Despite her occasional indulgence in ageplay when at home, Scootaloo's life largely went back to normal after her punishment. Featherweight only came over for one more play date, and Scootaloo did not make any efforts to expose her secret to anypony else.
As for Dizzy Twister, she began to spend time getting to know Bulk Biceps better. She had been told that it was always best to form a solid friendship, before making any attempts at starting a romantic relationship.
One day roughly two months after Dizzy Twister had punished Scootaloo, Scootaloo did not return home at her normal time. Normally, this wouldn't be a concern to Dizzy Twister (she was perfectly content to let her daughter have some space to be herself and try things on her own) but today was different. The pegasi were scheduled to bring in a big rain storm, and were currently stacking the dark gray clouds against the sunlight sky, blocking out the rays of sunshine as the hours ticked by.
"I hope Scootaloo is watching the sky," Dizzy Twister thought anxiously to herself, as she paced back and forth in the living room. "The storm could break at any minute, and I would hate for her to try and make it home amidst the wind and the rain."
At last, as the clock struck seven, the storm clouds could hold back their payload no longer. A faint clap of thunder shook the ground, and in seconds raindrops began to fall in a constant "pitter patter" sound, while the wind slowly began to increase in speed and intensity.
Fortunately, right at that very moment, the front door was opened, and Dizzy Twister breathed a much needed sigh of relief when she saw her daughter step inside. "There you are, Scootaloo," Dizzy Twister greeted, rushing over to greet her daughter. "Where you have been all afternoon?! I was worried that you might get caught in the rain!"
"Sorry, Mom," Scootaloo apologized, blushing a bit. "I stopped by Rumble's house to talk to him for a while."
Dizzy Twister smiled "Ah, isn't that just sweet?" she cooed. "It's so nice to see you two spending time with each other.. Pretty soon, you'll be making out and going on dates as coltfriend and fillyfriend. You're growing up so fast, my little Scootaloo."
"Mom, we're just friends!" Scootaloo protested. "I mean, yeah Rumble's cute and all, but I don't think we'll be ready for a relationship anytime soon."
Dizzy Twister couldn't help but chuckle, as she lightly patted her daughter on the head. "I was only teasing you, Scootaloo. I just think you and Rumble would make a cute little couple, after all you two have know each other since you were both in diapers. I still remember the time he tried to scare you with a story about the 'Potty Monster'."
"Don't remind me," Scootaloo groaned, and quickly changed the subject. "So, what's for dinner? I'm really hungry!"
"How does homemade macaroni and cheese sound?" Dizzy Twister asked.
"Sounds fine to me," Scootaloo shrugged, and made her way upstairs. "I'm gonna use the bathroom, then put on my diaper. Is my Wonderbolts pacifier clean yet?"
Dizzy Twister nodded "It'll be ready for you when I tuck you in tonight, unless you'd like to sleep with Mommy instead?"
"No thanks, sleeping in the makeshift crib is fine." Scootaloo replied from upstairs.
Dinner and bedtime passed uneventfully for Scootaloo, as well as Dizzy Twister. Dizzy Twister tried to make her daughter take a bath, but Scootaloo refused.
"I'll take one tomorrow night," Scootaloo insisted. "I didn't really get to do much on my scooter because of the rain."
"Very well then, my little Wonderbolt," Dizzy Twister agreed. "But tomorrow night you're taking a bath. No ifs, ands, or buts, do I make myself clear?!"
"Yes, Mom," Scootaloo replied with a yawn, as she climbed into her bed and inserted the Wonderbolts pacifier into her mouth. "Goodnight, Mom." she lisped, as she suckled on her pacifier.
"Goodnight, Scootaloo. Sweet dreams." Dizzy Twister said softly, as she pulled the sheets up over her daughter, placed her favorite Rainbow Dash plushie next to her, and kissed her lightly on the forehead, before turning off the light and closing the door.
By the time Dizzy Twister woke next morning, the storm had lifted. Celestia's sun shone brightly on the rain soaked grounds of Ponyville now filled with puddles, as various colts and fillies giggled while splashing about in said puddles.
