Leaderboard

Hope everyone had a good May the Force and Cinco de Mayo. Chapter 10 I woke up to my mom rubbing my back and saying, “Will, it’s time for your evening feeding.” I open my eyes, roll onto my back, and see that Rosie is standing beside the bed. She said, “Alright Will, last feeding of the day. If you vomit, that is OK, just call me if anything feels off with your feeding tube. Do you need any more pain medicine?” I nodded my head and watched as she connected my feeding tube to the bag and then injected me with two different syringes. She then said, “All set, I will be back in a little bit to flush your feeding tube.” My mom then said, “Let’s have you sitting up in case you get sick again.” She then raised my bed until I was almost in a sitting position and placed a bowl in my lap for if I threw up again. “Try and stay awake until after the feeding is done and we know that you won’t get sick,” my mom said. I just nodded my head. After my mom sat back down in the recliner, I looked at the TV to see that my parents were watching reruns of The Office. Doing my best to stay awake, I try to focus my attention on the TV. Within 10 minutes of the show, I started to feel nauseous. Another 10 minutes later I was using all my power not to throw up. I was starting to have to constantly swallow my saliva, as the need to vomit built up. A minute later I could not hold back any longer and with the bowl raised to my face, I threw up a few mouthfuls of the milky white liquid that was coming from the feeding bag. My mom rushed to my side and placed a hand on my shoulder. A few moments after coughing and catching my breath, I look to see my dad on the other side of my bed with a small cup of water in hand. He said, “Let’s rinse your mouth out.” He brought the cup up to my lips and I took a few sips to rinse my mouth out and spit into the bowl. My dad then threw the bowl away and grabbed a new bowl for me and set it in my lap. My mom said, “The feeding bag is almost empty, I don’t think you are going to get sick again, but try and stay up for a little longer until it is empty.” I just nodded my head as my parents retook their seats. Less than 10 minutes later, the bag was empty and my nausea was starting to subside. A moment later Rosie walked back in. As she was flushing my feeding tube, my mom said, “Will got sick again.” Rosie asked while looking at me, “Are you having any issues with your feeding tube after vomiting?” I just shook my head no, and then she said, “I will let the doctors know, but it may be something that we are just going to have to deal with for the time being since this is the only way for you to get nutrition.” I just glumly nodded my head and thought that throwing up three times a day is just one more thing to add to the list of shitty things to deal with daily at this point. As Rosie was leaving the room, my mom got up and started lowering the bed back down for me and said, “Get some rest, Will. Your Dad and I will both be staying the night here.” As soon as the bed was lowered to almost flat, I just turned onto my side away from my parents and as I was falling asleep, I could feel my mom kiss me on the back of my head. I awoke in the middle of the night needing to poop. I turned over onto my back and could see that my mom was sleeping on the couch and my dad was sleeping in the recliner. In the strongest voice that I could muster, I said, “Dad, Dad, Dad!” I could then see my dad stirring in his sleep, then open his eyes and look at me. “Will, what’s wrong?” “Bathroom,” was as I could speak in my weak state. My dad jumped out of the recliner and rushed over to my bedside. Pulling the covers off of me, he picked me up then quickly turned around with me in his arms and sat me on the commode. In less than a minute, my bowels were empty and my dad wiped my bottom using wet wipes. He then picked me back up and set me back in bed. While pulling up the covers, he kissed me on the forehead and said, “Get some sleep, Will, wake me or your mom up if you need anything else tonight.” I nodded and turned back over onto my side. As I was falling back to sleep, I could hear my dad emptying the commode in the bathroom. I woke up again to the night nurse who I have yet to get her name, asking me if I need more pain medicine. With a simple nod, she injected me with the Dilaudid and I was back asleep. I woke up to it being light outside. A moment after waking up, I noticed why I woke up in the first place. My joints were starting to ache again; I turned onto my back and could see that both my parents were up and watching the news on the TV. I called out to my parents, “What time is it.” My dad said, “It’s almost 8:30. Why do you ask?” “The pain meds are starting to wear off,” I said. My dad responded, “I’ll call the nurse.” A few minutes later, Rosie walked in and said, “Good morning Will, what can I do for you this morning?” My mom answered, “Will’s pain medicine is wearing