Smolder continued to just stand there, staring at her wide-eyed friends who said nothing. They seemed to be locked into a contest, as if daring the other side to speak first, and neither would make that move.

At last it was Sandbar who found the courage to break the silence. “So… Smolder… you uh… you look cute, I suppose.”

Smolder snorted in reply. She fought back the urge to shed tears, dragons never cried (or at least that’s what she’d always been told).

“What… brought this on? I-if you don’t mind me asking.” Ocellus inquired with a bit of a blush.

“Why do you care?” Smolder retorted. “You’re just gonna make fun of me no matter what.”

Gallus shot back a look of confusion. “And why would we do that? This looks more weird than funny, Smolder.”

“Because here I am, rough and tough Smolder, all cutesy and wootsy in a diaper!” The dragon protested, her tone of voice and body language conveying just how upset she was. “Any creature in their right mind would laugh at me! So go ahead, laugh yourself silly!”

But none of the dragon’s friends did. In fact they remained silent until Yona spoke up. “Yak not understand. Why Smolder want to dress like baby in first place? Something wrong with Smolder?”

“Maybe she wets the bed?” Silverstream inquired. “I’ve seen students wear diapers because of that. Which I probably wasn’t supposed to mention, oops!”

“I’m fine, there’s nothing wrong with me!” The dragon roared in response. “It’s stupid and pointless! I don’t even know why I thought it was a good idea in the first place!”

Sandbar, undeterred, trotted up to Smolder and put a hoof around her. “Hey, it’s okay, Smolder. No need to lash out. We’re your friends. And friends don’t judge friends for their interests, no matter how weird they might be,” Then he promised. “You can tell us, we won’t say a word to any creature. Not to Headmare Twilight, not to Counselor Starlight, and certainly not to Cozy Glow.”

“Cozy Glow is the absolute last pony I’d want to have find out about this!” Smolder retorted. “And you’d really do that for me? All of you?” Her friends all nodded one by one. Even chatterbox Silverstream seemed to agree to silence. “Well, if you ever do tell another creature, I’m not speaking to you guys ever again! Understand?!”

Everyone nodded, and then Sandbar encouraged. “So, are you gonna tell us or do we have guess?”

With a reluctant sigh, the dragon with a coat of orange tried to explain to the best of her ability. “We dragons don’t really do things like diapers or pacifiers or any of that baby junk. Once you reach a certain age, you’re just cave trained to do your business in a certain spot. Then you rinse off afterward in a lava bath.”

“But doesn’t that hurt? At least we griffons use leaves or the occasional scrap of paper.” Gallus pondered.

Smolder shook her head. “You forget that we’re dragons, we’re immune to fire. To us, a lava bath is just like a bubble bath except there’s no soap,” Then she took a deep breath as she went on. “So basically, when I first came here and saw how ponies handled their young, I didn’t think anything of it at first. But after I met you guys and started getting used to living among ponies and other creatures, a part of me started to feel drawn to that foal stuff for some reason. Then I met this little colt and his mother, and from that point onward I started to develop… feelings for diapers and other cute stuff.”

“And let me guess, you decided to finally try them out after the Tree of Harmony tested you and made you admit you liked cute, silly stuff.” Gallus concluded.

The dragon reluctantly nodded. “Y-yeah. It wasn’t easy to get my claws on the diapers and… the rest of the stuff. I didn’t even mean for you guys to find out, I meant to lock the door.”

“Yeah, we kind of figured that was the case,” Ocellus confirmed. “And Sandbar’s right, you do look cute.”

Smolder tried her hardest not to blush. “Y-yeah… w-well just remember, if you tell any creature about any of this, I’m not speaking to you guys ever again! So don’t say a word, and if anyone asks you never saw any of this! Got it?!”

The dragon’s friends all nodded one by one, both because they valued Smolder’s friendship and because she could be quite scary when she was angry.

“So, what should we do now that we know about this side of you, Smolder?” Sandbar pondered. “We were kind of hoping to invite you to come hang out at Sugarcube Corner, but I don’t think we can take you out in public like this.”

“Yeah,” Silverstream chuckled. “They don’t make foal buggies in your size! I’m surprised you even found diapers that fit you.”

Smolder did something she rarely did in response to that, she eeped and swished her tail as though she’d been stung by one of Professor Fluttershy’s insect friends! A raging blush started to form on her cheeks as she protested. “Don’t even joke about that kind of stuff! If I ever went out in public like this, I’d die of embarrassment!”

“Yona did not know dragons could die of embarrassment,” Yona wondered aloud. “Is death by embarrassment possible?”

“Not really, I think it’s just an expression.” Ocellus replied.

“My point still stands!” Smolder insisted. “I might as well be dead if I go out in public like this! So please, whatever you guys do, don’t even think of taking me out in public while I’m diapered!”

Yona simply smiled. “Why not take dragon out in public? I mean what's wrong with ponies seeing this?” she asked not completely seeing why it's embarrassing, though she was trying to understand It.

“It's complicated, Yona. Just drop It for now, pease?” Smolder insisted, not wanting to bring that up anymore.

