Climbing The Tower

Another set of steps led the trio spiraling higher up the tower. It was disorienting in a way with how the uniform steps seemed to endlessly climb up and up and up. They must have circled the entire tower before they finally reached an opening.

Mannequins stood in waiting for them when they arrived, scattered around the room and dressed up in a wide variety of outfits from frilly ball gowns to casual sun dresses. Racks of hangers filled with onesies and footed pajamas of all kinds of styles and patterns hugged a wall as well as a couple drawers that no doubt contained all the necessary accessories needed to complete the outfits.

The clothes came in a whole variety of colors. Peaches, pinks, purples, seafoam greens... all such girly colors. Not even a blue one in sight. Not even a baby blue one.

“Creepy,” Fable said, staring at one of the lifeless mannequins.

“It’s like a huge walk-in closet,” Breeze thought out loud.

A plaque in the middle of the room read thus:

Now maids, to look ready and smart,

You’ll each need to dress for your part.

With aprons and frills,

Showcase all of your skills

For a maid’s work begins with her art!

“Oh that’s RICH!” Fable scoffed, “the princess of the tower wants us to play dress-up as well?!”

He was getting sick of all this! He was sick of this princess of the tower toying with them. Sick of her pulling the strings in the background and forcing the group to do her bidding. He hadn’t even met this princess yet and he already hated her.

Tallow stepped closer to the plaque, his brow furrowing. “I-it sounds like another... another trial. If we’re going to progress-”

“Progress?” Fable interrupted, his voice rising. “Progress to WHAT, exactly? Getting made into some kind of royal babysitter for a spoiled, diaper-wearing princess? This is absurd! We’re guards, not-”

“K-keep your voice down!” Tallow hissed, glancing around as if the room itself might react to their defiance.

“I don’t care!” Fable snapped. “This whole place is ridiculous! Diapers, playrooms, and now this? Frilly dresses? Onesies? It’s degrading!”

“Fable-”

“I mean, what’s next? Bibs? Bottles? Are we supposed to curtsy for her too? ‘Oh, Your Highness, would you like another cookie before your nap?’” Fable mocked, dipping his body down in an exaggerated bow.

“That’s ENOUGH!” Tallow barked, his voice sharp enough to make Breeze flinch. He stomped over to Fable, his horn glowing with soft green light. Before the other pony could fire off another retort, he levitated a purple pacifier from one of the nearby drawers and unceremoniously shoved it into Fable’s muzzle.

Fable’s eyes widened in shock as the pacifier’s bulb pressed firmly against his tongue. For a moment, he froze, stunned by the sheer audacity of Tallow’s actions. Then the initial shock faded and he immediately tried to spit the offending object out of his mouth - but it wouldn’t budge.

The pacifier was stuck fast, as if magically glued in place. He grunted and tugged at it with his hooves, his ears pinning back in frustration as he glared at Tallow.

Tallow, equally startled, took a step back. “W-what? I’m not-” He stopped, noticing the faint magical shimmer around the purple pacifier. His cheeks turned a deep shade of crimson. “Oh... oh no. Th-that’s... um... unexpected.”

Fable’s muffled protests grew louder as he furiously yanked at the pacifier again.

“I-I didn’t mean for that to happen!” Tallow stammered, his horn dimming as he waved his hooves in the air. “It must be... Th-the tower’s magic! I just wanted to-” He hesitated, letting out a nervous laugh. “Well... a-at least it’s quiet enough to th-think again.”

Fable shot him a glare that could melt steel, but the pacifier rendered his response unintelligible. The thing made him look like a pouting foal.

They all looked like foals, now that Tallow thought about it. Obviously the diapers knocked decades off their looks, but it was only now did he fully process how they looked, how the diapers felt.

The diapers... weren’t half bad actually. Kind of soft, kind of comfy. The more he thought about the diapers, how they crinkled with every hoofstep, the more he dared to think that the diapers actually felt...kind of good. If he dared more he might even think they felt more than good. More than comfy. They rubbed against him a lot like an ever present pillow tickling his lower half and cushioning everything so delicately. It kind of felt like-

“I think the tower wants us to wear these,” Breeze said as he pushed over a hanger rack with three maid outfits hanging on it, “none of the other clothes seem to even want to come off their hangers.

The maid outfits were as revealing as they were playful, made up primarily of black and white material. The dresses were short and fitted to accentuate the wearer’s figure. They featured puffed sleeves made of lace and a tight waistline that flared out slightly in a short skirt. A white, frilly apron was tied around the waist, completing the look.

“Right...guess we wear those then,” Tallow sighed.