off.” With a concerned look on Rosie’s face, she turned to me and asked, “Do you think you can hold off for another thirty minutes when you are scheduled to get your next dose?” I simply replied, “Maybe.” Rosie responded, “I’m going to go ahead and start your morning feeding, and weigh and measure you. I will be back in a minute.” Rosie was back within a minute and started the feeding bag for my feeding tube and injected me with nausea medicine. She then measured me as I was lying in bed and took my weight using the bed. She said, “Will, you weigh ninety-four pounds and are five foot and a half an inch. I will be back in twenty minutes to give you your pain medicine.” Once Rosie walked back out of the room, my mom raised my bed to some I was back into an almost sitting position and placed a bowl in my lap for me. Knowing that I would probably throw up and that I wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep until I got more pain medicine, I turned my attention to the news on the TV. Just like last night, I started to get more and more nausea as time crawled by. The pain in my joints was also getting worse by the minute. Not knowing how long I had been waiting, I decided not to try and hold back vomiting. I raised the bowl to my mouth and threw up another couple of mouthfuls of white liquid. My dad, seeing me throw up, got out of the recliner and went and got me a small cup of water to rinse my mouth out with. As I am rinsing my mouth out, Rosie walks back in. “Will, I’m back to give you your pain medicine,” pausing, she then said, “Did you get sick again?” My dad responded, “Yes, he threw up another couple of mouthfuls of vomit.” Rosie nodded, then injected me with the Dilaudid. Relief washed over me as the pain medicine worked its way through my body. Rosie said, “It looks like the feeding bag is almost empty, I will be back in a few minutes to flush Will’s feeding tube.” My dad then asked me, “How do you feel right now.” “Nauseous and tired, but I don’t think I’m going to throw up again,” I said. My dad nodded and said, “I’m going to let you lay back down.” My dad took the bowl of vomit from my lap and lowered my bed down to where I could lie down again. Before I could fall back to sleep, Rosie walked back in. She then flushed my feeding tube and threw the bag away. Before walking out of the room she said to my parents and me, “One of the doctors should be checking in on you this afternoon and possibly going over the biopsy results.” Not long after Rosie left, I was back to sleep. I woke up screaming in agonizing pain. The pain was so intense, that I was arching my back and curling my toes and fingers. It felt like someone had smashed every joint in my body with a hammer. My parents rushed to my side, but there was nothing they could do as I was screaming. It seemed after 30 seconds the pain started to subside just enough to keep me from screaming and arching my back. My mom frantically asked, “Where does it hurt Will?” With tears welling in my eyes I was able to shout out, “Everywhere!” No less than a few seconds later, I was hit with another wave of agonizing pain and screamed out again. The pain was so great that I immediately let loose my bowels and poop covered my butt, thighs, and lower back. As the wave of intense pain was starting to subside again, I could see out of the corner of my eye Rosie rushing in. Before she could even make it all the way into my room, I could hear my dad shout, “Get a goddamn doctor here now!” I could see Rosie turn on her heels and rush back out of the room. I could smell the foul smell of my poop filling the room. I looked up at my mom who was holding one of my hands as tight as she could with tears in her own eyes. Tears streamed down my cheeks, all I could say at that moment was, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” My mom placed her other hand on the side of my face and said, “It's just an accident, it’s OK.” A moment later, another wave of extreme pain hit me as I screamed out, arched my back, threw my head back, and my eyes felt like they were rolling into the back of my head. As the latest wave was starting to subside, I could see a bunch of doctors and nurses rushing into the room. I watched as two nurses pulled my parents from my bedside and I was then surrounded by doctors and nurses on either side of me. Sobbing now, I just yelled out, “Make it stop, Make it stop, MAKE IT STOP!” I could feel multiple nurses and doctors hold me down to the bed. Out the side of my eye, I could see someone with a tray full of syringes. Before I could get a better look, I was hit with another wave of extreme pain. I started to scream again but was unable to arch my back due to the staff holding me down. As I was screaming, I felt the pain in my body starts to dissipate. I stopped screaming and looking to my left, I could see someone injecting syringe after syringe into my I.V. Looking straight up at the ceiling, I could feel a warmth that started at my core and worked its way to all my limbs. As it worked its way to my head, I was overcome with an intense feeling of inner peace and calmness that I never felt before. As my eyes were feeling heavy, I thought, ‘This must be what dying feels like.’ A second later darkness overcame me. I opened my eyes. Gone was the hospital room and everyone in it. Gone was the pain and suffering. Gone was the bed where I was lying in my own waste. Looking down, I noticed that I was sitting in a kayak with a paddle in my hands. I was no longer in my sickly small body, but the body before I got sick. I could see the hair on my arms and legs. I was no longer wearing the hospital gown, but just a simple pair of shorts and a tee shirt. Setting the paddle in my lap, I brought a hand up to my face and could feel that I had my beard back. I looked around and could see that I was no longer in Arizona but on the river in my home state of Georgia where I spent most of my childhood on. I could feel the hot humid air on my skin and surprised myself with how much I missed it. I was home. I stuck my feet out of the kayak on either side and plunged them into the refreshing cool black water of the river. Looking on either side of the river, I could see that the banks were lined with cypress trees with their knees jutting out of the water. Looking past the line of cypress trees, I could see oak trees going up the hill that morphed into a forest of pine trees that could go as far as the eye could see. I leaned back into the seat of the kayak and let the current bring me downstream, only using my paddle to steer and letting it sit in my lap to allow me to also plunge my arms into the cool water as well. As the straightaway gave way to the lazy whining bends of the river, the canopy of the tree tops that overhung, allowed for shade from the hot sun. On the bends of the river, sandbars were formed that I could stop at for swimming, and cliffs that overlooked the river made the perfect camping spot. I watched as a kingfisher would fly from one side of the river to the other, working its way downstream with its shrill call as it was in flight. Going around another bend, I could see a herd of deer crossing. The Bucks were just starting to grow their antlers for the fall rut. As I made my way around another bend, the river opened up to a straightaway. As I was making my way down the straightaway, I noticed a pair of river otters playfully circle my kayak before leaving me as I made my way further downstream. The sun began to set below the tree line and I could hear the calls of barred owls as they were waking up for the night. I could then hear the call of wood ducks and just as I was looking up, they passed overhead so close that I could hear the whistling of the air coming off their wings as they flew home to roast for the night. As the last rays of light were giving way to the night, I was joined by a chorus of insects and frogs. I laid back into my kayak and as all the stars were coming out, everything faded to black.

Ted stood in his bedroom, frozen in place. He wore nothing but his underwear, and held in his hands a pale blue diaper emblazoned with baby prints, sized to fit him. Growing up a bedwetter, Ted had ultimately been grateful for Goodnites. Sure it was awkward at first. The first time his mom had suggested it. The first time he wore them. The first time he woke up in a wet one. But they slid on just like underwear, and tore off easily at the sides. He could manage them independently. They were discreet, too. Discreet enough that he had even managed to avoid detection at a couple of sleepovers with his friends. Goodnites were a great solution at the time. They allowed Ted to keep his sheets dry while maintaining some level of dignity. No embarrassment from needing help putting them on. No big puffy bulge protruding from his pajama pants. Even no use of the word ‘diapers.’ But this… this was something else entirely. Ted squeezed the big baby diaper. It rustled and crinkled loudly. The plastic exterior was very different from the soft cottony feel of the Goodnites. Then there was the thickness. The diaper was so puffy. He could tell it would be far more absorbent than a Goodnite. He had to admit, the girls were right that pull-ups would not have been sufficient to contain his accident last Saturday. Maybe he really did belong in diapers. But the print… it was so babyish! Ted felt his anger rise as he examined the bottles, diaper pins, and other images of baby items. “It’s not fair!” he muttered aloud. “I’m not a baby!” As the words left his lips, he realized he actually did sound quite like a pouting child. He also suddenly remembered Lara encouraging him to “make a sticky messy” is his “diapie.” And then, Ted remembered doing just that. He remembered the intense pleasure. He remembered Lara’s sweet but dominant tone. He remembered how relaxed he felt when she put a fresh