'Bloom knows. What lies ahead'a me now? Is everything going to change? I'm afraid of change. Change took away Ma' and Pa'. Please don't take away the rest of my family too... I need them. I'm afraid... I need them.
Applejack awoke with her forehooves wrapped around Apple Bloom in a warm embrace. The night before had felt like a dream. However, she knew it hadn't been due to the feeling of her diaper. Apple Bloom knows now, she thought, and now I have to hope and trust that she doesn't dare tell a soul... Applejack frowned. She was happy that her sister was so accepting and all, but she knew there were ponies out there—maybe even Big Mac or Granny Smith themselves—that would never ever understand and accept her for her weird hobby. Applejack was about to get up and get changed, but then she remembered that Apple Bloom was still sleeping.
Should I move her and risk waking her up? She looks so peaceful-like... but I do wanna get up before Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo wake up and find me like this too... Applejack thought.
She closed her eyes and cast her worry out of her mind.
Little did Applejack know, Scootaloo was just now waking up in the crib upstairs.
*****
Scootaloo rose, sitting upright as she stretched her forehooves. She let out a yawn. Looking around the room, she sighed. "Is this babying ever going to end?" Scootaloo said quietly, not wanting to wake up Sweetie Belle.
Nevertheless, Sweetie Belle turned towards Scootaloo and opened her eyes. "Wha—? Scootaloo? Is it morning already?"
"Yeah, and its another day with Apple Bloom's crazy sister." Scootaloo added.
"She's not crazy... she just cares about us, that's all..." Sweetie replied, yawning. "Wait, where's Apple Bloom anyway?"
Both ponies looked over towards the bedroom door, which was slightly cracked open.
Scootaloo looked back at Sweetie Belle. "Let's go."
"But why? Shouldn't we wait fo—"
"Wait for Applejack? No thanks. Today's the day I get out of this stupid house." Scootaloo said, hopping out of the crib. Sweetie Belle hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly followed Scootaloo.
The diaper-clad fillies slipped passed the door with relative ease. They looked down the hall. "Hey! The foal gate is unlocked!" Sweetie cheered happily.
Scootaloo sighed. "Ssh! Do you want to let everypony in the house know?" She whispered, glaring at Sweetie Belle.
Sweetie blushed. "Oopsie."
Scootaloo rolled her eyes and slipped past the baby gate, grinning. "The name's Scootaloo, Secret Agent Scootaloo." She said quietly to herself.
Sweetie giggled and followed Scootaloo downstairs.
What they saw when they reached the bottom of the stairs, however, stole the smiles from their faces and replaced them with looks of shock.
Scootaloo was furious. "So Applejack's a baby too?! What?!"
Applejack and Apple Bloom nearly jumped out of their skins and found themselves sitting upright, still embracing each other.
Sweetie giggled. "Cool!"
Scootaloo looked ready to fight someone, but instead sat down and cried into her hooves. "Somepony please stop this madness!"
Applejack let go of her sister and rushed over to Scootaloo. She cradled and nuzzled her. "Hey.. hey, Ah'll explain everythin', okay? Ah'm sorry for putting you through this. Everypony has their troubles."
The sobbing filly nodded. "I-I know. I know that everypony has their troubles. Ponies make fun of my wings and they're so mean!"
Her friends sighed and looked at each other. Apple Bloom said: "Its okay Scootaloo. Diamond Tiara can be so nasty. She's a problem pony."
Scootaloo's sobbing got worse. "Its not just her. Its other ponies too."
Applejack pat and rubbed Scootaloo's back. "Even strong ponies have to let their weaknesses show sometimes. No pony is perfect and happy all the time. Not even Rainbow Dash."
Scootaloo's sobs quieted and she hugged Applejack. She looked up at her. "Not even you..?"
Applejack gave her a slight smile and ruffled her mane. "Not even me."
The little filly giggled and blushed.
