The Pampered Prince
Few things had scared Shining Armor more than when he had gone out on a limb and confessed to the one pony he felt comfortable disclosing his deepest, darkest secret to. Despite how long it had been he could still remember that day when he had written to his mom, admitting to an... interest in diapers and longing for a chance to be babied by her again, even just for a day. It had been an incredible relief of burden when his mom wrote him back, invited him over and allowed him to indulge in his newfound fantasy.
Twilight Velvet didn't mind. Considering how complicated Shining's birth had been and all the developmental issues that had resulted (both physically and mentally) from it, it wasn't a surprise to her that her son still sometimes needed a way to escape from his big pony troubles. A place he could go where he could just relax, leave all his worries behind and return to a simpler time where his every need was taken care of by his mom.
Both liked it so much that they agreed to do it again, on an "as needed" basis. And Velvet was as good as her word about keeping their special time alone a secret. Shining did the best he could to keep it a secret on his end. The last thing he wanted was anypony finding out and mocking him, or worse yet thinking he was some sort of freak. And it had been quite the shock to him when, even after all the precautions he'd taken, his wife still ended up finding out one evening. Apparently, she had noticed an unusual package in one of the drawers, and an inspection revealed what they were: Diapers intended for a full grown stallion.
Shining very nearly broke down on the spot! His worst fears had been realized in an instant! But he willed himself to stay strong, even though it tore him up inside that he had to try and deny what was definitely a part of him! "Cadence, I don't know how or why those got there! They're way too big for Flurry Heart." He tried to lie with a straight face.
Cadence wasn't fooled even for a second. She was a mother herself and before that she had been a foalsitter of incredible skill. That meant she knew how to read a pony, how to tell what their heart was saying even if their mouth was saying another. "Shining, you don't have to lie. I know these are for you."
At that, the prince became flustered and stumbled back. "C-Cadence!" He wanted to say more but the words wouldn't leave his mouth. It felt like he was having an out of body experience, watching a total stranger try to impersonate him!
The Princess of Love's response would've shocked anyone, but to her husband it was especially confusing and unexpected. She released the hold her magic had on the package of diapers and floated them gently over to her husband. She also nudged and nuzzled him gently on the side. "I know what you might be thinking, but you're still my husband and I still love you. That's not going to change just because you like to act like a foal and dress for the part," A warm smile escaped her lips. "Considering I used to be a foalsitter, I suppose it was inevitable I'd end up marrying a big foal at heart."
"You mean? You're not mad or upset about this?" Shining asked his wife. He wanted to believe she was being sincere, but it felt too good to be true. "You know it goes beyond just wearing diapers."
Princess Cadence just smiled again. "Of course I know. And I know that even though you may act like this sometimes, you're still the same brave stallion I met and fell in love with. Besides, in a way this works out. Even after Flurry Heart grows up, I'll still have you to baby and love forever."
Despite Cadence knowing about his secret and thus becoming another guardian of it, it just wasn't the same to have her as the "mommy" or even just a caretaker. For Shining, as much as he loved Cadence with all his heart, there was just no substitute for the kind of love and attention he got from his mom when he was diapered. It just felt more natural.
Cadence understood, she wasn't jealous. When her husband told her to her face that he preferred his mother as a caretaker whenever he was in one of his little moods, she accepted and even encouraged him. "You always were a mama's boy. Velvet told me stories all the time about how close you two were," She acknowledged one day. "If you want to take off and go see her again, I won't mind. Even I sometimes need a break from royal duties. And I know that when you come back, you'll feel refreshed, relaxed and ready to take on anything the world throws at you!"
It took every ounce of willpower Shining had for him to not leap up and hug and kiss his wife at that statement. "Thank you SO much, Cadence! You don't know how much this means to me."
Princess Cadence just smiled before her voice took on an almost cooing tone. "It was nothing. I'll even help you pack for the trip, so you're all nice and prepared. And I'll cover for you if anypony wonders where you've gone."
"Well I'll have to see if Mom's available for another session first." Shining cautioned. But when he sent a letter to Velvet and got a reply within a day, he knew in his heart what the answer was. Having Cadence help with the packing was certainly... different, perhaps even enjoyable. But every ounce of Shining's being was filled with the thoughts and memories of the last time he had done this. He felt like he was on auto-pilot from that point onward, up until he arrived back home and was reunited with his mom.
