Author's Note

Oooooh guys, I am so happy with how this chapter turned out. It's short but It turned out great. Well, at least I think the end portion did. The rest was kinda meh to me as far as writing goes.

I promised more Crusader shenanigans and I delivered. A bit of hijinks to lighten the mood before the drama.

Special thanks to Rhinostrong AKA the fabulous Pip for his invaluable opinions on this tiny chapter. Pip darling, you made my day today! You should go check out his work, if you haven't read it. He's very talented! (Yep, that was a shameless plug.)

The end of this little chapter was inspired by the fic The Crinkle Cadet by Twinkle Hoof. Go read that fic. Seriously. It's so great.

Hope you all enjoy this as much as I did!

Changes

As Pinkie bonded with her mother, Applejack was bonding with hers. Pear Butter finished feeding her daughter and burped her. Applejack sighed contentedly and leaned into her chest. She noticed pressure building up in her bladder, and stiffened. She started to get up from her mother’s hold, but she was gently pushed back down.

“Where are you goin’ sugarcube?” Pear Butter asked.

“To the restroom.”

“Sugar, you’re wearing your potty.”

“I can’t go in this thing.” Applejack protested.

“There’s nothing to be ashamed of.” Pear reassured.

Applejack scoffed. “Yes there is!”

Pear hushed her. “No there’s not. Almost everypony else here has done it, so you are not alone. And if it makes you uncomfortable, you don’t ever have to do it again after today. But you made a promise to a friend, and you know we keep our promises in this family.”

“But-“

“Shhhh.” Pear Butter hushed her. “Just let go.” She started singing to her daughter to calm her down.

Applejack relaxed marginally, and it was enough for her bladder to do the same. She tried to focus on the feeling of relief rather than the spreading warmth in her lower half. Although she had to admit it wasn’t as bad as she thought. It was better than getting cold mud all over her on the farm. Pear Butter kissed her forehead. “That’s my girl.” She picked her daughter up and took her to the changing table. She changed the diaper in the blink of an eye. It brought back wonderful memories of her daughter’s foalhood.

As she was changing her daughter, the nursery doors opened, and in entered the Crusaders. Apple Bloom’s eyes widened as she saw her sister.

“Applejack…?” She asked.

Applejack put a hoof over her eyes. Perfect. Just what she needed. Her baby sister seeing her getting a diaper change.

Apple Bloom was about to snicker, but Pear Butter shot her a look. She helped Applejack down, and then patted the table. “Come on, Apple Bloom. Let’s get you padded too.”

Apple Bloom lost her faint ghost of a smile. But she obeyed. She went off to play with her sister as the others went and got changed too.

Once the Crusaders were padded again, they played with their sisters for a short while, before the three of them decided to have a bit of fun. They each pranked their sisters together. They each told their respective sister that they wanted to do some practice to earn their cutie marks. So they got out the play make up Cookie had gotten for Rarity and started working. It didn’t take much other than some puppy dog eyes on Apple Bloom’s part and just asking the question for Scootaloo. Although Rainbow did feel obligated to indulge her a bit for playing with her.

And play they did. Sweetie, Scootaloo, and Apple Bloom went to work on their sisters faces. Of course, they knew it would look bad. But they figured since their sisters were playing foal, they could too. They finished roughly half an hour later. Occasionally Pinkie, Twilight, or Fluttershy would comment on how well they were doing, and toward the end they had to stifle a snicker. Cookie brought over a mirror. The three mares looked at themselves. They looked like clowns. The blush was way too bright on their cheeks, their lipstick was smeared around their lips, the eyeshadow was a bright pink all over their eyes and close to their eyebrows. Their complexions were chalky and pale from too much foundation.

Each of their reactions were different. Rarity was initially horrified, until she realized that her sister was getting just as into this as she was, and then she smiled. Applejack looked bemused, and congratulated her little sister on a job well done. She didn’t know a thing about make up, but she knew her sister gave it her best, and that was what mattered. And Rainbow, well, she just giggled. She thought she looked hilarious.

Their mothers congratulated the Crusaders on a job well done, and told their daughters that they looked beautiful. Then, as the Crusaders scampered off in a sudden game of chase. Then, Their mothers cleaned the victims of the makeover up until they looked like themselves again. After that, they joined the chase, having grown used to the bulk of their diapers. When the chase ended, Applejack, Apple Bloom, Rarity, and Sweetie Belle ended up playing Mother May I? But Dashie and Scootaloo ended up flying a few inches up from the ground, taking her for a ride. When Dashie ended up struggling too much to stay aloft, they settled down, and ended up making a block city. Windy slipped a pacifier into Dashie’s mouth so she wouldn’t chew on her hoof, and then let them be. She needed to help the other parents prepare for the rest of the evening.

Around seven that evening, the doors to the castle opened, and three ponies trotted inside. They looked around but saw nopony. But they were sure their friend was there. They’d checked her home, her parents home, and around Ponyville in general. This was the last place they had looked. They checked the throne room, but Princess Twilight wasn’t there, and the place seemed empty. They were about to go check the outskirts of town when they heard the distinct sound of giggling. They followed the noise, hoping to find their friend. There was a slightly opened door from when the Crusaders entered last and hadn’t closed it all the way. The three ponies opened the door and what they saw shocked them.

It was a nursery. There was a giant crib instead of the bed, a changing table stocked full of diapers, bottles, and who knew what else, a rocking chair, a small bookshelf, and a toy box. A multicolored rug was at the center of the room, giving it a more youthful feel than the blasé walls of the castle. Inside, there was Twilight, Pinkie, Fluttershy, Applejack, Rarity, and the Pony they were looking for, Rainbow Dash. Only, it didn’t look like Rainbow Dash. Rainbow Dash did not play with blocks. Rainbow Dash did not suck on a pacifier, and Rainbow Dash certainly did not need diapers. Their jaws hung open for a moment, and then, one of them spoke up.

“Rainbow Dash?”

Rainbow looked up. Her expression went from serene to terrified.

There, standing in the nursery, were The Wonderbolts.