Climbing The Tower

On the alpine fields of the northlands there stood a tower, pearl white and pristine. No one could say where it came from or what its purpose was, but all kinds of rumors cropped up the moment the structure was rediscovered.

It was said to be ancient, older than the very rocks around it.

It was said to be enchanted by a powerful sorceress to trap wandering souls.

It was said it shifted to a new location every hundred years.

It was said it was built as a last refuge, meant to hide a forgotten empire’s most treasured secrets.

It was said that its steps count differently for each visitor. Some finding it endless, others too short.

All that Wisp Tallow knew was Captain Shining Armor had gone missing and all clues were pointing towards this mysterious tower.

Corporal Wisp Tallow was an organized unicorn. He was precise, dedicated, and had a natural talent in logistics and strategy. His coat was a soft, muted blue which he often brushed neatly along with his short, inky blue mane. He rose through the ranks because he wasn’t afraid to put in the office work. If there was ever any paperwork that needed to be filed or roster that needed ordering, he would gladly work the extra hours to ensure everything was neat and orderly. He was a bookish unicorn, analytical and steady, and this was his first commanding assignment.

Tallow had prepped heavily for this assignment, despite it being so sudden. He came dressed - albeit over so - in his finely polished Crystal Empire armor and a saddle bag of equipment hastily grabbed from the Crystal Castle armory. With the bag of goodies on his back, he felt he could take on any obstacle now.

He only wished he was assigned guards who were a bit more... reliable.

Fable Flare and Valor Breeze were inseparable, pegasi cut from the same quilt it seemed. They were childhood friends and had grown up with the kind of bond that meant they rarely made a decision without the other. So, when one decided to join the Royal Crystal Guard, the other naturally followed suit. But that was about where the similarities ended.

For starters, Fable Flare was fairly a head shorter than Breeze, wiry, and had a warm, amber-orange coat that seemed to gleam in any light as a result of him being one fourth crystal pony on his mother’s side. He had a dark red mane which fell loose in slightly unkempt waves around his head. He had a clever mind, a crafty tool that was often utilized in what he liked to call “creative truth telling”. He was a weaver of stories, a teller of tall tales, and all this bardic knowledge was often honed for one purpose: getting out of work. He had earned himself a reputation as the guard who could slip out of just about any duty he didn’t want.

Valor Breeze was taller, more solidly built, and had a slate blue coat. His mane was a muted silver-gray, windswept and rugged. He was, well, he wasn’t the most reliable guard. Naturally he genuinely believed in the values of the Crystal Guard: honor, duty, and courage, yet he often struggled to live up to them when his own comfort was at stake. He’d put in his hours, patrol the grounds, and practice formations, but once he felt he’d “earned” a rest, all bets were off. Breeze wasn’t above skipping out early or accepting a little bribe for a well-placed favor. He saw it as balancing the scales. Afterall why shouldn’t he reward himself for a job well done?

Together, they made for an oddly complementary pair. Fable was the sly one, the brains behind their shortcuts and “efficient” approaches, while Breeze was the muscle, willing to follow along so long as he saw some benefit. Fable’s charm was a handy way to smooth over Breeze’s blunders, and Breeze’s presence gave Fable a solid excuse to stay out of any solo assignments. Whether by mutual encouragement or shared laziness, the two had managed to dodge countless assignments and slip through the cracks of the Guard’s high standards. If asked, they’d both say it was their friendship that kept them going; after all, no assignment could be too terrible if they faced it together or managed to wiggle out of it with a cleverly constructed creative truth.

Being assigned under Wisp Tallow’s command was sadly a fluke that neither of them saw coming, but they just hoped this was going to be a simple rescue mission. A simple, no-frills kind of mission. Two, three hours tops.

“You don’t think he’s actually inside then, do you?” Breeze asked, tentatively glancing up at the vaulted doorway that stood before them. A magenta glow poured beyond the cracked open door.

“I don’t like this...” Fable added, feeling kind of uneasy himself.

