Rainbow Diapers

Sometimes I go to bed in a dry diaper, sometimes in a slightly wet, never soaked diaper, but always wake up in a very wet diaper, and then soon after getting out of bed, a messy diaper.

Hey everyone! As a quick warning, this chapter is a little longer. It probably could have been more… but I just wanted to put it all here for your reading pleasure. Things are going to move fast now though, so hang on. And looking ahead… there is another poll out for what I next write. This may be the last one, but for now, the three options as well as the link can be found back in other chapters as well as most recently in chapter 27. And just in case you forgot my method or are new here, this poll will remain open until I post my final chapter. When that will be exactly will be posted at the latest during the second to last chapter. Now… last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter of my story! Chapter 36: Some Familiar Faces I stood at the doorway of my brother's house. Due to his secrecy at Juventas and my distance from our dad previously, I had only been here a handful of times before this year period now. Especially with our dad in the hospital still and in a coma, I had come over several more times in the past few months. Our dad was soon going to be awoken from his coma to check his status, and we were extremely hopeful about that, but I had other matters to attend to now and couldn’t linger on my own feelings… again. The meeting with the bunker group had proven that we could work as a cohesive unit. Bogged down by indecision and politics, the group had stagnated for years now. No one was at fault, but now that things were pushing along because of Addy, many of the members were elated and wanted to explore every open avenue if possible. At their biweekly meeting, many had expressed the urgency for Addy to push her potential contacts that she had mentioned before. She was more than willing, but since most weren't local, she had one major problem. Oliver was still under her charge. She wouldn't change that for the world. Since he had come home with her, their bond had only grown, and after the whole incident with the nutrition bar, she had never been so scared for his life, and she never had clung to him as hard as she did now. She saw the frailty of what it was to be a little in this life. Now, she didn't want to lose him, but… she was also a realist. If they had threatened her brother and gone after their dad, Oliver seemed like the next likely target. Fortunately, her brother was more than willing to take him in. There seemed to be a genuine bond between Oliver and Jakey now. Addy and Warren tried to figure out what it was, if there was some part of the old Texan and Jakey from earth trying to reach out to the more present-minded Oliver... but with every answer, only came more questions. What she did know was that they were pretty good friends now and Julia and Warren were more than happy to look over Oliver while she was checking out her contacts. That didn't make it any easier when she had to go though. “Please don't leave Addy,” Oliver implored her as she stood at the doorway of her brother's house. Addy's heart grew heavier by the moment as she looked further into his wide and fretful eyes. She knew he was going to be okay, but she still didn't want to leave him. She still wasn't his professed mommy, but their bond was something that no one could deny at this point. She sighed. “Honey, I need to go. We talked about this before, remember?” “But why you?” he questioned. “Why not someone else? I need you in my life. I need you to help me get ready for daycare and I need you to help me out get ready for bed. Who will read me our nightly story?” Addy nearly cancelled her ticket on the spot from his wide-eyed glance back at her… but she wasn't alone either. “I will do that,” Julia piped up, stepping forward and crouching down to meet his level. “I may not be as good as…” She seemed to pause, likely wondering what title she should give Addy. But she shook her head, probably calculating that any term she gave would just cause more problems at the moment. “I might not be good as Addy, but I will try my best. You and Jakey can both listen in.” “And maybe we can even set up a call between you two if you really need it,” Warren offered. “It might not be the same as seeing her in person, but you'll still see her face and hear her voice.” Warren looked at the two Bigs now before him, both seeming hopeful that he would be okay with this. Eddie saw her brother and his wife. Now that she had uncovered the truth about them in relation to Juventas, she knew they were good people, and more importantly, ones she could trust with Oliver. They were firmly pro-Little, and Jakey had just been a result of the actions of others… not them. So, while she never wanted to leave all of her, she felt confident in his safety with them. ‘I'm doing this for all littles... not just mine.’ It was a mantra she had repeated to herself ever since she had booked her flight. It didn't make this easier, but she knew it was the truth. She crouched down and looked at Oliver. “Honey... I know you don't want me to go, and I don't want to go either… but I need to. This world is hard enough for Littles, and now I can do something about it.” She paused and sighed. “If this works, others like you might not have to software. And if I don't go, I'll be with you, but so many others will get hurt instead.” At Psyche, Oliver had regressed and there were still some lingering effects from the nutrition bars and just being in a little state of mind for some time now. And while that meant that stripe went everywhere with him and his diaper needed constant checking, his mind was still in a place that could be somewhat rational. His lower lip still quivered and he soon dashed right into Addy's open arms, nodding soon after as well. “I… I don't like it... but I understand.” There was a deathly silence hanging in the air. “Just…” He backed away and looked about a second away from crying. If Stripe wasn’t tucked under his armpit at that very moment, he might have. “Just don't be gone forever. I don't wanna lose you…” In return, Addy had to keep her own emotions in check. She knew if she started crying now, she might not stop. So, she took a deep breath and held his hands tightly while looking into his eyes. “I promise, sweetie. I will be back before you know it.” Oliver clutched her hands tight and as Addy tried to back away, he didn't let go. It was cute in a way but eventually, Warren had to bend down and pull him away, holding him in an embrace that he likely hoped would work as his sister left. As Addy opened the side door of her car, she looked back and gave a single wave at the two Bigs and two littles now looking back at her. She knew in her heart what she was doing was right, but it didn't make any of this any easier. Come on girl. Just get in the car and go. Don't linger. It will only make it worse... She got in the car as she willed herself to do, popped on the engine, and sped away, hoping she was making the right choice. *              *              * Her first stop was actually local... and very familiar. Stepping out of the car, it was almost strange to see the Psyche Crescentia facility once again. It had only been a few months total since she last left here, but so