Leaderboard

OK, let’s get down to business,” Dad said as we sat around the table. Mom took her place at the opposite end of the table. The two boys, Billy, 13, and Johnny, 9, on one side, and the two sisters, Katie, 12, and Dee, 10. on the other. “Lent starts in a couple of weeks. So, we need to come up with our idea for this year.” Every year, Catholics typically give up some item or activity for Lent, a sacrifice to reinforce the season starting from Ash Wednesday and culminating with Easter Sunday. The family always took it a step further. They picked something for the whole family, and we all stuck together. In the past, we had done away with dessert, TV, and, last year, even the car. That wasn’t too hard on the kids, who rode the school bus anyhow. Other than having to walk with Mom to the store to help bring the groceries back and to walk to church, it wasn’t too big a deal. Dad had a more challenging time but took public transit to work for the duration. “Any ideas?” he said, poised with a pen above a blank pad of paper. “It’s going to be hard to top last year,” Mom said. “We were getting into the essentials.” “Electricity!” Billy shouted. Dad wrote that down “The telephone,” Dee blurted out with almost an immediate angry look from her older sister, who was almost glued to the thing. “Food,” Johnny said. “Breathing,” Katie said in a surly tone. Everybody was getting into the game now. “The toilet,” Billy added. Mom finally waved her arms, “Come on, let’s get serious.” OK, they all thought a bit more. The X-Box, computers, the internet, buying new clothes, eating out, and maybe a dozen more plausible options were thrown out. Dad started pulling blank pages off his pad. “I’ve got an idea. Everybody takes the list of what we have and rank how hard it will be, and I’ll merge everybody’s rankings into a consensus.” That was pure Dad. He’s an engineer and figures there’s a way to calculate the answer to any problem. They all got to work on their lists. Everybody quickly ran through ranking the items and passed in the papers. Dad grabbed all the papers and left the room while Mom suggested they all have dessert. She had made pudding and started to pass them around. About half an hour later, Dad came back into the room with the list. “OK, let’s run down the list until we find one that wouldn’t be impossible for us to do. Breathing is on the top, so we can rule that out. Along with food. Electricity is next, and I thought about that, but without electricity, we wouldn’t have heat and the well pump, so that’s not practical. I also ruled out computers and the internet as I need them for work, and you kids do need them for school.” They looked at the next item that had not yet been crossed off. “The toilet.” Mom said, “Well, I think we can eliminate that. What are we supposed to do? Go do it out back?” “We could get a portable toilet,” Billy joked. “A portable toilet is still a toilet,” Dee countered. “We could pee off the back deck,” Billy laughed. This was becoming fun for him. “Well, maybe YOU could,” Katie snapped back, “It’s a little different for girls.” “And it wouldn’t make the yard very sanitary,” Dad interjected. “We could all wear diapers,” Billy said, adding yet another ridiculous suggestion. “Yeah, right, Even I’m too big for them, ” Johnny, the youngest of the family, said. “Haven’t you seen those commercials for Depends?” Billy said, laughing so hard that he could barely get it out. Finally, Mom started tapping the table with her fingers. “OK, children, let’s quiet down and get serious.” She turned to Dad. “Please go on, dear.” Dad sat quietly, still looking at the pad with his pen in his hand. He moved to strike out the toilet entry from the list and then stopped. “Even though Billy was joking, that might actually be possible.” “Ewwww,” the two girls in tandem groaned. “Wearing….and going…in diapers? Talk about not sanitary.” Still, the father hadn’t moved to strike off the toilet from the list. “Well, it might be possible,” Father said. “James, you’re not serious,” Mom said. “Well, it bears looking into. We can investigate it, and we still have time to choose something else if this can’t work.” And with that, the meeting was over. “James, I can’t believe you’re serious,” Mom said that night in private. “Well, we strive to pick something that would be the most difficult without being impossible. Why don’t you call around tomorrow to determine if it is feasible? See if you can find diapers that will fit us.” “Ok, James. If you think this is a good idea.” “Acme Medical Supplies. This is Jen. “ “Hi, I’m looking for information on adult diapers.” “Yes, what would you like to know.” “Well, I don’t know anything about it. I need to know how the sizes go and what would be best.” “OK, are you looking for a brief with tapes or a pull-up kind?” “Oh, I hadn’t thought about that. I guess I was thinking like a big baby diaper.” “That would be the kind with tapes. Those are usually a bit more absorbent and easier to change when used. The pull-ups are more like underwear and are best if the patient uses the bathroom sometimes.” “Oh, well, we won’t be using the bathroom.” “We?” “I guess I better explain…” Mom went and explained the whole Lent family meeting. “Oh, my. I’ve never heard anything like that. Well, we have things that will work for that. You’ll need to know everybody's waist and hip size, but I suspect most of you will probably fit into mediums.” “Anything else I need to know?” “Well, you’ll need some wipes to clean up. We have larger ones than the traditional baby wipes. We also have some barrier cream. I suppose diaper rash is not intended to be part of this.” That night, Mom explained the results of her call. As near as she could determine, the idea of diapers would work, and while it would be an expense to buy a sufficient quantity, it wouldn’t be impossible. She had also floated the idea with the school nurse. Again, after the initial explanation, the nurse agreed to support them and let the kids keep changing supplies in the office for as long as the kids could take care of themselves. “James, I’m not sure I want to do this, but I can’t come up with anything other than my personal feelings about why we can’t. And so it went. The plans progressed. The diapers were ordered, and things were made ready. Fat Tuesday arrived, and mom told the kids to bathe, get ready for bed, and make their last visits to the toilet. Early Ash Wednesday morning, Mom and Dad got up and fitted on their diapers. Each was detailed to their respective children. Dad with the boys and Mom with the girls. They made sure the children could put their own diaper on. They all got dressed and headed to the car. They walked into the church for an early mass. They were all aware of the subtle bulk between their legs as they went up to receive their ashes.

Hey everyone! Sorry for the lateness of this. I was trying to get it out earlier, but then a work thing got pushed out and shot my schedule up a bit. Apologies for that, but I also wanted to stop here rather than my previous chapter if I don’t get to writing tomorrow. On that note and as a reminder, I will likely not be able to post a chapter tomorrow, but I should still be on schedule if everything goes even half right before my trip. So, unless tomorrow goes horribly wrong or wonderfully right in two very different ways, just expect the next chapter up on Sunday at some point. Also, if anyone still wants to comment on what my next story should be, feel free to post that as well. I will be reading the comments, private or otherwise until the day I post my last chapter when I make the announcement of what it will be. Now, I’m sure you all can take three guesses that this chapter may not be the happiest, but I do have a reason for it eventually. As such though, this is just my usual warning that I don’t condone what happens, but I do think these things makes stories like these a little more intense, especially since there are only two more chapters left in this story. Regardless, I still hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 17: Being Untouched Here Happens When You’re Dead I once heard a veteran of a particular fierce battle in a documentary once say that the only peaceful ones are those who have already died. Given that particular battle, I couldn’t blame the guy for thinking such things, but not being a military man myself, I never thought I would even come close to that sentiment. Yet here I was in a dimension that seemed hell-bent on regressing me. In some odd way, I almost felt those who were regressed were at peace, and those who still weren’t, were the ones who struggled. I never wanted to be regressed, but I definitely didn't want to struggle anymore. Daycare was now worse than ever, and I found myself drifting into hiding away in my reading nook more and more as my friends began to mentally wither. I wasn’t necessarily immune either, I think more so as a coping mechanism to deal with a bunch of babies begging me to play with them, but I remained above it. It was now the first days of January, which meant that I had been here for almost 10 months now under the care of Bigs the whole time. Still, even if I didn’t know it then, they were all family. As Samantha was leaving, I knew this wouldn’t be the case anymore and I worried that my regression afterward wouldn’t be too far behind. “You’re just over worrying, Percy,” Samantha tried to reassure me as she rolled her bags to the front door. “Everything will be fine.” “You keep saying that,” I shot back, “but how can you just say that? You’re leaving and you won’t even tell me where you’re going! How can I possibly be not worried about any of this?” Samantha sighed and while I could see that this was a burden on her as well, I couldn’t help but think of only myself right then. After all, I was essentially placing the trust for my well-being and even my life as I knew it in the hands of a total stranger I had never met. We were supposed to before New Years Eve, but plans got mixed up and so I never did. “She came highly recommended by everyone I’ve talked to, honey. I mean, even Oppy signed off on her,” she reminded me. I had forgotten about that from back in November, but she was still a Big and a stranger. Beyond my essentially adopted family here, every Big I had met so far was either bordering on being ambivalent or strictly neutral when it came to Littles, or just downright cruel and domineering to the point of near sadism. Just based on that first-hand experience of myself alone, I think my fears about this new Big were valid. As Samantha had reminded me for at least the tenth time today though, “It will only be three weeks. Promise.” “But why can’t it be someone in the family? We have enough of us at this point, right?” I questioned. I had already heard the answer, but I wanted to be sure this time. I wasn’t taking any chances that something might have miraculously changed since I had last asked. Samantha sighed and I knew that sigh anywhere. I sadly knew that nothing had changed. “We’ve been over this before, Percy. Oppy and Luna are busy with Ditzy, while they’re bringing Chelsea to that special facility upstate in dealing with Big regressions like her to see how much she can grow back up again. They’ll be back, but they’ll be very busy with hers and Ditzy’s care.” She sighed and checked her watch for a moment. “And you know Harriet… she’s running herself ragged to be able to graduate by February. She can’t possibly watch you and do all that work as well. We already helped her back from the brink and adding you into her mix… well, I don’t think either of us want to see all she’s worked for go up in flames now, right?” “No… I don’t want that…” As I depressingly guessed, the situation had not changed. I was stuck with this new babysitter. It was actually apparently very common with Littles of the academy faculty, but that didn’t mean I had to like it. Right then even, more than anything else, I didn’t want Samantha to go, but right as I was about to protest further or even play on her emotions for me, the front doorbell rang. “Oh, that must be her,” Samantha then looked down at her watch. “And right on time to!” she then looked at me though and must have still seen my sadness and frustration. “It will be okay, sweetie. Just give her a chance and I’ll be back before you know it.” I wanted to argue further, but Samantha was already reaching for the doorknob and besides, what could I even do at this point? I was a Little in this warped society and I even had doubts about my own independence now. I was practically helpless for most things, and to make matters worse and definitely beyond what I could protest, her trip was clearly academy business. I didn’t know what she was doing, but after her noted deal with Judge Franklin, I couldn’t deny that connection. So, like everyone else beyond the family seemed to want me to be by now, I was effectively powerless and helpless. The door soon opened, and there, stood a tall dark-haired Big. She seemed oddly familiar, but I just couldn’t quite place her face from where I had seen her before. She seemed intelligent and kind, but like other Bigs I had seen, I thought I saw something lingering just behind her eyes. I could have just played it off as part of my paranoia around Bigs now, but I just couldn’t quite shake the feeling. “Hello, Miss Norris. Am I too early?” she asked innocently, walking in the front door with a small suitcase rolling behind her. “Oh, not at all,” Samantha replied. “You’re right on time actually. Very punctual. I guess all those wonderful rumors I’ve heard about you are true.” “Oh? I hope all good then.” Samantha nodded and the woman, my new babysitter, looked back over to me. “And you must be Percy, right?” I then nodded myself as well. “Excellent! I’m sorry we didn’t get to meet up sooner, but my psychology professor pulled me away at the last minute to assist them.” “That’s perfectly okay,” Samantha spoke up first. I wanted to say that it wasn’t, and I was uncomfortable with her, but Samantha’s flight was in less than two hours now. At this point, it was either this woman to watch over me or I would be by myself and then Samantha would be arrested for child endangerment, according to this society’s laws at least. “I hope we can be friends at least during our time together,” she continued. I hesitated but after a little encouragement from behind where she was standing by Samantha, I nodded in agreement as well. I was still too cautious to really mean it, but everyone seemed happy enough. And that’s how everything got left. I said my goodbyes to Samantha, and she was soon out the door and out of my life for the time being. ‘Three weeks top. Promise…’ The words kept echoing in my head afterward. Even when my babysitter, Georgette, or even Georgie as she told me to call her, stayed with me that night, it was all I kept thinking about. By then, no matter what, I knew that Samantha wasn’t even in the same zip code as me anymore. She was truly gone, and I wasn’t even sure if I ran outside and screamed for someone to help me that anyone even would. I was a Little and that story was probably shouted from every rooftop all over the world. I was stuck, so I just tried to get through life as fast as I could. So, the next few days passed, and Georgie and I even got to know each other a little. Due to my time in daycare, and just wanting to avoid her in general, and then her time in college to finish up her master’s degree, we didn’t see each other much, but I didn’t mind that. We would play a few games together, she would perform the routines that Oppy had once created for me before bed, and we would watch a little TV as well, but that was about it. It wasn’t exactly the highlight of my day, but for a moment, I could see a generally happy Big in my babysitter. It wasn’t much, but it was something. ‘Three weeks top. Promise…’ On the third day back from daycare though, something changed. I had just finished up a nice refreshing glass of milk from the refrigerator and noticed how good it tasted. It was so sweet and creamy, I almost thought that I somehow had just drunk a milkshake accidentally, but then I felt it. It was a warm sensation cascading throughout my body, but then almost a buzzing in my head. Now, I had felt like this with the mulsum a smidge, but there was only one other culprit that made me feel this way… I turned to Georgie in panic, but I only saw a look of odd worry and then immediate satisfaction on her face. “Oh wow,” she noted calmly, “I didn’t expect the new formula to hit you that quickly. You Earthers must be more susceptible to the milk.” She scribbled something on the notepad I noticed in her lap and then smiled back up at me. “Wha…” I tried to mumble out, but my shock was registering too much in my mind. So, when words or thoughts failed me, I decided to try and bolt. Big mistake. My legs were strong still and not even asleep, but no matter what, they now also felt like dead weight. “Whad you do…?” I slurred partially. ‘Geez! I just hate being right sometimes about these Bigs…’ “Oh… I wouldn’t worry about that now. You see, I’m in my master’s program but I still have many connections to the academy, and they have many connections outside of this small town.” She then got up and walked over to me before crouching down to my terrified and at least attempting to wiggle away body. “You see… there’s probably a lot you don’t know about, but the judges… well, I’m doing this for multiple reasons, but first is to enhance our knowledge of you Earthers first, and second, I need to prove to my father that I can take over his experimental product’s company as a leader. First step though, is to have a test subject; in this case… you.” I wanted to scream out, bang pots and pans and smash out windows… just anything, but the now obvious Tabers milk was working fast… too fast. I felt like just a lump before her in moments and I even felt a little drool on the corners of my mouth. “Hmmm… much too hard and fast for this batch. Oh well!” She then scribbled down more notes. “My father says more people are complaining about the Tabers and some even want to launch an investigation into it. We have about a hundred designs but not enough Littles to test on. With the academy’s permission, I can just use you while your mommy is away.” I angrily cooed back at her; my tongue too heavy to form any coherent curses back though. “Oh right. Sorry… caregiver.” She scribbled more notes down. “Hmmm…” She then began studying me in all kinds of positions and from all sorts of angles. “Yeah… batch 11ad is a no go. Got tons of this stuff with me though. No need to waste anything! Maybe just water it down a bit…? Uh, when you can talk, your feedback would be appreciated…” I felt the words, and despite my near paralysis, my tongue seemed to work again. “S… screw you!” I managed to blurt out finally. “Oh? How interesting…” Georgie seemed genuinely curious over my reaction. “But I can’t have you doing any of that now, can I? Can’t alert the neighbors!” I was still stuck like a fly on insect paper as she went over to her little bag and came back with what I thought was just a pacifier. It took me only seconds to realize that it also had a strap around it though. “Open wide!” I refused, but she just plugged my nose until I had to take a breath. “Gotcha!” Less than a minute later, I had effectively been muted. Satisfied, Georgie walked back over to her notepad. “Hmmm… like flash paper. Stunning instant effects but far too quick. Maybe lower the dose but different delivery? Gonna have to think on that one…” As she pondered the question, I felt another little stream enter my diaper. I normally felt maybe just a twinge beforehand, but this… I hadn’t felt the need at all. I might as well have just been an open tube straight from my bladder. It didn’t bode well for my future with her. ‘Three weeks top. Promise…’ As much as I want to say that someone noticed something, another few days went on like that and it was just her and I. She would introduce some new toy or product and I would test it out. If I did well, I got a treat of some sort… even if most of the times that involved watching cartoons on TV. Oddly enough though, by the third day, I almost started to look forward to my reward. They were simple, yes, but captivating and at least a relief from everything else. It was right about then that to my astonishment and to my ever-loving hope, I heard the doorbell ring. Georgie was clearly panicked and ran to the door after sliding me in my onesie and walker over and out of the way of any sightlines of the door. “Now, you hush,” she commanded me. “I know that gag won’t allow you to say anything coherent, but any screaming, even muffled, will be punished later tonight. Don’t tempt me.” With that I nodded, and she opened the door. “Oh! You must be Harriet!” she exclaimed. Being away from the sightlines of the doorway, I really could only take her word for who was actually out there, but soon, it was confirmed. “You must be Georgette,” Harriet replied. “Good to meet you. I was going to just wait to meet you until I saw you with Percy on campus; I figured you might walk around before you cover her classes when everyone gets back in a few weeks after break, but I didn’t see you.” Georgie nodded. “I was going to go to see if anything was different, but that place really never changes... especially for what I’ll be covering for. I think from the parking lot it’s still three rights and a left.” “I see…” There was an awkward pause between the two at the door, but it was clear that Harriet had a reason for coming here other than first introductions. ‘You know… I actually stopped by to check and see where Percy was. I normally see him on the playground after my fifth period, but he wasn’t there again today, so it just made me wonder and even worry a little bit. Is everything okay? Do you all maybe need any help or…?” Georgie shook her head. “No. That’s very kind of you, but I’ve got it covered. You see… Percy actually got the T5 retrovirus. No idea where the little rascal got it from, but it’s pretty nasty,” she lied convincingly. She must have been thinking about this eventuality since the beginning now. “Oh no…” Harriet gasped. “Isn’t that the one that can affect birth rates in us Big women and can sometimes even mimic regression symptoms in Littles?” Georgie nodded, clearly laying out her reason why I would be different when everyone saw me again. “Uh, so, with those first system with us Big women, why aren’t you affected then?” I could hear the skepticism as clear as day. ‘Come on, Harriet. Keep pushing…’ “My father and I traveled around a lot following my grandmother on all her studies for a while there. Got exposed to a lot of things but also got some experimental vaccination treatments. Left me sick for about a week, but I’ve got total immunity now to lots of things… including the T5 retrovirus.” She paused for a moment and even stepped back a little out of the way of the doorway. “You can come in and see him, but it’s pretty intense and it’s your risk and your body…” Harriet was a brave woman. Even after all I had seen after the botched mission, I knew she had the courage to come in and find me, however, I also knew she wanted kids after one of our little talks, so I was disappointed, but I also wasn’t surprised with her answer back. “Uh, no… I saw that virus before with a few of my friends on their way back from Gaule. Nasty stuff…” Georgie nodded and then gestured down. “You know… he’s feeling really bad today, but I can tell him you stopped by. Probably brighten his day even.” “Oh, would you?” Harriet asked in her own naïve way. I was feeling the need to risk whatever Georgie had threatened me with. With all I knew about the family, I knew Harriet was likely my only savior in all this. It was now or never just as Georgie nodded her head. “Mmm! Mmm!” I tried to scream out in desperation, but between the strong breeze outside today and the pacifier gag still in my mouth, my cries for help came off as more of just low and maybe even distant moaning. To add to my problems, Georgie had also just dosed me with some Tabers milk, so moving wasn’t even close to an option to get Harriet’s attention. In an instant, I knew my shot to draw her attention had closed. “Oh dear…” Georgie said sullenly. “That must be him now. Poor dear… been puking all morning…” Harriet gasped. “Gosh! I’m going to send over a gift basket this afternoon for him. The stuff inside should really help all that.” “Oh, you’re so kind! I’m sure he’ll just love that.” I don’t think Harriet saw it, but I saw the mounting tension growing in Georgie, so I was terrified when the two then said their goodbyes and she came thundering back for me. “That wasn’t smart, mister,” she told me coldly. “We need to get back to testing, but you’ll regret that…” ‘Three weeks top. Promise…’ Later that afternoon, as Harriet had promised, a ring from the front doorbell announced my care package had arrived. Georgie hurriedly rushed the basket inside and tore it open in a panic. “No bugs it seems, but oh! Lookie here! Your family must really like you. Look at all this stuff!” I did and saw scores of chocolates, heating and cooling pads, anti-vomiting medicine, cans of soup, tissues, and even some packets for soothing teas. It was a get-well soon type of package and my heart ached when I saw it. If only my new family could have just barged in here with the same dedication, I knew I would be safe from Georgie forever afterwards, but for now, the package was at least a nice reminder in my life that I wasn’t as truly alone as I felt. That being said, Georgie really only set it aside and ate a piece of chocolate herself. “Sorry, Percy. With my new mixture of the Tabers, I can’t risk a new factor into the equation. It could throw off the entire experiment.” She then leaned back in her seat and turned on the TV. For a split second, I thought I even saw some sympathy. It wasn’t much, but I decided to play it up a smidge. Unfortunately, the TV drowned out the whimpering I had started up, but it seemed like it was working eventually when not even Georgie seemed immune to it after a bit. I even thought I saw more of an oddly pained look on her face for a moment as if she didn’t want to be doing all this, but I was just so ravenous for the chocolate that I completely just refocused on it… until a special bulletin interrupted the Littles program that Georgie had running on in the background for me. “We interrupt your local programming to bring you this special announcement… viewer discretion may be advised.” A man with salt and pepper hair suddenly came on the screen, adjusted his glasses, and then began to speak directly toward the camera. “Hello… this is Walter P. Cunnings bringing you this special report. Liberal Parliament member, Sedgewick Abernathy, champion of the Little’s Rights bill currently up for debate, died this afternoon. His death has been ruled natural, but sources close to the investigation note that they haven’t ruled out foul play. More updates will follow tonight. Thank you.” The broadcast turned off and Georgie just shook her head. “Geez… too bad for you lot in Albion, huh?” I could only nod and worry about where the heck Samantha was. I didn’t worry too long though, because I suddenly felt a need to ‘go poo,’ as Melley had noted I should say it with her ‘unwritten rules.’ I fortunately got the attention of Georgie in time, but I was worried about the suddenness of it all. From my friends in daycare, I always thought there was a link with Tabers and the sudden drop in everyone’s potty control, but now? I worried about what was to come next for me with it. I still had over two weeks with Georgie still left to go. ‘Three weeks top. Promise…’ A few days later, I was getting desperate. Georgie had barred me now from even leaving the house in the backyard and had our food delivered here only. Hers was normal… mine though was essentially baby food, and it was just one of many factors now that I felt was contributing to my weakened bowel control. I hadn’t had an accident yet, but yesterday, as Georgie guided me to my still-present potty, I let out a fart. It wasn’t bad but the second fart over the potty, which felt exactly the same to me, ended up evacuating my bowels completely. It was another bad sign. Plus, I was feeling more confused and lethargic than ever. I had even started dozing off in the afternoon and had begun to crawl around the room instead of getting up to walk because it was just too much effort sometimes. It was all freaking me out, so, I decided to fake drinking my dose of Tabers milk and try to make a break for it. If I stayed here for too much longer, I felt utterly doomed. At first, it took me forever to find an opportunity to dump the Tabers milk, but eventually, Georgie turned her back and I squeezed it all out in one of Samantha’s plants. I would apologize to her later if her plant was eventually ruined from who knows what was in that milk truly. Desperate times called for unique thinking. Finally, Georgie then left me alone while I appeared dazed from the milk. I knew it was now or never. I got up and ran as fast as I could to the front door. It was only about thirty yards away from where I was, so I felt it was a breeze. Unfortunately, it took me a second to get going, but I eventually reached the front door and only seconds away from freedom or someone calling the cops hopefully. I then looked up. “Crap!” I jiggled the doorknob to confirm my suspicions and just found that it was locked as I had feared. I had seen Samantha open the door dozens of times, but with my height, only the tips of my fingers could reach the lock above the handle higher up. Right as I reached for it though, Georgie called out to me from the other room. “Percy? Where’d you go? Are you hiding…?” Right then though, she caught me fiddling with the door lock. “Percy! Stop right where you are! You are a very bad boy!” Her steps then resounded throughout the house as she made her way over to me, charging my tiny and desperate body like a rhino towards a frightened mouse. In a second, before I even had time to run, she picked me up and held my body in front of her with venom in her eyes. “I turn my back for one second, and you try to escape? No siree! Not on my watch!” She then tucked me under her arm like some captured football and marched me upstairs and into my room. Now, after several nights of me being afraid of the dark and my panic attacks over everything going on mixed in with a few nightmares, Samantha had gotten tired of just standing in my room or perching on the edge of my bed, so she bought a rocking chair where we could cuddle at night, but now, it was the one spot that Georgie was charging over to. Without any seeming care, she tossed me into the seat. “Now, you just stay there, mister,” she thundered from above me as her pointed finger practically bopped me on the nose. “You move one inch, and you’ll think that protocol one is practically a godsend.” Needless to say, once she stormed back out of the room, I stayed put. Moments later, she brought back a black leather case, set it on my changing table temporarily and opened it. She then glanced back at me with oddly weary eyes. “You know… I just need to prove to my father… family even, that I can do this job. I know I can, and I have the degrees to back that up, but if you had escaped…” Her once sad eyes quickly darkened and instead, she looked menacingly back at me with an odd and creepy desperate smile. “I didn’t want to use this bag… it was a risk I was even willing to take with my father… but I guess we can have a different kind of relationship if you want it that way.” She then pulled a ring out of the bag. “This for example!” She stepped over to me and presented me with a black ring about the size of my neck… almost exactly the size of my neck. “Now, don’t move. I don’t want to nick you or anything…” Without a second’s hesitation, she then attached what I then realized was a collar around my neck. I immediately started thumbing around with it. “What did you do to me? What is this?” I panickily asked, now unable to fumble with the latch she had just snapped shut. Georgie giggled back. “Oh! No messing with the collar, Percy, but let me just…” She then produced a tablet of sorts and entered a few buttons. “Okay. Actually… try and remove it again.” Her smile instantly made me feel this was a trap of some kind. I didn’t like it at all, but I felt she had all the power, so I complied and put a few fingers back to where she had fixed it around my neck. Then, all I felt was pain. It was a surging pain everywhere. In my skin, my mind, even my soul. It was as if I had touched a live wire and was suddenly being executed in an instant. The pain only stopped when Georgie pushed another button on her tablet. “There… now you see. That was setting five. Try escape again from this property without me… you get an eight. Ten… well, you don’t want to make it a ten.” I quickly shook my head; still tense from the pain I had endured. “Good. Now, first thing.” She then waltzed over to me and got me out of the chair and led me to the bathroom. “Let’s go potty, shall we?” I was very confused. I didn’t need to go… or at least I didn’t think I did, but Georgie never led me to the potty first. I almost always was bursting to go poo, or I just used my diaper to pee in helplessly as had become the norm. ‘What was she up to?’ We then entered the bathroom upstairs and she directed me to my small little potty sitting there where it always was. “Sit,” she instructed while still messing around with her tablet. I only nodded but I approached the potty with a considerable amount of hesitation and then checked all around for any signs of tampering or traps that could be lying in wait. Finally, when I didn’t see anything, I turned back to Georgie. “Now, sit. I mean it, but no need to take your diaper off. I just want to see something…” I was now more paranoid than ever. I could feel my diaper already squishing a bit, but the angry flames behind Georgie’s mind made me rethink questioning her at all with anything. So, without a word, I sat down. Mere inches away from contact though, my whole body was racked with the same shocking sensation that I had received before when I tried to remove the collar. I immediately got off the potty from my crouched position and grimaced in pain for about another second before the shocks stopped. “Perfect!” Georgie noted before yanking my arm, and thus myself as well, back to my room. At first, I was confused, but as I saw the potty drift into the distance, I realized that this collar was not coming off, and now, my one spot where I could go poo, would now trigger the collar. There was no doubt now… Georgie wanted me to use my diapers for everything now! She had even made sure that even if I could just hover over the potty, the collar would activate. Plus, with my seemingly dwindling level of control over my bowels recently, I wasn’t confident I could prevent an accident from happening whether I wanted it or not if I was suddenly shocked. My brain whirled and I panicked, but I had little time to think of these things. Georgie soon led me back toward the rocking chair before adjusting something in the back. In an instant, it stood still, and she turned back to me. “Okay… now, you were very bad today, Percy, and you’ll learn about the boundaries of the collar, but you need to learn to never try and escape from me again. As such,” she then walked back over to her bag and pulled something out, “I think it’s time you meet ‘Crimson.’” I looked over the enormous paddle she was now holding. It was accurately named for its long red exterior, and I couldn’t help but notice the holes periodically placed in the large surface area on its head. I quickly gulped. “I designed this myself with our latest technology,” she said as she marveled at the object in her hands. “You could spank an elephant with this thing, and it wouldn’t break. Plus, the holes… well, it’s a speedy little devil for sure.” Consciously or not, I began backing away, but the wall soon stopped me. Georgie noticed and only chuckled. “Escaping that way isn’t going to help you much.” She then held up a small remote. “I’ve programmed this to trigger your collar remotely, so I control you now.” She then sighed. “You see, I tried to be nice and test you through rewarding behavior. I now think that might have been a mistake, so at this point, we’re going to try something a bit different. So, I’m going to sit and you’re going to lay on my lap. There is no second option.” She then sat down on the rocking chair and waited for me to obey her. The collar’s light but noticeable frame was a reminder of the few, if any, options I had at this point. I could run again and likely fail, break a window… maybe call for help but also likely fail, or I could just submit. All my options sucked, but as I walked over to her now, I just hoped that my compliance might just be rewarded. Her lap was surprisingly comfortable, but as soon as the spanks began to rain down on my butt, I became a near instant blubbery mess. My still-present pacifier gag prevented me from screaming and agonizing over my pain too much, but my tears flowed just as freely with or without it on. I think I lost count over 25, and while Mrs. Katherine’s spanks were worse, there was something so much more terrible about the ones I had just endured. I wasn’t sure why, but I felt about as broken as I could get… at least until my stomach grumbled while still laying out in that vulnerable position. I tried to warn Georgie, but she only paused when a small fart inadvertently popped out mere moments after her spanking ceased. “Oh? Did someone’s punishment loosen him up a little?” I mumbled in pain and tried to gesture to the potty, but a small shock through my collar quickly stopped that. “Naughty, naughty… I thought one so smart would have learned by now.” Georgie then sighed as she began to massage by butt and lower back, pressing my stomach further into her knees. “I suppose all you Littles eventually do though… just takes a little…” I farted again. It wasn’t small. She giggled. “…time. I guess you’re all out of that, aren’t you, honey?” I whimpered again… begging… pleading to use the potty, but my muffled pleas and soon moans fell on deaf ears. So, right there, on my tormentor’s lap, I grunted and then filled my diaper up about as much as I thought was possible. I shut my eyes in complete shame. Never had I experienced such humiliation so consciously. Additionally, as if to make matters worse, the time from my stomach grumbling to me filling up my diaper helplessly was less than three minutes. Only a minute and a half if one just counted when I actually felt the pressure in my lower gut. I was already doubting my ability hold in my poo, but today… my confidence felt shattered. “Oh my!” Georgie exclaimed as she witnessed my total humiliation right there on her lap. “Such a good Little. Such a good baby.” I shut my eyes tighter as tears leaked from the edges. She had proved her point in one swift blow and even furthered it as she patted the bulge that had now formed in testament to my helplessness. “I guess someone needs a fresh diapy, huh?” I made no response. “Aww. Is someone shy? Can widdle Percy at least nod his head that he needs a fresh diapy?” I didn’t want to comply, but I wanted out of this diaper even more. So, to my further shame already, I nodded my head like she asked. “Good baby…” She then picked me up and bounced me up and down for a moment. I cringed in shame, but then, to my utter shock, she removed my pacifier gag. Days of near constant use though had messed with my tongue and I was still in too much pain to do much more than whimper. Georgie then went back over to her black leather bag and pulled out what almost looked like a balloon before smiling at it. “Hand,” she then requested calmly after a moment. Broken and defeated, I only complied meekly. “Good boy…” She then pulled the balloon device over my thumb and without a second thought, she plunged the digit right into my mouth. I wanted to spit it out the second it touched my lips, but Georgie’s hand kept my own in place for a moment. “Now, I’m going to hold this for a good second here, but when I let go, you won’t remove it either or you’ll get a shock.” I quickly nodded and complied when she removed her hand. “Good. Now, the ‘thumb suck balloon’ is coated with a substance about six times greater than nicotine. Have fun with that, but don’t take it out.” I nodded, still hoping for a reprieve somewhere. Instead, for my troubles and compliance, I only got more babytalk, more smushing of my diaper, and more humiliation over what I had humiliatingly done. Before today, I was a Little. I had admitted that much at least for months now. But after today, I felt I no longer could claim that I was an unregressed Little. ‘Three weeks top. Promise…’ As the second week progressed, the thought of not being a regressed Little became even more prevalent. The collar did its work well and I soon became as compliant as I ever could be to Georgie. No foul language, no potty for anything, no escape attempts, and compliance with anything and everything she put in front of me just became normal. Curiously though, I felt I had started to see something growing in Georgie. It was there after every time my collar went off and even when she was experimenting on me. There was some perverse glee there, but also almost something akin to regret. Heck, even a few times she was feeding me or putting me to bed, I thought she almost looked as if she even wanted to care for me. ‘Maybe this was the Big everyone was talking about… but why was I so different?’ Finally, though, we were only days away from Samantha returning, and being milk drunk after a particular hard dose of Tabers milk, I wanted to know the truth. Something else felt like it was going on here, and after her third glass of wine with dinner, I felt I was never going to have a better opportunity to ask, so, I did. “Why you doin’ this?” I slurred up to Georgie as she finished snapping the last button of my onesie, a now trusted and constant garment of my wardrobe to help prevent leaks, but also provide her ample space to test out her projects on my skin. “As I said… for science and for the academy,” she said confidently, but I could still see something behind her eyes. If I was being honest with myself, it kind of felt like sadness or regret. I should have dropped it, and I should have feared getting shocked, but the Tabers tonight seemed to almost override those types of inhibitions. “You’re lyin’…” I said sloppily. I then pointed to her eyes. ‘Iss there. I can see… there sumfin’ else…” Georgie sighed as she put me into my crib for the night, something that she had pulled out of Samantha’s storage room to keep me in at night rather than to attempt to escape. Honestly though, it was just starting to make me feel safer. If it was even possible, I felt even more afraid of the dark. “Fine,” Georgie relented to my shock. “My name is Georgette Beakerman.” My world seemed to freeze. “Wait… Beakerman… da Dr. Beakerman from da university an’ dat book vi… vid-e-o?” Words were starting to become much harder to say fully. Georgie actually laughed. “Wow! You actually saw that old thing?” I just nodded. “Impressive. I thought they threw all those away…” “Why dey do dat?” I questioned sincerely. “She’s gotta statue even.” Once again, I just hoped that my slurred speech would go away by morning yet again. Georgie nodded sadly though. “Yeah, and the statue looks terrible. See, my grandmother was thrown out… and all this… it’s my payment towards repairing her legacy. She wanted Littles to be equal, which is ridiculous, but I don’t agree with the university either. At least not with Judge Franklin…” she trailed off for a moment, but then looked at me about as serious as anyone could look at another person. “I don’t know what you did to piss that guy off… but I would fix it if I were you,” she warned. “He wants you broken… utterly compliant for something. He gave me funding and promised my grandmother’s reputation would be restored if I did all this to you. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse. And… I don’t know if this means anything, but I really am sorry. I got carried away a few times I can admit, but I also had orders and had to show a few of the judges of proof I had done what I had claimed. That all finished tonight, which is why I’m even telling you all this before I go back to the academy, but I really hope one day you can forgive me.” I highly doubted that day would ever come, but while a part of me wanted to believe she was just the bad guy in all this the past few weeks, there was another more blamable culprit I knew now. Once again, Judge Franklin was trying to hurt this family and me, now on a much deeper and more personal level than before. I don’t think I could have ever hated another person more right then. Georgie wished me a goodnight, but unlike other nights then gave me something that I had been longing for a while now. While I still had Stripe and Nurple with me, there was one thing missing; Samantha’s gift to me; her ‘Smell and Comfort’ blanket. As I snuggled into the blanket that smelled so much like her, it made my heart hurt from missing her so much still. I then thought I heard whispering around me as the lights turned off, but I just tried to ignore them as much as I had since the day that Harriet had come over. I never did figure out my punishment for trying to yell out that day, but the whispering both terrified me and made me oddly calm. Regardless, tonight, I drifted off in the warm and soft confines of my amazing blanket. Samantha would be back in a few days, and I just hoped everything would be okay after, but as anyone here could testify; there were no guarantees. A few tears fell from my face and is if on instinct by now, my thumb slowly made it into my mouth. I didn’t care anymore. By now, it just felt comforting, and I could use as much of that as I could muster. I don’t think anyone could truly judge me for that. Slowly, though, my eyes began to drift close through the tears still wetting the blanket wrapped up around my body. As the whispering lulled me to sleep, I mumbled something as usual lately, but that I could also never remember what it was. “Good Littles are rewarded… I’m a good Little… I’m a good baby…” I’m sure it didn’t matter though... All that did matter though, was that Samantha was returning. Everything would okay then. ‘Three weeks top. Promise…’

Chapter 91: Twinning I DIDN’T NEED a wardrobe change, but I figured a bathroom break was a good idea. I followed Beth back, and Gary ended up helping me out of the diaper and back in it afterward. Beth was in Isabella’s hands then as they styled her hair to match mine as closely as possible. The dress I wore looked identical to hers, just a smaller size. Both fell to just below our knees, which was unusually long of a dress for an adopted and babied Little. I realized they must have done a cut on Beth’s hair, too, so we matched even there. “You all cut her hair?” I asked Gary as I waited for them to finish. “Will we have to reshoot the other scenes she’s been in?” He shook his head, “She had her hair in pigtails for those, so other than the bangs, you can see nothing different there. It’s been a few days in time since her problem at the daycare. From a continuity perspective, it’s very possible she got a haircut. We’ll just go with it.” I nodded and felt a little more uneasy about the whole thing. “Carly?” I heard. “We’re going to begin filming while they finish with Beth.” Sebastian’s voice came over an intercom in the wardrobe area. “Wardrobe, heard,” Gary called back. “Time to skidaddle?” he smiled at me. I walked up to Charlotte, and she picked me up and stood outside the ‘door’ in the receptionist area. Ava scurried over and brought a pacifier she gently placed inside my mouth. I gave it a hesitant bite and a suckle, surprised by how comfortable it was inside my mouth and fearing it could be one of those inflating pacifiers I’d seen being used. Across from the door was a counter. The side wall showed a door to the daycare, and then the wall to the other side was open for cameras. “Quiet on the set!!!” we heard a moment later before “Action!” was called, and Charlotte entered the door. Charlotte walked up to where Amelia seemed to be chewing gum and working on the computer. “Well, hello there, Miss Ingels! I didn’t know you had another baby girl?” She stood up and greeted us, “She’s so adorable!!!” Charlotte bounced me up and down lightly and ran a hand through my hair before saying, “Well, baby Brianna just joined the family this morning! She’s actually a bit of a surprise for Callie?” Amelia said, “Oh?” with a smile, “She doesn’t know yet?” She almost squealed with glee. “Not yet!” she bounced me again and said, “I’m hoping maybe Brianna can help Callie get the hang of the big girl potty?” “Aww! We have a new buddy, huh?” I knew the script called for Charlotte to blush, but I wasn’t supposed to look at her. I found myself leaning my head on her shoulder as I sucked on the pacifier, though she said, “Yeah.” Amelia squealed, “Let me get little Miss Callie up here to meet her! I love seeing families grow!” Charlotte set me on my feet, and I heard, “Cut!” “How was that?” I asked. “Great, your lines were perfect,” Charlotte joked. “Actually, I loved it when you leaned into Sarah there!” Sebastian said. “Charlotte, did you have any issues? Honestly, I’m okay with that take right now?” “I am, but why don’t we do it again one more time just for safety’s sake. It’s a short scene…” She ran her hand back through my hair again, “Actually… Amelia, you’re not an acting major, but you come across with great instincts. How about we toss the script away and reshoot it without it?” “Huh?” She asked. “Kelly wrote some okay lines, but I think we could do better?” “Okay?” “And you,” she said, “I don’t want you silent the whole time. Callie isn’t going to come out with a pacifier in her mouth right then, so let’s have you without yours, and you actually respond to something?” I shrugged, “Okay? Respond how?” “However you feel in the moment?” Charlotte said. “We may never use this footage, or it may, in fact, be the best thing we shoot?” I nodded at that, “Okay.” “Places!” Sebastian said. Charlotte picked me up, placed me on her hip, and put the pacifier I’d been using in the hands of another crew member. “Let’s try this again,” she said with a smile. The call to action came, and we walked through the doors with me on her hip. “Well, hello, Miss Ingels! And who might this adorable princess be?” She smiled. Charlotte bounced me up and down, “Well, tell her what your name is, sweetie?” I leaned in on her body and said, “Brianna,” quietly. “Oh my, what a beautiful name for such a pretty little girl!” She said with a smile. “And how old are you?” “Twenty-four,” I said. “Oh my gosh! Twenty-four months?!? You’re almost two years old?!?” I blushed at that, even as she reached across the counter and booped my nose. “That’s great! You’re big enough to come here now!” she smiled. Charlotte laughed at that, “Almost, but not quite yet. Maybe in a couple months.” “I didn’t know you had adopted?” Amelia asked. “Just adopted this little princess today!” “Oh my gosh! Congratulations!!! I’m sure Callie will be so excited to have a baby sister!” Charlotte squeezed me tighter, “Well, hopefully, she’ll also be excited to learn how to use the potty with her.” “Oh…” Amelia forced her eyes open. “Do we have a new buddy joining us to help Miss Callie?” “That’s the plan,” Charlotte said. “And she doesn’t know she’s getting a new baby sister?” “Nope, it’s a surprise!” “Oh my gosh! I’ll get them to bring her down so they can meet. I’m going to make sure I can record it, though! I can’t wait to see how excited she gets!!!” “I just hope she gets excited about using the potty,” Charlotte said almost under her breath. “Cut!” I heard Sebastian say. “What did you think?” Charlotte asked. “Much better, that’s what we’ll use!” Sebastian said. “I agree,” Will added. “Is Beth ready?” Sebastian asked over the intercom. “On her way, sorry, the hair took longer to sort out than I expected.” I turned towards the wardrobe area and saw Beth step out wearing the nearly identical dress. The diaper she wore was covered by the skirt, but you could tell by the waddle and the faint crinkling as she drew nearer that a diaper was worn underneath. Anyone seeing us would be sure they saw a pair of sisters. ‘They’d probably think the baby sister was so happy to look just like big sis!’ I thought. “Okay, I know I shouldn’t say this, but you both look absolutely adorable together!” Amelia said. “No, you probably shouldn’t,” Sebastian agreed. “They do look cute, though; it will play well on the camera. Let’s get this show back rolling, everyone. I’m sure Carly would like to return to her normal self as soon as possible, and I’m sure Beth would like to have her hair fixed back to normal, too! Places everyone!” We both nodded and agreed and took our places. When we began filming again, Charlotte placed me on my feet on the ground beside her. The door opened, and a blur ran past, “Mommy!!!!!” Beth said as she ran happily to Charlotte. Charlotte picked her up and said, “Hi, Princess! Did you have a good day?” “Uh-huh!” She said, “We played house today! I got to be the mommy!” “You’ll have to tell me all about it on the way home, but first, I have someone I want you to meet!” Charlotte placed Beth down on the ground to look at me now. Beth said, “Who are you? You look just like me!” I fidgeted but waved and said, “Hi, Callie, I’m Brianna.” “She looks like you too, mommy!” Beth said. Charlotte knelt beside us, placing a comforting arm around each of our shoulders. “Well, she should, sweetie, because she’s your new sister!” Beth, Charlotte, and I had practiced this a little off to the side, and Charlotte had insisted Beth wait about four seconds longer than she thought she should. While she reached that count, Charlotte and I watched her, holding our breath, seemingly waiting to see if a bomb was about to explode. Finally, she began jumping up and down like a little kid with too much sugar in their blood, “Yay!!! I have a sister!!!!!” We were both held in an embrace for a few moments before she ran her hands over her face, then down our backs comfortingly, before she scooped us both up into her arms and held us on either side of her body. “I never had a chance to look at the TykeCare App. Did Callie try to use the potty at all today?” Amelia moved back to a tablet and pressed on it for a second. I knew the screen displayed the stat for Callie for the hours she’d been there. “No, she’s had three wet diapers and one poopie, but no potty tries. In her room, we don’t exactly encourage any, though?” Charlotte sighed, squeezed us both, and then replied to Amelia, “I know they’re more focused on baby care; just checking. I need to get these two girls home, feed them dinner, and let them play a bit before night-night time. We probably won’t return with them until my maternity leave ends.” “Sounds good! Oh, and I’ll email you here in a bit,” she waved her phone. “Bye-bye, Brianna! You’re going to love your new mommy and sister!” “Bye-bye!” Beth said even as we turned to leave out the door. “Cut!!!” BETH SIGHED FROM her perch in Charlotte’s arms as she asked, “Can we be put down for a moment?” Charlotte laughed, “Sure, Beth, my arms will appreciate it too!” Beth was grateful to be on her feet as Sebastian approached the trio. “So?” She asked him. “It honestly was probably better than anything the other groups will do…” Sebastian said. “Which means not good enough?” Charlotte laughed. “Okay, what do we need to do differently?” “Well, first, I think we need to get a couple of the HoloWorkers to watch the meeting and add some ‘awws’ to the mix in the background?” Charlotte nodded, “Yeah, I think this would be too cute to miss.” “I think you also need to just hug Beth on the floor, don’t stand up with her. It was a little awkward with the cameras refocusing on the two?” “Speaking of that, Sebastian, if we’re doing this again, I need five minutes to readjust the cameras?” “Go for it!” He told him. Sebastian looked thoughtful then. “Well, I have a note for what I saw,” Charlotte said. “Carly, you looked way too comfortable when Beth hugged you. Let’s get some awkwardness? Can you make yourself stiff as a board when she hugs you?” “Sure…?” Connor said. ‘Carly…’ Beth yelled at herself. Nothing in the last few hours had done anything to make Beth think ‘Connor’ was unhappy about being changed into ‘Carly.’ If anything, she seemed more relaxed? “Beth, let’s get you a stuffed animal to hold when you run out. I know the script called for Brianna to have a pacifier here, but I don’t want them in the way when she talks. Same for you…” “I’ve got a spare stuffed rabbit in the back?” Ben said. “We grabbed a bargain bin of things from Professor Wyler this week?” “Perfect!” Sebastian said. “Okay then, reset, and we’ll do this again!” Beth sighed but did everything she could to hopefully make it just one more take! Unfortunately, it took three more, and she was dying to use the restroom when they were done. She must not have been the only one because Charlotte and Sebastian had everyone take a break for lunch then. She’d enlisted Charlotte’s help to get her and Connor out of the diapers so they could both use the potty and then joined them for lunch. Throughout the day, Nikki had done her best just to blend into the background. She was always watching, but if Beth didn’t know who she was, she might have thought she was a random AI character. They had been going for seven hours at this point, and she was beginning to feel a little sympathy for the salaries her favorite actresses like Charlotte made! When they resumed filming, they breezed through several scenes with fewer takes per scene than they had been doing. Beth wasn’t sure if that was impatience to be done or just that Sebastian and Charlotte really felt like they were less important. The unfortunate part of them breezing through some less traumatic scenes was that they were also closing in on the worst of them rather quickly! They had just been filmed climbing the staircase to the playroom with Beth pulling Carly along and stopping.” “Okay, this scene will take a bit more setup time here,” Will told Sebastian. “We need to get both girls loaded with PooPloders now.” “Gary?” Sebastian called out. “On it, Seb!” Gary said and then pulled us both into the wardrobe area. Beth had been through the process before, but this would be Connor… Carly’s first time. Gary seemed to be thinking the same thing, “Beth, you want to hit the restroom, and then we’ll get you loaded first?” She nodded, “Probably a good idea!” He smiled down at her, knelt at her level, pulled the tapes loose, and patted her on the shoulder. Go ahead!” Beth wished it was that simple right then, but she had to do a bit of gymnastics with the body suit to keep it out of the way to pee. Even then, a single drop didn’t entirely wipe off when she wiped, making her blush! Carly switched places with her in the bathroom while Gary picked her up and placed a diaper underneath her bottom. “Just a heads up, this one will be a little bit more than the one we used before.” “Why?” She asked. “We need it to look both wet and poopy; we’re also going for a little bigger mess for the cameras?” She sighed, “Got it. Hopefully, we can do this scene once!” He laughed, “Don’t hope too much; it’ll cause it to be fifteen times!” “Bite your tongue…” she told him a little more tersely than he probably deserved. Carly exited the bathroom right as he held the PooPloder in his hand. “What exactly is it?” she asked Gary. Embarrassingly, he stopped doing what he was doing and showed the device to her. “This part will spray a special vapor that will react with the diaper’s absorbent core and make it look like a full bladder of fluid has been released into the diaper. We’re also going to pre-spray this diaper with some of that because Callie definitely wouldn’t last from her last daycare change through then without going a little pee-pee.” It was good that Carly was on the ground; she couldn’t see Beth turning redder than a fire truck right then! “And the other side?” “That’s the poopy side, we place each about where they would come out on the bodysuit, and then it means it looks like a convincingly loaded diaper.” “What’s the fake poop feel like?” Connor asked. “Sticky horrible goop,” Beth sighed. “Let’s get her taken care of, then we’ll get you set, and then you’ll get to figure it out yourself in a few minutes,” Gary said with a bit of a chuckle. “I agree with Beth, though; it’s pretty horrible. The only positive thing is it doesn’t smell.” Beth sat as still as she could as Gary pressed the PooPloder against her bodysuit, and it stuck in place. It was horrifying to be touched there, but she at least knew from the past week that Gary had no desire for anything she had. ‘And I think he’s a good enough guy to keep it professional anyway,’ she had to admit. He was very gentle as he taped the new diaper shut, and she realized it was already treated and expanded from the fake urine. “Eew,” she said. “Sorry,” Gary said. “At least it’s not water or something we poured down there? Or the old days when they would pump you full of fluid and hope you peed when they needed you to?” He had taped the trigger button for her unit inside her palm and covered it with some SkinSync makeup that hid it. “You’re not making this any better,” she told him as he lifted her and sat her on the floor. He laughed good-naturedly then and picked up Carly, standing her on the table first. “Okay, I mentioned I wanted to make sure we just had you wear the diaper earlier so you didn’t have any strikes, but a set of undergarments has to be under this to stick to it. Pull this up your waist,” he said to her. Beth saw what looked like a body shaper handed to her. It was a dead ringer for her skin color, and once it was in place, it looked like she was still naked unless you looked closely. ‘Like mine,’ she admitted. With that, she was pushed onto her back like Beth had been, and Gary started to apply the PooPloder. “Umm…” Carly said as Gary began. “Yes?” “Does it have to be you who does this?” “Pretty much?” Gary paused, “Why?” “I’m just… it feels…” “Violating?” He asked. Carly nodded, and Beth felt her own nod. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thanks for reading! Please press the 'Like' button and leave me a comment! I am looking for the requisite likes to post on Sunday! I most likely won't have a third bonus chapter this week. After this week I'm hoping to get into a bit more serious of a rhythm of writing again. I'm working on Chapter 108 right now, so I definitely will make it to a full year of posting every week here a few weeks! (First time I've not had a bit of downtime at least at some point!) Thanks again for reading my works! Please consider purchasing a copy of my completed works from Amazon if you enjoy them! Having a small source of extra income there helps me keep the spare time to write for you all! https://www.amazon.com/author/babysofia

