On His (Other) Royal Throne
It was natural for couples to argue about things, Shining Armor had fully expected that even when his wife was the Princess of Love. They'd argued over things big and small alike, and parenting was no exception. They'd argued about whose turn it was to change Flurry Heart's diaper, who was responsible for putting her down for naps, and all things in between. Yet through it all Shining had never stayed mad at his wife, and neither had Cadence stayed mad at him.
But now Shining found himself in a situation where he wasn't sure not staying mad would be an option. His wife was making the most ridiculous suggestion right now. Currently, in her hooves she was holding out a thick, white diaper. This normally wouldn't be a problem if not for one small (or in Shining's case big) problem, the diaper's size. It wasn't intended for Flurry Heart, oh no no no. The larger size of the padding left no doubts as to who it was intended for, a full grown pony. And Cadence wanted Shining to wear it.
"Please?" Cadence pleaded with her husband as she held out the diaper.
Shining refused to even look at the diaper, let alone think about wearing it. He just growled in reply. "No."
"But dear, it'll only be this one time," Cadence insisted in that sweet tone of hers. "And only you, Flurry, and I will ever know you wore it."
"The answer is still no, Cadence. Don't make me say it again!" Shining growled again. "I'm not wearing that stupid thing and there's no way you can make me."
The Princess of Love sighed and shook her head. "Come on, Shining, stop being so stubborn," She tried to play to his pride. "Don't tell me the prince of the Crystal Empire is scared of a diaper. I've seen you change Flurry's diapers multiple times."
"That's different. She's a baby, she's supposed to wear them. I'm not." The prince retorted, still refusing to turn his head and face the diaper. He could still hear it of course, hear it rustling and crinkling as Cadence's hoof kept moving it.
Cadence frowned. "Well she's getting to that age where she's not supposed to be wearing them. We both agree that she's ready to start potty training, and you promised you'd do anything to help."
"So, it's not like we signed a contract on it or anything," The prince replied as he folded his hooves in a pout. "I know because I'd distinctly remember such a thing. Twily always insists on saving every document, so if there was ever a potty training contract complete with terms and conditions, I'd know what it involves," Then he decided to add the compelling argument. "And when I said I'd do 'anything' I obviously didn't mean 'put on a diaper and be a big baby'."
"Why not? I'm sure Flurry would love to have a playmate," The alicorn giggled at her husband. "Remember that book we read up on parenting? How it was said children emulate their peers?"
Shining still pouted. "I have no idea what that has to do with your ridiculous potty training idea. I've been down this road with my sister, I know what I'm in for. And Celestia knows, Twily's potty training days were an experience I'll never forget. I've no interest in another tour of bathroom duty."
But Cadence, being the experienced former foalsitter that she was, just winked. Now it was time to play her trump card and seal the deal. "If we want to make Flurry's potty training experience as smooth as possible, we need to show her what she's supposed to do. Give her an example to study."
"So why don't you put on the diaper and teach Flurry how a big pony uses the potty?" Shining protested. "Why does it have to be me? Heck, why not make Sunburst do it? Flurry loves spending time with him."
"He's just her crystaller who sometimes pulls double duty as her foalsitter," Cadence giggled. "It won't mean the same thing coming from him. Besides, he's out of town all week visiting Sire's Hollow, you know that."
At that Shining groaned. "How could I have forgotten?! The one time he could save me and he's halfway across Equestria. Just my luck!"
Cadence went on explaining her argument. "I have tons more potty training experience than you do, don't forget I was a foalsitter before I married you. On top of that, you haven't spent nearly as much time with Flurry as you should. Except for the occasions where I tell you it's your turn, the most I've seen you do is give Flurry a bottle or tell her a story. So this will help us kill two birds with one stone. You'll get to spend some quality one on one time with your only daughter and she'll learn from you how to use the potty."
"And what do you get out of it, Cadence?" The prince protested. "There's gotta be a catch somewhere!"
The Princess of Love only giggled and winked. "The only thing I get out of it is seeing you look adorable. That's more than enough reward for me," Then she surrounded the diaper with her magic and levitated it over to her husband. "Come on. If not for your sake, then certainly for Flurry's sake."
