Apple Bloom thrashed in the waters of a narrow stream near the mountains by Ponyville. Though easy as pie, this was turning out to be quite the adventure! Maybe by the end of this caper she'd earn her Cutie Mark in swimming... or maybe survival? Navigating these rapids was sure to get her something! She was determined.
Moving with the current, she began to pick up speed. It was like a luge! She laughed at the dangers she must be passing as rocks and branches whipped by, leaving her unscathed. The sun beat down... she was getting hot and the water warm as she went along. That didn't phase her in the least... it simply reminded her of what she thought a tropical island must feel like. Or a hot tub. This was no hottub...
She came to the point where the rapids began to fade and she began to slow down and drift... so slowly. She was passed it all. Letting out a sigh, she went from prone in the water to on her back, floating gently with the barely moving current. She slowed down even more... now barely moving at all, the sun warming her body even more. Shutting her eyes, she basked in its warming goodness. This was the life. She rolled over, getting ready to open her eyes and doggy paddle to the shore...
She opened her eyes again... though she was still very warm it was much darker all of the sudden. She looked around, to her left and to her right. She was still floating, but in a now finite space... quite a tiny space, actually. A barrel? ... that's what it looked like.
"Where in the hay am I?"
She was immediately answered:
"This sure is a fine barrel of apple juice, isn't it Big Mac?" Asked a humongous AJ, who suddenly appeared in the surrounding blackness, beside her an even more terrifyingly large Big Mac.
"Eee-yup," he replied with a grin, eying the little filly floating in the warm barrel. "We've got 'bout a dozen more... reckon you and Ah can split this one."
"Eh... why not?" Replied the orange mare. "Only wish Apple Bloom was here to enjoy it with us."
"I'm right here sis!" Shouted the tiny yellow filly. "Don't ya See... m... ii."
Suddenly Apple Bloom could not speak. Her mouth would move just fine, but not a sound would be made. Try as she might, it was as though the air required just wouldn't come out.
"Betcha Ah can drink half this barrel in one gulp." Challenged the giant red stallion.
"Oh, you're on..." Replied the orange mare.
Apple Bloom wanted to shout: Hey, wait a minute! I'm in here! ... but she couldn't. Still she tried and nothing came out. She would have been frustrated if she weren't so scared by this.
Big Mac picked up the big barrel in his strong hooves, opening his mouth while turning to face the filly:
"Drink up, Mac," laughed AJ. "It's good for ya!"
Again Apple Bloom tried to shout, to swim away... to do something as the barrel tilted towards the stallion.
"Well? What're ya waiting for?"
The frightened little pony would have screamed it she could... everything went dark. She still felt the warm, acidic apple juice all over her body as she spiraled out of control. She must've been swallowed up by Big Macintosh in one gulp. She kicked and cried the way down, and finally hearing herself once it was too late...
* * *
"Gahh!"
Apple Bloom bolted upright quicker than she ever had before. At first she was in a state of panic, but when she realized where she really was, she sighed. At 8 years old, she knew what had just happened:
"Stupid, silly nightmares," she groused.
Looking to the window, she could see it the darkness was fading and she knew Celestia would be bringing the sun out pretty soon. Stretching, Apple Bloom kicked her sheets in frustration, noticing... they felt wet. She felt wet. Warm, too.
"What the hay?" She said, examining her bedding closely. "Wait a minute..." She sniffed the air. "This smells like..."
It smelled like wee-wee, there was no mistaking it. She had an immediate reaction and, before she could stifle it, she called out as loud as she could to the one pony in the entire household who could relate to her on a sisterly level:
"Apple Jack!"
It didn't take AJ long to answer the call, but then again... that might've been because Apple Bloom hollered her name out like she being butchered in her own bedroom. However, to be fair, it was quite upsetting to the little filly to have found what she had in her own bed. The orange farm pony came in bounding and bucking, ready to battle with a burglar of any size or rescue her sister from some horrid monster... she was half asleep still, so she responded more instinctively than anything else. After the burst of adrenaline subsided, she stopped, and look around for some sign of trouble. When no immediate danger was found, she turned towards the bed:
"Apple Bloom! What in the wide world of Equestria is the matter?"
Apple Bloom slowly sniffled, replying in a shaky voice:
"AJ, I think I-" the little filly trailed off.
Apple Jack approached the bed, a look of concern in her eye:
"Yes? What's wrong, sugarcube?"
Again, the filly spoke with a twinge of distress in her voice. this time her quivering voice slipping a bit into the accent used by some members of the Apple Family:
"I think Ah..."
Apple Jack got even more concerned as her little sister got increasingly frustrated and embarrassed:
"Yes? What is it?"
Crying out, AB bit the bullet:
"AJ! Ah wet ma bed!"
Apple Jack paused for a moment, a bemused look on her face unseen by her sister in the darkness. She tried to hold it back, but she couldn't... she laughed hard. Very hard.