Dizzy Twister was quite surprised when she made her way downstairs, and saw that Scootaloo wasn't up already. Now, if it were a weekend, Dizzy Twister would assume that Scootaloo was just sleeping in. However, today was a school day, and school was due to begin in just over an hour. So the fact that Scootaloo was not up yet had Dizzy Twister a little bit concerned. "Scootaloo probably forgot to set her alarm clock, again," she thought to herself, as she gingerly tiphoofed up to her daughter's room. "I'll just have to wake her up and un-diaper her myself. I can't say I blame Scootaloo though, she always looks so peaceful when she's sleeping."
Dizzy Twister approached her daughter's bed, and gently prodded her blanket wrapped form with a hoof. "Scootaloo, wake up," she called softly. "It's almost time for school."
Scootaloo groaned, but reluctantly opened her eyes and sat up in her bed. It was then that Dizzy Twister could see that her daughter was not well at all. Scootaloo's eyes seemed a bit baggy, as if she'd had trouble falling asleep. Her bright orange coat seemed a bit drained of color, especially around the face. And the moment Dizzy Twister pulled the covers off of Scootaloo's body, she shivered and pulled them back up.
Spitting the Wonderbolts pacifier out of her mouth, Scootaloo said in a raspy voice "I don't feel so good, Mom. I think I'm coming down with something." she sniffed a bit, then let out a raspy cough.
Dizzy Twister put a hoof to her daughter's forehead, but didn't feel anything. However, the signs her daughter was displaying were enough to have her concerned. It seemed that poor Scootaloo had come down with a cold. "You just go back to bed and get some rest, okay sweetie?" Dizzy Twister said softly. "You're in no condition to be going to school. I'll inform Miss. Cheerilee that you will be absent today, so you just focus on resting and letting your body fight off this cold."
"Okay, Mom," Scootaloo replied, coughing some more. Then, a thought came to her "What if I need to use the bathroom while you're gone?"
"Why, aren't you wearing your potty right now?" Dizzy Twister asked jokingly.
"Very funny, Mom. I'm not some two year old." Scootaloo pouted.
"Of course you're not, you're my special little athlete and you can use the potty all by yourself," Dizzy Twister replied. "Now please, just get some rest and leave everything to me."
Scootaloo reluctantly obeyed, pulling the blankets up to her chest for warmth. Even then, she still felt a bit cold. Seeing as there was nothing else for her to do, Scootaloo closed her eyes and eventually went back to sleep.
When Scootaloo opened her eyes again, she was surprised at her surroundings. Her makeshift crib had disappeared, as had her diaper and Wonderbolts pacifier. She now found herself looking out towards an unfamiliar horizon. There were no walls or doors, just a white background as far as the eye could see.
"Where am I?" Scootaloo wondered, looking all around for some sort of clue to her current location.
Suddenly, in the distance, Scootaloo spotted a pony she had only seen in pictures. It was a pegasus stallion with the same colored coat and mane and tail as Scootaloo, except both his coat and his mane and tail were darker colored in comparison.
Scootaloo recognized the stallion almost immediately "Dad?" she called out. She had no memories of her father, only pictures. He had disappeared a few months after Scootaloo was born, and eventually declared dead.
If the stallion was aware of Scootaloo's presence, he did not acknowledge it. He did not reply with words, or even turn his head to face Scootaloo. He seemed to just stare off into the distance, as if he had not heard anything at all.
"Dad? Is it really you?" Scootaloo called again, a little louder. But again, there was no reply from the stallion, only silence.
"Dad? Dad! Say something, anything!" Scootaloo shouted. "Please, speak to me! I'm begging you!"
At last, the stallion slowly turned his head around and stared at Scootaloo. The expression on his face was difficult to judge, but Scootaloo assumed it was a look of happiness. However, the stallion still said nothing. He just stood there, looking at Scootaloo and changing his expressions almost at will.
"Aren't you going to say anything?" Scootaloo asked the stallion. "I've missed you so much, and Mom has missed you too! She says you loved me so much, but you had to go back to work so that we'd still have a roof over our heads. Why did you leave us?! Was it because of me?!"