pull-up on him. How he had slept so soundly, like a … His cock grew in his tight boxer briefs. All week, Ted had fantasized about sex with Lara. Part of him thought that he had dreamed the encounter with her, but when he found the discarded pull-up on his floor the next morning, he knew it had been real. And it had been so hot. He unfolded the diaper. His hand rubbed the soft, cushiony inner lining. If this was the kind of thing Lara was into, he thought just maybe he could roll with it. --- As soon as Ted’s door closed, Lara bounced off the couch and reached behind the TV stand and began feeling around. Stacey looked at her curiously, until Lara finally found what she was after. Stacey laughed loudly, then quickly stifled herself, looking over at Ted’s door. Lara beamed as she held up the sippy cup she had bought at CVS earlier in the week. The cutesy, colorful pattern on the cup featured Big Bird, Grover, Elmo, and Oscar the Grouch. Snickering, Lara unscrewed the lid and quickly dumped in the contents of Ted’s cocktail glass. “You’re really enjoying this aren’t you?” Stacey said with an edge. Lara blushed as she set replaced the lid on the cup and set it down. “Maybe…” she said softly. “I could tell something was up when I walked in here a few minutes ago. You’re hot for that naughty little boy, huh?” Lara’s face grew even redder. “I mean… yeah… it’s hot. Reducing that big guy to a little boy with a spanked butt in a diaper… it turns me on.” “Mmm hmmm…” Stacey just sat back smiling and sipping her drink. Lara giggled. “Speaking of… what’s taking so long in there?” --- Ted stood in his room tugging at the seams of his diaper. He had managed to get it on, but it didn’t seem like it was fitting quite right. He pulled at the tabs, which were Velcro, and could be refastened easily. Still, he couldn’t quite get everything lined up. But as he shifted and tugged on the diaper, he was very aware of how the soft padding rubbed him in just the right places. Cupping his package tightly, Ted was surprised by how stimulating the diaper felt. There was a soft knock at the door. “How’s it coming in there, hun?” came Lara’s voice from the other side of the door. “Um… o-ok, I guess,” Ted croaked. “Can I see?” Lara asked eagerly. She didn’t wait for an answer and opened the door. “Aawwww!” Lara gushed as she took in the sight of Ted wearing nothing but a big baby diaper. “Aw honey, that is just too cute.” She walked over to him and ran her hands along the waistband. Ted's cock pressed against his diaper in response. “Here, I think we need to adjust it a bit, though.” Lara popped the tabs one by one, smoothing out the edges and making sure everything was tight and even. She patted his crotch. “There, all nice and secure. And that thick padding will keep your bed nice and dry tonight.” Ted's cock pulsed as Lara groped him. She took notice. “Oh my… is someone enjoying his diapies?” she whispered, grabbing a handful of Ted through his diaper. He gasped. “Well, if you’re a very good boy, and do as I say the rest of the night, maybe we can have some special playtime again later…” Ted's knees buckled as Lara slid a finger inside the leg cuff of his diaper. She ran it back and forth, and lightly kissed him on the cheek. Ted was so turned on, and firmly wrapped around Lara’s finger. He took her meaning and nodded his head eagerly. She thumped him loudly on his padded bottom. “Good boy. Now let’s get back to our cocktail party.” Lara led the way back into the living room and presented Ted to Stacey. “Look at our big boy in his big diapers!” “Ohhh wow! How adorable are you?” Stacey beamed. Ted fumed. He instinctively covered himself with his hands. Lara grabbed his wrist and dragged him over to the couch. “I agree, I think he looks great,” she said cheerfully, patting his bare thigh encouragingly. She picked up the sippy cup and held it out. “Here you go, sweetie. Here’s your drink.” Ted was flabbergasted. He blushed all the way to his ears, his face hot with indignation. He opened his mouth to speak, but Lara held up a finger stopping him before he could say something he might regret. “Here you go,” she said sternly, putting the cup in Ted’s hand. “Remember, you’re going to be a very … good … boy.” Lara gritted her teeth at the end of her sentence, smiled, and winked at Ted. Rubbed his thigh lightly, then gave it a quick smack. Ted got the message: Play along. It will be worth it. He looked down at the cup and couldn’t help laughing at the print. He put it to his lips and took a long drink. The liquid courage did its thing. Ted relaxed on the couch, his diaper crinkling as he did. He paid it no mind, and instead took an opportunity to check out Lara’s cleavage. The edges of her pale pink, lacy bra were just visible around the white, plunging v-neck tee she wore. Ted’s member rubbed delightfully against the soft side of his diaper. He took another long drink from his sippy cup. Ok, he thought, game on.