"Hey... that's not..." Apple Bloom began to cry as Apple Jack tried to stifle her own laughter. "Stop it!"
"I'm sorry, Apple Bloom," said an apologetic AJ. "I thought something bad had happened!"
"It did!" Snapped the yellow filly. "Ah'm all wet and icky... and yer laughtin' ain't helpin'!"
"Aw, hey now..." The orange farm pony tenderly walked up to her sister and gave her a reassuring hug. "AB, you're a growing filly. These things just, well... just kinda tend to happen at your age. Honestly, tain't nothin' to sweat over!"
"Ah wish it were sweat!" Apple Bloom said, looking down at her damp sheets.
AJ noogied her sister:
"Trust me, Apple Bloom... This'll all be forgotten about in a few days. We just gotta wash yer bedding and greet the new day with a smile! Besides, yesterday was a big day with the extra harvesting and all. Ya prolly got a lil over tired and fell in too deep a sleep..."
Normally, by now Apple Bloom's mind would be at ease. She looked up to her big sister... who had the power some grown-up ponies have over little fillies to send even the most scary and uncertain thoughts far away... she wouldn't have said another word, if it weren't for one upcoming event which had the little one feeling nervous as all get out... especially given what had happened:
"But AJ! ... I'm gunna be having a Pajama party with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. What happens if Ah put the pee in PJs with all my friends around?"
Apple Jack, confident this was a one-time occurrence, continued to try to instill confidence in the little filly:
"That's a week away, AB... put it out of yer mind."
"But!"
Apple Bloom saw in the faint light of the rising sun that her sister was looking lovingly into her eyes. They hugged tightly:
"Trust me, Sugarcube. If it helps, both me and Big Mac wet the bed a few times at yer age. Ain't nothing to fret about... Okay?"
She knew her sister wouldn't lie to her... but she still felt unimaginably nervous:
"... okay."
* * *
The little filly drew a bath downstairs while her big sister prepared to take care of the soaked bedding. Granny Smith was just getting up when Apple Jack walked by her door with the linens:
"What's all that?" She asked.
"AB had a bit of an accident... she kinda wet the bed."
With a look of concern in her eye, the elder mare slowly hobbled towards AJ:
"Poor thing. Give me the sheets! I'll get them good as new."
Apple Jack passed them over:
"Well, Ah was on my way to... err... uh, thanks Granny!"
"Don't mention it. I'll show you how to get these stains out!" The elder Earth Pony examined the sheets closely. "... provided they haven't set in yet. Back to Apple Bloom... I'm wondering... is she doing alright? Young fillies and colts can be mighty sensitive about these things."
"She's okay... nervous about the PJ party later this week." Granny Smith nodded. "I told her to put it outta her mind!"
"Right thing to do, AJ..." Granny Smith clicked her tongue. "Poor thing..."
* * *
Stepping out of the warm bath now squeaky clean, Apple Bloom trotted into the kitchen where she could smell Big Mac was cooking up breakfast. Though she half-expected it, nothing embarrassing was ever mentioned over the early morning meal, even after Apple Jack showed up uncharacteristically late with Granny Smith. After breakfast ended, the young filly galloped back upstairs to find her bed had not only been made with care, but also with the same exact sheets... and they were completely bone dry:
"How in the hay did she do that?"
Little did Apple Bloom know that Granny Smith cleaned and dried her sheets using a special Apple family secret written down in a book nestled away, soon to be passed on to the younger generation. Since Apple Jack was bound to have her own foal soon enough, Granny Smith showed her a wonderful technique used to quickly get almost any stain out of cotton... and an equally wonderful technique to dry said cotton in under 5 minutes.
The day was pretty much a normal day for the little filly after that. She went to school, came home, did her chores and homework, then ran off to have fun with the Cutie Mark Crusaders until after dark. Everything else was normal and that night AB even slept well, having pleasant dreams and all... but when she woke up the next morning:
"Not again!" She cried, feeling her damp sheets with a hoof. "No, no, no!"
The sun was past rising this time and her sheets clung to her fur feeling unpleasantly cold.
"What's wrong, Apple Bloom?" Granny Smith asked from the doorway.
Apple Bloom had yet to tell Granny Smith about the accident the day before, only her older sister... though that's mostly because Apple Jack doubled as a mentor and a peer. With Granny Smith it would be more serious, but because her elder was standing there now, she had no problem telling her what had happened. She was, after all, valued and trusted family as well:
"I wet ma bed... yesterday, too."
Granny Smith smiled and approached, rubbing the filly's head gently with a green hoof:
"I know, Apple Bloom, I know. You're a growing filly... this can happen when certain parts of a filly's body grow faster than others."
The little pony shrunk:
"What'd Ah do, Granny Smith? This can't happen again at the party!"
"Don't you worry about it... two nights in a row's just a fluke. Your brother had two nights in a row with the same problem at your age."