The stallion bent down to Scootaloo's level, and gently put a hoof around her body. Scootaloo expected it to feel cold, but was surprised at how warm and comforting it actually turned out to be. Then, with a smile, the stallion scooped Scootaloo up as if she were as light a cloud, and held her close to his chest.
Scootaloo knew at once what the stallion was trying to say to her. "I love you too, Dad," she said softly. "I wish you had never disappeared, but Mom has done an excellent job of raising me, and I know there's nothing I can do to bring you back."
The stallion smiled, as he set Scootaloo down on the ground. Then, he slowly began to fade away, as if he had never been there in the first place.
"Dad?! Dad! Please, don't leave! There's still so much we have to catch up on!" Scootaloo pleaded, to no avail. In a matter of seconds, the stallion was gone, and she was on her own again.
But before Scootaloo could even think about crying, she felt something being inserted into her mouth. It felt oddly similar to her Wonderbolts pacifier, but at the same time it felt different.
Scootaloo opened a sleepy eye, and was instantly greeted by the familiar sight of the guard rails in her makeshift crib. "That was some dream." she thought to herself, as she slowly opened her eyes all the way. When she did so, she was surprised to find that he Wonderbolts pacifier had been removed, replaced with a mint green colored one.
Standing next to the crib, was Dizzy Twister. She had removed Scootaloo's regular pacifier and replaced it with the mint green one. "It's a medical pacifier," she told her daughter. "It should help with your stuffy nose."
Suckling on the pacifier, Scootaloo quickly discovered that her mom was right. Something in the pacifier helped to clear her nostrils, making it easier to breath through her nose. "Thanks, Mom." she lisped, her voice still sounding noticeably raspy.
"I told Miss. Cheerilee you couldn't come to school today, and she made sure to provide me with your homework," Dizzy Twister went on, holding up a packet of papers. "Since it's Friday, it won't be due until Monday. If you're feeling better by tonight, we can work on your homework tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay." Scootaloo replied, a raspy cough slipping out.
After quickly checking to make sure her daughter didn't need a change, Dizzy Twister left her daughter's bedroom and went downstairs to fetch some cold medicine. She found a bottle of liquid cold medicine in one of the kitchen cabinets, and pulled it out. The label mentioned that it had a rather strong taste to it. "Perhaps it would be better if I made something for Scootaloo to take with her medicine," Dizzy Twister thought to herself. "That way, she can quickly get rid of the taste if she doesn't like it."
With this in mind, Dizzy Twister carefully put the bottle of medicine off to the side, and set to work on preparing lunch for Scootaloo.
Minutes ticked by in the blink of an eye, as Dizzy Twister prepared some hot chicken soup and some crackers for Scootaloo.
Dizzy Twister had just finished pouring the soup into a small bowl, and placed the crackers on a plate, when the doorbell rang. "I wonder who that could be?" Dizzy Twister thought to herself, as she carefully set the bowl and plate onto a tray, then went to go open the front door.
Much to Dizzy Twister's surprise, Diamond Tiara was standing outside and appeared to be holding some sort of card in her hooves. "We all heard Scootaloo was sick and couldn't come to school today," Diamond Tiara said, after clearing her throat. "Her friends thought it would be nice to make her a little card, and soon everypony in school wanted to join in. I volunteered to run it over during lunch." She hoofed the card to Dizzy Twister.
"Well, that's… very nice of you, Diamond Tiara." Dizzy Twister replied, she was more than a little surprised to see Diamond Tiara acting so pleasant, but said nothing on the subject. This was a gift horse she wouldn't dream of looking in the eye.
"I'm sorry to hear that she's sick," Diamond Tiara went on, no hint of sarcasm or malice was contained in her tone of voice. "She's lucky she only caught a cold. I once got sick with the flu, and had to stay in bed for a whole week. Even Silver Spoon couldn't come by to visit me, Daddy didn't want me to make her sick as well."
"Well, thank you for the card, Diamond Tiara," Dizzy Twister said, while trying her best to maintain a straight face. "I'm sure Scootaloo will love it. But you'd best be going."
"Right, lunch won't last forever." Diamond Tiara nodded, and took off at a speed that could rival Pinkie Pie.