Chapter 5: About That Favor I woke to the sound of claws being dragged across wood. Chester was scratching at the door, his paws all the way past the doorknob. The cat was a master of breaking into my bedroom. Getting out of it, not so much. He dropped his paws to the ground, turned around to glare at me, and let out a loud, high-pitched meow. I rolled over as if to move to the side of the bed, only to find myself completely tangled up in a sleeping bag. I looked around for my friends – Angie and Emma – but they were nowhere to be found. But I was on the floor in a sleeping bag. And I only slept in those during sleepovers. So where exactly were they? Oh, wait. The events of last night came back to me. The struggle to get my bladder to release. The flooded sheets after I had finally managed to trick it into letting go. Having to knock on my parents’ door to inform them of the supposed accident. Mom setting up the sleeping bag for me on the floor. Chester meowed loudly at me again and then resumed his scratching at the door. It was only slightly better than having to listen to chalk on a blackboard. I scrambled out of the sleeping bag. Better to let him out quickly than have Grace, or worse, Jackson, open the door for me and discover that all my bedding was missing. I’d have a hard time coming up with a good explanation for that, along with why I had ended up on the floor in a sleeping bag. I cracked the door open just enough for Chester to squeeze through into the hallway and then closed it right away. I stretched my hands in the air. I always felt so stiff after sleeping on the floor. How long had I slept in, anyway? I grabbed my phone off of where I had left it on the floor next to the sleeping bag. I tapped the screen. Already 10 a.m. I had really slept in. But that made sense with how late I had stayed up. I scrolled through my notifications. There were a half-dozen messages from Angie and Emma, ribbing me for how late I had slept in. Both of my friends had been up earlier, discussing what our plans would be for the day. They had come to the decision that they wanted to go to the mall. I agreed that it sounded like a bunch of fun, but aside from needing a ride, none of our parents were going to let their middle schoolers stay at the mall unchaperoned. I highly doubted that any of our parents wanted to spend time at the mall this weekend. And there weren’t any other good options at the moment. Emma’s older sister would sometimes be willing to go along with us, but she wasn’t getting back home from college for a few weeks. Angie didn’t have any siblings at all, so that wasn’t of any help. And Grace, well, she worked very hard to avoid spending any more time around my friends than was absolutely necessary. I wasn’t even going to bother asking her. In most other things, Grace and I were on good terms as far as sisters with a five-year age gap between them could be. We both had inherited our parents’ red hair, and I was practically a younger mini-me of my sister, everything else diverged from there. I was the athlete of our family, taking more after my dad in that regard. I mostly stuck to playing soccer, at least competitively, but I was always the first girl picked for any of the activities during gym class. If only I had managed to get Dad’s brains as well. I wouldn’t have any trouble doing math at all. Grace was much more artistically inclined. She planned to major in graphic design at college. I did like to doodle myself, but only as a distraction during boring school lectures; nothing that ended up in my notebook could exactly qualify as art. I grabbed a change of clothes so I could get dressed in the bathroom after the shower. Jean shorts and a tie-die shirt were the plan for today. Even though I had showered in the middle of the night, I still needed to shower again this morning, as I had only gotten under the water to briefly clean off the urine that had gotten all over me from intentionally wetting the bed. I texted my friends that I would check with my mom about the possibility of going to the mall but told them to not get their hopes up. I suggested going over to Angie’s place, which was closest to the neighborhood park, to kick around a soccer ball for a bit if the mall plan didn’t work out. With my clothes in hand, I hesitated in front of the bedroom door. Now was yet another moment of truth. I would have to walk out into the house with the full knowledge that Mom knew that I had wet the bed last night. There wasn’t any reason to think that Dad didn’t know either. If he somehow hadn’t managed to get a glimpse of my wet pajamas last night, Mom would have certainly filled him in on all the details of what had happened. I’d vastly underestimated how uncomfortable that would make me feel. But I could at least take solace in the fact that Mom hadn’t seemed upset at me in any way, and she had handled that late-night bedwetting episode with the expertise of someone who wasn’t out of place in that situation. I stepped out into the hallway. No one was in sight. I speed-walked toward the bathroom. <><><> There was a lingering smell of scrambled eggs when I walked into the kitchen, but any hopes for a late breakfast were dashed by the empty pan on the stove. “Good morning,” Mom said. She was sitting at the kitchen table, a cup of coffee and a now empty plate of scrambled eggs set to the side of the book that was propped open in front of her. “Morning,” I replied. “I had meant to save you some,” Mom said. “But I think your father ate them. He thought you were going to sleep in all the way till lunch at this point.” “That’s fine,” I said, even though my stomach was telling me that it would have liked some scrambled eggs. There was nothing out of the ordinary about that brief exchange, but something still felt off between us as I left the kitchen and walked over to the family room. Mom knew. She didn’t know the real secret. But she knew a secret. It felt as though that one act of pretending to wet the bed had irrevocably altered things between us, a situation that made me feel more uncomfortable because it couldn’t be acknowledged at the moment. “About time you’re up,” Grace said as I walked into the family room. My older sister turned to look at Dad. “You always give me such a hard time about sleeping in. And I’m always up in time to at least eat breakfast.” Dad opened his mouth slightly and then bit his lip. Yeah, he definitely knew as well. I had already come that close to having my secret come out. “Good morning to you, too,” I muttered to my sister as I sat down on the couch and slid my phone out of my pocket. I sent a few more texts to my friends while trying my best to ignore the show that Jackson was watching on the TV. Mom joined us a few minutes later. She gave my sister a look, and Grace went off to the kitchen. Dishes were her chore, after all. Mom glanced to make sure that Grace was out of earshot before turning back to talk to me. “There’s some laundry for you to grab from the basement.” “OK.” I figured that’s where my bedding would still be, as Mom had taken in downstairs to get washed last night. I went back to looking at my phone. “Maddy,” my dad said. “Yes?” “Your mom asked you to do something.” No, she didn’t. She just said my bedding was in the basement. Oh. It hadn’t dawned on me immediately that she had said that to let me know she expected me to go and deal with it right away. Why couldn’t she just tell me what she wanted directly? “Oh, yeah. I’m on it.” I stood up from the couch. Then, I remembered there was something I had told my friends I was going to ask Mom. May as well get it over with. “Hey, Mom, can I ask you a question?” “Sure.” “We were wanting to go to the mall after lunch.” Mom didn’t need an explanation of who I was going to be going with. That could only mean Angie and Emma. “You think you could take us?” “Sorry,” Mom said. “But I’m taking your brother to a birthday party for one of his friends from school. Maybe another time.” I looked over at Dad. “It is a nice day out.” I just stared at him. That wasn’t an answer. Dad finally elaborated on his response. “That means I’m sure there are better things to do than stay inside all day.” “Fine,” I said in defeat. I trudged off toward the laundry room. “Oh, and Maddy, don’t forget to clean the cat litter while you’re down there,” Mom called out after me. <><><> I decided that I was glad we only had one cat as I finished scooping out the litter box. I wrinkled my nose as I tied up the bag and tossed it into a garbage bin. Still, it certainly beat having a dog. No way was I going to go around picking up poop off the ground every day. With that chore done, I turned to the more embarrassing task. My bedding was still in the dryer. It must not have finished long ago, because the sheets were slightly warm as I scooped them up into my arms. Grace was still washing dishes when I came up from the basement. Thankfully, she was too focused on her task to turn and look at what I was doing. I knew that part of the family room was also visible from the top of the basement stairs, but I intentionally didn’t look in that direction. I couldn’t bring myself to make eye contact with my parents, not as they knew exactly why all the bedding had needed to be washed this morning. Jackson was too busy watching Saturday morning cartoons to pay any attention to me, and he was too young to draw any inferences from seeing me carry my bedding back to my bedroom so soon after having gotten out of bed. I walked as quickly and as quietly as I could to the staircase that led to the second floor. I shut my bedroom door behind me and dropped all of my bedding in a heap on the floor. I breathed a sigh of relief. How many more times would I need to go through this charade? Were my acting skills up to the task? I think I had Mom and Dad fooled so far. I’d gone off script last night with my inability to tell my parents that I had wet the bed, but that only added to the obvious shame that I had to have been showing. They had to have believed it was a real bedwetting accident. But how many nights and days were going to have to pass before this could settle into what would be a much simpler routine? Faking bedwetting while wearing a pull-up was going to be a lot easier. These late nights and sneaking around to bring my laundry back to my bedroom weren’t going to be sustainable. I needed pull-ups. And I needed them now. A thought did cross my mind. Maybe after one or two more nights of bedwetting, if my parents hadn’t purchased pull-ups for me by then, I could go ahead and ask them to get some for me. But that wasn’t going to happen. If I wasn’t even capable of verbally admitting that I had wet the bed, there was absolutely no way that I could somehow manage to ask them to purchase pull-ups for me. Besides, I had already ruled out that course of action. I couldn’t give them any hints that I somehow wanted to wear pull-ups. But there wasn’t any other option of getting pull-ups other than the path I had already set myself on last night. Plus, the worst of it was already over. I wasn’t going to have to do anything tonight that I hadn’t already proven that I was capable of doing. I knew I could make myself pee in bed. I knew I could endure the humiliation of walking over to my parents’ bedroom to inform them of the accident. I knew I could get past the embarrassment of having to help my mom strip off the bedding and hand her my wet clothes to bring down to the wash. I could deal with needing to bring my bedding back to my room while trying to avoid catching my sister’s attention. All I had to do was keep my eye on the prize. I crawled onto the uncovered mattress and leaned over to where I had peed on the bed last night. There didn’t appear to be any obvious stains. I leaned in and took a sniff. Didn’t smell bad, either. Whatever cleaning stuff Mom had used obviously worked well. What was it that she had said last night? Oh yes, that it hadn’t been the first time when she had needed to get up in the middle of the night to deal with a wet bed. I suspected some of the cleaning solutions might be leftovers from when Grace had been a bedwetter herself. I had just finished making the bed when there was a knock at the door. I knew it was my sister. Jackson would just burst in right after knocking, and my parents would announce that it was them. “Come in.” “I can take you to the mall,” Grace said as she peered her head in through the open door. That got my attention. But that raised a whole host of questions. Chiefly, why in the world would my older sister volunteer for a task that she disliked so much? Grace stepped into the bedroom and shut the door behind her. “So,” my older sister said, lowering her voice to just barely above a whisper. “About that favor I wanted from you yesterday.” --- Links to all my stories can be found at https://abdlwriter.wordpress.com

Tony squirmed, and his stomach was grumbling. "Come on sweetie, drink the bottle!" Ella said. She pulled him closer into her lap, holding him tight. She held the bottle close to his face. He frowned. "This isn't fair Mommy. I don't want another bottle," he whined. "I already can't take any more." She smirked down on him, and bounced him on her knee. His diaper crinkled, and his stomach grumbled again. "I don't remember agreeing to any limit on how much I could feed you. The deal was you had to keep your pampers clean, not that I would then starve you." "But..." he said. She waved a finger at his nose. "Ah ah ah, no whining. You know Baby has to listen to his Mommy, right?" "Yeah..." he pouted. "And that Mommy always knows what's best for her baby?" "Yeah" he said again. "Then baby should listen to Mommy and drink his buh buh. Come on, drink up!" Tony frowned, but opened his mouth for the nip. She shoved it in, and he started sucking. Tony shuffled in Ella's lap, trying to ignore his stomach cramping. He squirmed as if trying to break out of her grasp, though he put no real effort into it. He was dressed in an outfit that was fairly normal for him at home- light purple shirt over a thick white diaper printed with bunny rabbits, pacifier tied on a string around his neck, and hair in pigtails, the only thing that was different from normal is his "Mommy" deliberately kept his skirt and onesies off so he "couldn't hide any accident in his diaper." The reason for that was the thing that wasn't normal for the night, the bet he had made. The bet seemed simple at first. Mommy would put him in his diapers, as normal. He would then be banned from the toilet, which happened from time to time. They had some of their kink friends coming over the next day, and if he managed to keep his diaper clean until bedtime, he could dress in normal "Big boy" clothes the next day for their visit. That came with special privileges. He could finally sit at the dom table, rather then serving them with the other subs. He could drink alcohol, rather then the normal juice and milk his AB sub status left him with. Rather then being teased and humiliated the whole night, he could finally be the one watching the show from a position of control. If he failed and filled his diaper, however, he wouldn't be. Instead, he agreed to let Mommy hypnotize him once the morning before and leave an instruction in his mind, without his knowing what that instruction was. The possibilities left him terrified, if a bit excited. She could make him act like a dog, and bark every time someone new entered the building. She could make him instantly obedient to any command, and get ordered around by the entire group all night. She could make him constantly horny, and eager for any chance and pleasure. The fact that he didn't know was what was most frightening. At first he thought this would be an easy bet to win. However, what he forgot was that the normal rules for when he played her diapered sissy still applied. That meant he had to do anything she asked, including eat or drink anything. So, after his eight bottle of milk, third bowl of beans, and constant force feedings of whatever Mommy found around, his stomach was turning with over an hour left before bedtime. "AH ah, stop squirming sweetie, or I may have to give you a spanking!" "I can't stop!" he replied. "My stomach hurts so bad!" "Then let go. Into your diapie. That's what it is there for," she smiled. "NO! I WILL WIN!" he replied triumphantly. Ella giggled. "That's a really proud way to say you MAAAYY be able to keep your diaper clean, MAYBE, if you try real hard." Tony groaned. His stomach turned, and he heard himself let out gas into his diaper. "EEEP! Mommy! Please no more!" he whined. Ella giggled. "Its ok sweetie, far from the worst thing I've seen you put into your pampers. Now drink your buh-buh." He kept drinking, and squirmed as he clenched to keep his diaper clean. Ella started bouncing him up and down harder, and he felt his innards loosening as he did. "What? Am I not allowed to bounce my widdle baby on my knee? Hear his widdle diapers crinkle? Hear his stomach..." "EEEP! Mommy!" he said as his stomach cramped up loudly. He began to sweat from the effort, and tried to distract himself by drinking the bottle, though the milk only made the feeling worse? "EEERR... ER..." he said, straining from the effort. His stomach grumbled again, and... BLAART! "NO! OH NO! NOT NOW!" He shouted his gut finally opened up and poured its contents into his diaper. Mommy giggled and kept bouncing, and he felt the mess grow and mash into him over and over. It was over in moments, but the damage was done. Mommy laughed out loud as she bounced him again, knowing she had won. "Oh no," he moaned. "Oh yes stinky, that's a full diaper. I won the bet," she teased. "But that's not fair! You didn't say you were going to force feed me all that!" She silenced him by shoving his pacifier in his mouth, which he knew came with the order for silence. "Now now, we both agreed to the deal. You were just so excited about maybe being a big boy for our friends that you didn't think things through, weren't you?" He blushed and nodded. "And isn't it that same lack of thinking and over excitement that explains exactly WHY you're my little sub in diapers and why I'm your mommy?" He nodded again. "Good. Glad you learned your lesson. Now, are you going to finish your buh buh, or am I going to keep bouncing you up and down in your poopy diapers all night?" He groaned. He was full, but the repeated squelching was already making him nauseous, so he sucked and finished the bottle. When he was done, she stood him on the ground and sniffed around him, then waved a hand in front of her nose. "Whew! You really did a number on those diapers. You stink like a sewer! No hiding that, eh?" He shook his head. "Good boy. Now, off to bed poopy pants, and we'll play our game tomorrow." She patted his bottom, giving another nauseating squelch. He looked at her with a pout, and she waved goodnight at him. He waddled toward his bedroom, thoughts about the next day turning over in his mind.

Katie Ann What do you do when you look seven years old but you’re actually a college student in your late teens? For Kathleen’s entire life, she had fought against people treating her much younger than her actual age. Feeling obligated to grow up fast to show people she wasn’t the age of her size, Kathleen never let her inner child out. Tired of fighting against the world, she explores the adult submissive world. What she finds, however, is an enjoyment of regression. Had she made a mistake? Would life be better if she just let people treat her the way she looks at seven years old? By Becky Anne Proofread by Jamie M ©2018-2024 ~o~O~o~ Chapter Twenty-Two: Fall Fun Buttercup, who was asleep in the teddy bear costume, woke up when she felt herself being moved. Looking out of her glass eyes, it appeared to her that she was now in her bedroom. She soon heard what sounded like a zipper being unzipped. She soon started to feel a coolness on her back, as if her back was exposed. She heard Owner saying, “Stay perfectly still, Buttercup, until I remove your tubes. I don’t want you getting hurt.” A hand blocked her vision as he worked to remove the tubes from her nostrils. After that was finished, he dropped the face after she opened her mouth to release the gag. He continued helping her remove her hands and legs from the costume. After she could see correctly, she noticed that she was on the changing table. Owner was in the process of removing her soaked diaper. He said, “Katie Ann, you sure soak your diapers at night.” He removed the plug and probe from her behind and set her on a potty in case she had to go. After a bit, he strapped her back down to the changing table. After the regressed girl was properly protected, he put her ruffled tights on her. Then, a pair of pink, shiny Mary Janes went on her feet. Setting her on her bed, he helped her in a white turtleneck shirt. Her pink princess costume was placed on her next, and after she stood up, Daddie tied her sash. He put her pointed hat on her and tied pink bows on the bottom of her pigtails. Patting her on the bottom, he said, “Let’s go downstairs, Princess Katie Ann, to get some breakfast in you.” He pulled out an ordinary chair, patting it for her, signaling that she should sit there. After she sat down, her bib was tied around her neck, and a pop tart and her sippy were placed in front of her. She asked her Daddie, “Where are we going today, Daddie?” “After you are done eating, you are going next door, Princess. I am not going with you. Besides, you should know by now that information is given to you on a need-to-know basis, and you almost never need to know.” “Oh,” she said as she waited for Daddie to clean her face and excuse her from the table. After she was excused, he walked with her to the front and watched her walk the quarter or so mile to the Bullard’s house. She rang the doorbell and waved to her Daddie, who was still watching her from the front of his house when Mrs. Bullard let her in. She was led towards the table, where she saw Stacy dressed as Minnie Mouse and in the process of getting makeup put on her. “Princess Katie, you’re just in time for your makeup,” Mrs. Bullard said when she finished with her daughter. The regressed girl sat on the chair after Minnie got up. Soon, she was done and offered a mirror to the princess. Katie looked in the mirror and saw that she had rosy cheeks, red lips, and mascara on her eyelashes. “Thank you, Mrs. Bullard,” she said. “You're welcome, Princess, but call me Aunt Sara, please. It is now time to go.” Almost overtop of each other, the two girls tried to talk at the same time, with Katie going, “Ok, Auntie Sara,” and Stacy excitedly going, “Yay!” Following the parade of Bullards, she found herself at Auntie’s Mini Van. After the side door was slid open, Katie saw that there were two booster seats in the first bench seat. She went in first as requested, then Minnie Mouse followed her. “Katie, I understand you usually use a five-point harness, but this will have to do today,” Auntie told the little princess as she made sure the girls were buckled in. “Aunty, this is perfect. Thank you for inviting me.” As they were leaving, Stacy leaned over and told her friend, “Are you not excited about where we are going?” “Where are we going?” “Didn’t Uncle Adam tell you where we are going? We are going to a fall fun place, a corn maze, hay rides, and other stuff,” Stacy said, shocked that Katie was utterly clueless. “Uncle? And information is given to me on a need-to-know basis, and I normally don’t need to know.” “Yeah, he said to call him that, and he normally gives me any information when I ask.” “It has to do with the fact I am not really a seven-year-old. It also has to do with Daddie and my relationship, something called being submissive to him.” Stacy was puzzled over that word. “What is submissive?” Katie started to open her mouth but heard Auntie say, “Girls change the subject. I will tell you later, Stacy. And Katie, you are supposed to be seven, not nineteen. Please return to your regressed form.” Both of the girls blushed at their rebuke, and Stacy told her friend, “Uncle let me sleep in your room when he watched me last week. You have a beautiful room, Katie.” “You are always welcome to sleep in my room, with or without me being there, my friend,” Katie replied. Soon, the conversation between the girls changed to mundane items, and it wasn’t long before Auntie turned into a grass parking lot. Both of the girls undid their seatbelts and got out of the car after their door was opened. They watched Auntie grab a backpack from the minivan before following her to a ticket booth. “Two seven-year-olds and me, please.” “What ticket level?” the lady in the booth asked, pointing to a sign. “All exclusive level, please,” Auntie answered. The lady answered, “With the girl’s costume discount and tax, that comes to eighteen dollars.” After the money was exchanged, Auntie was handed some stuff in return. “Katie, Stacy, I need your wrists, please,” Auntie requested at them. Holding her wrist out, Katie found a paper-colored bracelet being placed on it. She then followed the parade to a table near the corn maze. “Stacy, I am assuming that you are going to do your normal thing and do the maze first?” Auntie asked. “Yes, Mommie” “Katie, you recognize this?” Auntie asked while holding up a phone. “My phone?!?” Auntie replied, “I have added my number to your small list of contacts. I am going to let you two run off alone. You are to call me if you two have any problems. I will call when you two have been gone too long without checking in. I will be sitting right here. Check in with me before going to a new activity,” handing the phone to Katie and a map to Stacy. Katie, holding the phone, realized she had a problem, so she asked, “Auntie, where am I going to put the phone?” “Your Daddie had that costume modified to have a pocket. Check your right side near the top of your skirt, Princess.” Katie, finding the pocket between the seams on her right side, slid the phone into it before the two girls ran off towards the maze. After they had been running for a while, Katie felt her heart rate increasing, and she was afraid of her normal dizziness. The regressed girl started to tell Stacy, “Stacy, slow down, I can’t let my heart rate get too …” before she remembered the pills she takes every morning. So she continued, “Never mind, I take pills to correct that issue. Carry on.” With that, the girls continued running as fast as they could through the maze. After about forty-five minutes, the girls found the exit, and true to her word, Auntie was waiting at the table right outside the exit. After checking in with her, they went to the fairy tale trail, which was near the maze. Aunt Sara decided to follow them as they saw all the scarecrows dressed up as scenes from fairy tales. Katie could have sworn at least one of them moved when she turned her head. They were told to pose in front of one scene, as Stacy’s mommie had done in other scenes. As they were standing there, she felt someone hugging her. Turning to look at Stacy behind her, she discovered that her friend was standing to the left with her mouth wide open, looking behind her, and that wasn’t Minnie behind the regressed girl. Katie jumped and looked behind her to see a scarecrow dressed like Mother Goose was hugging her. Smiling as if a scarecrow could be described as smiling, Mother Goose spun the little princess around and posed for some pictures before returning to the previous frozen position. As they were passing some tents while heading to the bouncy castle that Katie picked as the next activity, they heard, “Come and get your pictures taken. I have lots of outfits for you to wear.” Turning to look, it was one of those photo booths where you dress up in various costumes, usually old-time outfits, and they pose you. Auntie asked what outfits they had and got in reply, “Old-time costumes, like Victorian or can-can girls, I could even dress the girls like that, but they look cute enough like they are. I also have a nice selection of Halloween costumes, princesses, superheroes, witches, and ghosts and goblins.” “Can you take pictures of the girls together and separately while your helper gets me in a costume for a group shot?” “Sure,” he said, posing the girls this way and that way while Auntie went with the woman towards the costume tent. After about five minutes, Cinderella, with a full skirt, exited the tent and said, “Ready for those group shots?” which caused both the girls’ mouths to drop open at the transformation. After all of the shots were done. Auntie soon returned in her street clothes, so they left the tent with the proof sheet in hand. She sent Stacy towards a bathroom when they passed one. While she stayed behind with Katie, the little princess soon felt a hand squeezing her diaper. “When Stacy comes out, it looks like I will need to change your bottom, Princess.” When the door to the bathroom was unlocked, Stacy was told to stay in the bathroom while the other two went inside. Setting a beach towel and then a changing pad on the floor, Katie was made to lie down. Soon, she was dry again, and the two girls whispered while Auntie did her business. Soon, they were back to enjoying the activities. The bouncy castle, pumpkin checkers, the hayride, and pumpkin-themed playground were some of the stuff they did before Auntie told them it was time to stop for food. During a light meal of sloppy joes, Stacy pointed to a tent where they were painting faces on the map. “Can we do that, Mommie?” she asked. “After we eat, but you will lose some of your makeup if you do that, girls,” was the reply. Not really caring about that, Katie shrugged in reply. Her friend replied she didn’t care. “Let’s do that, and then we can grab some pumpkins from the pumpkin patch. We will have to go home after that,” Auntie told them. “Aww,” both girls said almost in unison. “It will be dark soon. We have been here all day.” “Katie, can I pick your face paint out? You can pick mine, plllleeeaaassseee,” Minnie told the Princess. Nodding at her friend, she got rewarded with an excited hug. After cleaning up their mess, the little party went to where the face-painting tent was on the map. After waiting for the current girl being painted to be done, Auntie spoke to the clown doing the painting, “The girls would like their face painted, and they would like to pick the face for each other.” Bubbles, the clown, said, “I would have to clean their makeup off.” Acknowledging that was okay, Katie was randomly selected as the first canvas to be painted. She was helped on the chair, and her face was scrubbed clean. Stacy was shown a book of options and pointed one out to the clown. “There is an extra charge for full faces; cheek art is the only face paint included in your tickets,” the clown said. “Full faces are okay. Give the girls what they want.” The regressed girl watched herself being painted, unsure of what she was becoming. After she was done, she helped off the chair and asked for the mirror. She was told she would see herself later after Minnie was done. While her friend’s face was being cleaned, the princess picked out a Hello Kitty face for Stacy. After the clown was done with painting Stacy’s Face, she requested Katie’s hand. She then painted the pointer finger into a carrot. When the mirror was shown to her, Katie saw that she was a bunny, complete with a carrot to eat on her finger. After showing both of the girls their faces in the mirror, the clown was rewarded with two huge smiles and a “Thank You” in unison. They were made to pose so Auntie could get their pictures, and Katie was told to hold her finger to her mouth. Together, they skipped to a pumpkin patch to pick out a pumpkin each. They each picked up one that was larger than their heads and then slowly, like a sloth, carried their own to the car. Once back to the minivan, Auntie took their pumpkins and put them in the back. She opened the side door and waited for the girls to strap themselves in. After Auntie got in the front seat, she said, “Katie, can I have the phone back, please.” Once the phone was back, Auntie started on the road. Back at the house, she said, “Both of your Daddies won’t be back ’til late from the game they went to. Katie is staying over here tonight.” After a simple dinner of mac and cheese, both of the girls were individually given baths, with Auntie making personally sure that their faces were scrubbed. She also washed each of the girls’ heads, then helped them get dressed in a nightgown. For Katie, she included a clean binder and padding. Wrapping a towel around each of their heads, she sent them to watch TV while the other was being done. Soon, both of them were done, and Katie was asked to sit on a chair in front of the telly. She was a purring cat as Auntie combed her hair, and then she felt her aunt doing something else in the hair. Finally, she figured that her hair was being put in plastic tubes since she kept seeing Auntie grabbing a tube from her side. After her head was all in the tubes, a bonnet was tied under her chin to protect everything. Auntie asked her to get up and Stacy to switch places. Soon, her friend’s head matched hers. Auntie told them, “You two can run upstairs and play. I will tell you when it is bedtime.” Going into Stacy’s room to play, she saw a trundle bed had been pulled out from under her friend’s bed. Curious about earlier, Katie asked Stacy, “What do we have on our heads?” “Curlformers, they will turn our hair into soft spiral curls in the morning. Mommie likes to use them instead of the curling iron,” Stacy answered. They played quietly until Auntie told them to get in bed, with Stacy forcing Katie to take the main bed. After Auntie read a short story to them, it was lights out for the girls. Katie tossed and turned a bit at first because she found the tubes a little uncomfortable to sleep in, but eventually, she fell asleep.

I'm sure everything is fine. He's going to have a million and one priorities that are more important than keeping us updated every step of the way. Not to mention rather large adjustment period to this new life. @Reddytake your time. We are all looking forward to your next update.

Had buyers regret the moment I bought it because of the price. Don't know if it'll fit but still, I've wanted to get my hands on a colourblock kids raincoat, specifically one made of PVC like I remember from my childhood in the 1990s and now I have and it's being shipped from the US. Here's a pic What ya'll think?

Pay no attention to the man (wearing just a diaper) behind the curtain.

Thanks to @DAQfor donating $15!

Not from what I can tell. She has MS which has caused her incontinence. And please refrain from the transphobic comments.

She has a youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@BumblePree

Hey everyone! As I had mentioned before, this year was going to be the year of sequels, but I figured since you all read these, I might as well give you a vote on what’s next as well. Each of the following story ideas is something that I already want to write about, so don’t worry about my feelings or drive with any of the ones I present here. If no one makes a choice for whatever reason, I will just go on the path I was originally going to, but I thought this might be a nice change of pace as I hit year two posting all my stories. If this proves popular and sustainable, I’ll likely continue this with my other stories this year as well. For now though, here are the ideas: Age Regression Story For a yet to be named story, follow Peter as he deals with a world and a life that has been infected with the age regression virus. Coming off the heels of a terrorist attack, grapple with Peter as he tries to cope with his descending age and the realities that come along with it. Only time will tell if he bounces above or below the age where one begins to lose themselves truly to the whims of their new younger body. Dash’s Redemption Tentatively titled, Redemption: A Stuffy’s Tale in the Diaper Dimension, this sequel to my first story and stuffy’s tale is all about the former nemesis of Hop, Dash. Broken after their fight and his run-in with a real and vicious dog, follow this newly damaged stuffy as he tries to piece himself and his life back together now that he is no longer the shiny technological toy that he once was. Embark on his journey of self-discovery and redemption as he uncovers what it means to be a true and maybe even loving stuffy in this dimension. Bethany Set as a semi-sequel to The Opening, follow former drug runner, Bethany, as she strives to find herself a better life that has been promised in the newly discovered dimension, tentatively called, ‘The Amazon Dimension,’ though some have begun calling it another name due to the ever-increasing rumors of something awaiting all portal Littles on the other side. Join Bethany as she looks to turn her life around there and maybe even find a redemption of sorts and something else in the most unexpected of ways. Watch out though, in this new world, new and even greater dangers than the ones she left lurk around every corner. Back to this story… Moving on, I am hoping to be able to continue to post every day as I have been this week. That being said, I might have something pressing all day on Saturday, so the final chapter might not be posted until Monday (instead of Sunday) if I can’t get a bit ahead before then. Regardless, I will keep you all updated on this when I post my penultimate chapter. Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 16: Festivities of Frivolity and Doom The winter weeks soon arrived at our doorstep, and I couldn’t help but feel the persistent chill in the air and the foreboding sense of what was to come. For the past few weeks now, as the days grew darker, my outlook on this life did the same. I was very happy with certain aspects, but almost being the new year, I wasn’t sure what I even had to look forward to. If anything, I felt like I only had fear or punishment awaiting for me in my future now. While the family and the majority of the rest of this world prepared for the annual weeklong celebration of Saturnalia, a prospect that made me miss Christmas and home even more now, I was filled with trepidation over a decision I hadn’t made lightly. The past semester, particularly after my revelation of my inadvertent exposing of Earth vulnerabilities to the Bigs here, I had started retelling some of the same stories I had told the previous semesters. As I basically only lectured or advised at an introductory class and then a single more advanced class, I rarely saw the same people, so I felt like there was nothing wrong with that strategy. That being said, I felt like I was tempting fate every time I stepped into the classroom to share something more, and now, more students were wanting to take the class and the academy was thinking of adding another class entirely for me to lecture with. The foreboding presence of Judge Franklin in the classroom about half of the time lately also did little to help my nerves, so finally, Samantha had put her foot down about a week ago. “I can’t take seeing you like this anymore, Percy. Everyday you come home a complete wreck from lecturing. I want you to have your independence and that drive that so many other Littles here lack, but I’m very worried about you.” I sighed and nodded. “I know… but the contract… protocol one… I think I would have honestly left the academy months ago now if I could, but I don’t want to end up like some drooling infant! Don’t you understand that? We’re basically trapped!” “I know that honey, and I don’t want to end up like a helpless toddler until my mind snaps either, but this is just torture,” she admitted freely. “Oppy and the rest of the family even agrees with me. We just can’t see you like this anymore… we care about you too much.” Their sentiment was touching, but I wanted to hear plan first before I bailed out and risked everything. “So, what are we going to do?” I asked. “Is there a way out, or are we just fooling ourselves and will be eventually punished anyways?” “I’ve been talking to Oppy about it. She knows all the tricks of the academy, and I think she might have found a way out. I really think that she feels guilty about her deal falling through with you.” I stared back at Samantha in shock. I didn’t know she knew about that. “Yes, honey. I know about the deal you all had, but it’s okay. I would have taken it myself, but still, I think she feels guilty about not coming through on her end for you, so she’s been brainstorming ever since you all talked about it last. From what we’ve talked about, there might just be a way out.” “Really?” I felt like Samantha had practically just revealed the existence of Santa Claus and that he was coming to meet me tonight with the amount that I was so overjoyed at even the possibility of an out for me with the academy. I felt so childish that I didn’t even care about how I looked with my giddiness while sitting here in December by a fireplace in a thick diaper and footy pajamas. “What are you all planning on doing?” I finally asked after I calmed down a little. Samantha sighed. “I’m not sure what Oppy has up her sleeves, but I’m also going to see if there might be a way out of protocol six, and by extension, protocol one. Just hang in there for now, honey, and with any luck, you can just spend your days at daycare after we’ve figured something out.” Spending all my time at daycare was something I hadn’t even considered, and her words struck me right in the chest and haunted me for the rest of the day. Only Nurple and Stripe that night seemed to abate my fears of ending up like the rest of the daycare. I felt that my avoidance of the Tabers milk altogether would have been my shield, but doubts had begun to creep into my mind after even those who avoided the milk now seemed to start succumbing to the regression felt by so many of my friends. Regardless, like back home, to my relief and pleasant distraction, December was a time of celebration. While there was no Santa Claus or even Christmas tree, garland still hung around nearly wherever I looked. Instead of red and green though, it was usually just green and gold most often in the shapes of crescent moons, suns, and stars. Candles, fake or otherwise, usually lit up the room, and a litany of golden pinecones, nuts, or acorns were strewn about on nearly every garland and table placement. It wasn’t Earth, but it still felt homey. “Stay still,” Samantha chastised me as she tried to wrestle me into my clothing for the night. Being totally unfamiliar with Saturnalia and everything that went into it, I was pleasantly surprised about many of the activities tonight. The first was the role-reversal. “Couldn’t you have gotten one with less… buttons?” I asked, slightly annoyed as Samantha did up my vest. “You could just wear your yellow and green sweater and corduroys to the party instead,” she teased. “I’m sure you would look absolutely adorable in them.” “No, no. Just a lot is all…” I groaned. Samantha only smiled back. While the original purpose back in antiquity was to treat and dress slaves or commoners as the more elite, now, Littles were the low ones on the proverbial totem pole in this society. As such, every Little was to be dressed as an ‘adult,’ or at least as much of an adult as one could with a diaper scrunching up between their legs. For my outfit, with my approval, Samantha had found a navy-blue three-piece suit. It fit me pretty well actually and even covered up my diaper bulge from most angles. Looking back in the mirror even, I couldn’t help but feel like my old Earth self again, but I also saw what Samantha was wearing. “Isn’t this all a bit weird for you?” I asked as I gestured to her outfit. “No, silly,” she said while stifling a small giggle. She even gave me a twirl in her very pink and glittery princess dress. Apparently, some Big years ago had the bright idea of their kind participating as well, which meant that they would all be dressing younger tonight. “Don’t you like it?” “I do… it’s just…” Samantha raised an eyebrow over my hesitation. “Well, you look like you’re dressing in something that Ditzy or Chelsea would likely kill to wear themselves on any other night.” Samantha laughed. “Oh, honey, that’s the point. You’ll see it tonight. I mean, unless you’re a stick in the mud, everyone dresses up like how the holiday dictates.” She then checked her watch. “Oh shoot! We gotta go! Grab your coat and I’ll get your bag and my tiara!” Even when dressing up as an adult, my ever-present diaper bag came along as well. Nurple was coming as well, but he would stay in the car… unless there was some emergency and I needed him. The stupid interview 43C still hung about in the back of my mind and while it had gotten better, there were a few relapses still. Still, not long after, just as Samantha assured me, as soon as we got out of our car at the academy function tonight at the start of the celebration, I saw Bigs dressed like they were primed for preschool at best. I recognized most of the faculty almost immediately, and it was pretty hilarious I assure you to see professors of physics, psychology, and many other disciplines being taught here run up to the party in outfits like footed pajamas, overalls, and puffed glittery dresses. It was clear that none were wearing diapers underneath like I felt they should have for a real role reversal, but apparently that was a bit taboo for this part of the country. Going into the larger cities… from what oppy had implied last week at least, I guess was a different matter. Inside, blasts of green and gold quickly greeted me, and I was glad to see the halls of the academy so adorned and cheerful now. I had started looking at them like the doomed corridors they seemed deadest on being, but now, I felt a new life surge around them. Instead of despair, I found only frivolity. Soon, both Samantha and I were neck-deep into talking to other members of the faculty. We eventually found our family and settled in at the table that had been assigned to us. Oppy was wearing cartoon-themed pajamas with large, pink bunny slippers and Harriet sported a purple party dress while her hair was done up in pigtails. Luna had apparently opted to just be themselves, but with all the switching going around for the Bigs and Littles, it almost felt that with their still-present pull-up, being just a Middle tonight worked just right. On the other hand, I couldn’t help but stare at Chelsea’s and Ditzy’s outfits. Ditzy was sporting what essentially looked like a prom dress, even complete with a corsage on her wrist. Chelsea though, I wasn’t sure if her outfit was to denote what she hoped to become again one day, or if was just more part of her punishment. Regardless though, I guess I had to factor in that while she was still a Big technically, her mental faculties were still only slowly improving. As such, she was wearing an academy uniform… neither too adult nor too childish. “So, how are classes going?” Samantha asked Harriet with some concern and yet a discernable amount of hope. “Actually, they’re going pretty well,” Harriet cheerfully noted to the slightly growing crowd around us. Her botched mission was already news around the academy, but her subsequent breakdown had gotten out somehow, and I just knew these vultures were looking for any signs of her slipping up once more… particularly Reddington. “Pretty stressful, but I’ve never felt better honestly. My counselor has even gone so far as to call my new path forward as my true ‘raison d'etre.’” Samantha almost seemed to sigh with relief, but then rubbed her mentee’s shoulder. “I’m so happy to hear that, Harriet. I only want you to succeed and you seem well on your way to doing that.” The two smiled longingly at each other over the path that Harriet was now taking. All seemed good with her, and I couldn’t help but be relieved as well. Even Reddington’s grumbling and storming off afterward couldn’t bring the mood down. Still, I shuffled it off and soon sat down to talk more amongst the family, while our table waited to be called up for the feast that I could already smell from my seat. It was a little boring, but at least everyone ordering a round of something called ‘mulsum’ seemed to break up the lull in the party. “Trust me… you’ll like it,” Harriet tried to convince me after seeing my peculiar face after the server left. I did trust her, so I just played with my fork while everyone started to wait yet again. “Norris table,” an announcer finally said via the overhead intercom. “Norris table may go up now.” Our table needed no further prompting, and everyone, Big, Middle, and Little alike, practically sprang out of their chairs. I, however, still wanted to feel like my adult self in my suit for the night at least. I could feel I was already damp, but no one besides me knew that right now. Considering all that had happened and that could still happen, I still wanted to maintain what maturity I had somehow captured for the festival tonight. I saw a few Bigs laughing over my attempts to maintain what dignity I could in my navy-blue suit, but I felt I managed it pretty well. Even when I saw the buffet style food in front of me and my eyes widened as big as saucers, I kept my overall actions under control. “Here, sweetie. Let me help,” Samantha offered as she grabbed a plate for me as well as one for herself. I eagerly accepted and had no shame about it. I mean, the plates were already heavy, and if she was handling it, it meant that there was less chance that I could spill something on my precious suit and I could potentially pack more food onto the plate. From what I could see, there was both Little and Big food, so I quickly sighed with relief. Granted, it was essentially the same, but Bigs tended to spice up their food. Once, when I was in a particularly foul mood, I begged and begged Samantha for a bite of her delicious chicken that she had prepared throughout the whole day. She had done the same with a much smaller chicken for me, but hers was an array of smells and colored rubs on the outside that I just couldn’t pass up. I wish I did, though, as not seven seconds later, I nearly dunked my head in the sink to just cool my inflamed tongue off. Regardless, Samantha served me only the portions for the Littles, but getting my input and making a few suggestions, we soon came back to our seats. I got situated in my highchair, a small concession I believed in exchange for such wonderful food, and then looked at my plate. Samantha had loaded it up with the special mac n’ cheese for Littles, two pigs in a blanket, and three chicken nuggets, but it also contained the festival food as well. Sausages, fried vegetables, fruit, and nuts all lined my plate, but it was the pig I was most looking forward to. Apparently a tradition, the academy had hauled in an at least ten-foot-long pig that they had roasted themselves over a spit in the back field apparently. It even had an apple in its mouth still like it was out of some cartoon, but oh boy, did it smell good. Now, gratefully, I was one of the few Littles here tonight that didn’t need a bib. Due to the Tabers milk, many of my friends were starting to become uncoordinated messes. I could see Derek across the way nearly dump the mac n’ cheese into his lap and Ditzy actually did drop some of her cut-up vegetables on herself. I couldn’t see Melley or DB tonight, but if they were here, I felt pretty confident that they sadly wouldn’t fare much better. After some time, I started to get thirsty. I eyed the water I had been drinking so far, but I also saw the mulsum as well. Chelesea and Ditzy hadn’t drank theirs yet, but everyone else seemed to be enjoying their own. So, I rocked the glass back and took in the taste. Its flavors were like a mix of mead and wine mixed in with some other spices, but my head started to quickly swim. “Oh wow…” “Something wrong, honey?” Samantha asked, turning to me in concern. “Never better, but this drink is amazing,” I said blissfully. “No idea what you all put into it, but I haven’t tasted something like this in a long time. A long time…” Everyone stopped their eating and drinking and quickly looked at me. For her part, Samantha seemed both confused and horrified for a moment. “Uh, dear?” Oppy asked nervously to Samantha. “Is it…?” Samantha nodded and quickly snatched the glass away from my hands. “Hey! That was really good!” Samantha seemingly ignored my protests for a moment and drank a bit herself. Her eyes widened as well. “Yeah… that’s not the Littles version.” The table started giggling while Samantha tried getting our server back. “What?” I asked confusedly while still trying to get my drink back from Samantha. She easily held it just out of my arm’s reach before swatting my hand away. “Sweetie…” Oppy began while she smiled down on me. “The server was supposed to get all you Littles your own mulsum. I think he gave you the Big version instead… the alcoholic one.” Everything then sadly clicked in my head. “Oh… rats.” It was another one of those unwritten rules that Melley had helped me out with, and so I learned that alcohol and Littles never went together. It didn’t matter if they were a prince, unregressed, or the president’s own… Littles just did not consume alcohol. “Stupid fake role reversal…” I muttered to myself just as the waiter took away my old drink and replaced it with my Littles version. Samantha then leaned down to me. “I heard that…” I think I yelped a little in shock that she did. She only chuckled back. “Don’t worry, baby, you’re not in trouble, but for future reference, the role reversal only deals with so many things. Practices and items stay Little-bound, like your diapers, no alcohol, and for the tempting Littles… punishment…” “I… I…”’ I tried to spit out an apology, but it really only came out. “Sorry, sorry for… uh, sorry, sorry, sorry!” Samantha smiled once more and stroked me on the cheek yet again to let me know that she wasn’t mad, and everything was okay. “It’s okay… just keep all that in mind tonight. Have fun, but try and remember the usual rules as well.” I nodded and we both bent up a little while she resumed her normal volume. “No need in getting tuckered out from an adult drink,” she covered. “We wouldn’t want you to miss your… present!” Like dogs to a high-pitched whistle or a squirrel, every Little within earshot suddenly and miraculously no longer seemed to care about their food, not even the special and creamy deliciousness of their mac n’ cheese. Instead, the soft subtle crinkling of at least a dozen or so diapers began to echo around me as each Little began to squirm in their highchairs in anticipation of what they would receive tonight. Samantha got a few dirty stares from other Bigs, but our table just laughed. “Oh, perfect, Samantha,” Harriet jested. “I just got Ditzy to calm down for long enough to take a bite of her food and not drop it at least twice before getting it in her mouth.” The table laughed again at the poor Little’s expense. With her state of regression though, Ditzy just cooed and giggled back. Samantha mouthed ‘sorry’ in all the chaos, but then bumped me lightly on my arm so I would pay attention to what she was saying in all the noise around us. “I just can’t wait to see what I got you.” I quickly panicked, having not known about the gift myself until just now. “Oh… Samantha… I didn’t get you anything! I’m so sorry…” I tried to scramble and think of anything I could get her or even promise her for the future, but being right on the spot, my mind was nearly blank. Samantha only giggled though at my comment. “No, silly. The gifts happen between us Bigs only later in the week, but tonight, it’s just for you Littles. You all really don’t have to get us anything. In fact, if you did, you would probably be the only one here tonight… heck, probably the only one within a thousand miles of here.” I felt immediate relief, but it was just another thing to show my status in this society. It was nice not having to pay for bills or for groceries anymore, but the act of gift giving was something I truly enjoyed in my previous life. So, tomorrow, I resolved myself to at least make her a card from the construction paper and crayons that were in the playroom that Samantha had set up for me, when at least Melley, DB, or anyone else came over. I was just happy my art skills, unlike my bladder or fear of the dark, hadn’t taken a beaten since I had come here. Soon, everyone began dispersing to the central area where I now just noticed several gifts had all been laid out and neatly stacked. It was a beautiful cornucopia, but from seeing every other Littles around me, I highly doubted anyone else cared about the aesthetics in front of them. Still, it was a pretty scene, and there was admittedly a part of me that was very curious, though also very nervous, to see what Samantha had gifted me. Unfortunately, right as Little’s names started being called off, I noticed that Samantha had left our group. I panicked but saw her quickly coming back to us moments later. Instead of the smiles on everyone else’s face though, hers seemed nervous… maybe even frightened. “I… I’m sorry everyone… I need to go,” she finally said when she got to the small circle the family had formed in a corner to open the gift in relative peace. “But Sam,” Oppy tried to call back to her daughter as she left. “Your gift…” Samantha turned immediately back, and I was happy that she did, but instead, she only just bent down to Oppy. “Please watch after Percy for me, mom… please?” Oppy seemed stunned and almost as if she was somehow disappointed in her daughter, and I think Samantha saw that. Moments later, she lunged in and whispered something I couldn’t quite make out in Oppy’s ear. Oppy then slowly backed away and looked at her daughter in a more serious and even concerning way. “I understand. I’ll get Luna to take some pictures. Just go and do what you need to.” She nodded back to where Samantha had been going, and after a small nod back, Samantha disappeared behind the crowd. I was stunned. I wasn’t sad or exactly devastated, but I was definitely concerned. Samantha had even seemed to want to give this gift to me. Now though, and Oppy was a wonderful substitute, but my own caregiver was seemingly absent from all that was happening. The very person giving me the gift as part of this grand festival and whom I had grown closer to was now missing without even a single goodbye to me. I promised myself I wouldn’t fuss or even cry, but before I could even register another emotion beyond confusion, I felt myself quickly getting wrapped up into something soft behind me. “Hey, honey,” Oppy said, giving me a little hug from behind as we sat on the floor, me now practically cradled in between her legs as if I was just earning to sit up. “Sam will be back soon, but for now…” her expression suddenly turned very playful, “you got me! And watch out! I get a little kissy around this festival. So… here I come!” Without warning, Oppy then bombarded me with about a dozen kisses per second right then. Some even tickled and I tried to get her to stop. “Oppy! Stop! Stop! That tickles!” I cried from laughter under her loving torment. “Oh? Do I have a struggle bunny under my hands tonight?” she playfully questioned. “I don’t think my big old granny ears quite heard you. No magic word even… tsk, tsk… I guess mister kissy attack is gonna have to come back!” “Oh no, Percy,” Harriet joked with me. “Mister kissy attack is brutal. I’d listen to her if I were you.” Oppy dove in and I couldn’t last another round without squealing and losing that mature edge I had been trying to maintain all night. “Okay, okay!” I cried. “I surrender. Please! Just have mercy on me!” Oppy chuckled, gave me a huge hug and another kiss on my tilted back forehead. “I accept your surrender, sweetie. Now, you’re mine for the rest of the night and my one command is that you must have a good time.” I nodded at her laughable yet sweet demand and just rested back in her arms. I knew what she was doing, and to be frank, it kind of worked in distracting me from whatever was happening with Samantha. It wasn’t completely effective, but it was enough where I started to enjoy myself again as I watched others open their gifts. Ditzy was up first and to no one’s surprise, she plucked out a brand-new pacifier, as pink as I think I had ever seen before in my life and finished with a single cheery unicorn on the front button in the middle of the shield. Luna was with her tonight and even cuddled up with her as they plucked out the fingers Ditzy had been sucking on for the past five minutes at least and then popped the pacifier in. Luna was our glorified extra handy free babysitter by now, but if their tail was any indication, I don’t think they really minded. So soon, that corner of our family was just filled with the gentle tones of passive and content sucking, and the unmistakable little purring noises we had come to suspect from our own Middle of the family. Chelsea was next. Her package felt unfairly large, but her less regressed eyes now shone brightly, and I knew that had to merit special consideration. Her uncoordinated attempts took a second to rip off all the paper, reminding us again of how far she still had to go, but there was a look in her eyes that I just couldn’t shake when she unveiled her gift to be a large and colorful walker. ‘Was it shame? Excitement, maybe behind her eyes?’ I couldn’t tell, but I knew there was something there that hadn’t been at all before. Chelsea was progressing back, and she seemed as if she only wanted to emphasize that right then. “Tank ‘ou, mommy!” Oppy grinned widely back at her daughter as Harriet began to help her out by untangling the security cords holding her walker in place. Chelsea had just managed to start crawling around two weeks ago, so the walker was actually a good gift. As such, after all that and the other gifts I had seen tonight, as the large green paper and yellow ribbon package was soon scooted in front of me, I couldn’t help but wonder at what was inside. “Go on,” Oppy coaxed as she even pushed me forward slightly to better access the gift from Samantha. I started slowly, but my efforts quickly all seemed in vain as my emotions got the better of me. Soon, I almost looked like any other eager Little as I tore off the paper as fast as I could. Now, only the box stood in my way, but a small snip of the child safety scissors I was given, and the lid practically popped open. Inside and practically already coming out was a single object. It was large and fluffy, and for a moment, I thought it might have just been the packing. As I pulled it out though, I realized it was the gift itself. Suddenly, many Bigs awed, cooed, or even gasped. “What? What is it?” I asked in confusion, though my paranoia was going as far as to even think it was some trick and would soon poison everyone here. Oppy clearly heard the concern in my voice and guided her hands toward mine to fully stretch the object out. “Look, sweetie. It’s only a blanket. Nothing harmful there.” “Oh.” I really wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but to me right then, it just felt like a baby blanket to further cement my dwindling status in this messed up society. First, no bladder control, next daycare all the time, and soon… a life wrapped in this blanket between naps, breastfeeding, and diaper changes. “Uh… it’s… soft…” I managed to make out. I was always taught to be grateful with gifts, but right then, that was proving very difficult. Oppy giggled from behind me. “It’s okay to be a little hesitant with this, Percy. I get that it might just look like a blanket… a baby blanket at that.” I nodded and Oppy chuckled. “Well, I guess in a way it is, but this is also so much more. It’s known as a ‘Smell and Comfort’ blanket. Go ahead… give it a whiff.” I felt very self-conscious sniffing this velvety soft blue blanket now intwined in my fingers, but it was Oppy. I still trusted her, so I leaned in and sniffed. I guess I was expecting manufactured and fake strawberries or even cotton candy or ocean breeze… something like that of a general scent one could buy anywhere. To my surprise though, and while I couldn’t quite place it, it smelled both familiar and even… safe. I was confused and yet suddenly relaxed. “It smells…” “Like Samantha?” Oppy questioned out of the blue with a little gleam and wonder in her voice. I sniffed again. Lavender, baked cookies, fresh linen… and about six others I just wasn’t sure about… but the more I sniffed, the more I couldn’t deny it. “It’s her… it’s really her! H… how?” Oppy laughed. “That’s right. See, it’s a complicated piece of technology but with the weight and heating sensors inside along with the smell, it can almost act as a substitute for your caregiver or any person of your choice.” Suddenly, without warning, Oppy quickly snatched the blanket and before I could protest at all, she had wrapped me snugly up inside the blanket. “There. Just take a breath and feel it all…” The blanket was constricting, but the heaters soon turned on and the smells entered my nose in seconds. I wasn’t warm or suffocating, but my body soon relaxed nearly completely. If I even closed my eyes, I could almost feel Samantha hugging me tight right then. I was peaceful and I just laid back against Oppy as everyone enjoyed their gifts, but the blanket also made me question one thing. ‘Why do I need a replacement for someone that is already in my life?’ As if to answer my question, not long after, Samantha returned from a back room just off the main space where the festival currently was being held. Her clothes seemed a little disheveled and even her princess tiara was slightly crooked now. She soon saw us and me wrapped up in the blanket though and hurried over and then hugged me tightly. There was nothing quite like her touch to me, but the blanket I had to admit was a pretty good substitute. Still, as her arms were wrapped around me, I got a peek at Judge Franklin exiting the same way that Samantha had. My mind suddenly fired on all cylinders and tried to piece together what had happened to my caregiver. I feared it was something terrible, and I had to know, but I couldn’t just ask in front of the family. Soon though, the festival began to switch to the games portion of the night and most of the family dispersed to the other room they were housed in. Now was my time, but Samantha spoke first. “So, you like your gift?” she asked wearily while also trying to maintain the level of happiness that I guess she thought was expected of her. I nodded my head and wrestled out of the blanket for a moment before turning back to her. “I absolutely love it. I mean, I’m a bit confused why I’m getting it, and don’t mistake me for being ungrateful or hasty here, but I need t know… what happened to you? Where did you go? Are you okay?” Samantha looked away and quickly seemed pained. I feared the worst, but listened in when she looked back at me. “Percy… Judge Franklin and I talked… he…” she sighed and seemed to be holding back tears by now. “We came to an agreement tonight. We argued, but in the end… well, there’s no easy way of saying this. Percy… I have to go away for a few weeks…” It was not what I was expecting her to say at all, but I nodded for her sake, but I could also see there was more she needed to say. “Go on…” “I…” Samantha looked away as if she was fighting within herself. “I want to tell you more, Percy. I really do, but I think that would only put you in danger at this point.” Right then, if she meant to or not, her words sent me into full-on panic mode. With everything I knew, between this and the blanket as a substitute for my primary anchor of sanity in this world, I felt I was going to lose her during whatever this sudden trip she had to go on now. At this point from what I knew, I had no compunctions over the notion that Franklin and his conspirators would do almost anything to bring down the Norris family. With it all pressing down on me, I began to hyperventilate. “Woah, woah. Easy there, baby.” Samantha quickly wrapped me into the tightest hug imaginable as she stroked my hair and back in her effort to calm me down. It felt amazing but my feelings still remained. “Just take a breath. It will only be for three weeks… tops.” She then stopped her hug, took my head in her hands and looked deep into my eyes. “I promise you that. Now, say it all back to me.” I was having a hard time repeating what she had said over my rapid breathing, tears, and snot-filed nose, but I gave it my best shot. “Three weeks top. You promise.” “Good, very good, Percy. Keep reminding yourself that.” She then slowly breathed and got me to follow her deep and steady pace. I was still on edge, but her recent self-required training in calming events like these down was paying off. Soon, I was starting to regain my composure, but right then, someone called out to both of us. Hey, Sam! Percy!” the dean called out while running beside us in her own princess party dress. “Come on! We’ve got the animal noise roulette wheel all set up. I remember how lucky you were last year, Sam. Come on! We need your luck now more than ever!” ‘Isn’t that the truth… just get in line, dean…’ I chuckled to myself as quietly as I could over what I was seeing. “You know it’s not a Saturnalia festival without a little gambling and then we’ve just gotta crown our king too! Come on!” Samantha calmly nodded back at the dean, her now slightly crooked tiara still glimmering in the lights though. “We’ll be there in a sec. Just need to talk to Percy real quick here.” “Right!” she said, snapping and pointing both fingers at us before running back off. “Don’t be long, girly!” Something told me she had been hitting the mulsum a little hard tonight. Samantha broke my shock as she turned back to me and stood up after she dabbed another tear away from my cheek. ‘Okay, my brave man. I promise things will be okay. For now, though, let’s go do some gambling and just try to enjoy the night. Does that sound okay to you?” It honestly didn’t. I felt that the Bigs here, particularly the ones we could be playing against, gambled with Littles lives enough already, but I knew we had to blend in and join the festival once more before someone started asking questions. Plus, Samantha was going to leave in two weeks for wherever she was tasked to go. Until then, I wanted to spend as much time with her as I could. So, I took her hand, and she led me off. Samantha deposited my wonderful blanket with the rest of the family’s gifts and then entered the hall of games. It was a brilliant affair filled with wonder and excitement, but I couldn’t take my mind off my still-present fears. I felt that Samantha, trying to protect my feelings, wouldn’t tell me, but I suspected more than anything that this sudden long trip had something to do with my desire to leave the academy the following semester. Now, she would likely be endangering her life possibly because of my own fears of betraying a place I hadn’t seen now in almost a year. Further, I wanted to believe Samantha so badly that things would be okay. I usually trusted her these days with anything she said. I might have even believed her if she told me that the sky was suddenly all bright pink, but today, when she told me things would be okay, I still felt a twinge of doubt in my gut. Even then, as I looked over at the animal noise roulette wheel, I saw Judge Franklin already there and staring intently back at us. Maybe it was his presence there or just my luck in this dimension, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad was coming for us in the new year.

