Tags: [Alternative Universe] [Slice of Life]
Characters: [OC] [Luster Dawn] [Twilight Sparkle] [Spike] [Flash Sentry]
Written By: SuperPinkBrony12
Note: Takes place within the universe of 'Twilight's Reign' by James Pwyll. Cherry Tomato is from twilightsparkle3562's AU universe.
"Well, Spike," Twilight said with a smile one day. "Today is the day. Luster Dawn's life will never be the same."
"Oh, you're finally doing it?" Spike questioned, sounding a tad bit surprised. "I mean, you are more or less her mother, but are you sure she's ready for such a big change?"
The sovereign ruler and supreme princess happily nodded. "I've been putting it off for long enough, Spike. But after talking it over with Flash Sentry the other day, I think the time is right. After all, if she's ever going to get into magic kindergarten, it'll be important for her to have two legal guardians instead of just one," She held aloft a scroll and explained. "Flash and I are signing the paperwork to make it official. We will be Luster Dawn's mother and father going forward, even if we're not married. We'll explain the truth to her when she's a little older."
The dragon blinked, surprised anew by Twilight's statement and decision. "Oh, is that what you were talking about? I thought you were gonna start potty training her today? The girls did bring it up at our last friendship council meeting."
At that Twilight blushed. "Oh yeah, that too. Thank you for reminding me, Spike. I almost forgot. I mean, Flash is gonna help with that too. I want Luster to get used to not always relying on me for everything. And this way I don't have to overtax the castle staff," She carefully set the scroll aside. "Uh… why don't I just make sure I've got everything set up?" And with a flick of her horn, she teleported away.
Flash Sentry happened to come trotting into the throne room but a moment or so later, and he seemed not to have overheard anything if the suddenly confused look on his face was anything to go by. "Where's Princess Twilight?" He asked Spike.
"In the bathroom, making sure everything's ready before we start Luster Dawn's potty training," Spike explained. "And just so you know, Twilight wants you to help too. In fact, she plans on making you and her Luster Dawn's legal guardians. You'll basically be her parents, even if you're not actually married."
Flash took the news surprisingly well, he only faintly blushed. "Oh… I see. I mean, I have seen how much Luster looks up to Twilight, and how much Twilight enjoys spending time with her because of what happened. I guess I could help a little with potty training and things like that."
"Relax, Twilight's sure to have the whole thing mapped and planned out. You know how organized she is." Spike insisted as he waved a claw.
"W-well," Flash cleared his throat. "The thing is I uh… actually have a bit more experience with foals and with foalcare than the princess might expect. Let's just say I've had to get my own hooves dirty during some of my time off."
At that, the winged dragon blinked in surprise. "Wait, you've taken care of foals before? But I thought you weren't married."
Forcing back a raging blush, the pegasus stallion protested. "Oh no no no, it's not like that at all!" Sheepishly, he added. "Maybe it's best if I wait until the princess gets back to explain."
Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle had just gotten done explaining in detail to Luster Dawn what potty training was and how it worked. "And so that is why I believe the time is now for you to start ditching your diapers and learning how to do your pee-pees and poo-poos like a grown-up pony," She said to Luster Dawn as she proudly presented a finely stylized and detailed training potty that loosely resembled the throne in the castle. "Do you understand, Luster Dawn?"
Luster blinked slowly, trying to process all the complicated details and conflicting emotions. It was (needless to say) a lot to take in all at once. "S-so you want me to use… that… thing," The little unicorn nervously eyed the training potty. "Instead of just going in my diapers?"
"Exactly, Luster," Twilight beamed. Then she floated over a carefully prepared chart. "And to help you out, I've created your very own potty chart," She then held out some stickers. "Whenever you successfully use your potty, you can put a smiley face sticker on the chart, whereas everytime you have an accident I'll put a frowny face sticker on the chart. And if you can fill up your chart with smiley face stickers, you'll get rewards."
Luster Dawn eyed the potty again, trotting towards it even though she was still unsure what exactly to make of it. It sounded so easy, but was it really that easy? She still only kind of knew about the signals her body gave when it was "potty time" as her adoptive mother had told her. Now she was supposed to do what she was used to doing in her diapers in this funny little plastic bowl instead?
The supreme princess could tell from a glance how much her daughter seemed to be struggling to process everything she'd just been told. "Maybe it's easier if you try it out for yourself. You haven't gone yet this morning, after all."
"Do I have to try it right now, Mommy?" Luster asked with hesitation.
"Only if you really want to. But it would make me proud if you did," Twilight replied. "It's okay if you don't get it right away. Everypony learns at their own pace, after all. And I can speak from personal experience that there is nothing wrong with still being in diapers when you're three years old."