Once Diamond Tiara had disappeared, Dizzy Twister closed the door, and set the card on the tray next to the plate of crackers. Then, she retrieved the bottle of cold medicine, and a metal spoon, and carefully made her way up to her daughter's bedroom.
"Who was that at the door, Mom?" Scootaloo asked, sitting up in her bed and spitting out her pacifier. Her voice still sounding raspy.
"Diamond Tiara, she stopped by to deliver a card made by all of your classmates." Dizzy Twister explained.
Upon hearing the words "Diamond Tiara", Scootaloo felt a huge wave of fear wash over her. And she began to shiver, not from the cold, but from the possibility of what Diamond Tiara might have found out.
Dizzy Twister could sense her daughter's anxiety, and quickly calmed her down with a hoof rub down her back. "It's okay, I didn't tell her about our little secret," she reassured her daughter. "And she seemed to be rather nice, she even said she was sorry to hear you were sick."
"No way, I must be dreaming!" Scootaloo exclaimed, coughing a bit. "After all the times she's made fun of me, I can't imagine her just suddenly being nice now that I'm sick."
"Well, maybe you just don't know Diamond Tiara as well as you think you do," Dizzy Twister replied seriously. "Besides, anypony is capable of change. Speaking of change, how's your diaper?"
"Still dry." Scootaloo said proudly, momentarily lifting up the blankets to show her mom she was telling the truth.
Dizzy Twister smiled, and gave Scootaloo the card to read. On the front, written in different colored crayons were the words "Get Well Soon", alongside a crudely drawn picture of a sick pony.
Upon opening up the card, Scootaloo saw that every single one of her classmates had written their names on the card, a few of them even including their own personal get well message. Out of all the names on the card, Diamond Tiara's stood out in the very center of the card as the largest written one, but right beneath Diamond Tiara's signature was the signature of Scootaloo's best friends and fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders, circled in a crudely drawn crusaders badge. "I guess that shouldn't have surprised me," Scootaloo thought to herself. "Still, I guess it's the thought that counts. Maybe Mom's right, maybe I don't know Diamond Tiara as well as I think I do. At the least, I suppose I'll have to thank her for the card when I go back to school."
Scootaloo closed the card, and set it on her night stand. Then she turned to her mom and asked "What's for lunch?"
"Chicken soup," Dizzy Twister replied, setting the tray with the bowl next to Scootaloo's bed. "With crackers, just the way you like it. I also bought something that should help with your cough." She proceeded to pick up the medicine bottle, unscrew the cap, and pour a purple colored liquid onto a metal spoon.
Scootaloo looked at the cold medicine, and gagged. She always hated how strongly it tasted. "Do I really have to drink that stuff?" she pleaded, shooting her best pair of puppy dog eyes at her mom.
Dizzy Twister only chuckled in response "Yes you do, Scootaloo. Unless you'd rather continue to cough up a storm for the next few days."
"But it tastes awful!" Scootaloo protested, sticking out her tongue.
"I know it does, my little athlete, but it'll help you get better," Dizzy Twister said kindly, gently nudging the metal spoon towards her daughter. "You can wash down the taste with some soup after you're done, okay?"
Realizing her mother wouldn't take no for an answer, Scootaloo reluctantly sighed and accepted defeat. "Oh, alright. Just make it quick." She mentally prepared herself for the unpleasant taste that would overwhelm her tongue in a matter of seconds.
Dizzy Twister smiled happily upon seeing her daughter's co-operation. "That's a good filly," she said sweetly, and moved the spoon closer. "Here comes The Canterlot Express!"
Reluctantly opening her mouth, Scootaloo allowed for the tip of the metal spoon to reach her tongue. In a matter of seconds, the medicine slipped its way off the spoon and down her throat. Scootaloo wanted to gag more than anything at that moment, but forced herself to be strong.
"There, all done." Dizzy Twister said at last, and pushed the bowl of soup towards her daughter.
Scootaloo wasted no time in grabbing the spoon from the bowl, and inserting it into her mouth. The delicious taste of hot chicken soup quickly washed away the awful taste of the cold medicine.
