XIII. Crime and Punishment

Rowan took his time descending the staircase. He told himself it was because he did not want to hurt his still sore paw, but deep down, he knew he was scared. He wanted to trust Celester, but he could not get her buying him a chastity cage out of his head. She knew about Azalea's regime when she picked the lock. Was her curiosity greater than her... what, exactly?

He hardly spoke during breakfast. Celester tried to engage him in the conversation, but the mares soon realized he was not in the mood for talking. Instead, they deliberately discussed grown-up matters about their list of things that still needed to be done around the house. Once they were done eating, Celester took a deep breath. Rowan noticed she was nervously playing with her mane.

'Okay, I think it's time for us to discuss something serious. I'm going to call a spade a spade here, but don't get me wrong. I think it's best for all of us to speak openly and refrain from using euphemisms. Communicating our wishes clearly is more important than finding words that are least likely to offend anyone. We're all adults here, and I hope we all agree none of us is out to hurt anyone else in this room. Regardless, should anyone feel uncomfortable, please do speak up about it. Do we all understand this?'

Stella nodded, followed by Rowan.

'Good. This morning, when I returned to our bedroom after I took a shower, I caught Rowan in the act of playing with himself.'

Stella cringed, like a young child knowing it did something wrong and knowing what punishment would follow.

'I jokingly asked whether he was enjoying himself, and explained that little fillies are not allowed to play with themselves in this house.'

The pony shyly nodded. Rowan stared at the tabletop, avoiding eye contact with both girls.

'Since he didn't know about that rule, I can't even begin to be angry about it,' Celester continued, turning to Rowan. 'To emphasize my point, you and I are still perfectly fine, dear. I'm not mad, and don't take me being disappointed too seriously in this context.'

He weakly nodded.

'However, it leaves me with a bit of an internal dilemma. We discussed this together, and we both agreed it's not fair to punish someone for breaking a rule he didn't know existed, let alone agreed to following.'

'Yeah, me neither,' Stella agreed.

'On the other hand, it would be somewhat unfair to a certain little pony if I would let this slip without any consequence at all.'

Stella pondered for a few seconds. 'That makes sense. But what are you going to do now?'

'Nothing anyone of us disagrees with. Only you agreed to playing the role of a little filly, and we discussed what kind of power exchange comes with the rules we both agreed upon. I suggest you go get your rules for me, read them to Rowan, and explain the rewards and punishments and their conditions.'

The pony twiddled her thumbs.

'Would you do that for me, please?' Celester asked kindly.

'I think... y'know, for some reason I find it embarrassing. Don't know why though. Jessie and Thabo know about my rules, and we know about theirs.'

'But you still feel vulnerable when discussing them?'

Stella nodded.

'I understand, love. It's okay. Nobody is going to hurt you. I can also discuss your rules with Rowan while you go do something else, if that makes you feel better.'

'It would, but I think it's best for Rowan if he gets to hear both our perspectives on this,' the pony replied, getting up from her chair. 'I'll be right back.'

Stella got up and skipped out the door. She returned a little while later, holding a laminated sheet of colorful paper in both her hands. Almost hesitantly, she put it down on the table. Rowan quickly glanced at the sheet and saw it had numbered sentences on it, each written in a different color of felt tip pen. The handwriting looked careful and obviously girly, as if the words were jotted down by a girl in middle school.

'Are you ready?' she asked, waiting for Rowan to respond.

He briefly looked up, nodded, then resumed his staring at the tabletop.

'These are the rules for little ponies who want to be good filles,' Stella read. 'A good filly always wears a diaper. A good filly doesn't pee on the potty. Mommy regularly checks her filly's diaper, but a good filly tells her Mommy when her diaper needs to be changed. A good filly asks for permission before she plays with her princess parts.'

Celester grinned. She loved these rules, and she did not need to blink her horn to know Stella felt the same.

'Fillies who misbehave, must be punished according to their misbehavior. Mommy chooses from the options listed below, which are non-negotiable for fillies. Corner time, for a number of minutes equal to filly's age, or half that number. Mandatory nap time or an earlier bedtime, writing lines, denial of grown-up entertainment, denial of grown-up drinks, denial of grown-up playtime.'