Reluctantly, the young unicorn decided the least she could do for her adoptive mother (even though she was unaware of the adoption at this point in her life) was try out this new "potty". Just because she tried it once didn't mean she had to commit to using it.
Smiling, Twilight lit up her horn and helped pull down Luster's diaper. "Here, let me help you out a little," And she instructed. "Just sit down like I told you to do. Then you just relax and wait, and if you have to do something you just do it."
Luster Dawn somewhat clumsily plopped her now bare bottom onto the training potty and sat down with her front legs resting to either side of it. She had to admit, she did sort of look like her mother whenever she was on that majestic throne of hers.
"And now we just wait," Twilight Sparkle declared as she used her magic to set a small hourglass timer on a nearby counter so that both ponies could see it. "You'll sit there until every grain of sand in the hourglass falls to the bottom. That should be plenty of time to try," Then with a smile, she brought forth a well worn, well traveled book and said. "To help you pass the time, I'm gonna read to you a special story. It's called Daring Do and the Temple Toilet."
By the time Twilight had finished reading the book in its eternity to Luster (complete with silly voices of course) the hourglass' top half was empty. Setting the book aside, the supreme princess helped her adopted daughter to stand and eyed the potty. She smiled when she saw that it had been used. "Good job, Luster Dawn! You went potty on your first try! I'm so proud of you!" She quickly placed a smiley face sticker on the chart, then helped the little unicorn to wipe up before emptying the training potty's contents into the toilet. "And now we flush," She floated the little filly close to the toilet handle. "Go ahead, do the honors, Luster."
Luster delicately reached out a tiny hoof to touch the handle. Clumsily, she pressed it down, activating the toilet's flush cycle. She watched with wide eyed wonder as everything in the toilet disappeared in the blink of an eye, and only the water returned in a sparkling clean state. "Wow! That was just like a magic trick! How does the toilet do that?" She asked Twilight afterwards.
The supreme princess grinned. "It's a long and complicated process, Luster. I'll explain it to you some other time. Just be careful only to flush what's supposed to be flushed and nothing else. The flush is not something to play around with, understand?"
"Yes, Mommy." Luster Dawn nodded, as she was then brought before the sink to wash her hooves. Then she had her diaper pulled back up before she and her adoptive mother teleported away.
Spike and Flash Sentry were not surprised when Twilight teleported into the throne room right in front of them. But they were surprised to see that she had brought Luster Dawn with them.
"Hey Uncle Spike, hey Mr. Flash Sentry," Luster cheerfully greeted them. "Guess what? I went potty in my very own potty! Mommy helped me do it! And I got to flush it all away! It was so cool!"
"Really?!" Spike and Flash Sentry asked in unison, and received a confirming nod before they watched Luster happily bounce all around the throne room clearly overjoyed by her accomplishment.
Twilight smiled. "Hopefully, this is a good sign for her training going forward," In a more serious tone of voice she added. "I'm sure it won't always be smooth sailing, every book I've ever read says that potty training is a long and difficult process, and accidents are inevitable."
At that, Flash Sentry cleared his throat. "Um, actually, princess, since we're on the subject of potty training and caring for foals:" He bowed to her before explaining. "I was wondering if it would be okay with you if my nephew, Cherry Tomato, was allowed to stay in the castle with us for a few days and nights? My sister's been called out of town, and she really wants somepony she can trust to keep an eye on him. And uh, I have foalsat for him on a couple of occasions."
"I don't know," Spike nervously commented with concern. "We already have a lot on our hooves and… well… claws as it is. I'm not sure if we can handle another foal."
"Oh, don't worry about him, Cherry Tomato is so well behaved," Flash insisted with a sincere smile. "Plus, he's in potty training. In fact, I'd say he's been at it for longer than Luster has."
Twilight's smile grew brighter. "Splendid! It sounds like he and Luster will get along just fine and learn from each other. It's never too early to start making friends!"
About a day or so later, Twilight, Luster Dawn and Spike were all in the throne room when Flash Sentry came strolling in with an earth pony colt who looked to be slightly bigger than Luster. Fittingly, given his name, he had a bright red coat, a dark green mane and tail that looked more like the stem on a tomato plant, and big, black eyes that were full of wonder and amazement!
"Everyone," Flash spoke up. "Meet my nephew, Cherry Tomato."
"Wow!" Cherry Tomato exclaimed as he gazed all around the throne room. "This is incredible! Is this where you work, Uncle Flash?"
Flash nodded. "Indeed it is, Cherry. You're really lucky to be here, you know. Most foals your age barely ever get to see this part of Canterlot Castle, let alone the princess."
Twilight smiled, waved a hoof, and bowed to the earth pony colt. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Cherry Tomato," She gestured to Spike. "This is Spike, my little brother, number one assistant and royal advisor," Then she turned to Luster Dawn. "And this is Luster Dawn, my daughter. In fact, your Uncle Flash and I are going to be her legal guardians."