Hello All! It's been a while since I've posted a new story, but I'm back with a project I'm very excited about! "You Know What They Do to Girls Like Us in Brighter Days?" is the story of Rei Akiyama, a young girl trying to navigate through life in a near future dystopia where the age of majority has been raised to 28 for girls and regressive behavioral therapy has become popular to help girls adjust to these new laws. The world this story is set in is very strongly inspired by/based on the world building of Alteredstates, so a lot of credit goes to him! For those unfamiliar with Alteredstates, he does world building through ad copy and other cultural artifacts. While you don't need to be familiar with his work to understand and appreciate this story, I strongly recommend you check it out! Not only because it will help you immerse yourself in this world, but also because it's genuinely really good! You can find him on Tumblr, Twitter, and Patreon! Without further ado, I give you the prologue and first two chapters of "You Know What They Do to Girls Like Us in Brighter Days?" Prologue The night of Wednesday, October 4th, 2028, was unseasonably cold in the city of Greenham; snow was in the forecast for the next day in a city that rarely saw a snowflake until at least January. By 7:28PM, there were already flurries dancing through the cold wind that whipped through the dumpsters behind City Hall, where John Bennet, the head of City Hall security, stood with his foot propping open the emergency exit of the east stairwell. He blew out a lungful of smoke as he dropped his cigarette on the pavement below and crushed it beneath his shoe. John was nothing if not a creature of habit; so much so that, if one cared to be so observant, they could predict exactly what time John would take the last smoke break of his shift before he did his final sweep of the building. He would then go home to his shabby apartment. That night, however, was different. That night, John wouldn’t be going home; he would be meeting a 28-year-old girl he had met on the internet. That night, John’s phone rang just as he was about to go back inside. He fished his phone out of his pocket, smiling when he saw his date’s name on the caller ID, and swiped his finger across the screen as he raised the phone to his ear. “Hey, baby girl,” he said, trying to sound smooth, “I can’t wait to see you.” On the other end of the phone, a young-sounding voice poured honeyed words into his ear as he turned and walked back into the building. Another night, under less distracting circumstances, John would have almost certainly noticed that the door never clicked closed behind him, but the telling silence was lost amongst the words that sent his blood pumping. In a bar a few miles away, Edward Cook was ordering a drink for a girl who looked too young to be there. The girl blushed as she slid her ID and emancipation card across the counter at the bartender’s request, brushing her blue hair behind her ear to look coyly at Edward out of the corner of her eye as she did. Edward never even noticed the girl on the other side of him, or her hand as she slipped a hard plastic card at the end of a black lanyard out of his suit jacket pocket. The card, printed with Edward’s picture and the seal of the Office of Juvenile Affairs, disappeared into the girl’s clutch purse as she quietly slipped away from the bar. She checked the time on her phone as she stepped out into the frosty night: 7:34PM. Elsewhere, the number 9 county bus was pulling over for an unscheduled stop due to a disturbance on the bus involving three young girls. The driver, Richard Lawson, broke up the altercation with the help of another passenger and removed the girls from the bus. That taken care of, an exasperated Richard reported the incident to dispatch, who noted the number 9 bus was running ten minutes behind but was resuming his route at 7:47PM. Back at the courthouse, John, having finished his final sweep of the building and found nothing out of the ordinary, put the finishing touches on his security logs for the night and leaned back in his chair, eyes sweeping over the bank of CCTV monitors that showed snapshots of the interior of the courthouse. It was, however, the clock that John was truly focused on, his eyes constantly flicking between it and the monitors. The moment those numbers turned from 7:59 to 8:00PM, John pushed himself out of his chair and jabbed his finger at the button that caused all of the monitors to wink out simultaneously. Had he waited just a minute longer, he might have seen the black garbed figures slip in from the emergency exit in the east stairwell. He could have watched as they crept up that staircase and slipped into second floor hallway. Another camera would have shown the figures slink down the hallway, past the Permits Office and the Office of Parks and Recreation. On a third camera, the figures stopped in front of a frosted glass door with Office of Juvenile Affairs printed across it in thick, black block letters. One of the figures swiped a card by the panel next to the door, the light turned from red to green, and the figures quickly disappeared through the door. Later, security logs would be pulled showing Edward Cook had accessed the office at 8:04PM; the subsequent investigation would find Cook was not guilty of any direct involvement but would still lose his position on the grounds of gross negligence. By 8:15PM, Greenham City Hall was silent and empty. At 8:17PM, the number 9 county bus blew past the empty bus stop at the far end of the City Hall parking lot. On an ordinary night, Richard would typically idle at this station for a few minutes, but he was working hard to make up for lost time. The next few stops were just as empty, which wasn’t unusual for this time of night on a weekday. It was 8:34PM when the bus pulled up to the stop at Greenham Community College, where three girls and four boys boarded the bus, all of them in their late teens and early twenties. Richard Lawson wouldn’t even think to mention this to investigators later, though they likely would have made nothing of it if he had. By 8:50PM, the city of Greenham, a suburb of the nation’s capital city, was settling into its slumber. A few bars and restaurants were still pouring drinks for late night clientele, but curfew was quickly approaching and all those affected were either already home or else rushing to get there. At 8:54PM, the electric engine of the number 9 county bus was humming along through the streets of one such sleepy neighborhood, empty but for Ricard Lawson and a small handful of passengers: a young girl with black hair and tawny skin carrying a bookbag tight to her chest, two boys with their feet on the seats laughing raucously in the back of the bus, and a mother and a daughter riding together. Richard glanced up at the passengers in his rearview mirror and caught the eye of the daughter. She had bright blue eyes, a practical waterfall of golden curls, and looked to be in her early twenties. Richard smiled at the girl in the mirror; he had to admit, she was adorable in her pink shirt and plaid skirtall. She smiled back at him from behind the shield of her pacifier. The mother turned away from the book in her hand and leaned over the girl, slipping one hand up the girl’s skirtall. Richard quickly averted his gaze, suddenly feeling like he was invading their privacy. “Oh, Rebecca,” the older woman sighed quietly, but still loud enough to be heard easily on the otherwise silent bus, “your pull-up is soaked; did you even know you had to go?” The girl’s smile disappeared into her blush as she mumbled some words from behind her pacifier. The mother chuckled. “It’s alright, sweetheart,” she ruffled her daughter’s hair, “we’re almost home! Then we can get you changed into your nighttime diapers and feed you a nice bottle before bed, would you like that?” She booped her daughter’s nose and sent the girl into a fit of laughter. The black-haired girl shifted in her seat across from the mother and daughter, obviously trying to avoid looking at them. She glanced at her phone, 9:52PM. Richard Lawson shifted in his seat and tried to ignore the cooing and giggling going on behind him. Little single-family homes passed by as he made his way down Ridgemont Street, and only more in sight as he turned right down Wrighton Square. The bell dinged and Richard slowly pressed the brake, bringing the bus to a stop at the corner or Wrighton and Central Lake Drive. Richard wished his passengers a good night, stay safe, as they all got off. Glancing back in his rearview mirror to confirm the bus was empty, Richard slowly accelerated into the night. Peter Grant watched the bus pull away from the front seat of his Greenham Police Department Cruiser. He scanned the passengers leaving the bus stop. Two young men cross the street and kept walking up Wrighton Square while three women started walking up Central Lake Drive and toward his cruiser. He checked his clock: 9:56, damn near too late for young women to be out alone. “Let’s check it out,” he said to his partner, Dave Clusky, as he stepped out of the cruiser and started crossing the street towards the trio. As Peter approached, the women were backlit by a streetlamp, but he could make out the vaguely feminine shapes of three women. Two of them walked side by side as the third, at least a few inches shorter than the other two, walked a couple of feet behind. Peter raised his flashlight, “Excuse me, ladies,” he called out officiously as the beam of light cut through the night, bringing the slowly drifting flakes of snow into heavy contrast. The three ladies stopped in their tracks. The shorter of the two in front whimpered behind her pacifier and clung to the older woman next to her as they both blinked against the light. The girl behind them gasped inaudibly and stared ahead like a deer in headlights for a moment before raising a hand to protect her eyes from the worst of the light. “Evening, ma’am,” Peter nodded to the older woman, “these your children?” The woman glanced behind her, then back to Peter, “just this one,” she replied, squeezing Rebecca close to her. Peter nodded, “Sorry to disturb you, ma’am. Best get your little one inside, it looks to be about her bedtime.” The mother laughed politely, “yes, we’ve had a very long day, thank you, officer.” She tugged on Rebecca’s hand and quietly urged the girl on. Peter swept his flashlight over a few degrees to focus his beam on the girl in the white button up shirt and plaid suspender skirt. “Could you lower your hand, miss? How old are you?” “Uhm, nineteen,” she replied nervously, “I know it’s—” “It’s almost curfew,” Peter interrupted her, “you allowed to be out past curfew?” “Um, no, sir, I—” “Yeah, didn’t think so. What’s your name? What are you doing out so late?” “Um, Rei, sir, and I’m coming home from college, sir, I was—” “College?” Dave chimed in, “you got parental permission for that?” “Yes, sir, and I—” “What were you doing at college this late?” Peter asked. “You go to Greenham CC?” “Yes, sir, I was studying—” “Studying,” Dave scoffed, “yeah, right.” “I was, sir, I have—” “You got a pass from your professor?” Peter asked. “Yes, sir, it’s—” “Well?” Dave said impatiently. “Let’s see it,” Peter demanded. “Yes, sir,” the girl reached into her backpack and produced a folded sheet of paper that was immediately snatched out of her hand. “Professor Lewis? English?” Peter read key words off the piece of paper before handing it off to Dave. Dave looked the sheet over, made an annoyed sound in the back of his throat, then handed it back to Peter. “Looks legit” “You know it’s almost curfew, kid?” Peter turned back towards the girl, thrusting the paper back at her. “Yes, sorry, I was—” “Yeah, you were at college, you said. You live close by?” “Yes, sir, I—” “Where at?” “Just up the street,” she raised her hand and pointed behind Peter. “Uh huh,” Peter sounded skeptical. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the time: 9:59PM. “Think you can get home before curfew hits, little girl?” He smiled maliciously. The girl’s knees went weak; she clutched her bag to her chest as if it could protect from him the malice in his smile. Her vision tunneled in on the face of Peter Grant and the world around her sounded like it was moving through water. Tick. 10:00PM. As curfew went into effect all over Greenham and it’s surrounding townships, the eastern wing of the Greenham City Hall exploded outward, raining fire and rubble into it’s expansive parking lot. The sound of the explosion tore through the still night air, audible as a low rumbling miles away on Central Lake Drive. A portion of the horizon of the night sky lit up. “The fuck…?” Peter cursed. “Fuck me!” Dave swore. The girl let out a quiet yelp and resisted the urge to make a break for it. Silence filled the air in the aftermath of the explosion, and then the radios on Dave and Peter’s shoulders started squawking. They completely forgot about the girl as they scrambled back to their cruiser. Chapter One Snowflakes were melting in Rei Akiyama’s hair as she slumped against the front door of her house. She was still shaking and trying to steady her breath. “You’re late,” a voice said from the living room. “I know, I’m sorry, Mom,” Rei said, still panting slightly as she took her shoes off before entering the room. “The bus was running late; I ran all the way here from the bus stop.” Ms. Akiyama made a sound in her throat as she looked her daughter up and down. “You were studying? Let me see your pass.” “Yes, Mom,” Rei said as she pulled out the now slightly crumpled piece of paper out of her bag and handed it over. “You’re working too hard in school,” Ms. Akiyama said matter-of-factly. “Well, whatever, I’m glad you’re home,” she discarded the paper on the end table, “I was starting to get worried when I heard that rumbling. Did you hear that?” “Yes, Mom,” Rei nodded and chewed on her lip, unsure what else to say on the topic. “Rei, stop chewing your lip, it’s a bad nervous habit.” “Yes, Mom, sorry.” Rei forced herself to stop and instead just looked down at her shoes. “Well?” Ms. Akiyama asked expectantly a moment later. “It’s almost bedtime; shouldn’t you be getting ready for bed? The news said we were supposed to get a few inches of snow, so school will probably be cancelled tomorrow, but I want you in bed on time just in case, okay?” “Yes, Mom,” Rei replied. She tried her best not to turn and run up the stairs, but instead walked casually up them as if it had just been a normal night of studying. Her mother watched her go, sensing something was off about her daughter, but she was unable to put her finger on what, exactly, she was sensing. Rei stopped briefly at the top of the stairs, turned back, and gave a small smile and wave when she saw her mother was still watching, then disappeared around the corner. Ms. Akiyama sighed quietly: what was she going to do with that girl? She was worried what kind of ideas her school was filling her head with, and Rei being out all-night studying didn’t do anything to allay that worry. Picking up the pass Rei had given her, Ms. Akiyama turned and settled back down on the couch. According to the pass, Rei had been working on her midterm essay for English with Professor Lewis. Sighing once more, she set the note aside, making a mental note to ask Rei what she was writing her essay about (maybe that would give her a clue on exactly what kind of idea’s the school was filling Rei’s head with), and turned her attention back to the TV where a mature looking woman was smiling back at her while holding a colorful package. “That why I decided to try new Pampers Overnight Diapers! They are expertly designed for girls who wet the bed,” as the woman delivered the line, she reached her free hand out the side and pulled a young girl of about eight or ten into the frame and into a side hug, “and those who don’t,” the camera pulled out and panned over to reveal an older girl about Rei’s age staring distractedly at her phone seemingly oblivious to her surroundings, “yet,” the mother added after a beat and punctuated it with a wink. Upstairs, Rei leaned against the wall, just out of sight, focusing on getting her breathing back to normal. The night hadn’t gone exactly as planned, but, so far, nothing had gone terribly wrong. She could only hope it stayed that way. Rei pushed herself away from the wall and made her way down the hallway towards her bedroom, closing her door behind her just as downstairs the TV alerted her mother to breaking news. As Ms. Akiyama was stunned to hear of the bombing just a few miles from her, Rei was tossing her backpack on the floor next to her desk and throwing herself face down on her bed. She was slightly dazed and more than exhausted. Part of her couldn’t believe the events of the night. Yes, they had been making plans for weeks now, she had known this night was coming, but now that it was done…it felt surreal. She was terrified of what would come next. Still, there was one more thing she had to do before this night was over. Rei crept back to her bedroom door, listened carefully, then cracked the door ever so slightly. The distant sounds of the TV still drifted up the stairs and the hallway was empty. Closing the door silently, she rushed across the carpet in socked feet to her desk, which, looking back over her shoulder towards the door, she inched away from the wall. Kneeling down, Rei reached behind the desk and pried off a piece of the baseboard to reveal a small crevice between the wall and the floor from which Rei produced a cell phone at least a decade old. It was black with a silver lined screen and a numeric keyboard. Rei brought up the messaging app only to be greeted with over a dozen texts; each was from a different number, but they all said the same thing: “home safe.” She sighed with relief, painstakingly typed out her own missive (“home safe”) on the numeric keyboard and pressed send before immediately replacing the phone in its hiding place and putting everything back in order. Now, Rei thought, it was time to get ready for bed. Chapter Two “It was confirmed early this morning that there were no casualties or injuries in last night’s explosion at the Greenham City Hall, which occurred at exactly 10PM and destroyed most of the building’s eastern half. While authorities have yet to make any statements regarding the cause of the explosion, many are already speculating that this was an act of domestic terrorism committed by the radical leftist feminist group Rebel in response to recent social policy legislation restricting the rights of women under twenty-eight. Supporters of this theory have been quick to point out that the offices of the newly established Office of Juvenile Affairs, which was formed to enforce these new policies, was located in the eastern wing of the Greenham City Hall. We’ll be sure to bring you all the breaking details on this story as it develops. Back to you in the studio, Steve.” As the news switched back to less interesting stories, Ms. Akiyama turned her attention away from the tablet propped up on the kitchen counter and back to the cast iron skillet in front of her where the pancakes were beginning to form bubbles along the edge of the batter. She flipped them with the kind of perfection that only came with years of practice and shook her head, it was just terrible what had happened. She knew some people thought the new laws were going too far, but surely bombing buildings was going just as far, if not further. No, it wasn’t the proper way to go about voicing dissent at all. And if this was the kind of stuff feminism was preaching these days, maybe there was some sense to these new laws. Certainly they didn’t teach girls to behave that way when she was younger. Ms. Akiyama just prayed Rei’s head wasn’t being filled with this kind of stuff at that college she had begged so hard to go to. Maybe it wasn’t too late to put her in a vocational school; with a little discipline, Rei could make an excellent secretary. Or maybe she could get Rei a job working at a daycare; Rei always liked children, and maybe tapping into Rei’s maternal instincts was just what was needed to make sure she stayed on the right path. Or, there was always… No, no, Ms. Akiyama shoved that thought away. Rei was a good kid; a bit headstrong, but a good kid, surely that option was too drastic. Ms. Akiyama sighed as she stacked the pancakes on the steadily growing pile; she just wanted Rei to be safe and have a nice, happy life. She didn’t want her daughter falling in with the wrong crowd and getting herself in trouble. It wasn’t easy raising a daughter in such complicated times. Ms. Akiyama was still musing on such matters when Rei shuffled sleepily into the kitchen, almost instinctively following the smell of pancakes. “Pancakes?” Rei asked hopefully. “Does that mean school is canceled?” Mom typically never made pancakes on weekdays. “It sure does,” Ms. Akiyama replied cheerfully, trying to hide the somber mood the news had put her in. “Have you looked outside? We got quite a lot of snow!” Rei grinned and rushed out of the kitchen and into the living room and its bay window overlooking their front yard and the street beyond. Everything was white and brilliantly bright in the morning sun, covered in what must have been at least five or six inches of snow. Even the road was covered; it seemed like the snowplows hadn’t made it to their neighborhood yet. Rei couldn’t help but stare out the window in wonderment; she had always loved the snow. There was just something magical about it. Behind her, Ms. Akiyama leaned against the door frame and grinned. When it came to snow, kids were always kids. “Come on,” Ms. Akiyama said after giving Rei a few moments to take in the wintery spread, “the pancakes are getting cold.” She turned and headed back in to the kitchen without checking to make sure Rei was following her. The news was once again talking about last night’s incident, so Ms. Akiyama quickly turned it off as she grabbed the plate of pancakes; she didn’t want to upset Rei with such terrible news first thing in the morning. “So,” Ms. Akiyama said as she set the plate of pancakes on the table and Rei settled into her seat, “you were working on an essay with your professor last night?” She grabbed the syrup from the fridge before settling into her own seat. “Um, yeah,” Rei responded simply as she loaded her plate with pancakes, “my midterm essay,” she added after a moment. “Oh, that’s nice,” Ms. Akiyama passed the syrup across the table and took a couple pancakes off the stack for herself. “What’s it about?” “Um,” Rei was drenching her pancakes in syrup, “well, it’s…well, our professor gave us some articles to choose from and we just have to like respond to one of them.” “Interesting, what kind of articles?” “Just, you know, current events stuff.” “Uh-huh, and what article did you choose?” Sure, Ms. Akiyama was testing the waters, trying to see what kind of stuff Rei was learning at school, but, to her credit, she was genuinely interested in her daughter’s life. Rei, on the other hand, was getting nervous. Her mother didn’t usually ask her this many questions about her schoolwork. Rei liked that her mother didn’t ask her about her schoolwork. Rei thought the less her mother asked about her schoolwork, the better. Why was her mother suddenly interested? She thought about lying, but if her mother asked to see the essay, she’d be caught immediately. “Well, just about…about the passing of The Hayes Act…” “Oh, I see.” Rei shoveled a too large bite of pancakes into her mouth to avoid having to respond. Oh, I see? What did that mean? Rei tried to smile around the bite of pancakes, but her eyes were searching her mother’s face for anything that might hint to her true reaction. Ms. Akiyama worked to keep her face as passive as possible, raising her cup and taking a long, slow sip of coffee to help her efforts. She had barely discussed the act with her daughter since its passage six months ago. She hadn’t needed to much, and it had always felt like such a…touchy subject. “Why did you choose that article?” Ms. Akiyama asked, trying hard to sound casual but interested and definitely non-confrontational. Just a mom interested in her daughter’s schoolwork. Rei speared a hunk of pancake with her fork and cut it away from the rest with her knife, “Um, I just thought the article was interesting,” she spoke with her head down, giving her voice a muffled quality. “What was the article about?” Ms. Akiyama knew Rei had strong feelings about The Hayes Act, and she couldn’t blame her. Rei had turned nineteen a month before the law had passed; she had been an adult for thirteen months when she once again became a child in the eyes of the law for another nine years. Of course, Ms. Akiyama understood why her daughter felt so strongly about it; she respected Rei’s passion, but she wished Rei could accept that there was nothing that could be done. She wished Rei could just accept that the world wasn’t what her mother had promised it would be she told Rei she could grow up to be whatever she wanted. “Just,” Rei shrugged, “I guess the author was talking about how it shouldn’t have passed and stuff…” The two were in a minefield; they both knew it. Neither wanted this to end in an explosion, but one couldn’t leave, and the other couldn’t leave well enough alone. “Oh,” Ms. Akiyama said, “do you talk about that kind of stuff a lot in school?” The last time they had discussed The Hayes Act had been when it had come time for Rei to enroll in her second year at Greenham Community College. With Rei then legally a child, she needed Ms. Akiyama’s permission to continue attending college. Ms. Akiyama could have stopped her; she had certainly been tempted to do it. Rei shrugged, “What do you mean ‘that kind of stuff’?” “Stuff like The Hayes Act? Politics?” “I guess, sometimes.” “What kind of stuff do they teach you about it?” Rei shrugged, “I mean, they just like…explain how it came to be. Historically, you know?” “I see.” Ms. Akiyama could sense her daughter getting…defensive? Evasive? She was certainly becoming something. Maybe it was time to pump the brakes. “I just worry,” Ms. Akiyama said, genuinely thinking it would help defuse the situation. “Worried?!” Rei said a little too loudly, “there’s nothing to worry about, Mom!” “It’s just…I hear a lot these days about what kinds of things colleges are teaching and—” “Mo-om!” “—and I don’t want them filling your head with the wrong kinds of ideas, that’s all!” “Mom, they are not…brainwashing me, okay?” “I didn’t say brainwashing, okay? I just hear what kinds of things colleges teach these days, that’s all,” Ms. Akiyama repeated. Rei slumped in her chair. Her mom had managed to ruin pancakes. “I just want you to be happy,” Ms. Akiyama said after a long, awkward pause. She reached across the table to take her daughter’s hand. “College just makes things harder for most girls these days, and, besides, you study so much, it’s not good for you.” “But I like school, Mom. It makes me happy.” “Well, why don’t we sign you up for one of those extended high school for girls programs?” Ms. Akiyama smiled, genuinely thinking it would be a good suggestion. “Ugh, Mom,” Rei withdrew her hand and shot her mother a withering look, “those are just housewife classes.” “There’s nothing wrong with that, Rei!” “I’m not saying there is,” Rei protested, “it’s just not what I want to do.” “I know, you want to be a teacher, but I just don’t…well…you can’t be a teacher for another nine years, what if by then they don’t let women be teachers anymore?” A silence fell over the room as both mother and daughter felt the weight of that thought. It was a legitimate concern. “I don’t know, Mom,” Rei said at last, sounding crestfallen. “But what am I supposed to do?” Ms. Akiyama frowned. Like most mothers, deep down she just wanted her child to be happy. Part of her really wished her child could have her dream, but most of her knew it simply wasn’t meant to be and there was nothing that could change that. Most of her just wanted to help Rei find another way to be happy. Without a word, Ms. Akiyama rose from the table and cleared their plates. Breakfast was clearly over. On her way out of the kitchen, she lightly ruffled Rei’s hair, “Go on,” she said, “enjoy your snow day, okay? But just…think about the extended high school program?” Rei nodded.

I know it's almost impossible, does anyone have any vintage/old attends plastic backed with waistband they would get rid of? I've been looking to buy some anywhere I can find

Entire (I'll take the lot)

Chapter 8 Daniel shifted uncomfortably in his seat. There didn’t seem to be any way to position his weight without feeling the muck in his diaper clinging to his skin. If he sat back, everything squelched forward, and he really didn’t want it going forward. When he sat forward, it mushed up the back and made him fear a blowout–and the only situation that might be more publicly humiliating than a visible dirty diaper would be a visibly blown out diaper. Of course, constantly wriggling back and forth wasn’t helping any, but he couldn’t help himself. Everything about this was new and deeply unpleasant. Jen, sitting next to him, seemed to fidget almost as much as he did, even though she had no particular reason to–fiddling with the loose threads of her scarf, she played them between her fingers so much he thought she might pull the garment apart. The eyes of nearby girls kept glancing his way. He could hear comments being whispered, and the giggles that followed those comments almost immediately–jokes and rumors at his expense. He’d have to do something about that eventually, but for now, Daniel tried to listen to the orientation, the reason he’d come here. The dean had conceded the stage, giving way to a woman in her mid fifties with silvery patches covering much of her skin–her hands, her right ear, even a part of her face. She’d begun her introduction a few moments ago, and Daniel had to play back his memory for a moment to catch himself up. (Professor Saito Sora, potion master.) Someone a couple rows ahead whispered, “Is that a skin condition?” A second girl shook her head. “No, I heard it’s from an alchemical accident.” A third, “I heard she lost a bunch of parts in the war and had to replace–” A fourth, “What war?” A fifth, “Shut up!” Daniel shook off the chatter, focusing on the presentation. “...Freshmen should know, there will be no brewing outside of class hours while you’re here at Alphabeta. You will only make the potions required for your lessons, and only under the supervision of myself or one of my teaching assistants. Junior and Senior students may be given a pass for unsupervised brewing, but only for specific needs.” Leaning forward, she scowled at the whole student body, as though each of them had personally wronged her. “You will not free brew under my watch. Potions will by made by the book. If you don’t, and I find out, you could get seriously injured.” “Jeez,” Jen muttered. “Is it just me, or did that sound like a threat?” One of the girls in front of them shot a glare over their shoulder, making a face at Daniel. (Oh, come on–I’m not even the one who talked!) He shrugged sheepishly, and after an exaggerated show of sneering and wrinkling her nose, the girl looked away. While Professor Saito stepped away, a familiar face stood from the row of chairs at the back of the stage. Velma–or, she’d be Professor Blackburn now, the teacher who’d been in charge of grading their entrance exams. “Most of you know me,” she said, looking out at the room. “You can refer to me as Professor Blackburn, or simply Blackburn, and I’m here to make sure you’ve got friends.” That got a round of chuckles–even Daniel smirked, though he didn’t totally get the joke. “In all seriousness, your coven is going to be more than just a friend circle. Many of the freshmen have requested to be in a specific coven–and my returning students know you’re going to be disappointed to see that I’ve denied most of your requests. We’re not building cliques here, and we’re not interested in turning covens into gossip circles.” She waited for that moment to pass. “Your coven will be a second family to you, and you don’t get to pick your family. The team building tools you develop together will be crucially important, and they need to go deeper than mere friend relationships–as such, you will not be allowed to switch to a different group except in extreme circumstances, as it would not be fair to the other women in your coven.” (Women,) Daniel thought, pursing his lips. (Not everyone in my coven will be women, though.) Chances are, this speech had been written months prior, if it wasn’t recycled every year word for word. It didn’t surprise him that the language hadn’t been changed just for him, but he wondered if that, too, was a veiled threat. They were only concerned with fairness towards the women in the student body, not Daniel. (Is Blackburn against me too?) Maybe he was being paranoid, but the dean had all but publicly condoned bullying Daniel a moment before, so he felt justified in his paranoia. “Your coven assignments will be posted outside the hall when we’re done here. Disregard your preconceptions. Some of you will be assigned to a coven with women you can’t stand–and, I got permission from the Dean to say this: Tough shit, suck it up and find someone else to complain to. If you can’t make friends, you don’t belong in my class, or this institution. Thank you.” Velma’s voice was amplified through the hall by magic; she had no mic to drop. Still, her point had been made, and she stepped back, glancing around. Clearly confused, she looked to Dean Madrigal, seated at the end of the row of teachers. “Where’s Glinse?” she asked, voice still carrying. Glancing out at the student body, she waved a hand, silencing the spell so that she could confer privately. Standing, the dean walked up to the center of stage, pulling the amplifying spell onto herself. “On the subject of the Voxavin league,” she began, and Daniel could just barely notice the annoyance in her tone. “We’ve been selected–” A side door–the same door Daniel had made his humiliating entrance through, in fact, flew open, and a pale woman hurried in. She didn’t raise her voice or cause a stir, but the dean’s silence drew all eyes onto the woman, watching as she scurried onto stage. She was tall, and had a frame like she spent a lot of time watching other people exercise–Daniel pegged her as a gym teacher. Accepting a harsh glance from the dean, the woman walked up to centerstage. “Greetings, hello, I’m Catherine Glinse.” She paused, as though expecting a reaction. When she didn’t get one, she continued, losing a bit of steam. “I’ll be coaching you through Voxavin.” That, at least, got a reaction–interest from a lot of the girls, particularly the freshmen, who leaned in keenly. It also confirmed Daniel’s guess–Voxavin was, for all intents and purposes, Witch Gym. “All of you are required to participate in Voxavin practice, though you won’t be required to play in the league if your coven doesn’t wish it. The sport has an illustrious history amongst Witches, and we carry that tradition forward. Not only is victory in Voxavin one of the highest honors and greatest achievements a witch can achieve, it’s crucial to your education, your Coven. The skills you learn playing with your sisters of magic will stay with you for the rest of your life, and–if you’re lucky–you’ll end up…” She trailed off for a moment, gazing into the middle distance. “Three of the past seven high covens had members who were collegiate Voxavin champions. This could define your future.” She started to turn away, but stopped when the dean cleared her throat. Turning back, she added, “Oh and we’re hosting the school games this year. Try to win, it’s embarrassing when the host school gets beaten. Good luck.” While Daniel gawked at her presentation, and how poorly put together it’d been, Jen leaned over and whispered to him. “Why do you suppose she was late?” Daniel shrugged. (Laziness? Or–) He went cold, realizing Jen’s implication. Someone had been behind that door, after all, ranting about power. Was Catherine Glinse their mystery voice? The thought tickled at the back of his brain, distracting him through the rest of the presentation–a few other teachers introduced themselves, explaining details of their job that wouldn’t be obvious at a glance and generally giving an overview of what to expect. Daniel was so distracted, he even stopped fidgeting in his seat. It was like breathing–while it’d been on his mind, he couldn’t stop thinking about it, his attention drawn to every detail of the discomfort. Now that he’d been distracted, it fell back into the white noise of the world around him. (I need to learn more about Catherine Glinse.) When the ceremony ended, girls everywhere stood, shuffling out in an excited rush. Daniel just turned to Jen, hoping she might know more about the world of Voxavin. “Do you know–” “Come on,” Jen said, apparently unaware that he’d spoken at the same time. “We have to go find out what coven we’re in!” Daniel blinked. “Oh, yeah, but–” “Oh,” Jen said, mistaking his hesitation. “I…oh! Right, your, um. Uh–can’t you just tie your jacket around your waist?” Blinking, Daniel said, “Er…I didn’t–I was distracted, okay?” “Well, no time like the present,” Jen said, lowering her tone. “I mean, it’s not like anyone will forget, but at least they won’t be able to see your, y’know…diaper.” The extra emphasis she gave the word, speaking in a stage whisper, made Daniel more self-conscious rather than less, but he didn’t raise the point. “I…yeah, that’s a good idea. Thanks.” “I mean, it’s something, right? And something’s better than nothing, so, yeah. You’re welcome!” Shrugging out of his uniform jacket, Daniel was faced with a question–it wasn’t a skirt, he couldn’t fashion it to cover things completely, he had to pick–hide the back, or the front? The bottom of his diaper would be visible from one angle for another. He could have asked for Jen’s jacket, too, but that just felt awkward, so he chose to cover up the back, letting his jacket drape over the drooping diaper seat. “Now come on!” Jen insisted, grabbing him by the hand and pulling Daniel towards the exit, leading him through a sea of students, pushing forward in her haste to find out who they’d been assigned with. “You were saying, by the way?” “Huh?” Daniel asked, struggling to keep up. He would never in a million years get used to the feeling of walking around in a fully loaded diaper, let alone speedwalking in one. “Earlier–you said, ‘Do you know,’ what were you asking if I knew?” Jen clarified. Trying to keep his head low and avoid the sneering glances directed his way, Daniel said, “Oh, you did hear–do you know much about this Glinse woman?” “I think she’s been the coach here for forever,” Jen explained. “But I dunno–okay, find our names!” Daniel looked up as they stepped out into the hallway. The outer chamber was as grand as the actual assembly hall, and large illusions were cast up on the far wall, an enormous list of names, separating the girls into their covens. “I think Glinse might be the voice we heard,” Daniel said. “Oh, sure,” Jen agreed, nodding as she read through coven lists. “I mean, maybe–what’s your last name, so I don’t get you confused? Oh, wait, I guess there’s not many ‘Daniel’s up here, but still.” “It’s Aster,” Daniel supplied automatically. “Aster, Aster…oh, there I am!” Jen said, pointing excitedly. “I… oh. I don’t know any of those people.” Daniel hadn’t really expected that there’d be such a giant coincidence, but he still felt a twinge of disappointment to not be in Jen’s coven. She’d been nice to him, the only friendly face he’d really met in the school so far. He found his own coven a moment later, reading off the names: Soga Asami, Hazel Saunders, Mathilde Travere, Radha Gole, and Cassandra Clay. Like Jen, he didn’t know them. These were the strangers he’d be stuck with until he got into a proper Warlock college. He’d just have to hope he didn’t end up in a group with five Rachels. ... This chapter is another one that is completely original from the V1 version of the story - There was a tiny bit of the introduction, but the teachers and most of the class introductions were nonexistent. I'm so glad I added this Support the author, and read all my stuff super early and get exclusive content, too! https://reamstories.com/peculiarchangelingabdl https://subscribestar.adult/peculiarchangeling

I'm going with B. A patent was granted to an Elena Grant of Beaverton, Oregon on 09/20/1988. If you've never seen a patent laid out, take a look: https://patents.google.com/patent/US4772262A/en

Mass reporting would likely get the channel taken down. I would try that, and it might work. I don't think YouTube allows/likes ABDL content anyway. Edit: Just checked out the channel, its absolutely a bot doing all the work of scraping, creating, then uploading the content. Its not a real person so you wont get a response if you try to reach out.

Glad you asked! Even though I dropped a pretty big load in the toilet when I got up this morning, I have the feeling that more poo is inside me wanting to eventually come out. I chose a plastic backed Molicare with a booster pad and really coated my bottom, scrotum and between my legs with Vaseline knowing how well it helps when cleaning up skin from a diaper full of poop. After securely taping on my diaper, I pulled up a thick large pair of yellow KINS plastic pants for extra protection. I am not one who likes really thick bulky diapers that make you waddle, but I did decide to put on my Rearz Lil Rebels thick training pants over my plastic pants. Very thick and bulky but soft and cushions my butt very well when sitting. To top everything off I have on a snap crotch onesie. Usually even with the plastic pants and onesie there is enough slack that my diaper sags when wet, but with the added thickness and bulk of the training pants, it has taken up the slack and my diaper is firmly held in place where I taped it on. That extra thickness may make for a lot more interesting feeling when I fill my diaper in a little while.

Happy belated AB day to you too my little Ashy! Big hugs!🤗♥️

Chapter 9 My awareness came back slowly, I can remember the morning but part of it is like a dream. After diaper changes we were all given bottles, these weren’t the special bottle I had last night, it was like thick sweet milk. Then we were changed out of our nightgowns into play clothes. Kylie’s outfit was a dark pink bubble romper with a light pink heart, Dakota’s outfit was a pale pink dress and white tights, and my outfit was a pink care bear shirt and matching denim dress that barely covered my diaper. Under the effects of the reward pacy I giggled and thought our outfits were funny and cute. Mommy pulled a foldable adult sized baby stroller from a closet and strapped Kylie in. Dakota and I both walked, Dakota held on to the stroller with one hand to steady himself. I could walk OK, but occasionally rested my mittened hand on the other side of the stroller since my balance wasn’t quite there. Outside the nursery door I was astounded by what I saw, we were in a large open building with ceilings maybe thirty feet high. The space was well lit from natural skylights and artificial lights. The ground was artificial grass, and grippy walkways. Large cartoon sculptures hung from the ceiling, a sun, a rainbow, a butterfly, all around the perimeter were doors and all the walls were painted like a cartoon forest. It was a really magical environment and made more magical to me while enjoying the effects of a psychedelic pacifier. There were a few large playsets in the middle of the building and a small self contained building that looked like a cafe. I saw a few other women who looked like Mommy leading adult babies and several of the frilly pink maids pushing around carts. Mommy led us into the cafe. Inside there were adult sized high chairs arranged in various groups and a few very strange C-shaped tables. I could smell breakfast cooking. Mommy pushed us over to one of the strange tables. “Usually with Dakota and Kylie we just use highchairs but since there are 4 of us now we’ll use a feeding table,” she explained. The table was a bright blue color and much taller than a regular dining room table with three large holes. The holes had plastic seats inside them. She lifted Dakota off the ground and sat her through one of the holes. Then I was next. My feet couldn’t touch the ground. Finally Kylie was put in the seat and started to cry. Mommy comforted her and gave her a pacifier. There was a bustle in the room as a couple other Mommies were securing adults to high chairs and tables like ours and pink maids were moving about with baby food and bottles. We were strapped in and Mommy left us to go talk to another woman. “How did you like the reward pacy?” Dakota asked quietly. “Huh, oh, umm, yeah that was kinda nice,” I said. The effects were wearing off, and my brain still felt mushy. “Yeah I like them better than the night milk, the night milk is nice, but you just fall asleep so fast that you can’t enjoy it,” Dakota said. “What’s going on? What is all this?” I asked. My senses were getting back to normal and I looked around the room. Every now and again I recognized a face, the maids were the handful of pinks who were selected to work in classroom 5. The adult babies were inmates who disappeared, mostly ones who couldn’t handle the program that were supposedly transferred to a regular prison. I counted about 15 of us babies in the room. “I don’t know, obviously they want to turn us into babies, who knows why. If you act and talk like an adult you will get punished again, and it only gets worse. If you act like a baby then you get reward pacys, night milk, and other special treats.” Dakota said. “But what about Kylie, is she acting or is she actually a baby?” I asked. “I don’t know, she’s coming back,” Dakota whispered. Mommy returned with a couple platters of food. There were scoops of various mush, jelly, some eggs and some biscuits. She put the food down and then a pink maid came by and deposited 3 baby bottles on the table and three oversized silicone baby bibs. Mommy and the maid quickly attached the bibs around our necks. Mommy placed plates in front of Dakota and me, and began cutting up eggs and biscuits into smaller pieces. Then she spooned some of the jelly and mush onto the plate. Dakota dug in with his hands and began shoving food in his mouth, much of it falling into the tray on her bib. “I’m going to take off your mittens so you can eat,” Mommy said after unbuckling the mittens and removing them from my hands. She then used silverware to feed herself and feed Kylie who was drooling and dripping food out of her mouth. “Go ahead and eat, unless you need Mommy to feed you too,” she said to me. I carefully took a piece of slippery egg and placed it in my mouth. “Watch Dakota, you need to eat like a baby, like she does.” “I don’t want to eat like that,” I said. “Would you prefer a spanking here in front of everyone?” she said with a slight threat in her voice. I could still feel the sting in my rear so I took a big mixed handful of food and shoved it in my mouth allowing some to fall into the bib’s built-in tray. By the time we were done we were all messy, but the other two were way worse than me. Mommy laughed and cleaned up our faces and hands with wipes. Then put the mittens back on my hands. After lunch we were taken to a play area, it was an upscaled toddler swing set with a little slide. There was a set of baby style swings that we would have to be picked up and sat into, and a set of plastic seat swings that we could sit down on our own. There were several large foam objects to crawl and sit on and big foam building blocks. Everything was bright pastel girly colors. There were three others in the play area and another Mommy sitting on a bench beside an empty stroller. The adult babies were all dressed as girls and had the baby soft skin that Dakota and Kylie had. One was swinging with a blank look on her face, one was stacking up blocks with a concentrated look on her face, and the other was climbing the ladder to go down the slide. “We’ll be seeing the doctor today, so go play until it’s your turn,” Mommy said. She placed Kylie on the ground and the girl giggled and crawled towards the slide. Mommy went to sit on the bench. Dakota took my hand and led me toward the swings. “Hello Sarah, this is my little sister Chrissy,” Dakota introduced me to the girl swinging. Sarah was wearing a baby blue cotton dress with poofy sleeves and embroidery across the chest, it was much too short to hide her diaper which looked swollen. We heard giggling as Kylie and the girl on the slide were having a ball. “Hi Chrissy, my name is Sarah,” she got off her swing and dragged over a big foam block to sit on. Dakota got an empty swing, and Sarah offered me hers so I sat down. “So not feeling playful today?” Dakota asked. “No, I’m hoping if I look pouty enough she’ll give me a reward pacy,” Sarah said. “Chrissy got her first reward pacy this morning, but she got a bad spanking first,” Dakota said. “Oh I’m sorry to hear that,” Sarah said. I was confused. They were talking like children, even though the Mommies were too far away to hear. “How long have you been here?” I asked. “I don’t know, Stacey over there said she’d been here a few months maybe, and that was a few months ago. I’m having a hard time remembering things,” she said. “Listen, have you noticed any good hiding places, or weaknesses, ways to escape?” I asked. Sarah and Dakota looked upset and glanced over to the Mommies, “Shh, you can’t say that,” Sarah said. “They can’t hear us,” I said. “You don’t know, you just got here, don’t talk like that and get us in trouble,” Sarah said, visibly scared. “OK, sorry, but can’t you see they are going to make us all baby brained, we’ll be like that one over there,” I turned and pointed at the adult baby trying her best to stack foam blocks three high. Sarah looked over at the girl and rubbed her chin, “I can be mush brained sometimes without a reward pacy if I try hard enough,” Sarah said. “I think I went mushy the other day, and I don’t remember getting a pacy before,” Dakota said with enthusiasm. “What are you talking about mushy?” I asked. “Do you remember how you felt after your pacy and when you got the milk last night?” Sarah asked. “Uhh yeah,” I said blushing. “Well if you try hard you can feel that way completely on your own. Stacey told me that she calls it being mush brained, her little sister called it that and taught her how to do it,” Sarah explained. “Let's try. I think it will be easier with Chrissy here,” Dakota said. “OK,” Sarah said. She stood up from her foam block and went to Dakota’s swing. “When I grow up I’m going to be a princess!” she announced in a very childish voice. “Nuu uhh,” I’ll be the Princess and you’ll be a frog,” Dakota replied and giggled. “You know what happens to Frogs, they get kisses and turn into Princes,” Sarah said and quickly planted a very childish kiss on Dakota. “Hey no fair,” Dakota said. “Princes gotta kiss the Princess, but you gotta catch me first,” Sarah said. The girl in the blue dress took off at a very unsteady run and Dakota ran over her, they giggled and chased each other around in the soft rubber chips that made up the ground. Eventually Dakota cornered Sarah and gave her a kiss announcing that she was the princess now she then used a pretend magic wand to make Sarah into her pet cat. Sarah started crawling around and meowing like a cat while Dakota giggled and pet her head. A few minutes later they both came and attacked me with kisses, I giggled and felt kind of light hearted for a moment. “Hey, now, no kisses,” I said and pushed them away. “Come on baby Chrissy, play Princess with us!” Sarah said. “I don wann play,” I said and realized that I hadn’t really meant to talk like a baby. “You sure, kissy, kissy,” Sarah said again. I pushed them away huffed and folded my hands over my chest. They stuck out their tongues at me and went back to chasing each other around. Watching them play was surreal, they got more excited and childish as it went, their words got more mispronounced, their motor skills more unrefined and their pretend game more silly. It ended with them both sitting on their bottoms with confused looks, they were drooling and playing with their feet trying to get them into their mouths. I thought maybe they were playing or pretending and maybe they were at first, but this seemed much too authentic. My Mommy got up and walked over to Dakota and tickled her, then attached a pacifier leash to her collar and popped it in her mouth. Dakota absentmindedly sucked while she played with her feet. Chapter 10 The Doctor Mommy announced that it was my turn to see the doctor and held my hand as we walked from the play area to one of the walls where a steel door was. She placed her hand on a pad and the door opened. Inside was a small waiting room decorated with big murals of insects and grass. A woman wearing medical scrubs with a big smile on her face was there to greet us. There were two doors and we went into the one labeled examination. The room looked like a typical pediatrician's office. Cute Disney princess murals decorated the walls, and there were many shelves with assorted medical and baby items. An older man with gray hair and a lab coat was smiling at me. “Hello Chrissy, I’m Doctor Smith and I’m going to check you out.” “Now, you be good for the Doctor, Mommy will be back when you’re done,” she said and left. The nurse began to remove my denim dress, “Raise up those arms high to the sky for me,” she said. I raised my arms, “I guess you’re going to treat me like a baby too,” I said, unable to hide the annoyance in my voice. “Of course I am, you are a baby so that’s how I’ll treat you.” she said as she removed my dress and then unbuckled the mittens. “Mam, am I not a bit big to be a baby?” I asked. “Baby’s come in all sizes,” the doctor said as was getting supplies from a cabinet. The nurse then removed my care bear T-shirt and diaper which was wet and I hadn’t even realized it. The nurse then pressed a button on the wall that lowered down a metal ring that was hanging from a pulley on the ceiling. “What is the point of all of this? This is crazy!” I said. The doctor was attaching straps to the ring. “All you need to know is that you were sick and here you’re getting better, now give me your arms,” The doctor said and took my arms from me, with the nurses help he started to guide my hand into padded cuffs at the end of the straps. I jerked my hand away. The nurse and doctor weren’t strong like Mommy. “Dakota this can go two ways, you cooperate or I call your Mommy back, you get punished and then you cooperate with a sore bottom,” the nurse said. I sheepishly allowed them to put my wrists in the cuffs. The metal ring extended back up and held my arms up over my head. They then attacked velcro cuffs around my ankles that were attached to the floor and my legs were spread apart. “Good girl, now relax and we’re going to do some measurements and give you a treatment,” the doctor said. The nurse began massaging a thick white cream all over my body, while the doctor started taking readings with a high tech medical scanner, running it up and down my arms and legs. “Patient 19, designation EF67, treatment day 1,” the doctor read into his scanner. What followed next was a string of medical jargon and words that I could never pronounce. “This is going to help you relax,” the doctor said and injected me in the hip with a needle. The cream was causing my skin to tingle, but soon I felt my body relax. It wasn’t like the reward pacy, I didn’t feel euphoria or baby brained, just relaxed. The nurse spent a good deal of time massaging the cream into my balls and penis. It felt really nice and I got even more relaxed. My penis wasn’t really getting hard, but was about half way, which I thought was strange because I could feel myself starting to respond sexually. I let out a little groan of pleasure and began to rock my hips back and forth as the nurse stroked the thick cream in. “Well someone’s feeling good,” she said. “Here you go” the doctor said. Handing the nurse a rubber device. She cleaned the white cream off my genitals and then applied a clear slick gel. The nurse continued to stroke and I let out another louder groan. Then she slipped the rubber device over my penis and balls. It was like a sheath that ended with a condom. She continued to stroke over the device and with the pressure of the sheath I felt my penis begin to grow firm. “Ohh, oh,” I caught myself saying. I hadn’t had actual sex in so long, and I’d even just about quit masturbating while I was in camp. I never seemed to get that hard anyway, but now I was rock hard and could feel my very sensitive glans swollen and tingling under the nurse’s expert care. “Fuuudge,” I screamed as I exploded, pumping cum into the reservoir in the rubber device. The nurse slid the device off my penis and my body went limp, my weight hanging in the cuffs. The nurse emptied my semen into a collection cup while the doctor with examination gloves began attaching something to my now limp penis. I would have been much more concerned if I wasn’t in such a relaxed state. When the doctor was done I looked down to see my penis and balls were now enclosed in a shiny pink plastic cage. The cage was like a tight fitting bubble that surrounded my entire privates. It had a hole for drainage, and a small compartment at the top. The doctor then inserted a little tube into the compartment and a light flashed red then green. “What is that?” I asked. “Nothing to concern yourself over, part of your treatment,” the doctor said. While I hung there the doctor used his scanner to take several more readings and measurements. Finally I was given another injection in my hip, and the nurse taped a new diaper on me. “Everything looks good, she’s showing excellent response,” the doctor said. The doctor and nurse left the room together, and the nurse came back in a few minutes later pushing a folding adult baby stroller. “Well Chrissy, let's get you down and back to Mommy,” she said. “Please, just tell them I want to go back, I want to be a woman, it was a mistake to reject the treatment, will you tell them?” I begged the nurse. “I know this is very different, but it won’t be long and you’ll not only accept your treathment, but love it,” the nurse said and started unstrapping my legs. “What the fudge is wrong with you people, this is like murder. It’s like giving someone a fudging medical condition, you can’t make me a baby, you’re turning us into retards,” I yelled. Something I said seemed to hit a nerve in the young nurse, but not in the way I hoped. “You’re in trouble now Missy,” she said. She left one leg unstrapped and went over to another cabinet. She came back with a large pacifier gag, “Open up Chrissy,” she said. I set my jaw firm and shrunk back from her. She took a firm hold of the back of my hair and jerked my head back then with her other hand she pinched my nipple hard. I screamed in pain and felt the large firm nipple forced into my mouth. It was buckled tightly behind my head and large enough that I couldn’t force it out. She then used the controls to raise the metal ring, my arms which were already held over my head were extended up until my toes were only on the ground. It was very uncomfortable and I began to whimper. “Now for your information, we are giving you an incredible gift, another chance, and this time you’ll be properly raised to appreciate what our society has to offer,” the nurse said then took a long time unstrapping my other foot from the eyelet on the floor but left on the padded cuffs and strapped them to the stroller. I was crying now, completely broken, and eventually I felt my body lowered into the stroller. There was no fight in me as the nurse removed my cuffs from the ring and strapped them to the stroller. I was pushed to the waiting room where Mommy was waiting. “Well this doesn’t look good,” she said. “Yeah, she did really well until the end and she got very bratty and made some rude comments,” the nurse said. “Well, you should have got me, but it looks like you have corrected the behavior. We won’t hear any more rude comments from her for awhile” Mommy said. “Her clothes are in the stroller,” the nurse said and I realized that I was naked other than my diaper. Mommy rolled me back out of the office to the play area where a couple of other Mommies were watching several adult baby girls play. Sarah and Dakota toddled over to us, they were no longer mushy, and acting completely baby brained as they were. “Ought oh looks like Chrissy was bad,” Dakota said. “Yes, she was very fussy so she’s going to stay like this for a while,” Mommy said. “Can she play with us?” Sarah asked. “No, run along,” Mommy said and the two went back to the swings. Chapter 11 Time passed while I was strapped to the stroller. Mommy unfurled a large fluffy blanket and Sarah, Dakota, Kylie and a couple other adult babies cuddled up for naps. I couldn’t sleep and had nothing to do but think about my past. I had always been a good student in High School, between good grades and my involvement in theater I had received a decent scholarship for college and majored in history. It was really studying just how much the Regime had changed the country and was slowly stripping away freedoms that led to me leaving college and protesting. I thought alot about Sharon and Lacey, we had grown so close over the last year, in captivity. I had completely given in to the system, I was happy essentially living as a woman, I’d even accepted the lessons and theories they taught us. My personality really was far more feminine than masculine, if I’d only just signed my name and accepted the gender reassignment then I wouldn’t be stuck in this insane situation. I realized Lacey had already been offered gender reassignment and accepted it, that was why she had been changing. Then a thought hit me, would tLacey and Sharon end up working here in this part of the facility. Would they completely ignore me like Alexis did? Eventually one of the Pink maids brought us a picnic lunch and bottles. Mommy placed the small cut up sandwiches on a plate out for the now hungry adult babies on the blanket, then my gag was removed. My mouth was sore, but I happily sucked down a bottle of formula and ate a few little pieces of sandwich. Sadly the gag was replaced. I didn’t realize it but I was wetting myself alot. Wearing diapers for months had shrunk my bladder and it was common for me to go frequently, but before I could hold it if I wanted to and always knew when I was wetting. Now I could barely feel my bladder, and had no control. I could feel the plastic cage they had put on me, it felt like a gentle grip on my genitals, surprisingly it wasn’t unpleasant. Eventually another mommy came and took Sarah out of the swing. Holding her at her chest she flipped her dress up and patted a rather swollen and dark stained diaper. “Somebody made a stinky,” she said. Sarah giggled. “Poo poo,” she said. “Yeap babygirl, let's get you changed. Viv do you mind if I use your blanket?” She said to my Mommy. “Not at all, in fact I’d say my kiddos need changed too,” Mommy said as she got up and rounded up Dakota and Kylie. Mommy produced a cute diaper bag from Kylie's large stroller and laid down the two babies. I watched with a mixture of horror, surprise and curiosity as all three had their diapers removed. Kylie and Sarah were messy and the poopy smell waifed over to my stroller. All three had chubby baby soft skin and the same cage I’d been fitted with, but Kylie’s was smaller and rounder. They all three laid there shamelessly as they were wiped down and wrapped in clean diapers. The mommies rolled the sodden diapers up in tight balls and carried them over to a nearby trashcan. “You three have done such a good job playing today I think a little treat is in order. What do you say Viv?” the other Mommy asked. “Sounds good to me, show my brat here she is missing out on,” my Mommy said. The other Mommy knelt down close to Sarah and said, “Engage program B7,” My Mommy knelt down to Dakota and Kyle and said, “Engage program A4.” I heard a slight sound like a low hum as the Mommies came back and sat down on the bench beside my stroller. All three adult babies began to roll around on the blanket, I could see their faces turn to looks of concentration. Dakota was the only one who wasn’t using a pacifier but he reached around and found the one dangling from his clip and began sucking. They were getting vibrated, right here in the middle of the play area, with other adult babies and two other Mommies just across the area. No one seemed to care or even notice. Sarah and Dakota held hands and began to hump and grind their diapers against the blanket while Kylie just squirmed and waved her arms around. They began making happy little noises and moved faster. I was so embarrassed, and began to blush. I remember that just a few hours ago how turned on I’d been when the nurse had stroked me off. I felt my penis begin to stiffen up but my erection was stifled by the cage and after a few seconds it went limp. “Sorry Chrissy, bad girls don’t get treats, no play for you,” Mommy said. The program that was apparently running on the other’s cages was designed to tease out the experience. They would get faster then slower, closer and farther. Finally Kylie's little baby whimpers got louder and she spit out her pacy. With a “ahhhh mommy,” she came first, arching her back and lifting her midsection off the ground thrusting involuntarily. A few moments later both Sarah and Dakota wrapped up in a tight embrace and began thrusting together moaning through their pacifiers as they came together. When it was over, all three relaxed began to sleep deeply. I was both incredibly happy that I hadn’t been put in such an embarrassing situation and jealous of the pleasure they enjoyed. I woke up in the cafe, I didn’t remember falling asleep. The large pacifier gag that had been strapped around my head earlier was replaced by a regular adult pacifier that I was now suckling instinctively. I felt incredibly self conscious to be on display. The folding stroller I was in did nothing to hide the fact that I was naked except for a swollen diaper. The sling style stroller was getting very uncomfortable and I was unable to change positions since my ankles and wrists were bound. Mommy and a pink maid were getting Kylie and Dakota situated in high chairs instead of the feeding table that we had used this morning. “Should I get Chrissy out of the stroller?” the maid asked. “No she’s still being punished,” just feed her a bottle in the stroller. Mommy said. I recognized the face of the maid I had seen around the facility in the past, but I couldn’t remember her name. I resisted the urge to speak to her, not wanting to get in more trouble. She smiled and spoke to me in cute baby talk as she held the bottle while I suckled the nipple. I had briefly thought about resisting, but I was hungry and the milk was very good. After dinner we returned to our nursery room. Mommy pushed Kylie’s stroller and a maid pushed mine. I saw that there was a small bedroom to the left as we came in, that must be where Mommy lives? My stroller was parked at the bathroom door and Mommy announced it was time for tooth brushing and carried Kylie from her stroller to the bathroom. “Mommy, my teeth are clean,” Dakota said, but his complaints were ignored. The bathroom in the nursery apartment wasn’t large, there was a toilet that likely didn’t see much use, a bathtub shower, and sink. With Mommy, Kylie and Dakota in the bathroom there was no space for me. Mommy fixed a brush with pink glitter toothpaste for Dakota and he started brushing, but she brushed Kylie’s for her. The pink maid picked took a bag of trash from the room and said goodbye. When they were finished brushing Mommy carried out Kylie and sat her on the play mat. She crawled around and bit and then started rolling on her back playing with her toes. Dakota toddled over to the couch and sat down. My knowledge of babies was limited, but If I had to guess I would say that Kylie was behaving like she was a year old. She could barely stand on her own and mostly crawled, she could barely talk, and spent most of her time crawling around playing with toys. Would Dakota and I end up like? My thoughts were interrupted when Mommy started brushing my teeth. Surprisingly the toothpaste tasted actually good. With my teeth clean Mommy turned her attention back to Dakota and Kylie, “I bet you too would like a little nakey time,” Mommy said. She removed both Dakota and Kylie's clothes and wet diapers then placed them on a big soft blanket on the floor completely naked. They curled up on pillows and Mommy turned on a screen that was playing an animated show for toddlers with a magical dragon. They both seemed hypnotized by the show. Mommy sat down in the recliner and started reading leaving me strapped in the stroller. “Umm,” I said, getting Mommie’s attention, “Yes Chrissy?” she asked. “Can I get out please?” I asked in a slightly childish voice. “No your punishment isn’t over yet,” she said. “I’m really wet,” I said. “I know baby, that’s part of your punishment too.” About ten minutes later I felt my stomach start to rumble and my meager attempts to hold it were defeated. My sphincter opened and wet mush pushed out, but unable to move in my stroller physics pushed back and I could feel my sphincter stretch with pain. The mess flowed out of my widened orifice and mushed up both the front and back of the diaper. The bottle she’d given me at dinner must have been laced with a powerful laxative. I was growing quite uncomfortable, unable to move in a very wet and messy diaper and the smell was getting really bad. Finally I couldn’t take it much more, “Mommy, I really need changed,” I said in a childish voice. Mommy got up from the recliner where she was reading and walked over to me. “What’s wrong honey?” “I really need changed,” I said. “How come?” she asked. This must be a test, I need to act like a baby to be changed I thought. This was so humiliating, but my rear was burning and I needed to get out of the stroller. “Please change me Mommy, I had an accident,” I said. Mommy went back to her chair and picked up her book. “Please, what do I need to do to get out of this stroller, please, this is horrible,” I yelled. Dakota and Kylie ignored my outburst, they seemed hypnotized by the show. Mommy put her book down, “If you want your punishment to end then you have to stop fighting, turn off your adult brain, imagine yourself as a baby, what would you do?” she said and started reading. “I don’t know, if I was a real baby you wouldn’t leave me in a poopy diaper would you!” I yelled. She just shook her head and continued reading. Frustrated and growing angry I flexed my fists and struggled against the straps, “This is so fudging stupid,” I yelled. A few minutes later Mommy got up and picked up Kylie, “Whoops, little too much nakey time,” she said. I noticed that there was a wet spot on the blanket where the girl had been sitting. Mommy placed her on the changing table and changed her then put her in a onesie and on a different spot on the blanket. Dakota was next and I was now incredibly jealous that I wasn’t getting care. “Please,” I said in desperation and was ignored. “OK fine, turn off my adult brain, whatever,” I said and tried to visualize myself in the stroller as a baby. I remembered something I’d seen in the past. A little boy in the mall who, like me, had been strapped into a stroller. He was a big chubby toddler, maybe almost three years old. His Mother and her friend were in front of us in line. The boy was old enough to feel ashamed, he was fighting back tears and pouting, he had real fear in his eyes. His little jeans were puffed out from a very wet diaper and he was uncontrollably wetting it more. When he saw the big stain forming all over his jeans he began to cry. I remember feeling amused and sad for the kid as his Mom picked him up out of the stroller and held him out at arms length. “Tommy, your pants are soaked front and back,” she said. Her friend giggled and they put him back in the stroller. “I’ll change you in the car, you’ll just have to wait” she told him. With that memory in my mind I tried to imagine the way that poor boy felt. I found myself with real tears in my eyes. What if Mommy doesn’t change me, what if I can't stop, will I be in wet diapers forever. My jaw began to quiver and I couldn’t stop it, I was wailing like a baby, sobbing without control. There was only one thought in my head, I needed Mommy. I didn’t register the fact that Mommy was unstrapping my ankles, then my wrists and telling me she was there and to calm down. She was holding me tight against her chest and I was still crying. I buried my face in her dress and made it wet with tears and snot while she rubbed my head. The next hour was blurry, like a dream. I know I was cleaned up and changed, and after that I remember nuzzling against Mommy’s breasts while she read a story. I have no idea what the story was, but I remember colorful pictures from the pages of the book. I came to realize that for at least some period of time my adult mind had taken a back seat, I had gone mushy like Dakota and Sarah had talked about. After the story we were put to bed in our cribs, by this time I was back to myself and trying to process everything that had happened today. Like this morning I crawled to the edge of the bars and Dakota did the same thing in his nearby crib. “It was cool wasn’t it?” he whispered. I shook my head in confusion. “You went mushy, you got all, baby brained, it felt good didn’t it?” “Yeah I guess, I mean I don’t remember all that well, you were mushy most of the time at the playground weren’t you?” I asked. “Yeah, it really worked, they told me when I got a big sister it would be easier to be little,” Dakota said. “Do you realize that you had an orgasm out in public,” I asked. Dakota blushed, “Yeah, but when you’re mushy it’s just like. It’s just feeling good you know, like nothing matters, no embarrassment, no problems. It’s just perfect.” “That’s what’s wrong with Kylie isn’t it, she’s mushy all the time?” I asked. Dakota shrugged. “When’s the last time you had a conversation, I don’t think I ever heard her actually use words today?” I asked. “We never really had an adult conversation, when I first got here she just talked like a little kid alot. She had no idea how long she’d been here, she was so happy to have a big sister though. I don’t think I’ve heard her speak in anything but baby babble in a long time I guess,” Dakota said. “Hey, this is embarrassing but do you think of yourself as a girl now?” I asked. “Yeah I guess, I mean Mommy calls us baby girls all the time, and the doctor told me I’m a girl, so I guess so. How about you?” “I guess, they told me they were going to give me a treatment to make me a real girl and I refused, then I woke up here. I wish I’d just agrred.” I said. “But then you wouldn’t be my big sister and think of all the good times we’re going to have,” Dakota said. “But don’t you see, we’ll end up like Kylie, like braindead,” I said. Dakota frowned, “That’s mean, she’s not braindead, she’s a baby. Good night,” Dakota said and rolled away and covered up. Feeling like a jerk, I rolled back from the bars and tried to fall asleep.