Velvet, for her part, immediately brought Shining inside and gave him a big hug! "Oh, it's so good to see you again, Shining!" She cooed while playfully ruffling his mane. "You're getting so big! I hardly even recognize the scrawny little colt that you used to be, the colt who loved playing with my mane and snuggling up with me every night."
Shining let out a sigh as he felt an enormous weight be lifted from his shoulders. "It's good to see you again too, Mom. And I feel a little bit better knowing you're not the only one who knows about my secret anymore. Having Cadence in on it is a big help. But as great a foalsitter as she still is, she just doesn't compare to you."
Twilight Velvet felt her heart melt upon hearing that statement. She struggled to hold back the tears. "Oh of course, Shiny! After all, you're my baby now. And all babies need their mama's support from time to time, don't they?"
Shining nodded as his little self started to slip out. "Uh-huh, Mama. You the best mama ever!"
Velvet smiled as she ended the hug. Then she used her magic to unzip the bag her son had brought, in its shrunken down and then sized back up glory. Everything a big foal could need: Diapers, stuffed toys (including his childhood favorite: Brutus Force), even a pacifier that was just big enough to fit into his mouth.
From that time onward, it became an almost monthly ritual for the two. Shining would write to his mom whenever he felt the need to get away from it all, and whenever his mom would agree he would come back to his childhood home and for however long he stayed (usually just a day or two) he would be her baby. Of course, it was all done within the confines of the house. If there was one thing the prince feared more than anything, it was having his secret be exposed in public for all to see.
Eventually, Velvet was able to make arrangements to accommodate her son. During one visit, she brought him to a special room hidden behind a false wall that only she could access. On the other side of it was a sized up nursery, almost like the one he'd had as a child. It had a bed with guard rails to give off the image of a giant crib, said bed having blankets themed after Smash Fortune comics that he'd loved so much as a kid. There was also a changing table with a soft, padded surface just big enough to hold his weight, a little play area where he could play pretend with his stuffed toys, and even a rocking chair that Velvet could sit in whenever she wanted to nurse him (or more often, whenever he asked her to nurse him, which she was always hesitant to do but did anyway as it didn't seem to adversely affect him).
So Shining would spend his time in his mom's care in that secret nursery, truly feeling like he was that little colt who barely came up to her knees. He could remember from the baby pictures that not only had he been born earlier than expected (more than a month before anticipated in fact), but for the first two or so months of his life he was so small and so weak that even his parents weren't allowed to see him. Doctors hadn't expected him to survive, yet against all odds he did and had been allowed to be released from the hospital and into the warm, comforting hooves of his mom.
From then on until about the time he entered grade school, Shining had struggled with a lot of issues related to his early birth. He was a late bloomer when it came to size, self-control, and even mentality. He'd really started to change his ways after Twilight had come along, and he'd silently vowed to become the big brother she deserved. That protective nature ultimately helped him get his cutie mark and enter the royal guard. Yet in doing so he now realized that he had buried most of his childhood, locked it so deep away that he was denied a chance to bid farewell to it. And now, he was given a chance to revisit it from the safety of a trusting pony. The very pony who had raised him and who he couldn't imagine his life without: His mom.
Velvet didn't mind it either. During those dreaded two months, she had been hysterical. She had internalized everything that had happened and was happening, thinking that somehow she was to blame for her son's problems. And when her son had finally been placed into her hooves for her to care for and nurture, all those beliefs had magically washed away. She'd contracted what was later nicknamed "Mommy Fever", struggling to leave her son alone even for a moment. It was part of what influenced her to become a stay at home mom, and a working from home author. A position that she stayed in even to this day.
But one day, an unexpected development would result in an experience that mother and son were sure to remember forever.
It had all started innocently enough and like any other private time for the two. Velvet had changed Shining's diaper after nursing him (it seemed that he still had that involuntary reaction from his baby years where he would wet himself during nursing, perhaps because he was so relaxed that he didn't notice) and had washed her hooves in the nursery to ensure her son wouldn't get into any trouble.