Sensing that his wife wasn't going to take no for an answer, Shining reluctantly folded. If he kept this up something told him he was likely to end up wearing far more than just a diaper. He took the diaper into his hooves with great hesitation, already dreading how loud the crinkling seemed to be. "I'll do it, but I'm not gonna like it," He firmly declared. "I'm only doing this once and that's it. The next time you wanna give Flurry a role model, you can wear the diapers!"
Cadence didn't acknowledge that last part, she was too busy smiling and cooing. "Thanks for cooperating, dear. You won't regret this, I promise," Then she adopted a more maternal voice as she instructed. "Now then, little one. Lie down and let Mommy get you all diapered up."
Shining slowly plopped down onto the floor of the bedroom, his eyes quickly scanning all around for something else to lock onto in order to forget about the diaper. Of course he still felt the entire process, felt his legs be pushed apart and his tail threaded through the hole before the tabs were taped up. Only then did he sit up, and as he rose the diaper crinkled anew, reminding him of its inescapable presence. Already he could hear his wife coo and aw. "If you take any pictures at all of this you're sleeping on the couch until Flurry's potty trained, and I'm not speaking to you again!" He warned her. "Got that?!"
"Of course, dear. You have my word, I won't take any pictures. Aside from the mental ones of course," The former foalsitter alicorn replied with another round of giggles. "Now come on, you have a playdate with Flurry Heart. And remember, you're a foal now, so you have to tell me when you have to go potty."
"In the name of Celestia I hope that time comes soon! The sooner I can be rid of this diaper, the better!" Shining thought to himself as he slowly waddled after his wife as they both trotted to the adjacent nursery where their only daughter was waiting.
In the royal nursery Flurry Heart sat in her playpen in just her diaper, playing happily away without a care in the world and with no thought as to what would soon be in store for her. All she knew was that her mommy and daddy had been arguing about something, but then they seemed to argue about a lot of things and yet they still had time for her.
"Hello, Flurry," Cadence called as she stood over the playpen. "Are you ready for a day of fun with Daddy?"
Flurry clapped and giggled. "Dada." She smiled as she was enveloped in the soft glow of her mom's magic and her diaper was inspected.
"Good, all nice and clean," Cadence cooed as she patted the diaper. She then set Flurry down on the floor of the nursery. "Now then, say hello to Daddy."
Shining tried in vain to hide his raging blush as he waddled out from behind his wife, now showing off his padded state to his daughter.
Flurry's blue eyes grew wide, she'd never seen anypony bigger than her wear diapers before. She didn't know what to think at first. She just sat there, staring at the thick diaper and how silly it looked on her father. Daddy was always a silly pony but she'd never seen him do something this silly before.
"Come on, Flurry, stop staring at me!" Shining mentally complained. "It's bad enough I have to wear this stupid diaper, I don't need to feel like I'm three years old again!"
At last, Flurry decided to do something. Flapping her wings she was able to flutter up to where she was about chest level with her dad, then she reached out a tiny hoof and poked his diaper, causing it to crinkle anew. "Hehe, diapee!" She giggled. "Dada diapee!"
"Yes, Flurry," The prince sighed as he looked at his little one. "Daddy's wearing a diaper. He's doing this for your sake."
The infant princess just giggled and clapped her hooves, poking the diaper a few more times and causing it to produce a cacophony of crisp crinkles. It sure was thick, thicker than anything she ever wore. She actually found herself kind of jealous, she wanted to have diapers that were that thick.
Cadence laughed. It seemed that Flurry had already taken a shine to seeing her father all diapered up. Hopefully that meant she'd be more accepting of him and more eager to learn from him. Old memories of her foalsitting days suddenly came flooding back to her and almost on instinct she surrounded Shining's diaper with her magic and pulled it back.
At that Shining let out an audible eep and promptly swished his tail as his blush returned with a vengeance! "H-hey!" He whined in a tone that sounded not unlike a foal caught with its hoof in the cookie jar.