"You're getting married?!" Cherry exclaimed anew as his eyes went wide!
The supreme princess giggled. "Not exactly. We're entering into what's called a 'Common Law Marriage'. Legally, we aren't married, but for the sake of Luster Dawn we will officially be her mother and father."
Cherry scratched his head with a hoof. "I don't get it."
Twilight Sparkle just smiled. "Your Uncle Flash can explain it to you later, Cherry," She then approached the little colt. "For now, though, why don't I show you where you'll be staying while you're in your Uncle Flash's care? I was thinking that since you and Luster aren't that far apart in age, you can share a room with her. After all, it's a really big room."
"Uh-huh!" Luster boasted! "It's big enough to fit a princess! Like my mommy! And she's really big!"
"Actually, I'm not that tall," Twilight blushed. "Now come along, Cherry. And you too, Luster." Both foals made their way to either side of the princess, and she led them away.
After navigating through several large and winding hallways, the little group finally came to a stop in a room that seemed to be on the other side of the castle from the throne room. The door was pushed open, and little Cherry Tomato's big black eyes beheld a sight even more astonishing and amazing than the throne room!
To say that Luster Dawn's bedroom was big would be an understatement! It was lavishly decorated from top to bottom, it had several windows that gazed out towards the castle courtyard, and the distance from the bed (which was thankfully not the size of an alicorn) to the door looked impossible to measure to the colt.
"So, what do you think, Cherry?" Flash Sentry inquired of his nephew. "Do you think you'll be okay staying in a room like this? My bedroom is just across the hall if you need anything."
Cherry was about to open his mouth and speak up, when suddenly he felt an ominous rumbling and gurgling sensation in his stomach. A pained, strained look spread across his face.
"What's wrong, Cherry?" Luster asked the little earth pony colt.
The red coated colt groaned as he whimpered. "I… I gotta… go potty! Like right now!"
"Well, let's take care of that, shall we?" Spike insisted as he took hold of the colt by the hoof. "Luckily for you, there's a bathroom right inside this bedroom. And we have plenty of bathrooms throughout the castle."
"But do they have potties, like the one I use?" Cherry Tomato asked as he was led into the bathroom whilst Flash Sentry, Twilight and Luster Dawn followed to make sure he was okay.
At that, the winged dragon fought back a gulp. "Actually, I don't believe we do," Upon seeing the colt's anxious face, he added. "Hey… don't worry, I'm sure we can find something."
"I'll go get you your training potty, Cherry," Flash declared as he gave a salute. "I'm sure your mom packed in somewhere with the rest of your supplies." And true to his name, he zoomed away in a flash, flapping his wings to gain more speed!
"In the meantime," Twilight said with a smile as she brought forth a familiar looking plastic object. "You are quite welcome to borrow Luster Dawn's potty," And she helped him onto it with the aid of her magic. "There we go," She then turned to Luster Dawn and said to her daughter. "Now Luster, I need you to turn your head. It's rude to watch other ponies go potty, they need their privacy."
"But Mommy, you watched me go potty yesterday." Luster Dawn protested.
The princess sighed, this was not a discussion she wanted to get into right now. "That's different, Luster. That's what mommies and daddies are supposed to do. Now please turn around."
Reluctantly, Luster did so. And Flash Sentry came running back into the bathroom about a moment later with a blue colored training potty in tow. By that point, however, he could clearly see his nephew deep in concentration, so he just set the potty aside and turned his head so as to give his nephew some privacy.
At last, Cherry Tomato raised his hooves into the air and proudly proclaimed! "I did it!"
"Good job, Cherry!" Flash encouraged as he clapped his hooves. "I'm so proud of you!"
"Wow!" Luster Dawn exclaimed afterwards! "You made that look so easy."
The red coated earth pony colt just smiled and puffed out his chest as the princess wiped his rump clean with wipes. "That's because it is easy. When you've been at it as long as I have, it all comes naturally."
Luster smiled as she watched the training potty be picked up and emptied into the toilet. "And now comes the best part!" She then ran towards the toilet, desperately standing on the tips of her hooves to try to pull herself up towards the bowl so she could see what was going to happen.
Giggling at the display of childish curiosity, Twilight Sparkle just used her magic to carefully pick up both Luster Dawn and Cherry Tomato. "Ready?" She asked them both, and when both foals nodded she pressed the toilet handle down.
With a loud "Fwoosh!" the toilet began to flush, and everything within in it was quickly swept up in a raging, dizzying and disorienting whirlpool. Then everything swirled down the drain and disappeared, before the waters refilled themselves ever so slowly.
"Isn't that the coolest thing?" Luster asked Cherry afterwards as they were set back down.
Cherry eagerly nodded. "You bet it is! I wish I knew how it worked."