much had changed. Then, she was an experienced nurse, but she had no experience with board matters and her future seemed entirely foreign. Now, she was the de facto leader of the bunker group, regularly went toe to toe with the older members of the board, and was now traveling to find the people she needed to take down at least part of the company that her parents had built together. Seeing the building, nothing seemed changed… but everything felt different. Being a board member, it gave her unprecedented power that she had never experienced here before. She was one of the most experienced and lead nurses on the staff, but Dr. Halgen was always over her, and even Dr. Tracy at one point or another. And even if she didn't count those two, she still would have been several levels below the board at Juventas. But now she was a board member, and her arrival should have been announced, per protocol... but also being the nurse from here, she knew that meant that everyone would put on a good show and a mask over everything they didn't want her to see. Addy wasn't here for an inspection, but she also knew that her visit today would be invaluable in moving forward. This place had been founded by her mom. It was almost a sacred site to her these days, but also being in Crescentia, it meant that it should be more pro-Little than most facilities or at least when compared to those in the South of the country. She knew if she saw something funky here, it would be ten times worse elsewhere. So, stepping in, she took a deep breath and looked around… and saw just what she had feared. Things were the same… but so very different. Before, especially at this time of the month, only the last batch of the three should be anywhere near regressed. Now, at least half of the Littles scampering around her feet as she walked in seemed to display some sort of regression-like symptoms. Some played with a ball, their coordination seemingly completely shot as the beach ball harmlessly but completely bounced away from them… their grip on the thing slowing just a second too late. Or the group over in the corner of the living room… transfixed and even drooling in front of the TV. Or even others in the same room, that though they weren’t watching TV, they sat bowlegged with their thick and clearly used diapers playing and babbling to their toys. Addy wanted to march right over and demand to know what was happening… but a familiar face stopped her cold. “Addy?” Addy looked over and saw Erin spotted her right away and then came running right for her. “Addy! It is you!” Erin had never been her closest of friends here… but now, she looked almost desperate for some connection to her… proved a second later by a giant hug from her. “Erin… can’t… breathe…” Addy gasped out, almost dropping her purse on the floor. “What? Oh!” She quickly backed off when she saw she was squeezing her old friend. “Gosh! Sorry about that, but… what are you doing here? I thought we’d never see you again.” Addy battered the notion of truth around in head for a moment. “Well, I…” “Oh!” another familiar voice called out. “Addy? I… I…” Addy spun around and saw Yolanda backing away. “Woah, woah.” She knew why she was so afraid. Normally, a board member came and that meant inspection… and that could mean corruption and a firing. “I’m not here for an inspection.” She paused and saw the Littles. “Though…” Yolanda crept forward and even Erin winced. “Yeah…” She saw the same scene that Addy had stumbled on. “They’ve gotten… a little bad recently.” “Yeah…” Yolanda agreed. “But is that why you’re here, or…?” Addy shook her head. “Actually… I’m here to see Penny. Do you all know where she’s at?” Yolanda shook her head, but Erin pointed up the stairs. “She’s in her room. Just lost another Little a few weeks back. She’s still… recovering.” “Oh…” Addy knew firsthand the pain of something like that happening to a nurse. Before Oliver, she had lost count how many times that had happened to her. “Well… I need to go see her. But… gather up the nurses you all trust. Meet me in the physical therapy room at the top of the hour. We need to talk…” Each of her friends nodded and seeing that, Addy marched up the stairs before stopping at her old enemies and later informant’s door. ‘Please let this work…’ Coming here was a risk, but Penny, if useful, could be invaluable. She then knocked and heard “Enter,” from inside. Stepping in, Penny saw her, blinked… but then clearly realized a board member was standing in her room now when she popped away from her desk and stood practically at attention. “Ma’am! I… I didn’t know you were coming. I… I just needed to clear my head and…” “Easy, Penny,” Addy calmed her old colleague. “I’m just here to talk. No inspection… promise.” Penny relaxed a little but was clearly uneasy with Addy still, now a board member, standing in her room. “You want to talk to… me?” Addy smiled and nodded. “That’s right.” The last time they had been in this position, Penny had become her information rather than going to jail. “Penny… I heard about your Little telling you no. I’m sorry about that, but… I need your help…” Penny looked crestfallen at first… but then confused. “Me? But… you’re a board member. How can I help you?” Addy stepped closer into her room. “Well, I know the last time we talked like this, I needed you as my informant on Dr. Tracey. That’s obviously not an issue anymore…” Both winced at her name. “But… I also know that you were close to several elements around here… many less scrupulous. I know you knew about the kidnapping and the drugs and the information with Dr. Tracey when she was still connected with Juventas. I need to know it all…” “I…” Penny paused and grimaced. “I don’t remember it all, but… I can send you what I have…” Addy was more than a little shocked. “Just like that? Is there… did something happen when I was gone?” Penny’s lower lip instantly quivered. “I… I…” She turned away and looked at a picture of a Little framed on her desk. “My last Little. I… I helped them like I always did. I even enjoyed breaking them down… but then I grew attached when I saw their intellect despite it all. They cared about me… and I had betrayed them.” Addy understood. It was a familiar story to many Bigs when regressing their Littles without prior insight into humans from Earth. Yes, they were less advanced and smelly sometimes and cruel and sometimes barbaric… but they were more than that. Life had beat most of them down and often, in the midst of clearing the baggage of their past, they showed their true selves. Some were nasty… but others were little angels. Clearly, Penny had a Little that was more of the former. “I’m so sorry, Penny,” Addy tried to console her, though knowing there was little her words could do to ease her pain… but she was also a board member now. “But how about this? You send me the information and your next batch of Littles here? How about I send you a few like they were from their profile. Two chances to find a Little of your own. Is that something you’d be interested in?” Penny’s eye grew wide as saucers, and she nearly bounced into attention again with a little lurch forward. “Yes! I…” She cleared her throat and calmed down. “I mean… yes. I would be very interested.” Addy smiled and nodded. “Very well then.” She then checked her watch. “I’ll get right on it, but for now… come on. I want to