"I feel a bit better knowing that... but, Ah --"
The elder Earth Pony cut her short:
"Come along, now, Apple Bloom! Don't worry about the sheets, I'll get 'em cleaned for you. Go hop in the tub then have some breakfast!"
"... thanks Granny."
The filly got up from bed and sighed, feeling dejected. She sauntered out of the room for a bath as Granny Smith took her sheets and treated them as she had the morning before. Nothing was mentioned of the accident after this, and each member of the family gave AB a hug before she went off to school...
* * *
With Apple Bloom away at school, the three ponies gathered around the kitchen table ready to discuss the PJ party and what to do about the recent night time plumbing problems their youngest was having:
"It's possible AB could have this problem over the weekend with her friends around," Apple Jack said. "And don't think we'd want her to suffer any embarrassment because of it."
"Seconded." Said Big Mac.
"I'd tend to side with ya," began Granny Smith, "but, embarrassment's just a part of growing up. Her friends seem to be understanding at least... can't wrap 'em in cotton forever, and Apple Bloom's certainly no exception."
Despite the sensibility of Granny Smith's approach, it did little to quell the fire in AJs eyes:
"Then there's only one way for Apple Bloom to avoid being laughed at... and that's to call off her party! I can see her crushed little face already if we even suggested that!"
"She and her friends would be a might disappointed," agreed Big Mac.
Granny Smith put her hooves on the table:
"I say we should just continue to be supportive of her. She's just a filly, after all, and she'll need to be reminded this is a perfectly normal part of growin' up."
Big Mac spoke up:
"Should happen again a third time before her party, Ah think perhaps we should offer her a rubber sheet to sleep with?"
"That might work..." Replied Granny Smith.
The orange mare had heard enough:
"Well, of course it'd work! When she's asleep, alone, outside of clothes... but we're talkin' about a pajama party here. If she wets the bed there she's gunna be soaked all over!"
Big Mac nodded:
"True."
Granny Smith paused, rubbing her chin:
"There is one thing we could do... she'd be wearing it under the pajamas, so nopony would see."
"Oh, Granny... you're not thinking about what I think you're thinkin' about, are ya?"
"It's just a thought, Apple Jack."
"She would not go for it." Said Big Mac. "Eee-nope!"
Apple Jack sighed:
"All this talk about Apple Bloom's problems've got me feeling a mighty bit fustigated. Darned if you do, darned if you don't! It's so frustrating 'cause there's no answer! GAHH! Hope ya'll don't mind.. Ah think I'd like to talk this over with ma friends."
"It's fine by me," said Granny Smith.
Big Mac nodded:
"Eey-yup."
* * *
Apple Jack left the house for Twilight's library, her head down and deep in thought as she walked the road alone. Playing all the scenarios in her head, Granny Smith was right. There were two ways Apple Bloom could avoid embarrassment, and yet neither seemed like a viable option. She could also just tell her friends she started wetting the bed and hope they'd understand, but AJ knew that wasn't likely going to happen even if pigs started flying. She felt pent-up frustration over her little sister's conundrum, to the point she could have bucked all the apples and leaves out of a tree in a single angry kick.
She finally arrived at Twilight's library and found herself standing in the walkway... debating. If anybody knew a thing or two about pony bodies and physiology, it was Twilight. She gently knocked on the door. The purple unicorn answered, at first thinking from the meek knocking it must've been Fluttershy... she immediately looked startled upon seeing her normally confident young farm pony friend looking so distraught.
"I gotta talk to you about something, Twilight..." said Apple Jack with her head down. "It's about a problem Apple Bloom's been having."
"Apple Bloom's having a problem?" Said Rarity voice, coming from behind Twilight. "I certainly hope it's not about the sleepover!"
"Well it could be," Apple Jack said, into the library. "Potentially."
"Come on in, Apple Jack," said Twilight, opening the door wide to beckon her friend inside. "I've got Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity in here! Maybe we can all give you some insight."
Now Apple Jack's mind was at ease. Her friends perspective had the power to make her most scared and uncertain thoughts go away. She was certain this visit would restore her confidence:
"I'd like that, Twilight..."
"Come have some tea with us!" Invited Rarity, as Apple Jack entered and approached the pink, cyan, and ivory mares. "Take a load off, darling, and don't mind me... I'm just finishing up sharing some new designs and getting input. So, what's this about Apple Bloom?"
"Well, you see Rarity," Apple Jack said, watching as Rarity poured the tea.
"Is she doing bad in school?" Asked Pinkie.
"No, not that."
Pinkie had another thought as AJ took the tea and drank it:
"Is she having scary nightmares?"
"I don't think that's been her problem..."
"Is she..."
"Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow shouted. "She'll tell us as soon as you give her a moment. Jeeze!"
"Oh..." the pink mare turned crimson. "Sorry."