"Sorry, it's an old habit, and you know what they say about old habits," The Princess of Love apologized even as she had to suppress a giggle. "Besides, now that you're in potty training boot camp you have to expect diaper checks at frequent intervals. After all, foals don't always know when they have to go, so it's imperative for their mommies to check them to be sure."
The prince once again struggled in vain to hold back his blush, even as he looked at his wife and insisted. "You don't need to constantly check me, Cadence. I'm pretty sure I'd know if I did anything in my diaper, and for the record I have no intention of doing so."
"I'm sure you don't but it never hurts to double check and be sure," Cadence winked. "Now then, you just play with Flurry and let me know when you feel like you have to go potty. Remember, we want Flurry to understand that it's what she has to do when we potty train her."
"If I didn't know better I'd swear she was just making this up to put me back in diapers!" Shining thought to himself. "If she really wants another foal so badly, all she has to do is ask. Though I'm not sure if we're ready for another superpowered alicorn foal just yet."
Unfortunately for Shining Armor, it seemed that he didn't have a need to visit his other royal throne just yet. Which meant he was stuck here in the accursed diaper with only his daughter for company (his wife was taking the role of an observer, stepping in only when the situation called for it).
Reluctantly the prince realized that he was going to have pass the time by playing with Flurry, doing whatever it was that she wanted. But maybe that wouldn't be so bad. At the least it would hopefully get his mind off the diaper around his rear.
"So, Flurry," The diaper wearing stallion asked his daughter. "What do you like to do for fun?"
In response to her father's question, Flurry flew up to where she was face level with him. Then she reached out her tiny hooves and made a grabbing motion around Shining's nose. She babbled something in response.
Shining realized at once what his daughter was doing (or rather trying to do) and with his wife watching he knew he was expected to play along. Reluctantly he put his hooves to his nose and exclaimed with exaggerated worry! "Oh no, not my nose! I love my nose! Don't take my nose!"
Flurry just giggled, holding out her hooves as she pretended to be dangling the non-existent stolen nose of her father in the air, as though taunting him to try and get it back.
"Come on, Flurry," Shining pleaded with his daughter as he continued to play along. "Give Daddy back his nose. He needs that to be able to smell, otherwise how else is he gonna know if you need a change? Remember the time he thought you didn't, and you got a nasty diapee rash? You don't want that to happen again, do you?"
Cadence seemed to chime in on her husband's behalf. "Okay, Flurry, give Daddy his nose back, please. We don't take things that don't belong to us, young lady."
With another round of giggles, Flurry swooped back over to her dad's location and touched her hooves to his nose. "Daddy get nose back." She babbled. It was still hard to believe she was old enough to speak a few words, it seemed like only yesterday she could only babble, giggle, and coo whenever she spoke.
"Thank you, Flurry," Shining smiled as he inhaled through his nose. "Please don't take Daddy's nose ever again without asking first," Then in a whisper he added. "Though if you wanna steal Mommy's nose, I won't mind it."
"Very funny, dear," Cadence rolled her eyes. "Don't be giving Flurry anymore ideas. You give her enough as it is."
"Oh really? And who was the one who was supposed to be watching Flurry when she got into the chocolate pudding?" Shining teased. "I distinctly remember it being your turn."
At that the Princess of Love frowned. "You're never going to let me live that down, are you?"
The prince's response was a simple "Nope."
Minutes passed in the nursery, then half an hour. Still Shining did not feel the urge to go. It seemed like the forces of the universe were all conspiring against him on this chosen day, even time itself seemed to be ticking by agonizingly slow. "I don't know what's worse, the fact that I'm still stuck in this diaper or the fact that Cadence is treating me like I'm a giant toddler. What did I ever do to deserve this?" He thought to himself.
"Still dry, baby?" Cadence cooed as she performed yet another diaper inspection. "Anytime you're ready to go potty is fine by me. Just remember, you have to let me know."
"I know Cadence, I know," Shining whined in protest. "Can we please stop with the diaper checks? It's so embarrassing."
Cadence only teased. "Oh but honey, it makes Flurry happy." She pointed a hoof to the toddler princess, who was just giggling and kicking her little legs in laughter. She clearly got a kick out of seeing her dad be babied and treated like he was her age.