I had an unusually wet night in a Tykables Cushies cloth back disposable diaper and plastic pants. My night pants and shirt were wet on the right side, my side of the bed was thankfully only slightly damp. My clothes are in the washer for quick 30 minute cycle. The leaky diaper was caused by side sleeping and wetting. I am actually sitting here in the same diaper that is now messy as well. I just checked my chair cover and I do have a few press out leaks, but the poopy is just fine inside my diaper.

Part 10 “Susie, we have to go shopping today,” Cassie turned to Susy when they finished doing dishes after lunch. “No problem, mommy. I’ll help you; after all, I’d like to go outside and meet people.” “Don’t forget you are still a disabled girl, sweetheart.” “I won’t mommy. It is even fun for me when I watch them and their sympathetic looks. I have to control myself not to laugh. To be honest, I like the role of a little disabled girl.” “Sweetheart, our priest proposed to me that we should talk to the people tonight. They are very curious about the miracle. He was able to postpone this moment for three years, but we can’t avoid it anymore. It would be perfect if you said a few words.” “Of course, mommy. However, we should discuss it with the priest first. He would advise us what I should say.” “Aren’t you afraid of public presentation, sweetheart?” “Mommy, don’t forget who I am. I have lectured many times at the university and at the research conferences. I will have to pretend a little stage fright.” “Yeah, we will stop at the church on our way back from the shopping center then.” “Mommy, I also might need some nice outfit when I will talk. In public.” “Right; we will find beautiful dress and matching tights and shoes for you.” “Okay, let’s go. Could you change my diaper before we leave?” “Yeah, and I give you a disposable when we go outside. It is better if we don’t have to carry dirty diapers with us.” “Right, mom” Susy walked over to the bathroom, pulled down her tights, and lay down on the changing table. She smiled and waited patiently until Cassie cleaned her crotch and put a clean diaper on her. Cassie took the shopping bags; Susy took her diaper bag with spare diapers, and they walked outside. Cassie helped Susy into the car seat and drove off towards the shopping center. When Cassie parked her car, she led Susy to the children clothing shop first; they found a beautiful dress, tights, and shoes. Susy looked at herself in the mirror and had to smile. She looked like a little princess. While watching her mirror image, she felt her diaper getting warm and grinned a little. They carried the new clothes to the car and headed towards the food department. “Susie, you can push the cart and mommy will pick the food for us. Tell mom if you wish something,” Cassie asked Susy and passed the cart handles to her. While Susy was pushing the cart, she felt a hand on her shoulder. “Susie, you are helping your mom. You have grown up a lot and you can walk now,” Mrs. Coldwell patted Susy on her shoulder and smiled at her. “Yeah, auntie Mary; it is fun,” Susy smiled back and did her best to play the role of a partially disabled girl and keep her vocabulary limited. “Yeah, Mrs. Coldwell, she is a nice and obedient girl. Her muscles are much stronger already and she can help me with simple tasks,” Cassie added. “I’m glad to see her like this. Can I invite you to a cup of coffee and juice for our little miraculous Susy?” “Of course, thanks, Mrs. Coldwell,” Cassie nodded. “Thank you, auntie Mary,” Susy knew about Mrs. Coldwell first name. They sat down in a bistro and Mrs. Coldwell ordered the coffee and juice and started talking. ”Sweetheart, I can’t believe the miracle. Your mommy is the happiest mommy in the world for sure.” “Auntie Mary, she prayed for me, and God did the miracle.” “I know. How are you doing? You attended the kindergarten, but you have outgrown it already. Aren’t you missing your classmates from the kindergarten? Will you go to school?” “Mommy tries to teach me at home, auntie, but it is difficult,” Susy had to control herself a lot. “Yeah, Mrs. Coldwell. The little Susie can walk, speak, but she has a long way ahead. We have to be patient,” Cassie sighed, but she also had to control herself. Meanwhile the juice passed Susy’s body and her bladder filled up. She felt the urge, but the bladder muscles were weak and relaxed instantly. Her diaper got soaked and Susy realized her next opportunity. “Mommy, I need a clean diaper. I’m all wet,” she asked Cassie innocently. “Oh, sweetheart, you have a long way ahead,” Mrs. Coldwell stroked Susy’s hair, “you still need your diapees.” “Yeah, auntie Mary, but mommy isn’t angry at me for it,” Susy enjoyed her role a lot and she realized she could be an actress easily. After all, she would need it later at church. “Our little Susy hasn’t potty trained yet. She has learned speaking and walking and some simple tasks, but she still is a bit disabled,” Cassie added and enjoyed her role, too. “Dear, wouldn’t you mind if I changed Susie’s diaper?” Mrs. Coldwell asked Cassie. “Not at all,” Cassie smiled, “I think Susy won’t mind it either.” “Come, auntie Mary,” Susy grabbed the diaper bag and took Mrs. Coldwell at hand. “Okay, sweetheart,” Mrs. Coldwell stood up and led Susy to the family restroom. While Susy was walking along, she turned away a bit and grinned. In the family restroom, Susy crawled onto the changing table and waited patiently. She didn’t pull down her tights. Mrs. Coldwell smiled at her and pulled down the tights and untaped the soaked diaper. “You are soaked; indeed, auntie Mary cleans you and put a new diapee on you, sweetheart,” she took the baby wipes and cleaned the wet crotch. Susy cooperated and lifted her behind to ease the change. “I remember you since your birth, but you really have changed a lot. It definitely is a big miracle. Maybe you will potty train and your mind will improve.” “I don’t know, auntie Mary,” Susy shrugged, “everything is hard. Mommy isn’t sure if I can learn.” “No problem. At least, you can walk, speak, and you are a nice and cheerful little girl,” Mrs. Coldwell finished the diaper change and pulled up the tights, “all done.” “Thank you, auntie Mary,” Susy jumped down from the changing table and took Mrs. Coldwell at hand again. They threw the used diaper into the bin and returned to Cassie. “I remembered my old times when my own children were toddlers,” Mrs. Coldwell smiled at Cassie, “our little Susy is very nice and polite. You did a good job with raising her so far.” “Thanks, Mrs. Coldwell. Thanks God, Susy is a sensitive and perceptive girl. I could teach her all the courtesy, but the homeschooling is much harder. So is her potty training. Nevertheless, I can’t complain. God has done a big miracle anyway. Diapers are not the end of world and I believe her mind will improve later,” Cassie answered and looked at her watch, “sorry, we should go home. Susy will say a few words at church tonight, and we should get ready. Thanks for the coffee.” “Thanks, auntie Mary,” Susy added. “You are welcome. See you in the evening,” Mrs. Coldwell stood up, walked over to the counter to pay for the coffee and juice and left. “Wow, it’s been a big fun,” Susy almost laughed aloud, “I can imagine her gossiping about a miraculous girl. However, she is a nice person. The diaper change was a loving care. She is a good mother for sure.” “Yeah, she is a loving mother and grandma; her only issue is the gossip. Otherwise, she is an angel,” Cassie smiled at Susy, “let’s go home, and we can stop at the church to arrange your presentation today.” “Okay, mommy, let’s go,” Susy grabbed her diaper bag. Cassie also stood up and pushed the shopping cart towards the exit; Susy followed her.

Why? BTW- in the five years of videos I saw posted, she has always presented as a woman.

The Dark Souls Emerald Herald, as requested by a Twitter friend. Requests are open, post them in the comments or dm's.

Hahaha not me but maybe Mr Biden should consider it

What hotel did you stay at? Do you have any photos to share?

Part 3 “So,” I harrumphed as only a seventy-one year old can, “I’ve got that wrong but... I’m not far off am I?” “You’re about as far off as you could be,” Cordulla added, her German accent just slightly more discernible than earlier. “However, tomorrow is to be our final day... so might I suggest you sleep on the fact we’re here for your benefit and that won’t change.” Now, I know that it seems that I’m being more than a little gullible – after all this is not proceeding like any other research project with which I’ve ever been involved. In fact, my brain is buzzing with everything... I mean thoughts, ideas and memories are firing around in my head like they’ve never done before, well as far as I can remember (and my memory seems pretty good at the moment). None of this makes any sense, I know it’s not making any sense and yet... all I can say is that I’ve been won over by this enthusiastic team and I’m quite intrigued to know where this will end. They keep saying it will be for MY benefit (and eventually that of older people), though won’t say exactly what that entails but their positivity has been catching so, here I am. “We all think you’re the ideal candidate,” Asim added maybe massaging my ego, “Please have only good thoughts as we can promise you, after tomorrow, with the company’s permission, we can take the final steps and then it’s up to you.” Bed did seem a great option, especially when I checked my watch it was nearly midnight. What a full and strange day it had been but I was still no nearer knowing anything about this ‘project’ that suspiciously promised something... though they weren’t saying what. As Ben escorted me to my bedroom and used the card to unlatch the door he handed the pass back to me. “Sleep well, the feedback from our company to all we’ve discussed has been very favourable.” He smiled the most encouraging smile. “We will just wait on their final judgement and tomorrow, hopefully, we’ll be able to tell you more. Good night Gordon.” There’s that reassurance. I sauntered a little unsteadily into my room wishing I was back to being a teenager, Ben would have been... oh well... silly to even think about it... and turned on the light. I was surprised at what greeted me. *** Together with an unopened pack that contained a pair of paisley pyjamas, not unlike the pair I wore in the little video I’d made for them, were a set of three different kinds of nappy. A large terry towel square, with extra absorbent pads and plastic pants, a pair of thick white adult pull-ups and surprisingly (well even more surprisingly) a pair of adult but thick juvenile looking Rearz Safari’s in all their colourful splendour... plus of course the required lotions and powder to complete the set. An advert for Poonami Proof Pampers flitted into my thoughts... but how have these guys got everything covered? I laughed out loud because I’d obviously been kidding myself that the nappy and plastic pants I was wearing under my trousers had gone un-noticed. I knew from past market research meetings I’d been to that they can get a little intense and go on longer than planned. I know there was never anyone stopping you nipping off to the toilet if needed but you didn’t want to be ‘that person’ who couldn’t control their bladder. You realised if you did, the word might get around and you wouldn’t be the first choice for any future work. Anyway, that’s how I saw it but, on this occasion, I felt a lot safer wearing some padding as, though I hate to admit it, I’d had one or two ’near misses’ and one or two ‘not so near misses’ so had begun to wear a nice thick nappy when I went anywhere. To begin with I simply put it down to my advanced years, which of course was true, but I also quite liked the feeling wearing such an item gave. When sporting one I remembered my time with Kenneth and those few happy days we had together. Pervy or not, it had been a very special time and had obviously had some effect on the way I am now... because, after all these years, I still think of it fondly. I also thought back to the time I’d tried to engage Sam in something similar but he wasn’t interested. It had been a bit of a disappointment but I never pushed it as it was obviously something that just didn’t appeal. As a result, I never broached the subject again. However, as he got sicker and less mobile I had coerced him to see the need of them and, being a fairly practical guy, he acquiesced to my careful pleading. Even after all the time together he was still embarrassed and nervous as I put him in his first nappy since childhood. I could see how uncomfortable he was about it but nonetheless he allowed me to continue. There wasn’t a lot I could do for his illness but I was pleased to be able to offer such comfort in those final stages. I loved taking care of my man and thankfully it soon became just part of a daily routine for which he was grateful. But since he’d passed I have reassessed my relationship with my padded friends. Now, as I wear one, there’s a connection to a man I spent almost forty years with and, if I’m being honest, it feels like a loving hug from the man who made me happy. Stupid I know. *** So, this ‘revelation’ of three sets of nappies proved that this ‘market research team’ knew me better than I thought and were trying to make me content. Had they somehow looked on the browser of my computer and seen what I’d been searching for and looking at – all those lovely people wearing their protection and looking happy about it - just as I felt all those years ago. At times, as I sorted through the images or read the stories, I slipped back to those days with Kenneth and being a twenty year old and wearing lovely thick padding with no one judging me... if anything, it was encouragement. I suppose, this little research group, in their own way were offering me similar type of acceptance and encouragement, though how they knew escaped me. Of course, none of this seemed real but I’d been here a long time and that doesn’t normally happen in these research groups. No doubt everything we talked about was taped for referral but perhaps it was also a live feed to someone – as a result they were able to determine a great deal from answers I’d given. I’d heard of algorithms (though had no idea what they were) being able to collate information and through key words, gestures and tone... so perhaps I was giving off more than I thought in these discussions? Meanwhile, my ‘special’ secret underwear wasn’t that secret and I admired each piece laid out on the bed and my heart filled with gratitude. Of course, that might just have been the brandy and my brain conspiring but did prove to me how thoughtful these young people were being. Or maybe, I was just a sucker for nappies. Anyway, I’d seen the Safari’s online and admired them but had not bought any as I regarded them as a waste on someone my age. Whilst searching the sites I thought the pretty childish and colourful selections always looked good on youngsters I’d seen wearing them but on an older, maybe more wrinkly body (and that was mine), not quite so cute. However, now here was a pair, and they were for me. I stumbled into the bathroom, stripped (with a degree of alcohol induced difficulty) threw my soggy nappy I’d been wearing all day into the bath, wiped myself down and, foregoing the lotion and preliminaries, slipped almost too comfortably into a very plasticky but thick Rearz. It felt divine as I patted and stroked the soft, smooth fabric and admired my seventy-one year old body in the full length mirror. I think they call it “looking through beer (brandy) goggles” but I thought I looked childishly splendid. With a sigh and a few aching groans I fell into bed, pulled up the substantial duvet, wriggled contentedly and slipped into deep satisfying slumber. *** I slept the sleep of the innocent and woke up to the sound of the bedside phone ringing. I peered at my watch and saw it was just past nine and was quite surprised that not only had I slept so late (for me) but felt pretty good after having drank so much the night before. “Hello” “Morning Gordon,” it was the cheery voice of Asim, “just wondering if you’d care to join us for breakfast.” “Erm, yes,” Although my head wasn’t fuzzy I was still trying to wake up properly. “I’ll be down, erm, in about half an hour... or so.” “That would be fantastic we’ll all be waiting as we have some news for you.” His voice was laden with secrets but I didn’t react - laid in bed I sort of just shrugged and began to assess myself. Firstly, my hand reached down and the firmness of the Safari told me that I’d wet. I did a quick grope around but didn’t find any damp spots on the sheet... that was lucky. On the dresser opposite I could see the fresh white fabric nappy and disposable from last night in a pile and wondered which would be better for the day. Oh, I’d sort that out after I’d had a shower. I got out of bed surprisingly nimbly for a man of my age and impediments but was struck by the reflection in the mirror – the firm Safari, now hanging less tightly to my hips, still looked pretty impressive. I did a little turn and noticed the padded bum looked quite full and wondered if I’d missed an important part of what was actually filling it. Tentatively I patted the seat and was glad to feel it was padding and not mush, so that immediately lifted my spirits. Still, I had a breakfast meeting (I hadn’t said those words for a number of years) and didn’t want to keep the encouraging little quintet waiting too long. I climbed into the bathtub shower and, with a little regret, pulled at the tabs of the Safari and let it flop into the base of the unit where it joined my old and well used nappy and plastic pants from the day before. I made a mental note to get some lovely colourful Rearz for myself. As I showered my mind was full of thoughts about nappies and being a kid again – now that’s pretty good marketing if just wearing a Safari once had made me want to wear them more. I still thought they were better on a young body, a baby’s body or a young guy’s body but, what the hell, at my age I can really do what I like and no one is going to say a damn thing. So, after I’d cleared myself out and cleaned myself up I decided I’d wear what I’d worn the day before, hoping that the new fabric nappy and plastic pants would service me better than just a disposable. It was nice that they’d supplied me with a lovely scented lotion and a canister of Johnson’s Baby Powder but I also noticed, which I’d missed the night before, a small zip-up collapsible bag which I could parcel all my new (and old) bits and bobs in rather than carrying around a used nappy all day for all to see. I slipped the new pyjamas in as well and thought I could return them unused if they needed them. *** Once dressed, and with the fresh nappy clinging tightly to my ageing groin, I set off with my little inconspicuous bag for breakfast. I felt on top of the world and completely refreshed despite my previous night’s alcohol intake and that was a surprise. The smell of food as I entered the buffet-style cafeteria made me realise just how hungry I was. After all, despite several biscuits I hadn’t eaten since lunchtime and that seemed ages ago. However, before I could make it to the counter I was greeted by the happy face of Ben who guided me to the table where the rest of the team were ensconced. “And how are we today?” Sabrina cheerfully asked. “We,” I said looking back at the array of fried food I was desperate to get my teeth into, “are hungry and in need of a bacon infusion... how are you?” The entire team smiled at my ‘joke’ and guided me to a seat at their table. “Can we get you anything?” Asim enquired. “Well now, let me see,” I teased, “I’m seventy one and quite capable of getting what I want myself so, if you don’t mind, you all sit down and do just that.” I didn’t wait for any further comments and made my way to the buffet. Thankfully there was plenty of bacon and scrambled eggs left but first I loaded up the toast making apparatus (it was like a conveyor belt) and then went off to choose my breakfast. Angela asked if I wanted tea or coffee and as that was about as much as she’d said to me since I’d been there I politely asked for tea. I piled my plate up, collected the four rounds of toast I’d let loose on the machine and returned to my seat. The others looked like they’d already finished their sparse meals and were ready to go. I told them they didn’t have to keep me company and that I’d meet up with them in whatever chatting area they decided for the next part of the meeting. They all looked pretty excited and the fact I was delaying them telling me their news was obviously driving them to distraction. I thought whatever it was could wait... never rush a nice full brekkie. * I sauntered into the smaller, more intimate Conference Room 4, well fed and feeling better than I’d done for quite some time. I wondered if that was part of the ‘research for the elderly’ and if it was, it was working, or simply being in the company of five young people. Anyway, whatever the reason, I was in a very nice place. I have to say it did feel strange being the only one left of the twenty that started, and of course I felt weirdly proud that at seventy one I’d outlasted them but... In the room the eager faces were all looking in my direction and I noticed a large TV screen set up. That got me wondering as we’d not had that before. “We haf zome news vor you Gordon,” Cordulla began, her accent even more distinct, and I could see all the others had smiling and expectant faces. “Our director has agreed zat you are an ideal candidate and vants to offer you a chance of a lifetime.” She said ‘lifetime’ as if it had a deep hidden meaning but I still wasn’t getting what the offer was. “Could you be more specific Cordulla? I get that I’m special but what makes me so special to receive this, this... I’m still not sure what ‘this’ is?” Ben added his piece. “Gordon, what we’re about to show you is quite unbelievable but please bear with us and any questions will be answered at the end of the presentation, OK?” He pressed a key on his iPad and the screen burst into life. *** The image pulled out from a little sleeping new-born baby being held in the arms of two young guys who were looking adoringly at the child and whispering words of love (I think so although they were speaking in Italian). A respectable looking lady stepped in front of the camera and introduced herself as Professor Louisa De La Mere. “Good morning Gordon,” she said, which took me by surprise. “This is Gilbert and François,” the two boys looked and nodded to camera. “They have just adopted their first child, who they are going to call...” she let Gilbert speak in Italian “Il suo nome è Guillermo”. “What a lovely name Guillermo.” She thanked the boys in Italian and they wandered off-screen happy with their baby son. “Now Gordon, you may be wondering what all that has to do with you... well... you may be interested to know...” she paused and let her words linger, “Guillermo used to be eighty-five year old Constantine Papadakis and now, as you can see, he’s quite a special little guy to a couple of wonderful boys who were desperate to start a family of their own.” It took a moment for my head to process what was being said and what that meant and what I think I was about to be offered. It was like an assault on my brain which wasn’t prepared for such a shock and all hell broke loose. I’m not sure what happened next because my body ran through the entire gamut of shivers to extreme heat before disaster, my sphincter opened and I felt an unwelcome surge into the seat of my nappy... then I passed out. *** I was out for only a few seconds but the team had gathered around and helped me back onto the chair. They all looked concerned. Sabrina was patting my hand, Cordulla was wafting me with her iPad and Ben had fetched me a glass of water. “Erm, sorry about that...” I tried to compose myself but wasn’t sure if they knew what had happened in my pants, also, had I heard correctly, had I interpreted what was being said wrongly, I needed time to think. “I’m afraid I’ll need my bag and a visit to the toilet... or bathroom preferably... erm, I need, ermmmmm...” By then I think they’d noticed that I needed to change. Angela was the first to react and grabbed my bag and held out her hand for me to take as she said she’d deal with it. I gave her my pass card and we entered the lift, thankfully we were the only occupants, and travelled up the two levels to my room which had yet to be cleaned by the maid service. She opened the door to let me pass and surprisingly followed me in. “I can manage from here love, thanks.” I said trying to remove her from my embarrassing circumstance. “I’m sure you can Gordon but, my background is caring for the elderly and despite what I know are going to be your protestations, I am also a qualified nurse... so Mister... you have had a bit of a shock and I’ll be looking after you from now on.” “No need for that love I...” I tried to deny I needed help but there was no doubt I was in a state of shock and wasn’t too sure my shaking hands would have been able to do much. “Nonsense, leave everything to me and I won’t hear another word... this is my job and for the moment you are in MY care so don’t be an awkward old bugger.” Up until that moment I hadn’t taken much notice of this member of the group but she was not taking any attitude or embarrassment from an old man who’d just pooped his pants. With that firmness of tone I found myself being led into the bathroom and my pants being slowly pulled down. “Ah, good job you chose the plastic pants option,” she said with complete authority, “we might have been stuck for clean pants otherwise.” Meanwhile my shoes and socks were removed. Now I’m sure this happens on a daily basis in hospitals and care homes and in fact I’d done this with Sam, but someone else involved in my change was distressing. I was uneasy, I hardly knew the girl and yet she was in charge of what was about to happen. My protestations were hopeless as she unzipped my little bag, noticed the couple of used nappies already held in it and fished the unused disposable out, as well as wipes, and lotion. “This is a lovely thick brand,” she fluffed the thin and tiny looking disposable out to gain some air and then left it as she eased down my plastic pants. The smell wasn’t nice but she just guided me over to the sink and began the wipe down. I was still shaking but I’d held my shirt up out of the way and tried to think would I have been this nervous if either Ben or Asim had been the ones doing it. “Oh God, don’t think of that now.” I said to myself but louder than I thought. “What’s that Gordon?” She continued with her professional duties. “Oh nothing just wishing things were different and not so embarrassing.” “You needn’t be embarrassed on my count Gordon. Anyway, you’re just about done now,” As she held the soft white fabric out at my feet so I just had to step into them. I did as instructed and then she wriggled them up my legs and firmly patted them into place. “There, all nice and snug.” “Thank you young lady, I’m much obliged...” For reasons beyond my knowledge I sounded like I was in some American movie. Thankfully I stopped myself from continuing the silliness by simply grabbing my pants and slowly pulling them up without further help. Once she saw I was satisfied with the way everything looked, and she’d packed the rest of the evidence away, she smiled a little too much and said: “Now, before we return to the conference room, do you need a minute to think about what you saw on screen?” “I think I need longer than a few minutes, I mean, I mean, I, I ummmm, can’t believe any of this.” I sat down on my unmade bed and rested my head in my hands; the thickness of the disposable crinkled reassuringly but at that moment, that was the only thing I could believe in. I mean, what the Professor had said was impossible. Not only that but WHY, why would they go to all that trouble, it’s not like there aren’t enough babies available? What on Earth would be the point? I let out a long soft sigh and wondered what I’d let myself in for... or, perhaps more weirdly, was this all a complex joke? ****

Great to hear you found a solution that works! When you wore the diaper on the plane did you leak? Or are you still retaining urine? When are you back to work? I've seen catheter underwear that hold your leg bag in a pouch and fasten your tubes in place to prevent movement which might help. I just had a fresh shipment of catheter supplies delivered, maybe I'll cath up for the weekend in solidarity

The Ballet Slippers - Chapter 62 TWO MONTHS LATER Isabelle leaped up and down, as high as she could, her legs extending out beneath her as she launched into the air, and bending as she landed, squatted down. She was simply full of joy. It was the night. The night. And the first part of the show had been wonderful Isabelle insisted on dressing for the part that evening. Jane knew when to pick her battles, and this was not it. Instead, Jaen acquiesced to her daughter's pointing at outfits before the performance which, in the end, was not as ridiculous as it otherwise might have been. Isabelle bent down once more to leap, her pale pink tights stretching comfortably as she did, pausing for a brief moment before her little legs launched her up in to the air once again. Isabelle smiled gleefully as she jumped, her pink onesie, (or as she liked to call it, her "leotard") sporting a slightly darker pink than her tights soaring with her little body into the air. Isabelle smiled as she felt the ground fall away beneath her, feeling as though she might never fall back to the earth. But gravity prevailed. It always did. Isabelle had landed the last several jumps, but when her special ballet slippers reached the floor this time, Isabelle lost her balance and tumbled on to her butt. 'It's no matter'; Isabelle thought, startled but unbothered by the impact. She had become used to falling. After all, balancing was very hard. One of the many benefits, however, was having a soft diaper to land in, particularly when it was already as squishy as hers was. Shaking off the shock from the fall, Isabelle resumed her antics. Isabelle had been feeling restless from being so patient and well behaved, at least in her view, during the first half of the show. So Isabelle continued to move about, taking advantage of the time she had to do so. Shifting her weight off of her butt and onto her hands and knees, Isabelle began to crawl around. The lights had just come on in the auditorium, intermission having just started in the show. Isabelle wanted to jump, move, and dance, just like the ballerinas on state. 'Just like Lola and Dani.' Isabelle had tried to get off of her mom's lap during the show, wanting to mimic the dancers then. But Jane hadn't allowed her, despite her loud - and embarrassing - shrieks demanding otherwise. Now was her chance. Isabelle felt like a real dancer that night, dressed up like a ballerina, in a fancy auditorium, and filled with spectators ready to watch. Sure, the audience hadn't exactly come to see her. But that was beside the point; they were going to get a special performance from Isabelle regardless of what they paid for. 'After all, I am the best in my ballet class!' Isabelle thought to herself. Isabelle began crawling the perimeter of the balcony, assessing what she might do. As she explored, Isabelle wondered about what routines she might be able to do from the floor to captivate her audience. Lost in thought, Isabelle crawled over her discarded tutu, laying abandoned on the ground. Isabelle hadn't been on the balcony five minutes before stripping out of it, Jane rolling her eyes as her daughter pulled the tutu down from her waist, and kicking to the side. Isabelle continued to crawl about, her mind wandering as it often did. The pattern of bunnies and carrots around her diaper was ever so visible through her tights as she crawled. The pink of her tights barely concealing the pattern of Jane's favorite heavy duty diaper to put her baby in, and to an onlooker, it was quite cute indeed. While the pattern may have been slightly faded, the bulk of the diaper was not. Nor was the obvious sag, the diaper already well used by the potty princess. Isabelle paid no heed the bulk which weighed her down. She felt special, being at a real ballet.. Lola had even bought Isabelle a special tiara she could wear for the performance that night. It hadn't left her head all afternoon or evening. If Isabelle had any say in it, it would never come off either. Isabelle truly felt like a ballerina princess. Isabelle eventually grew bored with her floor routine. Isabelle planted her hands on the ground in front of her, and began the herculean effort of pushing off her knees to get her feet on to the ground. With a final shove, Isabelle managed to push her legs up on to her feet, keeping her hands planted on the ground to stabilize herself. For a brief moment, Isabelle stood frozen, her hands planted on the ground, her legs slightly bent, and her diaper very much sticking out. It always took her a moment to stabilize. Isabelle kept her eyes focused between her hands until she was confident she was steady, the mass of her diaper spreading her legs further apart than she considered, and pressed out for her mom to see seated behind her. After her lengthy pause, Isabelle pushed up from her hands, spreading her arms out immediately to maintain her balance, and finally, was standing. Isabelle let a giggle out at her success. Isabelle waddled forward toward the balconies edge, spotting the balcony rail in front of her. Isabelle imagines the railing was like a studio barre, thinking of all the times she watched Lola practice on one when she accompanied her mom to pick Lola up at school. Isabelle wanted to show everyone that she could be just like Lola. Step by step, Isabelle waddled forward, her diaper keeping her legs far more spread out than usual. Finally, after what felt like a marathon, Isabelle reached out, and placed her hands on the railing above her head. 'Success!' Isabelle exclaimed in her mind, allowing another giggle to escape her vocal cords as pride overwhelmed her. Isabelle gripped the railing as tight as her sweaty palms allowed her, though her little hands could barely wrap around the gold-plated railing to really have a grip. Instead, Isabelle more or less placed pressed against it for stability, though at the angle, it didn't offer much. The crown of Isabelle's head barely cleared the top of the wall that the railing was attached to, such that Isabelle was staring at the red fabric in front of her, rather than the audience below. Jane and and Sam had had to take turns holding Isabelle during those portions of the performance Isabelle tolerated so that she could even see. But from this angle, Isabelle could see nothing. 'I want to see my adoring fans!' Isabelle decided, moving her hands from the railing to the gap that existed between it, and the top of the wall of the balcony. With all her might, Isabelle pressed her palms down, attempting to lift herself up. It was no use, however. Isabelle needed to adjust her strategy. In her second attempt, Isabelle bent her knees, wondering if maybe she needed the leverage from her hands, as well as a lift from her legs, to be able to see over. After all, it was really cool being on the balcony; other than watching her big sister and Dani dance, it felt cool to sit in one of the balcony seats, a place Isabelle knew was extra special. Isabelle bent her knees, preparing to launch herself. Ignoring the rumble in her stomach, Isabelle took one deep breath, and started to life herself once more. But something unexpected happened instead. Before she knew it, Isabelle felt herself turned around by her mommy's outstretched left arm. "Belly get away from there. You're going to hurt yourself," Jane said, as she reeled Isabelle in with her left arm, before lifting her up on to her lap. Whether it was shock that her mom could even reach her so far away from the seats, her mom's stern verbal instructions, or that Isabelle had been so completely lost in her imagination, Isabelle froze in her spot. 'I don't wanna not listen to mommy,' Isabelle thought, as she lifted herself back up into a standing position, turning her body to be perpendicular to the railing and her mom. Isabelle couldn't help but smile as she looked up at her mom's warm eyes. Isabelle looked up at her mom, feeling a joy and happiness overwhelm her. But it only got better. Isabelle felt her mom wrap her right arm around her, securing Isabelle in place. Naturally, Isabelle moved toward her mom, her remaining hand abandoning the railing, and with it, the distant thought of her make-believe ballet game. Isabelle completed the journey back toward her mom, resting her weight against her mom's left knee as Jane secured her arm all the way around Isabelle, now playing with her daughter's hair. Isabelle's hands moved up her mom's body, toward her free left hand which had been resting on her body. Isabelle's mind was immediately overtaken by her mom's left hand, and more specifically, one finger, where Isabelle found her little fingers dancing around the new addition to her mom's daily outfit; a massive princess cut diamond ring that was wrapped around her mom's ring finger. Isabelle started to play with the jewel, as she normally did, the the sparkles and refractions shining brightly in the recently lit auditorium. Isabelle had been smiling for weeks about how sparkly the jewel was, wondering if Sam might get her one too if she asked nicely. Isabelle's mind wandered between the sparkly jewel and the ballet as her mom was engrossed in a conversation about nonsense for all she knew. The first half of the show had been excellent; Isabelle got to watch from either her mommy or new daddy's arms, where she had a perfect view of the stage. Isabelle couldn't believe how amazing all the dancers were; she hoped some day she could be as good as they were. But above all, Dani, who was the star of the performance, and Lola, were the best. Isabelle thought it was really special getting to see them both on stage. 'I wonder if they'll ever get to watch me on stage!' But the show only started at 8:00 PM, and it was almost 9:30. Isabelle was starting to get cranky. As she felt her stomach rumble once more, Isabelle shifted her hands away from her mom's ring, and inexplicably, began smacking her mom's knees for the attention she rightly deserved. It had been nearly two months since Isabelle had even been awake this late, and she was feeling out of sorts not being in her routine. Isabelle was tired. Isabelle's stomach continued to gurgle, her hunger having been prolonged much longer than she cared for. Isabelle continued pounding her hands down on her mom, now letting her entire body collapse against her mom's legs. Isabelle settled a bit as she felt her mom's left arm wrap around her body along with the right, but still, her mom was talking to some stranger who Isabelle only now realized had come to their balcony. 'It isn't fair!' Isabelle thought, as her expression turned from happy to sour. 'She's my mommy. I want my mommy.' Isabelle adjusted her tactics. Isabelle found her body slipping off of her mom's knees, and instead toward the empty space between Jane's legs. Pushing the hem of her mommy's dress up, Isabelle's body now rested against the cushioned seat her mom was seated on. 'Now she has to pay attention to me,' Isabelle concluded, as she recognized that she was now six inches closer to her mommy. 'Maybe she just didn't see me before.' Isabelle was wrong. Jane continued speaking with the stranger, the two now laughing. 'Laughing?! Really?!?!' Isabelle couldn't believe her mommy was actually having fun with someone else instead of taking care of her. 'This will not stand,' Isabelle thought, as she began to audibly grumble, building something much louder up inside should it be needed. Without really understanding why she was doing what she did, Isabelle reached her hands up toward her mommy's face, as Jane continued to stroke Isabelle's hair. Isabelle had wanted to reach her mom's cheeks, but they were too far away. Instead, when her hands came down, they landed right on her mom's stomach, the soft and elegant purple fabric of her mommy's new dress soft against the palms of her hands. Still, Jane continued to chat away with her stranger friend, as the volume of Isabelle's whining grew louder. Isabelle continued to act on instinct. As her eyes moved from the profile of her mom's face, they traced down to Jane's soft neck. Her mom was sporting a beautiful necklace ,with jewels that complimented her mom's dress perfectly wrapping around her mom's smooth skin. But that's not what interested Isabelle. What interested Isabelle was what was below the necklace. Isabelle's stomach gurgled again as her eyes lowered a bit more, and were now fixed on her mom's breasts. The world faded away around her as Isabelle's focus became singular, salivating at the mere thought of the only thing that occupied her mind now. The notion that Isabelle had once been disgusted, or even hesitant, to nurse from her mommy was a thing of the past. Nursing had become such a regular part of her routine, Isabelle couldn't imagine life without it. 'Well, there was that one time mommy tried to use that machine to have her milk from a bottle....' Isabelle thought back to that horrid week, which fortunately, her mom had abandoned and resumed nursing Belly as she always had. Unable to wait one more moment, Isabelle reached out, stretching as far as her arms would allow, before her palms came down higher, but still below her Jane's breasts, which only looked more appealing to Isabelle in the gown that blocked them. Isabelle clutched the soft fabric of her mom's dress, and did the only thing she could think of - she tugged. And tugged again. And tugged once more, with all her might, practically pulling her mom's dress off. 'If this doesn't get the message across, I don't know what will,' Isabelle concluded Jane's eyes turned toward her daughter, meeting her desperate gaze. Isabelle smiled; her plea for attention seemingly worked. Jane freed one of her hands from Isabelle's hair, and used it to remove Isabelle's grip on her dress. Isabelle was startled that the first voice she heard was the stranger's behind her, which started with a laugh. "Well, I think I can guess what she's after," the woman joked, as a smile and stifled laugh emerged from Jane. "Oh yes. There is no stopping Belly from drinking all of mommy's milk," Jane responded. "Normally I would have fed her hours ago, so she must be really hungry. I'm sorry." Isabelle wasn't sure if her mommy was talking to her or to her friend, but she didn't care. She was simply relieved that her mom recognized that she was already very late on her feeding. "She must be exhausted too," the stranger continued, as Isabelle felt relief overtake her, her mom picking her up and setting her down on her lap. "Hungry and tired. Bad combination," Jane added, gently moving Isabelle's hands away from the top of her dress where they had returned to tug. Jane paused for a moment, her eyes darting around to assess the privacy of their balcony. In truth, there was some, but not quite as much as she would have preferred. 'I could go to the bathroom downstairs, but its not like there will be a nursing room in the school, so it wouldn't be private there either. The car is far, and a bathroom stall would be uncomfortable.' Sensing her dilemma, Sam spoke up. "Just feed her here, sweetheart. It's not a problem. No one is looking up here anyway," Sam added. "I'll let myself out," the friend started. Isabelle was glad to have some privacy, the act still not one she happily shared in the presence of others, other than Sam or Lola. And rarely, if ever, in public. "Nonsense," Jane interrupted, to Isabelle's surprise. "It's nothing you haven't seen before. Here, can you hold her a second?" "No problem! Come here my sweet Belly!" Isabelle couldn't believe it as her mom handed her off to the stranger, who eagerly took Isabelle up, turning Isabelle's body so they could look at one another. 'There is something familiar about this stranger,' Isabelle thought. 'I've met her before....lots of times even....' It wasn't until Isabelle's eyes met the woman, that she realized it had been Dani's mom in the booth chatting with her mommy. Still, Isabelle couldn't believe that her mom was not only going to feed her on the balcony, where anyone from the audience could look up or down to watch, let alone in front of Dani's mom....Isabelle was struggling; she was hungry. She wanted...no. NEEDED her mom's milk. If she fussed, she might be able to get her mom to move locations. 'But that mean's I'll also have to wait longer to nurse....' Isabelle squirmed as she struggled with her dilemma. Dani's mom simply held Isabelle closer to her body, which immediately put Isabelle at ease. "True," Dani's mom replied to Jane, "though it's been a long, long time since I was nursing either of mins. I am sort of jealous of you, it was such a special time to have them when they're small like this." "Hah," Sam replied, as he stood up. "You say that now, but you should only see the size of some of the poops this little one leaves us. You wouldn't be missing it then!" The three couldn't help but laugh, Jane recognizing how true it was. "Our little Belly is a big, pooping machine" "Oh. You don't get it yet," Dani's mom replied. "I miss it all. Even that," she said, before turning playfully to Belly. "Would you let me change your big poopy diaper if I babysat? Would you?" she repeated, tickling Isabelle's stomach with one free hand. Isabelle couldn't help but release a giggle as she did, unbothered of the content of the conversation. "I'll go refresh our drinks while you feed her," Sam said casually, as he left the balcony and closed the curtain behind him. Isabelle was left wondering why Dani's mom couldn't get drinks while her daddy stayed.... As he left, Jane shifted in her seat, turning her back to the general audience, but not taking much more precaution for privacy than that as she prepared herself. "Can you help me a second, with the zipper?" Jane asked casually, as Isabelle felt herself lifted up in the air, and carried around to her mom's backside. Isabelle watched as Dani's mom unclasped the top of her mommy's dress, and lowered the nearly invisible zipper down a bit. Excitement replaced hunger, as Isabelle felt her mouth begin to water. Slowly but surely, the shame of the prospect of being fed so publicly was dissipating. Isabelle felt herself being carried back down toward Dani's mom's seat, her eyes never leaving her mommy. Isabelle watched, her eyes growing wider and wider, as her mom slipped her right arm out of her dress, holding the strap up with her left arm for a moment, before letting it fall. That action alone wasn't enough to free her mommy's breast, but it would let her easily do so in short order. Isabelle's heart skipped a beat as she watched her mom reach forward for her, as Dani's mom continued to chat with casually, handing her off. "There you go cutie," Dani's mom started, as Isabelle was wrapped up by her mommy. "All ready for mommy's milkies now." Dani's mom said playfully, setting Isabelle down in Jane's lap, before sitting back down herself, and continuing to talk to Jane about their big girls, instead of the baby. But Isabelle caught none of the conversation, and not one word of Dani's mom's remark as she was handed off. Her mind was elsewhere. Isabelle's heartbeat was racing as her gaze never left her mommy. Isabelle watch as her mommy, almost glacially slow, shift her dress around and free her right breast from her dress. It lay inches in front of her, exposed to her wanting lips, exposed to Dani's mom, and indeed, for any onlooker with a decent angle, exposed to them as well. Isabelle thought she'd hesitate. She thought the prospect of nursing in front of someone who was not family would bother her more. Even more shocking, the prospect of doing this in front of strangers, in public, had never crossed her mind as something her mommy would ever do. Something she would ever be asked to do. Something that..... ....That she simply didn't mind doing. More than that. Something she wanted to do. As her mommy put her into position, as the sight of the smallest bead of milk emerged from her mommy's nipple. The bead of milk appeared to grow, and grow, and grow in size as Isabelle's head was lifted up toward that ever growing droplet. And just as she was millimeters away, Isabelle's hesitation disappeared entirely. Instead, Isabelle closed her eyes, parted her lips, and then sealed her mouth around her mom's breast, laying her left hand gently on the side of the breast next to her mom. Isabelle suckled. Suckled. And suckled. And suckled. Isabelle felt joy with every pull of milk as she shared the moment with her mommy, uncaring for anything else in the world. This moment, like every time she nursed, was everything she wanted. The muscles in her mouth worked hard to keep the latch to her mommy's breast, as she worked her tongue around the nipple to free the milk she so loved. Isabelle kept her eyes shut, the world and noise around her muted, falling away into her own perfect universe as she nursed. There was only Isabelle and her mommy. And of course, her milk. "Mine never got that big," Dani's mom continued as the two discussed their parenthoods, now bringing attention to Jane's nursing, and referring of course, with amazement, to the size of Jane's objectively enormous breasts. "Not with with either of mine. Not even close! Is it just more milk production? Does it get more sore? I bet Sam doesn't complain!" she added jokingly, amongst myriad of questions. Jane smiled as she shifted her gaze from her friend down to her breast, where her perfect little girl lay. "I was shocked too, and even asked the pediatrician. You can imagine what an awkward doctor's visit that one was," Jane started with a laugh, before facing her friend again, "because I felt the same way." Jane shifted her free hand slightly so she could stroke Isabelle's cheek, causing her baby to squirm at her mommy's touch. Jane laid furhter back into her seat to get comfortable as she changed her angle to put more of her back toward the general audience, creating an illusion of privacy. If Isabelle noticed, she dind't react one bit. "I felt like I was really packing A LOT of milk, so we asked Dr. Flasky if I should only feed her from one side, or half from each side for my own relief," Jane sighed as she felt indeed felt that relief, at least from her right breast, as Isabelle continued to empty it. Jane closed her eyes for a brief moment, unable to control her emotions as she smiled and felt the burden release, courtesy of her precious angel. "uhmm...Sorry," Jane said embarrassingly, before continuing. "Anyway, Dr. Flasky just said that if she's full she'll stop. So I started doing half feedings on each side about 5 weeks ago, and tried pumping the rest. But she threw a fit, and seemingly kept wanting more. Tantrums every time we tried to use the pumped milk in a bottle. So I just took the doctor's advice and....well she just drinks it all. Every last drop," Jane said with too much of a hint of satisfaction, before turning to her angel. "Isn't that right my hungry hungry girl?" "Wow, seriously?" Dani's mom replied, genuinely shocked that the little girl had such an appetite. "Yup," Jane responded, "not to mention that she's eating solids too, and has quite an appetite for those. I don't mind though. I don't think either of us is ready to start weaning. Not yet, at least." "She's so small you'd never expect it," Dani's mom continued. "Mine weren't such big eaters, which is amazing to think about, because Dani eats more than my teenage boy. I have no idea where it all goes..." "Well, we know where this one's goes," Jane said smiling, tickling her daughter's feet as she could feel Isabelle suckling harder as the stream was coming to a stop. Isabelle suckled away gently as her mom and Dani's mom had been chatting about various things, none of which concerned her. She heard mention of doctors, and eating, but without context, or interest, Isabelle focused on what was far, far more interesting. Isabelle was disappointed as she felt the flow of milk begin to slow, and was lifted up back on to her mommy's lap. But Isabelle had grown used to the process, and she knew it would only be moments of waiting. Sure enough, it was only a few seconds before Jane had shifted her right breast back into her dress, freeing her left, and shifting Isabelle to the other side. Isabelle was soon latched on to her mom's left breast, free to suckle away once again, the thick and heavy stream of milk satisfyingly coating her mouth, throat, and stomach. Isabelle's eyes grew heavy as she worked her lips and tongue. More and more, Isabelle found that feeding from her mom took a lot out of her, and oftentimes, she fell asleep latched. Isabelle didn't hesitate as she released her bladder in her exhaustion, not that she would have considered holding it otherwise, as she lay on her mom's lap. Her diapers never failed her, absorbing the liquid despite already being reasonable saturated. Isabelle felt her mom's hand slip under her diaper, her hand patting rhythmically against the warmed plastic exterior. The comfort of her mommy's hand only caused Isabelle to pee more. But that wasn't a problem. It was never a problem. Isabelle was half asleep, a mixture of drool and milk cascading out of the broken seal of her latch, and down her mom's breast, shortly thereafter. Isabelle caught moments of Dani's mom fawning over her before excusing herself, her daddy coming back and lifting her up, brief images of her mom shifting back into her dress, and one vivid memory of her daddy patting her back before Isabelle released an all too common, loud, milk-belch. Isabelle let her head fall into the crook of her dad's neck, as a pacifier satisfyingly slipped into her empty and longing mouth. Isabelle didn't remember the start of the second half of the show. The last memory she had was of her nuzzling against her daddy's freshly shaven neck, his arms wrapped around her, and the lights in the auditorium fading Isabelle's ear was pressed against Sam's body, as she listened to his heartbeat; steady, strong, and comforting. Isabelle thought about counting the number of times it beat, but there was no use. Isabelle fell fast asleep on his shoulder, and in his arms, before she could muster the count to "one." ************************************ "Entering wreck. Crew, it looks like we're finally going to make it." Investigator Space Captain Isabelle straightened her arms, and like a torpedo, dove down through the broken hole in the ship's hull. In all her years as an Investigator Space Captain for the Rainbow Command, Isabelle had never endured a mission so difficult. Delays, negotiations, atmospheric dangers, all on a distant and new planet, with creatures her homeland could hardly even fathom. A promotion was awaiting her at home. 'Perhaps even Investigator Space Admiral....' Isabelle thought to herself. But that could wait. She needed to focus. 'The mission is not complete yet.' The treasure would soon be hers. "Captain's log. I have finally managed to get back into the ship, with the key in hand. The crew, the greatest in the entire command, deserves all the credit." It was true, Isabelle thought, reflecting on their journey over the last few months. Isabelle turned her body upright and gently kicked her feet as she navigated the ship. She had thought that once she acquired the Clam Conjurer's pearl, all would be settled. Isabelle laughed to herself as she thought about all she, and the crew, had endured since. "Log. At every turn, we were stymied. After the storm was quelled, we had to deal with what is being dubbed as "The Great Freeze," an unexpected climate insurgence caused by the Great Space Penguins of the outer rim." Isabelle recalled how cold it had gotten after the freeze. The penguins were absolutely adorable, even now she could hardly believe the mayhem they had caused. Isabelle couldn't help but smile as she pictured their little heads in their spacesuits. Isabelle was also thankful First Mate Rabbity (yes, he had earned yet ANOTHER promotion) had developed an encased sleeping suit to conserve the entire human crew's - (population, Isabelle) - warmth at night. The soft fleece material even came with a zipper on the back so someone could help her in and out of it. It even covered her feet! "But that was hardly the worst of it Log," Isabelle continued to narrate, as she darted, turn after turn, until she made her way to the room with the secret entrance concealed within. Isabelle's stomach bubbling with anticipation. "After the thaw, we had to deal with the berg crisis. Then the great floods ('How a water planet has floods still escapes me!') And then the Midnight Moon fiasco. There was the Shocking Eel Sitch, the Toothless Shark Tantrums, and even the Mermaid Mumble Mystery that all needed to be resolved so that we could arrive at this moment. And here we are." Isabelle didn't bother mentioning the cosmic pressure system had never relented; it had been well documented already. As had another of Rabbity's inventions. Changing Isabelle had turned out to become an almost full time the task, based on the level of pressure and the amount of V.2 C.R.I.B.s she was going through. It was becoming a burden, on the rest of the crew and was distracting the crew from their duties. So Rabbity came up with another solution. Rainbow Command's newest ships would all be equipped with new robots, dubbed the Maternal Orderly Moisture Monitor Yield and the Diligent Action Diaper Duty Yuck systems. The crew had come to calling them Mommy and Daddy for short. The Mommy system handled the wet C.R.I.Bs, while the Daddy system handled the stinky ones. The Mommy bots were specifically outfitted with nutritional supplements, just in case they were needed too. It had come in handy more times than Investigator Space Captain Isabelle had anticipated. Isabelle had learned to truly love that aspect of the Mommy bots. The solution allowed the crew to return to their essential duties. While the crew ran the ship, the Mommy and Daddy prototypes were free to look after Isabelle. Rabbity was convinced he could modify them to look after more than one human crew member if needed, but said that "it would require at least 9 months of calibration for the Mommy bots could generate the capacity to care after a second human crew member. The Daddy bots, on the other hand, would need a software upgrade akin to a book." Isabelle didn't really understand the technical aspects of it. But it didn't matter. The Mommy and Daddy had both done an excellent job monitoring and changing Isabelle's C.R.I.Bs whenever was needed, wherever was needed. Isabelle was freely changed in any and every location of the ship, as the Mommy and Daddy followed her around and watched over her. Mommy and Daddy were, without a doubt, Isabelle's favorite inventions. "Log. Here we go. The moment we have waited for. Entering secret passageway. Approaching the treasure room." Left, right, right, down, up, every direction; Isabelle made her way back through the ship's secret labyrinthine corridors until she arrived at her destination: the dusty, room, once covered in cobwebs. It was exactly how she left it. With a flicker of excitement, Isabelle pushed aside a the debris from the fallen crate she had seen so many months ago, revealing the chest hidden beneath the planks that had shifted over it. "Chest has been located. Pulling out key to insert." The chest was adorned with the intricate carvings Isabelle had dreamed so often about. In front of her, the chest's golden lock was gleaming in the faint light. With trembling hands, Isabelle reached for the key kept securely in her zipper pouched, and moved it toward the chest. There was no guarantee the key would even work, and Isabelle knew it. All she could do was hope. Isabelle's hand's continued to shake and tremble as the key made its way closer. All the answers she had worked so hard for. Everything she had done, and worked toward, since........ ....'huh...when did this all start again.......' Isabelle found herself asking, as her hand moved forward. Isabelle shrugged it off. It didn't matter how it started. 'Right now....I just...need to know.....know wh-.......know what happened.' Isabelle told herself. Her hand steadied, and moved close to the chest, key in hand. And closer... And closer...... And...... *CLICK* Isabelle heard the lock click, just as the golden lock opened. For a brief moment, the world froze, and nothing happened at all. What happened next, however, was remarkable. The ground around her began to tremble, louder, and louder, until it felt as though there was an earthquake. All around Isabelle the ship began to break apart, falling around her. Isabelle thought about panicking, about fleeing. But for the first time in a long time, she felt so sure. So confident that she would be safe. Confident that what was going to happen, what she was going to learn, that it was going to reveal everything. Before Isabelle could even move, a golden light burst forth from the lock and key, surrounding Isabelle in a golden bubble. Isabelle didn't have the capacity to understand what was happening, or how it was happening. - it was all simply too remarkable to witness. And it was happening - she was part of it. Isabelle watched as the ship continued to break apart all around her, disintegrating, as though it was turning to dust, ang then nothing, disappearing into the water around her. Yet nothing could pierce the golden shield that encased Isabelle and the treasure. they were protected within. It was a remarkable sight, watching as the ship fell away, until it was gone. Just like that. Poof. Suddenly, there was nothing left but Isabelle and her treasure, as the golden shield that surrounded slowly dissolved away, much like the ship had. Nervously, Isabelle reached out to open the chest. But she never got the chance. Suddenly, the chest burst open, a golden light beaming out of it, and shooting up into the sky. The light expanded and expanded in every which direction, spreading as far as the very edges of the planet. Isabelle attempted to shield her eyes from the light, but quickly found that the light wasn't bothering them. With one strong stroke, Isabelle swam up to the treasure, its contents floating up until they were right in front of her face. There it was. The treasure. Smack in the front of her face, floating right there in the oceans of Aquaria, was a pair of ballet slippers. Isabelle's ballet slippers, in fact. Classic point, narrow, medium and square box, stiff, and Isabelle didn't have to guess; she knew they were the perfect size. "What...on...earth...Wha.." Hesitantly, Isabelle reached for the pointe slippers, inching her arms forward through the ocean water slowly as though they were the most delicate shoes in the world. As her hands were inches from the slippers, she felt something and froze. 'No.....its....heat...' Isabelle knew, as the vibrations of the shoes sent waves of warmth through her body. And suddenly, Isabelle understood. It was the ballet slippers. It had always been the ballet slippers. Her ballet slippers. It was the source of it all.

