallion, causing him to hesitate before proceeding.

“If it’s one thing everypony is right about, you are most certainly stubborn.” The silhouette boomed. “Constantly walking down this path confident as ever when you know I’m just going to break you easier than you broke the minds you got your evil grip on.”

“You know, for something that claims to be me, you’re pretty fucking stupid.”

“You know you’re not stupid.”

“I know I’m not stupid.”

“Ha. Let’s just get this over with, then. How are you notevil?”

“I have a goal of becoming a doctor; one who aims to help and heal ponies and creatures of all kinds. But more importantly, I have the best friends one could possibly have.”

“For some reason I thought I’d get a better answer than that. You can’t seriously expect to tell me you’re not evil because you have friends, can you?”

“So are you saying that evil ponies can have friendships?”

“Of course, but only with those just as vile as they are.”

“Snowy. Mantra. Azure. Vile?”

“Well… Well, they can- Well… Heh, who’s to say for certain?”

“See, you can’t admit it because you’re me. You’re my thoughts, my emotions, my entire being. You can twist all you can to make me out to be something that I’m not, but you can’t do that to my friends.” Mind walked intrepidly toward the white light at the end of the celestial path, his hooves clipping past the astonished Schism.

“And… And what kind of life will you go on to live? Having your entire life watched over by a mare? Her changing your shitty diapers your whole life? A grown stallion wetting and soiling diapers as a testament to his love for her! If that’s your idea of love, then you’re a sick and twisted freak of nature!” Mind only laughed back at the Schism and its vain attempt at making him feel guilty over his fetishes, something that he dealt with many years before. He stood inches before the white light.

“That lifestyle sounds like a paradise, and you aren’t any part of it. I won, Schism.”

“You won fuck-all!” With another step toward the light, the Schism conceded. “I won’t be gone, though. I will always be in your thoughts because I am you, and I will always be you.”

“And that’s perfectly fine with me.”

The Schism faded away in the now growing white light. The warm light carried Mind back into the world. He lay in Mantra’s hooves, waking with a smile.

“You’re the best mommy a foal could ask for.” He slowly closed his eyes again as Mantra’s gentle stroking carried him back to the realm of sleep.

“Mind, thank you so much for being in my life, and for giving more to it that I could have ever imagined it… As you count sheep, remember that you are only a helpless little foal.”

The End

Author's Note

It took me close to three years to finish this, and I'm very proud of what this story turned out to be. I've never really posted a story anywhere else, and I really felt my writing improve and transcend beyond just typical fetish content (or worse, super-edgy stuff) that I wouldn't have been satisfied with.

I'm glad others enjoyed this~

Special thanks to SnowBlitz and another friend who I shall leave anonymous for being the best friends a guy could ask for.

Special thanks to said anonymous friend for being my consult for medical accuracy and for her place in my life.

And to Nightward and Mix-up for their friendship and support.