After being lifted from the changing table, Shining happily suckled on a baby blue pacifier that bobbed up and down in his mouth, his diaper crinkling oh so adorably as he moved above and made little clouds of foal powder spill out. He loved the infantile scent of cornstarch that it brought to the nursery, as he sat down to play with some of his toys while his mom watched him from the safety of the rocking chair.
Shining played about for quite a while in blissful innocence and unawareness. Yet while he was doodling almost absentmindedly in a coloring book, he felt a strange and funny sensation in his tummy, and a series of faint gurgles. He first thought he was hungry, despite having nursed from his mom earlier. But then the gurgles grew more ominous, and a pressure began to build up in his lower regions. He started to realize what was happening, and for the time being his adult self resurfaced as he stood up!
Velvet seemed to notice this as she saw that the look in her son's eyes had changed. It looked so much more serious now. "What's wrong, baby?" She innocently asked.
Shining didn't answer. He just bolted from the nursery as fast as he could, even though he seemed to briefly put a hoof to his stomach!
Velvet followed, suspecting what was happening. "I'll bet he's never really used his diapers for number two before. It's a lot harder than using them for number one." She thought to herself, recalling how potty training had been a struggle due to how much of a late bloomer her son was in physical and psychological development. She could remember all the times her son would tug on her mane to get her attention, to let her know he needed something (often a change). And how when he started to get better at potty training, particularly once he'd started mastering toilet usage, he'd always come to get her after he was done so that he could show off. It always humored her how her son had such an active imagination, treating the toilet like it was a monster until he was old enough and big enough to know otherwise. Sure, she'd gone through some of the same with Twilight, but Twilight had been much more independent than Shining and less of a hassle.
She was snapped out of her reflections as she turned a corner, and saw her son standing outside the bathroom. Tears were running down his cheeks as he seemed to stand there like a helpless child. The smell alone told her all that she needed to know, and she didn't press as she used her magic to bring the changing supplies over.
"I... I tried to make it, Mommy," Shining sobbed as his little self returned with a vengeance. "Really, I did."
Velvet just stroked her son's mane to calm him down. "It's okay, Shiny. Mama's proud that you tried to make it to the potty like a big colt. But you're wearing your diapers for a reason. So just relax, and let Mommy get you all nice and clean, alright?"
Shining nodded, and was led back to the nursery for a change as he was quickly floated onto the changing table. Compared to the time he'd had to do the changing process by himself after such a deed, it definitely felt less awkward and uncomfortable to have it be taken care of by somepony else. But he still felt bad for his mom for having to clean up. "I sorry, Mama." He sincerely apologized as he took in the pleasing scents of not just cornstarch but also lavender from the wet wipes.
"Oh, it's alright, Shiny," Velvet reassured her son as she bagged up the dirty diaper and the wet wipes. "Being a mommy means sometimes you have to change a dirty diaper or two. It doesn't mean she hates you. Everypony has accidents from time to time."
Velvet carefully teleported the bag containing the diaper and the used wipes out of the nursery and out of the house, burying it in the trash so that no one would ever find it (and as a bonus, tonight was trash night). She then washed her hooves, making sure to keep an eye on her son as he waited to be set down from the changing table.
When he was, a short time later, Shining made his way over to his mom and nuzzled her in the side as he leaned close. He closed his eyes and listened to her heartbeat for a bit as it helped him to calm down.
Eventually, Velvet broke the silence and cleared her throat. She had a big surprise for him, and she wanted to make sure that he was onboard with. "Shiny, Mommy needs to get re-supplied. I need more diapers, and I think you would like some new toys to play with. It'd be a nice little adventure and allow us to get out of the house."
At that, Shining eeped and immediately protested! "No, Mama! Don't take me out! Don't wanna be seen in diapee! Everypony laugh at me!"
Velvet reassuringly told her son. "Don't worry, Shiny. I've already found a way to keep your identity hidden," She used her magic to produce a rather massive stroller, one that was too big for normal foals but just big enough for Twilight Velvet's little prince. It had a midnight blue coloring, straps to keep the big little one secured, and even an awning to block out the sunlight. She carefully floated him into it as she explained. "I picked this up from a magical foal store, one that specializes in providing for big little ones like you. It was actually built by a changeling and has a bit of changeling magic in it. As long as you're strapped into it, ponies won't recognize you. They'll think you're just a random little foal, and I'll look like its mommy."