talk to you and a few of the other nurses around here. There’s something… something we need to discuss.” Penny seemed more than a little apprehensive about that, but she still followed Addy down the stairs. At the top of the hour, just as Addy had noted, she was soon surrounded by all her old colleagues. Yolanda, Wendy, Erin, Deidra, and even Federica, Dalton, and Bruce had joined. But above all, Addy was most happy to see one person in particular… even if she looked a little more down than when she had last seen her. “Hey, Cass… how’ve you been?” Addy asked her old friend. Cassie sighed deeply. “Well, and I think I can speak for most here… not so great, Ads. After you left and Halgen and Tracey right before you… we got a new head of facility and new marching orders for our Littles…” “It’s awful, Addy!” Wendy lamented. “WE have no choice now. Littles have to be regressed starting at the end of their first phase here. Sooner and you get a bonus.” “Really?” Addy was nearly gob-smacked by this new information. She knew from vague reports and her own eyes when she stepped in here today that things weren’t great… but that was a whole new level. “Has anyone actually given in to that?” She almost didn’t want to know the answer. “A few,” Penny responded. “The ones who aren’t here…” “We figured it was best to leave those nurses out of whatever this was,” Yolanda noted. “Didn’t seem like you want their sort here when you told us to gather here,” Erin added. “Or am I wrong?” Addy shook her head. “No, you aren’t wrong. I would love more on our side in this, but I’m going to value loyalty here more than anything before too long… and a true desire to help the Littles that pass through these doors. Or at least not treat them like another product of Juventas.” “Sounds like Juventas hasn’t rubbed off on you, Ads,” Cassie noted with a smile. Addy shook her head. “Not in my morals. I’ve had to make some tough calls, but…” She took a deep breath and knew she was taking a risk… but she also knew it was one she needed to at least test here before anywhere else. Taking over the board was one thing… but taking down three prominent and well-connected members and keeping the loyalty of the company afterward was another. “A majority of the board is now on board with making some real changes around here,” she confirmed at last to the nurses around her. “I won’t key you in on the whole plan, but we think that within the month, your loyalty to the ideals of this place more than the higher members will be critical. Can I count on your support then?” Each and every nurse then shook their heads in agreement. Addy nearly let out a sigh of relief. She didn’t, because she was still keeping things close to her chest, but her littles test here had seemingly paid off. These nurses were tested and well respected. They also represented a wide variety of beliefs and had come from different parts of the country. If Addy could convince people like Erin, Penny, and Cassie with their more varied values when it came to Littles, she knew she had a chance with the other places as well when it came time to act. “Addy?” Penny questioned first after a silence had overtaken the room. “Are you planning something… big?” Addy wanted to confirm it on the spot, but she just managed to tamp down her emotions enough to not give away her entire hand just yet. Testing loyalty was the first thing. Seeing if people would stick was another. “I can’t reveal anymore than I just told you,” she relented, though secretly memorizing who was here in case any of them needed to testify later once the old board was out. “Just know that all you here… I value what you are doing. The board sees your efforts, and we know you all will become critical in the days to come.” She took a deep breath. “For now… do any of you have any information about the nutrition bars? The ones with the red wrapper called ‘Little Munchers?’ And I mean anything at all…” “I think Dr. Tracey would have know more about that sort of thing, Addy,” Deidra finally said. “She was more in charge of those things.” “But… I think I remember some bars come through here a while back,” Cassie added. “They were weird… weren’t here for long but one of the Littles shot from training pants to diapers in less than three days.” She turned to the others. “Remember that? What was it? Five, maybe six months ago now?” “Oh, crud!” Wendy smacked her forehead. “You’re right, Cass. I think it was December or somewhere around then. There were a few types, and the box said one of fifty… never saw another.” Addy nodded and thanked each of them for coming and for being willing to stand up for the better of this place in the future. She knew she needed to probe more into the bars herself, but she was more than willing. So, with the information recorded and everyone’s numbers just in case they thought of something more, Addy began to leave back upstairs. “Wait!” Yolanda called out. “Please… don’t go.” Addy turned around. “What? You want me to… stay?” To her surprise, several nurses eagerly nodded, several smiles briefly flickering around their faces. Addy sighed but ultimately had to shake her head. “I’m sorry. I wish I could be on the board, head a division at Juventas, and still work here… but I can’t.” “But the Littles…” Cass almost seemed to be in mourning now with how bad the situation was and having seen them before, Addy couldn’t blame her. “I’m sorry, Cass,” Addy sighed. “I’m trying to fix problems, and in my current position, I actually can. I loved being a nurse… but I’m doing this now. You all are the front line in this fight. Hold together, contact me if you need more help… but I have to stay where I am right now.” Everyone, including Penny, seemed more than a little upset and there was a moment of gloom around the room… at least until Erin made one final comment. “We trust you, Addy. You always had the best interests of the Littles in mind… even if we didn’t always. If you need our help or you say can’t do anything more now… we believe you.” Addy smirked. “Thank you, Erin.” She turned to the rest of the group. “Thank you all. With any luck, all these bad times will soon just be a memory of the past and nothing more…” With everyone somber but no one begging her to stay, Addy made her final notes to the group. Then, after shaking everyone’s hands and thanking them once more, Addy walked out the front door. ‘Wow… and I thought that was going to be the tough one going back with all the memories here…’ A Little running and playing outside though reminded her of the cost of this place… and that she now had another task to complete when returning home besides helping out Penny and waiting for her information of what she knew. For now, though, she simply got back in her car and drove off to the airport for her first flight. *              *              * Following her gut, before she visited her next contact Addy had visited the local Psyche facility in Atlanta, Georgia next. As she feared, the facility was strongly run, but most definitely pro-Big. Wanting to get back to Oliver as soon as she could and not wanting to stir waves that would make it back to the older members of the board, she didn't poke too much or press too hard of the members she wasn't as familiar with. It was still a strange sensation being treated as a board member in front of all the people she used to call