Heyo, readers! I... did not expect this story to suddenly come to mind, but here it is! This will be a mini-series, maybe three chapters total, not sure yet. Anyways, I hope that you all enjoy it! Swimming Ahead (Part 1) by Panther Cub "This is so humiliating!" Ariel looked over to Kelly, seeing the red panda girl pouting with her arms crossed. The teenaged otter girl shared her BFF's sentiment, as did the majority of their grumbling fellow classmates, but they had known that this was coming. All across the southern continent country of Bioux, a new mandate for schools, both public and private alike, had just taken effect. Unlike their neighbors to the north in Callinstrad, or to the east in Vivalia and Shtall, Bioux had decided to begin a process to help screen for late-blooming Miner Syndrome sufferers. What that meant for Ariel and Kelly as well as the rest of the student body at St. Callow's School for Young Ladies exactly, they didn't know. But taking a look around the bright and colorful room that was attached to the MSer daycare section of the school, they knew that it would be embarrassing. "Don't worry, Kells," Ariel said, putting a comforting paw on the other girl's shoulder, both wearing the uniform black blazers and pleated red skirts, "it'll only be, like, an hour of feeling awkward for six months... and then we can move on and maybe laugh about it later." Kelly frowned, but nodded. "Still, I hope that they don't make us wear diapers..." The general din of murmuring from their class was immediately silenced by the sudden opening of the classroom door. In walked, or rather, flowed an elegantly graceful vixen who seemed to be in her late twenties, wearing an ankle-length blue and white floral dress. She set her purse down on her desk before turning to regard her students, her tail wagging happily. "Good morning, class!" Her voice sounded full of boundless energy and excitement, with a slight melodic trill to it that could easily be missed. "I am Miss Callistone, and I'll be your teacher here in Comfort and Care 101! I'm sure that you'll all have a lot of fun before moving on to additional electives in the second semester!" "Except for those who end up in the daycare." Looking over to see who spoke, Ariel wasn't shocked to see none other than Michelle snickering in her little group of friends. The hyena caught Ariel looking back at her and gave a wink. "How about we make this class a little more fun with a betting pool about who'll become total baby brains?" "Miss Evanston, I do not condone gambling in my class," Miss Callistone said, now standing right beside Michelle's desk. Ariel's breath hitched in her throat as she, much like the now visibly nervous hyena girl, was awestruck by the apparent speed and stealth with which the vixen had used to just appear like that. The teacher in question was frowning down at Michelle, slowly shaking her head in disapproval. "Furthermore, just because someone's latent condition might be triggered by the stimuli of my class, that doesn't mean that they will miss out on choosing their elective class to replace this one in the next semester. Her gaze swept around the other girls, letting out a disappointed sigh. "I had hoped that the principal would have gone with my helpful pamphlet idea... well, no matter. Let us take a moment to set the record on the purpose of this class straight." Ariel watched again as Miss Callistone strode gracefully back up to her desk and the large dry erase marker board. Turning back around, her playful smile had returned, with her tail beginning to slowly wag. "Now, class, I know that there have been a lot of wild rumors running amok about what's going to happen here. Basically, all we're going to do is spend the whole class period, gradually getting to know our inner children. The key word there being gradually." She looked around for any questions before continuing. "Typically, Miner's Syndrome manifests at the very beginning of puberty, though some cases of it happening earlier have been found. But it can also manifest in one's mid to late teens, which can be a rather nasty shock for the poor dears it happens to. But with some additional support and care, they can thankfully readjust to their new conditions and all that entails. Unfortunately, some late bloomers make it all the way into adulthood before the symptoms first begin to appear. When this happens, it can be so much more devastating. It is one thing to be on the cusp of adulthood and independence only to find oneself needing much more care and attention and love. It is another thing entirely to have that happen as a grown-up with so much pressure and anxiety to already be contending with." Letting that sink in, Ariel reflected on how she never thought very often about MSerswho manifested as adults. She wondered if any survived long enough to wind up homeless, especially if they had no families to help them. "So by creating a safe and nurturing environment, we hope that if any late-bloomers are in this class, their conditions will manifest and they can begin getting all the support they could ever need! Questions?" The rest of the girls were all silent, and no one was raising their paws, talons, claws, and hooves. Biting her lower lip, Ariel slowly raised her own paw. "Yes, Miss Vellburne?" The vixen asked, her tail starting to wag faster, showing her excitement at getting to engage more with her new students. Ariel felt her cheeks redden a bit as she began to speak, but she pushed right on through. "Does this mean that we'll have to wear d--... diapers?" No one laughed, like she had been expecting, and instead they were all waiting for the answer, many looking nervous or sporting blushes similar to the otter's. "Only a student with Miner's Syndrome will be required to wear a diaper," Miss Callistone said with a yip. Ariel and the others breathed a sigh of relief, with Kelly also looking in slightly better spirits. "But." That one word was enough to cause everyone to freeze in place, dread being