Regression from Mind

First day, Shining Armor had awoken to hear two ponies speaking.

His eyes weren't exactly tuned in yet, so they were foggy and blurred to Tartarus.

The...mare said after supposedly noticing him regaining consciousness, "Hey, one of them's up."

Somepony's shadow entered Shining's yet-cleared vision, foreshadowing the inevitable.

Their only response?

Sleep spell.

After the fourth day of almost absolute slumber, Shining hoped he would be relieved of the constant nightmares slowly collapsing in on him.

Too much sleep was too much for Shining.

...Help.

So, when he finally leapt from the dreamworld this last time, he wasted no time with kicking, punching, and cursing everything. Unlike the previous moments of return from within himself, not a second would be wasted on understanding his surroundings.

Action would be the only course of action!

Celestia's voice piped up over the commotion he caused, "Shining! Would you stop with all the flailing already?! Not helping! Open your eyes!"

Light crashed into his sensitive eyes, painfully revealing the prison he was locked up in.

After blinking the suffering away, Shining noted the wooden bars and calming colors filling his sight.

In true confusion at the view before him, he only responded with an awed, "The hay are we?"

Celestia, even as a baby, felt responsible to inform him of the unsettling setting they found themselves in, "A nursery crib. Because this is a nursery."

"W-why are we here?", Shining exclaimed in shock.

Yet, he solved the question on his own from the baby fat, smaller sizes, and obvious diapers appearing on his and the princesses' bodies.

Luna, ears back, depressingly asked, "Anymore dumb questions? If so...just go back to bed. I know I don't want to be awake to see the end."

Celestia sighed, explaining to Shining the consequences of their loss in battle, "We are foals, Shining. Our sentence for failing to capture our attackers is...to be defenseless little babies, and watch as our entire nation of defenseless little ponies be oppressed by their new rulers. My most hopeful guess here is they will only oppress them. Not much else to go off of. Not much good can come from this. Not much...we can do."

The momentary shock from his youthful age was pushed into the recesses of his brain after listening to their self-loathing remarks.

Shining sensed the hatred they had in themselves for letting this event happen. He, to a lesser degree, had the same feelings. Only he didn't let those feelings get a good grip by thinking of more empowering thoughts.

When all seems their lowest, the only place to go is up, past your troubles!

Shining chuckled at that particular saying, finding it so useful he said aloud, "You two know what?! Even though everything seems the lowest it can possibly go, the only path left...is up! Our luck can now only change for the better! Has to!"

Luna glared right at him for his awfully-positive attitude towards their awful predicament, "Shut up, Shining."

"Well...I thought it was inspirational, at least."

"Inspirational doesn't amount to realistic. We're foals, colt. Foals. We can't fight whoever did this to us, nor can we escape easily. For crying out loud, we can't even control our own bodily functions! So, keep your little speeches to yourself. Noponies in the mood for useless dribble."

Celestia rubbed Shining's back, motherly/exhaustedly explaining to him, "Shiny, we're...just not in need of cheering up this moment. Before you woke up, we'd been trying to look for a way out. Was hours ago when we began. There...just isn't one. So, we'll have to wait. It's all we can do."

Moments after, Luna slaps, kicks, and jabs her horn into a rabbit plushie to release her building rage. And, let curse words spit out every now and again.

Celestia and Shining shared a look of worry after watching the violent scene.

She commented on the show of cotton bits flying everywhere, "Perhaps...waiting's not all we can do."

As Luna was about to rip the bunny in half, the door swung open by the mare revolter from days ago.

Kelly sprang over to the foals in extreme excitement, "Hello, sweet babies! How are we today?! Hm?! How are we today?! Like your new room?! Momma Kelly had to keep it a surprise until my pals were done with construction! Now though, you can all three have so much fun in here! Oh, I bet those infantile minds of yours are just giggling at the thought!"

Shining clearly wanted Kelly to treat them with proper respect, "We are your superiors! Protectors of Equestria! We demand return to our former ages!"

Tapping a hoof to her chin, Kelly didn't bother to keep her thoughts private, "You seem...upset, Shiny. I wonder why?"

The mare's maternal instincts kicked in at the question. She sniffed the air, smelling no signs his diaper had been messed or dampened. Then, proceeded to offer various toys to the baby, in which attempts at amusement were rewarded with a smack of a tiny hoof at the playthings.

Shining Armor deadpanned, "Are you even listening to me?"

No. He definitely wasn't in the mood to play.

Remembering the previous time she'd fed the children, Kelly thought the solution to his sour attitude was found, "Oh! You must be hungry! I'll go get you a bottle!"

Kelly left the room in a hurry, not willing to have the little ones starve on her watch.

Confusion was evident on Shining's face, which he then told, "I didn't say I was hungry. Why would she think that? Nopony's that stupid."

Luna and Celestia both cursed at understanding the recent communication problem.

Celestia smoothed her flowing, pink mane as she sighed out, "As already stated before, we're babies. Babies are not capable of speaking aside from a word or two. So, it stands to reason we can only be understood by those like us. Babies."