“Well we can’t return without him,” Tallow said in his best commanding voice, “The Princess would have our heads!”

“You’re not suggesting we go in there, are you?” Breeze said.

“You have a better idea?” Fable asked, ”Cause we spent the last six hours searching everywhere for him but inside.”

“Yeah...I agree, it’s our best option.” Tallow added.

“In you go!” Fable exclaimed, shoving the other pegasus forward.

“W-Wait, don’t push me!”

“Oh calm down, we’re right behind you.”

And in the three went.

The room glowed with burning torches of bright magenta magefire, lighting up the area with a soft glow. Surrounding them was a wide open room paved with stone brick. The masonry was as flawless as it was on the outside with barely a visible seam between the large slabs of pearly white stone that made up the floors and walls and ceiling of this place. The wide expanse was only broken up by the ring of support columns, decorated with golden sconces and curved up at the top to meet the smooth stone ceiling.

“Captain?! Are you in here?!” Tallow called out.

“If he was he would have seen us by now,” Fable said, scanning the open room as he trotted deeper in, “there’s nowhere to hide in here.”

“Why would he wander off if he was trapped in here?” Breeze asked as the trio moved in, “I would have stayed put.”

“I would have looked for a way out.” Fable added.

“The Captain m-might have...climbed the tower to that window we saw,” Tallow then added, trekking further across the room.

As if on cue there was the low creak of heavy metal hinges.

“The door!” Breeze exclaimed, charging back towards the closing entrance where the beam of daylight was slowly thinning.

Fable ran after him, but it was already too late. By the time the two got there, the door was gone, leaving behind a seamless stone as if the opening never existed in the first place. A deafening thud sounded through the room, sealing them inside. In a blink of an eye, the three were trapped.

“We’re trapped!” Fable shouted.

“We’re locked in!” Breeze added.

“I knew this was a bad idea! I knew coming in here without backup was a bad idea! I KNEW this was gonna happen!

“Th-that’s enough, private!” Tallow barked, “we’ll be fine i-if we don’t panic.”

“Don’t panic?” Fable scoffed, “how are we supposed to rescue the Captain if we can’t even rescue ourselves?!”

“W-we’ll figure it out! Just remember your training!” Tallow barked back, trying his hardest to take his own advice, “let’s just...take in our surroundings. Wh-what else we got in this room?”

“Nothing,” Fable scoffed as he scanned the room a second time, “there’s nothing in here except stone and columns...oh and that door.”

Looking across the room, a single door could be seen, the only one present. It was a wooden door made of an unmoving oak barred with gold. It looked heavy, but that didn’t stop Fable from charging at it and ramming into it with a shoulder.

To no surprise, the door didn’t budge and Fable accomplished nothing but bruising his shoulder. “It won’t open!” he informed the group.

“How did the Captain manage to get through...get through a locked door?” Tallow wondered out loud, “th-there’s no handle, no lock, no knob-”

“Can’t you just blast it open with your magic?” Fable interrupted.

Tallow paused. “...my magic isn’t that kind of m-magic. If there was some sort of... some sort of locking mechanism or mortise set, I...might be able to make some...some headway, b-but it would seem there m-might be more to this room we’re not seeing.”

“Would it have anything to do with this plaque?” Breeze called out from across the room.

The pegasus stood near the center where a podium of white stone rose from the ground. On top of the podium waited three neatly folded diapers. They were thick and snowy white and were clearly sized to fit adult ponies. At the base of the podium was a gold plaque with neat, but fanciful writing carved into it.

“What’s it say?” Fable asked as the three converged on the podium.

To follow the leader, take heed,

For a new set of clothes you will need.

If you wish to pass through,

Wear the look tried and true

Then the doorway will grant you the lead.

“Follow the leader?” said Fable.

“New set of clothes?” said Breeze.

In unison, their three sets of eyes were drawn over to the diapers that sat on the podium.

“No way,” Fable said firmly.

“This place is clearly arcane in n-nature...” thought Tallow as he tapped his chin, “the magefire, the lockless door, the podium...”

