//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: Preparations in the Galloping Gala // Story: Baby Hoity Toity in Manehatten // by Foal Star //------------------------------// (A few days later…) The foals were with Celestia, Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack in the royal bedroom, watching the foals play, as Twilight turned to the princess and explained. “I don’t know much about the equal sign cutie mark mare that the genie talked about. We need more information on who this mare is. All we know for sure, is that her name is Starlight Glimmer.” Celestia sighed. “Yes, it seems that we are definitely not sure of this mare’s whereabouts. But this genie troubles me even more...he mentioned Discord, correct?” Rarity nodded. “Yes. He offered to turn all the foals back to adults but, Hoity, Zecora, and Cannon Feather all wanted to stay as foals. And that’s where we’ve been ever since.” Celestia turned to the giggling foals all drawing pictures of their adventures. She cooed. “Well, I’m pleased to see you that you’re up to the challenge of caring for Hoity, Rarity. From what I’ve heard, you’ve had a lot of interesting experiences.” Rarity blushed and whispered. “Thank you. I didn’t really think about it before, but I feel as if I will try being a good mother to him. I always did want foals of my own someday, granted I expected it to be with my prince charming, but I suppose you can’t help it when life throws you a curveball.” Princess Celestia nodded and cooed again. “I’m very happy for you, Rarity. I think you’ll make for an excellent mother,” Turning to Twilight, she then spoke. “I presume that even though we may not know where Starlight Glimmer is...Sassy Fancy does.” Rarity nodded. “That seems likely. She knew a lot about the genie and helped the mystery mare to regress Hoity Toity, Sandy Padding, Pencil Pusher, and Bell Hopper into foals.” “Yes it seems so,” Princess Celestia commented. “I think we may have a lot to discover about this Starlight Glimmer. If she really wields the power to turn anypony into foals, we can’t risk sending the royal guard after her, Shining Armor is quite adamant that he’s not running a daycare service when he’s already got his hooves full potty training Bright Wing,” Then with a smile she changed the subjected. “But for now, we need to prepare for the Grand Galloping Gala. We will need to heighten security. I may even ask Shining Armor to put up a shield, just to be safe.” Twilight sighed. “Yeah, I guess...that’s all we can do. I just hope my brother and my nephew stay safe, I’m really looking forward to meeting Bright Wing,” Then she turned to Hoity’s drawing. “I’m still surprised that Rarity decided to raise Hoity, given her distaste for anything dirty or messy. And after Hoity got flushed down the toilet, I thought for sure she wouldn’t want the headaches of potty training.” Rarity came over, checking her son’s diaper. “Well darling, it’s not like I couldn’t say no when he asked to stay as a foal, or asked to be my mommy..” Celestia also came over, nuzzling her adopted son Bucket Bridle, while she checked his pullup. “I know how you felt. I was so overjoyed when I became Bucket Bridle’s new mother. Even with my busy schedule and my duties as a princess. I do what I can to make sure to be a good mom.” Bucket Bridle giggled. “Yeah, Mommy Tia is ta best! She awways weads me bedtime stowies, sometimes with funny voices.” He waddled over to Celestia and hugged her. The alicorn princess hugged the little one back and cooed. “Can I see your picture, Bucket Bridle?” Bucket Bridle held it up without hesitation. It was a white rainbow ball with yellow scribbled all over. He babbled. “Tats you waisin ta sun!” Celestia held the picture to her chest. “It’s wonderful, thank you. I’ve got just the place for this on the fridge.” Rarity looked over Hoity’s shoulder, to see him drawing what appeared to be him dancing on stage, with Rarity in the back smiling. He explained. “Tat’s me being a fashion foaw and ya cheewin me on!” Rarity nuzzled him. “Oh, I see you did an excellent job. You’re such a talented little artist.” Applejack looked at Zecora’s picture, which of was her making “tea” at the fancy restaurant, and chuckled. “Well, sugarcube, I have ta say, ya made some weird tea back at that restaurant.” Zecora held it up and babbled. “Tanks, it was awot of fun pwayin in tat fancy westawaunt, even tough we gots in big twobwe.” Applejack laughed. “Well, don’t ever do that again. And I promise ya, we won’t ever go to a fancy restaurant if ya don’t want to. But you need to be on your best behavior next time I take you out anywhere.” Zecora snuggled into Applejack and the farm