Fable frowned at this, scowled at this. He wasn’t looking forward to it. He was half hoping they could get away with something else. ANYTHING else. Maybe like a t-shirt with a childish logo on it or something. If he wasn’t actively sucking on a pacifier right now he might have had some very loud choice words to say on the matter.

Tallow could hear them now...

“Th-that’s an order, private!” Tallow barked, “don’t make me have to spank you!”

That response caught them both by surprise. The words sort of just came out and hung awkwardly in the air. Tallow didn’t know where the idea even came from, but as he thought more about it the more it felt like spanking would have been a fitting response.

“Yeah...y-you heard me,” Tallow continued after a brief pause, his voice tittering a bit, “misbehave and I’ll spank your padded tush!” The words tingled a bit when he said them. It was kind of fun in a way. “‘Course with diapers so thick I don’t think you’d even feel it! Maybe we’ll put you in timeout or or make you write lines on a chalkboard,” he continued, his voice escalating with each word as if he were trying to outdo himself in how ridiculous the suggestion could get. “I bet if we looked around we’d be able to find a bib and bonnet for you to wear as well!”

“I think he gets the idea, Tallow,” Breeze chimed in.

“Right, y-yeah,” Tallow said after a brief pause. He collected himself and then continued, “l-let’s get dressed.”

He trotted over to the rack and pulled an outfit off its hanger. Well, it was more of a tug. A series of tugs. For a while he struggled with the hanger, shaking the outfit this way and that and failing to navigate the single wire hanger. His face curled up with a huff. And in that brief moment a hint of peculiar frustration flashed across his face.

Breeze recognized that kind of frustration. It was the same flavor of frustration that his little cousin would display when it was past his bedtime and he was told to put his toys away. It was a short fused, immature kind of frustration, complete with little huffs of air and a pouting lip when things weren’t going his way. The only thing was, his little cousin was like three and Tallow... Tallow wasn’t acting himself lately. Maybe he was getting over-tired too.

Maybe the burden of command was starting to take its toll on the poor unicorn.

Maybe he just needed a diaper change.

“What are you doing?” Tallow asked.

Snapping out of a daze, Breeze noticed his hoof was floating around the leg gathers of the other stallion’s diaper. He was...checking it?

“U-uuuh,” Breeze was lost for words as his hoof snapped back. “N-need help getting dressed?” He quickly stammered for cover.

The unicorn’s raised eyebrow of confusion morphed into a scowl of frustration. “I can do it myself!” Tallow pouted firmly and it was then that he finally managed to yank the maid costume off its hanger.

Breeze instead helped Fable with his outfit. The other pegasus wasn’t happy about any of this, that was obvious, but with Breeze’s help he resigned himself to his fate all the same. Reluctantly and hesitant at first, the pair began the arduous task of slipping into the frilly maid outfit in awkward silence.

The costumes were unforgivingly snug, designed to accentuate every line and curve of their frames. Frills adorned every edge, amplifying the outfits’ exaggerated femininity. The short skirts barely reached the tops of their thighs, leaving their thickly padded diapers in full view. The finishing touch, a crisp white apron with delicate lace trim, tied neatly at the back in a large, conspicuous bow.

The end result was undeniably prim, professional... and absolutely humiliating.

Meanwhile Tallow was... making less than stellar progress. By the time the other two had finished, Breeze found Tallow struggling. The poor unicorn had somehow managed to get his head stuck through a sleeve while one foreleg was hopelessly tangled in the apron ties. He spun clumsily in place, trying to free himself, resembling a kitten caught in a hopeless battle with a ball of yarn.

Breeze couldn’t help but sigh as he stepped forward to help, though the faintest flicker of a smirk betrayed his amusement. “No. No, Tallow, you’re getting all tangled up,” he tsked, “here, let me help.”

He helped the unicorn back out of the tangled mess and guided his limbs through the proper openings.

“I almost had it,” Tallow grumbled with a pout as the outfit was turned the right way around.

“Of course you did,” Breeze commented, borrowing the tone of voice his aunt would use when talking to his fussy little cousin.

The group moved on to complete their humiliating ensemble with white silk stockings and polished black shoes. Fable squirmed uncomfortably as Breeze worked the stockings up his legs, the snug material clinging tightly to his coat. His wings twitched with each tug, and his ears flattened. Breeze, suppressing his own discomfort, simply focused on the task, offering a quiet “Hold still, will you?” when Fable squirmed too much.