"It's alright Pinkie... you're just showing concern, is all." The orange mare sipped her strong tea. "It's a really minor thing ponies have to deal with when growin' up, but it's still bothering me... you see gals..."
* * *
Apple Bloom came home to find a happy family waiting for her. Apple Jack, Big Mac, and Granny Smith were all smiling and glad to see her, their attentions focused on her the moment she walked in. This was so unusual, it was unsettling.
"Hey Apple Bloom!" Said Apple Jack. "Dun worry about your chores today. You just go off and have fun with the Cutie Mark Crusaders after you're done with your homework."
"Uh... okay." She looked around at her grinning kin. "Say, what's gotten into everypony?"
Apple Jack smiled big:
"Let's just say I had a interesting talk with ma friends today at the library... I now have some ideas on how to deal with a problem we've been having and it's put me in a mighty good mood. Enjoy a day to yourself, Apple Bloom."
The filly rolled her eyes:
"Thanks big sis... but you're actin' strange." She said, trotting past the orange mare to her room where she'd soon be doing her homework.
Apple Jack turned to the two other ponies in the room:
"Let's see if Rarity and Twilight were right... a little less stress might do her a bit of good."
Again, another wonderful day passed for Apple Bloom. Her family took care of her chores, so that meant more time with the Cutie Mark Crusaders once her homework was complete. She ran out, thanking AJ and the rest of her family once again... though she didn't understand why they were doing this for her. Though it didn't really matter.
She had a wonderful night, too... and was going to have a wonderful next day. It was a holiday.
* * *
It was already time for the sleep over! Apple Bloom was so excited!
The Cutie Mark Crusaders were nestled up in their PJs and blankets in the Apple family den. They were giggling, talking about adventures, and Scootaloo even attempted to tell a few jokes... which didn't make any sense, of course, but were still funny. Typical Scootaloo. Apple Bloom found herself drifting off to sleep, happy to be with her friends... in their warm, soothing den.
She bolted awake. The room was still and silent, black. All she did was shift her body under the blankets, and she felt the warm wetness. She knew what had happened:
"Oh no..." she cried quietly.
"What's wrong, AB?" Asked Sweetie Belle, turning on the light.
Both Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked right at her. She was hiding under the blankets, attempting to cover up her shame... had she not wet clear through her clothes and the blankets, it would have worked. She was, for lack of a better word, soaked to the bone.
"Apple Bloom," said the little Unicorn, giggling. "Did you... really?"
"Apple Bloom wet the bed," said Scootaloo, with a mean smirk, as she got up. "Poor, little Apple Bloom."
"Yeah," said Sweetie, also getting up. "Poor baby."
They approached the small yellow filly, looking down on her, circling her like sharks. They both went behind the scared filly and when they emerged to face her again... the room went dark and Apple Bloom realized she was now looking at Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara:
"Apple Bloom wets her bed!" They said in unison.
"Need a diaper, baby? Asked Silver Spoon.
"No..." cried Apple Bloom, pulling the blankets to her chest. "Stop it!"
"Apple Bloom's a baby! Apple Bloom's a baby!"
"Stop it!"
Their chanting did not relent, despite the filly's begging for it to stop.
"Apple Bloom's a baby! Apple Bloom's a bed-wetter! Baby-waby Apple Bloom!"
Frustrated, but determined not to let their teasing get the better of her, AB took in a lot of air all at once and screamed one loud word:
"STOP!"
* * *
The yellow filly bolted awake screaming and throwing her hooves in the air.
Apple Jack again came in running the moment she heard her little sister's distress call. Half awake, she bucket open the door, ready again to face whatever lay in wait behind it:
"Now see here! Ya'll can't just barge in here and harm a lil filly like that! I oughtta--" She looked down at Apple Bloom, who was alone in her room, shaking with tears in her eyes. She clutched her blankets tighter than one of Big Mac's vices. The rage left AJ in an instant. "Oh, Apple Bloom... you alright, sug?"
"I had a scary dream," said the little wide-eyed filly, shifting her weight in the bed. She looked down at the sheets. "And... it happened again."
"Seriously now?"
She nodded in reply.
"Alrighty then, Apple Bloom... get outta bed."
Apple Jack turned on the light as her little sister did as she was told. Together the two stripped the bed while they talked:
"You keep doin' this yer sheets are gunna fade before the month is out!"
"I can't help it, sis!" Said Apple Bloom, getting out new sheets for her bed. "I just wake up and ma bed's soaked!"
AJ hugged her younger sister:
"S'alright now... I'm ain't blamin' ya for nothin'."
Together they made the bed with new sheets, and Apple Jack left the room with the soaked sheets in her hooves. Before she left she turned to her sister:
"Don't get back into bed yet. I gotta show you something first."
She then left the confused little filly by herself.
Apple Bloom stayed on bed, twiddling her hooves for a bit, waiting. Feeling very tired still, she glanced at the clock on her wall:
"It's 3 AM!" She exclaimed. "Aww... Hurry back Apple Jack! I'm tired..."