Shining felt a little bit better upon being told this. But he was understandably hesitant to commit to it. He needed to see his own reflection in a mirror before he could be assured that he wouldn't be spotted while in the stroller (so long as he didn't speak, which was fine by him. He had ways of letting his mom know whenever he needed something).
The stroller ride to the store was equal parts exciting and nerve wracking for the prince. If he was spotted or recognized by anyone at all for any reason, there would be no hope for him to ever lead a normal life again. Considering how popular and recognizable he was, photos or stories of him engaging in such infantile conduct would be sure to spread across Equestria and beyond like wildfire! He wouldn't be able to go out and about again without being recognized, and mocked and teased to no end.
The big diapered stallion definitely felt a lot more relieved and carefree once he and his mom made it safely to their destination. From the outside it looked like any other foal store, really. Even the title gave no real indication that it was at all out of the ordinary, considering its name was just: Crinkle Kingdom with a slogan of "Treat your foal like royalty, as a pampered prince or princess.", it was only once one stepped inside and made their way to the back (past the counters and the many aisles of ordinary foal supplies) that the true nature of the store was revealed. This special area contained packages of diapers for ponies Shining's size, perhaps even bigger (which made him chuckle at the thought of Princess Celestia waddling about in pampers), and all the supplies and toys one might need to care for such a big little one.
By now, Velvet had let her son out of the stroller and the disguise for the both of them had faded completely. "Here we are, Shiny," She smiled and cooed. "Go ahead and pick out any toys that catch your eye, Mama wants only the best for her brave little guard."
Shining eagerly scooped up as many of the oversized plushies as his magic would let him, floating them over to a huge shopping cart as Velvet was stacking it with at least three packages worth of diapers in the same brand Shining was so used to wearing. Seeing them made him briefly recall how he had gone to great lengths to order his diapers in secret and come up with all kinds of cover stories in case they were intercepted before he could obtain them. He made a mental note to look into whether a store like this existed closer to home in the Crystal Empire. He could always invent the cover story of doing an inspection, while making arrangements to have his orders custom delivered when only he or Cadence would be around to pick them up.
Suddenly, however, Velvet and Shining happened to turn a corner as they made their way back to the check out. And much to Shining's horror, he saw one of the castle guards that he supervised during his occasional tours of duty back in Canterlot! He flinched and froze on the spot, paralyzed with fear even as every fiber of his body screamed for him to try and run for cover!
The guard locked eyes with Shining, appearing to recognize him after a moment of initial confusion. "Captain Armor?" He seemed to ask in confirmation. "I wasn't expecting to see you back in Canterlot. Is something wrong? And uh... do you know that you're... um... wearing a diaper?"
The prince remained silent and frozen no longer! He did the only thing he could think of doing in this case! He turned tail and ran as fast as he could, burying himself into his mother's chest for all the good it would do him!
Velvet now found herself facing a situation for which she had no easy answer. What should she say? What could she say?
The guard, for his part, just replied. "Is everything alright, Mrs. Sparkle? Has something happened to your son?"
Velvet stepped back slowly, trying her best to shield Shining and the supplies that she was going to buy. "E-everything is... under control," She insisted. "We were just leaving. Isn't that right, Shining?"
Shining didn't answer, by now he was sobbing quite audibly and refused to lift his head even an inch. Not even having his trusty pacifier inserted into his mouth or having Brutus Force placed near him for security could help.
Even once Shining was safely back home and in the comfort of his own nursery, he didn't stop crying and sobbing.
Velvet tried her best to calm her son down by stroking his mane with her hooves, remembering how much that would always comfort him as a child even long after he'd outgrown all his other child-like behaviors. "It's okay, Shiny. It's okay. Mommy's here." She spoke softly to him, unsure of what else to say.
But Shining only wailed audibly as his whole body shook! "My life's over, Mama! Now that guard's gonna tell everypony what he saw! I'm gonna be all over the papers, and everypony's gonna laugh at me or think I'm a freak! I'll never be able to go anywhere ever again!"