Applejack placed Scootaloo onto the floor and took a breath. "Ah' don't want ya'll to lose your innocence. I don't want ya'll to be bullied, or feel abandoned, or get hurt."
She paused and sniffled.
Sweetie Belle walked up to Applejack and Apple Bloom followed. "You don't want to lose your innocence either?"
Applejack nodded. "Bingo."
Scootaloo looked towards her friends and smiled. "My wings are like a foal's anyway, and if I'm a foal then nopony can say that I should be able to fly." She giggled.
Her friends giggled and Applejack laughed too, patting her on the back. "That's the spirit, Scootaloo. Don't let those bullies bother you."
Scootaloo walked up to Applejack and hugged her again. Everyone came together for a group hug. Applejack sobbed.
Sweetie gasped and looked up at her. "Applejack? What's wrong? Why are you sad?"
Applejack smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Ah'm not sad at all, little filly. I'm so happy that ya understand and don't hate me. I can be so stubborn and rude..."
"Hey!" Scootaloo chirped, "Don't say that. Nopony is perfect, right?"
She nodded. "Yer right. Thanks."
Scootaloo grinned. "Don't mention it."
As they broke off from the group hug, Applejack stood up straight and took a deep breath. "Well, I'd better get this diaper off and get ya'll ready to go home."
Her sister and her friends looked towards each other and then up at Applejack, shaking their heads.
"You took care of us yesterday, so today we're going to take care of you." Apple Bloom said. Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo nodded in agreement. "So don't worry, we'll keep you safe, little Jackie."
'Jackie' blushed. "But.. I'm older than ya'll."
Scootaloo smirked. "Well ya don't look like it. We're only wearing these diapers for our protection. You seem to need them more than we do."
Sweetie laughed. "Yeah! Apple Bloom's your big sister now!"
"Yeah! I even helped comfort you last night!" Apple Bloom smiled, "So c'mon now, Ah don't wanna hear none of that 'grown-up' nonsense from ya."
Applejack giggled. "Okie. Appajack da foal an' y'awwl da mommies."
"I'll get her breakfast!" Sweetie said, running over to the kitchen.
Apple Bloom cradled her sister and simply smiled. Suddenly, Scootaloo tickled Applejack!
"Ahahahahahahaaa!" Applejack laughed, flailing her hooves a little. "Stop!"
Scootaloo stopped tickling Applejack. "Okay."
Sweetie came back with a bottle of milk and gave it to Apple Bloom, who plopped the nipple of the bottle into Applejack's mouth. Applejack suckled the milk from the bottle, a warm wave of soothing calmness rushing over her.
"Hehehe..." Scootaloo chuckled, ".. it's like she's a big foal."
"Well she is a big foal." Sweetie said, smiling widely at Applejack, who could only blush at their comments as she had her 'breakfast'.
Apple Bloom set the bottle to the side and wiped some drool away from her sister's mouth with her hoof. "You're a very big filly, Jackie. We're so proud of you."
Jackie cooed and wiggled happily.
"Oh! She's dancing!" Sweetie said, wiggling her rump.
Jackie giggled and kept wiggling until she stopped abruptly and covered her face. "Oooopsie." she said, a loud hiss effectively cutting off any potential response.
The three fillies watched as the diaper slightly yellowed and expanded as the mare flooded her diaper.
"Whoa.." Apple Bloom said, "You wet it so much. You must've really had to go."
Sweetie sat down and another quieter hiss could be heard. "Hehehe. Its so squishy. I don't even hafta worry about walking upstairs or cleaning myself up." she said, poking at her diaper.
Apple Bloom giggled and mimicked Sweetie Belle. "Its warm, but a kinda cozy warm." she added.
The only dry pony left was Scootaloo. She sweated and gulped. "I dunno if I wanna do that."
"C'mon Scootaloo! We're foals! We're supposed to!" Sweetie chimed in.
Scootaloo took a deep breath and sat down. After a few more deep breaths she closed her eyes and scrunched up her muzzle.