“No way.”

“It’s n-not too unreasonable that it’s...that it’s passages would be magically triggered,” Tallow continued, now pacing around the podium in thought, “p-perhaps the writing is suggesting we-”

“There’s no WAY I’m putting on a diaper!” Fable exclaimed, “maybe the poem is talking about something else! Maybe it’s just there to throw us off! How do we know playing dress up will even do anything?!”

“P-put on the diaper, private,” something Tallow never thought he’d find himself saying, “th-that’s an order! We’re on a rescue mission, p-private. Every second we waste here risks losing the Captain.” Worry could be heard in his voice as he tried not to think what terrible fate might have befallen Captain Shining Armor. He puffed out his chest a tiny bit, hoping this would somehow make his presence more commanding. ”As your... as your c-commanding officer I order you to put on the diaper.”

Breeze snorted, “Yeah, because wearing a diaper is the answer to everything!”

Tallow deflated, “w-we don’t have time to argue! I-if you two are unwilling to wear one... th-then I will!”

Before either Fable or Breeze could protest further, Tallow was already removing his armor and saddlebags. He stepped out of his boots, removed his helmet, and then carefully unbuckled every section of his pristine armor one-by-one, placing all of it in a neat pile by the podium.

The thought did occur to him that with some careful maneuvering and help from his magic, he could have simply slipped the padding right underneath his armor. Afterall, the diapers weren’t that thick. But he felt anything worth doing was worth doing right.

He instead reached out with his magic, carefully lifting one of the diapers off the podium in a mint colored glow. He held it up, staring at it as if it were a rare artifact, and took a deep breath. “This is f-for the mission. F-for the Captain.”

He unfolded the diaper with care, giving it a light shake to let the padding fully expand. A fresh, powdery, floral scent gently wafted off the padding. After aligning it with utmost precision, he wrapped it around his waist. He adjusted each side meticulously, smoothing out any uneven surfaces with delicate magical nudges. Then he secured the tapes with exacting precision, ensuring they were straight, symmetrical, and perfectly sealed. Not content with a simple fit, he even tugged gently at the waistband to make sure it hugged his waist snugly, as though preparing for an inspection.

“There,” he said, his cheeks tinted pink as he straightened up, clearing his throat. “See? It’s... it’s not so bad.”

Still the other two ponies remained firm. Silence fell over the room as they looked at Tallow, each other, and then the diapers on the podium. Both of them knew deep down that this was somehow the only way forward, no matter how ridiculous it seemed, but neither of them wanted to take the first step.

After a long stretch of nothing, it was Breeze that cracked first with a groan and a roll of his eyes. “Fine, fine. But I’m not going to like it.”

Reluctantly, he started removing his armor, though unlike Tallow, he didn’t take his time. There was no meticulous unbuckling of belts or careful stacking of each piece in a neat pile. He undressed like he would at the end of a long shift. It was quick, sloppy, and made his commanding officer wince as he did it. The process was marked by a cacophony of clanging metal as his armor hit the stone floor in an unceremonious heap.

Once free of the cumbersome gear, he grabbed one of the remaining diapers and held it up for a moment. It was lighter than he’d expected, the softness catching him off guard with an almost soothing quality. Letting out a deep sigh, he began the awkward task of putting it on.

It turned out to be trickier than he anticipated. The tapes didn’t cooperate, and his hooves fumbled as he tried to get everything in place. After a few moments of awkward adjusting and grumbling however, he finally got it on. The fit wasn’t perfect - slightly loose around the waist and the tapes were uneven - but it was good enough for now.

“F-Fable, you too,” Tallow ordered.

“No way!” Fable shouted, “I don’t care if you ARE my commanding officer. There’s NO WAY I’m putting on a diaper!”

“Fable, come on,” Breeze added.

“No. Way! You can’t make me!”

As the three bickered, the metal writing on the plaque began to morph.

If you choose to resist this attire,

Your discomfort will surely grow dire.

For each no that you say,

More layers will stay,

Till you’re wrapped up in fluff you’ll perspire!