'In the latter case, I lock up the place where I store our wand vibrator,' Celester repeated. 'Does this make sense to you?'

'Y-yeah, I think it does.'

'There's also a few other agreements,' Stella continued. 'A good filly takes care of herself as much as a pony her age is expected to. Filly is expected to eat three meals a day, exercise once a week, drink no more than one cup of coffee a day, do her chores, go to bed on time, and keep her phone on her nightstand as long as she is in bed.'

'That, um... some of it sounds like things you'd tell an actual child to do, right?' Rowan asked hesitantly.

'Exactly,' Celester affirmed. 'But because we're adults, we want to have a "hand brake" for our dynamic, so we can safely stop whenever either of us wishes to.'

Rowan cocked his head. 'A hand brake? Do you carry a lever with you at all times?'

Stella giggled.

'No, dear. We agreed upon a safe word. It's a word either of us can say at any time, which is a signal for the other to immediately revert to both of our normal grown-up roles.'

'Do I need to know the word?'

'Oh, yes. Now that you're a part of our household, you should definitely know. Do you want to tell him, Stella?'

'Uh-huh. Our word is "lethologica".'

'Say_what_?' Rowan blurted out.

'It's when something is on the tip of your tongue, but you just can't remember the word. Most people don't know the word, and even if they do, it doesn't come up in casual conversation.'

'That's kind of smart, actually. So, um, do I need a safe word too?'

'It's like the emergency exit of a building. Ideally, you wouldn't need it, but it's better for everyone involved if you at least have one.'

'It's not something you plan to need, but don't want to be without when you do,' Stella added.

Rowan nodded. 'I um... I don't know what would work for me, though.'

'That's okay,' Celester reassured. 'We don't expect you to come up with something on the spot. Some people like to take their time to search for a word that feels right, others just pick a word they or the people around them would never use, or something they strongly dislike. You could always go with a temporary one and change it later.'

'I'll think about it.'

'The same goes for rules, by the way. We've done some trial and error to see what works for us, but you don't have to follow the same rules that go for Stella.'

'For example, Jessie has some rules that are similar to mine, but also a few that are different.'

'There is one rule we should talk about now, however,' Celester said with a serious tone. 'And that's whether Rowan should be allowed to play with himself, and if so, under what circumstances.'

'I don't know what I'd be comfortable with,' Rowan admitted. 'How do I choose?'

'What if I just make a proposal, and you say whether or not you want to try that for a set amount of days. Afterwards, we evaluate and make changes.'

'Sounds good,' he said, feeling his confidence slowly increase. 'What do you suggest?'

'Before we start, Stella, could you write this down for me please?'

The pony got up and gathered a pen and some paper.

'Left or right?' she asked, twiddling with the pen.

'Just left. It's only a concept, so it's more important that we can all read it.'

Stella nodded.

'First of all, little bunnies do not pee on the potty, and are therefore always diapered. When at home, Bunny does not change his diaper or take it off without permission.'

She paused for a moment.

'Um... what's wrong?' Rowan asked after a few moments.

'Well, in Stella's rules, it says I will check her diaper, but she is allowed to tell me when she needs a change.'

'Why is that in the rules? Does that matter?'

'Jessie is not allowed to ask for a change. She wants it to fully be Thabo's responsibility to change her in time, and doesn't mind leaks,' Stella explained. 'I want to avoid leaking, because it makes me feel unsafe and that's exactly the opposite of why I wear diapers.'

'Oh, okay. I have not experienced a leak yet, but I think it'd make me feel dirty. I'd rather be able to ask Celester for a change if I feel like I need one.'

The unicorn nodded. 'But that's the problem. How would you address me? Stella calls me "Mommy", because that's the role I take in our dynamic, but between you and me, I don't think I'd feel comfortable with that.'

Rowan pondered for a while. 'Neither do I. First of all, you girls are married, and I don't want to imply I'm Stella's equal. I know you think of me as your friend, but it's by far not the same. Second, calling you "Mommy" would be weird for me, as I don't exactly associate my mother with positive feelings. Oh, and for anyone who cares, I'm not a horse, so that'd make it strange for me as well.'

