//------------------------------// // Chapter Two: Spike's regression // Story: How to train a Baby Dragon // by Foal Star //------------------------------// Twilight was sound asleep when she woke up to strange sukling noises. The mare slowly got up, looking down towards the end of her bed and groggily asked. “Spike what is that?” She only got more suckling in response. Curious, Twilight lifted the covers with her magic while thinking to herself. “Hopefully, Spike is just sleep talking or something,” She slowly crawled out of bed and trotted up to Spike’s basket. She saw him snuggled deep underneath his blanket with that pink bonnet, suckling a large blue pacifer. Twilight blinked, rubbing her eyes in disbelief. “Am I dreaming? Is that what I think it is?” Then she looked down at the baby dragon with surprise and commented. “I...I can’t believe it...Spike?” The little dragon slowly opened his eyes and garbled. “Wha...what is it?” Twilight gulped as she whispered. “Um, Spike..you’re um…you know...” Spike’s eyes looked down at the pacifier and he quickly spat it out and shouted. ”Again?! Really, Twilight?! Why would you do this to me?! What did I ever do to you?!” Twilight rolled her eyes at the accusation. “Seriously? He actually thinks I would put foal stuff on him? Why the hay would I do that?” And in a irritated tone she grumbled. “It wasn't me, Spike. Now tell me, is something going on that you need to talk about? Are you having bed wetting problems or something?” Spike tossed the bonnet to the side in shock and shouted. “No, of course not! I’m perfectly fine! It’s just that somepony thinks it’s funny to play pranks like this on me.” Twilight turned to the library door, seeing it closed. And then she shifted her gaze to the window and mumbled. “It doesn't look like anypony broke in, Spike.” Spike got up, crossing his foreclaws. “I'm not lying. I didn't put that stuff on, I swear.” Twilight sighed, turning to the discarded bonnet and pacifier. “Spike, the only ponies here are you and I, and I know I didn’t put either of those things on you. Now…” She was interrupted, as she sniffed the air, gagging at the odor. “Is...is that urine?” Spike, in surprise, sniffed the air too, and he held his breath. “Oh no, did...did I actually wet the bed?!” He thought to himself. Twilight went over to Spike’s basket, feeling that the sheets underneath were damp. “Spike? Di..did you seriously just wet the bed and lie to me about it?” Spike backed up, blushing as he stammered. “Wh...wha...what? No! I...I...” But then he took a look down at the blankets as well, seeing that they were clearly soaked and reeked of urine. “Bu...but... how?! Why?! I never wet the bed, not even once!” The little dragon whimpered. “Twilight, I...I haven't wet the bed in years. I can’t remember doing it once since you potty trained me. I mean….” Twilight turned to Spike, feeling his head and looking him all over. “Spike,” She said, trying to sound calm. “I think I’m going to need to examine you with some spells. Just to be sure nothing is wrong. Okay?” Spike nodded, tearing up a little, as he wiped his face with a claw. “Yeah, okay, Twilight.” The mare gently took him by took him by the claw, and the two walked down the steps together. For the rest of the morning Twilight was in the middle of the library, probing Spike, with tendrils of magic wrapped around him, as he stood there weary and droopy eyed. Twilight sighed, as her horn dimmed. The tendrils faded and she smacked her lips as she yawned. “No curses, no strange spells, and I don’t think it’s a medical condition.” Spike yawned too as he nervously mumbled. “What if it has to deal with Nightmare Moon? I mean she could’ve cast a spell on me or something, didn’t Applejack mention something about a shadow pony?” Twilight looked down to see another puddle of urine forming at the bottom of Spike’s claws. She just sighed, trying not to look too upset. “I don’t know about that, Spike, but clearly we need to do something about your problem. And I think you know what that something involves.” Spike eyed Twilight, then looked down at his feet,  gasping in horror! “Twilight! I...I…” She was giving him a worried look, so he quickly shook his head and stomped his feet and shouted. “No way! You’re not making me wear a diaper! I don’t need those stupid things, I am NOT a baby!” Twilight went up to the little dragon and carefully explained to him. “It’s going to be only for a day, just so I don’t have to keep cleaning the floors. I’ll make sure nopony comes into the library, nopony will ever know besides myself.” Spike, with tears forming in his eyes, whimpered as he pleaded. “Please, Twilight, don’t make me wear diapers. I’ll use the bathroom like a big dragon, I promise. I’m sure this is just because I drank too much water before bed.” Twilight brushed Spike’s spines. “Listen, if I’m going to figure out what’s going on, I can’t be cleaning up after you all day,” She said to him. “I used to change your diapers when you were a hatchling, it’ll be no trouble to do it again.” Spike groaned as he looked at the ground and thought about it. “I can’t be caught wearing a diaper, I just can’t! Twilight and I just moved here, everypony will think I'm just a stupid hatchling or something!”  