“Alright, alright, we won’t,” Sandbar promised. But then a rather goofy grin started to form on his face. “Although, since we can’t take you out in public, I suppose we’ll have to settle for the next best thing.”

The dragon with a coat of orange gulped. “You don’t mean…”

Silverstream’s eyes lit up! “Oh yes we do! All babies need at least a mommy or a daddy to take care of them! And you are a baby, a really big baby!”

“Am not!” Smolder protested in a tone of voice that sounded not unlike a whine.

“Oh, baby is being fussy,” Yona realized and then her eyes fell upon a pacifier that looked to be about Smolder’s size. It was sitting on the floor, unattended. The yak got an idea and scooped it up. “Here, baby is to suck on this to stop her whining. Yak has seen it in babies before.”

Smolder opened her mouth to protest, only to have the pacifier being inserted into her mouth. It was the color as her moderate orchid scales. “Sewiouswy, Yona?!” She complained, the pacifier causing her words to have a slight lisp. A lisp that all of her friends found both adorable and hilarious.

“Come on, Smolder,” Sandbar encouraged. “If we’re gonna keep your secret, you know you gotta do something for us in return. The least you can do is let us have a little practice with our parenting skills, just this once,” Sandbar smiled and then said. “I must admit you look just as adorable as my little sister, who's still in diapers might I add!”

Smolder yanked the pacifier out of her mouth so she could talk more clearly. “You guys aren’t going to take no for an answer, are you?” Her friends all shook their heads, and the dragon let out a groan. “Ugh! Fine, you can baby me if you want. But remember, this is our little secret, you can’t tell anyone else!”

“Oh relax, baby,” Sandbar cooed as he re-inserted the pacifier. “You don’t have to worry about anything anymore. Just sit tight and let the grown-ups take care of everything. We’ll play with you, feed you, give you bottles, and even change your diapers if you decide to use them.”

But Gallus protested. “Oh no, I’ll do anything but change diapers! I can’t stand the horrible smell that comes with it!”

“Yona not sure baby will want to use her diapers,” Yona pondered. “Although yak notices baby has changing supplies.”

“Well, if she wants to use her diapers that’s up to her,” Ocellus insisted. “I can probably take care of changing her, I’ll just turn myself into something that can’t smell. That’s how I survived taking care of hatchlings in the nursery back at my hive.”

“Ooh, maybe we could get her one of those plastic bowl thingies called a training potty, and have her use that instead!” Silverstream suggested.

Smolder couldn’t help but blush as her friends talked about her using the diaper, they didn’t even bother to ask if that's what she wanted. As her friends all discussed these and other matters, Smolder just thought to herself. “I never did decide if I wanted to use my diapers or not. I guess I’ll cross that bridge when and if I come to it.”

“Alright then, baby,” Sandbar cooed as he pinched Smolder’s cheeks. “What do you wanna do first?”

As if in response to the question, Smolder’s stomach started to growl quite audibly. She took her pacifier out of her mouth so she could again be heard properly. “I’m kind of hungry. You guys got any crushed gems I could eat?”

One by one the dragon’s friends all shook their heads. “Sorry, fresh out.” Gallus apologized.

Ocellus suggested. “Well, maybe we could ask Spike if he has some he could spare? Or maybe Headmare Twilight will know where we can get some?”

But Silverstream already had an idea! “No worries, guys, I’ve got this covered! Be right back!” Before anyone had a chance to ask the half hippogriff/half seapony what she was going to do, she’d already departed. She returned shortly with several jars of foal food, a baby bottle, and some formula. “Here we go, fresh num-nums!” She cooed.

“Where did you get all that?” Smolder questioned and then gasped in horror!” You didn’t tell our professors about me, did you?!”

With a giggle Silverstream shook her head. “Come on, silly, have a little faith in me. I didn’t tell them you like to wear diapers and be treated like a baby. I just told Professor Pinkie Pie we’re taking care of a foal as part of an extra credit assignment, and that it’s top secret. I even made her ‘Pinkie Promise’ not to tell.” She then set the foal food down near the rest of Smolder’s baby supplies.

“Gallus, why don’t you take charge of feeding her?” Sandbar encouraged. “I can’t be the only one who’s taking care of the baby all day.”

“Me?!” Gallus briefly exclaimed before a reluctant sigh escaped his lips. “Fine, I guess I’ll do it. Come here, Smolder. Uncle Gallus is gonna feed you. Just try not to make a mess, okay?”

“No promises,” Smolder replied with a wink. “You guys want to take care of a baby, you’re gonna get the full package.” A bib was soon tied around her neck.

Gallus un-screwed the lid of the first jar, a mushy yellow colored substance labeled Pureed Banana. He reluctantly dipped a plastic spoon into the jar and presented it to his charge. “Open up, here comes the choo-choo train.” He tried to coo as best he could. It still didn’t make this any less awkward.

Rather than cooperate, Smolder thought it would be fun to misbehave. So she made a face and turned her head, pretending she didn’t like the slop.