"Hmmm... You are new here, aren't you? I thought I had met everyone in the community here." "I just moved here from my parent's farm." She nodded. "That's ok farm boy." The way she said the term, though it was a normal term, sounded odd in her mouth. There was a subtle hind of humor. Almost teasing, though not quite condescending, as if she was speaking to someone smaller then herself. It was barely there, and I wasn't sure I noticed it, but it still gave me butterflies. "If you want to get to know people, we have a club where we meet. I could introduce you to some people." She paused as if thinking. She examined my face closely, then smiled. "In fact, I think I know at least one person who would REALLY like to meet someone like you. You're very cute, you know." "Cute!?" I said. My hair stood on end and I felt my face turn deep red. I was a man. Growing up, the idea of a man being anything close to the word "cute" was out of the question, and if someone said it to another it would probably have caused a fight. Here, however, she said it as enduring, clearly a compliment. Worse, despite myself, I found that LIKED being called it, and had no idea how to react to that. If someone back home saw me seem to like that, it would not have ended well. Of course, my just being there would have been a problem on its own. She laughed. "Yes, why is that a problem? Michael, my partner, would love your face." "Michael?" I said. It was a man's name. Another man, who thought I was cute and would "love my face," and it shouldn't have felt like a good thing. This store I had turned into for relief ended up being more confusing then the city itself. "Yes. Speak of the devil." A bell went off behind me as the door opened. "And I shall appear," said a deep voice. I turned around and looked at him. Tall, well dressed in a buttoned down pea coat and heavy boots, though he didn't seem to mind the cold at all. His hair was scrambled a bit, but he wore it in a way that made it appear deliberate. Everything about him spoke of confidence. He walked toward me, and met Miranda right in front of me. She turned to face me. "Yes, this is?" She looked at me. "Michael," I said slowly. "What? What's your name silly." "Ummm... Ollie. Olliver." She giggled. "This is Ollie, and he just arrived from being a farmboy off somewhere with his parents. He's cute isn't he? He was looking at that dress there, and I think he'd have a lot of fun at the club." He looked at me and smiled. "I think he would too. Did you liked the dress?" "Yeeeeahhh..." I droned. I don't know if I really heard the question before I answered. I couldn't move. I was staring up at his eyes, which I just noticed as he came closer. They were deep, and a color I couldn't describe, just inhumanly clear crystals that took in everything around them. I felt as if I was staring into a bottomless pool of impossibly clean water, staring for miles into nothing, about to sink down forever and ever and ever... To this day I don't know what color they are, blue, grey, silver. Everytime I look at them I feel my thoughts dissolve and all memories of them fade. To me, they are sill just the clean, empty crystals, more beautiful then I thought could exist. "I could get it for you you know." "WHAT?!" I said, momentarily breaking out of the spell. "I could get the dress for you if you want it but can't afford it yet. It's nothing to be ashamed of, you just moved here and will be making money too soon. Just wear it to the club." My heart beat heavy. There was a man in front of me with those impossible eyes. He was strangely beautiful, and I had never even considered that a man could be beautiful before. And he was offering to buy me clothes. Not just clothes, a dress. He wanted me to wear a dress for him to his club, and I found I wanted the same thing. Nothing made sense. "No, I can't," I finally blurted out. Why would he want me in a dress? And why do I want it? "You sure?" He shrugged and looked down at me. I was trapped by his eyes again. "That's ok. Do you still want to visit our club?" I'd do anything to see him again. "Yes," I said. Miranda smiled and handed me a card. It was black with gold embroidery spelling "The Possessed, A Club for All Desires. 188 Trakand Ave, top floor. Invite only." Winged demons danced around the word in the same gold. "Thank you," I said, still reading the card. "What do I wear?" Miranda answered. "If you are nervous about going out in kink wear or don't own anything, just wear all black." "Ok," I blushed. "Will people see me going in?" She smiled. She reached to a shelf and took off a mask. It was a venetian style, black with small crystals, and had feathers going to the side. "Here farmboy, wear this, and no one will know its you." I looked at the mask. Was it a feminine style or masculine style? Did that exist for masks? I looked back at the dress. Did that exist at all here? "Thank you," I said and turned to leave. "Tell them Michael invited you and they'll let you in, farmboy," he said. I thanked him again, but didn't turn. I didn't want to risk looking at him and feeling the same things again. I left, and only noticed then that the store itself was called "The Possession Shop." That night I lay awake in my bed for hours. It was a singly mattress on the ground in my empty bachelor apartment. My mind spun around the thousand new things I had seen that day. The crowds, the streets, the buildings the sounds. The strange clothes, all the strange implements and toys, and the knowledge I could wear and use them if I wanted to. The visions of myself in all of them, experiencing things with people in ways I never dreamed. But one thing that rode high and above all of them- those clear, impossible eyes.

"MMM MM!" he said. His mind filled with disgust at the thought. He looked around in panic as the women laughed and giggled at him. They began to pass around drinks and chugged in front of him. A women he didn't recognize walked up to him. "Just to get this started," she said. She poured a bit of her drink into one tube, and he watched it flow down the pipe into his diaper. The cool, bubbling liquid inflated his diaper, and he moaned. She laughed. "Good diaper girl. Now for the other end," She poured some into the other tube, and his mouth filled with sweet, strong alcohol. He swallowed it, preferring it to the tastes that had filled his mouth earlier. She cupped his cheek. "Good diaper girl, drink up nicely. You'll be getting a lot of that tonight. In case you can't tell, this is an orgy, and one you aren't part of. You are going to sit there with in your widdle diapers, and get more and more desperate as we have our fun. As we do, anything we don't want to finish will end up in your mouth or diaper, so be a good diaper girl and take it all, and you might have a chance after, ok?" He nodded at her. She turned, and, as if just to rub it in, pushed her bottom into his face for a second, then walked away. Ryan watched as the events proved her right. The women began drinking more and more, and as they got drunk, began making out around him. Panties and bras came off, some discarded, some packed neatly, and some others still thrown at him or wrapped over his face. He felt himself panting. He stared at the naked, gorgeous woman around him, trying to take in as much as he could. Soon he was gasping for breath. His desperation for any touch, any kind of pleasure from them grew with each minute, and he could do nothing to relieve it. A woman came up to him. She reached down and ran a finger nail across his face. He gasped again, and felt his body convulse. She took her drink, and like the other woman before, poured a bit into his mouth and diaper. He swallowed, and felt the fluid soak the padding. She then shoved his nose deep inside her, and he inhaled. She smiled at him, then turned and did the same for her behind, and he inhaled again. He felt a tap on his shoulder. Another women stood beside him. She wrapped her thong around him, then poured her own drink directly into his diaper. The pattern repeated itself. He swore he took on liters of alcohol, both in his mouth and diaper. He felt himself get drunker and drunker, and his diaper get thicker. Another women came up, this time not holding a drink. He looked up at her curiously. She bent over, picked his chin up, and kissed his forehead, then his pacifier. "I don't have a drink, but I think I have something else for your pampers. Don't want them to go to waste, do we?" She stood over the funnel. Ryan watched, mouth agape, as a stream of yellow fluid poured from her and into the tube. "Ahhhh," he moaned as the fluid came down and poured into his diaper. It hit him, and he almost shouted in restrained pleasure. His mind told him he should be disgusted, but every part of his body craved more,. He felt the diaper expand and heard the tapes strain, and she left. Another women came up, poured champagne into his mouth, then stood over the funnel herself. "Aaa aaa' he whined as his diaper expanded further. She kissed him, and left. Ryan was bloated, sick, and harder then he ever had been before. His stomach was in knots, begging for relief from the mountain of material inside of him, and his bladder ached. He was sure if it continued he would burst. He looked down at his already soaked diaper. With all the water he had been force fed, he knew he needed relief, and two women had already 'used' it. He closed his eyes, and relaxed. The feeling made him gasp, and his diaper warmed up further. He moaned from the release and the feeling of it inflating. In a moment, he was sitting in a puddle inside his own diaper, and was shocked to see how excited the thought made him. Luckily, the hours passed, and it was soon almost midnight. Sawyer approached him again. "Hello little baby girl, did you have fun?"

Thanks to @Mysterionfor donating $25 And a kind guest for donating $30

Chapter 112: Lie to me (Years and years and years ago…) I sat at the dinner table, shirt cleanly pressed and buttoned up, hair neatly combed with hair and face washed. I was years away from being able to grow a goatee. I looked down at the plate in front of me. Besides the familiar yet detestable broccoli that had been steamed without any cheese was some kind of cut up meat dish. It was pale and pinkish like my flesh, but basted in an unfamiliar brown sauce. Some kind of chicken, obviously, but not the good kind with the skin coated in breadcrumbs so that it crunched when I bit into it. Turkey maybe? Duck? Probably not duck. Mother never cooked duck, I just knew it was an option from T.V. and movies. It was hard to tell when cooking with Amazon portions. We could eat a single bird for several meals but everything was cut, chopped, diced, and pulled beyond recognition by the time it made it to the plate. Even in a fairly well-to-do Little family, we ate scraps. Scraps were what would fit in our mouths. Either we’d cut the food to ribbons and eat it, or an Amazon would do it for us. Just a fact of life. The stuff on my plate looked soft and mushy; practically baby food. Gross! Or perhaps it’d be rubbery and chewy like a dog toy, something I’d have to chew again and again and again, grinding it with my teeth but the stuff never wanting to go down the back of my throat so that I’d have to wash it down with milk just to be able to swallow. Just like with carrots, green beans, and a host of other vegetables my seven year mouth detested unless cooked just right, I’d inevitably tank up on milk, be too full to finish, and then not be allowed to have dessert. Such was life at seven years old. It smelled weird, too, but I didn’t have the vocabulary to describe it. Not burnt, but smokey. “What’s this?” I asked. I poked some of the meat with my fork and it fell apart at the touch. I recoiled in surprise, as if it were still alive and I’d just delivered the death blow myself. “Just eat it, Clark,” my father said. He cut at a tender piece and popped into his mouth. Balding and snowy haired, he wiped his mouth with a napkin after every bite, save when sipping from his mug of beer. “It’s good for you.’ “I just want to know what it is,” I insisted. False. What I really wanted was a burger. Something that I could grip my hands and bite into. Something to drench in dairy and ketchup; fill up on juicy ground beef while tasting cheese and condiments. “Chicken,” Father said. I poked at the stuff again. I grabbed my fork and started sawing through a piece. The stuff melted on the fork, the knife being formality and pantomime more than anything. “What kind of chicken?” I stalled. “It’s swill,” my mother said. “Now eat it.” “Debra…” my father looked across the dinner table. Mother brushed a bit of frizzled red hair out of her eyes. “Ward…” she shot back at my father. She ate some of the strange concoction and then pointed with her fork. “Eat your swill, Clark.” “What’s swill?” “Eat it and find out.” “What is it?” “Take three big boy bites,” she said. “Then decide whether you like it.” “Mooooooooom,” I whined. “I just want to know what it is!” “Three big boy bites,” she repeated evenly. I threw my head back and lightly bonked the back of it against the chair. I hated it when my parents used baby talk on me. It wasn’t meant to be demeaning, but a reminder; a warning of sorts. Young men and women who didn’t listen to their mother and fathers’ sage advice would inevitably draw the attention of new Mommies and Daddies who wouldn’t let them ever grow up. It was the same for table manners, bed wetting, thumb sucking, academics, speech impediments, household chores, and personal grooming. We developed good habits, lest bad ones become permanent in the worst possible ways. When growing up is literally something you can fail at, it becomes a skill to be practiced like any other rather than something to let happen naturally on its own. Grow up well so you can find a safe job, save money, get married, have kids, teach them to do the same, and retire safely away. “I'm just asking a-” “Do I need to help you practice opening up for the airplane?” she asked. “Fine!” I shoveled the pulled bird meat into my maw and chomped down. And smiled! It was delightful! The stuff fell apart in the best way on my tongue. The brownish not quite pasty sauce was even better than ketchup and had a hearty sweetness that complimented the savoriness of the meat instead of clashing with it. I actually hummed in delight. “MMMMMMMMMMM!” I went so far as to spear some pieces of broccoli so that it’d go down easier with the delicious, delicious stuff! A young man could get used to this! “What do you think?” My mother asked, sounding hopeful. “I love this swill!” I proclaimed. My father laughed, low and deep, then took a sip of beer. My mother nodded appreciatively. “I’m glad you like it dear. Now eat your swill.” So I did. We had ‘swill’ twice a month in the Gibson household growing up. Mother was keen to take note of meals that her picky husband and pickier son would wolf down. It was easily one of my favorite dishes of hers. I’d never heard the word before in my young life. I’d no context for what it meant. No clue that it was a synonym for literal slop fed to Erymanthian bred pigs. My mother was just tired from working all day and cooking for an ungrateful son, so she made a quip as her own private joke. Calling it what it was to my basic ass wouldn’t have accomplished her goal of getting me to eat the goddamn chicken so she picked a word out of her head; most likely reflective of how she felt I took her cooking for granted. When I fell in love with it, the name stuck. It was mostly because she found it funny, but also if I didn’t know what it was I couldn’t look up or find a recipe for it. Calling the stuff ‘swill’ made it magical in a way, her own special spin on a relatively simple slow cook dish. Five whopping years later we went out to a barbecue joint and she suggested I try the barbecue smoked chicken. I hadn’t tried barbecue before, and chicken seemed so common to my ever expanding middle school palette. Then she promised me that it would taste like ‘swill’ and it finally clicked. “About time,” my dad said softly after the Tweener waitress took our orders. “Wouldn’t want him to accidentally tell some Amazon his parents fed him swill. That could get all of us in trouble.” ********************************************************************************************************* Wedging the bottle between my good and bandaged hand, I sucked down Beouf’s coffee in my car seat. Janet opted to sign out and go home as soon as the last of the buses had driven off but Melony cooked me up a batch of our afternoon snack and handed it to me on our way out the door. Today’s brew tasted of caramel macchiato and victory. I’d committed not one but two hypothetically grievous offenses, and my friends had used their own crazy backwards logic and ingenuity to drop hints to me so that I was rewarded with a three day vacation instead of sentenced into exile. How cool was that?! Even better was that I was once again a made man in the eyes of the A.L.L and the other Littles in my class. I’d punched an Amazon in the face, drew blood, and would be back on Friday. I wasn’t even close to a cautionary tale! I was a mother fucking legend! No one there could doubt my credentials! It also meant Ivy would be treated better without me having to give away her secret or connive an excuse as to why the most mindfucked among us should be treated with kid gloves. Enough had seen and heard her part in it, and my word would carry more weight than it ever had! Who would doubt the dedication and judgment of Clark Gibson: Giant Killer? Maybe, just maybe, I could weasel my way back into potty training again. Oh nice it would be to walk around without the plastic rustle of a Monkeez or Koddles or Hippobottomuses around my waist. I closed my eyes and sucked thoughtfully on what was basically hot chocolate with some coffee grounds mixed in, basking in the combination of future based fantasy and recent triumph. There was an earthy bitterness that the creamer, sugar, and syrup, all but covered up that made them taste all the sweeter. The hint of coffee, the hint of liquid adulthood, made all the other ingredients better. Though there was something to be said about the almost relaxing rush of adding sweetener to something already sweet, like vanilla syrup in fatty goat’s milk. That had been an experience, I’d have to try again, I decided. Good thing Janet had some ready. I wondered if chocolate syrup would have tasted as good. Wait a minute… Something about that wasn’t right. Something was off and I couldn’t put my finger on it. “Janet?” Janet made eye contact with me in the rear view mirror. “Yes, honey?” “I had a bottle of goat’s milk this morning, right?” “Mhm. Why?” I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something had happened this afternoon that really bothered me in hindsight. “No reason.” That was a lie, both to myself and her. Deep down, I had the worst feeling of something gnawing at me in the back of my brain. It snapped at me and snarled, baring its teeth, and I was too afraid to look at it and touch it, knowing it was going to bite me. I’d seen her pour the goat milk from the carton into the bottle. Watched her drink some right in front of me. Just like I’d had Beouf do for her stupid candies. The water was always right from the tap and the coffee was straight from a shared pot! That first sip of milk had been many bottles ago, though; many cartons. We’d gone through that original carton quickly. Janet had gotten others since, but they lasted much longer. Even though she was filling the bottles up regularly out of sight… “Janet, can I ask you something?” Janet kept her eyes on the road. “After we get home, baby. We need to have a serious talk.” I didn’t press it. I didn’t want to press it. “Okay…” On Picture Day, Jessica had taken a swig from one of my bottles and almost gagged from surprise. Janet had apologized profusely to her the next day over the phone… To herself, Janet muttered something along the lines of “Two steps forward, one step back.” She had no idea. Even before the weather started to turn chilly, Janet had taken to wearing cardigans. More than once she’d hurried out of the room when Littles started shouting, crossing her arms over her chest and running out the door as if embarrassed… I needed to break the silence in the car and the building symphony in my head. “How mad are you?” I’d caught myself doing double takes sitting in the grocery cart, wondering if she’d gained weight or if her boobs had always been so big. Same for when we showered together… The car was slowing down, we were turning into Janet’s neighborhood. “If you’re asking if you’re in trouble, you better believe it, bud. I still love you,” she added, “but that doesn’t mean you’re not gonna have consequences for what you did today.” A doctor had written her a prescription; except the doctor was supposedly a pediatrician for Littles; one who had been particularly focused on getting me to breastfeed… “Almost home,” Janet said, not unkindly. Every Amazon around me said ‘goat’s milk’ with just an edge of hesitation. Maybe guilt. Maybe code. Maybe both. They’d spoken with the same care used when adults spelled words they didn’t want children to hear…. “Yup…” I said. But what happened when the child could spell? You just made up a different word… We pulled into her garage. I was unbuckled from the car seat and was trembling on her hip. Janet’s eyebrows knitted together and she placed a warm hand on my forehead. ”No fever,” she said. But she knew something was up. How long? How long had something been going on? Was I even sure something was going on? She carried me into the kitchen straight away and plopped me down into the highchair. No restraints this time, just the tray. She wanted to talk to me and look me in the eye without holding me. This was decidedly not a lap conversation. She pulled her usual chair and positioned it directly in front of me so that we were nearly at eye level. “So, a few things,” Janet began with a rehearsed rhythm. “I’m very proud of a lot of what you did today, okay?” I was sitting as far back in that highchair as I could. My skin was burning. With what? I wasn’t sure. “Okay…” “You’re a very smart boy,” Janet praised. “You knew when to be quiet, when to listen, and when to talk. You were perfect in the clinic and in the office.” Just this Saturday, Janet had said the Yamatoan word for goat’s milk. Ivy used that same word just before suckling at her mother’s breasts… “Hmmhmm...” I’d already had dreams about it like my unconscious mind was trying to scream it at me… “And you’re a very sweet, sweet, loving boy. I know you just wanted to protect your old student.” Fuck! Why did she have to call Elmer my former student? This wouldn’t be nearly as difficult if she stuck to the narrative that we’d fed Brollish. Called Elmer ‘my friend’ or something. “Yeah,” I mumbled. “And Ambrose? She deserved it.” Hell yeah she did! Damn it! Why?! “But…?” “But what you did was very very impulsive and very very stupid,” she said as sternly as she dared. Her face and voice instantly turned to putty. This wasn’t Ms. Grange, the taskmaster of Third Grade. This was Janet. “It’s a miracle you weren’t hurt worse than you were! Do you have any idea how worried everyone was for you?!” I lowered my eyes to the tray. I gave a half-hearted, sheepish, “Sorry…” I chewed on my tongue, hoping, daring her to demand that I repeat myself. Call her ‘Mommy’. Come on Janet. I’ve taken one Amazon bitch today. Two if you count Brollish. Let me go for the hat trick. The dark haired woman let down her hair and shook it out, seeming more vulnerable, instead. “And if things hadn’t gone in just the right way, who knows what would have happened?! You could have been expelled. Do you want to be expelled? Do you?” Back down to the tray. “No…” I wanted to get the out of Oakshire Elementary. Just not like that. “Do you want to get taken away from me because they think you’re dangerous or too hostile for me to take care of?” I answered that one more readily. “No, ma’am.” One giant hand draped itself gently over my contritely folded pair. “Promise me you’ll never do something that stupid ever again.” I’d already made that promise once today to Beouf. I’d broken it just as quickly. “I promise.” This time it felt weightier on my shoulders. Like I was saying more than just words to stop her from worrying. I think…I think I really meant it this time. Janet took my hands in both of hers and squeezed them gently, just enough pressure so I could feel it, taking special care not to injure the bandaged one. “Okay. I believe you.” She stood up to her full height so that she was once again above me, a judge ready to hand down her sentence. “You’re grounded.” I looked up at her, not breaking eye contact. “Okay.” “No T.V. until Friday.” “I understand.” “Suspended from school means suspended from friends. No friend visits until Friday. That includes Little Voices” I twitched. That one stung. “Yes ma’am.” “No wandering around the house unattended. If you’re not in your crib, you’re with me. Clear?” “Yeah,” I said glumly. “Any questions?” Time to fight. “When did you switch out goat milk for breast milk in my bottle?” Right then and there I would have liked for any number of things to happen: I would have liked for Janet to have lied and told me that I was a silly Little boy with a big imagination. I would have loved for her to try and misdirect me; act confused or use word play. Technically all milk was breast milk. We just only called them breasts on people. I wanted her to get defensive. I wanted to present my evidence and have it batted away time and time again with easily refutable counter arguments so that I could get mad and shout at the top of my lungs what a hypocritical bitch she’d been; pretending to care about me and listen to me while still withholding basic truths about what she was subjecting me to. I wanted her to lie to me; for her to do it poorly so I could catch her. Or maybe for her to lie so well that I might yet believe her and let her gaslight me. Or maybe I could get in on the lie, make it a shared lie. But like so much in my life, things were not going according to my plan and what I wanted didn’t really factor in. Shock blasted itself across Janet’s face. She slowly sat back down and took a deep breath. “A while,” she admitted. “Pretty much as soon as the real goat milk ran out the first time.” She avoided eye contact. “How’d you figure it out?” “I asked myself why you’d have a bottle of goat milk at school and no diaper bag to carry it in.” “Damn,” Janet hissed under her breath. At a normal volume, she said, “My production has started increasing. And you were liking it. Seemed a shame to keep expressing and pouring it down the drain.” “Why’d Beouf mess up like that?” I asked. “I don’t know,” Janet said, looking more and more like she wanted to crawl into a hole and die. “I haven’t had the chance to ask. I think she thought I’d told you, and we were just using code words for your pride.” In a way, that’s kind of what they were doing. In a way, I kind of already knew. I just hadn’t wanted to know for sure. “Yeah,” I nodded. “That makes sense.” “Do you wanna know why?” Janet asked. My shoulders slumped and I slowly shook my head. “Not really. I think I figured it out.” “Do you wanna tell me?” she offered. I took a deep breath through my nose and puffed it out through my mouth. Then again. “Doctor gave you pills. You started lactating. You started slipping it in and replacing it until I couldn’t tell the difference.” I paused and shuddered again. “Probably didn’t even plan it like that. Just had the idea out of nowhere and tried it.” “Thank you,” she whispered, grateful for the benefit of the doubt. “Clark I…” I stopped her. “Don’t. I was making your life miserable. You were tired. You thought you were helping me. I get it.” I would have been overjoyed if she had taken the opportunity to list the supposed benefits of Amazon breast milk. I would have taken snippets about oxytocin, or digestive health, or bonding, or whatever and shoved them right up her nose. No such luck. I was swinging and she was taking every hit right on the chin. “You’re right.” Janet said. “I’m still sorry.” “Sometimes saying you’re sorry isn’t enough.” I threw back her words right in her face. My Mommy nibbled on her bottom lip. “What do you suggest?” I looked her right in the eye and told her the truth. “I don’t know.” “I’m not changing your punishment.” “Yeah,” I agreed. “That’s fair. I screwed up.” “I did too,” she undid the tray, and reached forward “Hug?” “No, thank you.” She took her hands back. “Sorry.” She reached forward again. “I’m gonna put you down on the floor.” “Okay.” “It’s okay to be mad,” Janet said. “I know.” I waited until she planted me back down on the kitchen floor. “I’m just disappointed.” It was true too. Both of our faces fell. No tears though. Just an awkward silence that built throughout the night no matter how much we talked and a growing cacophony in my brain every second we weren’t. I felt an ache inside me that had nothing to do with my guts. ************************************************************************************************************ I paced my crib, gritting my teeth and muttering to myself. “You can do this,” I grunted and growled. “You can do this.” My eyes remained fixated on the baby monitor just out of reach. “She hasn’t heard you. You’re not hypnotized. You’re not mindfucked. You’ve just been working harder, not smarter.” The subtle squeaks of the mattress and the loud crinkling of my nighttime diaper filled my ears while my pulse quickened. “She fucking drugged you!” I said. I gripped the rail with my fingers, and dug my toes into the mattress. Both were done through mittened gloves and feet. Not a punishment, supposedly. Just extra thick jammies for an incoming cold friend. “Shoved her own bodily fluids into your mouth! That bitch!” In the far corner, Lion sat passively, completely unimpressed with my theatrics. She was just an Amazon. Baby crazy to the core with layers and layers of benevolent narcissism. Should I really feel that surprised? That betrayed? This is exactly what Amazons did. This was just another check on the bingo card. I was fortunate that she didn’t take me to the nearest public playground and pop her tit in my mouth for all to see and gawk at. “It’s not like I’d confirmed it! It’s not like I knew knew! It’s not like if she’d asked I would have said ‘yes’!” It would have been nice to have been asked though. Maybe even tempting. Lion went sailing over the top rib. “Fuck you…” I growled at the traitor. “And this fucking monitor!” I said. “Make me have to call her…call her that word to get her attention. Even though we had a deal that I wouldn’t have to do that in private. So much for that! Typical!” To be fair, she had forgotten to tell me that part. An honest mistake. JUST LIKE SHE’D FORGOTTEN TO TELL ME ABOUT WHAT THE MILK REALLY WAS! I planted my feet and leaned hard at the foot of the crib. She wanted me to use the monitor. She was going to get what she wanted. I now had seventy two hours alone with her to sleep deprive her and break her will and make her existence as miserable as possible. “Mommy,” I said. Instantly the tiny light on the monitor blinked on, a beacon in the darkness of the room. “Mommy, I hate you!. I hate you, Mommy. I hate you. I hate you, Mommy. I hate you, Mommy. I hate you Mommy..” I started building up steam inside myself, smiling wickedly. “I hate you, Mommy! Mommy I hate you! Mommy! I hate you! Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! I hate you, Mommy!” Oh it felt good to be saying it again! To be saying it and knowing that Janet was hearing it! Saying a stupid password so a machine would click on was worth it! Especially because it meant Janet was hearing the word she most wanted to hear combined with the phrase she least wanted me to be able to say. “I hate you Mommy!” I wasn’t whispering anymore. Screw subtlety. Brash impulse had carried the day so far! I started counting on my fingers and toes, wiggling them through the jammies, keeping track in sets of twenty. My left hand was just starting to hurt again, but that was a plus in my book. Just like I’d intended, I’d drive that Amazon bitch to the brink of despair and hypocrisy. I’d either keep her up all night or force her to turn a blind ear to me. She was no friend! She was an addict posing as a caregiver! But I wasn’t going to give her her fix! After a hundred rounds, I started marching around the crib. “I! HATE! MOMMY!...I! HATE! MOMMY!... I HATE! MOMMY!” I was on strike! I was picketing! Clapping my muffled hands and repeating those words until I didn’t know where the end of one phrase started and the other began. “MOMMY! I! HATE! MOMMY! I HATE! I!” I was grinning like an idiot and feeling like a superhero. “HATE! MOMMY! I!...HATE! MOMMY! I!” The nursery door winged open. A familiar outline entered the room and flicked on the light. “Mommy?!” Standing in front of me was Janet in all of her non glory. Her wet hair from our shower was combed and down and everything about her body language reeked of quiet guilt. She wore loose fitting pink pajamas that almost complimented my fuzzy blue ones. Her eyes were puffy and tired, her smile nervous and self-deprecating. “Hey,” she said. “You called?” I clenched my good fist. Now or never. “I hate you, Janet!” There! I said it! Ha! Take that mental block! “I hate you so much!” She stood up tall for a second and then slumped back down. “Yeah. That’s fair.” “What?” She walked over to my crib and lowered the rail. “You sound like you need some company. Would you like some?” “Janet,” I said, completely discombobulated. “Didn’t you hear me? I said ‘I hate you, Mommy’.” She picked me up and cradled me so that I was still sitting up. “I heard you, baby. I still love you, though. No matter what.” “Nonononononononono!” I started to kick and struggle away from her rapidly approaching bosom. “Not again! Not again!” The Amazon put me down on the floor, holding my arms immobile just so I wouldn’t hit her. “I’m not gonna do that!” she hushed. “Sorry! Sorry! I’m not gonna do that! I fucked up! Sorry!” I regained control of myself. “What?” Had she just dropped an F-Bomb? “You heard me.” Back to the game, then. “I hate you.” “I know,” she chirped. ”That doesn’t change how I feel. I still love you.” “I hate you, Mommy!” She picked me up again. “Do you want to tell me you hate me here, or do you want to keep Mommy company in her bedroom?” “Bedroom?” I parroted. Why was she taking me to her bedroom? “I…I…bedroom?” Janet took that for consent. “Okay. I’d like that. Come on.” She took three steps and stopped beside my stuffie. “Oops! Almost forgot Lion.” She balanced me on one hip so she could lean down and pick him up. “Do we leave him here or bring him with?” “What’s going on?” I asked. “Why are you doing this?” “Okay,” she said. “Let’s leave him here to guard the room.” “NO!” I shouted. “Okay. He can come with us. We have room.” “I hate you!” I repeated. “I hate you, Mommy!” “Yup.” Nursery gave way to hallway, hallway bled into living room. Living room passed by kitchen and entryway to the dark, peaceful bedroom. “Mommy! Stop! I hate you!” I tore Lion from her grasp and clung to him. More like she handed him over to me, but still… Janet let out a big yawn. A lioness in the heat of the savannah. “I’m tired,” she said. “Keep me company in bed? Tell me you hate me while we fall asleep?” Over by the gargantuan bed, so similar to what I’d slept in back in my old house was the detachable infant cot. She’d finally put it together. “I’m not sleeping in that!” I pointed as best I could to the baby bed attached to the real one. My Mommy considered it for a second and then responded with, “Okay. How about Lion sleep in it tonight? You can cuddle with me.” “This changes nothing!” “Okay.” “This doesn’t make up for the milk thing!” “Agreed.” “Then why…? I hate you!” My padded bum made contact with the massive mattress. So soft! Softer than I even remembered. “Okay,” Janet said, plucking Lion from me and putting him in the bassinet. Keep me company?” “I…I…” I froze. “Yeah. Yeah. Okay.” “Thank you, sweetie.” she pulled me in close to her and worked her way to the head of her bed, gently tugging me along and tucking us both under the covers, burying us each under the massive duvet on her perfectly made bed. The covers!. Heavier than anything than had been put in my crib thus far, but the deep pressure provided a sense of regulation. I was practically swimming! Floating in a warm bathtub where I had no hope or fear of drowning. “Okay,” she told me softly. “Tell me that you hate me. I’m ready.” The warmth from another person’s body! Another sensation I did not expect to relive any time soon. I’d sat in Janet’s lap and been carried to the point where she was almost a living piece of furniture where my body was concerned, but this was different. Damn did she smell good, too. Like so much more than lavender and piss. “I don’t want to,” I grumbled. “Not right now.” “Okay,” Janet said. “Can I give you one last kiss before I fall asleep?” This was a trick. Or a trap. Something about her smell was conditioning me. Pheromones or something! Or the blankets had something in them that was draining my energy away. Or there was a subliminal message playing in the room that only affected me! “Okay,” I whimpered. “Kiss me.” She gave me one soft kiss right between the eyes. “I love you,” she cooed and then nestled down, cradling me in the crook of her arm right beside her, No escaping it. Not tonight. I was hurt and exhausted; physically and emotionally drained. Confused beyond all reason and deep down I just wanted a tiny taste of peace that didn’t feel like burning oblivion or hurting someone who truly, madly, deeply, loved me. So I closed my eyes. ************************************************************************************************* Janet’s soft coos and probing fingers woke me. “Morning, sleepy head.” “Hrn?” I groaned. I turned my head to the side. We were back in the nursery. I was on the changing table. Janet was still in her pajamas, and my snaps were undone all the way up to my waist. Morning birds were singing and the first shafts of sunlight were shining through the window, but it was still incredibly early. Zoge and Ivy were meeting Beouf at the bus loop right about now. “Mommy’s just gonna change you and take you back to bed.” “Huh?” I groaned, rubbing my eyes. “Why?” “We’ve got the day off. Remember?” “But…” Janet ripped the tapes off the landing zone and the cold chill of morning air on urine soaked privates and colder chill of a fresh baby wipe made their way over me, same as every morning. That’s not what surprised me, however. I’d woken up wet, messy, or on the verge of exploding every day since my life had been turned sideways. Yet this was the first time I didn’t remember waking up in the middle of the night to relieve myself. I had legitimately peed myself while unconscious. I was a bedwetter! “Go back to sleep, Clark.” Janet shushed me, taping up the fresh diaper so that it was nice and snug. So dry. So clean. So comfortable. “I just didn’t want you to leak. Go back to sleep.” End Part 9

Chapter 111: The Trial of the Century There I was, again: waiting in the school clinic, awaiting a rigged trial while Brollish worked sight unseen to ensure my doom and damnation. The key difference between this time and the last was that I definitely needed that fresh diaper that the nurse kept on the corner of her desk. That and I had actually done what I was being accused of. I’d rushed up to another teacher and sucker punched her right in her schnoz. Then she’d smacked me so hard I saw stars and spanked me within an inch of my life. In the chaos of it all, students and ex-coworkers had been drawn out of their classrooms and witnessed the thrashing of my lifetime. There was no getting around this. There was no way out. I was done. The best case scenario was that I would get expelled and Janet would find me a full time private babysitter. No daycare would take a Little with a documented history of violence against Amazons. The only place that would is a place I’d never want to visit. Maybe Jessica would do it, I fantasized. She wouldn’t be so bad. She was something of a trust fund baby anyways, so she could afford to hang out with me for free everyday; at least until the end of the school year. She wanted to be a teacher, too, and talked to me more like I was an adult (or at least a very smart child) than most. It wouldn’t be spending my afternoons with Melony sipping on coffee, but it wouldn’t be so bad, would it? Yeah. That could be nice. I shuddered as the most intrusive thought burrowed into my brain: What if Janet didn’t have a choice but to send me to New Beginnings? Yes, she was my legal guardian, my Mommy, but wasn’t it possible to take that away from her? All it had taken was some typing on a keyboard to get my adulthood revoked and have me shoved into her arms. Would it really take much more to declare Janet an unfit parent and then rip me out of those arms so that I could be re-raised in a so-called proper setting? “Shhhhhhh,” Janet hushed me, rubbing my back and stroking my hair. “It’s okay, baby. You’re safe. Mommy’s here. You’re safe.” I wasn’t safe. I just wasn’t being beat anymore. She cradled me, and bobbed me like I was still screaming, but I had been almost completely silent from the moment I’d caught my breath. Based on her heart rate, her behavior was more to hide her own shaking. She was just as afraid as me. Angry too. She was just doing her damndest to hide it from me. She didn’t want her ‘baby’ to see her this upset. It made sense that she was upset, though. Everything was coming undone, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Nothing anyone could do. After Tracy saved me, events sped up and proceeded in an almost maniacal clockwork fashion. Brollish power walked out, flanked by Forrest and every spare hand in the front office and guidance. They took Ambrose away to the teacher’s lounge in the cafeteria, still nursing the bloody nose I gave her. I hoped she was telling the truth. Janet blitzed out of her classroom the second her students could be shuttled off to other teachers in her building. Word spread that fast. Or maybe she’d been in the crowd that saw the aftermath of my stunt. Things were still kind of fuzzy. Tracy handed me off to Janet and took control of the preschool class, expertly diffusing outraged cries from Mrs. Dunwhich. Tracy’s man mountain of a husband stalked off to the front office, a man on a warpath, and Beouf gave Tracy the bare bones of what she’d seen while Zoge did her best to regain control and herd the other Littles away. We were waiting in the clinic for about ten minutes for the school nurse to come back from the cafeteria. My left hand was starting to swell, and bruising discoloration was popping up above and below my backside. Every part of my body that Ambrose had connected with was throbbing, the right side of my face included. The real pain happened in between the throbs; in the seconds before the aching blunt sensations crescendoed to the point where it was hard to think. When it hurt so bad that I had to close my eyes and hold my breath, I had something to focus on; something to not think about. It was on the back end, as waves of physical discomfort receded back down and I was able to think as myself that I felt despair. We were fucked. We were fucked and I’d been the one to fuck it all up. As recently as last week, I might have been proud of that. I’d burned the world to the ground around me one last time, blaze of glory as the explosions consumed me. Unfortunately, my friendships had started to grow back like weeds in the garden of my life; seemingly nourished by the manure that had been dumped all over it. And here I was about to lose them all over again. Tracy; Beouf; my students; maybe even Janet. I was going to lose Zoge and Ivy as well. Billy, Chaz, and Annie were bastards but they were my bastards. Tommy too. I’d miss the other kids in Beouf’s class. If nothing else they were a good challenge to poke at and gauge how far I was pushing things. Would I even get a chance to say goodbye? What about Amy? What about Pink Hair or the Block Guys, or Wutzhisname? Would I still get to see her once a week or would Janet stop going to Little Voices meetings, too overwhelmed by everything? Would I still have her after today? Fuck, what had happened in my life that I counted a bunch of baby crazy Amazons and Adopted Littles in various states of emotional and cognitive decay as friends?! The nurse walked in and went straight to the sink. “Good,” she said to Janet. “You’re already here.” She started washing her hands and putting on disposable gloves. She motioned with her head over to a vinyl backed medical couch; normally just used for children to nap on while waiting for parents to pick them up if they had a fever or had puked. “Lay him down there and get him undressed.” Janet’s head turned to the still-open door. “Can we get some privacy? Maybe do this in the bathroom?” “I’m a nurse, Ms. Grange. Clark doesn’t have anything I haven’t seen before.” “I meant from others,” Janet said. “I don’t want other children coming in.” More to the point, the clinic was attached to the front office, and very close to the receptionist area by design. The nurse sighed tiredly but put some artificial empathy into her tone. “Good point. Wouldn’t want any of the other kids to worry too much.” Translation: Wouldn’t want any extra sympathy to spread or parents to get involved in the wake of my upcoming expulsion. Carrying me, Janet closed the door and locked it, then she laid me down on the soft medical mattress and began to undress me. I shivered, as she popped open the romper button by button, peeling the green and blue striped garment off of me. I’d broken out into just enough of a sweat to make myself uncomfortable and cold in the air conditioning. Even on the overly padded surface, a changing table pretending to be a mattress, I groaned and winced with my weight shifting and being moved around. The nurse shuffled over and took a knee to examine me more closely. “Mmm-mmm-mmm…” she said. “You really did quite a number on yourself.” “On himself?” Janet cocked an eyebrow. “Just a turn of phrase, ma’am.” I made eye contact with my caregiver. “Just a turn of phrase, Mommy,” I echoed a warning. This lady spent all her time in close proximity to Brollish and Forrest. Pretty easy to guess where her sympathies lay. Anything we said could and would be used in the kangaroo court of law. “I’m going to look at his hand, alright?” the nurse said. She inched her hand closer to mine, but waited for Janet to give permission. “Ask him, too.” Janet told her. The slightest sharpest inhale, and then. “Clark, honey? I’m going to take a look at your hurt hand, okay?” I nodded. I flinched as she gingerly poked and squeezed at my bruising left hand. “Tell me if it hurts.” “Ow,” I said. “Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow.” She worked her tongue in her mouth and wiggled her nose with every ‘ow’. “Good news is I don’t think it’s broken, just really really bruised. What did you hit, kiddo?” “I don’t know,” I lied automatically. “He might not have hit anything,” Janet said. “Ambrose might have hit him there or he might have hit it on the ground when she dropped him.”This was a bold face lie and Janet knew it! If half of my face hadn’t been on fire, my own surprise would have betrayed me. Luckily, the nurse wasn’t looking at my face, just then. She doubled back to the sink and opened a cabinet, returning with what looked something like a giant aqua-marine tape measure. She flipped open the top like it a massive box of dental floss and pulled out a length of thick moist ribbon. “This bandage is covered with some powerful numbing nanites,” she said. “This should also help bring down the swelling.’ She started wrapping my hand in the wet stuff, binding my entire left hand in a mummy’s mitten. “Does that feel better, hon?” I swallowed my pride and let out a pitiful, “Uh-huh.” It really did too. The cold wetness of the stuff seeped into my skin and numbed everything and the air dried the outside. Ten seconds after she cut the soggy tape off, the pain in my hand was gone. The nurse tossed the first pair of gloves, washed her hands, and then pulled on a second pair. “In a few hours that hand is gonna ache again,” she said. “Baby aspirin or some other children’s pain killer will help over the next day or two. Just make sure he’s not crawling around on it or banging on it for fun. It’s like the dentist where he doesn’t feel it now, he will feel it later.” “Got it,” Janet replied. Then, to me she asked, “Got it, Clark?” “Yeah,” I sighed. “I got it.” “You may want to put on some gloves,” the nurse advised Janet. She put the bandages back and took out a tube of cream. “Let’s take care of some of those other owies.” I chomped down on my tongue. The last time I’d seen a tube like that was after I’d been zapped and ninety-nine percent of my body hair had been scorched off. I was already breaking orders by unconsciously digging my hands into the couch, gripping it like it was an animal whose guts I could rip out. “You take care of the bottom, and I’ll take care of the top?” the nurse offered. Janet sanitized her hands, but only put on one glove. She grabbed her cell phone out of her pocket and held it very close to my face. “Sure thing,” she said. “Juuuuust a second.” There was a clicking sound. “Roll over on your belly for me, Clark.” I did. Then another several clicks. “What are you doing?” the nurse asked. “Documentation,” Janet said. “That cream helps repair the skin, doesn’t it? Gets rid of bruising and discoloration?” The nurse only smiled and said “Ah.” I rolled back over and stared at the ceiling while one giant dabbed numbing cream onto my face, while the other ripped open my diaper and wiped my backside. “Hold still, bubba,” I heard, before my legs were lifted up and I heard a few more clicks from her camera. “You must have fallen really hard on your face, Clark” the nurse pretended to muse. “Did you trip while you were running around?” “He didn’t trip,” Janet’s voice had turned to ice. She was still changing me, spreading that goop filled with pain numbing nanites in it and slipping the fresh Monkeez underneath me. But her voice was looking for a fight. “That’s where Ambrose started beating him.” The nurse was still playing defense for Administration. “How can you tell? Kids trip and fall all the time. Accidents happen.” Janet taped me back up and rolled me over. “Concrete doesn’t leave hand prints.” “Ah.” A tense two minutes later, I was sitting back up and having a hand mirror shoved in my face. There was some slight discoloration, a bit of red irritation on my face, but it didn’t look like a bear had tried to maul me. I’d fallen asleep on my side in the sun and barely avoided a proper sunburn. My left hand was bandaged up in bright colors, but the right side of my face, back, thighs, and buttocks looked like I had the barest beginnings of diaper rash. Nothing a bit of makeup wouldn’t fix, or even just dimming the lights. My damage was highlighted. Ambrose’s was faded. Typical. “Thank you, Mommy,” I said, looking at the bulge in Janet’s pocket. “You’re very welcome, sweetie.” Janet told me. She started dressing me back up. “You don’t have to do that,” the nurse said. “I know,” Janet replied. “Just easier for the trip home.” “Trip home?” the nurse asked. “School’s not over yet.” “I’m leaving early.” Her eyes were focused on me, and buttoning up all of the snaps on the aired out romper, but her body was tense. Waiting for the challenge. It came. “That might not be such a good idea,” the nurse said. “I have a feeling Mrs. Brollish will need to talk to him. She’s doing interviews right now to figure out what happened. Make sure she gets all sides of the story.” “It’s okay, Mommy,” I said, playing the perfect Little angel that I most certainly wasn’t. Only the guilty run, and running wasn’t going to get me anywhere. “I can stay.” Janet gave my forehead another kiss, and picked me up. “Okay, baby. Let’s get you back to class.” “Actually…” the nurse interjected, opening the clinic door again. “He should probably stay here. Might not be safe to let him back in the classroom.” “It’s his naptime. I’ve got a pack and play in my room, still,” Janet offered. The nurse gave a pleasant, yet hollow smile. “That’s not a good idea, either. Let’s just keep him here. He can sleep on my couch if he needs to.” “I’m not sleepy,” I said. The Amazons went forward in the conversation without me. “You’re free to go back to your room to teach, Ms. Grange. I don’t mind watching him.” They didn’t want me and Janet alone. Didn’t want either of us unsupervised or unaccounted for. Janet sat down in one of the chairs and held me in her lap, wrapping her arms around me, afraid that I might float away from her. “We’ll wait here, then.” I felt another kiss on the top of my head. I really wanted Lion right then. I settled for reaching down and gripping the side of Janet’s lap with my good hand and sucking on my pacifier. Our first few visitors were students. Nothing major. Just kids getting afternoon medication and the like. One kid stopped and interrogated Janet. “Is he sick?” that sort of thing. Nothing that couldn’t be shooed away, with the worst one being a fourth grader that couldn’t resist saying “feel better”. But then a familiar tone in a language I still barely understood came swinging into the clinic. Ivy waddled hand in hand with her mother past the clinic, but her head turned to the side and peaked in. We made eye contact. “Clark!” She slipped out of Zoge’s grasp, climbed up on top of a neighboring seat. “Ivy!” Janet laughed. “What are you doing?” As an answer, the Little Yamatoan gently leaned over and wrapped her arms around me. Light as a feather, she applied the barest bit of pressure so that I could sense the loving intent. “Ivy,” Zoge said, her voice retaining its innate musicality. “Make good choices.” Ivy stood back up and hopped back down. “Yes, Mommy.” “Hana,” Janet giggled, forgetting the perilous position we were in. “What’s going on?” Zoge picked her daughter up, and positioned her on her hip. “It seems our children are picking up bad habits from one another,” she said, cryptically. “No, I mean, what are you doing here?” “Ah,” Zoge nodded. “Mrs. Brollish wishes to interview everyone she can that witnessed...” a beat of hesitation, a glance at the nurse, “the incident. Ivy and I were reporting what we saw happen. Mrs. Beouf and Miss Tracy are watching the children. I am on my way to relieve them so that Mrs. Beouf can report. We’re already calling parents to inform them what happened and to have them come and pick up their children early.” “Oh,” Janet said. “Alright.” “Good luck,” Zoge said. “And see you tomorrow, Clark.” That earned her an upturned eyebrow from the nurse. Speaking of the nurse, both Ivy and Zoge’s back was to the woman. “I’m sorry, Clark. You taught me to never ask for a hug without permission.” The way she said it sounded rehearsed and phony. She did something with her eye, too. Did…did Ivy just wink at me?! “Ivy,” Zoge said, then she said something in Yamatoan. Probably the word for ‘quiet’. “Sorry, Mommy.” “Good luck,” Zoge said, and then slipped with her daughter back out into the reception area and out the door. Calling parents. Interviewing students and teachers. Sequestering witnesses. Interrupting afternoon classes. Brollish was in high gear; full damage control. She wanted this over now; after school just wouldn’t do. I’d probably just ruined her day; so I at least had that going for me. A brief knock on the side of the door, and Emiliano came striding in. The top of his head didn’t quite touch the massive frame, but he ducked out of habit. “Hey, Jefe,” he said, his hoarse yet friendly growl just above a stage whisper. “How you holdin’ up?” “He’s fine,” Janet said. “He got hurt, but he’ll be okay.” I’m not sure how it’s possible to give someone the side eye when they’re standing directly in front of them, but Tracy’s husband found a way. “I’m shook,” I said. “But I’ll heal.” Emiliano hunkered down on the balls of his feet. “Good. Good. You took a heck of a whoopin’.” A mischievous grin played at the corners of his mouth. “It’s a good thing you’re not taller or I might be scared of you.” I chuckled. The biggest man I’d ever met just told me that I took a beating like a champ. How could I not? “Sir,” the nurse tried to interrupt. unless you’re a parent or a teacher, you need to leave.” He waved her off. “Mmmhmm. Sure. Uno momento.” “What are you doing here?” I asked. He ran his hands through his thick black hair. “I was here to help Tracy quit,” he said. “Bring her in. Let her talk. Bring her out. No funny business. Comprende?” A rock dropped in my stomach. “Yeah,” I said. “I understand.” “Yeah,” the big man nodded sympathetically, “Good thing we saw you, first, eh?” I jolted up in Janet’s lap. “You mean…?” I dared to hope. “Tracy’s staying?” “Sir…” the nurse tried to catch Emiliano’s attention. She went ignored by all of us. He shrugged. “Depends.” “On what?” Janet asked. She squeezed me a little tighter. I squeezed back. “On how scary I was,” Emiliano flashed his teeth. “How smart Brollish is. If Tracy wants to keep coming here.” “Sir. You need to-” Emiliano stood back up to his full height and the nurse stopped talking. “Yeah, yeah,” he said. “I’m going.” A boulder sized fist floated down to me. “You stay strong, eh, Jefe?” I took my good hand and bumped it against his. “Right on. See you around, Boss. I’ll stop by your class and tell her you said ‘Hello’ before I go.” The nurse was visibly relieved when she heard the exit door swing open. Right on the man mountain’s heels, Beouf popped in, holding of all things, a baby bottle. It wasn’t filled with milk, exactly; none of the overly processed cow stuff from the cafeteria. This stuff had more of a creamy tint to it. More off-white than white. Kind of like goat’s milk. “Hey,” she said, quietly. “How you holding up?” “We’re fine,” Janet said just as softly. “Got some owies but they’re taken care of for now.” My old mentor nodded. “Good.” Everyone was talking so low right now, afraid of saying something too loud or having something overheard. All parties on both sides of this trial were in cloak and dagger mode. Nobody wanted the other to hear something they shouldn’t, and both words and the volume that they were spoken at were being chosen very carefully. She looked at me and shook the bottle. “Do you want a bottle, buddy?” Janet reached for it instead. I looked up at her and caught a mixture of concern and confusion. “The bottle is yours,” Beouf said. “I popped by your room and grabbed it out of a mini fridge.” “Oh,” was all Janet said. I felt her entire body heat up for some reason. “Goat’s milk.” Some combination of looming existential dread and topically applied pain killers kept me from questioning why Janet would have goat’s milk at school. She couldn’t even remember to bring the diaper bag half the time. In hindsight… “If you want, we can start stocking it in my room,” Beouf plowed over the thoughts that wouldn’t quite come to me. “Give it to him for snack time or something. Take it with us to lunch.” “Lunch?” I echoed. Did Beouf really think that I’d be back for lunch this time tomorrow? “We’ll still have to keep it in the classroom,” my oldest friend said. “You know how the cafeteria folks are. They don’t like holding onto anything that isn’t theirs. It’s already a stretch to get them to wash and dry the bibs everyday.” There was a nervous frenetic energy underpinning Beouf’s speech. It had the cadence of someone on death row talking about what they were doing tomorrow. We weren’t going to win this, but she was going to go down kicking and screaming with me anyways. “Yeah,” Janet said. “I’d like that.” “What’s going on?” I asked. Beouf looked down and crossed her arms. “What’s going on is that I’m kinda miffed at you, young man.” She switched instantly to her stern teacher tone. It was the worst kind, too. Not mad…just disappointed. “You made me a promise, and broke it.” I was leaning back into Janet before I realized it, trying to bury the back of my head in her so that she would somehow magically envelop me. “What promise?” Janet asked. The volume of conversation had jumped up more than a notch. Anyone listening in would barely need to strain to overhear. The nurse looked up from her desk again, her fingers drifting over to the computer keyboard. “We had a talk this morning about following rules and procedures, didn’t we, Clark?” My face burned hot and I stared down at my knees. “Yes ma’am.” “And who got out of line when they shouldn’t have?” “I did.” “And do we get out of line when we’re transitioning from the cafeteria to the classroom?” “No ma’am…” “And did you?” “Yes, ma’am.” “Should you have?” “No ma’am.” “What do you say?” I swallowed my pride. It was the least I could do. “Sorry, Mrs. B. Sorry, Mommy.” I braced myself for the next question. Something about controlling my temper or not letting bullies get the best of me. No such line of questioning came. All that happened was Melony ruffled my hair. “Mrs. B. is still upset with your choices,” she said, “but she still loves you very much.” I mumbled something. It might have been “I love you, too”. The bottle’s rubber nipple brushed against my cheek. “Drink your bottle, hon.” I accepted the bottle, and Janet jostled me around so that I was cradled again. Letting her hold it for me was easier with my injured hand. Our breathing started to sync up while the cool creamy milk filled my mouth. Waves of relaxation started to settle into me. My pulse dropped as my belly filled. I wasn’t even that thirsty, but the behavior mixed with the body heat and the familiar flavor mingled together to give me a sense of calm. I wasn’t about to get expelled. I was just chugging my own version of a breakfast shake first thing in the morning. Or having liquid desert right before a weekend nap. Speaking of breakfast shake, something was off about the flavor of this batch. It was actually a little too creamy; with something unnatural about it. I pulled back and threw my head out so that I could get the nipple out of my mouth. “Vanilla?” Beouf blushed. “I hope you don’t mind. I put some syrup in from the coffee mix.” It was directed at Janet, not me. “It’s fine,” Janet sighed. “I just want today to be over.” “You and me, both,” Beouf agreed. “You and me, both.” In the far distance, past the reception area, the sound of a heavy door slamming closed and equally heavy footsteps registered. Someone was making a very loud exit from Brollish’s office. Probably not Brollish from the sound of it. That witch could glide across the floor. “That’s my cue.” Beouf said. “Time to put out some more fires. Wish me luck.” “Good luck,” Janet said while I took the bottle back in my mouth. Beouf brushed shoulders with the next visitor in my own private cell. “I just got done talking to that principal of yours,” Martha Dunwhich said to the nurse. Her hair was frizzier and her face was still red, but her eyes weren’t puffy and her makeup was intact. She’d been yelling and she wasn’t done. She slammed her palms on the nurse’s desk and leaned over so she could shout directly into the other woman’s face. “Are you also going with the story that a Little broke that awful woman’s nose?!” “I”m not allowed to divulge that information,” the nurse replied, coldly. Dunwhich wasn’t having it. “You examined her. Is her nose even broken? Let me see her! I bet she just got kicked” “I’m not allowed to divulge that information.” “You expect me to believe that a grown woman was attacked?” Dunwhich shrieked. “Attacked by…by…a baby?!” “Ahem…” Janet cleared her throat. The Amazon turned around with a sneer. “Wh-?” Then immediately melted when she saw me her shriek turned to a squeak. “Awwwww!” My entire body tensed. Feeling it, Janet drew me in closer, cradling me so that half of my vision was obscured by her breasts. It was a nicer view than I’d been previously treated to. Dunwhich trotted over to Janet, her eyes white saucers. “You poor dear!” she gushed. “You’ve had quite a day haven’t you?” Uninvited, she took the seat next to Janet. “Does it hurt bad, baby boy?” “Hello,” Janet said. “Do we know you?” Dunwhich regained her composure. “No. Not at all. Martha Dunwhich, pleasure to meet you.” She extended her arm out. “My hands are full,” Janet said just warmly enough to not put the other woman off. I.E.P. meetings or not, teaching is too often a customer service industry as much as anything. Janet had that skill set on lock. The start of this nightmare took her hand back. “Of course,” she said. “Of course. I met your Little boy right as he had his first accident.” Not this story again. I kept my eyes straight up so I wouldn’t roll them. “You’re his Mommy?” “Thank goodness!” Martha Dunwhich said. “For a second I was worried that…that…that bully had Adopted him and that’s why she was spanking him.” Janet shifted in her seat subtly, so that her knees were starting to face away from the other woman. “So do you know Clark besides that?” “Oh no, no, no,” Dunwhich corrected herself. “I haven’t seen him since. That and today. I gave his class some extra cupcakes! He was so cute!” Her hands fidgeted her lap, like she was just envisioning reaching out and pinching me on the cheek again. “So well behaved too! A bit rambunctious and silly, but that’s natural for them.” I sucked on the milk harder, almost wanting to gag myself. Janet’s face was a placid lake, but based on the subtle shifting in her lap, I had a feeling we were in this boat together. For once, the whole ‘seen and not heard’ thing was playing to my advantage. I didn’t want to talk to this woman. Oblivious to our own discomfort, Dunwhich continued to yammer. “I’m going to have to go home, and explain to Emily why hitting Littles is wrong, now. She’s probably traumatized, watching your poor sweet boy get…” She topped. “You know what I mean.” “I do,” Janet said evenly. “And that principal is making up some story like he hit her!” I stopped the flow of milk with my tongue. What was she talking about? She was there when I marched right up to Ambrose and threw my whole weight into that punch. “As if such a sweet Little boy would purposefully attack an adult!” Except she wasn’t! She’d been handing out those cupcakes on the side of the cafeteria, while Ambrose had been dressing Elmer down- literally- around the corner closer to the front entrance! Could it be? Had the angles accidentally worked in my favor?! “Hmmm…” was all that Janet said. “He might have been a tad naughty and excited! But he didn’t deserve that!” “Ma’am,” the nurse said. “You really shouldn’t be-” “I shouldn’t what?” Dunwhich turned on Brollish’s eyes and ears here. “Tell the truth?” She took out her phone. “I saw the whole thing and filmed it! Right in front of the kids, this abusive monster just picks up a baby and STARTS…!” She looked at me again and lowered her voice. “I’ve already told her. If that brute is in Emily’s classroom tomorrow morning, I’m pulling my daughter out and taking this to the School Board.” I let the milk flow again. Administrators feared two things: Angry Parents and School Board members. If I was going down, I was happy to know I was taking Ambrose down with me. But maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t going down, either. “I’m sorry,” Mrs. Dunwhich said. “I’ve got to get my daughter out of here. I hope things turn out okay for you and your Little.” One of the pushiest Amazons I’d ever encountered (and that was saying a lot) showed herself out, and left me to finish the bottle and be burped in relative privacy with only the nurse for silent company. “You’re gonna be fine,” Janet whispered over and over again, patting and rubbing at my back. “You’re gonna be fine.” She didn’t fully believe it either. Some unexpected blessings were blowing our way but we were far from out of the woods. I belched without complaint, doing everything I could not to make things more difficult than they were. Beouf came back in, only poking her head through the open door. “Come on,” she whispered. “It’s almost time.” Janet carried me past reception on her hip. Beouf lead the way, despite us all knowing where we were headed. “Won’t be long. We’ve only got one person ahead of us.” Like a shadow, the nurse followed us, keeping her distance but still doing her level best to mind anyone’s business but her own. We still couldn’t speak freely. We were waiting in the hallway just outside of Brollish’s office, when a mighty need came over me; one that had nothing to do with bodily functions or autonomy. “Can you please put me down?” I asked Janet, tapping her on her shoulder. “I need to walk into the office.” “Why?” “I just…I just do, okay?” That was good enough for Janet. She set me down softly on the carpet, leaning over so she could still hold my good hand. I gave hers a squeeze. She squeezed back. The door opened slowly and quietly. Out of the office came two relatively tiny figures. They were a mother and son; Tweeners. The Mom was about the same height as Tracy, but skinnier, practically stick like, her face wrinkled prematurely with the constant worry lines of someone walking life’s tightrope. There were a handful of fifth-graders taller than her. By graduation, that number would shoot up with growth-spurts and early onset puberty. The boy, a four year old, and because of his heritage, he was one of the few students that I was still slightly taller than. “Mr. Gibson?” Elmer asked. “Hey, buddy.” I waved meekly, trying not look as ridiculous as I felt right then. Elmer’s face scrunched up and his mouth opened, but no sound came out. His face turned pinker and pinker and tears started dripping down his cheeks before finally a tea kettle of a wail issued forth from his throat. Oh no! Not again! I stared at the floor, ashamed at the monster I’d become to my own student. He couldn’t even look at me without breaking down into a panic attack. I gripped the pacifier dangling from my collar and considered shoving it into my mouth. Or would that make things worse? Two arms, slightly pudgy with baby fat wrapped around my torso and a not-quite kindergartener’s head buried itself in my shoulder. “THANKYOOOOOOOOU!” Elmer bawled into me. “TH-TH-TH-TH-THANKYOOOOOOOOOOOU!” “Thank you?” my voice started to crack. “Elmer? B-b-buddy. What are you-? Why are you-? Why?” “I’M SORRRRRRRRRRRY! I’M SORRY! I’M S-S-S-SORRRRRRY! I’M SO S-S-SORRY!” I dislodged my arms from the tiny Tweener’s grip, just so that I could hug him back with all the strength I had left in my body. “It’s okay, buddy,” I whispered. “It’s okay. You don’t have anything to be sorry for. Nothing.” “Awwwwww,” Beouf loudly cooed over me. “Looks like you finally got that hug you were both looking for. Isn’t that sweet?” “Yeah,” Janet’s voice cracked. “It really is.” Their comments went completely over my head. My entire focus on the child who needed me right then and there. “I LOVE YOU, MR. GIBSON!” Elmer blubbered. “I LOVE YOU! I’M SORRY! I LOVE YOU! I! LOVE! YOOOOU! THANK YOOOOOOU!” I’d done a lot of crying since my Adoption. A lot. A lot, a lot. I’d shed more tears in the last several weeks than I had in the several decades prior. The freedom to scream and shout and cry at every thing that vexed me was one of the few freedoms I was still permitted. One type of crying that I hadn’t done a whole lot of, however, was happy crying. My face broke out into the biggest, mushiest, dopiest grin, and as my eyes scrunched together, the drops of water came out as if squeezed from a nearly wrung out sponge. For a moment, just for a moment, I was my old self. I was a teacher, an adult giving comfort to a poor child who was overwhelmed with everything that had happened in the past few hours. For just a second, I was Clark Gibson, preschool teacher, and it was the greatest goddamn feeling in the world. “It’s okay, buddy,” I said as calmly as I could, my voice fluctuating with the tightness of my throat. I just kept rubbing his back in the same way that Janet had taken to rubbing mine. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.” For just a bit, I believed my own lie. His mother’s hand landed softly on his shoulder. “Okay, Elmer. It’s time to go home.” Elmer stepped back from me and wiped his nose on his shirt. “But-!” “You were a good boy and told Mrs. Brollish what you know,” his mother said. “Now it’s time to go.” Always more mature for his age than people gave him credit for, Elmer sniffled, wiped his nose on his own shirt, and took his mother’s hand. “Bye.” I wiped my own nose on my bicep. “Bye, bud.” The pair walked out into the empty reception area and off into the front parking lot just by the bus loop. Janet knelt down and brushed away my own tears. “You okay?” she asked. I shook my head. “No. Not really. But I don’t have a choice right now, do I?” My Mommy’s lip quivered like she was about to start. “No. I don’t think we do. Come on.” Flanked by Beouf, Janet and I walked into Brollish’s office hand in hand. Brollish didn’t get up from her desk. Scooted off to the side, was another older woman staring dutifully down at her county issued laptop and typing up a storm. “Ms. Grange. Clark. Please, have a seat.” She gestured to the familiar face. “Miss Bankhead, our Resource Compliance Specialist, is here simply to record.” Bankhead acknowledged our presence with the briefest glimpse. “Hello.” Then she went back to typing as if she were a court stenographer. The flaps in Brollish’s throat went taut as she craned her neck over us. “Mrs. Beouf, would you please shut the door on your way out?” Beouf shut the door, but joined us by the seat next to where Janet and I were standing. “I’m here as a representative and advocate.” “Of?” “I’m Clark’s teacher, and Ms. Grange’s union representative. I have every right to be here if Janet as either the child’s legal guardian or faculty member allows me to be.” Janet sat down and pulled me into her lap. “Yes, please. Thank you,” she said immediately. Beouf did not take the seat beside us, yet. She was staring at Brollish, the old crone busy making calculations. “You weren’t here for Ivy,” Brollish said. “Mrs. Zoge is both her mother and a school employee,” Beouf said matter of factly. “You needed at least one adult minding my class.” There was a moment of clacking on Bankhead’s laptop. “Correct? We have that in writing? We still have that in the email you sent to me immediately after and the notes from when we talked?” Brollish didn’t respond, but Bankhead gave a subtle head bob in the affirmative. “You weren’t here for the last student I interviewed,” Brollish tried. Beouf pushed her glasses up my nose. “Elmer is not my student. He had his mother with him. Beyond basic supervisory duties to ensure his safety that all faculty and staff have, I have no connection with him or his mother.” Brollish tried a verbal parry. “So are you saying I should have let Miss Ambrose be present when I spoke privately to Elmer and his mother?” I winced at the idea. “I am saying that I have the right to be here if my student’s parent or guardian requests it.” Janet spoke up. “I request it.” “Will you be doing this for all of your students if their parents request it?” Brollish asked, her face a grim mask. Now that we were in there, the entire office was smelling strongly of potpourri; dead flowers meant to cover up the smell of rotting flesh held together by a wicked soul. Maybe that was just my imagination. Like the last time, I decided to sit back and trust my mentor. “If they ask me, yes,” Beouf said. “Assuming you feel the need to interview eight other Littles about what a member of staff did.” A lump moved from one cheek to another with Brollish sliding her tongue all around her teeth behind closed lips. “Are you sure you’re allowed to be here, Mrs. Beouf? I’m not sure this is necessary.” Janet adjusted me on her lap. “I would like to also officially request union representation,” Janet said. “And for Mrs. Beouf to remain as a witness to go over the notes with Miss Bankhead and ensure that digital and hard copies are sent out to the necessary parties.” Brollish’s face had barely shifted. Through half closed eyes she said, “Do you really think union representation is necessary for this, Mrs. Grange? This is a conference and investigation concerning Clark’s behavior this afternoon. You’re not here as a teacher.” “Can you guarantee in writing that nothing said here will directly affect evaluations as a teacher?” Beouf butted in. “If he’s suspended or expelled, are you going to hold it against her taking time off to see to his needs? Or can you assure us that such penalties are off the table?” I focused on the little hairs of Brollish’s upper lips, checking across the room to see if they were still moving; hoping that maybe the old bat had died sitting down with her eyes open. “You’re very welcome to join us, Mrs. Beouf.” Beouf sat down next to us. Too bad the additional context as to why she was allowed to sit was the exact opposite of comforting. “Much appreciated,” my old friend said. “Thank you.” A thin smile that came nowhere close to her eyes creaked up Brollish’s skull. “You’re very welcome.” Her eyes moved over to Janet’s lap. “Clark?” I waited for her to say something. Several seconds ticked by. She didn’t. “Yes, ma’am?” “Why did you punch Mrs. Ambrose in the nose?” “We don’t know that he did,” Beouf interrupted before I could react. The slightest eyebrow raise from across the table. “Don’t we?” “Not as far as I’m aware,” Beouf fired back with equal calmness. “Are you accusing him of something?” “Mrs. Ambrose is on record saying Clark ran at her screaming, and punched her right in the face as she was bending over to get at eye level with another student,” Brollish explained. Funny thing is that it was true. “Her nose is broken. That’s good enough for me.” “How do we know that he did it on purpose?” Beouf asked. “He could have accidentally hit her when she started spanking him.” “Why would she spank him then?” “That doesn’t matter,” Beouf said. “That’s not something that is allowed, not without written parental permission.” “I did not and do not give permission.” Janet added. Like a chess player viewing the board, Brollish put her elbows on the table and steepled her fingers in concentration. “It’s true,” the crone admitted, “that corporal punishment is frowned upon. Certain bits of wiggle room are permissible in the name of self-defense.” “Self-defense?!” Janet sneered. “You’re kidding. Self? Defense? From a Little? A Maturosis Little? A baby?” “Maturosis or not,” Brollish replied, “I can’t allow a student on this campus who is a danger to others. An unprovoked attack on a faculty member is by definition dangerous. An entire afternoon of instruction has been lost because my preschool teacher has a broken nose.” “If you take her word for it,” Janet snipped, barely keeping her cool. “Why would I take the word of a child over an adult?” Brollish came back icily. “Not only a child, but someone I had to fire due to breach of contract?” My everything was getting ready to burst with how angry I was. I must have passed that energy into Janet because she said, “You haven’t even heard his word, yet!” “Janet…!” Beouf warned too late. “Yes,” Brollish pretended to agree. “Let’s hear what Clark has to say for himself. Clark? Please. Tell us in your own words. What happened?” I so wanted to shout every obscenity over at Brollish. She had me over a barrel and she knew it. Elmer had said what happened. So had Ivy. Both had the mindsets of literal children. Brollish just wanted to catch me in a lie or get me to confess. I needed to scream. I needed to thrash. I needed to think. I needed time. A fullness in my gut, newly irritated by the addition of heavy cream and vanilla, no doubt, made me need to do something else. I inhaled. Fuck it. Might as well. I leaned forward, stared off into the middle distance directly in front of Brollish, pretended I was giving her the middle finger, and filled my pants up sitting in Janet’s lap. It was easy since I’d had so much practice. After the initial three second push, my body sped right past the point of no return and a veritable mudslide gushed out of me and into the seat of my Monkeez. “Is he…?” Brollish looked genuinely disturbed. “Pooping?” Beouf said, casually. “Probably. That’s what the diaper’s there for, right?” Janet scooped me up by the armpits, taking more pressure off my rear. That made things go along even faster, the front of my diaper swelled and sagged beneath me with added pee as my bowels finished clearing themselves. The snaps between my legs were doing more than their fair share to hold the increasing mass up. Was it my diet? Fiber? Fruits and veggies? Was I slightly lactose intolerant? Had I just done it so much by this point that I’d become good at it? Hard to tell. But there was a certain happiness that came over me, watching Brollish’s nose wrinkle and her being forced to sit there awkwardly, trapped in her own office, looking at me taking a dump right in front of her. If it had been a potted plant, it would have been better, but this would have to do. Janet lowered me back down to her lap, and I felt the warm muck and mess spread around beneath my redistributed weight. I allowed a goofy, happy smile,and gave out an audible sigh of relief. Watching Brollish’s lip curl ever so slightly, witnessing that breach of composure made the lack of dignity gratifying. Comparing their faces a new realization occurred to me: Beouf seemed relaxed, oddly amused. Not only was she used to seeing Littles poop their pants on a daily basis as to be immune to disgust; but she very likely knew me well enough to sense the joy I was taking at Brollish’s discomfort. Janet was already settling me back into her lap and cuddling me in her grip, but she was being much more still and steady with her legs. Me pooping myself was gross, but I was her Little, her baby, so that made it more than bearable. Bankhead’s eyebrows twitched slightly, but she went right back to typing as if nothing out of the ordinary happened. She’d been in so many I.E.P. meetings over the years, that the idea of a Little having an accident right there at the meeting was only foreign in that most Littles didn’t get to attend their I.E.P. meetings. Brollish was quietly repulsed. Children, which I was supposed to be, were dirty things that were tolerated and humored in small doses. Moreover, the gears were turning in her brain, looking for the next angle of attack. In short, three of the Amazons strongly believed that I was actually a baby for all intents and purposes. Brollish? She either didn’t believe it or it just didn’t factor into her calculations. Interesting. Bonus points, my spite shit had bought me some time. Just not enough. “If you’re finished,” Brollish said. “Why don’t you tell me why you hit the teacher.” “Can I change him, first?” Janet asked. “I don’t want him getting a rash.” She moved to get up but Brollish motioned her back down. “No no. That can wait. That’s what the diaper’s for, right?” She burrowed her gaze down into me “Talk to us Clark. Please.” “He was…” “No thank you Mrs. Beouf,” she cut Melony off. “Your testimony has already been taken. No need to coach.” Melony gripped the arms of her chair and stared at me with as much fervor, her jaw working and grinding like she was trying to send me a message via telepathy. I blinked “No need to coach.” She was coaching me, wasn’t she? Two blinks. “You’re free to go back to your room to teach, Ms. Grange. I don’t mind watching him.” And they were keeping me away from the others, and under watch so that they couldn’t tell me something. Three. “You needed at least one adult minding my class.” That would mean Ambrose’s class too, wouldn’t it? “See you around, Boss. I’ll stop by your class and tell her you said ‘Hello’ before I go.” So it stood to reason that Tracy was watching our kids alone, too. School had to keep functioning as a school before the buses pulled out. Four blinks. “It seems our children are picking up bad habits from one another.” “I’m sorry, Clark. You taught me to never ask for a hug without permission.” “Looks like you finally got that hug you were both looking for.” It was a good thing I’d just shit my pants because then someone could shout ‘You-Reek-Uh!’ “I saw my friend Elmer,” I said. “And I really really missed him because when I was a big boy I used to be his teacher.” I tug my bandaged left hand up over my bottom lip and started playing with. With my right hand I started fiddling with the pacifier. “And?” “I got Ivy to get me out of the harness so I could run over to Elmer and give him a hug.” The first few syllables were garbled until Janet gently pulled my fingers out of my own mouth. “And?” I looked out of the corner of my eye. Beouf was leaning further back in the chair with each passing second. Tension and nervousness was exiting her body, practically evaporating. “I tried to give him a hug,” I continued, “but then somebody grabbed me and I got scared and I turned around and my hand hurt and then,” I started to sniffle. I made my throat close up and crushed my face into itself so I could let out one pathetic falsetto, “owie!” “Shhhhh,” Janet said, rubbing my back again. “It’s okay. It’s okay.” Then with more volume, Janet said. “So my Little boy went to give a friend a hug, hopped out of line, ran away, and interrupted Ambrose giving some kind of instruction to a child. Does that sound correct?” Brollish removed her glasses and exhaled through her nose. “According to the majority of reports I have received? Yes. It seems that way.” I’d done it! We’d done it! Brollish didn’t want to give us time to coordinate and create a cover story, but she still needed to keep the school running! Beouf, Zoge, and Tracy all had time to talk with each other and communicate, get their story straight and pass along hints to me! Tracy must have even gotten Elmer and his mother in on the act when parents were called. That doesn’t seem like self-defense to me,” Mrs. Beouf said. “Even if it was, it has no merit regarding expulsion.” Defeated, Brollish asked. “Why do you say that?” “Let’s say for the sake of argument that everything Ambrose said is true.” Beouf said. “A student of mine slipped his harness, ran up, and attacked an adult unprovoked. Clark has a Developmental Plateau somewhere between eighteen and thirty months. Higher in some areas, lower in others. One and a half to two and a half years old, tops. Functionally a toddler in almost everything but raw intellect; fairly common in Maturosis when diagnosed and treated correctly.” She chuckled under her breath. “I’ve got a model I can show you using blocks if you’d like.” Brollish replaced her glasses. “Get on with it,” she sighed. “If a not even three year old sucker punched an adult and then was publicly beaten, do you think it would be a good idea to expel a student for that?” “I do not.” “Expulsion should only be considered in extreme circumstances,” Beouf quoted as if from a written document (which she very likely was). “Such as when a student is a danger to other students.” “Yes,” Brollish agreed, a bit too readily. “You’ve got a point.” She leaned over in her desk, opened up a cabinet, and from her witch’s cauldron, she took out a manilla folder. “Which is why I’d like to discuss this.” She opened it up. Stapled to the inside was a clear plastic sandwich bag containing an absolutely vile looking bottle of what used to hold cinnamon. Worse than the bag, in the folders were pictures of a Little boy in a sailor suit coughing up clouds of brown dust, a single one showing the first round of vomit coming out of his mouth. “The photographer saved a few of these for me,” Brollish said. “Care to explain, Clark?” The feeling of victory I’d experienced planted itself right between my shoulder blades; a nagging itch that I just couldn’t reach. I’d been so close, too. “No…” I said. “I don’t.” “He probably doesn’t even remember that,” Beouf tried. “It doesn’t matter if he remembers it or not,” Brollish answered. Her tone a quiet mockery of Beouf’s early confidence. “I have evidence to suggest that he poisoned himself and several other students. That’s dangerous. Very dangerous. He even hid the evidence in the diaper pail somehow. That signifies intent, don’t you think.” She’d held onto this as a back up plan in case her original gambit failed. “I thought it’d be funny,” I said. Honestly? In hindsight? It kind of was. Playing the idiot had gotten me this far. Beouf scowled, “Clark…” I wasn’t helping myself. “Speaking as his parent and a teacher,” Janet said, “I think you’re reaching, ma’am.” As if all that she needed were the pictures, she slid them across the desk so that Janet could get an even better look. “Oh?” “If Clark were a thirty two year old adult,” Janet stated, “I would agree with you. That’s a fireable offense, for sure.” Behind her glasses Brollish was grimacing. She suddenly saw where this was going. “Clark is legally a baby, now,” my Mommy continued. “He doesn’t even have the identification number he was born with. He’s legally a different person. Fresh start. It’s not fair to hold him to one set of standards and then another when as it suits us.” “He nearly killed himself choking and several others could have been hurt too. They also vomited everywhere.” “He’s a baby,” Beouf jumped in. “All of my students are. That’s why they’re my students. Babies stick things in their mouths all the time. High sensory seeking behaviors. They talk other babies into doing silly things, too. Low impulse control and a desire for recognition.” The clacking of Bankhead’s computer, then, “Does that mean,” Brollish asked, “that you failed in your duties to prevent that behavior? You allowed the contraband to be snuck in?” “Yes ma’am,” Beouf nodded. “And if you would like to put that in my yearly evaluation or have that otherwise affect my performance review this year, you have every right to do so and I accept it.” The Principal seemed so shocked that Beouf would accept a penalty of some sort so quickly that Janet was able to get in, “If it’s about vomiting on purpose, ma’am, then you need to have words with some fourth and fifth graders who chugged pop rocks, pixie sticks, and soda at the Fall Festival.” A low grunt rumbled out of Brollish as the dusty old processor that was her brain ran the numbers. “You make a very good point, ladies,” she said. “That is why, effective tomorrow through the end of Thursday, Clark Grange will be suspended.” No one said a thing. It could have been so much worse. Still… “Suspended?” I asked. “Why?” “I am a firm believer in restorative justice,” Brollish said. “You did a very bad thing, and need to face consequences for that action. Because of your status, I can’t have you mopping floors, so I’m giving you time out to reflect on what you’ve done by giving you the maximum amount of suspension for that type of infraction.” “Vomiting?” Beouf asked, incredulous. “Vandalism,” Brollish said simply. Okay. Yeah. That was admittedly fair. “Ms. Grange, I trust you have either enough emergency sub plans and time off to watch him or the means to ensure for his care?” Janet stood up with me. “Yes, ma’am.” “Very good. Mrs. Beouf, you may take your student back to the classroom for the remainder of the day.” I was quickly passed over to Beouf. I’d already forgotten what was going on beneath my waist because of all the adrenaline pumping in me. “Yes, ma’am.’ “Thank you for your time, ladies.” We walked stiffly and silently out of the office, out into the reception area, and then circling around into the courtyard. Janet gave me a final kiss on the cheek. “We’ll talk more at home,” she promised. Beouf didn’t say anything till we were almost in the classroom. “Big boy?” she said. “Really?” “What?” I blushed. “I was trying to sell it.” “Laying it on a little thick, aren’t you, bud? Anybody who knows you knows that you don’t talk like that!” She tweaked my nose and winked. “Good thing Brollish doesn’t really know you, huh?” “It worked, didn’t it?” “I’m Cwawk,” Melony lisped all the way into an obnoxious falsetto. “An’ I’m justa widdle baby. Notta big boy! Ooowooo!” I gasped in half-mocking exasperation. “Are you making fun of me for actually talking like my Developmental Plateau Melony Beouf?” “No, Clark Gibson Grange,” Melony smirked. “I’m making fun of you for doing a bad impression of what you think I want your Developmental Plateau to sound like. You taught preschool for how long and that’s the best you can do?” “Shut up,” I laughed, and stuck out my tongue at her. She stopped at the door and stuck hers out right back at me. “Gibson Grange?” I said. “What’s up with that?” “Slip of the tongue,” Beouf shrugged, bobbing me in my messy Monkeez with it. “I don’t normally know people’s pre-Adopted names. I messed up and self-corrected in the same thought and hoped you wouldn’t notice.” She grabbed the door handle. “Come on, stinker, let’s get you changed.” “Deal.” It had been a day of terrible and wonderful miracles. As it turned out there was still one left. “Hey, Boss!” Beouf’s room was in total chaos. The normally well organized classroom was littered with stuffies and toys from every activity center and bit of closet space. Rather than attempt any form of discipline or instruction, Zoge had just given up pretense and initiated a kind of indoor recess. Zoge hadn’t been the only certified adult in the room, however. Standing amidst the chaos, my favorite Tweener surveyed the real life three and four year olds playing amongst the eighteen to thirty five year olds forced to act younger. What’s more, they were playing with each other. No shouts of ‘baby’ or shoves or pushes from the bigger children. No fear or manipulation from the smaller adults. “Okay kid,” Chaz said. “Put that block there.” “But that’ll make it all fall.” “Exactly!” Chaz snapped his finger. “It’s not good fun until something is falling down!” “Hold still,” Annie said to a former student of mine. “I haven’t done this in a while.” “Are these gonna make me look pretty?” the massive three year old asked, while Annie fiddled with hair clips. “You’re gonna be the prettiest dolly in all the land. Promise!” If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that the Littles were kind of…babysitting? Not with any kind of actual authority, but the children were following their lead. Lots of questions of “what next?” and declarations of “follow me!” Over in the reading nook, Mandy and Shauna were giving an impromptu phonics lesson. Jessie and Sandra Lynn were working with finger paints and giving an art seminar. “Tracy?” I gawked. “What in the world is happening?” “Mrs. Zoge and I decided to combine classes for the afternoon. This place has better toys.” “But…but…but…” I spread my arms over the entire scene. If I hadn’t known any better I’d say Ambrose had never indoctrinated them. “We had a talk after lunch.” “About what?” “Treating people the way you want to be treated,” Tracy said. “Gold Rule. Oh, and about how Littles with Maturosis were very experienced babies, and you could still learn a lot.from experience. That and I promised them extra cupcakes if they were nice.” Her nose started to wrinkle at my smell. “Come on,” Beouf said. She started high stepping over blocks and playsets.. “Let’s get you cleaned up, oh experienced one.” Peering over Beouf’s shoulder, I saw Tracy bend over and whisper something into Tommy’s ear. Whatever she was telling my least favorite asshole, he was digging it. I stared at my reflection in the ceiling mirror, smiling up at myself. As far as Little victories went, this was easily the Littlest. I’d won with the help of my friends because I’d done something so incredibly stupid as to be nearly suicidal and they all covered for me. My only punishment was three days off. “Just like old times,” I whispered. I was so tired and over the moon with relief that it didn’t even bother me seeing Beouf’s hands unbutton my romper again and expose my ruined diaper. Beouf grabbed a fresh diaper and started unfolding it. “What was that?” she asked, her hands already going for the tapes. From the classroom, shouting so loud that it could be heard over everything else came Tommy’s thundering voice. “ALL HAIL CLARK GIBSON! THE GIANT KILLAAAAAAAAAAAH!” My change was delayed by a good two minutes with both of us cackling and gasping for breath in the bathroom, Beouf becoming so weak that she fell to her knees and had to steady herself and climb back up to her feet using the changing table’s shelves.