her peers, but she also found she could press her advantage of an intimidation of sorts over them now. She could see right past some of the younger trepidations of the nursing staff. If you are glances, mumbling words of fear, and all combined with the vacant looks in the littles eyes, and she just knew. She knew things could be much worse, but she could also see the littles had no chance of returning to earth. It was a big contract violation, but also one that no one seemed to be willing to speak out against. It was Georgia after all, and that meant that Littles were more or less second-class citizens. One Little had been voted for the Senate in the state representatives a few times and even one to the Senate in New Columbia, but they were the rarities. Around here, being a little meant being a baby. There was no exception to that. So adding new that she would see some bad things, but it should have fallen within the norm of the country, maybe pushing the needle a little bit towards pro big and the old ways... but when she spotted scars that could only mean one thing in one little, she knew there was a problem. “Kimberley... They're doing it, they're really doing it here to the littles. Like we hoped were just false reports, the Littles are being regressed and butchered down here…” Addie was nearly breathless from the horrors she had just witnessed. She wanted to know more, but she also knew she had a task to do. She just wanted to make a note of it back at her office. “I know ma'am,” Kimberly noted with a heavy sigh. “One of the other secretaries, and please don't ask me which, mentioned a few of the locations in the South exceeding protocols and had been asking what exactly was legal with the little laws. Apparently, if the price is right, many will look away.” Addie had thought as much, but it was a secret too hard and too terrible to be real... except now it had been confirmed, much to her dismay. “Bastards and brutal sadistic shits the lot of them!” She sighed at the helplessness and sheer waste and corruption of it all. “One day… one day all this will be over...” “Yes ma'am,” Kimberly responded quickly, likely fearing this conversation would linger too much and someone would catch wind of it. “But not to be a nudge, but as a reminder, your next appointment is timely. I just got the notification that she is ready for you whenever you arrive…” Addie side, knowing that business had to come before her own moral dilemmas. Psyche was important to her, but she needed to focus on why she was truly here now. Thank you Kimberly. Please convey that I will be over there within the hour. 42 minutes later, Addy pulled up to a large clean but mostly out of the way building. Despite being only 20 minutes from downtown, it was obvious that every effort had been made to conceal the facade she was now looking at. It wasn't that Biggs were ashamed of their own when something went wrong, but it also eroded A myth that most government officials were still pushing. And that was that all Bigs had dominion over littles because they could never be regressed themselves. As Addy walked up to the front entrance and knocked on the door though, she knew just how wrong that was. Rumors had swirled for years that a small percentage of the population, through various means, could no longer take care of themselves according to the standards of big society. Even if it was an accident, they were quietly ushered away into places like these... particularly in the South. Before she could ponder the stupidity and shitty fate of it all, the door opened. “Yes?” A portly gentleman asked, sticking his head out the crack of the door ever so slightly while keeping most of his body still hidden. “Can I help you, ma’am?” “Yes,” Addy replied before reaching into her purse and pulling out the printed sheet approving of her visit request today. “I've already been approved and I have notified the carer that I would be arriving within the hour. She should know I'm coming... I'm here to see Dr. Tracey.” His face dropped. Dr. Tracey had once been a name of fear or renown in the South. Her work with littles was almost legendary in certain circles. There was a clear reason why she had been appointed to be Dr. Halgen’s replacement at the Crescentia Psyche facility. Now though, the gun she had modified herself had changed all that practically in less than six seconds… at least according to the police report. “Oh... yes, y… yes,” he stammered. “Please... Come in outside the heat. I will show you to her quarters.” Addy smiled and stepped inside, not knowing what she was truly going to expect from this place. As soon as she had heard the name, her heart had sunk over the fate of her one-time enemy. As much as the two differed on how to handle littles, Addy had always placed a certain amount of respect for any individual willing to guide littles... regardless of the end result. Now as she entered and looked around at the various occupants of the house, her soul was filled with regret and shame over how these bags were being treated. To any nurse, it was obvious of their regression. But the stigma was so strong against any of the individuals that had been regressed, accidentally or not, that instead of bright colors or happy faces, she only saw misery behind the plastic and metal and paper gowns that most seem to adorn here. And things didn't get better as she entered the quarters of Dr. Tracey. Stepping inside, she saw more or less the same as she had outside. There was a sense of shame here as well that things that might have made life easier were utterly banned from the premises. For example, regressed Littles used colorful and soft blocks to engage their limited minds and protect themselves. Here though, there were no blocks… no toys of comfort. Instead, Dr. Tracey, or what remained of the admittedly brilliant scientist, was couped up by a screen. A flicker of a smile would briefly flash across her face… but nothing more.   “Now, you understand what she’s been going through, correct?” Dr. Tracey’s carer finally asked Addy as she stepped into the room. “What’s happened to her?” Addy nodded. Since the day of the break-in, she had been studying the gun and where it came from and to see if she could permanently ban it across the nation. Dr. Tracey, being a friend, former colleague, and having gotten a full dose of the blast, was a perfect if not depressing example of the gun’s power. “I do.” Her studies gave her at least the awareness that parts of the targets brain were atrophied with some sections, particularly those in the frontal lobe. Damage may have been possible to reverse… but all treatments were completely experimental. “Okay then.” The carer nodded and gestured to the floor. “I suggest getting on her level to start with. I will feed her the medicine that speeds her brain up… it’s got some nasty side effects, but it keeps her brain from getting worse from sheer disuse and I think she’ll be happy to see you.” Addy nodded and watched as the carer walked over, commanded “open,” and Dr. Tracey did so with so much as a fuss or really any acknowledgement of what was happening. If anything, the way her eyes briefly lit up, it was almost as if she thought she was taking candy. Stepping back, the carer redirected their attention back to Addy. “Due to the help that we’ve been receiving from Juventas, these