Sure enough, Apple Jack did come back... a strange package hanging from her teeth by a thin plastic grip.
"What's that?" Asked AB, as the item was set at the foot of her bed.
"One of many solutions to your problem! This is the final straw! I'm gunna take you to the doctor next week, but for now... this is one of the ideas we had."
Apple Bloom examined the strange package closely. It was plain white, with cyan lettering on its side, the same color as Rainbow Dash. She tried to read the package, but wasn't entirely familiar with both words in this context:
"Youth... Briefs?" She asked Apple Jack. "Is that like some kinda short-lived animal?"
Apple Jack laughed:
"Good guess! Not quiet, AB..." She sat on the bed along with her sister, tenderly putting a foreleg around the confused filly. "Apple Bloom... before I tell you what this is, lemme say it's not up to me if you wanna try this, it's up to you."
The little yellow filly nodded as the orange mare continued slowly:
"They're diapers, Apple Bloom. Meant for a pony your--"
"Diapers!" Apple Bloom exclaimed. "No thanks, sis!"
"Aw, come on Apple Bloom! Just hear me out."
Despite her best efforts, Apple Bloom wouln't listen:
I'm not a baby!"
"I know you aren't, sug... they're meant for youths. That means ponies your age. Your size."
Apple Bloom, unfamiliar with the idea and scared by it just sat there, shaking her head:
"No, no, no, no, no..."
"Alright." The orange mare got up with the package, approaching the door to Apple Bloom's wardrobe. "I'll put 'em in your closet for now... just remember they are there." Apple Jack smiled, clicking the light off. "Night sis. Dun forget to bathe in the morning."
"Night APPLE JACK." Apple Bloom said, irritatedly.
Shaking her head, AJ exited the room... leaving her little sister alone in the dark.
"What did she get me diapers for?" Groused the yellow mare. "I'm no foal!"
Sufficing to say, she didn't get to sleep for an hour... at least the bed was dry when she did wake up.
* * *
Apple Bloom was cranky that day...
She was broody with the honest Apple Jack:
"Juss dun bother me sis!"
She was nasty with the gentle Big Mac:
"Ee-yup! Ee-nope! That's all ya say!"
She was even cranky with Granny Smith, who said in reply "Hey, don't be sassy with me young lady!" Apple Bloom apologized... leaving with her friends soon after.
She was, of course, irritable with her friends, too. Nopony was spared from this drag -- even pony's on the street got an earful of Apple Bloom's sour mood. Her friends figured a trip to the Sugarcube Corner might cheer her up, and even let her go in first... only to have her nearly allow the heavy door of the establishment to slam in Scootaloo's face:
"Hey! What's wrong with you, Apple Bloom?"
"Yeah..." replied Sweetie Belle, unsure of what was going on. "You're normally, um... nice!"
"I'm not in a good mood today!" Apple Bloom sighed. "And I dun wanna talk about it!"
"Yeah, well... we're... we're gunna be a Cutie Mark duo today if you don't start treating us better!" Replied Sweetie Belle.
Apple Bloom looked ready to cry:
"I'm sorry gals. I can't say what's going on... Ah just can't. You girls'll laugh!"
Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo looked at each other with concern. Scootaloo spoke up, Sweetie Bell punctuating her sentences with happy nods:
"Well, whatever's going on just remember we're your friends and we'd never do anything to make you mad or sad..."
Apple Bloom looked to Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo... and started to cry. She cantered up to the perturbed fillies and gave each of them a hug:
"I am so sorry girls!"
"It's okay," said Sweetie Belle. "Friends... understand each other, even when they are bein' icky."
It would be nice if that night Apple Bloom went home and slept easy, woke up dry, then all subsequent nights following took that same pattern... sadly, up to the sleepover, she was only dry one night.
Each morning, she opened up her wardrobe and saw the white package hidden in the corner... just sitting there. A couple times she kicked it, but after that.. she just pretended it wasn't there.
* * *
It was the night of the sleepover, for real this time. Apple Bloom was dressed in her light PJs with flowers to match her hair. She modeled them proudly for her sister in her bedroom:
"Boy, howdy! Pajama's are neat!"
"That they are..." Said Apple Jack, with a smile. "Feels different, huh? Well, that's 'cause ponies don't normally wear clothes, unless it's a special occasion... or their name's Rarity."
The filly giggled, grinning ear-to-ear. Apple Jack was happy to see her little sister in such good spirits:
"You ready to have some fun?"
Apple Bloom nodded as AJ headed for the door:
"Just remember... you three need anything, just whistle."
Again, Apple Bloom laughed with joy:
"Sure thing, sis!"
Soon enough, the Crusaiders started showing up. First was Scootaloo, who showed up with just a simple saddle bag and excited, rapidly flapping wings. Sweetie Belle came in next with Rarity, and a big bag full of who knows what:
"Have fun, Sweetie Belle, and don't be up all night!"