I'm always in a diaper and a T-shirt when I am not working. It's practically my standard outfit around the house. In curtain places I go, it's also accepted as well.

Hey everyone! I tried to get this out late Saturday, because of something I had going on today, but it just didn’t happen, so apologies for the lateness now. Fortunately, though, I was able to complete a little more of the story after this as well, and I think with a little pushing, I can put out more chapters than just every other day this week and still meet my deadline. With my plan of this story, I only have seven chapters after this one, so it’s still tight, but I believe that it’s also doable. Also, as a small warning, there is a little violence depicted in this chapter. Please keep in mind that I in no way condone the actions of one Big here and she is only in this chapter to show the bad of this society against the baby-adult Littles. Anyways, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 12: I Have Become the Dunce of the Rats I was admittedly a bit of a wallflower back home, but I guess being one of the few unregressed Littles under the roof of a Big, had shone a spotlight on me that I couldn’t shake. So, I decided to play it up a bit and luxuriate in the small fame that I was acquiring. Soon, I was the talk of most parties. I was no longer ‘milk drunk’ as most had started to call it after drinking the still prevalent Tabers milk, but I could still entertain the lot of everyone. As September started to just feel the fringes of the coming Fall, Samantha and I attended another one of Oppy’s block parties. So, here I was, at yet another block party and regaling the crowd with stories of Earth. “Fall is my favorite season back home. In my area especially, as there’s just so much to do! Apple picking, fall festivals, campfires, camping, driving with your top down amongst the Fall leaves, Renaissance fairs…” “Renaissance fairs?” One Big suddenly blurted out questioningly. “You mean from the renaissance period? Isn’t that all torture and religious turmoil?” “What?” I always forgot that they had their own renaissance period, but they always tended to focus on the negatives of that time period rather than the positives as our society often did. “Oh… right. No, actually. Everyone just goes and drinks and eats while they watch jousts and all. Some even dress up! It’s really fun.” “So, you all just dress up and play make believe?” another woman Big asked. “All while getting drunk? Tsk. Tsk. Just like irresponsible little children” ‘Crud…’ This pitfall of my stories had happened before, especially when I was asked about Halloween. Sure, on the surface level, these events could seem very childish, but they didn’t always have to be. To a Big though, they rarely could see anything else whenever humans seemed to be involved. “It’s not like that… it’s just a bit of fun. Escapism in a sense…” The Bigs before me nodded and the matter seemed to resolve itself. It didn’t always happen, but I just continued my stories about Earth afterward. As usual though, whenever Judge Franklin had been invited, he always made sure to ask the same question at some point during the night. So, sure enough, he asked right after I finished talking about apple picking. “Tell us more about your government and how it works next, Percy. That’s always very fascinating, right everyone?” The crowd of Bigs nodded as usual, but to them, it was just another story, and Franklin being a judge meant that of course he would be interested in such matters. I would have told him no outright, except, as promised, I always made sure one of the family members was by my side to advise in such matters. Today, was a more somber and reserved Harriet, still recovering mentally at least from her botched mission. Still, even through all that, I could tell she was uncomfortable with the matter Judge Franklin was asking about. So, once again, I evaded the topic. “Maybe, but today I’m talking about fall weather. Maybe sometime in a few months, when it’s more relevant, I can talk about that stuff then.” I always made sure to keep my answers to his questions vague, but I could see his patience was running thin. Each grumble always seemed to send Samantha into a tizzy, but I just calmly moved on each time and tried not to show how truly mystified and scared I was over what was happening behind closed doors. I knew there was a secret by now, but I just wasn’t sure what it was. Still, at least for now, I wasn’t given any state secrets away. The party continued, and once again, I found myself dozing off on the ride back home. I remembered little bits of the rest of the night, but my eyes next opened fully back in my bedroom the next morning. Not much had changed since I first arrived, though it was now complete with a changing table to help ‘Samantha’s back’ in the mornings with my needed diaper changes. Yes, I had begun wetting unwillingly at night lately, even when I wasn’t scared. By now, to me at least, it felt like just another indignity thrust upon me by this world. Regardless, after our usual morning routine, Samantha soon dropped me off at daycare and I rejoined my friends, who were both waiting for me. Of course, I also counted Ditzy, Derek, and Jimmy as my friends here as well, but each were on their own path of regression to various degrees, and to be blunt, the cursed Tabers milk only made them worse. Melley and DB had begun drinking the stuff as well, and I noticed little changes to them, but it wasn’t enough to be completely concerned about just yet. In fact, both had started to cart around their stuffed animals from home as well, which made me feel less weird about bringing my own. I had originally brought Stripe with me on outings before, but after a freak rainstorm in the park three weeks ago almost ruined and flushed him down the street, I decided to opt for Nurple as well. I just couldn’t lose one of my few connections to Earth like that. Never fear though, Stripe and Nurple both still comforted me immensely at home equally and then again especially at night. “So, did you make it to your party last night with Oppy and all?” Melley asked, smoothing out the fur of the stuffed black dog in her lap. “I did. Another triumph I think,” I bragged. It felt good to finally have something over these two. I didn’t like comparing myself, but it almost made me feel more confident and mature. “There were even dozens more than usual last night. Oppy even noted that a few were local politicians and big execs from out of town. I think a few of the politicians even went back to the capital and reported on my stories. Isn’t that awesome?” DB and Melley looked at each other very seriously for a moment and both sullenly nodded their heads. “That’s great, Percy…” Despite the wording, I instantly felt a shift in their demeanors. Both Melley’s black dog and DBs seagull stuffy’s were now being gripped as tightly as they could. It was the classic Littles sign around here that something was amiss but for whatever reason, speaking it out loud could have just led to trouble. In essence, it was our coping mechanism to deal with being silenced, so I needed to know what was happening with what I had just said. “Okay… what’s up you two? You’re acting a bit squirrelly now… is it something I said? Did you fart? Pee? What? Please tell me. I’m your friend.” Both looked at each other for a little bit and seemed to gesture as if to tell me something, but Melley only looked at me glumly afterward. “It’s nothing, Percy. We’re just tired… that’s all. No coffee anymore or something like that … catches up with you… You’ll see.” Melley was good at evading the truth around here. I found that out directly when she had nabbed an extra cookie for each of us two weeks ago and hadn’t gotten caught… even when she was confronted an hour later by Mrs. Katherine, who was notorious for getting the truth out of Littles. Still, I let it go. And so, the day went on. It felt normal, but then an attendant would mention Earth or praise me for something from last night. I guess my stories were rapidly spreading amongst the Bigs, but each time, Melley and DB seemed to grow sour once more. The aura around them would pass, but each time it started to take longer for them to become their cheerful selves once again. So finally, after Miss Tina praised my behavior from last night in front of the Bigs in passing and Melley and DB both frowned afterward, I knew I had to confront them. “Okay. Stop,” I said loudly, snapping back to meet my two friends head on. “What’s going on?” Melley started to speak up, but I cut her off. “And don’t lie and say it’s just nothing. It’s not nothing. I might wear a diaper and feel Nurple here in my arms is my lifeline to safety and security, but I still have my mind. I’m not some simple drooling, pants-pooping Little you can just shuffle off around here. I’m your friend and I need to know. So, spill.” Melley and DB seemed shocked at my sudden confrontation, but once again, just looked at each other and seemed to make several head and hand gestures. A few seemed aimed towards me, while a few others were definitely towards the Bigs. I couldn’t make heads or tails of what they were saying to each other, but I at least could see quickly that DB wanted to tell me and Melley wanted to keep it a secret. Finally, though, Melley seemed to give up her protests and DB turned to me. “Look, Percy… what you’re doing is… I mean, have you ever thought about it? I mean, really thought about it?” he asked me intently. I wasn’t sure where he was going with this, but I nodded my head. “I did. I got a bit milk drunk back in July, but since then, it’s just been basic things. Holidays, traditions, histories, and the like. I’ve made sure it’s nothing catastrophic. Just kind of who we are in general more like.” Melley rolled her eyes and DB looked shocked. I still wondered what was going on, but I think after a minute of him just getting his bearings back, he got closer to me and leaned in. “But that’s the problem.” I was immediately confused. ‘How could telling them about Christmas or the Revolutionary War be harmful?’ I sighed. “I don’t think I understand…” I wasn’t mentally regressed, but there were just some days that one could feel like a real dunce around here. DB seemed hesitant to continue, but Melley was looking impatient now. “Just tell him, DB. He needs to know, and he can make up his own mind after that.” DB nodded slowly at his other friend’s suggestion. “Well, you’re telling them exactly what they want to know… or at least mostly.” I quickly raised an eyebrow, still not sure why they were acting like they were. DB sighed but still continued. “You’ve met our caregivers, but what you don’t know about them is that they are kind of on the border. Neither liberal nor conservative for the treatment of Littles, but they’re powerful. Old money and government ties and all, so most want them on their side, so we’ve heard things from all sorts of perspectives when they thought we were playing. The bit you need to know is the one that is a conspiracy against us Littles.” “A conspiracy?” From what I had seen with judges Franklin and Grossman, Reddington, and even Taylor, I always felt like there was a story I wasn’t fully reading all the pages of. There almost seemed to be missing chapters explaining everything, but I thought it was just the Norris family hating Grossman’s and Franklin’s family. DB nodded though and snapped me out of my thoughts. “Yep. Right here at the academy, but it’s all over the country apparently as well and growing.” I looked over to Melley, just to confirm that DB was telling the truth, and this wasn’t just another one of his conspiracy theories. I still felt a little burned after he thought that my brand of diapers had tracking devices in them, and I had told Samantha about them… and she threw out three cases of diapers. “It’s against us Littles, but where do the most Littles come from?” “Here?” I guessed. DB shook his head. “You would think that, but it’s actually Earth. Here, maybe only 20-30% of the population are Littles these days after the last Height War took out a bunch of them. Even with a population of 5 billion here, Earth’s numbers far outmatch this planet’s own.” It seemed hard to believe and I think DB was seeing my doubt, so he just leaned in to tell me more. “Remember, Percy, Earth’s population with a little time could all be Littles for this society. Every. Single. One. Of. Them…” I sat back and hugged Nurple against my side. I didn’t want to show my fear at that moment, but I realized just how right DB actually was. Take me for example. I was an average human, and while I might have had a predisposition to this life in some ways, I was still a pretty average human. So, if I, or anyone else here could be turned or made into a perfect Little, Earth stood no chance… but I felt like I was still missing something. “Okay… you have a shockingly good point, but what does this have to do with my talks?” DB then snapped his fingers and Melley rolled her eyes once more. “Right. Yes. Your talks are the key, you see.” I squinted my eyes trying to see the connection. I still couldn’t, but DB noticed right away. “Look… say you want to convince someone to buy ice cream or a house…” I was still hesitant about it all, but I decided to indulge my friend. “Go on…” “Well,” he continued confidently, “if it’s ice cream and that person is on a diet or lactose intolerant, you could be wasting your time. Market the ice cream to a person with a sweet tooth though… and you’ve just made your sale.” I looked at DB waiting for the punchline. “I’m talking about that knowing someone is the key to making a deal or a plan successful. If they know us on Earth, they can use that information and push us around how they want.” “We would see it pretty quickly though,” I tried to say with vigor, but even my voice betrayed the lack of confidence I had in my own words. Frighteningly, DB was starting to make sense. “We would stop them… I just know it…” “Maybe… but these are Bigs here, Percy,” he said while gesturing all around him. “They live a long time, are patient, and they have the technology to outdo most of what Earth has right now. They’ve been trying for years, but you… you might have just given them the information they need to finally succeed.” “I… I…” I stammered unsuccessfully out. I was trying to deny it all, but with each layer of new information that DB gave me, I felt my resolve crumble just a little more. Each party had been full of academy personnel originally, but now… I was seeing politicians, businessmen… all wanting to hear about Earth. I was starting to feel like the biggest fool ever. “Just think about it, Percy… you saw Chelsea and Samantha in action up close and personal.” I did back at the con for sure. “They lulled you in and took you here. You might be accepting of it now, but they knew just what buttons to press for you and Ditzy, right? Could you really have told Samantha ‘no’ back then when you were under the influence of a single mild drug for only a few days? What do you think would be the effect of these Bigs on Earth if they knew where to hit and they had years to do it? Do you think there would be any area of our society they couldn’t touch? Or even infiltrate?” All this was too much, and it was hitting me with a force that I never thought possible until now. The Bigs and this academy were learning everything… I wanted DB to stop, but he was on a roll now. I could see the fire in his eyes and the passion behind his words. This wouldn’t be over until I had learned everything there was to know about exactly what I had been doing for a few months now. “And think what they want for just a moment,” he said pointing both his fingers at his temples. “All this is leading to one conclusion. Control, but that’s too hard right off the bat. What if we were vulnerable and afraid though? Think of a crying Little… I mean, that’s what they think of Earth anyways. So, if the Little is desperate enough though… they could accept anything, right? Maybe even a deal with their caregiver that would have seemed barbaric or cruel otherwise?” All his ranting and conspiracy theories led here to this one question. If he had asked me a few minutes ago, I would have thought he was just crazy or even too milk drunk. I even saw the discarded sippy cup behind him, but now… I knew where he was going with all this. “No… they wouldn’t…” “Oh yes!” he shouted with a fierceness I had rarely seen in him before. “One exchange between two peoples… give Earth what this dimension has: technology. Earth would of course accept the deal, being so vulnerable, and in exchange, they would give them whatever they want. Say… something they have in abundance? People perhaps?” It was all so simple. The path over the next years seemed all laid out before me now. Bigs were smart and resourceful. They could outpace us in almost everything, but they were also from a different reality. If they wanted a job to infiltrate, they would need information… exactly like the information that I had given them. Right then, I knew that I hadn’t given them state secrets, but I gave them camouflage. I gave them knowledge of summers and falls from back home. They knew what Halloween was and now wouldn’t seem like an alien species or brain damaged when asked what the World Series was. Me… I had given them all they needed to know to get restarted on their plans to take over the Littles of Earth. I didn’t mean it, but as any Little who had accidentally broken a lamp with a misthrow of a ball could tell you, intentions rarely seem to matter in the end. After hearing it all and my part in it, I don’t think it should have been a shock when I started to hyperventilate. “No, no, no…” I tried to self-soothe. It didn’t work. “What have I done?” The tears began to fall. “I destroyed the Earth! I betrayed them all!” I rocked back and forth and tried to hold Nurple as tight as I could. It didn’t work and I just got worse. Meanwhile, DB looked at me in shock. His information was meant to unsettle me and get me to stop, but he had been too effective in his narration of events to come. Half was speculation in all likelihood, but it all just made so much sense. So, to someone like me who had taken pride in their skills of information sharing with all the Bigs, all this had come as one large blow… too big though it seemed for my little brain to process at once. “Oh, crud…” Melley had been messing around with her dog, but then looked over at me. I was almost in a daze by then as I had worked myself up too much, but she could see the issue in all that was unfolding now. While we had just finished lunch and would have normally gone out to play outside while the others took a nap, it was currently raining… and we were inside… during what was supposed to be quiet time. “Shhh… shhh…” Melley tried to comfort me. It wasn’t working. “Easy there… you didn’t know, Percy. It was an honest mistake… shhh… shhh… you’re going to be okay.” “No! I’m guilty!” I shot back, snot coming from nose a bit as I did so. I was a bit too loud, and DB saw that one of the attendants took notice of me now. “I was an idiot! I was a Little who was playing a game I had no business in. I wanted to be an adult again! I wanted to sit at the grown-up table, and I felt my admission was my stories of Earth. Stupid, stupid me!” In my frustration, I even began hitting myself. “Percy… Percy… come on,” DB tried to calm me down, as he saw Miss Tina starting to approach. “I get it, man, but you need to chill. Miss Tina’s coming! Come on, buddy.” Melley stopped rubbing my back as she saw the kindly attendant approaching rapidly. It was protocol after all for her to intervene, so Miss Tina couldn’t be blamed, but still, it was just really bad timing right then. In retrospect though, from her perspective, I could have been seriously injured or even bleeding out from an untold number of things in here. The Tabers milk was dangerous on several levels, but it induced a quick mental regression in most of its drinkers, and that had only led to a few consequences lately. One Little last week, still not fully regressed, drank a whole bottle and then thought they could fly off the top of the changing table when they weren’t strapped down. So, as such, I could have accidentally drunk some and then stuck my hand in a wall socket for all she knew. “Percy… Percy… Come on! Come…” He then stopped as I continued to practice my self-hatred. “Oh, hello there, Miss Tina…” “Hello, DB. Is everything okay here?” she asked, looking directly at me. I didn’t look back and Melley stood up in my place. “He just figured something personal out, Miss Tina. Bit of a shock I guess, but he’s only a little upset now…” I could tell she was trying to get Miss Tina to go away, and she might have normally. Not being a regressed Little who took a nap though, Melley had forgotten about the golden rule of keeping everything quiet. Beyond medical emergencies, it usually took top priority. Miss Tina smiled and looked relieved, but nonetheless, reached down to get me. “I’m very glad to hear that, Melley, but it’s quiet time now. The other Littles need to sleep and upset or not, Percy here needs to try and be quiet. I’ll see what I can do but thank you two for trying to help him out.” “Yes, ma’am,” Melley said dejectedly, now sitting back down after Miss Tina had picked me up. “Thank you…” “Good girl…” Miss Tina then looked back at me and tried to figure out was wrong. After a few questions and a check of my diaper, she was still perplexed over how she could help me most quickly in this situation. “Man… you were all so mature when you were talking to those Bigs last night. Whatever happened to that cute Little, huh?” Her comments and actions weren’t helping. Miss Tina was one of the good ones around here, but she just didn’t get it. I couldn’t be consoled right now, feeling like a traitor to everyone I had left back home. I felt I could never go back now, but Miss Tina was persistent. “Come on, Percy,” she tried to reason with me. “It’s okay to be sad, but you need to at least be quiet right now. Maybe we should go to the quiet room? I think that might be best now.” She then started to tickle me and stroke my face as she began walking toward the back door. “Would that be what you wa… son of a…!” I shoved her about as hard as I could right then. I was in no mood for anything, and I just wanted to let all my feelings out. Nothing she was going to do here would help that and my emotions just got the best of me. Now, it wasn’t hard or anything, but both my hands went sailing right into her chest. She nearly dropped me, but she had been walking around a little to calm me down and we were near the changing tables, so she set me down on one of them. “Oh man, Percy,” she said, rubbing her chest where I had struck. “I know you’re upset, but that really hurt.” I was even stunned by my own actions, and I meekly whimpered, “Sorry… but just please leave me alone… please, Miss Tina…” Miss Tina sighed in clear sympathy for whatever was happening with me, but just ultimately shook her head. “Thank you for apologizing to me, Percy. I understand, but I don’t think I…” “What in the world are you doing?” Mrs. Katherine asked, storming over to us. Apparently, she had watched the whole thing unfold from the beginning. The daycare workers each had their specialties, and Mrs. Katherine’s certainly wasn’t soothing Littles though. Miss Tina seemed shocked. “I was just trying to help Percy calm down. It was nothi…” “No!” Mrs. Katherine bellowed. “You are the Big here. You need to take charge!” Her yelling was making a lot of people stare and there was no way that she wasn’t disturbing the napping Littles, but being who she was, I doubted she cared. “I… uh, let’s keep our voices down, maybe?” Miss Tina suggested. Her priority was keeping the Littles happy, including the napping ones. I think Mrs. Katherine saw it as weakness though, as her eyes immediately flared up. “That’s a no on that front then… what kind of Big do you call yourself anyways?” Miss Tina was about to shoot back, a little angry now herself and the insult lobbed her way, but Mrs. Katherine wasn’t having it. “Just stop talking… I’ll take care of this. I’m sure some other Little needs their nose or butt wiped…” Before I could even register what was happening, Mrs. Katherine swooped in and plucked me away from the changing table and brought me through the back door. Miss Tina seemed too stunned or scared to intervene. The back door led to several areas from a few hallways, but now, all I could think about was that I was here with the dreaded attendant of this daycare. Since I came here, I was warned about several things. Never eat the green paste. Say ‘excuse me’ the best you can if you burp. Chocolate is good, but poo is not food. Don’t swear… the list went on and on and highly depended on the Little, but the one constant from every Little that could still speak was never upset Mrs. Katherine. At first, I even thought that maybe we were going to the quiet room as Miss Tina had suggested before my last outburst. It was basically for nursing Bigs for their Littles, but it could also be used for timeouts, tantrums, or even if everything was just too overwhelming for a Little. To my dismay though, we turned left instead of right. There, at the end of the hall, I saw a sign listing out ‘Punishment Room.’ I think I peed a little right then and my crying seemed to almost stop suddenly on its own. “Stupid Little…” Mrs. Katherine growled as we entered the room. “Crying… and for what? You found out about a little conspiracy of the Bigs here? That you screwed up as a human being?” She scoffed a little bit as she maneuvered me around a few items I didn’t recognize. “Geez… if you hadn’t figured all that out by now… I thought you were brave and maybe even a little rebellious… but now? Wait until everyone hears about this…” I think my stomach fell to the floor right then. Of course, the harshest Big in the academy daycare was in on all of it. My enemies were growing daily, it seemed sometimes, and I didn’t think this day could get any worse, but I was quickly proven mistaken. Mrs. Katherine’s face soon lit up as she spied a single black bench of sorts off to the side of the large room here. “This room is where I get to employ my special talents, Percy. Fought in the Height War and learned a few skills there… even got a boost in longevity as reward for it…” She then set me down on the bench with my front overlayed on the top and my legs nearly dangling over the side with my toes just barely able to support them on the floor. “I think that should do. Struggling is good in here… Now, hands,” she demanded. I was a little slow, but I complied, not wanting to make any of this worse. So, very quickly, both were strapped to the sides of the contraption. “Good… maybe there’s hope for someone like you after all here. Adult Littles don’t last long, but compliant baby Littles… I still punish them, but it’s just to remind them of the things their pointless brains couldn’t retain.” I felt like I was now at the mercy of a demon… a sadist… the devil themselves. I whimpered a little as she then strapped my legs to the bench as well and then suddenly yanked down my shortalls and my diaper. That’s when a terrible realization hit me; I was about to be spanked! The practice was largely thought of as taboo by most, but I had started to notice a trend of sore bottoms coming from several of the Littles whom I identified as belonging to the more conservative caregivers and members of the academy. Knowing about the conspiracy and her connection to it, and this room alone and her excitement upon entering, Mrs. Katherine was clearly a proponent of it. “Please…” I whimpered out. My sobbing had ceased, but now, tears of desperation and panic were rolling down my face. “Hush!” Mrs. Katherine scolded me as she looked in a nearby open cabinet. “Here! Let’s fix that little problem here, shall we?” She then retrieved something from the cabinet and quickly came back over to me and strapped whatever it was around my face, effectively silencing anything I tried to say. “There. That’s better.” She then clicked back over to the open cabinet. I couldn’t see it very well, especially with my blurry tear-soaked eyes, but I could feel my pulse quicken from the little that I did see. In there, there were at least seven different types of spanking devices. Paddles, crops, whips, flogs… and so much more adorned the shelving and cabinet area. I knew what each was, but I was never really into that scene back home. I was almost even too scared back at the con to go into the dark room, so right now… I wanted to flee for my life. If this was a dream, I was about to scream bloody murder and wake up, or somehow, Samantha would come barging in and save me. Sadly, the door never flung open and all I heard was a “Aha! Perfect!” from Mrs. Katherine. I could then hear the clicking of her heels back over to me and I squirmed helplessly as I felt her breath on the back of my neck. “You know… in a way… everyone comes through this room. I was thinking that you were a good boy. Sam even tried convincing me of that… too bad… she’s going to be so disappointed in you for being such a bad boy.” She paused and I could feel whatever she had chosen, start to slide against my bare butt. “Oh well… but I guess I should call today your… initiation.” She then rose back up and I could feel her hand massage my butt a little. “Hmmm… let’s say 20 for today? Can always adjust if needed.” I tried to protest, but only more drool came out from my gag than anything else. So. soon, the only sound came from the swish of the paddle and the smack as it hit my backside. It didn’t take more than four for me to become a complete mess with my butt very much now stinging and on fire. After 15, I felt like I was going to pass out. “There,” Mrs. Katherine finally said at the end, a hint of satisfaction in her tone, “all done! What a good boy, especially for one so bad…” I remained silent. I felt broken… disjointed from reality. Mrs. Katherine just smiled in front of me as she unstrapped me. “Awww. What’s the matter, honey? You shy now?” I still made no reply. Mrs. Katherine instead only pulled my diaper back up and hauled me up and practically thrust me into the corner of the room with my shortalls still around my ankles. “Now, you be a good boy and stand there with your nose in the corner. I’ll collect you later, but any movement until then, and you’ll get five more spanks with something far worse than what you just got.” I only nodded my head. I had no willpower to say ‘no’ to her. I was determined to be a good boy and just end this day as fast as I could now. “Good. Timer starts now!” She then slammed the door and almost every light turned out in the room. Very suddenly, I was standing there, emotionally broken and in pain, with nothing but my tormented thoughts to occupy my time with my nose shoved into the corner. She retrieved me later and removed my gag. I had no idea how long I was standing there in the corner, but naptime was most definitely over now. Most of the Littles then just stared at me and a few of the Bigs seemed to gossip, but I didn’t care. Just wanting to go home now, I curled up under the tree book nook where I was taken on my first day here by Miss Tina. I barely registered anything until Miss Melissa came to collect me. She too seemed concerned but led me to the front. I thought I was going to finally feel relief in seeing my savior, but when I got there, Samantha only looked furious. From out of the corner of my eye, I could see a smiling Mrs. Katherine. Clearly, Samantha already knew about what had happened today… or at least a version of it. “I don’t want to hear a word out of you, mister,” Samantha said coldly as I approached her. Not having the will to fight back or refute whatever Mrs. Katherine had said, I just nodded and took her hand out to the car. I could see Samantha was practically fuming the whole way home and I just held onto Nurple as tightly as I could. He seemed to be my only friend right now, and I felt terrified of what awaited me at home. I felt my whole world was falling apart today. Still, Samantha got us home pretty quickly and we both walked into the living room. It didn’t take long for her to shut the door and confront me in the privacy of our own walls. “I’m very disappointed in you, Percy. Making a racket when the other Littles are trying to sleep? Punching poor Miss Tina? I thought you were more mature than that!” I wanted to say something… anything, but I felt too shattered by everything happening. So, instead, I just drooped my head in shame and exhaustion. “Well?” Samantha pressed, clearly trying to get some kind of answer out of me. “Nothing? You’re just not going to talk to me anymore? No anger? Sadness? Happiness? Disgust? No…” Samantha then seemed to trail off. “Nothing… just blank…” Still looking at the floor and being a little out of it, I wasn’t really sure what was happening, until I could see and hear the quick shuffle of Samantha’s feet toward me. In a second, she was kneeling in front of me and lifting my head up. “Baby… open your eyes and look to the ceiling.” Not wanting to make her mad, I just complied without question. I then followed a series of very strange questions. I was really confused, but I just answered each. I almost questioned if this was Samantha at all or if she had brain damage when she asked me the date, my name, who she was, and a few others like that. She even searched my head, but then seemed to be relieved afterward. “Okay… no scarring… no drugs… what’s going on, Percy? Just tell me and I won’t be mad. I can see now that something’s up.” I wondered how much her promise would actually hold, but I thought simple would be better. “I’m a traitor to Earth, I cried, I lashed out, I was spanked.” Samantha seemed like she was hit by a concussive blast with each blurb that I gave her, but her eyes soon switched to that of her usual understanding ones. “Mrs. Katherine… she lied… she’s…” She then quickly shook her head and took my head in her hands and looked at me with the widest and most apologetic eyes I think I had ever seen. “Oh, baby! Please forgive me. I didn’t know. Mrs. Katherine… she lied, but I should have trusted you. You’re mine… I should have known that you were a good boy and something else was going on. Please forgive me. Can you do that?” She really didn’t need to ask but hearing it all right then broke the trance I was practically under after Mrs. Katherine’s spanking. The dam that had kept me from reliving all my revelations today and the notion of my traitorous self only in exchange for my own pride, broke completely. It all came rushing back in a single instance and I collapsed into her arms in a heap of despair. “Oh! Percy! Baby! Shhh… shhh…” She then started to stroke my hair and back to console me as best she could. Unlike Miss Tina though, she just let me cry and cry. There was no limit here… only caring. Right then, I took comfort in the person that seemed to be rapidly becoming my whole world now. She cared for me in a way that few others ever had in my life, and she almost displayed a near magic ability to always know what I needed in that exact moment. So today, when I had such questions as ‘how long before the Bigs put their plan into motion and bring down human society from the information that I had given them,’ she seemed to know just what I needed. It was a hug and some small ministrations of comfort, but they spoke volumes. I felt I had doomed the human race from my pride and arrogance, but under her care, for today at least, all that seemed to be a long way off. For now, I was just her good boy, and she was my… well, caregiver at least if nothing else. In the end, that’s all we ever really needed each other to be.

Wearing a pink with white pleats onesie and a white pleated skirt with pink tights and a rears princess on

... A few humiliating hours and a diaper change later, and Faye was back in Matilda's bedroom. Matilda had left her, wearing only her diaper after a game of dress up, and sitting at the edge of her bed as she got dressed. It was telling of how she was seen that Matilda didn't even pay her any mind as she stripped in front of her. The feeling wasn't even the same as someone getting dressed in a change room, but more as if she wasn't even there. There was no moment at all of insecurity, no conversation starter, no glance back. To her, Faye was an object, who wouldn't even move or see unless she was told to. In direct contrast with Faye's own clothes, Matilda put on a pair of skimpy panties, followed by long silken pants and a shirt. She walked up to Faye and looked her up and down. "Stand up, Baby Dolly," she said, and Faye obeyed without a word. Matilda ducked down under the bed, and pulled out a pile of brown, fuzzy cloth. She pulled some out, and made a hoop like pants. "Feet in," she said, and Faye obeyed again. Matilda pulled them up, then pulled a shirt over her head. She followed this with another brown bonnet, and examined her work. Faye saw herself in the mirror. She would have groaned if she wasn't dead to the feeling. The costume she had been put in was of a giant teddy bear. It was light brown, with a large bare white center. thickly padded around the body and each limb, making it difficult to move. The "bonnet" was actually a hood with teddy bear ears, completing the look. "Hmmm..." Matilda said. She raised a finger into the air. "I know!" She bent under the bed again, this time coming up with a white clothe. "Legs wide!" she commanded, and Faye obeyed. Faye watched as Matilda then diapered the costume. This diaper seemed made almost as a joke, or specifically for such costumes- it was comically thick and wide to the point of being impractical. Faye stood with her legs sprayed and held apart by the diaper, arms pushed out to the side by the material of the costume. She stared at the humiliating costume in the mirror, past the point of caring. "So one diaper wasn't enough?" Faye asked. SHe then held her breath- realizing that might have been a mistake. Matilda, however, didn't seem to mind, and smiled. "You're still both my baby dolly and my teddy bear. Besides, the diaper underneath is so you don't have to get out of bed, the one on top is so my teddy bear looks like a cute baby." She tiled her head to the side, and the smile took on a deeper, unsettling feeling. "Also, you'd be best not to question your owner. There are far worse things to deal with then two diapers, you know." "Right... sorry," Faye said. Matilda shrugged. "And finally, as promised," Matilda said, and placed a pacifier in Faye's mouth. She looked up and down at her work, smiling and laughing. "Ohhh I love this so much! You are so cute, you're such a great Baby Dolly!" She reached over and pinched Faye's cheek, then stepped in for a deep hug around the waist. "You're going to be my Baby Dolly during the day, my Baby Teddy Bear at night, and we are going to have so much fun! Aren't we Baby Dolly?" "Yes. So much fun," Faye tried not to sound sarcastic. Matilda didn't seem to notice if she did. She kept hugging her, then looked up. "Ok! In bed! I want to pose my teddy bear for cuddling! Remember, no moving unless I say!" The grown woman climbed up beside her and hugged her as if she truly was a teddy bear. Faye did her best to remain perfectly still on her back. She ignored all itches, exhaustion, and the urge of her bladder which she knew was destined for her diaper anyway. She was terrified of the punishments that may come if she failed, and determined to play her role as well as she could to avoid that fate. ....