periods of time are getting longer… but it’s very easy for her to revert back without explanation. We’re working on it every day… but testing is slow and it always winds up with her and a frowny face.” “I understand…” As instructed, Addy then sat on the floor and slowly began to play with Dr. Tracey. It seemed so peculiar that a Big the same exact size as her would be so interested in such a small plush toy that Addy had brought along with her… but from her research, she knew it was perfect. Not only was it a gift that Dr. Tracey could keep afterward, but it was also something to show her connection to the world as she slowly came to. First, exploration with her fingers and tongue. Then, came lip movements and pure play with the toy… deliberate and more focused. But then all that stopped and Dr. Tracey looked very distant for about a minute… before focusing back directly on Addy. “Oh, hello there, Addy. I, uh…” She looked at her own state of dress. Addy did too and couldn’t help but notice the soft paper gown reminiscent of a patient’s gown. Underneath was clearly a thick diaper, one only partially used now, and attached to the whole ensemble was a pacifier and she wore soft but gray and boring socks. “Hey. Dr. Tracey…” She tried to stop staring… but it was hard. “So… how you’ve been in the last few months. I was told there’s been progress with you. I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to come and see you. New job and all, you know?” “Months?” The word almost seemed foreign to her. “Months, months, months…” Finally, her carer leaned in and whispered into Addy’s ear. “Because of her in and out states and her mental condition, she can’t form strings of days and weeks together. I’m not sure how good her memory is of anything recent. So, for all we know, she could think it’s only been a few days since she became like this.” Addy tried extra hard not to show any emotion to that, but it was almost impossible. Addy thought quickly though and through herself into refocusing Dr. Tracey. “Actually… that doesn’t matter. I… I wanted to pick your brain, Dr. Tracey…” In theory, Dr. Tracey was still a doctor… but in practice, her license had been revoked to practice any kind of medicine. Still, Addy felt it was a sign of respect for her. “You do?” There was almost excitement in her voice. “I… I… let me help!” She scooted forward, her diaper crinkling all the time beneath her. Whether she cared or even noticed about any bit to it… she didn’t say. She just focused on the single task at hand. “Well, I’m glad to hear that.” Addy smiled and felt a tiny bit of joy creeping up in her hopes. “I wanted to know about your contacts in Juventas. I know there was a drug and hypnotic show being pushed at the beginning of your tenure with the Crescentia Psyche facility interim head. But… I’m curious if there was any more to it than that. Say… maybe some nutrition bars?” “Oh yeah!” She nodded her head rapidly. “That’s easy. I…” But then she paused. At one point, Addy thought she was trying to pass gas with her concentrated look… then maybe dirtying her diapers… or even just peeing in them… but then she started to panic. Dr. Tracey rocked back and forth and started to rub the sides of her head just in front of her boring pigtails. “Come on, come on! Think! I… I know this! I… I really do! You’ve gotta believe me, Addy!” Addy saw the former titan in Psyche… and saw her desperation now. She wanted… needed this. ‘Probably with so much taken away, she’s trying to cling onto whatever she can.’ Addy resolved it in herself to help. “That’s okay! I’m not mad. I…” Addy had to fully stop herself to keep from talking to her like she would Oliver. “But maybe you had a plan for this? Maybe you stored it or told someone else or…?” “That’s it!” she screamed. “Evie! Evie!” She called over to her carer, even gesturing wildly for her to walk faster. “Yes, dear?” Evie responded promptly. “Do you need something? Maybe some juice. Or… maybe a diaper chang…?” “Now!” Dr. Tracey seemed to blush at least four shades of red on the spot. “I… I remember! I… I asked you to store something for me… right?” She seemed so sure yet so timid about her own memory. She had once apparently even intimidated Mr. Drakos at one party, and now… now she was this. Addy didn’t believe it made her any less, but she also couldn’t deny the fact that her former colleague was a shell of her former self. Little confidence, fading abilities as they were speaking, and a total unawareness of things that most would find horrifying… like the deep diaper bulge blooming around from the way her patient gown had scrunched up when she had scooted forward. To save embarrassment and time, Addy said nothing. Fortunately, though, Evie nodded. “I do. Do you want me to go get it for you?” “Yes!” Dr. Tracey was practically bouncing by now, sending waves of both baby powder and ammonia rocketing toward Addy… who quickly smelled both. With a sigh, Evie then left and returned shortly after with a stack of folders. After directions from Dr. Tracey, she then handed them to Addy. “These are the file I kept on me,” Addy explained. “Juventas took away a lot, but these? I… I knew I needed to save them… keep them… ensure they moved onto the right person…” Addy was slightly distracted by Dr. Tracey’s own distraction by something colorful nearby, but unlike the former doctor, she now had the files in her very lap. Evidence… hard copy and dangerous she was sure, but evidence of something more. For all she knew it was purely things the group already knew… but Addy was determined to find out. Looking inside a few, some of the information was repeated… some wasn’t. Somet things, like HB 1993-01-J, were noted as being ‘used for the most extreme cases,’ which Addy had suspected since her dad had been dosed by the poison… but the confirmation was music to her ears. And while there were some files that she hadn’t heard about… one got her attention more than any other… a report on a suspicious nutrition bar. Addy’s eyes opened wide in excitement and plunged into the file. It was much… but it was something more than what she originally had before coming here. She knew she needed to do her due diligence. “Thank you, Dr. Tracey,” she said, looking up. “This is going to help so many Littles. I just… I can’t tell you how muc… Dr. Tracey?” Addy paused and saw Dr. Tracey… but now, she was more interested in the toy that Addy had brought. ‘Well, shit…’ Addy knew she didn’t have much time with her, but she knew she needed to push just to be sure. “Dr, Tracey… do you remember anything about these bars?” Dr. Tracey looked back at her, her eyes growing intense and innocent and blank once more. Instead of words though, she flipped through the open file until landing on the jackpot… the chemical breakdown of the bars themselves. “Oh my…” Addy was so relieved to see it herself. It was small and noted hastily in the bottom corner… but it was there. “This… this is everything! I can go home and compare the results and if they’re the same, we go after the old board, and the sample size is great and…” She paused and saw her friend’s eyes grow more distant. Addy paused and leaned in as she then mumbled three words, but ones that were of the utmost help. “Before… my… time…” And just like that, Dr. Tracey was no more. She slouched down and her eyes became unfocused and wide