"I won't." Said the Unicorn, pulling the giant bag with all her might into the corner. She took out her PJs and started putting them on.
"Well," said Scootaloo, also putting on her PJs and rubbing her hooves together. "Now that we're all here... what should we do first?"
"I know..." said Sweetie Belle. "How 'bout we..."
* * *
The three started out their little sleepovers calling upon Big Mac to make a makeshift campfire... in the first place, of course. They put marshmallows on sticks as well as soy dogs. They cooked up nicely, making the fillies smile, and that was considered their late afternoon snack... punctuated, nautrally, with smores. Apple Jack came around briefly with a smile on her face, bringing some hot coco:
"Well, how is everypony?" She asked.
Three voices replied at the same time:
"Great!"
"Wonderful to hear!" Apple Jack replied, then heading off to give the fillies their space.
Now that it was beginning to get dark, they moved on to scary stories... Scootaloo attempted to imitate Rainbow Dash telling the story of the Headless Horse... but failed. Sweetie Belle couldn't tell a scary story to save her life and Apple Bloom... Apple Bloom actually succeeded in setting up the atmosphere... but didn't know where to go from there. All three Crusaders laughed.
Next came dinner time. Big Mac brought out some soup in cups for the three to enjoy, along with a fruit salad (heavy on the apples, of course). Each Crusader was stuffed by the time their meal was gone, burping... giving their compliments to Chef Big Mac:
"Eey-up!"
It was almost time for bed. Sweetie Belle excused herself to the bathroom, taking a very large and elaborate bag of toiletries with her. Scootaloo simply leaned against the wall brushing her teeth right there with a single-use tooth brush. Apple Bloom excused herself to her room... going to the kitchen first to get Apple Jack:
"AJ?"
"Yeah, sug? Is the sleepover going well?"
"Well, yeah, but... now that we're gettin' ready for bed I'm gettin' kinda antsy. Will ya come up to ma room with me... I wanna talk to you."
"Sure thang."
Apple Jack and Apple Bloom quietly crept up the stairs together, heading into her room for a private discussion. Once they shut the door... AB felt a little more safe.
* * *
The farm pony turned to her silent sister, waiting for her to say something... anything. She waited for about 30 seconds, then finally spoke up after the silence had gone on too long:
"Lemme guess, Apple Bloom... you're afraid you might wet the bed."
"I'm afraid of ruining the sleepover if I have an accident, sis!" Exclaimed the little filly. "What'd I do?
"Lemme start by saying that ain't gunna happen. Wetting the bed won't ruin your sleepover, but if it does happen... you probably ain't gunna be too happy once you wake up."
"You can say that again!"
"Well," Apple Jack motioned to the wardrobe. "There's always... the briefs."
"No!" Apple Bloom scowled. "I'm not wearing a diaper!"
AJ sighed:
"Well, I really don't know what I can do for ya, Apple Bloom. I wanna help you... I really, really do."
Apple Bloom held her gaze on the floor... tears forming in her eyes.
"Aw, hey now..." The farm pony hugged her crying sister. "Don't do that... you're gunna get me crying, too!"
"I don't know what to do!" Apple Bloom exclaimed.
AJ gently turned her sister's head to that she was facing hers, eye-to-eye:
"I'm gunna level with you, honestly AB... the only surefire way for you to avoid being laughed at by your friends is to send 'em all home at this point."
The little pony paused:
"Ah can't do that!"
"Then take the chance you're gonna wake up all wet."
"Ah can't do that either!"
"Then... wear a brief under your PJs. Nopony's gunna see it."
Apple Bloom paused... thinking:
"Ah... don't wanna do that."
Apple Jack continued to look into her sister's eyes:
"I know you don't. I wish there was another answer."
Tears fell from Apple Bloom's eyes as she winced... a lone tear ran down AJ's cheek, too, as she did her best to stifle it... darn it, she didn't like to see her sister suffering.
Apple Bloom lowered her head:
"Okay..."
AJ smiled, cocking her head:
"Okay what?"
"I'll wear the brief.... Ah dun wanna, but I will."
Apple Jack hugged her tight:
"You made a good choice, sugarcube," she backed away from her sister respectfully. "Want me leave for this part?"
"Just turn your back..."
"I think I can do that..."
Apple Jack did as she was asked, while Apple bloom cheerlessly sauntered over to her wardrobe. She found the soft, rectangular package right away, picked it up and put it on her bed.
Well, this is it...
She opened it up slowly... The plastic edging tore easily and, once the confines were torn open, its contents expanded to twice their original, compressed thickness. On the inside were these thick, cloth-like white rectangles the height of a saddlebag and the thickness of a textbook. She grabbed one of them and pulled it out slowly. She could clearly see how thick they were and that they were, indeed, very large diapers. They had no discernible marks on them, save blue fasteners, and they possessed nothing special on their packaging. Just plain, white, thick diapers.