... Faye spend the next hour in a daze, dizzy, and head clouded, as Matilda prepared her for the 'walk." It was almost a shock when she found herself exactly as Matilda intended. Perfectly still, thumb in her mouth, knees slightly ajar to show off her diaper, and only a shirt, bonnet, and booties on the rest of her. Her other arm culched a teddy bear, itself wearing a dress and bonnet, in exactly the pose Matilda picked for her. She had been told to remain perfectly still, and didn't want to know the consequences of disobedience, no matter how humiliating the demand. Matilda's instructions were clear as clear as they were humiliating. She was to remain perfectly still as posed, or she'd have locking joints attached to her to keep her in place. She wasn't to speak unless spoken to, and then she was to speak in "babble fitting the type of Dolly she was." Matilda had promised to give her a list of phrases to memorize, and Faye realized she the insane woman meant to treat her as a doll with a pull string, with only a few lines to come out on command. Perhaps worst of all was the final instruction. "Oh, and I really want you to be like one of those Baby Dollies they give that are REALLY like babies, you know?" Faye shook her head, and Matilda rolled her eyes. "You know how when you feed them they actually use their diapers so you can change them? I want you to do that. I want you to use your diaper on our walk so I can try changing you. I only want you using your diapers when you are here, since you're my Baby Dolly. Unless I get bored and find a new role, like my Ballet Dolly." Matilda had made the humiliating, disgusting demand as if it was nothing. Faye had stared at her with her mouth wide open- her, a grown woman, being asked to use a diaper at all was insane, doing it in public was worse. However, the fear of the "new role" kept her from arguing, and she simply nodded. Which meant now, stomach grumbling, Faye realized she had to pick a time to deliberately shit her pants to keep Matilda happy. Other options went through her mind. She could try running, but Matilda never went anywhere without a team of guards, which meant neither did Faye. She could claim she didn't need to go, or forgot, but that would risk Matilda getting "bored" with her. Also, it wasn't like she could hold on all year, eventually she'd need to relieve herself. Faye was broken out of her thoughts by another couple walking by. Both looked at her and hid laughter behind their hands, and Faye blushed deep read. She kept still, and hoped the thumb in her mouth helped hide her face. "Cute new Dolly," the man said, and both giggled. "Thanks!" Matilda said, and kept pushing. So, the neighbors were used to Matilda's games. No help there. Another group was approaching, and she felt the stroller slow down. There were two women and one man, all seeming about Matilda's age, and all dressed in fashionable clothes that spoke of wealth. Shortly behind them was a team of guards, much like the ones that followed Matilda around. Faye swallowed, realizing they must be Matilda's friends. Her thoughts were confirmed as the first woman, and tall blond, leaned over her. "OH. MY. GOD. Is this your new Dolly?! SHE IS SO CUTE!" "I know!" Matilda beamed. "Don't you just love her? I'm going to have so much fun playing with her." The other woman, leaned in next to her. "Awww. Is she in a diaper?" "Yep!" Matilda replied. "She's my Baby Dolly! She's even going to use her diapers for me so I can change them!" "Oh my god, so lucky!" the first woman said. "Does she speak or make sounds?" "Yep! Baby Dolly, say something!" Faye paused, not sure what to do. "Goo goo gaa gaa?" she ventured, watching for reactions. She put her thumb back in her mouth. The woman squealed with delight. "Another!" "Uhhh... Baby Dolly wan diapie?" Faye tried, blushing at the sound of her own voice. Matilda's friend pointed at her. "She's... already wearing a diaper. That seems wrong, is it damaged?" "We have to work on that one," Matilda said. "She obviously needs some practice to the role. "It is still so cute," the other woman said. "I wish my dad would get me a dolly like that, but when I asked he said it was "cruel" or something." She rolled her eyes and blew a raspberry with her tongue, showing what she thought of father's ethics. She looked at the man beside her. "Hey, Tom." She punched him in the arm. "Why don't you get off your lazy ass and buy me a Dolly too?" "Ow!" the man said in a soft voice and rubbed his arm. "I don't even know where they come from! Is this even legal?" "I don't know, but all the other rich girls have one. Even Jenny is getting one, aren't you?" "Mhmmm, my dad said I could get one for Christmas if I behaved," she laughed. "Which means yes, because he always says I behave." Faye remained still. They all MUST know she was a human being. The sheer callousness they discussed this with was stomach turning, even when Faye wasn't the center of it. She dreaded to know what was going to happen to the "Dolly" whose owner referred to them as "it." "See? You want me to be the only one without one?" She glared at the man Faye assumed was her boyfriend, then turned back to Matilda. "Say, could I try playing with her at some point? Just to see what its like?" "Sure! Come by and we'll dress her up together, or you can borrow her. Just remember: She is a BABY Dolly, so she'll need her diapers." "Oh," the blond said. She leaned in close. "Does it actually USE its diapers?" "Yep! See, watch." Oh God no, Faye thought. Matilda continued. "Baby Dolly, mess your diaper. Now." Faye wanted to scream. She wanted to argue, call out the psychopathic women for what they were, fight them, do anything to get out. But she knew how that would go. A second later, the guards would have her down. Even if they beat them off, she was in a strange world, far from friends, facing opponents with armies of guards and all the resources they needed to track her down. Then, she'd either end up spending a year in whatever life Matilda picked for her as punishments, or end up dead. So, she fought all her instincts, sucked her thumb, and, with her face turning beat red, pushed with all her might into her diaper. Despite knowing what she was doing, it was still a shock to feel her diaper inflate around her. The three women all cheered and laughed at her performance. Faye did all she could to remain perfectly still as the smell began to bother her nose. ...

Thanks There will be more soon And by soon I mean now. ... "Hmmm..." the blond haired young woman standing in front of Faye said. "She's perfect! So pretty! Thanks so much Daddy!" Faye flushed. "Well I do put a lot of effort into my appearance you know." "Quiet new Dolly. Dollies don't talk unless I say." the woman said, and Faye gasped. They were in her bedroom, which, in keeping with the wealth displayed earlier, was gigantic. The walls were a bright pink, and the room was filled with soft, plush furniture on top of equally soft carpet. Fay immediately recognized what it was: it was the room of a hedonist, someone who had always gotten what they wanted without having to work for it. The kind of person who was going to run her life for the next year. Her dad beamed. "Oh that's wonderful dear! I'm so glad you like her." "Like her I love her! I'm going to dress her up in so many outfits!" "Outfits...?" Faye asked. She always loved dressing up to look as attractive as possible, but given her role here was "Doll for a spoiled 22 year old brat," she was nervous to know what that would imply. The brat in question looked at her and stuck a finger under her nose. "HEY! I said be quiet. And since you are MY Dolly, you do as I say, or face the consequences." "Consequences?" "Yep. Tell her Daddy." Her dad looked at Faye. "You will do as she says and make her happy. You signed the contract, and there will be consequences if you disobey." Faye swallowed. Once again, a gun cocked behind her. "I understand." Matilda smiled. "Do you know?" She put a hand to her chin as if thinking, then reached out and took Faye's hand. "Perhaps a little lesson for my pretty new Dolly. Come here, Dolly." She pulled Faye to the side of her room. There was a large, rectangular glass cabinet. Inside was a perfect, life size model of a doll. It was wearing a full pink tutu, with it's knee raised up and hands in the air, like a ballerina twirling. Faye gasped. The "Doll's" eyes turned to the pair, a looked of sheer panic an desperation filling them. Faye started noticing more. Tiny, transparent wires ran from her limbs to the side of the glass. More transparent material wrapped each joined, holding each one stiff in position. It wasn't a doll. It was a human, held perfectly immobile, suck in place on display for all to see. "This," Matilda began. "Was last year's Dolly. She was fun at first, but started to get boring. She kept arguing, refusing to play my games, tried to find ways out of her contract... all things that made me mad. Finally, I wanted her to take ballet so she could dance for me, but she refused, saying she couldn't practice anymore because her feet were sore. I considered getting rid of her, but she was still so pretty, so I decided she was better as more of a display Dolly. Now she's practicing her ballet all day all the time. We feed her by a tube, and she goes to the bathroom the same way." A lone tear was going down the "Dolly's" face. Matilda noticed it, shrugged, and continued. "Her contract ends next month, and I'll let her go then. Until then, I use my toy the way I want. So, will there be any more arguing from my new Dolly?" Faye was pale. What had she gotten herself into? The woman was clearly a psychopath, as were all these people supporting her. She couldn't run, the number of guards would make it nearly impossible. She swallowed. For now, her best bet was to play the game, and do anything she could to avoid making Matilda angry. So, she was at the whim of a spoiled, uncaring woman with a permanent adolescent attitude. "Yes," She said. "I will learn ballet for you." Matilda shook her head. "Mmmmm... no. I don't think so." She walked up to Faye and cupped her head, turning it to the left and right. "You are very cute, but I don't think I want you as a ballet Dolly. I think I want you as a baby Dolly." "Baby...Dolly...?" Faye asked. THAT couldn't be a good sign. "Mhmm. As I said, you are very cute, " Faye flushed and smiled. "So I am going to take care of you like a baby." Faye's smile turned to shock. "What? A baby? I..." She looked at the guards. "Yes. A baby. Of course." "Good Dolly," Matilda clapped her hands. "Guards, go get some diapers for my new Dolly, and bring those cute outfits we have in the baby costume drawer in my toy room. Oh, and set to have Dolly's space in my bedroom set up accordingly, my baby Dolly gets a high chair and a crib. And I want a stroller for her! And..." Her list of demands went on. Her father nodded to each, sending off guards and servants with instructions. Faye, for her part, stood in panic as the next part of her life was laid out before her, as if she wasn't there. Baby Dolly. That was to be her new name. She would wear diapers, and from the sound of it, use them and get changed. She'd be put in an entire list of humiliating outfits, be treated like an object for a spoiled brat's amusement, and if argued at all... she glanced at the "Ballet Dolly" and shuddered. She couldn't imagine the equivalent for her- locked for weeks, even months completely immobile, in a diaper and whatever outfit Matilda decided to leave her in, on display for other's amusement. From the sounds of it, that wasn't even the worse of what might happen to her if she disobeyed and they decided to make an example of her. "Oh, and Baby Dolly?" Faye was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of her new name. "Yes?" she said. Matilda smiled. "Take off those ugly clothes. I'll have you in something much cuter soon. You'll get them back when your contracts done. "I...ummm..." Faye looked at the guards and swallowed. "Yes Matilda." She reached for the helm of her shirt and began stripping down methodically, trying to ignore the eyes on her. "Good Dolly." The guards started to come back. The first began laying stacks of colorful adult sized diapers on the ground, and Faye felt herself go pale as she stared at them. She had always prided herself on her attractiveness. This... with her ass in diapers, the rest of her in whatever outfit Matilda planned for her, and being forced to act the part she was assigned, there was no way anyone would see her that way. From the looks of it, the house came well stocked for Matilda's potential games. Along with diapers, they brought in dozens of outfits and hung them in one of Matilda's closets. Onesies, cutesy dresses, and rompers, all sized for an adult, were hung in flung open glass doors. "Ummm... Matilda?" Faye asked. "Why do you have all those outfits?" Matilda smiled at her and waggled a finger. "Ah ah. Baby Dolly will be good to not question me." She turned to the clothes. "However, we always have Dolly's coming in and out, sometimes for shorter periods. Plus, I like to play with them on the first day. So, we keep outfits ready in case we get a new one." "I... see..." Fay said as the clothes came in. Matilda walked to the pile of diapers and started ruffling through them. She held up a solid white diaper. "What do you think?" Faye swallowed again. "I think its... a diaper," she said. Matilda laughed. "Ah yes, perfect level of insight for a Baby Dolly." Faye blushed. Matilda put the diaper down. "I think I want you in something cuter. One of the printed ones." She held up to more, one pink with rabbits, and the other multi colored with mice and balloons. She compared them, holding them up toward Faye. "I think I like the mice. Looks like a daydream. Lie down Dolly, its time for your diaper." "Mhmm," Faye squeaked out, and lay down. She walked as the deranged woman walked up to her, carefully unfolding the giant diaper. She lay it on the ground and pushed it under her. "Isn't this exciting?" she said, smiling. "Your first diaper! This is going to be so much fun! Aren't you excited?" "Y..yes Matilda," Faye said. The words didn't even sound real to her own ears, but strange woman really did seem to think Faye was going to enjoy it. That, or she didn't care that Fay was lying. Faye watched as the strange, humiliating garment was taped onto her waist. She had never expected to experience something like this, and had no idea how to feel about it. All her other life skills and accomplishments- years of work as a bounty hunter, efforts to maintain her perfect appearance- all seemed to vanish as she stared at herself wearing the thick, colorful diaper. She blushed deep red and covered her mouth with her hands, eyes wide as saucers, her vision of herself as a dangerous, alluring woman shaken to its core. It was the strangest mission she ever had. By far the highest paying, and the worst results if she failed, but definitely the strangest. "OK, up now Baby Dolly! How do you like it?" Matilda said, and pulled Faye to her feet. Faye stood up, and blushed again at her own reflection in the mirror. Face beet red, knees in an awkward bend, and naked except for her diaper, she felt a wave of panic. What if someone saw her like this? What if one of her friends or former clients heard about it? Her reputation would never recover. More importantly, her own self image would never recover. Then again, NO part of her would recover from some of the things those armed guards could do. "Well?" Matilda asked. Faye realized she still wanted an answer. "Its ummm..." She swallowed and got ready to lie. "Its good! Its ummm.. comfy. And shiny." She noticed the light reflecting off of the plastic. "And CUTE!" Matilda said, and smacked her hard on the behind. "Now lets see what kind of outfit I want you in for our walk!" "Walk!? You mean you want me to go out like this!?" Faye demanded. "Well of course! First I want to play dress up with my new Baby Dolly. Then, I'm going to put her in a stroller and show her off to the neighborhood! The neighbors always love to see my new Dollies!" "Oh God," Faye let out, despite herself. She imagined herself, strapped to a stroller in a diaper and whatever humiliating costume Matilda had for her, helpless as she was pushed around the streets to laughing and gawking onlookers. "Oh good is right!" Matilda said. "It's so exciting!" She glanced at Matilda. Did she really think that was an exclamation of joy? That Fay was celebrating being dressed as a baby in public? She had no idea if brat actually didn't realize how shocking her demands were, or if she was faking it and just didn't care. Both thoughts were disturbing- either she was at the whim of am overgrown toddler, or of a deranged psychopath. Her head swam, and she felt dizzy. Tears began to come into her eyes, and she pushed them back. Matilda was still going through the outfits, humming to herself as she examined each one. She tossed some aside, and Faye watched as rompers and sun dresses with rabbits and teddy bears on them went to one side. "There!" she said. "Perfect!" She walked up to Faye and turned her to face a mirror. She grabbed Faye's arms and manipulated them in place, posing Faye like a toy. She ended up sitting on a chair with one hand to her side and the other curled into a fist with her thumb in her mouth. "That's how I want you for our walk in the stroller, posed just like this" Matilda said. "I'll get you a paci later, but for now I want you sucking your thumb. I want your knees just open like this," she pulled her knee apart "so we can see the cute prints on your diaper. I want you to hold this the entire time unless I say otherwise, ok?" She thought for a second, and a look that approached compassion hit her face. "Unless its too difficult, in which case I can get some of the plastic joints, like my other Dolly..." "NO!" Faye shouted. If there was one thing she REALLY didn't want, it was to end up locked in place like the other poor "Ballet Dolly" behind her. "I mean, no, I think I'm ok," she said, softening her tone. "Good!" Matilda said. "And I think this is what I want you to wear." Faye gasped, and felt the tears final come. Matilda was holding a bright red baby bonnet, with an equally bright yellow t shirt with "Baby" written across the chest over a big teddy bear in a diaper. Though she didn't know if Matilda intended it, the outfit's colors reminded her of her normal clothes. Even the rough proportions- tight button up replaced with t shirt, short shorts replaced with diaper- just matched it enough to remind her while making it all ridiculous. It became a twisted mockery of the image she had built for herself in her own mind, turning her pride into humiliation. Even when she was done, she didn't know if that image could ever be repaired. Matilda continued. "I might try you in a few other outfits just for fun, but I think this is how I want you. I normally give my Dolly's an accessory, like a purse or something, so maybe I'll give you a teddy bear or a dolly of your own. Faye had to remind herself of the money, and of the armed guards behind her.

Hi all! Sorry for not posting any new chapters lately; the new semester started and I've been kind of swamped with that! I'll be doing my best to post a 2-4 chapters every week from here on out! Chapter Ten Ms. Akiyama’s sunglasses blocked out the brilliant reflection of the sun off the still remaining banks of snow as she walked up the concrete steps of a cute little three-story townhouse. Cute little handmade Halloween decorates hung in the windows, like pumpkins and ghosts cut out of construction paper and black and orange paper ring chains. Ms. Akiyama reached out one finger and jabbed the white plastic doorbell and heard a series of chimes call in response from inside. A gust of wind cut through Ms. Akiyama’s peacoat as she waited; the snow was melting, but it was still unseasonably cold for this time of year. “Well,” a tall woman with strawberry blonde hair, tanned pink skin, and big glasses wearing mom jeans and a slightly wrinkled white blouse exclaimed with a slight southern drawl as she opened the door, “if it isn’t Hana Akiyama. Darling, how are you doing? Please come in,” she pushed open the screen door and stepped aside for her visitor, “I was so pleasantly surprised to hear from you last night.” “Hi, Heather,” Ms. Akiyama gave a tight lipped but polite smile as she stepped past the other woman and into her home. Ms. Akiyama immediately checked the floor around herself and the door, noting no discarded shoes and a pair of off-white New Balances on Heather’s feet, cueing her to leave her own shoes on. She then surveyed the room she had stepped into; a large living room with a dark grey couch flanked by a matching dark wood set of end tables and coffee table facing a sleek black entertainment center with a large flat-screen TV currently playing cartoons. “Thank you so much for inviting me over today, I really appreciate the chance to pick your brain.” “Oh, no worries at all, darling; I’m so happy to help you! Come on,” Heather beckoned Ms. Akiyama further into the house, waving her in with pale pink acrylic nails, “we can talk in my office! May I get you something to drink?” Ms. Akiyama followed the other women deeper into the house, but as she rounded the couch, her eyes were fixated on the large, open space in the living room where a girl Rei’s age sat in a playpen. The playpen itself was made of interlocking, hard plastic squares and could be configured to various shapes and sizes. The walls stood a little more than three feet high: taller than one would need to keep a toddler-sized toddler from mantling the sides, which was good since the toddler sitting in the middle of it was taller than Ms. Akiyama (though, admittedly, she was not a very tall woman). Megan Eckridge didn’t seem to notice Ms. Akiyama at first. Her gaze was fixed on the TV and a line of drool fell from the corner of her mouth around the thumb firmly planted inside. She was wearing a cropped t-shirt and a bright pink diaper with bunnies on it. It was clearly wet. On the floor in front of the girl’s crossed legs was a coloring book and a box of colored pencils. “Hi, Megan,” Ms. Akiyama said tentatively, giving the girl a little wave. The girl turned her head towards her name and immediately withdrew her thumb, wiping it on her shirt and trying to pretend she wasn’t just sucking it. “Um, hi,” she responded, but there was no recognition behind those eyes. “Oh, silly me,” Heather came back to where Ms. Akiyama had stopped, “I didn’t even think you might want to say hello to little miss Megan over here. Megan,” she addressed the girl with a saccharine voice, “do you remember your friend Rei?” Megan smiled and nodded, understanding dawning on her face. “Yes, um,” she turned her head towards Ms. Akiyama, “hello, Ms. Akiyama.” Her diction was far better than everything else about her appearance (size aside) would suggest. “Hi, Megan,” Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but find herself bending over the girl a little bit in mimicry of Heather’s stance, “how are you doing today?” Nor could she keep a certain cooing quality out of her voice. Somewhere in her brain, she knew this was a nineteen-year-old girl, just like Rei, and yet the illusion of toddlerhood was so convincing, she couldn’t help but respond to it. “I’m good,” her cheeks were turning a warm red, “just…watching TV and coloring.” “She’s being a good girl for mommy while mommy works, isn’t that right, munchkin?” Heather chimed in. “Mommy…” the girl whined embarrassedly, yet seemingly unembarrassed to be heard calling her mother ‘mommy,’ Then the girl’s eyes suddenly went wide, as if just remembering something, “is Rei here?” She leaned over, her diaper crinkling under her, to look behind Ms. Akiyama. “Not today, sweetheart,” Ms. Akiyama responded. “But,” Heather chimed in immediately, “maybe it won’t be too long before you two can have a playdate, right Hana?” Ms. Akiyama let out a little breathless laugh, “yes, maybe, would you like that, Megan?” Megan put her finger to her lip, pantomiming being deep in thought, and Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but notice how truly toddler-like Megan was in that moment. “Sometimes,” Megan said at last, “I miss Rei, it would be nice to see her.” “Well, then we will just have to make sure to arrange that for you two,” Heather reached down and grabbed the pacifier hanging from Megan’s shirt and popped it in the girl’s mouth. “Now, Ms. Akiyama and Mommy are going to go talk in her office, you be good and watch your show, okay? And no more thumb sucking, little lady, that’s what your paci is for.” Heather booped her daughter’s nose, eliciting a gleeful giggle in response, then straightened up and beckoned Ms. Akiyama deeper into the house. “Now, Hana,” Heather said as she led Ms. Akiyama into the dining room and pulled out a chair for her, “can I get your something to drink? Coffee? Iced tea?” She dropped her voice and held her hand to her mouth as if whispering a secret, “a glass of white wine? I won’t judge, darling!” Ms. Akiyama chuckled politely, “a coffee sounds lovely, Heather, thank you.” “Coming right up,” Heather walked into the kitchen, pulled out two mugs and began fiddling with a pod coffee machine as she spoke. “You know, I was a little surprised to hear from you last night. And don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t unwelcome, I was just…surprised, you know?” Ms. Akiyama did know. She had once been pretty good friends with Heather Eckridge. Their daughters had met in middle school and become inseparable for years after that. Heather might not have been the kind of person Ms. Akiyama would have become friends with under more natural circumstances, but their daughter’s friendship had put them in close proximity and the two had eventually grown fond of each other. And then everything changed, and their friendship changed with it. It wasn’t like they were strangers now, but they…well…aside from the run-in a few months ago at the store, the most the two had communicated since their daughters had graduated from high school was through liking each other’s social media posts. Which, for Ms. Akiyama, just added to the surrealness of this reunion; she felt like she knew every major life update Heather had gone through for the past couple of years, and vice versa, while also having drifted away from the woman they had happened to. “Yes, I’m…sorry I didn’t keep in better touch,” Ms. Akiyama replied, mostly because she felt like that’s what she should say. “No worries, sugar,” Heather said as she came back into the dining room and set two glass of iced tea down. “I understand life is just hectic these days; I mean, you see what I’ve had my hands full with,” she chuckled as she gestured back towards the living room. “Speaking of, you said this was about Rei? What’s going on with her?” Ms. Akiyama sighed, blowing the steam from her coffee cup as she did, “I’m not sure I even know, Heather,” she replied, “and that’s kind of the problem.” Heather made an sympathetic sound in her throat and sipped on her coffee. “I’ll be honest, Hana; I always thought you were against…well, the kind of treatment Megan gets,” Heather said bluntly but neither accusatorially nor defensively. “To be honest, I thought it was part of the reason we drifted apart.” “I was never against it,” Ms. Akiyama replied, “and it certainly wasn’t the reason we drifted apart.” Of course, neither statement was entirely true; though, in fairness, neither was entirely false, either. “I guess I just…never understood it,” she said, a little more honestly, “but, lately…well…” she shrugged and took a sip of her coffee. “Why don’t you tell me the whole story, darling? Right from the beginning.” So, Ms. Akiyama did. “I’m just worried about her,” Ms. Akiyama said some few minutes later as she was coming to the conclusion of her tale, “worried she’s going to start hanging out with the wrong crowds and get herself in trouble, not to mention fill her head with ideas that will only lead to being unhappy and frustrated. I know Rei’s independence is important to her, and I’ve tried to be respectful of that, but if these are the kinds of decisions she is making with that independence, maybe…maybe she’s not mature enough to handle it, after all. “I understand exactly what you mean, darling,” Heather reached out and placed a sympathetic hand on Ms. Akiyama’s, “that’s why we never let Megan go off to college. Her and Rei are so alike, I just know Megan would have ended up taking those kinds of classes, probably gotten herself involved with that Rebel group—” “And that’s exactly what I’m worried about,” Ms. Akiyama interjected. “It’s bad enough that Rei is even taking these kinds of classes, but going behind my back and lying about it is so unlike her that I’m worried what else she might be capable of doing. It makes me worried she’s already gotten her head full of ideas that are going to get her hurt or worse.” Heather nodded along sympathetically as Ms. Akiyama spoke. “It would certainly be a tragedy to see poor Rei go down that path.” “So,” Ms. Akiyama continued, “I started thinking last night, and it just…kind of clicked. You know, like I said, I never was really against this kind of…behavioral therapy,” Ms. Akiyama used what she believed was the politically correct term for it, “I just…didn’t understand. But…” Ms. Akiyama went on to explain her thought process, finishing with a timid, “does that make sense?” “It makes perfect sense, darling, and that’s exactly why we decided this was best for Megan.” “Do you ever…regret it?” “Goodness, no! Megan and I are closer than ever, and I know she’s happy and staying out of trouble.” “Is she though? Happy, that is.” Heather smiled, “come on,” she stood up from the table and headed back into the living room. Ms. Akiyama pushed her chair away from the table and followed Heather, finding her kneeling down next to the playpen, where Megan’s focus had shifted from the TV to her coloring book. “Honey?” Heather said gently, getting Megan’s attention. “Hi, Mommy,” the girl mumbled around her pacifier. “Sweetheart,” Heather reached out and gently pulled the pacifier from her daughter’s mouth, “how do you feel about being a little girl again for Mommy and Daddy?” Megan’s smile positively beamed, “I love it, Mommy.” “Do you ever,” Ms. Akiyama chimed in as she settled on the floor next to Heather, “miss being a big girl?” Megan scrunched up her face in thought, “well, I used to, but I really don’t anymore. Besides, Mommy says I’ll be a big girl again. When I’m ready.” She added the last bit as an afterthought. “Of course,” Heather added, “that’s still quite a few years away, huh little one?” Megan just giggled and nodded. But, Ms. Akiyama wanted to ask, are you really happy? But what did that question even mean; how could Megan possibly answer it? And why was Ms. Akiyama so bent on not taking Megan’s response at face value? Especially when every piece of evidence seemed to verify the truth of it. “Thank you, Megan,” Ms. Akiyama said as she pushed herself up off the floor, “I’ll let you get back to playing.” “Um, Ms. Akiyama?” Megan asked as the two mothers began moving back to the dining room. “Yes?” “Is Rei going to…are you…is Rei going to be a little girl again too?” “I don’t know, sweetheart, why do you ask?” Megan looked down at her hands, which fiddled with her pacifier. “I miss Rei. I didn’t want to stop being friends with her, but I thought she wouldn’t want to be friends with me after…you know…” Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but feel her heart breaking from the young girl. “Don’t worry, Megan,” she replied, “even if Rei doesn’t become a little girl again, I’ll see what I can do about you two being friends still, okay?” Megan smiled that beaming smile again and thanked Ms. Akiyama before popping her pacifier back in and returning to her coloring. “See?” Heather said as the two women sat back down in front of their coffees. “I wouldn’t have guessed she’d be this happy when we started, but…well, here we are.” Ms. Akiyama sighed, “I can’t deny that, I just worry Rei won’t…share those kinds of feelings.” “Listen,” Heather replied, leaning forward to convey her seriousness, “almost every mom I talk to says the same: before long, every girl accepts her place and is happier for it. I’m not going to tell you it will be easy; if you are really thinking about this…well, I mean, you tell me, are you really thinking about doing this?” Ms. Akiyama looked away from Heather, staring at the wall that hid Megan from sight. “I am,” she said after a long moment, surprising even herself. “I mean, maybe not taking it as far as you have with Megan, but…” “Well, that’s another thing,” Heather said, “early on, a little bit goes a long way, but if Rei is taking those kinds of classes at college and going behind your back, I think you need to think about how far you want to go, and then be prepared to go further, if necessary.” Ms. Akiyama considered this, “well, how far do you think would be far enough?” Heather shrugged, “it’s different for every girl and every family, you have to figure out what’s best for you. Look, darling, I’m happy to help you with this if you need it, and you certainly look like you need some help, but the best thing I can suggest is to get some professional help.” “Professional help?” “Yeah! We went to Brighter Days School and Behavioral Therapy for Girls; they were fantastic. Richard and I couldn’t have done this without them.” “Oh, no,” Ms. Akiyama quickly brushed aside the suggestion, “I don’t think Rei would respond well to being sent off to a school like that.” “That’s the thing, you don’t have to send her there.” “What do you mean?” “When Richard and I first decided to handle Megan with this kind of behavioral therapy, we went to them for a consultation. We told them what kind of girl Megan was and what our goals were for her, and they gave us just so many tools and resources we could use. Megan had no idea, and we couldn’t have gotten the results we did without them.” “Huh,” Ms. Akiyama took this in as she sipped at her coffee. That, she had to admit, sounded like exactly what she needed. “If you want,” Heather offered, “I have a referral code I can give you; should get you a discount on the initial consultation.” “I guess…it can’t hurt, right?” Chapter Eleven “Reports coming in early this morning that late last night Greenham Police Department made two arrests in conjunction with the October 4th bombing of the Greenham City Hall. The suspects, seen here, are twenty-year-old Melanie Wright and twenty-one-year-old Josie Stone. Both women are assumed to be members of the domestic terrorist group Rebel and are confirmed to both be students at Greenham Community College. Given national intelligence telling us that most splinter groups of The Vantez Collective form around colleges, speculation is rampant that our own Greenham Community College could be the recruiting ground for these homegrown terrorists.” Ms. Akiyama had been watching the news cycle surrounding these arrests all morning, feeling a sense of dread that built every time the news anchor mentioned the connection to Greenham Community College. And everyone knew that these kinds of gender studies classes that Ms. Akiyama had pulled Rei from spoon-fed them all sorts of radical nonsense. Exactly the kind of nonsense that led to your signing up to be a terrorist. Why did they even allow those classes to be taught anymore? Ms. Akiyama took a breath. That was neither here nor now. She’d made the right choice to pull Rei from that class; but maybe that wasn’t quite enough for a girl like Rei. Especially if they already had their hooks in Rei. But, of course, Ms. Akiyama was jumping to conclusions. Right? Rei was headstrong and at times stubborn, but she was a good kid, she knew better than to get herself wrapped up in this kind of business, right? Ms. Akiyama wanted to say that was so, but a knot of anxiety in her chest said otherwise. “Wait, what’s going on?” Rei’s voice from behind her shocked her from her internal monologue. “Oh, um, they arrested two girls for the bombing of City Hall.” “They did?” Rei’s hair was still a mess and her pajamas crumpled on her small frame. “Who? Did they say their names?” Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at that. “Why? Worried you know them?” “Well,” Rei shrugged, “there aren’t a lot of girls at my school, mom…” Ms. Akiyama frowned at that; Rei had a point. She picked up the TV remote and rewound until she saw the two girl’s pictures pop up on screen. “year-old Melanie Wright,” the voice on the TV narrated, “and twenty-one-year-old Josie Stone.” “So?” “Uh, yeah,” Rei replied, too shocked to even consider whether she should have lied. “I didn’t really know them, though. I had a class with Melanie and um…just saw Josie around.” The instinct to lie kicked before she could blurt out where she really knew Josie from. “What class?” “Um, you know, the…gender…class…” “Oh.” Ms. Akiyama felt that knot of anxiety in her chest tighten. Rei had known these girls. They could have tried to recruit her! These girls could have gotten Rei involved in this whole mess. They hadn’t, had they? She studied her daughter’s face as she stared at the news coverage of the arrests. It wasn’t possible Rei had been involved, was it? She’d come home late that night, Ms. Akiyama remembered that, but she had been with her professor. Her…gender studies…professor… But, no, that was ridiculous. Those professors might fill these girls’ heads with all sorts of nonsense, but certainly they’d never go so far as to encourage much less participate in these sorts of acts. No, Ms. Akiyama was jumping the gun there, surely. But Rei had known them. These were the kinds of girls Ms. Akiyama was letting Rei be around if she kept letting her go to college. If she didn’t do something to make Rei understand that Ms. Akiyama knew best. If she didn’t help Rei learn a new way to be happy in this world. For her part, Rei was glued to the TV, as oblivious to her mother’s stare as she was to her internal dialogue. Was she safe? Were they going to arrest her next? Were they going to arrest Riley next? The truth was, Rei had hardly been involved. She had been in a car with three other girls three blocks away in case something went wrong. She was on the B team. Surely they couldn’t have any evidence against her, right? But what if Melanie or Josie turned on the rest of them? Some kind of plea bargain? They had all promised not to name names or cooperate in any way in the event that this happened, but what would they stick to their word if it meant getting themselves out of trouble? Rei just had to trust that they wouldn’t.

Alices ride to her new home was an eye opener. Preston was an advanced metroplis the likes of which Alice had never seen. That wasnt what surprised her. No, it was the women. She saw womem dressed like toddlers waddling about. As she passed by a park she noticed a man walkimg a naked women like she was a dog. Thats when it her. Here she had no rights. The faint hope she had that someone would save her was dashed with every wonen she saw in various states of degradation. She let herself cry fearing shed be punished if she didnt. Eventually they got to her home. It was more like a summer home though. A tasteful luxury home with large glass windows greeted her eyes. As the maid helped her out of the carseat shed been strapped into. She walked into her new home. Much to her surprise it wasnt a nursery. The place was small but that was by alices standerds. She was lead to a living room that was furbished with sinfully confortable chairs and in the centor was large flat screen tv complete with a ps5. She saw shelves upon shelves of games and movies. Though no books. She also noticed a distinct lack of multiplayer games and any games that had puzzles. "Feel free to watch tv or play a game. But no getting off the couch, if you want something cry and ill get it for you." Alice nodded mutly. A part of her was glad that it appeared she wasnt going to be treated like a complete infant. She channel and noticed that she couldnt access amy shows that were informational. She could watch horror movies, or even porn which she found out by accident. Alice was confused she thought shed be in a nursery or something based on how shed seen all the other women in diapers. Another pressing comcern hit her though. A grumble in her stomach that let her know she was hungry. Yet no matter how long she sat and waited the maid did not come back with food. She had seen her walk by cleaning dust off. But she did not interact with alice at all. She tries to get the womens attention but couldnt speak through the pacifier and even when the maid saw her waving her arms. She was just ignored. She was hungry but when she tried to get off the couch to grab something for herself she felt that painful pleasure spike her lions and sat back down red faced. How was she soppossed to get food?

Final Part of story: Sammy crawled onto Kathleen's lap, positioning himself so that his butt was within easy reach of Kathleen's hands. She spanked him on his diaper with her open palm for about five minutes, before helping him off of her lap. Reluctantly, I replaced Sammy across Kathleen's lap. I wasn't eager to receive another spanking. I also had to pee badly. I settled into the same position Sammy had assumed. Kathleen gave me a comforting pat on the back, before the first spank landed on my diapered butt with a loud thwack. The diaper absorbed most of the impact, and I don't think it would have hurt much had I not had the prior spanking. Nevertheless, it definitely served its purpose, driving home the lesson that Kathleen was a disciplinarian not to be trifled with. I quivered as Kathleen finished the spanking. I think she believed it was from the spanking. Actually, it was because I was desperate to pee, but didn't want to relieve myself in her lap. Unfortunately, because of her misinterpretation, she pulled me more into her lap, one hand holding me to her bosom, the other reassuringly rubbing my diapered bottom. Unable to move and incapable of holding it any longer, I urinated into my diaper on Kathleen's lap, a rush of pee flowing into my thirsty diaper. Kathleen let out a knowing chuckle as I relieved myself. Undoubtedly, her hand could feel the sudden warmth and sodden padding spreading throughout my diaper. Kathleen continued to hold me against her, saying to Sammy, “why don't you get started on your good night thank yous dear? I think this other little sissy needs to be cuddled first.” I was able to change my position just enough to be able to see Sammy out of the corner of my eye. He was on his knees, holding onto the crib, in a pose similar to how a child might pray before bedtime. Only, instead of a prayer, Sammy listed off a laundry list of things that had happened to him during the day that he was thankful for. “Thank you mommy for keeping me in such a soft warm diaper, and for letting me have a sleepover with Brian, and for letting us make sissygasms, and for feeding me in the high chair, and for taking me out in public for ice cream in my pretty dress…” As Sammy went on, I noticed that Kathleen stopped rubbing my butt, her hand shifting to her crotch, where she was gently stroking herself. Held in her lap, I noticed Kathleen's breath would become deeper whenever Sammy mentioned something particularly embarrassing. I surmised that the pleasure Kathleen was receiving right at this moment was the reason for their nighttime ritual, and wondered if she would be doing more than lightly touching her vaginal area through her pants if I wasn't there. When Sammy finished, Kathleen set me back on the ground. By now the warmth in my diaper had left, but the liquid had expanded the padding of the diaper, particularly in the crotch. As we traded places, the thickness of the padding and the dildo still in my ass made it easier to just crawl over to the crib. I basically repeated the same list of things that Sammy had listed, trying to add my specific touches such as getting to use the carseat and stroller for our trip to get ice cream. Kathleen seemed satisfied with what I said as she had a smile on her face as she led Sammy over to the crib. Kathleen lowered the bars, before helping Sammy into the crib first. She then helped me into the crib, giving me a boost on my diapered butt to get into the crib. She then raised the side back up. The crib would have been a comfortable fit for one, but with both of us in the crib, it was a bit of a tight squeeze. Kathleen left us to get comfortable ourselves, returning with four baby bottles. She handed two to each of us, and then clipped a pacifier to each of our collars. Lastly, Kathleen once again put the sleeping cap on Sammy, and set the bonnet back on my head, tying it tightly in a large bow underneath my chin. “Now you two don't stay up too late. I want you to finish those bottles and then go straight to sleep. I have the baby monitor turned on so I will know if you are trying to get into trouble,” Kathleen said. She then pulled out her cellphone. “Before I go though, I want to get a picture of you two giving each other a nice goodnight kiss.” Kathleen made Sammy and I kiss each other, planting our lips firmly on each one anothers. A kiss itself wasn't so bad, since we had been making out and humping each other through our diapers not long ago. Embarrassingly though, Kathleen made us hold the kiss for several minutes as she took photos from multiple angles, adjusting our headwear and making other small changes to make us more photogenic. When she was finally satisfied, she had us get up on our knees to give her a kiss goodnight, before leaving and turning out the light. Yawning, Sammy and I began suckling on our baby bottles as fast as we could to finish them. I wet my diaper once again as I worked on the second baby bottle. Stomachs full and bodies exhausted, Sammy and I didn't do anything else once our baby bottles were finished. We shifted in the crib a little bit, getting under the covers and trying to get comfortable. After a few attempts, we found that lying back to back, our bodies touching from shoulder blades to diapers, was the most comfortable. As we settled in to sleep I took in all of the sensations: being tucked under the princess comforter and pink sheets, head wrapped in the soft satin of a bonnet, ass filled with a dildo, the feeling of my diaper pressed up against Sammy's. Although it was a little cramped, this was the coziest I had felt in sissy space in quite some time. The last thing I remembered was popping the pacifier into my mouth as I wet my diaper one last time. I awoke to Kathleen standing over the crib, snapping away photos on her phone. Coming to my senses, I was surprised to discover that at some point in the night, Sammy and I had started cuddling. His head was close to mine, and his chest lay underneath my arm. I was also impressed that I had sucked on my pacifier the entire night, and that it was still firmly in my mouth now. My subtle motions as I regained consciousness accidentally awoke Sammy as well. Feeling him start to stir, I naturally turned to look at him. Sammy came to consciousness with Kathleen and I both looking at him. When he realized that he had slept in my arms, he turned a bright shade of crimson behind the pacifier that was still in his mouth as well. Now that both of us were awake, Kathleen lowered the side of the crib. Since I was closest to the railing, Kathleen helped me out first. First she took off my footed sleeper, then pulled the plastic panties down off my legs. Realizing I was about to get a diaper change, and wanting to be in a dry diaper for as long as possible, I quickly peed into my diaper, releasing everything that had built up in the night. Kathleen must have heard the gush of pee, because she paused until I finished. When I was done wetting myself, Kathleen helped me onto the changing table. She buckled both my arms and legs into the cuffs attached to the table, and brought the strap across my waste pinning my torso to the table. Once I was immobilized, Kathleen untaped my diaper. Once the diaper was removed, without warning Kathleen quickly pulled the dildo out of my ass. I let out a cry as the dildo unceremoniously slid out of me. Kathleen ignored my perturbed cry, wiping the excrement off of the dildo without comment with a few baby wipes. She then began cleaning me off, swabbing every inch of my diaper area with the cool wipes. As Kathleen worked, I realized my ass felt an empty sensation, as if it missed being filled with something. This made me feel like a sissy, and that of course made my penis squirm in my chastity cage. Satisfied my diaper area was clean, Kathleen then pulled out a cloth diaper from underneath the changing table. She then pulled a second diaper out of the diaper bag my mommy packed for me. Kathleen unfolded both diapers, then made me assume as much of a bridge pose as I could given my current restraints. She then slid the cloth diaper under me, and then placed the disposable from my changing bag on top of that and under me. My nethers were then smeared in a thick coating of diaper rash cream, followed by a liberal dousing of baby powder. The two diapers were then taped up between my legs. Kathleen didn't free me immediately though once the diapers were snug against my waist and crotch. Instead, she added additional cuffs to my arms and wrists, and clipped leather straps to rings attached to each cuff. Then, I was freed from the changing table, though Kathleen had a firm hand on me ensuring I would not run off as soon as I could get up from the table. Kathleen strong-armed me down to the floor on my belly, and began pulling my arms and legs together. She used the leather straps to connect my arms and legs together, leaving me hogtied on the soft carpet floor of the nursery. Kathleen left me for a moment, walking out of my line of sight and returning with several items. The first was a roll of packing wrap. She wrapped several layers around my mouth, ensuring I couldn't spit out the pacifier. The next item was a tens unit. She attached the pads to my belly, then switched it on. Immediately, I began wriggling and squirming on the floor from the small electric shocks stimulating my stomach muscles. “Now Brian, you enjoy tummy time while I change and feed Sammy, ok?” Kathleen said. She then left me alone, going to the crib and bringing Sammy out. While I wriggled and squirmed on the floor, Sammy received the same treatment I had, being undressed down to his diapers, before being bound to the changing table and placed in two thick diapers. Kathleen placed a pair of thick printed plastic pants over his diaper. She then led him out of the nursery, and left me alone to enjoy my tummy time. The shocks from the tens unit weren't set high enough to cause pain. They only stimulated my stomach muscles, keeping me constantly moving on the ground. My situation felt like I was humping the floor, not that the angle or my chastity cage actually let me get pleasure. It certainly made me think about humping though, and that, plus the empty sensation from no longer having my ass stuffed, made me incredibly horny. I knew I would be willing to do anything my mommy wanted when she picked me up if it meant I would get sexual relief as a part or consequence of it. I was a sweating, tired and horny mess when Kathleen returned. It felt like she had been gone a while, but I had no way of knowing how long I had actually been in tummy time. Kathleen swiftly shut the tens unit off, and pulled the pads from my stomach. My arms and legs were then freed from the hogtie, but the packing wrap keeping my pacifier in was not removed. Kathleen helped me onto my feet, and led me out of the nursery. She took the packing wrap, restraints, and tens unit with her. We entered the kitchen, where Sammy was still held in the highchair. Kathleen undid one of the wrist straps from the highchair, and took my hand, moving it under the tray of the highchair and buckling it into the strap. This was an awkward position for me because my hand was right on Sammy's diaper, and I had to get on my knees to find a position that didn't strain my arm or back. Kathleen left us like that, as she went to the living room and returned with the playpen. Kathleen set it up in an empty area of the kitchen. “Sammy woke up a grumpy little bug today and decided he wanted to be a troublemaker,” Kathleen explained to me. “So he is going to spend his tummy time where I can keep an eye on him.” Kathleen then gave Sammy's nipple a hard twist to show her displeasure with him. She then began releasing him from the high chair. He was then marched to the playpen, where Kathleen bound him in a hogtie as well. As the tens unit began working on Sammy, I thought his movements were a bit larger and more violent than mine. He was also letting out squeaks and moans around his pacifier, so I suspected that Kathleen had turned up the voltage on the tens unit to punish Sammy. The playpen had padding, but not a lot, so I had the feeling that Sammy would be quite sore when he was released. With Sammy taken care of, Kathleen focused on me. I was sat in the highchair properly, and fully restrained once again. Kathleen then began assembling my breakfast. She set a large bowl of oatmeal in front of me, and another three jars of baby food. One was mashed bananas, one was berry blend, and one was prunes. She opened all three jars, emptying the contents into the oatmeal and then mixing it together. Now that Kathleen was ready to feed me my breakfast, she finally unwrapped the plastic wrap keeping my pacifier lodged between my lips. As soon as the base of the pacifier was free, the nipple was yanked from my mouth, and a spoonful of the breakfast mush was on its way towards my mouth. I opened my mouth as far as I could and swallowed it all as fast as possible. I had never really played or done any kink related things with Kathleen before today, so I didn't know if this was her in a good mood, bad mood, or maybe even a horny mood. I wasn't in the mood to see what she wanted to do with me if I pushed her though, so I obediently swallowed spoonful after spoonful of the breakfast slop. It actually wasn't that bad. The oatmeal outweighed the baby food, which masked most of the taste and consistency of the baby food. Plus, Kathleen was also having fun at breakfast whenever “I” would miss the spoon, having large globs end up on my face that would drop onto my chest and make me squirm. So it wasn't like I had to eat the bowl. In fact, “my accidents” while eating were the main reason I was glad when the bowl was finished. Kathleen then held an adult sized baby bottle full of milk for me, which I had to suckle all in one go. Once again, I was feeling extremely full from a meal in that high chair, and I could already feel my stomach starting to rumble again as well. Kathleen wiped all of the baby food covering my face and chest off with a warm washcloth. Kathleen was overly thorough washing me off, scrubbing every accessible inch of me with the warm, wet fabric. When she was finished, Kathleen left me bound in the highchair while she released Sammy from tummy time and marched him upstairs. I was left to sit, bound in the highchair. There wasn't much I could do, unable to move completely. Still feeling horny from my tummy time, I sat there wishing that I had something vibrating either against the front of my diaper or in my butt. Maybe some nipple clamps? At the very least a pacifier, but preferably something bigger to suck on. Alas, I had none of those things, so I could only fantasize, and the only feelings I got were my sissy clitty fighting in its cage. That is, until more pressing urges replaced my sexual ones. The feeling of needing to poop again slowly grew, but I was able to ignore it for a while. When the need to pee also arose, my thoughts became singularly focused on these bathroom related urges. I wet my diaper, feeling the warmth spread into the crotch. It wasn't very much, so the feeling of wetness was only for a second before the thick diapers soaked everything up. Wetting was apparently the signal my body was waiting for to release everything else as well. With no conscious effort on my part, I released a fart, before filling the seat of my diaper. I probably shouldn't have been too surprised. It was probably more impressive that I held it as long as I did when you consider the combination of the high fiber meals, possible laxative, and having my ass lubed and stretched all night. Still, it was embarrassing to uncontrollably poop my diaper like that. Worse, being strapped into the highchair, it instantly spread everywhere around the diaper, and I couldn't do anything to relieve the feeling of the mess pressed against my body. Finally though, Kathleen returned with Sammy. He had been dressed in a pink onesie that had “Mommy’s Little Sissy” embroidered within a white heart over the chest. He then had on matching white socks and gloves, and a pair of mary jane shoes. Completing his look was a pink bonnet. Kathleen held my outfit in her arms. It was one of my onesies, light blue and covered in stars. There were also a pair of striped white and blue socks that probably came from my diaper bag as well. To complete the look and make me match Sammy, Kathleen had also brought down the bonnet I had worn all night and a pair of blue riding gloves. Kathleen released me from the highchair. As I stepped to the ground, she gave my butt a firm pat and a squeeze, checking its contents. Maybe the thickness was too great for her to tell, maybe it felt like there was more in my diapers than there really was, or maybe she just didn’t want to comment. Either way she said nothing about the state of my diapers after she mushed the mess around again with her aggressive diaper check. She then began dressing me, sliding the onesie over my head and buttoning it over my thick diapers. Then came the socks, gloves, and the bonnet for last. My tennis shoes were then slipped onto my feet and tied tightly. Kathleen then handcuffed Sammy and I to one of the wrist cuffs in the highchair so we couldn't run off while she went and got something. When Kathleen returned, she had two sets of baby reins. Sammy got the more restrictive reins that ran around his shoulders, around the chest, and had a crotch strap between his legs that all met up in the center of his back. My reins on the other hand, only ran across my shoulder and chest. Once we were both harnessed, Kathleen walked us outside to the backyard. The backyard had a lot of trees and pushes, isolating it from the neighbors and providing privacy for Sammy and Kathleen to have their mommy and sissy time outside. It seemed clear that they did it fairly often as well. There was a small pink plastic childs table and chairs set next to a patio set. There was also a child's playground in the yard, but Kathleen led us over to a pink pole in the center of the lawn. She clipped our baby reins to leashes connected to the poles. “Stand tight, sissies,” Kathleen said as she left us standing there. Kathleen was gone about five minutes, returning with a plastic box and a blanket stacked on top. Kathleen spread the blanket out on the ground so Sammy and I could sit on the lawn without getting grass stains on our clothing. She then opened the box revealing its contents to be Disney princess dolls. “Have fun playing with your dolls sissies. I am going to go have my breakfast. I want to be able to see you playing with your dolls whenever I glance out here now,” Kathleen said before leaving us to play with the dolls. I had rarely played with dolls in my life, and the last time I could remember had been well over twenty years ago. Sammy apparently did regress, something I also struggled with, so he seemed to know what he was doing. I tried playing with dolls with him for about five minutes, before losing interest. Thankfully, I found a Rapunzel doll with very tangled hair, and a small comb, so I combed the doll's hair while Sammy moved the dolls around. Inside the house, Kathleen was out of earshot, so Sammy and I caught up with each other on vanilla things in our lives as we “played” with the dolls. Breakfast also worked its way through both of us, and I could tell we both added more to both the fronts and backs of our diapers. Nearly half an hour later, Kathleen came back outside accompanied by my wife/Mommy. When they reached us I hopped up and gave my mommy a hug. She hugged me back, wrapping one arm around me while the other reached down and gave my diaper several firm pats, checking the state of my diaper. “Did my little sissy have a fun sleepover?” My mommy asked as she hugged me. “Yes mommy,” I said, “I had a great time. This was a lot of fun.” “That's good baby,” my mommy said. “It certainly looked like you had a lot of fun playing with Sammy last night, based on the video Aunty Kathleen sent me.” I blushed a deep shade of crimson from those words. “Would you like some tea or something to eat?” Kathleen asked my mommy. “Yes please,” my mommy replied, “I was already running late and didn't have time to eat anything.” With that Kathleen led my mommy back inside, leaving Sammy and I to continue playing with the dolls. The ladies were only in the house about ten minutes though this time before they returned. Each was carrying a tray laden with items as they exited the house and walked over to the patio furniture. Kathleen set her tray down on the table, and walked over to free us while my mommy began unloading the trays and setting things up. Kathleen untethered Sammy and I from the pole, and then led us by our baby reins over to the patio. My mommy had set out on the patio a plate with an omelet, a plate of cookies, two coffee cups, and a carafe of coffee. On the child's table, there were four baby bottles filled with juice, and another plate of cookies. Kathleen handed my reins to my mommy, and then Sammy and I's respective caregiver led us to a seat at the plastic childs table. We each sat in a chair, and then they ran a rope underneath the chairs that connected to our reins, preventing us from getting up out of the chairs. We were then handed a bottle of juice and a cookie, a childishly humiliating mockery of the omelet breakfast my mommy was eating while chit chatting with Kathleen. Sammy and I didn't say anything to one another. It felt embarrassing to try and carry on a conversation while in so infantile a state when contrasted with my mommy and Kathleen, who were busy gossiping about the bachelorette party my mommy had spent the night at. Instead, we silently drank our bottles of juice and ate cookies. Of course, we also wet our diapers, and, thanks to Kathleen's cooking, continued to have small, diarrhea-like messes in our diapers. After I couldn't help but let out a particularly loud fart, my mommy remarked to Kathleen, “wow, I didn't know my little sissy liked to mess his diapers so much. He really seems to be a little pamper-packer today.” “Yes,” Kathleen agreed, “I don't know if he was nervous about the sleepover, or just wanted me to wipe his little tushy as much as possible, but he's been loading his diapers all weekend.” I thought I was feeling shamed and emasculated beforehand, but their words sent me into a deeply embarrassed sissy state. The way in which they talked about me in such a matter-of-fact tone as if I weren't there was a humiliating and erotic ecstasy for my little sissy heart. Eventually, my Mommy finished her omelet, and she and Kathleen ran out of conversation topics. Looking over and addressing me, my Mommy said, “Well sissy, should we get you changed and then get out of their hair?” I was ecstatic to get out of my diapers, but thought it would be rude to be too enthusiastic to leave. So I slowly nodded yes while sucking on one of my bottles of juice. “Feel free to try out the changing table in the nursery,” Kathleen offered as my mommy unstrapped me from my seat. “Thanks, we will,” my mommy said as she helped me up and led me back into the house. I had to lead her by my baby reins through the house to Sammy's nursery. “This is just adorable. We should really do something like this for you sissy,” my mommy said upon seeing Sammy's nursery for the first time. She led me over to the changing table, boosting me up before looking at all the restraints. With a glint in her eye, she bound me to the table. I wasn’t exactly thrilled with how familiar this position was becoming for me. While I was tied down, Mommy took her time examining the room in detail. When she was finished, she came back over to me, unsnapping the buttons on my onesie. I apparently hadn't wet as much as I thought I did, because the cloth diaper poofing out my padding was barely damp when mommy pulled it off me. By the way she wrinkled her face though, the mess inside my disposable diaper must have been pretty bad. Using a copious number of wipes, my Mommy cleaned my diaper area up so that I was squeaky clean. It was at this point that I assumed that my mommy would free me from the changing table, and help me get dressed in normal clothes. My assumption was mistaken. Mommy took out two thick disposable diapers from my diaper bag, unfolding them and laying them beneath me. “Oh, all your messy diapers look like they are giving you diaper rash. Let mommy take care of that for you baby,” she said, coating my ass and crotch in the white cream. She rubbed it in slowly, noticing how her touch was stimulating a reaction in my chastity cage that made my whole body squirm in its restraints. She wiped her hands free of diaper rash cream before coating a finger in lube. She slid the finger gently in my asshole, and began finger fucking me. “From the video Kathleen sent me, it really looked you had fun fucking yourself and Sammy to sissygasm. Did you enjoy that sissy,” my mommy asked me as she continued to stimulate my prostate with her finger. “Yes mommy,” I cried out as I squirmed in the restraints. “Do you want to be a good boy and wear a buttplug with your diapers while we are out today sweety? Do you want to loosen up your asshole so you can take Mommy’s strap-on?” Mommy continued. With her free hand, she grabbed my balls, and began sensuously stroking and squeezing them in her hands. Her hands felt wonderful, working my prostate and balls. “Maybe, if you are a good enough little slut, and you do a good enough job fucking mommy's cock, I will unlock you and do the same to me. Maybe since I would fuck your little rosebud, you could do the same to mine. What do you say sissy?” With her hands working me over like that, bringing me close to another sissygasm, I would have agreed to anything. I nearly came again though, Mommy's idea sounded so hot, so I said in a pleading tone, “Please put a buttplug in me Mommy so I can be your good little slut and take your strap-on tonight!” Mommy smiled, withdrawing her hands from me. She then opened up my diaper bag, pulling out a vibrating butt plug. She gave it a light coat of lube before easily slipping it inside of me. Mommy then pressed the button, turning it on. My diapers were going to be wet with more than pee today. Once I was plugged, Mommy washed her hand off a second time, before giving me a very thorough coating of baby powder. She giggled some more as she made sure to rub it into every inch of my skin, not even missing a single wrinkle on my balls, while I continued squirming and fighting at my restraints from the tickle and arousal of her touch. For the third and final time, she cleaned her hands free of the baby powder, and then taped both diapers up against me. My legs were temporarily freed as Mommy pulled out one of the pairs of plastic pants we owned, wiggling them up my legs and over my diapers to ensure there would be no leaks throughout the day. The buttons on my onesie were then pulled down over my diapers and buttoned closed. Mommy released me from the changing table, and slipped my feet into a pair of overalls as I got off of the table. The overalls would cover up most of my onesie. The hoodie that mommy then slipped over my head ensured no one would ever know about my childish outfit. Mommy and I then gathered our things and headed downstairs. Kathleen and Sammy were waiting to see us off. I gave Kathleen a quick hug and peck goodbye, but at Mommy and Kathleen's insistence, Sammy and I shared a much more intimate farewell hug and kiss. We were then out the door and into the car, off on our way to accomplish the errands Mommy had planned out for the day.