and playful. Her limbs seemed to move on their own and toward the toy… something that was instantly loved back in her new state. Evie saw right away. “Oh… I guess she’s gone now. Sorry about that…” Addy shrugged and gestured to the files. “That’s okay. It was good seeing her regardless… but the trip was anything but wasted. I’ve got what I came for.” She then paused, remembering an old lesson her dad had taught her back in tenth grade. “But… if you come across anything else or she talks, then…” Evie nodded hastily. “I understand. I will send whatever comes out from her, no matter what, and then back to you. The therapists are working to get her mind back. Some are worried that atrophy could set in before it gets better… but others are more hopeful.” She sighed and looked back at Dr. Tracey, her diaper bulge now seemingly larger than before, likely an instance of a needed change soon. “But either way… we should know more in a month or two. But I promise… she says something, it will come your way.” “Thank you,” Addy said, now gathering up the files into her large purse. “I just hope that she’ll be okay. It’s such a shame I can’t do more at this point, but le…” A giggle sounded out in the room. Both looked back at the giggling Dr. Tracey, now utterly absorbed in her toy. “Now, what you did today was excellent. Thank you for the toy. We don’t get the most funding anymore and anything to make her smile is okay by me.” One promise to send more funding and things that Dr. Tracey might like her way, Addy was out the door and already back on the road when she received another phone call. “Hello?” “Hey boss,” Kimberly responded back. “I hope everything went well, but… your hunch paid off.” Addy’s heart nearly skipped a beat. “You mean…?” “That’s right. We found Dr. Halgen, ma’am,” Kimberly confirmed. “Your plane ticket that we booked just in case should still be valid and leaves in about three hours. If you time it right, you might just catch her at the place you though right before she leaves…” “Okay… well, then I should be coming home after,” Addy confirmed after another one of her older contacts had fallen through. “Let me know if anything changes…” She then hung up the phone and took a deep breath. ‘The one most important… and I can’t even fully confirm she’ll be there…’ *              *              * Even stepping off in a new state all the way on the other side of the country, Addy still felt the sting of what she had seen in Georgia. Her one solace though was that when she checked out the psyche facility here near Angelium, she was relieved to see that it wasn't as bad. The littles here should have been thriving, yes, but they at least seemed more intact mentally and just as blissfully happy as they should be. Addie was concerned about the number of littles clad in diapers everywhere, but she knew that had been a policy that had been encroaching even in her own time. It was another thing to fix... but by no means was it why she was here. Checking her phone with the details that Kimberly had sent to her at a still felt a moment of slight pride and yet anguish that her hunch had paid off. Directing her driver, within an hour, she found herself at a place she never wanted to see... a Little’s cemetery. Palm Seas View Cemetery was a quaint place surrounded by such immense beauty as it overlooked a small city to the South and the ocean beyond a high point on the property. It was a peaceful place that Addy felt at ease with... if not for the dozens of graves surrounding her. Seeing the markings, she knew many had come from earth and seeing the dates as well, she could only dread the fates that had waited for them in the early years of portal travel between the two dimensions. Thoughts of any of those events coming back to the present still haunted her nightmares. There was a reason why her mom had set up psyche in the first place as a safe haven against some of what had happened back then. But Addy shook her head and checked her phone again for the instructions of where exactly she was headed. And sure enough, she made her way over to the high point of the hill. Statues and memorials commemorated fall of various Littles and their acts of bravery. Little communities had buried their dead here for decades now, and the section dedicated to police and firemen was especially moving, but still not her goal, she pushed on still and finally… she found her target sitting on a bench under a palm tree, a bottle by her side, and a look of resignation over her face. “Dr. Halgen?” Addy spoke first to her old mentor. Dr. Halgen didn’t move. “I saw you coming, Addy…” she said with an almost supernatural and ominous tone. “I was wondering when you were going to catch up to me here. How did you find me?” Addy knew the truth was always best. “You were careful to hide your tracks, but Dr. Halgen… I’m on the board now of Juventas. I have my dad’s resources while he recovers and probably even after. So, when someone spotted this random Big coming to a Little’s cemetery, word got around and I came here as soon as I head confirmation.” Still not turning, Dr. Halgen nodded and folded his arms. “And… so now, you’re here…” “Well… I am here now.” Addy made sure to stand her ground. When they had last met, Addy was most definitely the underling and Dr. Halgen the master. Addy was now one of seven board members of one of the most successful pharmaceutical companies in the country. “And… I need to ask you something… something important.” Dr. Halgen slowly turned at that one. “Something important, huh?” Addy nodded. Dr. Halgen sighed before turning back around, where this time Addy followed. “You know why I’m here, right?” she finally asked. “I mean here… at this cemetery in particular?” Addy nodded. “You lost your Little… Blair, right?” Dr. Halgen took a long swig from the bottle of wine next to her. “Yep! That’s right. Adorable and smart and my love, and… she’s gone. Just… gone. I lost her because she was too confused about something as simple as crossing the street…” She sighed. “And I couldn’t do a thing about it.” “I’m so sorry…” She didn’t want to pitch to her old boss here and now… but Addy’s business sense was already kicking in. “Dr. Halgen… Juventas and Psyche are in trouble. They’ve only gotten worse, and… well, I was wondering if you wanted to come back with me or at least give me evidence that will hurt these people. I just saw Dr. Tracey… she seems to think you have something for me.” Dr. Halgen paused her looks at Addy and instead turned to the ocean. “You know your mom found me after Blair died. She taught me everything and I soon got a job because of her. I feel I owe her legacy and gave back my thanks to her.” Addy could only nod. “And because of that, for your mom… for the company… for Blair…” Her voice wavered a little bit. “Each gave me a purpose in my life. Blair as my heart… your mom for my soul… and the company to keep my mind occupied and where I could prevent things like that from ever happening again.” Addy could swear she could hear a pin drop on the floor if it fell. “So, for all that,” she noted with a shake in her voice, “I’m in.” With hope in her heart and some more coordination for Dr. Halgen to return to pay off a debt of sorts, real or not, Addy felt that everything was coming up for her and the group. ABI and LRG had found common ground and were pursuing leads both with federal resources and those less… legal or by the book. Results were being made in the company and soon, the four pro-Big members would enact their vote. And to top off her day, each of the bodies she had met with today has always left with a subtle smile of their own kind. ‘Okay… never thought we’d make it here, but at least nothing’s gone wrong.’ She leaned over her seat to turn on the air more. ‘Now, to go to Oregon and Psyche facility there before Dakota… then it’s back home and to stretch my feet on the couch with Oliver. I wonde…’ Her phone went off… loud and sudden. Addy groaned but still picked up. “Hello?” “Addy…” It was her brother. “I… I don’t know how to tell you this…” The suspense was already wrecking her after seeing it was her brother. Now, she felt an unending sense of dread beginning to envelop her from head to toe. “Just… just tell me quick. I want… need to know.” “I was pulled away for some of my contacts to check out a company we’ve been investigating for almost a year now. Pretty decent… but it takes me time to get to them. And I guess…” He sighed heavily. “Well… there’s not easy way to put this. But… Julia, Jakey, and… Oliver… they were kidnapped, Addy.” Addy’s whole world seemed to implode in a single second. She had been riding high for this whole trip. There were moments of sadness, but it had all ended with new alliances, revelations, and promises to solve the problems that had plagued her. It felt that soon, everything would be okay. All that shattered with a few simple words. “Addy? You there?” Warren asked after a minute of dead silence. “Please say something…” “Yeah, I mean, no. I just…” Addy’s head was scrambling and confused. She was on the other side of the country and utterly powerless over here. “I… I’ll be on the next flight home…” She then hung up and looked over at all the graves. Reading the names, or origins on some, or even the ages of others… some felt too close to home at this point. Trying but failing to move on and not go to a very dark place, Addy sat in her car and regretted leaving Oliver at all. ‘He even asked me not to go…’ But all that was in the past. Now, she could do nothing but try and hope that everything would be okay as her world was falling apart by the minute.   

Could just be a reminder that Ffrances is the one really in control, and might lose patience if Gabby doesn't show some manners. But you never know   Wow, 100 replies on this thread. That's a big milestone And I really have no idea why the next few chapters don't have an equivalent in TLNS; I'm sure there must have been some reason when I originally wrote it, but now I don't know what it was.   71. My New Little At work on Monday, I was practically shaking before I even got into the office. I wasn’t fearing for my career now; I knew that I was safe in that regard. But I was still going into an office where someone had tried to blackmail me, fully prepared to bring up my darkest secret in conversation. James Reznor was in the office for a change. Perhaps he’d had a call asking what his part of our latest presentation had been; or perhaps he didn’t want to miss out on a couple of young women from Human Resources coming round in somewhat revealing outfits to sell gingerbread snacks for charity. They did it every year, trying to make SYL feel more like a community than a corporation, and I did notice that there were fewer people working from home around Christmas now that the tradition had become known. I greeted Reznor and Hagen, then headed over to my own office. I wanted to talk to Ken Heeling, but it looked like the sudden surge in attendance hadn’t included him. I could wait until the afternoon; I was sure he would show up at least once today or tomorrow, but my nerves might not be able to take it if it was much longer than that. I had enough of my own work to do in any case; new clients who wanted something rushed before the January sales, and didn’t have any idea what was a realistic timescale. I wanted to focus on the Claughton contract now; it was the biggest our department had seen in years. But I knew that wasn’t something I had any power over, so I had to do whatever was thrown at me by the monkeys in Sales Incoming. The morning was uneventful. Everyone was sitting at their desks with their head down, focusing on their own work. Nobody wanted to be coming in late at Christmas to get their work finished. About the only thing I noticed worthy of comment was that Carter was working just as hard as anybody else. Her fingers were flying across the keyboard, a constant staccato tap that was probably faster than my own typing speed. From anyone else in the office, I might have recommended some kind of recognition for a fast worker. But Carter had recently been an intern, and didn’t have a permanent project assignment. Most of her work involved checking emails from various middle-managers and copying things into the right forms and databases. There was no reason she would be typing for two or three minutes straight without pausing to check the document she was transcribing. And there was no sign of paperwork on the young woman’s desk. She was probably on one of those Internet chat rooms, Xchat or Talktap or whatever it was called, looking industrious while paying no attention at all to the work that supported her lifestyle. “Morning, Belle,” I greeted her, and she immediately stopped typing. I saw her fingers fly in an instant to yank her ID card out of the slot behind her keyboard; locking the computer in an instant. A sure sign of guilt. “What are you working on?” “Personal project,” she shrugged. “Can I help you with something?” “You looked busy. I wondered if it was work related or not.” “It’s not. But all my work is done, and policy says that I can work on whatever I want while waiting for the next assignment. I’m sure you know that, right?” I couldn’t argue; it was perfectly true. Most of the new employees didn’t know that, unless they’d been very careful reading their employee handbooks, but she seemed to have studied the rules. There were rumours that she’d been hired through nepotism, some friend of her parents giving her a first job straight out of high school a few years before, so it was no surprise that she knew all the right answers. “Yeah,” I admitted. “Just so long as your work gets done. Can you do me a favour? I want to get in touch with the Regal. The cinema. We’ve had a few movie nights for people in the office now, and I know I’ve left it kind of late to organise one for Christmas, but I was hoping we could ask them for something in the new year. Help the team feel more like a family, you know? Can you check if it’s possible for us to book a screen, and see if we can get that Shaaark! movie that they’re showing at present. I know it’s out of the ordinary, but I think some people here might appreciate it. “The kids show? They had a movie?” She seemed surprised, but not particularly disturbed. Would she be on my case again if I said the wrong thing. “It’s French,” I said. “Never licensed for screening over here, but the Regal got it somehow. And yeah, it’s made for kids, but that’s not why I want to see it. It’s a really loose adaptation of a comic book, so vague that you need an encyclopædic knowledge of the series even to recognise it. But my girlfriend says she thinks it’s actually the same comic that inspired Tags. I think some people might find it funny to see two different versions of the same story.” I waited for her response, and hoped she wouldn’t take this as some kind of hint about my interest in having a little to care for. There were plenty of times that it was acceptable for any adult to be interested in a kids’ movie, and this was genuinely nothing to do with Tess’s little age. But if the office junior saw a connection, that would mean she already knew something she had no reason to even think about. “Wow, that’s cool. I haven’t kept up with the rumours, but that sounds pretty neat. Yeah, I’ll get it sorted.  