"You alright, AB?" Asked Apple Jack.
"Yeah. Just lookin' at 'em."
AJ nodded:
"Your friends are eventually gunna wonder what's up. I say hurry it up or put 'em back."
"You're right sis," Apple Bloom said with a sigh, beginning to pull her own PJ's down. Ah can't do this... she thought as she pulled 'em right back up.
Apple Jack continued to wait patiently.
Come on, Apple Bloom... no pony's going to know...
She pulled her PJs down again, sitting on the bed, staring at the large, white rectangle.
She'd diapered dolls and a cousin's infant once before... she had a little idea of what to do. She lay back on the bed and opened the diaper, slipping the back part beneath her rear end.
Ah can't believe I'm doin' this...
Sure enough, she pulled tapes open and wrapped the material around her hips. It fit snuggly into place, as AJ had described -- they were made for ponies her size; the tapes fastened tight and secure. She looked down and examined it as she taped it up. It was wide and thick.
"Okay," said the little filly, continuing to examine it as she pushed the final tape in place. "I think I'm done." She got up and looked at it. "Can't quite describe it. Kinda feels kinda funny between my legs."
"I'd imagine it does," replied Apple Jack, turning around. "Don't pull your bottoms up yet, now!" AJ approached her sister and pulled a fastener tight at the back of the garment. "Bad idea to forget the tail tape!"
Apple Jack backed off at that point and let AB pull her PJ bottoms up by herself. They were somewhat baggy, so they fit loosely over her new undergarments.
"Can't tell you've even got one on," said Apple Jack, fixing her sister's shirt. "They certainly won't know."
"A- ... alright." She looked down at her hips. A bulge was barely visible. "I'm... okay to go back downstairs like this?"
"Yup!"
Okay..."
She started in the direction of the door. She noticed walking felt a little... different on her back end. She was inclined to waddle slightly. She looked back at AJ.
"You're fine, Apple Bloom. Really! Go have fun!"
"Okay..."
* * *
The now timid yellow filly joined her friends Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle back in the den. Scootaloo had a checkerboard out she'd brought from the clubhouse and was about to start a game with Sweetie Belle:
"Finally!" She exclaimed, looking at both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. "It took you girls forever to do your bathroom stuff!"
"Sorry Scootaloo..." Said Apple Bloom.
"Gotta brush and floss..." said Sweetie Belle, chuckling at her overly dramatic friend.
The game began with Apple Bloom happy to watch from a respectable distance. She was naturally still very much aware she had a diaper on under her PJs and was quite nervous about it. Though both ponies were involved in their game, Scootaloo had taken a pretty good look at her when she entered and probably would have noticed -something- ... if there was anything to be noticed at all.
The two fillies played a couple games. Sweetie Belle came out champion.
"Want to play, Apple Bloom?" Asked the unicorn.
"Okay..." shyly said the little filly.
"What's up with you, AB?" Asked Scootaloo, as she passed the filly. "Two days ago you were almost as mean as Babs Seed was, now you're shy as Fluttershy?"
"Just let us play, Scootaloo," said Sweetie Belle, giving her friend an annoyed stare.
Scootaloo simply rolled her eyes in response.
Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle played a couple games, with Scootaloo on the side lines looking bored and barely watching... she still respected their game by not talking too much. Sweetie Belle won one, Apple Bloom won one. Taking her focus off herself and on to the game made her feel better... this last game was close, but still favoring one pony...
Sweetie Belle won again! After proclaiming herself champion of the universe at checkers, Scootaloo threw a pillow at her. Sweetie Belle retaliated, then Scootaloo threw the same cushon back this time hitting Apple Bloom. They all got involved in a three-way pillow fight... laughing, having fun. Eventually Sweetie Belle got Apple Bloom good with a heavier pillow and in response AB picked up that same pillow and held it over her head winding up for an attack:
"I'm gunna get you for that, Sweetie Belle."
"Hey Apple Bloom!" Said Scootaloo from behind the filly. "Think fast!"
Before she knew what was happening... Scootaloo had pantsed her.
* * *
At first all three were laughing, but the moment AB's PJ's slipped down past her waist, she froze with a look of pure horror on her face. Scootaloo saw what had her panicking first, followed by Sweetie Belle. The image was so unexpected that Scootaloo started laughing. With more than just her blank flank exposed, Apple Bloom was in too much a state of shock to respond.
"Hey, it's not funny, Scootaloo!" Sweetie Belle snapped. "Cut it out!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." Scootaloo replied, as she wiped a tear from her eye. "but... a diaper?"
The last word in that sentence made Apple Bloom break down in tears.
"Hey! It's okay, Apple Bloom!" Said a very sympathetic Sweetie Belle. "It's okay! Really!"
