Potty Training Tales

by SuperPinkBrony12

Pulling Up and Sitting Still (Lyra)

Author's Note:

Tags: [Slice of Life]
Characters: [Lyra] [Twilight Sparkle] [Moondancer] [Shining Armor] [OC]
Written By: SuperPinkBrony12
Note: This story is a continuation of the story from “Moon v.s. Sparkle” even though most of it is a self-contained flash back.

Lyra hadn’t expected to ‘show off’ her skills when it came to potty training upon being invited to Twilight’s birthday party. She hadn’t even been training for that long, she was just that good at sitting. To her it didn’t seem like a big deal at all for her to use the ‘big potty’ or the toilet, even though two of her friends were amazed at such a display.

Nevermind the fact that Lyra had still needed some assistance, her friends seemed to view her as some kind of potty training prodigy and were eager to learn more.

So it was that as the three unicorn foals were making their way back to the party after all that had transpired in the bathroom, they were striking up a conversation related specifically to that subject matter. Twilight and Moondancer were full of questions that wouldn’t be satisfied without answers, mostly because they hoped that some of their fellow unicorn’s exclusive knowledge might rub off on them somehow.

“How come you’re so good at using the toilet?” Twilight asked Lyra as she clumsily waddled along, not quite used to her new pull-ups just yet (it had been less than a day since she’d started wearing them after all). “All the books I read said toilet training doesn’t happen until much later and a pony is much bigger.”

“Yeah,” Moondancer added. “I know I could’ve never used it the way you did. If I tried I’d probably mess up. Besides, it’s kind of scary to think that anything that goes into it never comes back. If you’re not careful that can be you.”

Lyra only giggled. “That’s only if somepony flushed the toilet with you in it, and that would never happen. Honestly, I don’t know why you two think what I did was so remarkable. I haven’t really been able to do it that much specifically because I need somepony to help me get up onto the toilet seat and get down after I’m done.”

Moondancer blinked anew in surprise. “You’re just so good at sitting, and you made using the toilet look like second nature when Twilight and I still had training potties.”

“Well, mine’s still being wrapped so I can’t use it yet.” Twilight reminded her ‘friend’ of that stipulation.

Lyra simply smiled. “I think it’s great that you’re both so eager to use your potties, for a while I was kind of worried I might be the only one who’d graduated from diapers. In fact, that’s kind of why I wore them here. I didn’t know you two were in pull-ups and I didn’t want you to feel bad. Especially you, Twilight, seeing as you’re the birthday girl and everything.”

Despite her brother’s lecture about not making potty training a contest, Twilight couldn’t help but puff out her chest. “Well for the record, it’s not that I didn’t want to start potty training earlier. But all the books I read said it’s best to wait until you’re three to really start on it. I’ve read so many books on the subject I could probably run it all by myself if I really wanted to.”

Moondancer, meanwhile, asked Lyra. “Just how did you get so good at sitting on the toilet seat? It didn’t exactly look comfortable and it also felt kind of slippery.”

Lyra responded. “Well, I’m just really good at sitting, I guess. That’s probably why it makes no difference to me if I use a potty or the toilet. In fact, you’re both lucky that your parents bought you actual potties to use. My parents decided it was more efficient to do it the old fashioned way and got me a chamber pot.”

Twilight and Moondancer both gaped in awe! They knew from reading that chamber pots had once been the preferred method of tending to one’s bodily functions, even among the nobility and uppercrusts. Though chamber pots were starting to become ‘old fashioned’ in the eyes of many, they were still widely affordable (especially for those who either didn’t want to install any kind of toilet, or those who couldn’t afford even an old flush model that was basically a trench with water).

Lyra had expected such a response even though she personally had found her chamber pot to be rather silly. “It’s not anything fancy, it’s really more of an old flower pot somepony hastily reconverted.”

“Can we see it?” Moondancer and Twilight both asked at once.

Lyra shook her head. “I didn’t bring it with me. It’s kind of embarrassing to lug something so old fashioned around. I rarely use it anymore if I’m being honest, mostly because my parents insist. They always tell me that they bought it for a very good reason.” And she began to think back to when she had first been introduced to the aforementioned object.

---

A somewhat smaller and younger Lyra (younger in the sense of months, not years) stood baffled and puzzled by the bizarre antique pot that stood before her. Clearly it had seen better days because the paint was dull and faded in many places and the rim seemed like it had gone a long time without polish. She blinked her eyes very slowly. “What’s this?” She asked her parents as they had been the ones to place the object in front of her mind.

Mr. Heartstrings was the first to speak up. It was from him that his daughter had inherited her mint green coat and golden eyes. “Why, it’s your new chamber pot of course.”

“Chamber pot?” Lyra blinked again as she repeated the phrase.

Mrs. Heartstrings, the mare from whom Lyra had inherited her light green and white locks, nodded her head. “Yes. It’s what ponies used to use for potties. Your father and I felt it was about time you had one of your own to start training with.”