Meanwhile, Tallow was absorbed in his own effort, his tongue poking out slightly in concentration as he carefully slid the stockings up his legs. He paused every so often to inspect them, giving a small, delighted giggle. “Fancy!” he exclaimed, wiggling his hooves to admire the sheen of the silk. The polished black shoes followed, their gleaming surface reflecting the magenta glow of the magefire torches, making the outfits look even more absurdly elegant.

“Alright, well, that’s everything, right?” Breeze asked as he looked around.

The room didn’t give him an answer. Instead they waited and waited and still no door revealed itself. Perhaps they did something wrong. Perhaps they were missing something.

“Oh, I know!” Tallow exclaimed before dashing over to the far wall where a number of shelves and drawers were. He brought over a small plastic makeup chest.

The little container was made of a clear pink plastic, opening up to reveal a dozen shades of lipstick and blush and eyeliner. A perfect array for any makeover.

Tallow grabbed a shade of blush seemingly at random. “Here, Flare! Try this!” he chirped, “it’ll make you look extra pretty!”

Flare made a swipe at the approaching brush, nearly knocking it right out Tallow’s hooves.

“Come on, Flare! Don’t you wanna look pretty?!” Tallow chirped. Still the pegasus refused and Tallow whined, “Breeeeeeze! Tell Flare that he gotta look pretty!”

Breeze sighed, “hate to say it, but... I think Tallow’s onto something. Put the make-up on, Flare.”

The other pegasus looked at him with a bewildered expression. First diapers, then the maid outfits, now this?! When would it end? He groaned and reluctantly sat down on his padded rump, his ears pinned back as he scowled.

Tallow clapped his hooves together with glee. “Great! Now hold still. You’re gonna be the prettiest maid!”

The unicorn leaned in, his tongue poking out in concentration as he dabbed a soft pink blush onto Flare’s cheeks. The pegasus squirmed, his wings fluttering out in embarrassment. Then, with the frenzy of an inspired artist, Tallow rummaged through the makeup kit and pulled out a small eyeliner pencil. Humming to himself as he worked, he carefully traced the eyeliner around Flare’s eyes, nodding in satisfaction as he finished.

“There! Now you look perfect!” Tallow said with a flourish.

Flare glared at him, his tail flicking in irritation as his face burned with humiliation.

“Okay, Breeze, you’re next!” Tallow said cheerfully.

“Alright...” Breeze sighed as he stepped forward and took Fable’s spot. He watched Tallow with a wary eye, noting the sheer excitement in the unicorn’s expression as he fussed over the makeup supplies. Tallow had never struck him as someone who even knew what makeup was, let alone how to use it. Breeze wasn’t exactly an expert, but even he could tell Tallow’s movements were oddly practiced - like he’d done this a dozen times before. That was strange. What was even stranger, though, was the way he practically bounced on his hooves with giddy energy. This wasn’t the same commanding unicorn who had led them into the tower.

Tallow wasted no time, dabbing blush onto Breeze’s cheeks with the same enthusiasm. “You’ve got such nice cheekbones!” he said brightly.

“Thanks,” Breeze muttered dryly, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

Next came the eyeliner. Tallow leaned in close, carefully tracing the pencil along Breeze’s lashes.

“Almost done!” Tallow said, adding a touch of eyeliner for good measure. When he finished, he stepped back to admire his work. “There we go! Looking pretty, Breeze!”

“Yeah... pretty,” Breeze replied as he avoided making eye contact with his reflection.

Finally, Tallow turned to the mirror and grinned. “Great! Now it’s my turn now!” he said, picking up the brush with his magic.

Breeze raised an eyebrow. “You’re doing your own makeup?”

“Of course! Who better to make me look pwetty for da pwincess!?” Tallow said, giggling as he swept blush across his cheeks.

It didn’t take long for the unicorn to finish. With a satisfied smile, he turned to the others, his cheeks pink, his lips sparkling with gloss, and his eyes accented with a soft shimmer of eyeshadow.

Breeze adjusted his apron one final time, glancing at the mirror. “Well... we did it,” he said, though his voice was tinged with disbelief.

Fable let out a muffled huff, glaring at his reflection as his tail flicked in irritation.

Tallow twirled slightly, causing the frills of his skirt to sway. “Gotta admit,” he said with a grin, “we look kind of cute. Right?”

Before anyone could say more, the sound of stone grinding against stone echoed through the room. A hidden panel in the far wall slid open, revealing yet another staircase leading upward.

Breeze broke the silence with a deep breath and then said, “let’s keep moving. No point standing around.”

With a collective sigh, the trio began their ascent, the frills of their skirts bouncing with each cautious step. The faint crinkle of their diapers beneath the lacy outfits was an ever-present reminder of just how embarrassing their situation had become.