Seeing her friend this upset, the Unicorn wanted to cry, too... but held it in.
"I'm sorry Apple Bloom," said the Pegasus to the little Earth Pony once she realized she'd actually hurt her. "I didn't mean to upset you!"
AB looked back at her, giving her an angry scowl. Immediate forgiveness can be hard sometimes.
Sweetie Belle sighed:
"Apple Bloom?" The yellow filly turned towards her. "Look."
Sweetie Belle had her eyes down at about their stomach level. The Unicorn had lifted up her shirt. Barely contrasting against her ivory fur, the fillies saw the white waistband of a disposable diaper:
"I wet the bed. Rarity said it was a must if I were to come over here tonight. I didn't want to, but I didn't want to miss this... I take it you have the same problem?"
Apple Bloom nodded. At this point Scootaloo had fallen silent and was looking both sympathetic as well as perplexed:
"You both... wear diapers?"
Apple Bloom nodded.
"We're both bed-wetters, Scootaloo," said Sweetie Belle, a bit of annoyance in her voice. "We can't help it!"
"It's cool... I just... I just didn't expect to see that, that's all."
The Unicorn responded:
"It's okay, Scootaloo... I'm not mad. Are you, Apple Bloom?
Feeling as though a great weight was lifted off her shoulders, rather than responding right away Apple Bloom instead pulled her PJs back up and sat down comfortably on the large pillow. Looking back and forth between her friends, she had one question for them:
"Can we get back on with the party now?"
It was mostly directed at Scootaloo, who answered nervously:
"Um... uh... okay!"
* * *
The Crusaders continued on with their party like nothing had happened for many hours more. Apple Jack came back in one more time to quickly check up on them before hitting the hay. All Crusaders beamed a smile at her:
"Glad ya'll are doin' so well then! No problems?"
They answered in unison:
"None!"
That night they all slept peacefully huddled together on the floor in their blankets. It was fun, and granted they were up a bit late playing games, chatting, and giggling in the darkness... they were at least allowed to sleep in some the following morning. Unfortunately for Apple Bloom, she woke up the next morning feeling a cold, wetness between her legs. Though it made her walk funny as she went to change, the diaper at least did it's job. Whether or not Sweetie Belle woke up dry she never shared... and Apple Bloom never asked. They respected each other like that.
At around noon, the Crusaders had lunch and the sleepover adjourned to the Clubhouse, where the three spent the afternoon and a good chunk of the evening trying new things and exploring the world around them. The problems of yesterday now seemed so small.
* * *
The following Monday, Apple Bloom got out of school a few hours early. She was taken to the Ponyville Pediatric Specialist's by Apple Jack, who waited along side her for the Doctor to come into the examining room. She'd been diapered every night since the sleepover... as she found it helped her. Had she gone without, she would have had to get her sheets cleaned more than once.
While waiting, AJ was asking her questions about how the sleepover went. They were little questions like "what did you three do?" and "how did you girls sleep?" She briefly got on the subject of Apple Bloom's bed wetting when the filly started in with questions of her own:
"Apple Jack... did you know Sweetie Belle wears diapers to bed, too?"
"Yup. That was actually her first time, too. Rarity shared it with me in the Library."
"Well then, why in the hay didn't you share that with me? They accidentally discovered that I was wearin' a diaper, only ta have Sweetie Belle go 'it's okay Apple Bloom' and show me Ah wasn't alone."
"I didn't do that because that wouldn't have been respectin' your friend's privacy!"
"Oh."
AJ smiled, nooging her little sister:
It's quite alright, AB! I'm happy you two found each other out, even like that. I tried to hint to you that there are other lil fillies who wear 'em too, by saying they were meant for your size. I think, though, that the prospects of wearing a diaper was just too much for ya. But at least it's over, now. Reckon you learned something about friendship in all this?"
The little yellow filly hugged her sister tightly:
"Yeah! That sometimes when we have an embarrassing problem we aren't always as alone as we think we are and our true friends can sometimes help us feel better if we juss talk to them."
"Exactly!"
* * *
After a thorough examination of the yellow filly's body, the Ponyville Doctor had one thing to say:
"Although she's having an abnormal amount of nocturnal accidents all of the sudden, I see nothing physically wrong with her. No obstructions, no infections, and thankfully nothing worse than that. A clean bill of health, but!" he started filling out a note "... have her take one of these pills each night before bed and see if they help. That's all I can do, unfortunately."
So the two ponies left the hospital, picked up her subscription, and tried it out that night. It didn't work the first night, or the second. It worked the third, then only intermittently after that. It was hard to say if it was even working at all. Apple Bloom continued taking the medication for a few months, then went back to the Doctor still having accidents 2-3 times a week. There wasn't much he could do, except try a different medication... which had the same results.
Apple Jack ended up taking her little sister off those pills, figuring nature would end up running its course. The very next year it had. Apple Bloom's plumbing problems were no more.
The End