Hssssssss...
Upon opening her eyes, she looked down at her diaper and the faint yellowish stain across it. "W-Wow, I don't feel ashamed at all. Nopony's teasing me or anything."
Applejack chuckled. "Well of course not. Why would we tease you."
"W-Well I dunno." Scootaloo stuttered, a little startled to see Applejack speak so clearly.
Without warning, the front door opened up and everypony met eye to eye with a very confused Granny Smith and Big Mac.
Oh no... this can't be happening... not like this... Applejack thought.
"What're ya doin' in those diapers?!" Granny exclaimed, walking in. She glared at Applejack. "Especially you. Yer supposed ta be settin' an example for these young fillies, not... doin' whatever the hay this is!"
Big Mac simply nodded. "Eeeeyup. Just ain't right."
Applejack gasped. "B-B-But Granny! Ah' can—"
"You can explain? Well go on little filly, Ah'm listenin'. This better be good, fer yer sake." The old mare said sternly.
Big Mac walked in and closed the door behind him. "We had ta' come back early and this is what we find."
Applejack looked over at the her sister and her friends and then back at her Granny. "A-Ahm' sorry!" she said, curling up on the floor and sobbing.
"You'd better be, why I ought—Waaaaaaait!" Granny said, suddenly interrupted. She looked towards the fillies.
"Wait..." Sweetie said, walking up to Granny. "She just wants to help us feel loved."
"And innocent." Scootaloo added, walking forward.
"Aaaaand she wants to protect us." Apple Bloom continued, "Ah' know that this looks really bad, but Applejack misses Ma and Pa and she doesn't want anypony to have to suffer in this big, big world of ours."
She looked over towards her sister and smiled. "She wants to watch over us like how Ma and Pa did. She's a good sister and everypony makes mistakes."
Applejack smiled slightly and sat up, wiping a tear from her eye. "Thanks 'Bloom."
Granny Smith pondered these words for a few moments. "Well, it ain't natural, but if there's no harm done then there's no harm done."
The three fillies jumped up with glee and hugged Applejack.
"She's the best babysitter slash baby sister ever!" Scootaloo cheered.
Sweetie giggled. "Yeah!"
"Ya'll said it girls!" Apple Bloom said.
Applejack hugged them back. Then she looked at her granny and brother. "Are ya angry at me fer keepin' it a secret?"
They looked to each other and Granny said: "No dearie, yer brother has that doll of his and you have this."
"Smarty Pants isn't a doll..." Big Mac grumbled.
Granny chuckled. "Sure it isn't. Anywho, if you fillies wanna act like foals, that's yer business. I ain't gonna clean up any messes though. Yer still big fillies."
Applejack nodded and the young fillies mimicked her.
"Go on upstairs an' play if you like, but I want all of this put away by sundown, ya hear?" Granny added.
"Yes Granny." Applejack said with a grin. The soggy-bottomed mare and her soggy-bottomed fillies then rushed upstairs to change and play some more.
Big Mac stepped closer to Granny and said: "So she's finally let the truth out, after all this time."
"Yessir. It's one thing ta' be honest to others, but being honest to yerself takes a lot more courage than most ponies have." Granny stated.
Big Mac laughed. "Ah wouldn't think that Applejack would want to send a letter to princess this time Granny."
"I suppose not." She giggled.
Epilogue
So after a day of playing and acting like little foals, I had to send Apple Bloom's friends home. I had to put everything away and return Apple Bloom's room to the way that it used to be. Applejack wrote into her journal. She looked out the window and at two bright and twinkling stars above in the night sky. She turned back to her journal and wrote:
Today my little sister and her friends came to my defense and helped me despite my mistakes. Tonight my parents are watching over me. I hope they're happy in knowing that I tried my best to be a big filly and protect the little ones.
Dropping the pen onto the table, Applejack blew out the candle and waddled to her bed wearing a fresh, dry diaper. She climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep as the twinkling stars continued to watch over her.