He gulped as he internally moaned. “If Rarity finds out, she’ll treat me like a baby forever! What’s going on with me?! I feel like I know…But whatever it is, Twilight will figure it out, I'm sure of it…” He gave a long sigh, before he grumbled. “Alright, Twilight, I’ll wear a diaper. Just this once, but don’t expect me to actually use it.” Twilight just lit up her horn as a package of diapers and some wipes appeared, and she started wiping Spike, with him blushing. Then she took out a diaper with little gems decorating the outside of it. “Luckily, I found some of your old diapers from your hatchling years buried among the stuff we brought.” Spike eyed them in surprised and shouted in embarrassment. “Twilight, why did you keep those?! Heck, why bring them all the way to Ponyville?! I’m not some stupid hatchling anymore!” Twilight shrugged as she unfolded the diaper with her magic. “I just found them among your comic books and gem collection. Guess it's a good thing we kept them.” She laid him down with the little dragon still pouting, as she placed his rump and taped it slowly up. Slipping his tail through the hole in the back. Spike grumbled a little, but he was so tired he just plopped down on the ground. Twilight scooped him up into her magic, and drifted him upstairs towards her bed. She placed him underneath the covers as he whimpered and whispered. “I'm so sorry for…” Twilight planted a kiss on his forehead, effectively silencing him. “It’s fine, you get some sleep. I’ll clean up and hopefully find out what’s causing all this,” Spike nodded and slowly started to nod off to sleep, as Twilight sighed, staring at him. “Hopefully, whatever it is, it's not too late to undo it.” Twilight went back downstairs and started mopping up the floors while grumbling to herself. “I didn’t think I would have to do this again with Spike. Once I potty trained him, he never once had this problem, why would he start having it now?” Once done with the mopping, she turned towards some open books on her table and looked them over. “I feel like I kind of know what’s going on with Spike, but what is the cause of all this?” She then heard a thought go into her head. “What if it’s something psychological? She paused, tapping a hoof to her chin. “Spike has always seen me like a big sister. What if he wants something more, like a mom? Could that be why he might be subconsciously doing this without knowing it?” She paused, blushing as she thought to herself. “That sounds right for some reason, but...I don't know. Maybe I should see Nurse Redheart. I’ve heard that she’s one of the best care ponies in Ponyville. I’m sure she will have some advice on what’s going on, even if Ponyville’s never seen a dragon before. Probably better to consult her before I write to Princess Celestia, that way I can save Spike’s dignity, hopefully.” Twilight then turned her attention to upstairs and sighed, as Spike came back down with his diaper crinkling, which made her turn as she smiled. “Hey, Spike, you feeling okay?” Spike was rubbing his eyes as he mumbled. “I just used the bathroom all by myself if that’s what you want to know,” Twilight still ran up to meet him and checked his diaper, feeling it was dry. Spike proudly boasted. “See? I’m fine! I probably just had too much to drink last night and now it’s all out of my system.” Twilight looked up at the baby dragon and sighed. “Alright, Spike, that could be the case. But we should keep the diaper on for today, just in case.“ Spike crossed his claws again and replied angrily. “That’s it, I swear! It was a one time thing, Twilight! I promise that by tonight, I'll be just fine.” Twilight looked Spike all over and then she continued in a soft tone. “Spike, I believe you. But to be on the safe side, I'm still going to see a pony named Nurse Redheart and see if she knows anything about bedwetting. In the meantime, please keep your diaper on, I don’t want to have to clean up any more messes.” Spie rolled his eyes and grumbled. “Alright, if you say so.” Twilight stroked his spines and cooed. “It’ll be fine, Spike, this won't take long,” He only gave a humpf, as she turned to the floor and shrieked. “Wait, I should make you breakfast!” But Spike rolled his eyes and protested. “I’ll be fine! I can make my own breakfast, Twilight. I’ve been doing it for years you know.” He then waddled off, grumbling about his diaper with a burst of crinkling with each step. Twilight stood aside, blushing as she thought. “I can’t believe how cute Spike looks in diapers. It