The prince found himself breathing a sigh of relief when the check was completed. By now he was actually starting to not be bothered by the constant crinkles of his poofy (and admittedly kind of comfy) diaper.
But that still left him with nothing to do to pass the time, and no way he was going to start playing with his diaper to make it crinkle. It wasn't going to happen in a million years!
Flurry seemed to be aware of the dilemma her dad was in (or maybe she too was just bored), for she scooped up some of her favorite toys and stuffed animals and brought them over to Shining, laying them out before him.
"Oh, you wanna play some more?" Shining asked his daughter, making eye contact with her. She nodded in response, first pushing forward some alphabet blocks. It didn't take a genius to figure out what she wanted to play. "Okay, we can build a block tower. We'll build the biggest block tower in the history of block towers together!"
And that's just what they did, the two foals working together built up a block tower that was so impressive any architect would've deemed a marvel of modern construction. That is if not for one fatal flaw the building material had, alphabet blocks were vulnerable to being knocked over. All it took was one sneeze from Flurry and the whole thing came tumbling done, burying her and her dad in alphabet blocks. Fortunately, neither was hurt.
Cadence observed the whole thing from afar with a smile. "At least this time Flurry's stacking blocks instead of other foals." She thought quite happily.
After the block tower was destroyed, father and daughter moved on to some foal toys. Flurry didn't mind sharing them with her dad, because in her mind he was no longer just her father who sometimes played with her, fed her, and bathed and changed her. He was also a big foal, one that clearly needed to learn how to play like a foal.
Shining mostly just occupied himself with some of the less humiliating foal toys, he stayed away from things like brightly colored rattles and squeaky tools. "The things I do for the sake of my family," He thought and then gave himself a mental pep talk. "It's okay, just keep playing along. It'll all be worth it when Flurry is sitting on her potty chair, doing her business like a big pony. Just think, no more diapers!"
All that playing around caused Shining to work up quite a thirst, after a while he started longing for his daily cup of joe. Heck, he'd even settle for a refreshing bottle of warm milk as long as it quenched his parched tongue. He nearly blinked in surprise at the thought. Why was he suddenly willing to accept something so foalish as a bottle of milk? The only time he ever needed milk was when he wanted to put it in his coffee or his cereal.
Flurry was feeling thirsty too, but she didn't want a bottle of milk this time. No, this was a special occasion. Diaper playtime with her daddy. And that called for something truly unforgettable, a tea party! Lucky for her she had the finest little tea set, a gift from her great aunt Celestia (her great aunt Luna had given her the softest blanket known to ponykind, and Auntie Twily had given her some fun picture books).
With a little help from her mommy, Flurry set up the miniature tea set in all its splendid detail. Even the little cups and kettle were polished and glistened for they had been kept in pristine condition.
"I'll start brewing the tea right away," Cadence told the foals. "But first, I believe another diaper check is in order. As always, Shining, big ponies first."
Once again Shining felt the familiar tug of his wife's magic as his diaper was pulled back and displayed to Flurry, who of course clapped and giggled in delight the whole time. Meanwhile, all the prince could do was blush. It didn't matter that he'd been checked multiple times already or that he knew he was still clean, it was still embarrassing. To him it was like he was a little colt again, having his parents check his diaper at random intervals just to be sure he didn't have an accident. He was quite relieved when the check was complete.
"Good job keeping your diaper clean," The Princess of Love overly praised her husband. "You're such a good little foal, Shining. Flurry could stand to learn a thing or two from you."
"Hopefully, she soon will." The prince thought as he sat back down in his chair while his wife inspected Flurry's diaper. It was clean too, surprisingly.
When Flurry was plopped back down in her chair at the table, Cadence then took up the kettle and left to go brew the tea like she'd promised.
It seemed like it was forever before the alicorn returned with the tea kettle. "Freshly brewed tea," She declared in a posh, uppercrust tone. "Who'd like some?"
"I do! I do!" Shining immediately shouted, his thirst overriding his will to be patient.