Hearing the word ‘potties’ and ‘training’ was enough for the foal to put two and two together. Now she had an understanding of what this funny looking thing was for. “I have to use that?” She questioned while looking back to her rump and to the well taped diaper that hugged it so tightly. She had been feeling kind of off about using the padded undergarments for anything as of late, but the idea of using something else instead of them was still a confusing prospect for her.

Mr. Heartstrings nodded. “Yes indeed, my daughter. From now on, should you feel the need to go number one or number two, you’re to come get either your mother or I. We shall assist you in using this chamber pot.”

Mrs. Heartstrings promptly used her magic to untape the diaper and symbolically remove it from her daughter, tossing it into a trash can clear across the room. Then she used her magic to gently float her daughter onto the rim of the chamber pot. “Just sit on it like that until you’re done, then your father or I will clean you up,” She declared with a smile. “And don’t be afraid, you can use this chamber pot just about anywhere. The only thing you need to remember is that you can’t be wearing a diaper when you sit on it, doing so defeats the whole purpose of using this pot.”

Lyra appeared to grasp the concept quite well. She was already used to sitting still, it was something she was strangely good at (it just felt right to her, even if her way of sitting often caused ponies to stare at how unnatural it appeared). But there was one thing she was still puzzled by. “So, when I’m done and you’ve cleaned me up, what happens to my chamber pot?” She asked her parents as she climbed off the pot. The foal expected them to know, they knew everything.

Mr. Heartstrings simply replied. “I’m glad you asked, Lyra. Once you’ve er… done your business and been wiped clean, your chamber pot has to be emptied out so it can be cleaned. But unlike your diapers we can’t just empty it into the trash. There’s a far more civilized way of doing it, a way that’s also far less messy I might add.”

Her curiosity piqued, Lyra started to excitedly jump up and down as she started asking! “What is it? I wanna know!”

Mrs. Heartstrings opted to answer her daughter’s curiosity by calmly telling her. “We take it to the bathroom and empty it into the toilet. Surely you’ve wondered what makes those funny sounds that often come from the bathroom, no?” When her daughter nodded, Mrs. Heartstrings happily explained. “Well, that’s called a flush. It’s how we get rid of whatever we put into the toilet, but only the stuff that we’re supposed to put into it. It’s not a toy.”

“How does it work?” Lyra inquired about the flush.

Mr. and Mrs. Heartstrings exchanged somewhat concerned glances, there was only one way they could think of that would satisfy their daughter’s inquiry. But was it really such a good idea to teach a foal her size and age about something that she might come to fear, or worse misuse?

After some hesitation and silent contemplation the two older unicorns seemed to settle on an agreement. Their daughter was smart enough, she could be trusted with the knowledge they would share with her. Besides, they would make sure to supervise her and that would minimize the risk of mishaps. So a demonstration was in order.

---

Without saying a word, Mr. and Mrs. Heartstrings motioned for their daughter to follow them to the bathroom, and Lyra happily toddled after them. Upon arriving in the bathroom she was brought before a towering, white, bowl shaped object that had a large tank attached to the back of it. It also appeared to have a curved seat of some kind. Lyra was lifted up by her dad’s magic and as she was brought before a gleaming, silver handle that was attached to the left side of the tank, she looked down into the bowl. It was full of crystal clear water. “Go ahead, pull the handle,” Mr. Heartstrings’ encouraged. “This is how a flush works.” So mint green unicorn carefully reached out her tiny hooves and pressed down on the handle.

The toilet started flushing loudly as Lyra’s eyes were naturally drawn to the bowl! The water began spinning and swirling around and around. She watched with curiosity as it went faster and faster turning into a dizzying whirlpool! Then they suddenly retreated down a hole at the bottom and briefly disappeared, before coming back slowly. Once the water had filled completely, she was set back down again.

“So, do you understand now?” Mrs. Heartstrings asked her daughter, who nodded in response. “Remember that you can only flush if you have somepony to watch over you while you do it. And only flush after emptying out your chamber pot.”

However, the little unicorn suddenly asked. “But if it all ends up in the toilet anyway, why can’t I just use it instead?” Before either of her parents could protest she pleaded with them. “Please? I just wanna see what it’s like.” Sensing that their daughter wasn't satisfied until she got what she wanted, the older unicorns reluctantly obliged her request. Mr. Heartstrings taking great care to float his daughter onto the toilet seat very carefully. He released his magical hold on her, expecting to have to have it use it again very shortly to keep her from falling in. But she didn’t. Lyra sat on the toilet seat like it was no big deal and soon she had done her business (she had sort of had to go earlier, but not to the point where she really felt the urge to and thus had held off on doing so), feeling quite satisfied and relieved. “Okay, I’m ready to be cleaned up now. Then I can flush, right?” She asked, hoping that she wasn’t missing a step somehow.