“Come on, Smolder! Stop playing around!” Gallus groaned as he quickly began to lose his temper. “Open up, or you can go hungry! It’s your choice!”

“Gallus, that’s not how you take care of a baby. You don’t shout at them like that,” Ocellus scolded. “You’re supposed to gentle and coaxing.”

The griffon simply retorted. “Well that’s how we do things in Griffonstone. You eat what’s on your plate, or you starve, no in between. Even our young are raised that way.”

“But Smolder is dragon, not griffon,” Yona shook her head in response. “Gallus need to treats Smolder like baby dragon, not baby griffon.”

The blue feathered griffon reluctantly obliged. “Fine, I’ll try to be more gentle,” In a softer tone of voice he tried to encourage. “Come on, Smolder. Please open up. You wanna be a good baby for your Uncle Gallus, right?”

Smolder decided it was best to just cooperate and opened her mouth, allowing her first (and arguably closest) friend to deposit the spoon’s contents inside. She was immediately overwhelmed by the sweet taste! Was this what she’d been missing out on growing up in the dragon lands?

The feeding process repeated itself with two more jars after the Pureed Banana. The first was Mashed Peas, which Smolder detested. She was glad that Cream of Carrot tasted much better. Once she’d eaten to her heart’s content, Gallus picked her up as best he could and gentle put a claw over her back as he began to pat it.

Smolder took the cue and let out a burp, a small flame escaped as a result. “Sorry, that just slipped out.” She apologized as she was set back down.

“It’s alright,” Gallus sighed. “Just… warn me the next time you’re gonna do that. I’d rather not have my feathers be roasted black, thank you.”

Smolder giggled at the image, before she waddled (the diaper pushed her legs apart, making walking a chore) over to the rattle and various toys that lay scattered across the floor. She didn’t need to speak a word for her friends to understand what she was expecting.

“Oh boy, play time!” Silverstream eagerly exclaimed! “Come on, Yona! This’ll be easy!”

“Fair warning, yak play rough!” Yona giggled as she bounded over to Smolder’s location and sat down.

The padded dragon motioned to some foam alphabet blocks, indicating that she wanted to build a tower. Yona and Silverstream were more than happy to help. Between Yona’s strength and Silverstream’s flying, they were able to build a tower that stacked up almost to the ceiling.

Yona delighted in smashing the tower when it could go no higher! “Yaks best at smashing! Yaks love to smash!”

“Silverstream smash too!” Silverstream giggled, mimicking her yak friend’s way of speaking. Unlike when she’d tried to smash a bucket, she had no trouble at all demolishing the block tower.

All that playing caused Smolder to work up quite a thirst. “Baba.” She shouted, trying to draw her friends’ attention. Fortunately for her, they quickly caught on.

But there was one problem. While they had formula they had no way of heating up the bottle safely. Smolder’s fire breath would likely overheat the bottle and cause the milk to spoil.

However, Ocellus developed a solution. The changeling transformed herself into a cow. All her friends blinked at her in surprise as the changeling explained with a blush. “What? Cows produce milk, so we can just use the milk I produce for the bottle and mix in some formula.”

Sandbar blushed. “But, you do know how cows release their milk, right?”

Ocellus blushed back. “Yeah, but it’s the only solution I could think of. Just try not to milk me too hard.”

Since Sandbar was the only remaining creature with hooves, he reluctantly volunteered to milk the transformed Ocellus (thanks to Applejack he was able to learn how to milk cows, so he could handle this). It took a while to get the process down, and yet slowly but surely he was able to fill up the bottle. Then he gave it to Ocellus when she transformed back to normal, and she quickly mixed in the formula, before giving the bottle back to Sandbar.

Smolder scooted over slowly. While not blushing she still sheepishly asked Sandbar. “Uh, is it okay if I um… lay in your lap? I’ve seen most ponies feed their little ones bottles that way, it just feels natural.”

“Sure, Smolder, you didn’t even have to ask.” Sandbar smiled as he watched the padded dragon carefully lay her head upon his lap, while he sat on the floor. As he fed her the bottle, he also started to sing a soft tune into her ear.

By the time the bottle was empty, Smolder was beginning to yawn. Her eyelids were starting to droop.

Thinking quickly, Gallus inserted Smolder’s pacifier. “Guess it’s time for your nap, huh?” He half teased, half cooed.

Smolder was too tired to say anything in reply, she just shut her eyes and soon she was snoring away, her pacifier bobbing up and down in her mouth.

Sandbar gently lay her on her bed, while Yona and Ocellus pulled the covers up to the sleeping dragon’s neck.

Then one by one her friends all kissed her on the forehead. “Sweet dreams, Smolder.” Silverstream even whispered. Then they all left, making sure to close the door and place a “Do Not Disturb” sign so no one would think to enter.

As Smolder drifted off To sleep, she sleepishly thought. “Maybe next time they could read me a bedtime story.” She then drifted into a deep and comfortable sleep.

Author's Note

hope you enjoyed this chapter, the next chapter Is the last one I'm afraid.