Spike Has Three Mommies

Chapter Fourteen

“…So it wasn’t until after we’d re-closed the Gates of Tartarus that Time Turner and I were able to teleport back to the library and find the books we needed.” Twilight held up her leather-bound prize. “He got his textbook on Crystal Empire timekeepers and I got this old primer on Magic for Child Rearing!”

“That’s quite an adventure.” Rarity exchanged a surprised look with Fluttershy. “It’s amazing you could fit it all in one day.”

“Well, Time Turner says it was technically more than a day, because of relativity—” Twilight stopped, then smacked the side of her head. “But I shouldn’t be rambling on like this! I’ve got the correct potty training spell that we need for Spike and the twins.”

“You do?!” Everyone in the kitchen turned to see Spike standing in the doorway. He stared back, then started blushing as he realized his diaper was still exposed. Rarity found it adorable.

Twilight leapt out of her chair. There was a flash of violet that pulled Spike off his feet and then he was hugging Twilight back. Rarity and Fluttershy went back to their tea, sharing a smile over their cups.

“I hope you weren’t waiting long, Spike.” Twilight waved her hand, telekinetically bringing her book to her hand. “The shades of the underworld aren’t kind to punctuality. But this book has a great spell for your problem. Let’s go take care of it!”

Spike leapt back down to the floor and threw his hands up. “Awesome! Let’s do this!”

He raced out of the kitchen, with Twilight following after him.

Back at the table, Fluttershy sighed and set down her teacup. “I guess I’d better go upstairs. The twins will need me.”

Rarity nodded. “Go ahead, dear. I’ll clean up and join you in a minute.”

It was a familiar scene. Twilight stood by the bed, consulting her book of spells and making precise gestures at a row of potion bottles. The potions changed color, growing darker over time. A pair of baby-sized diapers were laid out on the bed, along with one Spike-sized diaper. Spike and Fluttershy waited on the other side of the bed, with the twins sleeping in Fluttershy’s arms.

From the doorway, Rarity watched the spell’s preparation with interest. It seemed like the process she’d used to create the enchantment for her second line of diapers, only with potions instead of gems. She could learn a lot from this for her next clothing line.

“So it turns out,” Twilight was saying, “that the missing ingredient from the last spell wasn’t chemical, but emotional.” She stabbed a finger at a page on the open book on the bed and recited, “‘The child will grow and thrive… with mother’s love and father’s pride.’ The spell is to help kids gain confidence and self-control to be potty trained. They need a parent’s love to make that final leap.”

“Oh, dear.” Fluttershy cringed. “Mr. and Mrs. Cake are all the way in Canterlot. Maybe we should wait until they get back—”

“There’s no time to wait.” Twilight turned and smiled at the sleeping twins. “We’ll have to do.”

“Don’t worry, darling.” Rarity walked over and touched Fluttershy’s shoulder. “We won’t let anything bad happen to them.”

Her friend turned and looked her in the eye. Then Fluttershy smiled and Rarity felt warm inside.

“That’s exactly what I needed,” said Twilight. The beaker of potion in her hand was changing from a dull red to a soft orange. “Keep it up!”

Fluttershy lowered the twins onto the bed and turned to Rarity. “Can you help me with Pumpkin Cake?”

“But of course!”

One diaper change later, the twins were still asleep, but they were clean and dry. Fluttershy tucked them into Rarity’s bed, humming a lullaby as she worked.

Twilight, meanwhile, sat on the floor, panting from exhaustion as she mixed another potion for the potty training spell. Rarity hovered over her, wiping her brow with a handkerchief.

“Okay…” Twilight yawned and held up her beaker. “Potion’s ready. Spike? Your turn!”

He looked around. “Uh, right here?”

“The twins are asleep. They’re not going to see anything.”

Rarity tilted her head and smiled. “There’s nothing to be ashamed about, Spikey-wikey.”

The boy’s cheeks flushed. “I guess not.”

While he was still contemplating the matter, Fluttershy flew over and picked him up from below his arms. Spike was limp in her grasp. He didn’t resist when she dropped him onto the bed in front of Twilight, nor when she gently peeled off the tapes of his diaper.

“Be brave, Spike,” said Twilight. “We’re all here for you.”

Rarity stood close to Twilight, giving the boy a reassuring smile. “Always here for you.”

“Always,” Fluttershy chimed in.

To his credit, Spike didn’t shed a tear in that tender moment. He put on a brave face and nodded for Twilight to begin.

His sister poured the potion into the unfolded diaper, watching it be absorbed in an instant. Then she lifted Spike’s ankles and slid the diaper into place. As she taped it on, Twilight started to mouth something under her breath. Rarity leaned over, catching a brief murmur of “Father’s pride, mother’s love… family pride, sister’s love…”

Once the new diaper was in place, Spike sat up on the bed. He poked at the front and frowned. “How do we know it’s working?”

“That was the other thing I forgot about the spell.” Twilight picked him up and set him onto his feet. “It’s not instantaneous. We have to wait until tomorrow morning.”

“So if he wakes up dry, then he’s okay?” Rarity asked. She glanced between Twilight and Spike, cautiously optimistic.

“According to the book, all the child has to do is take a good nap and the magic should do the rest.”

“A nap, huh?” Spike stretched out his arms and yawned. “I could go for one right now.”

That earned him a quiet laugh from the girls as they filed out of the bedroom.