“...Er, y-yes,” Mr. Heartstrings commented after recovering from his sudden speechlessness. “Here, let me show you how.” He proceeded to pull a paper substance off a nearby roll and after explaining to his daughter what it was, used it to wipe her rump clean. He deposited it all into the bowl once he was done. The mint green unicorn pushed the silver handle again.

The toilet roared once more as it started flushing! The water began spinning and swirling around and around. It went faster and faster, turning once again into a whirlpool and pulling everything floating in the water down towards the hole. This time, Lyra watched her waste and the toilet paper was sucked down through the hole and disappeared, turning the water crystal clear again. It continued spinning and swirling around for a few seconds before retreating down the drain. When the toilet refilled, the mint green unicorn pondered aloud. “So, only the water is supposed to come back when I flush?”

Mrs. Heartstrings replied as best she could. “Yes, Lyra. Only the water. And make sure it doesn’t go above the bowl. If the toilet doesn’t flush properly, make sure to tell a grown-up.”

“Would I go away if the toilet flushed with me in it?” Lyra somewhat nervously/somewhat curiously asked.

Mr. Heartstrings shook his head as he helped his daughter down from the toilet seat. “Not unless you were to somehow end up in the bowl, which will NOT happen since you’re to only use the toilet when a grown-up’s assistance. And regardless of whether you use your chamber pot or the toilet, you need to make sure to wash your hooves after you’re done.”

---

“Since then I’ve been restricted to toilet useage only with the help of others,” Present day Lyra explained to her friends as the flashback ended. She then turned to Twilight. “You’re lucky to have a big brother to help you. I wish I had an older sibling.”

Twilight protested with a slight huff. “Sorry, B.B.B.F.F is taken. Get your own!”

Moondancer, meanwhile, had been silently thinking to herself and had gotten an idea. “Hey, I was thinking. Seeing as we’re the only ones at this party who are actually in potty training and are actually supposed to be in pull-ups, we should band together. You know, form a kind of club or society. Big ponies like us have to stick together, right?”

Twilight shrugged her hooves. “I guess so. Our other friends can join us when they start potty training.”

Lyra nodded her head in agreement. “Yeah, it won’t exactly be a secret. But it’ll still be nice for the three of us to have something. We can totally arrange pull-up playdates together and share our potty training progress!”

“Well, that’ll have to wait until I actually get my potty,” Twilight replied as she remembered the earlier events. “And present time is still a little ways away. I can’t open presents before then, not even when I know what they are.”

But at that moment, Shining Armor called out to the gathered crowd. “Okay, everypony, gather ‘round! It’s time for the birthday girl to unwrap her presents!” He was even floating over a rather obvious box shaped package that looked like it had been hastily wrapped. “And she’s going to start with this special present that was just delivered today!”

The three friends rushed over as fast as their hooves would let them! “You’re the best, B.B.B.F.F!” Twilight thought to herself.

Shining Armor just smiled as he watched the adorable display. He’d overheard everything even while he’d been wrapping the potty. It truly warmed his heart to know that his sister was making friends and forging connections at such a young age. He also couldn’t help but chuckle to himself at the notion of a sort of potty training club. “You sure have enthusiasm, Twily. I think I can see why Mom and Dad think you’ll be trained faster than me. Still, don’t think it’s gonna be all sunshine and roses.” He only vaguely remembered his own training and for good reason never brought it up around his little sister. There’d be plenty of other things to compete with her over when she was older, for now he was content to let her have this.

Shining joined his parents as they, along with the crowd, watched Twilight open her present and unwrap her potty. Twilight was a little annoyed that they still had to ‘pretend’ she had never seen it before and didn’t know what it was for.

Lyra, for her part, couldn’t help but feel a little jealous. Twilight’s potty looked so much more colorful and far more comfortable than some old chamber pot. Even if she’d probably just stick to toilet usage anyway for the most part, the mint green coated unicorn wished she could have one of those plastic bowls as an alternative option. But that seemed unlikely, her chamber pot was probably not going anywhere anytime soon, no matter how infrequently she used it compared to a toilet.

Comments

[Yosh-E-O]

This was a fun story. My lack of usable vision made it hard for me to see Lyra hanging out in the background. However I have heard she was very often seen sitting alongside Bon Bon. If this is right, I can see how Lyra would be known as one who just naturally likes to sit and relax. Perhaps she spends the sitting time to daydream?

I liked Twilight's response to Lyra wanting a big brother. Fortunately, in time, Bon Bon becomes her B S B F F. :)

This story, along with the other two, show how talented Moondancer, Lyra, and twilight were even before getting into Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns. It also shows how, like most young children, Twilight was a good 'friend' and liked having 'friends'. It was getting older and making herself super accountable while forcing herself to meet insane expectations that made the friendships fade as, well, another priority came up. One that Spike, Celestia, and the citizens of Ponyville would soon help fix. :)

[Latecomer]

Is their actually that much difference between potties and chamberpots? Well, probably as much as between Canterlot and Manehattan...