Shining facehooved, the dawning addition to their already lengthy list of problems growing more by the minute gave him an adult-sized headache.

His one word to sum up how he felt, "Buck."

...

Kelly returned from the maze of hallways, sweating yet unyeilding in providing for the children.

She put a bottle in front of each of their muzzles, "Enjoy, sweethearts!"

Definitely...not their choice of meal.

Stomach growling out of nowhere, Celestia blushed at the words she would speak, "Uhm...I'm pretty certain this is all we'll get meal-wise. So...bottle's up, I guess?"

And, she downed a quarter of it before noticing the meal would go by much fast with sucking.

Interestingly, the diary substance had a delicious vanilla end to her taste buds. A plus was how the suckling kept her in a state of peace from the rhythmic motions of her mouth.

Meal licked clean, Kelly had to remove the bottle as Celestia never realized when the contents had emptied.

Luna and Shining questioned in unison, "...You like it?"

Celestia uncontrollably drooled a bit, wiping the saliva away before commenting, "She's not a bad cook. Actually, it was really tasty. I...wouldn't mind a second helping, honestly. Does...that sound weird?"

Shining replied with a shy smile, "Eh...kinda. Well, we are babies. So, I suppose not that weird to like drinking from bottles."

Kelly cooed at the two babies yet to eat, "Lu-lu! Shiny! Come on, you two! We don't leave until you both drink up! Celestia is a big pony. Are you two? Or, do I need to feed someponies?"

Luna and Shining were slurping up the milk in seconds, and reacted just as Celestia had throughout.

They loved it.

Unsurprising to Kelly, she also had to yank their bottles free. Depositing the dry containers on the silver tray they were brought in on, Kelly set the dish outside for later pick-up.

Then, shared news on where they were headed once back to the crib, "My baby ponies, we're off to join Mind for a little get-together with a few couple ponies! Boring adult stuff, but you were requested! After all is said and done though, you can come back to your fun nursery! So, let's just get this out of the way!"

The children were lifted into a stroller designed for three occupants. And, were on their way to meet the mastermind behind their new ages, which seemed as much fun as a diaper change right now.

Mind was sitting in Celestia's throne when Kelly pushed the stroller inside the royal room.

The babies had attempted to escape the rolling prison, but were not strong enough to unbuckle themselves from it.

When they met the evil pony himself, everypony glared.

Celestia's glare softened when glimpsing the pony's face, disclosed by not being enveloped within a decorated helmet for the time being, "Wait...I-I think I know that pony."

Luna ground her teeth before assuming, "Let me guess, some stallion who you locked up years ago in a magical confinement break out?"

"N-no."

Shining added in his supposed backstory for the villian, "Bet he's a time-traveling baddie with a bone to pick with us because he thinks our society is too good for itself. That's why he can regress us! Can't stand how we've been the lone nation of friendship in a timeline of hateful countries, so he turns the leaders into babies to gain the political power needed to turn our ponies against each other!"

Celestia smirked when speaking about Shining's theory, "Heh. That's very smart of you to think so, Shiny. I'm just going to shoot it down, though. Because Mind's actually-"

Mind startled the foals into silence when he shouted, "Bring the subjects in!"

He saw Kelly still standing idly by as faint hoofsteps were heard getting closer, exclaiming, "Kelly! Remember what you were supposed to do!"

Orders returning to her mind, Kelly moved the stroller to face the entrance.

Mind lightly scolded the mare on her memory as she adjoined his side, "You have the worst memory I've ever seen. Might want that checked since you have access to actual doctors now."

Kelly rolled her eyes, yet did wonder if she should look into her own ponysal therapist.

Reporters soon crowded the chamber, all pondering the same key reasons the scene before them didn't feel right:

Who were these two ponies to be at the leaders' space? Where were the princesses? Why was there a child's stroller before them? And, most important, when would the questioning start?!

Judging of Hierarchy, a weekly event for the princesses, was a new form of communicating with Equestria's residents without needing much planning done. Reporters, from every corner of Equestria, would come to ask the princesses many a hard truth. And, leave when the questions got to their tolerance point. So...never lasted much more than an hour. Yet, was very appreciated by all parties, especially readers who knew their issues were being addressed.

The reporters politely raised their hooves, wishing a chance to speak.

Mind chose one in the front first.

The mare jumped in delight that she was picked before anypony, chattering with enthusiasm, "Could we please have your name, royal?! I'm a little confused with why you're up there on Princess Celestia's throne, as are everypony else!"

Mind unrolled his string of lies, which became easier to not tangle up when the important thread became woven by her giddy words, "Yes, I will. I am Mind. A prince of a far-off land, saved by your princesses. They released my kingdom and I from our thousand-year banishment by destroying the evil force keeping us long sealed away. I...thank them everyday for what they have done."

More hooves shot up.

Mind decided on a stallion in the middle section, hoping he wouldn't ask the title of this kingdom.

The interviewing pony inquired quizzically, "Where...are you from, exactly?"