brings back fond memories of his hatchling years.” As Twilight left the library, Spike poured himself some gems in a bowl. He then got some milk and poured it into the bowl, grumbling as he wobbled a little making the diaper crinkle. “Stupid diaper! You're going to ruin everything, you know that?” He had to raise his tail to keep from falling over as he poured the gems. Then he sat down with another crinkle from his padding, and munched on his breakfast for awhile as he mumbled to himself. “What's going on with me? I mean, maybe drinking too much explains the bedwetting. But what about the pacifier and baby bonnet? Why did I even wear that stupid foal stuff?” Then he heard a voice. “It's okay, cutie, don’t worry about that. Just eat up so you can be a big dragon one day.” Spike jumped up in fright, and looked around the kitchen frantically as he stammered! “W-who’s there? W-who said that?” He turned to the kitchen cabinets as the voice cooed. “How about you play with the pots and pans? I'm sure you would love that.” Spike nodded, as the idea seemed reasonable. “That does sound like fun.” He thought, and got off from his chair and slowly waddled to the cabinet with his arms at his sides, making his waddles more obvious. His diaper crinkled even more. But as he reached for the handle, Spike shook his head and shouted at himself. “No! Stop! What am I doing?!” I remember now, this is what led to that stupid baby carriage!” He toddled as fast as he could to the closet opening it and taking it out. He quickly waddled upstairs, grabbed the pacifier and bonnet, and threw them inside the carriage and pushed it out the door! He scanned the front of the library, seeing he was alone. “Alright, I bet if I burn this, that'll end whatever is happening to me.” He thought, and took a deep breath. But his mind was invaded with a thought. “Oh, stop it, Spikey Wikey, baby dragons can't breathe fire.” Spike blew as much as he could, but only puffed out a cloud of smoke, gasping in horror! “My fire breath, it's gone?!” “Oh silly Spikey,” The voice taunted. “You never could breathe fire, you're just a baby dragon.” Spike whimpered, trying to send out flames, but only puffs of smoke came out and he whined. “Bu..but I'm not a baby!” He then heard a hiss and saw his diaper growing yellow, the gems on the front disappearing. Then the voice cooed. “See, you are just a baby. A little baby who peed his diaper. Now how about you push me back inside like a good baby, you never really wanted to be rid of me, now did you?” Spike nodded and pushed the carriage back into the Golden Oak Library. He placed it back in the closet, then he heard a coo in his mind. “Now go play, cutie. Twilight will change you when she gets back. She said it would be no trouble.” Spike nodded and waddled over to the kitchen. He started pulling out pots and pans, and started to bang them on the ground, giggling at the sounds. He squealed! “This is so much fun! They make silly sounds!” He took a spoon and a pot, and started to bang them together, marching about in his diaper without a care. Twilight was waiting patiently in the waiting room of Ponyville General Hospital. The place was quiet for the time being, with only the receptionist at the desk. “Twilight Sparkle. Nurse Redheart will see you now.” The receptionist announced a short time later. Twilight got up, quickly went down the halls, and soon came upon Nurse Redheart’s office. She slowly entered, seeing the white coated earth pony mare charting something down. She turned to Twilight and smiled. “Hello, you must be Twilight Sparkle. I heard all about how you saved us from Nightmare Moon. The whole town owes you a great debt of thanks.” Twilight blushed as she shook the nurse’s hoof. “Oh, well, I can't take all the credit. I wouldn’t have been able to defeat her without the help of my friends.” Redheart giggled. “So modest of you, but I’m guessing you’re here on a medical problem?” Twilight nodded as she sat down in a comfy chair. “Well, it’s not me. It actually has to deal with Spike, my baby dragon.” Redheart blushed and explained. ”Oh. Well I should tell you, I'm not very familiar with dragon anatomy.” Twilight sighed, and shook her head and explained. “No, it’s not physical as far as I can tell. I think it's something else…” The nurse sat by her and whispered sweetly. “So, tell me what’s wrong.” Twilight continued. “Well, Spike is young, relatively speaking. But he’s fully toilet trained and old enough to care for himself. But last night he wet the bed, something he’s never bone before.” Redheart nodded and asked. ”I see, is there anything else?” Twilight looked up and continued with a mournful look. “Not just that, he also was suckling a foal’s pacifier and wearing a baby bonnet. I probed him with spells for hours and they found nothing, no curses or medical conditions that could be detected,” Nurse Redheart sighed as