The new poem practically went completely unnoticed as Fable remained stubborn and firm on his decision. The other ponies tried their best to make him see reason, but before he could voice another protest, an odd, tingling magic filled the room. The air shimmered faintly as the diapers began to expand, slowly but steadily, like marshmallows roasting over a campfire.

At first, the change was subtle. The padding doubled in thickness, nudging Tallow’s and Breeze’s back legs apart ever so slightly.

Then they were thrice as thick, forcing their thighs to splay wide, rendering a normal stance impossible. Walking now required a pronounced waddle, each movement hindered by the increasingly cumbersome bulk..

At six times the thickness, standing became a painful ordeal.

Before long, the diapers were so enormous and so thick that the padding touched the ground, nearly lifting them off their hooves.

Tallow, ever the determined leader, clung to his authority. "F-Fable! I... I order you to put on the diaper!"

Fable crossed his forehooves, his voice stubbornly firm despite the chaos. “There’s no way-”

“C-come on, Fable!” Breeze interrupted with a strained groan. “I won’t even be able to move if this gets any thicker!”

Fable groaned back, eyeing the oversized, pillowy diaper on the podium with barely concealed dread. The diaper only inflated more as he glared at it. His gaze shifted to Tallow and Breeze who were now slowly lifting off the ground like they were laying on a pair of bean bag chairs. It was clear there was no other way forward so, reluctantly, Fable reached out, pulling the massive diaper off the podium.

The diaper slid down to the ground like a fluffy mattress, rustling loudly as he heaved it into place. His armor was kicked off haphazardly, flung in all sorts of directions as he stared at the massive diaper. The padding had grown to a comically large size at this point and it was a struggle just to unfold it. It was like wrestling a puffy cloud made of plastic and this cloud was only getting bigger the more time he wasted. Sitting on it left him floating several inches off the ground, forcing him to strain and stretch to reach the tapes.

After what felt like an eternity of fumbling, retrying, and muttering curses under his breath, he finally managed to secure the diaper around his waist. Exhausted and flushed with embarrassment, he flopped onto the ground, his legs rendered useless by the ridiculous bulk.

Covered in sweat, he flopped to the ground. “There. Satisfied?” he muttered, his cheeks flushed as his legs wiggled uselessly among the enormous diaper.

After a few more moments, the tingling magic faded away and the diapers stopped inflating. For a moment or two more the three held their breath. And then, crinkling all the way, the diapers started to deflate, allowing the three to stand on their own four feet once more.

The three guards shared a sigh of relief, but none of them wanted to point out that the diapers were still twice as thick as they were originally. In fact, none of them really wanted to acknowledge any of what just happened. Like awkward preteens in the shower room, they did everything they could to avoid looking below the waist.

Again, Breeze was the first to speak up, “...so how long we gotta wear these?”

“The plaque doesn’t say...” Tallow said.

Once again, the room seemed to react to thematic cues and the heavy door against the wall clicked loudly and slowly swung open. Beyond stretched a staircase going upwards.

“Finally!” Fable exhaled, immediately reaching for the tapes of his diaper. Only he quickly realized, the same way the other two realized when they tried their own padding, the diaper tapes refused to budge. “You’re KIDDING me!” he shouted. He was on his back now, tugging and clawing at the unyielding diaper around his waist.

“We’re stuck in these diapers now?!” Breeze groaned, tugging at his own diaper.

“Hm, perhaps The T-tower is reprimanding us f-for our group in-insubordination...” Tallow thought out loud.

“the tower’s keeping score?!” Fable growled, “what’s even the end goal with that!”

“I don’t know...” Tallow replied, doing his best to keep the peace, “b-but I’m more worried what m-might have happened to The Captain.” He shuddered at the thought and chased it out of his mind as he gathered himself. The armor and saddle bags, although it pained him to make such a decision, would only slow them down and possibly upset the tower... somehow... “C-come on, up those steps!”

And with that he led the charge, his thick diaper butt wagging behind him.