The princess of love only shook her head and playfully scolded. "Now, Shining, that's not how you ask. Gimme gimme doesn't get. You're supposed to be a role model for Flurry, remember?" Shining blushed anew as shame washed over him, while his wife only snickered before asking. "Now, what is the proper way you ask for something?"
Once he'd recovered from the humiliation, the stallion cleared his throat and put on his most polite tone as he responded. "May I please have some tea?"
"Very good, Shiny! Here's your reward!" Cadence smiled as she carefully poured some tea into his cup. Then she did the same with Flurry. Setting the kettle back down, the alicorn turned to leave before she suddenly gasped! "Oh my, I almost forgot!" She proceeded to tie bibs around both foals' necks. "Mommy can't have either of you two making a mess."
By this point Shining didn't even blush at being treated like a foal. Much as he hated to admit it, he'd gotten used to it and that frustrated him to no end. Part of him even wondered if his wife had planned this? Knowing Cadence he wouldn't put it past her.
The tea party itself was a grand affair, even if the only guests were stuffed animals who couldn't drink tea. Flurry drank hers without a fuss, taking small and controlled sips like her mommy had taught her to do.
The same couldn't be said for Shining, who was not only unfamiliar with tea party customs but was also way too thirsty to think about the prim and proper way to consume the refreshing tea. He took his cup and downed the tea in one gulp, his parched tongue troubled him no longer. He almost didn't react when he let out a belch just seconds afterward. "Excuse me." He said with a straight face and leaned back in his chair.
"Daddy silly!" Flurry giggled as her mommy refilled the tea cups without saying a word, she looked across to Shining and seemed to frown in disapproval.
After the tea party, father and daughter resumed their playtime together. They played happily for the next half hour or so without a care in the world.
Shining was so caught up in the diaper playtime that he almost didn't realize when the tea worked its way through his system. On cue he started to feel a pressure in his bowels, one that he was very well acquainted with. Was it finally time?!
Unwilling to take a chance that he might be wrong, the prince of the Crystal Empire stopped what he had been doing and waddled over to his wife. It was the only way he could think of to get her attention in time.
"What is it, baby?" Cadence innocently asked as she looked her diaper wearing husband in the eyes.
The stallion took a deep breath and swallowed his stallionly pride as he responded in the best foalish tone he could muster. "I... have to go potty."
Almost immediately Cadence's eyes lit up! It seemed the moment had finally arrived! "Okay, thank you for telling me. Now let's get you to the potty," She told her husband as she then turned to Flurry. "Flurry Heart, please follow Mommy to the bathroom. She and Daddy have something they want to show you."
Flurry became intrigued. She'd heard the word bathroom a couple of times before but still didn't quite know what grown-ups meant by it outside of when she had to take a bath. Was that what Daddy was about to do?
Shining tried his best to ignore the feeling of being a potty training toddler as his wife led him along towards the bathroom. He knew where it was and would've bolted right over to it, but something told him he might need help taking off his diaper. And since his wife had diapered him, she would be the perfect pony to ask to un-diaper him.
At last the prince reached the bathroom with his wife by his side and his daughter watching with interest. Hopefully she'd stay that way. He was quite relieved when he didn't have to ask to take off his diaper, his wife took care of that for him, carefully pulling it down to his legs. Already he locked his moderate cerulean eyes on the majestic white porcelain throne that was the toilet, never in all his life was he more glad to see it than he was now. He'd never take it for granted again.
But the moment the prince took one step towards his other royal throne, he was halted by the magical power of his wife. "And just where do you think you're going, dear?" She innocently inquired.
"To the toilet, of course!" Shining retorted, he was in no mood for these childish games.
Cadence's response was most unexpected, she threw back her head and laughed. "Silly Shiny. That potty is much too big for you."
"What do you mean? It's perfectly sized for me!" Shining replied with a growl. "Come on, stop playing around! I really really have to go!"
"Oh, just relax," Cadence reassured her annoyed husband. "You can still use the potty. You just need one on your level." At that she used her magic to bring forth a small, plastic bowl like object colored a bright pink.
The prince took one look at the toddler sized object and pouted. "A training potty? Seriously?"
The princess of love smiled back with a straight face. "You want to show Flurry how to use the potty, right?"