'Fair enough. Would you be okay with calling me your aunt, for instance?'

Rowan shrugged. 'I guess that'd be fine.'

'We can always reconsider if it doesn't feel right. Let's go with that for now, though. Stella, please write down the next rule. Bunny is....' Celester started, then suddenly paused. 'Wait, are you okay with me referring to you as "Bunny"?'

Rowan nodded.

'Alright. Aunt Celester will check Bunny's diaper, but he may ask to be changed when needed. If Auntie is not around, Filly may also change Bunny.'

'... change Bunny,' Stella repeated as she wrote. 'Got it. What next?'

'Bunny has to ask for permission to play with his little carrot.'

Stella giggled as she scribbled the rule on the paper. Rowan pulled his ears forward and covered his eyes.

'Very good,' Celester continued as if nothing was happening. Let's discuss punishments. Are you okay with that now?'

Rowan took a deep breath, then slowly turned to Celester and nodded.

'Okay, I suggest that corner time is a good one, starting with half Bunny's age in minutes. If Bunny plays with his carrot without permission, his carrot is locked up for one day, plus one extra for each earlier transgression.'

A short silence followed, only disturbed by the sounds of the pen on the paper as Stella carefully wrote down the rule.

'Lastly, if none of the punishments above fit, Bunny will have to write at least 50 lines per transgression, in a wording of Aunt Celester's choice.'

Stella diligently wrote down the last rule, then handed the paper to her wife.

'There we go. Would you please read it over and tell me if you're okay with this concept?' the unicorn calmly asked Rowan.

He nodded, then started reading. The mares waited in quiet anticipation.

'Yeah, I think I can live with this.'

'Are you okay with us signing the document, or... how do I put this?' Celester said, ending her sentence with a lot less confidence than she started out with.

'You want to know if that'll throw me into another panic attack? I don't think it will. None of these punishments scare me, although I don't think I'm going to enjoy the chastity cage very much.'

'Speaking of that, the cage is an exception to all the rules. I want you to tell me immediately as soon as you no longer feel okay with wearing it, agreed?'

He nodded.

'Use your words please, Bunny.'

'Yes, Aunt Celester.'

'Good boy. We'll decide upon a safe word, and then we can sign the document together.'

'I still haven't thought of one yet,' he said, twiddling his thumbs.

'Is there any food you dislike?' Stella queried.

'Pickles,' Rowan said without a second thought, making a retching gesture. 'I hate the taste, the scent, and even the touch of those midget cucumbers.'

Celester chuckled. 'That would make a good safe word for now. Write that down for us please, filly.'

After Stella was done, she put her signature on the bottom of the page, in the middle. She then handed it to Celester. The unicorn signed the agreement in the bottom left corner.

'Take your time,' she said, as she slid the pen and paper over to Rowan. 'I'm going to fetch you a clean diaper. And your cage.'

Rowan gulped. 'But what if it hurts? Azalea always told me to just deal with it.'

'That's ridiculous. If you're uncomfortable, the least I can do is apply some lube. In case it keeps hurting, we can always discuss an alternative punishment. You are always allowed to use your safe word, and I'll never be mad at you for saying it. Whatever situation we're in at that point, we'll do our collective best to stop whatever makes you feel uncomfortable. That means if the cage should constantly remind you of your ex, I want you to tell me, and I'll take it off.'

'O-okay.'

'Can you be a good boy while I'm gone?'

He nodded, fighting back his tears.

She returned a little while later, carrying changing supplies, one of his printed diapers and a transparent cobalt blue chastity cage.

'Now, before I put this on you, I want you to ask me for it.'

'W-why is that?' Rowan stammered. 'I broke the rules, so I deserve the punishment. You should just go ahead and do it, right?'

'No, that would mean I'm forcing you. If you really agree to this, I want you to ask me to put that cage on your bits, because that would tell me that you're really okay with it.

'I'm confused,' was all the rabbit could say.

'This is a lesson in trust, Rowan. That's why I'll wear one key around my neck all the time, and Stella and I both know where the spare one is. Now, do you want me to put this cage on your bits?'

'You said it wouldn't be permanent, so... for how long?