Dizzy Twister simply sat by her daughter's bedside, and watched her down spoonful after spoonful of soup, as well as occasionally dip a cracker or two in the broth before eating it.
"Thanks for the soup, Mom. It was delicious!" Scootaloo said, once she had downed the last of the soup and consumed the last cracker. She then retrieved the medical pacifier, and popped it back into her mouth to suckle on.
"You're more than welcome, my little Wonderbolt." Dizzy Twister cheerfully replied, and after placing the empty bowl and crumb filled plate back onto the tray, left her daughter's bedroom and headed downstairs to wash the dishes.
Dizzy Twister returned a short time later, to see her daughter curled up tightly in bed with the blankets wrapped firmly around her like a shield. In spite of that, Dizzy Twister could see her daughter occasionally shiver.
Bending down, and lowering the guard rails on her daughter's bed, Dizzy Twister reached out a hoof and carefully scooped up her blanket wrapped daughter.
Scootaloo was more than a little surprised by this action. "What are you doing?" she asked her mom.
"Keeping you nice and warm, Scootaloo," Dizzy Twister replied in a motherly tone of voice, as she began to gently rock her daughter back and forth a bit while holding her close to her chest. As she did so, Dizzy Twister smiled the biggest smile she had smiled in a long time. "I used to do this all the time when you were just a baby," she said softly to Scootaloo. "Back when you really were a little pony."
"Did Dad ever do this?" Scootaloo asked.
Dizzy Twister nodded. "He didn't do it often, but sometimes if I was too busy he'd come in and do it."
"Did he love me?" Scootaloo asked bluntly.
Dizzy Twister quickly responded with "Of course he loved you, Scootaloo. He loved you to pieces, and he always looked forward to coming home from work and being able to spend time with you. He'd also sometimes play with you or feed you, heck he'd even change your diapers every once in a while."
"But if he loved me so much, then why did he leave me?" Scootaloo asked. "I mean, I know he didn't intend to disappear and never return, but why did he have to go away while I was still so young?"
"Because, he loved you so much that he wanted to make sure we could continue to take care of you and raise you properly," Dizzy Twister explained, gently stroking her daughter's exposed mane with a hoof. "I know you miss him, I do too. Not a day goes by where I don't wish he was still here."
"You said you would always love me until the day you died," Scootaloo spoke up. "Did you really mean it?"
Dizzy Twister nodded. "Of course I meant it, Scootaloo. You will always be my special little angel, no matter what. I know I won't be around forever, and there will come a day when we will have to part. But even when I am no longer able to be there for you in pony, I can promise you that you will never be alone! I will always be there for you in spirit!"
"Thanks, Mom." Scootaloo replied with a yawn. The gentle rocking motions of her mother, coupled with the rhymtic suckling of her pacifier, were working together to lure her into a relaxed and drowsy state. In a matter of seconds, she could no longer keep her eyes open. With another yawn, she drifted off into a peaceful sleep.
Dizzy Twister couldn't help but smile at how adorable her daughter looked, in this state she truly was like a little angel. Suddenly, Dizzy Twister's ears picked up a faint hissing sound coming from Scootaloo. Carefully lifting up the blankets (so as not to wake her daughter), Dizzy Twister could see a dark yellow patch on the front of her daughter's diaper, as the printed clouds faded. "Scootaloo must not have known she had to go," Dizzy Twister thought to herself. "Or she did, and she decided not to say anything about it. Either way, I'd better change her."
Carefully and quietly, Dizzy Twister carried her sleeping blanket wrapped daughter down the hall. Lightly pushing open the door to her bedroom, Dizzy Twister retrieved the foal powder, wet wipes, and a new diaper. Quick as a flash, she removed the wet diaper, wiped her daughter's coat clean, powdered her, then slid a new diaper under her rump and taped it up.
After washing her hooves in the bathroom sink, Dizzy Twister carried her sleeping daughter back to her room, and set her gently in the makeshift crib. Dizzy Twister then tip-hoofed to the light switch, and turned off the light. "Sweet dreams, my little Scootaloo." she called softly, blowing her daughter a kiss, before she closed the bedroom door.