"Yeah, but not like this! When you mentioned teaching her I never knew you meant it like this!" Shining snorted. "Please, Cadence, just let me use the toilet! It'll have the same effect either way."
"Are you sure you can make it in time? It's a bit of walk, especially with your diaper still around your knees," Cadence pointed out. "You wouldn't want to risk an accident, would you?"
At that the prince blushed anew. "W-well, no... but..."
"Then you know what you must do," His wife declared. "Come on. I didn't break out this training potty so you could not use it."
With a reluctant sigh the prince trotted over to the training potty, carefully positioning himself before he sat down on it. "Okay," He said to himself before he gave a whistle to attract Flurry's attention. "Hey, Flurry! Look at Daddy, please. He's about to show you how you to use the potty."
Flurry obeyed, her eyes becoming fixated on her father as he sat on that bowl shaped object that was clearly too small for him.
"Just do what you have to do, Shining. I won't look," Cadence promised and promptly turned her head. "Just let me know when you're done so I can wipe you, okay?"
"O-o...k-kay." The prince stuttered even though he was glad to have partial privacy. It still didn't do anything to make him feel like he wasn't three years old again.
Still, the stallion found it relatively easy to do what needed to be done. Soon he grunted and did his business, feeling a great sense of relief when he was done even as a strong smell of methane and manure started to fill the air.
Flurry plugged her nose and exclaimed. "Daddy stinky!" Yet it was possible to hear her chuckle ever so slightly.
"Well you're no flower either, Flurry." Shining protested as he continued to sit on the potty.
"Are you all done, Shining?" Cadence called.
"Yes." Shining answered his wife and stood up. Pretty soon he felt some wet wipes touch his flanks, cleaning up his rear.
"Such a stinky little bum-bum." The princess of love teased as she sprayed some air freshener to remove the foul smell.
Now there was only the matter of the training potty to take care of. Shining turned to Cadence as he asked her. "Can you at least let me empty the training potty?"
"Of course you can," Cadence nodded in approval. "Just remember to flush the toilet."
Shining didn't answer, he just scooped up the potty with his magic and floated it over to the toilet. With his wife and daughter watching, he deposited the training potty's contents into the toilet bowl with several audible plops and splashes. After setting the now empty potty back down, he surrounded the toilet handle with his magic and forced it down.
Flurry watched with interest as a loud roaring sound reached her ears and the water in the toilet started to spin. Faster and faster it spun, taking everything floating in it with it as it swirled down that hole at the bottom. "Water go down the hole!" She cried out in joy! But the fun wasn't over yet, the water began to refill but with no sign of what had been in it just a few seconds earlier. "Water came back!" This was something that warranted further study, this marvelous bowl shaped thing with water that could make anything inside it disappear. But where did it go? And why did only the water come back?
Well, those were questions to be answered at a later date. Like say, the next time she was in the bathroom. To think that something so strange and marvelous had existed in her life all this time and yet she'd never known.
Shining proceeded to wash his hooves, showing Flurry how to do it. "This is what we do when we're done going to the bathroom," He instructed. "From now on, whenever you feel like you have to go either number one or number two you tell either Mommy or I. We'll take you to the bathroom and sit you on the potty. And don't worry, sometimes there'll be false alarms. In time, you'll start to learn when you have to go and when you don't. Understand?"
Flurry nodded and giggled. It did sound a bit complicated, but as long as it would allow her to more thoroughly inspect that white bowl thing she didn't care.
Cadence only giggled as she, her husband, and her now in potty training daughter all exited the bathroom together a short time later. On the way back to Flurry's nursery she teased Shining (who had pulled the diaper back up to his waist, largely because his wife had made him). "You know, for someone who was so opposed to putting on a diaper and acting like a foal, you made for one heck of a role model for Flurry. She seems a lot more excited about potty training now."
"Yeah, well just remember that next time she needs an example, it's your turn to do it!" Shining reminded his wife of the deal they'd made earlier. "And you can't tell anyone about this!"
"Don't worry, dear," Cadence reassured her husband with a wink. "This will just be our little secret."