Would you like me to email the Fitzgerald Building general staff list if I can get something organised? I know your schedule’s got to be pretty full with the new clients.” “Thank you,” I said, feeling like that had been the exact opposite of what I had expected. But she was right; I had a lot of work. And every time I’d asked her to do something before, she had been quiet, competent, and conscientious. I’d never known her to miss a deadline, so perhaps she would be a great employee once she could stay focused on the job she was actually being paid for and steer clear of whatever X-rated chatrooms were currently popular with teens. She was an undiscovered treasure, and I thought that if I gave her a little guidance she would go far in this company. Then I was back to work. I took my lunch break a few minutes early and grabbed a taco from a trailer in one of the parks. I could walk around while eating, get some fresh air and tell myself that I didn’t need to worry about the conversation coming up. It wouldn’t be an easy one, even though it was with a man who I broadly considered a friend. Ken Heeling was a good member of the team, even if his professional ethics were a little flexible. But he wasn’t the first person I would have chosen to come out to. About anything. On the other hand, I didn’t actually need to tell him why I was interested. I wanted to know if one of his trophy wives was a little, and there were any number of reasons I could have been asking that. I just needed to think of one of them. And then I could get in touch with her, ask her if she was willing to join us for a social event to help my four-year-old cousin feel less stressed, and Ffrances wouldn’t feel obligated to play the part. The plan made so much sense… until I repeated it in my head like that, and I realised that there were too many holes in there. In fact, it was more holes than plan. How would I bring up the subject with Ken? I’d always done my best to keep our relationship purely professional; the closest we’d come to discussing relationships was me listening to his half-sober ramblings the night after his first wife had told him she wanted another divorce. And if I got him to tell me that the fourth Mrs Heeling was a little, how did I broach the subject with her? To the best of my knowledge they weren’t currently on speaking terms, and if he could give me her number, it was almost a guarantee she wouldn’t want to talk to me either. What was I going to say? “I heard you’re a little, and my other little wants a baby sister?” I didn’t even know what type of little she might be. If she was a sexual little, the kind who wanted to call her husband “Daddy” and be spanked for being a naughty girl, then she wasn’t the person we needed in any case. I told myself that it didn’t matter. That I needed to know. That this was to protect my Mistress from the most extreme degradation, so I would do anything no matter what it took. But that didn’t make me any more confident in my ability to say the right things. As it turned out, I was lucky enough to see his car pulling up on Lucian Crescent just as I headed back to the office. Good old Ken, predictable as always. Telling myself there was no time like the present, and that nothing could possibly go wrong, I strode out to meet him before he reached the door. “Hey,” I said. “You almost ready for the holidays?” “Don’t ask,” he muttered under his breath. “You wouldn’t believe what the lawyers are demanding now. It’s gotten to the point that I’m coming into the office for a break from all the stress. Crazy, right? Especially with that Claughton contract winding up. Did you hear they’re commissioning the research teams to get reviews of cheeses? Artistes the lot of them,” he somehow made the word sound like an insult, “asking for weird things, and they got the money to put us all through the wringer until they get it. Still more fun than dealing with her. Especially if I wanted to see my kid for Christmas.” “Which one?” The words slipped out before I could stop them, and I immediately regretted it. Ken’s persistent lack of success with women – along with his perseverance – was a touchy subject. If he was steaming over the way one of his ex-wives was treating him in the court system, he didn’t need to be reminded that there were others just waiting for their turn to ruin his day. Sometimes, I had to wonder why they all hated him so much. Or what magical charisma he had to make them keep on remarrying him, after all the reasons they’d kicked him out in the first place. “Marianne,” he answered. And for once, there wasn’t any additional stress there. “Look, I could see Steven now, but he doesn’t want to know me. Barely recognises me, and he blames me for his mom…” “Barbera?” I asked, confused. Sometimes it was hard to keep track of this guy’s family. It hadn’t been until he mentioned him that I remembered the youngest Mrs Heeling still had custody of an adopted son. “Wait, what happened to her? I was just thinking about her. Ffrances said she ran into someone she’d met at the company picnic, and I thought it might be–” “She didn’t run into Barb anywhere,” he snapped. “She’s gone off and joined a cult. Hand over her cellphone, all her money, even gave them her car. It’s crazy and messed up, they said they could give her therapy to get over losing me, or something. I mean, things were pretty bad between us, but I just can’t forgive those parasites. Left her son homeless, now he’s in the system with the state looking after him. So whoever your friend met, it wasn’t her,” “Sorry,” I mumbled. “Geez, that’s awful. I can see why you’re so upset. Got more on your plate than any of us, this year.” The conversation hadn’t gotten me any closer to finding a little, or saving my girlfriend’s honour. But I realised that one of my colleagues had his own problems. And I knew that there were people in the world who were a lot worse off than us. It didn’t make it any easier to cope with the impending disaster in my own life, but it kind of put everything into context. And I promised myself that if I somehow found out more about this cult, I would do everything in my power to bring them down, and maybe get Ken back in another ex’s good books. After all the times he’d helped me, I felt I owed him that much.

I discovered I was into this, just this year. But lately, I have little interest in it. I don’t know what that means. I’d just ordered more diapers this week and was like, “ehh, okay.” They’re just chilling in our closet now. I’ll hold onto them because wasting money is crap lol. I don’t rightly know if or when the mood will strike me again. But I hope it does. Any of y’all gone through this?

Well, I can't argue with that. XD