Mind mentally cursed, trying to deflect the question with a topic-shifting answer, "It doesn't matter where I am from, subjects! It only matters that you are all cared for! Because, sadly, your princesses rescued us...at a price. They drained their bodies of every ounce of magic they could call upon! Apparently, it left them unable to hold their ages, regressing them...to around a year old."

Like their pens, this news clicked for the reporters, which now knew the identities of the children in the stroller.

They were speechless. Nopony even coughed.

Dead silence.

Of the aphonic journalists, one in the front asked without permission, "...Who is the other foal?"

Mind saw as everypony curiously looked at him again.

He responded after a pause to think, "Shining Armor. He was also there. Spent all his magic, which almost killed him! So, to save his life, I gave him one of my youthening potions. He's a foal because I gave him every drop, instead of the casual sips I take to keep me youthful for the many, many years I have been alive."

Again, the crowd drowned in thought, unable to stop asking endless questions to themselves. They saw no answer.

Mind shouted out to the wondering masses reassuringly, "Yet, do not feel as if there is no light at the end of this tunnel! I left my home as a service to you all! I will keep Equestria running! It will stay alive! Everything will be fine! I didn't come all the way here to deliver bad news, then slip away to allow your country to fall to ruin! I am here for you! For you! And...your leaders. Can't forget them. So, for you and them!"

Smiles came to the newsponies, thankful to be under the rule of somepony so much like their own rulers.

Applause soon arrived, which was just as immediately dead when a pony raised their voice, "When will our own rulers be back to adults?"

Mind decieved the assembly even more, promising dishonestly, "I will return them to adulthood within the year! I have my top potion-crafters on the task! They work day and night to free your leadership from their child bodies!"

Heavier cheers rattled the room as Mind lounged in the praise, soaking it up.

After their throats grew sore from the constant yelling, everypony settled down to hear the last of Mind's speech.

He concluded the Judging of Heirarchy with a few parting words, "You may all leave. Dismissed. Tell the ponies of your great land they have nothing to fear. Your lives are unaffected. I introduce no new laws or actions. Only that you know who I am and what I stand for. Thank you, my little ponies."

Twilight had been up the entire night, learning a new spell.

So much so that her eyes were as energetic as quicksand. Her hair as kept as an avalanche.

Yet, after all the hard work she had put in, the spell seemed to behave as...appeared.

She breathed a sigh of relief and exhaustion, knowing skipping the past few meals had been beneficial to the success of her new casting.

And, out of nowhere to Twilight only, her stomach growled.

Twilight glanced down at her belly, believing it earned a treat for being so quiet throughout the night, "Guess I've got to do something about that."

Then, saw the mirror that had been especially helpful in achieving her new talent, getting a fine look at her not-so-fine image.

Blushing that she was close to leaving home in such a poor state, Twilight believed a shower was in order, "Guess I've got to do something about that, too."

...

Twilight walked to a restaurant she had been meaning to try for the last few days, feeling like a new mare.

Though, her attention soon turned from her unsettled tummy to the massive crowd forming near town-center.

How odd. When she checked her calender a few minutes ago, nothing had been scheduled for today.

The mayor boosted her microphone to maximum volume to draw in everypony's stare, "I have just recieved some interesting news from one of Ponyville's own reporters!"

Concerned, Twilight joined the crowd, teleporting to the front.

Mayor Mare sweatdropped once seeing Twilight, yet carried on...though with slight trepidation, "Now, everypony! Do not be alarmed when I say that...somepony is taking our Princess Celestia and Luna's positions! Only for a short time! Well...hopefully."

Twilight immediately began to hyperventilate, meaning it was time for her to be sent away.

The mayor pointed at the panicky Unicorn, suggesting to the audience, "Would...somepony be nice enough to escort Miss Sparkle on home? This may have been too much excitement for her."

Twilight raved at the sound of the other mare's tone, "This is not exciting! This is wrong! Who would even dare take their place?! I must know who! This sounds suspicous, and I'll-"

"Miss Sparkle! Look at how you're acting. They're just sick is all. A simple Age spell has gone wrong, and now they're foals. No harm done. They'll back to their adult selves in no time."

"T-then, who has taken over?!"

"A royal by the name of Mind? I don't know. Must be some distant relative to them or something."

Twilight huffed, gathering she had not been told everything by her source, "Anything else?! Mayor Mare, the fate of Equestria could be on the-"

"Oh, stop. There is no approaching danger. No threat on the horizon. We are fine, dear. They're baby ponies for a bit, so another royal had to be brought in to help. It's not that much to worry about. Sure, I've never heard of the princesses every having fallen to their own spells, but it must happen on occasion. They are still ponies, after all."

Twilight rolled her eyes as Mayor Mare redirected her focus to the audience as a whole again.

Twilight couldn't stand not having every detail laid out, making her opinion on the situation uninformed.

And, that was a crime itself!

So, if nopony else would be after the whole picture, Twilight would be.

Her friends were off on business trips or with distant family. And, Spike had gone with Rarity.

Allowing Twilight her right to find the truth, which meant taking the train to the castle.

Time to investigate.