'A punishment should be educational, else it's just torture. I mentioned two reasons why I'm disappointed, so I think you should be caged for two days.'

He stared at the tabletop for a while, seemingly paralyzed in thought.

'Do you find it hard to take a step like this?' Stella asked kindly.

Rowan nodded. He felt Celester slowly take both his hands. After a few seconds, he felt the now less unfamiliar feeling of having a guest over in his mind.

'We offer to do this, because we have your best interest at heart, Rowan. We're not out to hurt you,' Celester said calmly.

The strange feeling disappeared.

'Do you trust me? I won't be offended if you say "no".'

'I want_to, but I'm not sure if I _do.'

'Thanks for being honest with me. It's not strange or wrong to not trust me this strongly yet, Rowan. You've only known me for, what? A week? And you've spent all your life around untrustworthy and miserable people. It's okay if you feel hesitant about giving up access to the most private part of your body, to someone you honestly don't know that well.'

Rowan shrugged.

'Look at me, please,' the unicorn requested.

He slowly looked up and saw her placing two fingers of her left hand on her right hand, resting on her wedding ring.

'You know how highly unicorns value their intimate relationships. I vow to take your cage back off, tomorrow night, when I change your diaper before bedtime.'

'Unicorn promise?' he asked.

'Absolutely.'

He took a deep breath. 'Okay then. Celester, would you please put that chastity cage on my bits?'

She smiled. 'I'm proud of you, Rowan. I imagine it takes a lot for you to even _want_to try being caged again. I'll put the changing mat on the carpet. Are you coming with me?'

Rowan got up without a word. He patiently waited for Celester to make her preparations, then slowly laid down on his back when she invited him to come near. He was so enthralled by the almost ceremonious event, that he did not notice Stella speeding up the stairs. She returned a little while later, panting, as Celester loosened the last tape of Rowan's wet overnight diaper.

'I got Nanuq for you,' she said proudly. 'Maybe he can help you think of something else.'

Rowan gladly accepted the big fuzzy polar bear. Hugging Nanuq with both arms prevented him from seeing whatever Celester was doing, which somehow made him feel less nervous. He felt the cold wipes as she cleaned his private area, then a familiar tightness as she placed the ring around the base of his bits. The tube of the cage soon followed, feeling cold on the inside from the lube Celester had put inside. The piece almost effortlessly joined with the ring, after which the unicorn quickly put the lock inside and twisted the key.

'There, it's locked. Are you still comfortable?'

'Uh... yeah, I think so. It feels different from the one I had before, though.'

'The cage I got you is made of bioresin instead of steel. It should be less of a nuisance to wear, because it's lighter and designed to feel comfortable against your skin and fur. Does it hurt anywhere? Did I apply enough lube?

'I-I'm okay,' he said softly.

'It's always okay to ask for lube if you need any. Are you ready for your diaper?'

'Uh-huh'

She smiled. Although the cage affected the fit of the diaper somewhat, Celester still managed to comfortably tape it up.

'Is there anything you want to tell me?' she carefully asked when she applied the last tape.

He remained silent.

'Okay, I'll be honest. My horn told me you're sad. Do you want to tell me why? Is it because I locked you up?'

Rowan slowly sat up, loosely holding Nanuq. Both the diaper and the cage made their presence known to him as he shifted his position, but fortunately, neither felt uncomfortable. He averted his eyes, staring at his paws again.

'I disappointed you.'

'Huh? What're you talking about?'

'You had to lock me up, because I was naughty. I shouldn't have done that.'

'Oh, Rowan, you only did something naughty. That doesn't make you a bad person.'

Celester embraced the rabbit and hugged him tightly.

'We're fine, really,' she said softly. 'Regardless of your misdemeanor, we still love you the same. And I mean loving you as a friend and as the leaky little bunny you apparently like to be.'

Rowan softly groaned, and Celester quickly let him go.

'Oh! Did I hurt you?'

He shook his head and eyed his diaper. Celester smiled.

'So you like being our diapered little bunny?'

He groaned again, burying his face in Nanuq.

'Sorry, Rowan. I'll stop teasing you. We don't want you to hurt yourself.'