mare hugged the little zebra back. Cannon Feather finished his drawing of him playing with the other foals in the hotel room and babbled. “Pwayin with my fwiends in ta hotew woom was my favowite pawt of ta whowe twip, top bad some of tem aw adwts now.” Celestia laughed. “Well, I for one am glad we don't actually have a foal apocalypse coming,” She joked. “I was afraid I was going to have to order factories to start making diapers by the thousands.” Twilight groaned a bit. “Look I get that these foals are cute, but we do still need to discuss plans about the Grand Galloping Gala, we only have a week. We can’t just blow that off.” Rarity placed Hoity in her lap and replied. “Well, darling, that’s for Princess Celestia and the castle staff to worry about. Our only goal is to catch this Starlight Glimmer before she turns anyone else into a foal. And I think we could try to lure her into a trap.” “What do you mean?” Celestia asked. “Why would you suggest that now? Rarity laughed. “Isn’t it obvious? I mean she could come to the Galloping Gala in order to turn Celestia into a foal. Think about it, if her goal is to have a village of foals, she can’t have Princess Celestia coming to stop her.” Celestia nodded slowly. “You might be right, I… could be the target. So how should we set up a trap in case Starlight Glimmer were to come after me during the Gala? I don’t want to raise an alarm about a pony that might not even show up.” “How about we just make a clone of Celestia, and have that clone become the target?” Twilight suggested. “And before Starlight can turn the disguised pony into a foal, we nab her!” The mares all blinked in surprise as Celestia pondered. “That sounds like a good idea, but...I don’t like the idea of a pony disguised as me turning into a foal. If it’s me she’s after, then so be it. I won’t mind being in diapers for a little bit, it’d be wonderful to interact with my son on his level.” “What are you saying?! If you turn into a foal who would raise the sun?! Or keep Equestria safe?!” Twilight protested. “Princess Celestia, think about what you’re implying! Celestia (who was now cuddling her son) just cooed. “Oh, Luna can handle raising the sun for a day or two, and I’m sure Cadence could assist her. I won’t have another pony become a foal for me.” Just then, Luna came into the room with a drowsy look and yawned. “Oh, sister, sorry for being late for the meeting.” Cannon Feather bounced up with his picture, showing it off. “Wook, Mama! Wook what I made fow ya!” He showed his picture to Luna who smiled at it and took it up within her magical grasp. “It’s wonderful. Thank you, sweetheart.” She came over to Cannon Feather, and while holding him she asked Celestia. “So, how was he this morning? Any accidents?” Celestia shook her head. “He slightly wet the bed this morning, but for most of the day no accidents to report. He’s getting better at waking up when he has to go though, from what Rarity tells me, he only had one accident the whole time he was in Manehattan, even did a few poopies in the big potty with Rarity’s help.” Luna ruffled her son’s mane, smiling. “That’s my little prince of the night. Keep that up, and soon you'll be out of pull-ups.” Cannon Feather groaned. ”Aww, but tey so comfy. Can I just weaw tem fow fun, even aftew I potty twained? I pwomice I’ww stiww use the potty whiwe I weaw tem.” The mares all laughed, and Luna snuggled Cannon Feather. “Sure, if you want to. I want you to enjoy your foalhood while it lasts, you’re not going to magically get another one this time,” Then she asked. “I heard something about Celestia turning into a foal, what does that mean?” Twilight explained. “Well, we think that Starlight Glimmer may try to turn Princess Celestia into a foal at the Grand Galloping Gala, and she wants to be bait.” Luna shook her head. “Absurd! We can’t be changed into foals! I’m not saying it to be selfish, but we have too many duties to attend to!” Cannon Feather babbled. “Yeah, Auntie Tia, as much as I wowd wove if ya tuwned into a foaw, I dun know if tat’s a good idea.” Hoity pondered while bouncing on his diaper and babbled. “Weww...can’t we disguise Pwince Bwuey?” The princess looked over at Hoity with surprised looks as he explained. “Wew, I not sayin’ tat fow no weason. Pwince Bwuey fwom wha I heaw is vewy wude, and is bad at bein a pwince. He made my fwiend Cannon Fetha cwy! Why can’t we have him be bait? Make him do somthin’ impowtant fow once.” But Rarity squeaked in protest. “Oh Hoity, surely you don’t mean that? I mean, he’s my prince charming! I don’t want him getting harmed!” Hoity nodded, plopping his padded rump on the ground. “I do! He’s a big meanie pants, he cawed