Velvet wasn't sure of how to respond to such claims. She wanted nothing more than to tell her son that such things would never happen, and that eventually ponies would forget and move on like they'd done after that time a paper had caught a photo of Princess Celestia gouging herself on cake. But she knew all too well that that had been just one paper, a school paper at that. And it had only stopped because more outrageous claims about other ponies had replaced it, until finally the ponies responsible for spreading such news came clean and agreed to stop doing it. Having already seen what the tabloids had done to her son and her daughter since they had moved out, Velvet was certain that many of them would run with Shining's story all the way. Even her husband would find out, and she wasn't sure how she would explain it all to him.
Before either mother or son could truly process what their next move should be, there came a sudden and unexpected knock at the door. Velvet really didn't want to answer it, and hoped beyond hope it would go away. But it didn't. In fact, not only did the knock come again, but a familiar voice called out. "Captain Armor, are you there? It's me, Silver Wing. I wanna talk to you about earlier. About... what I saw."
Against her better judgement, Twilight Velvet decided to open the door. For all she knew it was just a prank, but something in the back of her mind told her that her son would've trained the royal guards to be better than that. That he would've trained them enough to have respect for the privacy of other ponies. So she lit up her horn and turned the knob. "It's open, come in." She called, probably sounding more forceful than she would've wanted to given the circumstances.
Shining Armor was slow to lift his gaze from her mother's chest. Yet somehow he willed himself to do so and dry his tears. When he did, he almost had to blink and rub said eyes to be sure that he wasn't somehow seeing things. Before him stood Silver Wing, the very guard he had unmistakably encountered at the foal store. But the guard was wearing a silver colored onesie with a noticeable bulge beneath it, a bulge that was suspiciously diaper shaped. Could it be?
Silver Wing spoke slowly and seemed to be holding back a blush. "I'm sorry if I frightened you, Captain. I was just surprised to see you back in Canterlot unannounced. As far as everypony knew, you were still holed up in the Crystal Empire with your wife and daughter."
"W-well," Shining slowly confessed. "I was, but I decided I needed a bit of a break. So I came here and... well, you can probably figure out the rest."
Silver Wing nodded. "Yes, I know. And I want you to know, you have nothing to be ashamed of. I have kind of the same interest you do, though unfortunately I don't really have anypony to be my caretaker or my mommy. You're one of the lucky ones."
Shining felt his heart start to flutter. "You really think so?!"
Silver Wing nodded again in confirmation. "I know so, Captain. I can't tell you how relieved I am to know that I have somepony I can share the secret with. If I told any of the other guards about this, they'd surely laugh at me and tease me to no end."
Shining reached out a hoof to pull Silver Wing into an embrace. "Well, if anypony starts giving you a hard time for what you like to do on your own time, you just tell me. I'll straighten them out for you!" He declared and then giggled. "Those poopy heads won't be laughing when I make them all wear diapees while on duty. Hehe, duty."
Velvet simply smiled as she witnessed the heart warming display. "Oh, I'm so happy my little Shiny has made a friend. Somepony who won't judge him for his little secret," And then she suggested to Silver Wing. "You know, I'm sure we could arrange a playdate for you two sometime. Shiny has his own little nursery that's definitely big enough for another little one."
"I'd like that very much, Mrs. Sparkle," Silver Wing saluted. "I'll let you know when I er... have the time," Then he told Shining Armor. "And don't worry, Captain. Your secret's safe with me. You can just let me know whenever you're going to be coming back to Canterlot, that way I can cover for you if you ever go to that foal store again." And then he trotted away, closing the door behind him.
"See, Shiny?" Velvet spoke up after Silver Wing's departure. "There's never any need to worry. Lots of ponies like to indulge in what you indulge in."
Shining nodded. "Uh-huh. Ya right as always, Mama."
Velvet simply smiled, before she then brought Shining back to the nursery to unpack all the foal supplies she had bought. "Oh my goodness, is it that late already?" She commented, noticing the glow of the setting sun in the distance.
Shining quickly saw it too and asked his mom. "Can I cuddle with ya 'til I go sweepie?"
Velvet nodded as she sat down in the rocking chair, and motioned for her son to crawl towards her. He did so, once again nuzzling into her chest while she rocked back and forth with him. And she continued to rock back and forth with her son until she heard him snoring. At which point she gently floated him into his makeshift crib, pulling the covers up to his head and even giving his diaper an inspection pat (and finding it dry). "Oh my little Shiny," She thought as she turned out the nursery light. "No matter how big you get or how far away you move, you will always be my precious baby. I will love you forever."