Events in this story may take their time, but just watch out for the second day. For now, the suspicious need to feel comfortable. Like a fly in a Venus Fly Trap, waiting for the right moment to strike is critical. I mean, who would trust a complete stranger at a convention? A caring and kindly figure that just wants to help though... that's something different. Hope everyone enjoys the next chapter! Chapter 5: Shake Your Tail Feathers As predicted, the group confirmed there were less rooms to trick or treat to this year, but having no previous comparison, I couldn’t help but grin at the load of candy I had collected, including some choice full-sized candy bars. One self-proclaimed daddy, dressed as a sailor captain, had even given me an extra piece of candy for the costume I was wearing, as apparently, they were one of the teams he supported back home. It was a small gesture, but it made me feel vastly more confident in the costume I had chosen. Princess Ditzy ‘hmphed’ about the incident but the rest of the group, now sitting around me at one of the round tables, had only smiled gratefully. Their friendliness and openness to someone new was very pleasant to witness and be on the receiving end of. Each of us had dumped our loads of candy on the table and began sorting them in our own ways. Derek simply separated them into piles he liked or didn’t like, Princess Ditzy sorted them by color, I wasn’t entirely sure of Ian’s or Luna’s system, and I sorted them by items I could trade, maybe trade, or absolutely not trade. Remembering Miss Samantha’s advice, I asked Princess Ditzy first, now wide-eyed over a package of Sour Patch Kids. “Princess Ditzy? Would you be willing to trade with me?” She looked at me with wide eyes from her rainbow array or assorted candies, but then narrowed her eyes slightly. “What are you willing to depart with?” I was happy she was willing to trade, but her look screamed purely of someone dedicated to making a deal that would likely favor her alone. “I gave up Reese’s for Lent, so I can part with them or anything in this pile,” I said pointing to the smaller pile I had moved to my right of items I was willing to trade. ‘First, offer my trash, and then move to the items I could trade if Princess Ditzy came to play hard ball today.’ “Anything interesting you see?” One of her still stern eyes twitched. She was keeping up the façade of a hard bargainer, but after all, she was still Princess Ditzy tonight, and she was being offered at least five different types of candy now. “Ummm,” she bit her lip, “I think so… what about mine?” I peered over at her piles separated by color. It was a little harder to tell, but I spotted a few I could take instead. “There’s a couple I see… how about this?” Our negotiations gratefully only lasted a few minutes. Princess Ditzy was still playing as the tough negotiator as well as she could while keeping her calm, but on one occasion had raised her voice in frustration. Miss Chelsea immediately snapped into action, “Young lady! We do not shout at the table. Say you’re sorry.” “Sorry...” Her lower lip trembled, and her hardened stance faltered and seemed likely to break if pushed further. If this was any other place, I might have pressed the advantage, but I didn’t want to make a princess cry today. “That’s okay, Princess Ditzy. It’s a fair deal,” I conceded. “I don’t need some of the candy anyway. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it plenty more than me.” Her lower lip stopped trembling and her emotions quickly swung back within a moment to giddiness. “Thank you, Percy!” I nodded and we exchanged our candy. After a few more trades to completely disperse my unwanted candy, I now had less than most of the group. I would have been more disheartened like the 8-year-old me had been one Halloween, but current me just looked at the bigger picture and searched for the silver lining. I looked at my pile and a few of the others in wonder. My adult sensibilities may have still been active, but my tastebuds were very much not caring what age they were. They just wanted the taste of candy as soon as humanly possible. My fingers trembled with delight as they reached out and graced the tip of the plastic candy wrappers. Piles of Snickers, M&Ms, Kit-Kats, and several others were waiting to be eagerly devoured. I grabbed the nearest bit of the small snickers. It shined under the hotel lobby’s lights above and called out to me. Within moments, I had unwrapped the piece and plopped it in my mouth in quick succession and it was good, too good. I had to have another, so I did. And another. And another. And Another! And… “Percy!” I looked up with the partially eaten Milky Way mini bar still in my mouth. “I think you’ve had enough,” Miss Samantha called out to me. She bore a stern and disapproving look and I gulped the remnants of whatever remained in my mouth down my throat. We stared back at each other for a moment and my knee quivered in fear. The rest of the group stopped their own munching and stared at us. “Now, I know big you could probably eat a bunch more candy, but as someone who is looking out for you tonight, I think you’ve had enough.” “But I am big!” ‘Ooh. Wrong move.’ Miss Samantha straightened up and glared for a moment at me. “I don’t think so, Percy. Everyone here isn’t and you’re no exception. Put your vanilla clothes back on now and have all the candy you want. You’ll do it on your own, but it will be what you want. Deal?” She was giving me an out but I knew my fun tonight would end in a second, and I couldn’t have that. I bowed my head in resignation then shook it back and forth. “No…” “That’s what I thought. Now, put the rest of your candy away.” ‘Wait. Even Miss Samantha had conceded to negotiation being a good strategy for tonight. Could I push a bit?’ I looked up at her slowly. “But… but one more piece? Just tonight?” I didn’t realize how little that sounded out loud, but I knew the question was already out there, so I had no choice but to lean into a bit. ‘Probably something to do with already submitting to her not five seconds ago.’ Subtly, I pouted my lips and widened my eyes toward her. Nothing massive, but enough to maybe make her think twice. “Oh…” her resolve seemed to teeter to my delight, “I don’t know. What do you think, Chelse? Wide eyes and pleading is a weakness of mine.” I took the moment to share the same look with Miss Chelsea now. My fate lay in her hands. “Hmmm…” Miss Chelsea then scanned the others. I had completely forgotten about them in my small candy craze and submission to Miss Samantha after, but from the corner of my eye, I could see each were mimicking me in some way. ‘Apparently, I’m not the only one who wants to have just one more piece. Good.’ In a group like this under these circumstances, what went for one of us, likely went for the rest. Pre-school rules and all that. “Ugh. Very well. One more piece.” She paused. “But that’s it and then they all get put away downstairs. Sound good, Sam?” Miss Samantha nodded. “Good. Now, agreed everyone?” We all nodded our heads, but I noticed that both Miss Samantha’s and Miss Chelsea’s faces were fixed to me. ‘I guess I started this whole thing, so my approval was the one needed the most. Also, I little tingle in the back of my mind noted that the punishment would solely been on me if any of the group had say no either.’ “Excellent,” Miss Samantha spoke back up. “One more piece and then off we go.” I gave her another, more private nod and she flashed me a smile in acknowledgement. I immediately grabbed a pack of M&Ms. ‘Ha! One package but multiple pieces!’ As I wolfed down the ten or so M&Ms, I saw Miss Samantha give me an unimpressed and ‘I know what you did’ type of look, but I was just content with my final few bits of candy for now. After the rest of the group had selected and eaten their negotiated single piece of candy, Miss Samantha and Miss Chelsea helped gather up our trash, throw it away, and then place the rest of our candies back into our respective bags. Once done, they took their original positions in front of and behind us, and then took off for the bottom floor. Another round of waiting at the bag check, a quick change for Ian and Princess Ditzy, and our group headed back upstairs. “I was thinking,” Miss Chelsea started saying once back in the lobby, “there is a perfectly wonderful dance party happening now. We missed the carnival tonight, but I’m sure we could all use some dancing after today. How’s that sound?” The personalities of the group became immediately obvious when faced with Miss Chelsea’s question. Ian wanted to meet back up and play some cards downstairs with his other friends in the middle’s room, Luna only let out a great yawn and motioned toward the elevators, Derek merely shrugged his shoulders, and finally, Princess Ditzy could only bounce around and enthusiastically nod her head. After observing them all, I noticed Miss Samantha was now looking at me and waiting for an answer. I could only shift nervously in place. “I think I may need to talk to this one for a moment,” Miss Samantha spoke up. “How about we all say goodnight to those leaving now and then see the rest of you out on the dance floor in a moment?” The group nodded their heads in agreement, though I think I saw Princess Ditzy let a noise of impatience over the delay of getting to go dancing. Regardless, we all said our goodbyes to Luna and Ian who departed away, one for their room and the other to go play cards. Once out of sight, Miss Chelsea gave a small nod to Miss Samantha and took Derek and Princess Ditzy into the ballroom nearby, ushering out a loud near-concussive blast of music as they opened the double doors to the grand ballroom. Now alone with Miss Samantha, she smiled warmly at me. “I saw you squirming at the notion of dancing, but I don’t think I’ve seen you yawn once since I’ve met you today, so I’m guessing you’re not tired. What’s up, honey?” I shifted awkwardly in place, remembering the promise I had made earlier today. Still, the truth was usually the best policy, and I definitely didn’t want to lie anyway to Miss Samantha. “I… I got nervous.” “Why’s that?” Miss Samantha kept looking at me while she guided me gently to one of the round tables and had me sit down to explain. “I’m not a good dancer. I…” “Remember what we talked about?” Miss Samantha then placed her hand on my now-bouncing knee. I couldn’t help it, especially now that we both knew I was in danger of crossing the promise for the second time tonight that I had made to her earlier in the day. “I do. I really, really do,” I pleaded in an attempt for mercy. “I’m sorry, Miss Samantha. I just… I can’t help but feel this way.” I could feel my heart pounding and my palms start to sweat. “I… I can wear all the little clothing here, but dancing… I don’t want to look bad out there.” Her gray eyes looked me over and she gave a sympathetic smile. “Guess what?” I leaned in closer. “Most people out there are terrible dancers themselves. The trick is to have fun though. Remember, no videos or photos here, so no permanent evidence. Besides,” she straightened herself up and strengthened her voice to give off a more intimidating presence, “you’ve got me to watch out for you.” She smiled at me, and I smiled back over the little joke and her kind gesture. “Now that I’ve gotten you to smile a bit, I can see you’re still a bit nervous though, so how about I go and get us some drinks?” I nodded. “Just wait right here and I’ll be back faster than you can ‘applesauce.’” She patted my shoulder to give me some assurance and then went off to get the drinks. I sat there by myself for a moment and reflected on the day. It wasn’t necessarily all that I hoped it would be but meeting the group and Miss Samantha had been a highlight. It all felt very fast with the way we were interacting with each other, but there was just something about Miss Samantha in particular that seemed to bore right through me. Any armor I was wearing seemed to be made of tissue paper under her smiles and gentle words of encouragement. I was still thinking about her when she returned with two colorful drinks. Hers was yellow and seemed more mature as opposed to my self-proclaimed ‘giggle juice.’ Its colors reminded me of a tequila sunrise, a personal favorite of mine, but like my previous drink of the mermaid water, tasted sweeter and more mellow. If I was ever to design a cocktail for littles who may not enjoy the taste of alcohol but still enjoy its benefits, I would have likely created either of those two drinks. After chatting about random bits of our lives once more, nearly starting back up where we had ended earlier in the day on the black cushioned chairs, Miss Samantha and I got up, threw our glasses away, and entered the double doors of the grand ballroom, freshly imbued with a little liquid courage. The stage was lit, and music echoed off the walls. The room wasn’t as large as it could have been, owing to the playground set up in the room next door where the nerf war had taken place earlier, but the mass of people seemed to fit the space just fine. Balloons of several colors lit up and floated about the foggy atmosphere and humid temperature of the throngs of pulsating dancers before us. “Come on! Dance with me, Percy!” Miss Samantha then guided my drawstring backpack off my shoulders, gently laid it down out of the way on one of the walls where other bags were, and then tugged me gingerly into the crowds of people near the center of the room. It was an awkward squeeze, but Miss Samantha held enough of a presence in front of her that few remained in our way. Within minutes, that would have taken me at least three times as long, we were only about ten feet from the stage and near Princess Ditzy and Miss Chelsea. Nearby, Derek was dancing with another femininely dressed person I had not seen yet. I then felt a gentle tug of my chin, and Miss Samantha deftly guided my face towards hers. “Don’t worry about them, sweetie. Don’t worry about any of them. Just focus on me. Come on and dance with me.” I started to rock back and forth to the music. I wasn’t lying when I said I couldn’t dance, but I did have an appreciation for music. I easily picked up the beat and nodded my head and moved my body as the notes filled my ears. “That’s it, sweetie. Keep going.” In my own motions with the music, I could easily see Miss Samantha begin moving with the music as well. Her movements were similar to mine, but more free, expressive, and fluid. I looked like a rusted robot learning to move again with small movements to indicate the rust might be edging away. She, on the other hand, looked like a graceful dancer unfolding and swaying in a delicate breeze. I wasn’t the only one who noticed. Before I could mind them though, the song finished and the next picked up the pace. Movements were shuffled around, and a lot of people started bouncing up and down. Some even began to hop in place and almost violently nod their heads. Miss Samantha and I bounced a bit, but true to her promise, she never strayed far and watched me for nearly every song for the next 40 minutes. It was wonderful and the time flew by quickly with each change of the song. Finally, Miss Samantha pulled at my hand, and we exited the dance floor with me dragging behind. At one point, I even had to navigate around a large person wearing a fox mask adorned with blue fur while Miss Samantha picked up my bag. It took a second in the chaos and collective dancing around them, but once beyond the doors, as I had been working up a small sweat, the cooler air outside the ballroom felt instantly gratifying. We both took a seat near the doors and could hear the pounding of the music still. “Sweetie, I’m so proud of you for going out there and dancing.” “Thank you, Miss Samantha.” I blushed slightly as saying her name out loud like that felt good but highly embarrassing. To me, it didn’t matter if anyone was truly watching. I just couldn’t get it out of my head that they even had the potential to or to judge me. “Now, I won’t check you today and I’ll respect your boundaries, but something is telling me that diaper is still dry.” I wiggled around a bit and nodded. It was harder to tell with the sweat I was accumulating but the crotch still crinkled and didn’t have a weight to it yet. “Hmmm. That’s what I thought. You need to be drinking more.” I wanted to protest that I hadn’t seen her go pee yet tonight, but Miss Samantha only walked away and then handed me back a small plastic cup of water when she returned. “I want you to drink this up now for me.” She stared at me intently like her request was not up for debate. I was thirsty, so I just went along with what she wanted and downed the water in a few seconds. “Now, I remember seeing you with a sippy cup in your bag” She reached down to the side of her and pulled up my bag that she had retrieved for me. “I managed to grab this leaving while you were trying to move past the one dressed as a fox.” She pulled out my sippy cup, still nestled next to Stripe and then took the empty cup from my hand. “I’m going to go fill both up. Just wait here.” She returned as promised and I downed the cup again, this time without any prompting. Miss Samantha only smiled and pocketed my sippy cup. “For later after the party is over. I want you to drink it all up before you go to bed. Promise me.” “I promise.” I felt foolish promising something like that, but I held little resistance to what Miss Samantha wanted from me. ‘Must be that mermaid water or giggle juice hitting me…’ A small part of me feared what I would do if she asked me to do something more for her. Even if it was embarrassing, I couldn’t help but feel that I still wouldn’t say no. She then stood and daintily held out her hand. “Come on, sweetie. We have a dance to get back to.” I smiled and took her hand as I stood up. A few minutes later, after setting my backpack back against the wall, carrying my now full sippy cup of the water that she had retrieved for me, and navigating through the crowd, Miss Samantha and I were back dancing. For his part, Derek had begun to make out with whoever he was with and Princess Ditzy and Miss Chelsea just bounced up and down to the music, practically bumping into each other multiple times, but just laughing it off as something silly. Neither seemed to mind too much about any of it. Miss Samantha and I followed their lead and for the next six songs, we continued in the same pattern. All that changed when the DJ started playing a slow song. It was unusual but expected for this type of event. I always dreaded these songs whenever I had been dancing with my dates in high school or college, particularly if both of us were having a more awkward night with the other. It turned out that Miss Samantha was not the type to feel, or at least show, awkwardness over any situation. In a few seconds, she took the initiative and pulled me in close to her. Despite the ever-present smell of the fog mixer they were using to provide a dusky atmosphere in the room, plus the hundreds of now sweating bodies, I was enveloped by a familiar floral scent that seemed to pour from her body. I could see the safety pins that had secured her witch hat tightly on her head and her bold makeup only served to enhance her gray eyes. Being so close felt awkward at first, but her warmth, smooth skin, and tender touch easily melted this feeling away. We stayed that way swaying to the music until the song was regretfully over. ‘Maybe I didn’t like slow songs because I didn’t have the right dance partner…’ It was shockingly wonderful, and we even continued the tight embrace once it was silent all throughout the room, beyond the murmuring chatter asking about the next song. Our forms only parted when the next song, a much more forceful number, started. Oddly, Miss Samantha seemed embarrassed for once, but just started dancing and purposefully didn’t bring any attention to her brief moment of weakness on the dance floor. ‘What was she just thinking?’ After a few more songs, the DJ announced the end to the party and the masses began shuffling out of the once packed room. I grabbed my backpack, walked out with Miss Samantha, and then sat in exhaustion at one of the round tables again. She was still standing and seemed to be scanning the throngs of people exiting. I saw that Derek slipped out the other doorway with the feminine figure he had been dancing with, and soon after, Princess Ditzy was walking slowly out with Miss Chelsea. After a few hand gestures between the two, Miss Samantha nodded toward Miss Chelsea, and then sat with me. “Everyone else is headed to bed tonight. I suggest you do the same.” “But there are still people here. What if I miss out on the best thing for this whole event? I’m not even tired.” I tried to stand firm but then realized I had to go to the bathroom and Miss Samantha didn’t seem to be moving on the topic. “I don’t want to leave.” “Oh, I understand, sweetie, but I’ve caught you yawning a few times when you thought I wasn’t looking on the dance floor. I think today was a bit more than you were expecting, but we still have another entire full day tomorrow. You don’t want me to have to force you into a nap tomorrow, huh?” I hung my head in defeat. “No, Miss Samantha.” “Good. Now, I need to make sure Miss Chelsea is okay and head to bed myself. Are you going to be okay by yourself? I can stay if you want me to…” Miss Samantha looked at me peculiarly and I wasn’t sure what to make of it. ‘Was she wanting to be with her friend? Was I supposed to make a move? Was she expecting something more?’ I realized it didn’t matter and that I didn’t want to get in the way of her checking on Miss Chelsea. The buddy system was a golden standard around here during the convention. Though I knew that me leaving and coming to the hotel was decidedly a solo affair, my adult sensibilities would last for the fifteen-minute walk back to my own hotel. “No, that’s okay. You should go and see Miss Chelsea. Make sure she’s all right and all that.” Miss Samantha smiled. “Thank you, Percy. That’s very thoughtful of you.” She paused and looked hesitant. “I know you were freaking out a little with the dark room today, but I think you should consider going to the orientation tomorrow morning. I’ll even attend with you if you want me to.” She paused. “Moral support, if you will and all.” I thought about it for a moment. Despite my quickly growing need to pee and my fear of that dreaded room, I couldn’t help but fixate on the possibility of going there. My heart fluttered for a moment but calmed down when I mentally reminded myself that Miss Samantha had just offered to come with me. It was an opportunity too good to just turn down. “I’ll go with you. Tomorrow. At 10, right?” Miss Samantha briefly looked curiously crestfallen, but then nodded her head in agreement. “Join me line tomorrow morning and we’ll go together. First there saves a spot.” She then stood up and smoothed out her witch’s dress. “Remember to drink your sippy tonight before you go to bed. I’ll see you tomorrow. Hug?” She seemed that she was in a rush to see Miss Chelsea, but from my interactions with her, I knew she was also a woman of planning, so the details had to be ironed out beforehand. Now that they were, Miss Chelsea was the obvious priority. I hesitated over the abruptness of the moment but wanted to hug Miss Samantha one more time. “I will. I’ll see you tomorrow.” We both hugged for a small bit of time and then broke off from each other. Miss Samantha walked off, turned after a short distance, and gave me a coy, little smile, before trudging up the far stairs once more and out of my sight. I sighed audibly, but my bladder panged again. It was sudden and I momentarily panicked that I would lose control. I realized when walking down the stairs and being reminded of the bulk between my legs of how ridiculous a notion that was, but I still held it in. I was wearing a diaper that could take the abuse, but without the calming and strengthening presence of Miss Samantha, my courage was no longer with me. Wetting a diaper freely in front of everyone was still beyond my comfort level. After waiting a brief time in line for my bags and the changing room, one opened up. I dropped my denim shortalls to the floor and just looked at myself in the mirror. My diaper bulged thickly around my skull patterned onesie, and a quick removal of my baseball gear gave me an odd feeling. I had never been one for sucking pacifiers or my thumb, but a desire to multitask and pee my diaper while sucking my thumb crept into my head. The curtains were drawn, and the noise would be minimal, so I just gave in. Peeing or thumb sucking in public was one thing, but no one could see me now. I had free reign. My thumb tasted salty but a slow pulsing in and out of the digit took my mind off when the last time I had washed my hands was. Enraptured in the moment, a quick burst of pee entered my diaper. Unlike before, I didn’t clench down in fear that my diaper would leak. I told myself that it was the end of the day, and I could always wash these clothes. To my joy though, the diaper did its job and held firmly. ‘Good. So good…’ I luxuriated in the feeling for a moment. The alcohol from the drinks and performing such an act had blissed out my mind for a moment. It was wonderful and a part of my inner consciousness chastised itself for not doing this sooner. ‘Now I know…’ I was only interrupted by another little nearby bursting out into laughter in a changing area nearby. The moment having been broken; I quickly went about changing myself once again. Satisfied with my wiping and a brief air-drying period, I jumped back into my more vanilla clothes that I had originally been wearing this morning when I walked here. After cleaning the table down and crumpling the diaper back up, I exited the curtained room, threw away my used diaper, and headed back outside. The walk back to the hotel was cold and served as a stark reminder to myself of the joy the event had brought me during the day. Despite the walking feeling nice, I wished I could have just collapsed in my bed only a few floors up, perhaps even wearing a diaper still. 17 minutes later though, I walked in the revolving door, purchased an oatmeal container for the next morning and a Snickers bar to snack on to make up for the fact that I had missed a Walmart two nights ago by five minutes and was currently starving. My stomach gurgled and I only then made the connection that I hadn’t eaten anything beyond some candy since I had left this morning at 9. Needless to say, I quickly devoured the Snickers bar in three tasty bites. After downing the sippy cup, performing my night routine, and getting ready for the next day, I laid in bed and tried to look up the events from the world outside. They felt foreign and evil to the point I even grabbed Stripe from my backpack. His presence helped but only led me further to think of only the convention. Memories of the group and Miss Samantha swirled delightfully in my mind, filling me with joy and wonder and shutting out the evil of the world beyond. Pleasant ideas of tomorrow, despite the still present fear of the dark room, were at the forefront as well, and I soon drifted off peacefully, thinking of nothing but caregivers, bottles, and diapers.

I actually have another story that I already have planned out as part of the Stuffy series that explores companies in the Diaper Dimension a bit more. I have a few fully outlined stories that I'm already working on now, so I'll just need to figure out which one I want to post next at this point. I might even ask what others want in a status update, but I'll just have to see at this point. The con is pretty amazing and I rarely saw a permanently sad or angry face. That being said, this is one of the chapters where the con will start to be a bit different than reality. Still fun and exciting, but sitting at writing panels is fun for me, but not necessarily for the plot of a story. Hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 3: An Understanding Face I was flabbergasted at the sight before me. The woman was dressed casually but with a style that noted she had likely not just thrown her appearance together at the last moment. Being as artistically inclined as I was, I peered into her gray eyes, as I usually found I could get an accurate reading on someone with what their eyes showed. Facial tics and postures could be faked or mimicked in the right circumstances, but I truly believed in the ‘eyes being the key to the soul’ business. Hers, however, seemed neutral and blank. Neither good nor bad. ‘Unusual…’ “I said, are you okay?” she repeated, this time a bit sterner, though while still maintaining her kindness somehow. Upon her stern repeating, I realized I had been staring at her for a moment without acknowledging what she had said in the first place. If this was the normal outer world away from the convention, my staring eyes would have been taken as creepy. Given my attire and demeanor, other more innocent conclusions could be reached. “I… I… I’m sorry.” I looked away bashfully, now fully cognizant of my continued stare. “I’m o… okay.” I remained fixated on the floor at her feet and didn’t move. Instead, I watched as her ankles just crouched, and her voice suddenly seemed nearer. “Are you sure? I know I don’t know you but you’re just sitting down on the ground with your head between your legs.” She paused. “Is this your first con?” I nodded my head but refused to look back at her, given my previous embarrassing gaze. “Yes…” “Ah… that explains it.” The kindness just bounded off her tone. It seemed like they came from someone I could trust, so I looked up at the face that now stood near my eye level as the woman was crouched near the ground now. “It’s a lot to take in, isn’t it?” I nodded, not finding my words again but wanting to avoid just staring at her like I had already done. “You know there’s a quiet room downstairs, right?” I did know. I had toured the hotel and the amenities it would offer over of the con, and near the end of a corridor with other rooms downstairs, such as the preschool room where I had previously met Derek, was the quiet room. It held a dark ambience, which was neatly protected even behind the curtains in front of the door to prevent light from entering when someone entered or exited. Playmats, a large crib, playpen, and a comfortable chair lay neatly against the walls, and I had already seen several of the younger-minded take residence there. “I… I know it. I saw it last night. I…” I paused and tried to calm myself down internally. Big feelings were okay here and were considered normal, but I didn’t want to embarrass myself further… even if it was all possibly just in my head. From past experience, all that would only perpetuate the cycle and would do no one any good. The same could equally be said about the dark room. It seemed too tempting of a place to let out my feelings and I feared that once released, I wouldn’t be able to control them, so I tried to play it off. “I don’t need it… I think…” “You think?” the woman stared at me with questioning wide eyes, still gray and throwing off a neutral ambience. Now though, they bore a mark of comfort and intimidation. They were pleasant but didn’t go far enough into making me feel any more relaxed by their presence alone. “I…” I stared at the double doors to the dark room at the end of the hallway, “I just got a bit nervous over the,” I lowered my voice, “the dark room.” Her face unexpectedly brightened, and her eyes took on more of a caring nature for whatever reason. It felt odd but her whole demeanor seemed to lighten and fill the space around us with an unusual amount of affection and happiness. “Aww. That’s okay. It’s a scary place. I know a bunch of people who are too afraid to even go near those doors. You must be very brave for even getting close to them in the first place.” “Really?” I couldn’t help but play into her caring and babying tone. It felt so natural, and I think even my older steady mindset would have appreciated the gesture of not feeling like a coward anymore. “Really, really.” She seemed to think for a moment and stare at me in wonder, before putting out her hand, her fingers delicately gripped together, almost as if she was royalty and I were to kiss her hand. “I’m Samantha. What’s your name.” I reached out myself and gently shook her warm hand. “P… Percy.” The mere gesture of her reaching down and me having to meet her hand from underneath gave me a peculiar feeling of being more submissive and littler than was reality. “It’s good to meet you, Percy.” She stared intently at my seated position on the floor. “Do you want to talk at all? I have a pretty open ear and zero judgment.” I hesitated. “It might make you feel better?” I knew I was supposed to have fun here and talking might not be the worst idea ever. I had been to therapy before years ago when I was in college and talking seemed to help then, so I figured this wouldn’t hurt either. Unlike the room downstairs, talking could be paused or steadied to prevent me from having a total meltdown today. “Okay… I… I think that would be nice.” She smiled warmly at me. “I’m glad to hear that, Percy. Do you want to try and stand?” I remembered my huddled position on the floor and only nodded. Samantha instantly stood from her crouched position. I had no such luck or physical fortitude. After kicking out my legs and attempting to stand as dignified as possible, I only succeeded in failure and flopping around helplessly. “Here,” Samantha smiled gently and outstretched her hand with a now open palm toward me, “let me help.” I let go of my already bruised ego and took her hand. With little effort on her part and still some struggling on mine, her added assistance popped me up in seconds, my diaper crinkling a bit as it hit the wall when I steadied myself once upright. “Thank you,” I said, dusting off my shortalls from the imaginary dust that I always believed had collected on my clothing whenever I sat. “You’re welcome. Now, I think I spied some comfy looking chairs in the lobby that were empty the last time I checked. Do you want to try them out?” I tried to gain some dignity in front of everyone who had just seen my struggle when my head was on my knees and just now as I stood up, so I made sure to select my best manners and veer away from the more childish ones. “Lead the way,” I said as I even puffed out my chest and lowered my voice a little. Other times it may have covered up my previous shame, but standing there diapered, in shortalls, and with a tiger stuffy still nestled in the bag I was holding, it likely didn’t have the same effect. I didn’t care. I only cared about how I felt in the moment. Gratefully, for her part, Samantha only smiled. She led the way past the growing crowds in the tiled hallways back to the main lobby. It was a short walk and thankfully, no one was currently seated in two of the dark cushioned armchairs; a rarity in such a crowded con. Samantha allowed me to sit first, and she followed, slightly adjusting her chair to get closer to mine once seated. As she adjusted her seat to be closer and to hear me better amongst the noisy crowds of people going off to do their own thing, I sat back in the comfortable chair and took a breath while staring at the scene around me to center myself slightly. Dozens of littles and some older looking crowds I assumed to be middles or bigs, amicably walked by on the tiled or carpeted floors. Above me, housed an array of latticed white supports holding up a large glass ceiling, revealing the dismal weather outside. It contrasted greatly with the balloons, columns wrapped in fairy lights, free stickers, and array of smiling faces. The day was pressing on, and some littles seemed ready to collapse already on the white tablecloth-covered round tables to our rear and right. “Poor little dears. Probably needed a nap today.” Samantha was obviously noticing the same littles I was. “Too much excitement for some.” I wasn’t sure how exactly to respond to a statement like that. Samantha obviously fell into the big or maybe even the caregiver role from what I had seen so far, but I had little experience with them at this point. I knew I wanted something more caring in a relationship but someone calling themselves a caregiver to you personally had felt a bit too much of a stretch so far. For now, I opted for something simple. “I guess…” Samantha looked at me quickly and then almost seemed to study me for a moment. If it weren’t for her kind expression, I would have been very uncomfortable with this person I had just met honestly. “With this being your first con, I’m guessing all this is a lot for you, huh?” “You could say that again…” Samantha leaned in closer to me. “I’ve known about this side of me for a while, but I really didn’t start anything more public until last year. Before then, I just knew it felt right but didn’t do much about it. Not publicly at least. Does that make sense?” “Absolutely.” I was glad to hear that, but I wanted to know about this mysterious and seemingly kindly figure. “So, you’ve known about this side to you for a while?” “As long as I can remember.” Her gaze shifted and she looked like she was having an out of body experience for a moment before quickly snapping back. “It just feels right to some of us, and there’s nothing wrong with that.” “I guess…” “You guess?” Samantha looked insulted for a second. “What does… oh…” Her gaze then shifted to a more sympathetic one. “You don’t have to be ashamed, Percy. All this,” she gestured around the room, “it’s all okay and natural even. You don’t have to be embarrassed here.” “I suppose… I’m just… new, maybe?” I twiddled my thumbs for a moment. “I had an ex who was into more of the dark room stuff for a while, but I kept this side of me hidden… mostly.” “Go on…” her hand gracefully touched mine. It felt smooth and warm, inviting even, as if to say, ‘trust me’ and ‘I want to know more.’ “With her, it was all consent with someone I fully trusted. Several layers of consent and conversations before anything more than completely vanilla, and here…” I looked around at the parading littles with bulging onesies or puppies with leashes and owners. They all seemed so… free. I didn’t find them odd at all, despite what I knew my face probably looked like. It wasn’t distrust or malice toward them. If anything, other than curiosity, it was envy. “So, the dark room seemed a bit much with everything else going on?” I nodded. “That’s understandable, but trust me, it’s all consensual and you can always stop.” I almost asked her how she could possibly know all that, but then spied the coveted silky black ribbon gracefully hanging around her right wrist. She had already gone in and done the orientation, so of course she knew. I nodded. “I get that… I just…” “It’s a lot,” she said, finishing my words. Her look then switched back to what I could only guess was her studying me intently. “You’ve never been little around anyone else before, have you?” I debated my answer. Admitting the truth could work in either direction. She could either view me as a newbie and a blank slate, which I knew some appreciated, or she could view me as a little not fully committed or too new to all this to waste her time with. As silly as it sounded, my kindergartener teacher’s advice of ‘always tell the truth,’ rang freely around in my head. “No. Not directly.” She looked at me questioningly. “I did some experimentation last year with others. It didn’t work out…” “They took advantage of your vulnerability?” I nodded and avoided eye contact. “But I take it before that happened, you were happy?” I nodded again. It was an embarrassing and tense moment in my life when the online mommy relationship ended badly, but it had unlocked something in me. While before I would wear something at least less adult once a month, I was now doing it every week. I still felt a shame of sorts, but I was also feeling a sense of freedom and comfort I hadn’t known in years. She placed her hand on mine again and looked deeply into my eyes. “I’m very sorry that happened to you but I promise that you can be who you want here. No one will judge.” “I…” I managed to make out before shying away again. I averted my gaze, but my hand almost felt cemented under the calm presence of Samantha’s own hand. I would have likely wanted to crawl away in discomfort if it hadn’t been for her simple touch. “Is there something more?” I nodded. “Go on.” “I was outed my freshman year in college. My roommate borrowed my laptop, but his friends pressured him into snooping through my history.” I clenched my eyes at the painful memory and betrayal that happened that spring. “I guess as a prank…” Samantha’s face hardened and grew concerned. “Go on. I’m listening. Just let it out.” I took a breath and continued. “It got out everywhere in the building for anyone who cared a second for a bit of gossip… it took about a month for the side sneers and disgusted looks to go away.” I still felt the pain inside but every year the burden would soften. None of us saw each other anymore and the distance helped. Saying it out loud to this day still hurt though. “Admittedly, there was one girl on the fifth floor who gave me a sympathetic and almost longing look. I always wondered about her… but one good couldn’t outweigh the rest.” “Then what?” “I spent the next few years hiding my likes away. I only ever directly told two people about it before last year. Everything was just bottled up…” Samantha sat back in her chair. In mere moments I had unloaded a decade or more of guilt onto this woman I had just met. Each syllable I managed to spit out was a burden released from my mind but accompanying each freedom, was a tingling fear that she would reject me in a second. To my relief, she did no such thing. Instead, she rocked back forward, and had started to stroke my hand carefully while keeping her gaze fixed on me. In moments, I had melted back into her comforting presence. If I had actually been a toddler at that moment, I would have thought it was magic. “Well, you’re here now, sweetie. Those people were wrong. You are perfect just the way you are for what you like. There’s a whole community here and out there who like the same thing.” “I’ve seen that. It’s almost too hard to believe.” “It’s all real, Percy.” She paused and looked around the room for a second. I thought I had ruined my time with her, but she then snapped back and looked directly at me. “This is a community and we’re all in this together. I want you to do something for me. Can you do that?” “I… I can try.” I didn’t want to outright agree to anything a practical stranger, no matter how much comfort she was giving me, would ask of me. “I want you to try and let go while you’re here. Leave those doors,” she pointed to the curtain leading to the main exit of the hotel, “and you can shrivel all back up inside your protective shell if you really want to. I think you should be who you are out there as well, but I can understand the hesitation in this world.” She paused and took a breath and almost seemed worried for a moment, but then collected herself and continued. “That being said, I want you to let go in here. Let go of all those worries and moments of shame. Can you do that for me?” It was a big ask but I knew what she wanted me to do had its merits. The increasing crowd buzzing around us paid little attention to each other, the same could be true with my presence alone as well. Everyone was lost in the moment of their found joy and Samantha wanted me to do the same. She probably knew that most of what could be considered embarrassing was just the norm during the con. “I will try.” “That’s all I ask.” Smantha patted my hand and then let go. Her loss of warmth and immediate comfort gave me a chill and instant sense of loneliness but Samantha herself remained, and I had to be happy by that at least. In the moment after though, a sad and concerned look overtook her face. “I’m sorry about that. I probably should have warned you before I took my hand away then.” She paused and took on a look of intense concentration. “How about this? Only if you want, but would you like a hug? You’ve been so brave, and I like to award littles who are brave with me.” My heart immediately sped up. This beautiful and kind woman was offering me a hug and had called me brave. In any other room or time, a hug was what friendly people did for others. Here and now, it meant a great deal more. The addition of being called brave after my moment of cowardice was just a cherry on top. I nodded my head in acceptance. She smiled and reached out. We hugged each other for a good few minutes and I took her strong frame into my arms. Her form felt powerful but was also gentle, soft, and she smelled sweetly of blossoming flowers. It was a wonderful moment, and I felt my previously racing heart slow to a steady beat, content over in my luck over meeting Samantha today. Being unable to tear myself away from her soothing touch, Samantha was the first to break the hug. I still didn’t like it, but my heart felt full. “Better?” My body felt the ache of her departure, but I only nodded, and we smiled at each other in gratitude for the tiny moment we had shared together. For the next hour, we exchanged stories about our passions, families, and other such little bits. With time, I saw Samantha as more of a person than the purely concerned big I originally had, with her love of dogs, children, cooking, and even boating in the summers. Her monumental presence as a person unattainable and uninterested in me waned, though she still had an aura of mystery and wonder about her that made me feel lucky for even talking to her in the first place. She seemed to choose her words carefully when talking about her life, but they all sounded genuine, which let her message come across like an artist painting a picture, rather than someone covering up their past. Each outpouring felt deliberate and beautiful, and I sat in my seat, enraptured but what I was hearing. Before long though, she was looking at her watch. “Oh. Look at the time. I’ve got to get ready for tonight. Trick or Treating is a big deal to my friend and me. Are you planning on going?” I was relieved I wasn’t boring her, but I didn’t want this moment to end. I knew she had other commitments than a singular person like me but letting someone like Samantha go felt like a Herculean task at the moment. “To be honest, I was a little on the fence about it. I wasn’t sure if other people…” She held up a finger to stop me. “What did I say?” I looked at her in confusion. “Forgetting already? That’s okay. I can’t expect a little like you to remember all the time.” I blushed. “I want you to not think about others while you’re here. Just do what you want to have fun. That’s the goal.” ‘Shoot. My big stupid head already forgetting.’ “Oh, right. I’m sorry. I… I’ll be there tonight” I was still wary of going, but I didn’t want to upset the woman who had just been so patient and understanding with me. “Good.” Samantha then stood up and I joined her. “I’m sure I’ll see you later tonight. Until then…” she then reached out and hugged me. I was stunned for a moment by the suddenness of the gesture but quickly leaned into her embrace. This hug gave me the same sense of warmth and happiness and I didn’t want it to end, but Samantha had other places to be, and she broke the hug more quickly this time. “Bye for now.” She walked away but then arced her head back coyly after a few steps. “I’m sure you’ll look cute with whatever you wear tonight.” With that she gave me a little wave and left my stunned form still standing in place by the cushioned chairs. I stood there for a minute more until another little in just a onesie cleared his voice and asked if I was sitting in the chair still. I shook off the feeling Samantha had left me with, let him sit down, and then walked off to go back downstairs. Samantha had gone up early and there was still a little time before the trick or treating would even begin. Clutching my still unfinished piece of art, I reentered the preschool room and began feverishly working on completing what I had started earlier. The encounter with Samantha had given me a newfound confidence and happiness. Her gentle mannerisms and soothing words had pierced my inner psyche and allowed my younger side to come out a bit more than I would have cared to admit. I had to continually remind myself to not care how others would perceive that side, but I was just grateful it didn’t really start to become noticeable to me at all until I began rapidly filling in the background the picture with black. For all the subtleness I was giving the background. I might as well have been coloring as aimlessly as a toddler. Still, my straight random scribbles added to the mystery and tension behind the characters, and after a quick signature and dating at the bottom, I posted it on the wall with a large piece of blue painter’s tape. The finished artwork stood out amongst the pages that others had colored in or the multitude of doll cutouts that made up the bulk of the artwork in the room. Each was done in a unique manner, and I couldn’t help but chuckle and wonder at the same time if the scribbles on some of them had come from a lack of artistic ability, a little mindset, or even aa combination of both. Regardless, time was ticking, and I was beginning to feel the need to pee. Having only started fully experimenting with my little side in the past year and only really just started using my diapers in the past few months, my diaper changing abilities were growing stronger but still lacked the confidence of a seasoned pro. Full blown wetting with my own abilities was a risk I was too nervous to undertake still, especially considering my lack of a change of younger clothing with me. Any accidents with what I was wearing now would only lead me to change back into my vanilla clothes. Samantha wouldn’t like that, and at this point, neither would I. ‘What are jeans and a t-shirt compared to a onesie and some shortalls?’ Waiting in line for a few minutes, I finally made it to the bag check. I requested my items from the friendly volunteers and gladly took my normal travel backpack and the complimentary large red canvas bag with me. I waited in line behind a long litter of littles waiting to change themselves or the ones with them, and one by one, each of them found an open changing area to go about their business. Finally, it was my turn. I proceeded along the narrow passageway in between the draperies that acted as the walls and doors of each changing area. Sound proofing was out of the question, but opaque colorful fabrics and a simple chair system to designate if a place was free or not eliminated any embarrassing accidental viewings. Some probably wouldn’t mind others sneaking a view, but I was not amongst them. I empty my required changing materials and my limited costume out on the floor and then stood in front of the mirror. I could pee without the mirror, but it gave me a visual clue to possible signs of leaks while I went pee. Without much effort, a stream began filling the diaper and within a minute of steady forced on and off streaming, I was done. I let the pee settle for a quick moment, then quickly ripped the tapes open, and took care to set the diaper on the ground. I then wiped myself to the best of my ability with the wipes I had brought from home and then prepared the thick diaper I had wished to use for tonight. It was thick and every square inch was marked with a cutesy cartoon character playing dress up; perfect for a night of trick or treating. Fluffing it, spreading it out on the changing table, and then applying powder, I got into position and lowered myself down onto the thick mass. It crinkled loudly and I briefly felt embarrassed. The embarrassment didn’t last long. Two voices had been going back and forth in the changing area next to mine. It was typical conversation fair, but from the sound of their progress, they were already deep into their own diaper change. “Legs up, baby.” Some crinkling could be heard. “Good job! Whose mommy’s little baby?” I heard a few giggles sneak out and more crinkling could be heard. “Oh? Do I have a ticklish baby?” More giggles. “I think I do! I think I do!” Fits of giggles now poured out. ‘They’re certainly not embarrassed... I don’t know if that’ll ever be me…’ Pffft! Brrrrppppt! “Mommy! Ah! I can’t breathe!” “Doesn’t my little baby like raspberries?” “Well, yeah but…” Pffft! Brrrrppppt! “Mommy! Mommy!” The words rang out in my ears. Here I was, having my usual trouble around adjusting the diaper to fit snugly around my thighs without cutting into them or risk popping them later, but of course not having them too loose that I could eventually leak when I decided to use the diaper for its intended purpose. Their rapport felt natural and free. No hesitations or breaks in the scene. Just bliss during the end of a diaper change, as opposed to my own, where I now stood to make the final adjustments to the tops of the diaper. It was slightly crooked, but it would do for my purposes. The little next to me likely now had the perfect diaper and was about to be off and giggling all the way. I shook my head. Such thoughts did me no good and would likely just make me sad again. I couldn’t squander the feeling of joy that Samantha had left me with earlier. So, I doubled down, and then refastened my onesie and shortalls. Pausing for a moment to admire my appearance, I then took my costume out and held up my baseball jersey and hat from back home, along with an inflatable bat and a few balls. It was simple to allow it to be lightweight and portable for my flight here, but it was enough to show I had made an effort of some kind. I was worried with the spring opener a week away and my team having ousted the local team last year in the playoffs, that the outfit was a risk, but I still went with it anyway when I was thinking about tonight back home two weeks ago. After packing my other items back up, I wiped the changing table, and admired it for a quick moment. Though truly a sturdy masseuse table, it did wonders in its purpose and feeling of a raised sturdy surface to change a diaper. I then balled up my used diaper with the wipes, and walked out, carefully placing the chair in its proper position to signal the area was now free to be used again. I dunked my diaper in the nearby trashcan for such purposes and waited in line once more to hand back my travel backpack and large red bag. Outside, I sat against the wall out of the way of traffic and inflated one of the balls and the bat as best I could. They weren’t like the real thing of course, but a careful squeezing and closing of the nozzle in rapid succession allowed them to be held and make a small thudding noise when hit. Still carrying my drawstring backpack, I gave Stripe a quick squeeze in his position in the back mesh before heading back upstairs. As my tired knees clambered up the stairs and I hoisted myself forward with the brass railing, I felt a surge of fear take hold. I had always been a massive fan of Halloween and trick or treating, but this all felt different. Each step seemed to take me closer to an embarrassment I couldn’t just wave off. I knew others had been talking about the event, but I also knew that some of the mainstays that had really pushed the event along weren’t doing it this year for whatever reason. It was enough that a seed of doubt momentarily entered my mind. Right as I turned the corner though, Samantha popped back into my head. Her calm demeanor and the promise I had made to her stuck out and almost seemed to want to slap me across the face to snap out of it. I had made her a promise and I knew I had to keep it. Getting on Samantha’s bad side was not a line I wanted to cross, or even go near for that matter. No, I had to suck my fear in, gather my courage, and just not care what anybody else was possibly thinking. I just had to let go.

Chapter Ten Lyra left the bench a little early to get a diaper change and Wendy cleaned up the boxes. Usually there was more to do during lunch - a kickball game was running, and there was a game of duck duck goose - but Wendy had spent most of the time thinking up ways to connect with a ghost. Unfortunately, nothing came to mind. Wendy and Lyra reunited in Ms. Martens's science class. Of all the teachers at the Academy, Ms. Martens was the worst. She was just so bossy and strict, but she let the students work in groups. Obviously Wendy and Lyra teamed up, but to everyone's surprise Aqua and Alistair joined forces. Wendy wasn't sure she had ever seen Daisy and JB even talk to each other, but now they didn't really have a choice. "Awkward," Lyra muttered, glancing over at Daisy and JB, working silently on a worksheet about the solar system. "Awkward?" Wendy asked. "Why awkward?" "It was before you got here," Lyra shrugged. "JB had a thing for Daisy, but it didn't work out." Wendy had only been at the Academy since the winter semester started a few months ago; she came with a handful of others, and she was told a handful of others left. Wendy still didn't know why she was here in the first place - why anyone was here - but it was a lot weirder trying to get the hang of wetting your diapers on command when everyone else around you was already doing it. It felt like gaslighting. "A thing?" Wendy tilted her head curiously. "What kind of thing?" "You know…a thing." “Like a kissy-kissy thing?" "Yes, Wendy. Like a kissy-kissy thing." Lyra rolled her eyes. When Wendy got to the Academy, she was so focused on getting out that she never even thought about dating. Then, when she realized that running away would only make her feel worse, she was focused on feeling better. Learning. Getting stickers. Then she found the schoolyard legends. All the energy she had trying to figure out "why am I here?" was suddenly directed at all the weird stuff going on around the school. The eerie singing that turned out to be Nurse December after a little too much rum. The mole man that turned out to be just an ordinary gopher. The dancing lights outside her window; that one she never figured out, but they had stopped a month ago. Then there was the Calm, the most interesting mystery of them all! But it had only happened once, the night before Wendy arrived. Wendy's Wonderbook had pages and pages of details about everything she found out, but the Ghost seemed to be the only thing within reach. All that is to say, Wendy never thought about boys or sex or any of that, not really. Not until today, when Aqua made a big deal about it. It didn't seem very exciting, but... "So do you like anyone?" Wendy asked Lyra. "Aqua's kinda..." No, that wasn't a good fit. "No, not right now," Lyra answered with a smile. "I dun usually like people until they like me." "Hm..." Wendy nodded. "Maybe I'm like that too." The rest of the class went by without incident and Wendy got two stickers for completing her work and behaving well. Wendy and Lyra stopped at the drinking fountain on the way to history class, just in case there was a surprise diaper check. "Miss St. James," Miss Hunnigan said, snagging Wendy on the way into class, "you stay up front with me." Wendy stood off to one side of the chalkboard as everybody else filtered into the classroom. Once the class was seated, Miss Hunnigan cleared her throat and did something she knew would get everyone’s attention. "Wendy, wet your diaper." I'm really being singled out today, Wendy thought with a pout. But a wetting almost always led to a sticker, and it had been a while since her last dose of praise. Miss Hunnigan lifted the front of Wendy's dress and had her hold it, so the front of her math-printed diaper was on display for the whole class. It was awkward with everyone locking eyes, so Wendy dropped her gaze to the floor. A moment later, the white plastic took on a faint yellow and it spread upward toward the little numbers on the landing zone. The heat between her legs and the feeling of eyes on her made Wendy's cheeks burn. "Good girl," Miss Hunnigan said happily, allowing Wendy to drop her skirt and walk back to her desk. She sat down with a squish and blushed a shade darker. Wendy wanted desperately for class to start, and thankfully Miss Hunnigan was quick to do so. Wendy slunk down a little deeper into her chair, which pushed the warm diaper up between her legs. "Daisy." Miss Hunnigan called on her for a question about the Civil War. Wendy sure didn't know the answer; she actually had a conspiracy theory that history class was just meant to make the students feel dumb. Or maybe it was just Miss Hunnigan's teaching ability. Regardless, Daisy gave her the right answer immediately, like she didn't even have to think about it. After class, Wendy waddled after Daisy in her soggy diaper. She caught Daisy by the wrist and managed to make her stop. She sure had an impressive walking speed, that was for sure. "Hey," Wendy said. "Hey?" Daisy said, like a question. Maybe that was just efficient speech: one word and a question mark sure said a lot. 'Hi, nice to see you Wendy, did you need something?' "You uh... you know a lot of answers in class. I never noticed how smart you were." Daisy blushed. Praise from a student wasn't quite the same as praise from a staff member, but it still felt wonderful. "Thank you. Um. I just pay attention really well." "I know I'm the new girl..." Wendy started, knowing 'new' was relative. She had been at this school for more than three months. "But we don't really talk." "...um." Daisy nodded in agreement, but paused for a moment. "I dunno what to say, really..." "Oh. Uh..." Wendy didn't know what to say either. She couldn't just ask about JB. That was rude. Right? "What do you think about the Ghost?" "The one that blows out the candles at night?" she asked. "Yes! Oh my gosh, I forgot about that detail." There was a row of candles on the second floor, lining the hall. From the courtyard, you could see all of them. But the ones in the east wing were always out before bedtime. Maybe the staff put them out, but why just the one wing? Wendy made a mental note to write that in her Wonderbook. "You don't by chance have any ideas how to make friends with a ghost, do you?" Wendy asked, thinking quietly to herself. "Um... I think ghosts can sense feelings? I read that somewhere. So you should give it something that's important to you." "Something that's important to me...?" Wendy thought quietly to herself and Daisy stood there awkwardly. "So, um..." "Oh! I'm sorry," Wendy blushed. "Do you want to go to the Chart with me?" "Okay..." Daisy seemed skeptical, but everyone knew Wendy wasn't the manipulative type. She would try to force you into things you might not want to do, but she was always up front about it. And so, Daisy went with Wendy to the Chart. The Chart was quite literally a chart. It was as big as a wall, right next to the courtyard for everyone to see. At the end of the day, all the students went to put their stickers on it. For some, it was the best part of the day. For others, it was the worst. The stickers were cumulative throughout the semester. Sometimes there were break points where some stickers were more valuable than others, like older stickers were worth less. It was probably a catch-up mechanic or something, urging students to do well in the final part of the semester. But the two with the most stickers were leagues above Wendy: Emily and Aya. Even so, there was a part of Wendy, deep inside, that wanted to try to beat them. If she did, then she would be - objectively - the best girl. Not just a good one, but the best. As Wendy was putting her stickers on the board, she paused. She looked at the tiny stack of them in her hands; she had quite a good day. And she had one more than she had expected, the one that she got for wetting herself in Miss Hunnigan's class. If I were a ghost, Wendy thought, then I would want a sticker too. I would wanna be rewarded for being good. Wendy put all her stickers up on the Chart except one, a red one that she kept in her skirt pocket next to her Silence pacifier. Wendy put her quest for the Ghost above her dream to be a best girl, above her own happiness. For the first time in perhaps the entire lifetime of the school, a sticker went intentionally unstuck. Classes ended in the late afternoon, followed shortly by dinner. Wendy asked Daisy to join her, and Daisy agreed. She always looked like she was waiting around for someone to tell her what to do. A buffet of food was set up along the back wall of the cafeteria, filled mostly with things like chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, hot dog bites, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, grilled cheese, tater tots, fish fingers, and Spaghetti-Os. But to Wendy's relief, there were also things like dumplings, chow mein, taquitos, jam spreads, avocado smoothies, ice pops, dried bananas, onigiri, carrot hawla, plantain chips, bean cakes, soparnik, egg tarts, and tamarind balls. Wendy and Daisy filled their plates and sat at the same table with Lyra. She took one look at Daisy and looked to Wendy for an explanation. "I'm just trying to make friends," Wendy said in her defense. She hadn't even asked about JB! "Good girls should trust their best friends," Wendy chided. "I trust you!" Lyra said a little too fast, blushing at her own eagerness. She glanced shyly at Daisy and returned to her dinner. "That's good," Wendy smiled, picking up a dumpling and taking a bite, "because we are going to look for the Ghost after dinner." "For real life?" Lyra asked, wrapping her incredulousness up in linguistic efficiency. "Well you don’t wanna sneak out at night," Wendy huffed, since that was the most reasonable time for a ghost to be found. "Anyway, what else is there to do?" That was a question with a thousand answers. The hours between dinner and lights out was free time. A lot of students had started clubs, like reading or kickball. There were always games of tag or hide and seek going on. Adventures around the school to look for ghosts wasn't even that out of the ordinary. If Lyra wasn't such a scaredy cat, she wouldn't even hesitate to join Wendy on her quest. But her cowardice was overcome by her commitment to her friend. "Okay," Lyra relented. "Le's find a ghost." "That means no pudding," Wendy said simply, pulling the napkin off her plate and draping it over the heap of pink goo on Lyra’s tray. "What, why?" Lyra puffed out her cheeks in a huff. "I need you to be sharp," Wendy said. "Not all giggly and dumb. Same goes for you, Daisy." Daisy hadn't said a word since sitting down, but she seemed sincerely upset at Wendy's demand. She waited all day until dinner, until she could have the pudding. It was the only thing that freed her of her social anxiety. She could actually play with others. Who cared if her head was fuzzy and she was impressionable? It was a small price to pay. Unfortunately for Wendy, Lyra felt kind of the same way. "That's not fair," Lyra argued. "I dun even wanna go! "When you meet the ghost," Wendy said in a tone of confidence that tried to mimic her teachers, "do you want her to think that you're giggly and dumb? Or cute and clever?" Cute and clever were words that would work for Lyra, but Wendy didn't really know Daisy well enough to know what would appeal to her. But if she could get Lyra to back her properly, then Daisy would probably follow. "I don't want to meet a ghost at all," Lyra argued, but the words ‘cute’ and ‘clever’ were still tumbling around in her head. "One day," Wendy said, reframing the situation. "You can have pudding tomorrow and the next day and the day after. Just one day." Lyra loved the pudding. It was blissful. Addictive. It was like having all her thoughts scrubbed away. No worries, no fears, no anxiety. Nothing bad could find her. But at the same time, everything was so ephemeral. All of her hopes, her dreams, and her ambitions were no more important than her favorite ice cream flavor, and it was all subject to change. If someone told her that she wanted vanilla, then she wanted vanilla. If someone told her that she wanted to be a firefighter, then she wanted to be a firefighter. Sometimes it was nice. Complete cooperation. No arguments, no fighting. Endless, perfect playtime. But if people were so easy to control, the Academy would have fed the students pudding with every meal. Lyra - like every other student at the Academy, like every other person in the entire world - had a fundamental flaw: determination. Sooner or later, being content wasn't enough. She would try a new food, or take a different route home. She would learn a new word or come up with a new question she thought worth asking. She would think for herself. That was the difference between fantasy and reality. A fantasy was static; it assumed someone would want something forever. But in reality, as often as the diapers at the Academy, people changed. No amount of pudding could ever fix that flaw. With a sigh, Lyra buckled. "Okay." "Okay!" Wendy said gleefully. She and Lyra both turned to Daisy, who sulked down in her seat. With reluctance, she said: "Okay..."