Twilight asked with worry in her voice. “What is it? Is he sick or something?” Redheart shook her head. “No, I think he’s perfectly fine.” “Fine?! You’re saying that he's fine?! I just told you he hasn't wet the bed once until last night!” Twilight shouted back. Nurse Redheart paused with a wide eyed expression, before explaining. “Look, even school colts and fillies wet the bed at times. Sometimes it is from drinking too much before bed, or they get scared from a nightmare. It could also be something psychological, I’ve had cases where that’s the case, especially among younger patients.” “Maybe, but it just doesn't make sense,” Twilight remarked, scratching her forehead with a hoof. “Spike is well taken care of and loves being in Ponyville.” Redheart offered a hoof to Twilight. “I've seen this before. When colts or fillies move, even if on the surface they seem okay with it, they may feel uncertain and scared. Thus, they may act differently and even cling to things that make them feel comfortable. Maybe you should play along and be his mom for awhile, read to him and tuck him in at night, but also have him explore and hang out with your new friends. I’m sure that if you do that, in a day or two he’ll probably go back to being a normal baby dragon.” Twilight looked up and asked with hopeful eyes. “You think so? I mean have you dealt with something like this before?” “A few times,” Redheart replied to Twilight. “I can’t say names, but some colts and fillies here had a hard time adjusting to moving here years ago. I gave their parents the same advice, and now they're pretty much normal.” Twilight groaned and mumbled. “Alright, I'll try to be motherly to Spike. But if that's the case, I may need more diapers, especially if he’s gonna use them a lot.” Redheart blushed and replied. “Well, you'll probably need more than that, Twilight. You should get some things he liked from his hatchling years.” “That might work,” Twilight considered, before she asked with concern. “But..what if  he stays like this for more than a few days? What do I do then?” Redheart came up to her with a small smile and continued. “Well, if that's the case, we could have him examined and see if there's something else going on.” Twilight got up and took out a hoof to offer to Redheart. “Right, well thank you for everything.” Redheart shook it and replied back. “You’re welcome. If anything else happens, please let me know.” Twilight gave the nurse a nod before stepping out of the office with an unsure look on her face, “Hopefully, what Nurse Redheart said is true. I mean how am I to juggle my friendship studies, and care for Spike at the same time?” Spike was sitting in the middle of the kitchen, giggling and banging pots with a giant wooden spoon, gurgling about. Pans and pots were scattered all over the floor. His tummy grumbled, and he dropped the spoon and pot, and looked up at his abandoned bowl of gems. Like a curious baby, he crawled up the side of his chair with his diaper swaying back and forth, and peered over his bowl, shoving a claw in. He grabbed a handful of gems, shoving them in his mouth. The baby dragon started munching on the jewels, which sent pieces of gem flying all over the kitchen. He chewed on his snack for a while, then plopped onto his chair in his sodden diaper, giggling at the squishing sounds. And he kept bouncing up and down, giggling and gurgling like an excited baby. He then heard a familiar voice call out. “Spike, I'm back!” Spike’s mind came back as he looked down, shaking his head at the mess he had made. “Oh no! What in Equestria am I going to do?!” He quickly jumped down and started throwing the pots back into the cabinet from which he’d found them. “Oh, Twilight, I'm uh...a bit busy!” Twilight came into the kitchen, her back laden with shopping bags as she replied. “Oh don’t worry about that…” But then she trailed off and stared at the mess with her mouth agape! “Spike! What in Equestria happened?!” Spike gulped, turning towards Twilight. Hm whimpered as he babbled. “I...I…” Then out of nowhere he started bawling like a foal. Twilight instantly rushed to Spike, hugging him close to her chest. “There there, it's alright.” Spike nuzzled Twilight close and whined. “I’m sorry, Twilight, I don’t know what’s happening.” Twilight just let him lay his head against her chest and she cooed. “It’s alright, you're not in trouble, I’ll clean this up later. How about I change that soggy diaper of yours, then we’ll go and take a nap, okay?” Spike put on a dreamy smile with a stray thought going through his head. “That’s right, sweetie, listen to Twily.” He then mumbled to Twilight. “That sounds good, Mommy.” As the baby dragon snuggled deep into Twilight’s lap, she looked down at him and thought to herself. “Okay, Redheart, I’ll follow your advice for now. But he better snap out of this soon. I am NOT changing dirty diapers again!”