some of my cwothes peasent stock wast yeaw! Can ya bewieve him?!” Luna sighed. “Well, Rarity has a point, we can’t just have our nephew be bait. He may be rude but he’s still family. It wouldn’t be fair to make him do what we cannot.” But Celestia scoffed. ”No, Hoity has a point. I think it’s about time my pompous nephew did something useful.” Cannon Feather shouted. “Yeah, Bwuey is a big meanie! Wemeba when I tweid to give him donuts, and he made me cwy?! He’s a big meanie poopy head! If he were a foaw, he could get spankies fow being so mean!” Bucket Bridle nodded and babbled. “I agwee, he made my bwothas cwy! He gots to be bait!” Rarity blinked with her eyes growing wide in disbelief. “Really? Prince Blueblood is that mean and rude? I thought he was going to be my prince charming?” Celestia sighed. “Well, we can discuss our personal opinions of Blueblood later. For now, we better go find and tell him the plan. If he says no, there’s probably not much we can do to make him agree.” Hoity got up and babbled. “I’w teww him! I wana be suwe tat when he becomes a foaw, he’s gonna weaw ta poofiest diapees eva!” The foals all started laughing, as Rarity became stern. “Alright, that’s enough, Hoity,” She picked him up and placed him onto her back and continued. “Prince Blueblood may have been mean to you, but that doesn’t mean you should be rude too.” Hoity blushed and hugged the mare’s mane. “Awight, I wiw be a good foaw.” Celestia got up, scooping Bucket Bridle onto her back. “Alright, let’s go ask Blueblood.” They all went down the hall, to see Blueblood shouting at a butler. “Watch where you're going! You almost got tea all over my coat!” The butler started shaking all over and rambled. “I...I’m sorry, Prince Blueblood. A thousand pardons.” Celestia scowled. “Blueblood, what did I say about harassing the staff?!” Blueblood gasped and spun around to see Princess Celestia with Bucket Bridle on her back, sitting proudly in his pull-up. The prince grumbled. “Sorry, Auntie Celestia, but that butler almost just spilled tea all over me. You need to do a better job training the staff here at the castle.” Cannon Feather babbled. “It was an accident! And he said sowie!” Luna laughed. “Seems like the foals have better manners than you do, Prince Blueblood, and they’re not even potty trained yet.” Blueblood rolled his eyes walking off in the opposite direction. Then Rarity ran up, shouting. “Wait! We didn’t come to be mean, darling. We have a job for you to show off how brave you are.” Blueblood turned to Rarity, smiling. “Oh really? What is it?” Celestia laughed as she explained. “Well, follow me and I’ll explain everything.” They then led the curious Blueblood to Celestia’s bedroom. The mares told Prince Blueblood everything about the mysterious mare, and how he was to pose as Princess Celestia . He stepped back towards the door, stammering. “I...I don’t know...I mean, being disguised as you, Princess Celestia, is one thing. But the possibility of turning into a foal...I...I don't want to be back in diapers. I haven’t worn one since I was two and a half, a fact I’m very proud of.” Rarity gasped! “Prince Blueblood! I thought you were brave and kind! But so far, all I’ve seen you do is complain about tea spilling onto your coat.” Blueblood scoffed. “Well, I’m a prince, and I must be held to a standard!” Celestia eyed him and cooed. “So… helping Equestria catch a mare who turns ponies into foals, isn’t a princely act.? You would be praised as a hero.” Blueblood paused, as he thought about what that would mean. “I would be a hero, the pony who saved Equestria from the regression scourge!” He thought to himself. “My rankings in the nobility would sky rocket! I would probably even have a day named after me!” He turned toward Celestia with a smirk and asked. “So, while I’m shaking hooves at the gala disguised as you, this mare called Starlight Glimmer will try to regress me, and then you’ll stop her before that happens, right?” Celestia nodded. “You have my word. But first, say sorry to the foals. They all sacrificed their dignity for the safety of Equestria, and you’ve been nothing but rude to them.” Blueblood growled, turning to all the foals who were pouting at him, and he mumbled. “Sorry for being rude, and Hoity, I’m sorry for calling your designs last year peasant stock. I...I was jealous.” Hoty blushed. “It’s alright, Bluey. If ya do tis, I tink it makes up fow ya bein a meanie butt.” The prince rolled his eyes as Rarity blushed and cooed. “Well, at least you're being a little more princely like now.” Hoity giggled while smirking. “It would be so funny if Blueblood turns into a foal. I would love to help design diapers for him!”