palpable in the atmosphere of the room. "Due to the potential for certain... accidents in class, starting next week for the duration of the rest of the semester, training pants will be a required part of the uniform for all students in C&C." "Th-that's not fair!" Kelly sprang up, quickly shrinking back in on herself after she realized she'd just had such an outburst. "S-sorry, Miss Callistone..." The vixen let out a warm chuckle and waved a dismissive paw. "Think nothing of it, Miss Draya. I expect we'll see many more such sudden emotional bursts as the class progresses. But, the rule will be followed, no exceptions. I am aware of how harsh that sounds, but we are all trying our best here to help everyone. So please, I want you all to know that my door is always open to talk. Now, unless there's anymore questions, we can begin today with just some simple yet fun arts and crafts! I'll begin passing around construction paper, safety scissors, crayons, and the gluesticks!" Later... "Well that was pretty... patronizing," Ariel said as she and Kelly walked down the hall past the other shuffling students. "I thought your picture of the surfing squirrel looked really good!" The red panda girl offered Ariel a comforting smile. "It was supposed to be a shooting star..." Kelly winced and grimaced. "W-well, it still looked better than my sunflower did." They continued to walk in silence, the hall becoming distinctly less crowded. "... Are we really gunna have to wear Paw-Ups?" Kelly looked hopefully at her friend. Ariel slowly nodded, dashing the red panda's hopes. "Yeah... it looks like it. Appeals for the mandate's removal have been filed, but it could be years before anything is done about it, and that's not even counting how many people in Parliament were in favor of it." Kelly let out a sigh and crossed her arms again. "... I wonder how many of our classmates have it..." "Huh?" Kelly rolled her eyes before giving the otter girl an exasperated look. "I mean, how many of our classmates do you think are gunna end up in the daycare?" Ariel thought about it for a moment. "Who can say?" Ariel shrugged. "I guess late bloomers happen enough to make this class important enough to actually exist in the first place." "I guess so..." Kelly looked down at her feet, clearly uncomfortable. "It's kinda scary too though, huh?" "... Yeah... anyone in class could end up back in diapers, potentially at any time." The two remained silent the rest of the way to class, not wanting to dwell any further on what the future and its possibilities held in store for them. However, the future creeps and crawls its way along whether one wants it to or not, and soon enough, the two are heading to the awaiting buses parked out in front of the school gates. Ariel and Kelly drifted through the current of fellow students down the front steps and past the ornately carved fountain of a dragon spewing a watery blaze straight up into the sky, the falling droplets sparkling in afternoon light. The two girls talked about classes, barring one, clubs and activities, and anything that could help them get their minds off the growing sense of dread. Getting off at her stop, Ariel was soon walking alone the block and a half back to her house. A gentle and cool breeze swished her skirt a bit, prompting her to imagine what it would be like to walk around with a Paw-Up on underneath. She imagined she'd be a bit more nervous about breezes and the wind in general. Walking up the sidewalk towards her house, a canary yellow two-story building with a well-maintained garden in the front yard. She smiled a bit, seeing her father's tomato plants growing well in their cages, before opening the front door with her key and entering. Ariel came to a sudden halt when she saw her parents both sitting on the couch, with the TV off. Sitting there on the coffee table before them were three large pink and white packages that displayed an excited-looking teenage lioness wearing just a pink t-shirt and... a pair of underwear that definitely looked thicker than regular panties. In fact, they looked to be the kind with tearable sides... "... I see..." Ariel said after a bit, slipping her backpack from her shoulders. "Honey." her mother, Val, a loving, if not a bit overbearing, vixen looked as uncomfortable as Ariel felt. "We know that this is a bit... awkward, sweetie," her father, Terrance, said. The older otter sighted and rubbed the back of his neck. "But, as you know, we really don't have much of a choice when it comes to this." "I know, Dad," Ariel said, trying to give a reassuring smile, making instead a bit of a grimace. "Well, maybe there's a bright side?" Val offered, picking up one of the packages with the words Paw-Ups emblazoned across in pink glittery words. "I mean, maybe this can help you for... OH! For a college essay?" "Val..." Terrance sighed, curling his tail around her waist to pull her in closer for a cuddle. "I think lots of kids are gunna be trying that after this." Ariel pointed out, smiling a little. Despite the oncoming humiliation, she still knew her parents were there for her, like always. "It's... gunna just have to be what it is. I'll be going to school wearing training pants for the next six months." "Oh, honey!" Val scampered off the couch to run up and pull her daughter into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry! I wish that there was a way to make things all better!" "Mom," Ariel said, choking down a sob. Her Mom and Dad were already distressed enough about all of this as it is. The last thing she wanted was to make them feel any worse about it. "It'll be okay. All the other girls have to do it too, plus, it's not like this is just happening at my school." "Yeah, but how do you feel about it, Ariel?" Terrance asked, looking quizzically at his daughter. "I think I'll probably forget that they're even there after a week or so. Plus, I've still got my responsibilities as the Captain of the Gardening Club to keep me and my mind busy." Val released her daughter as she and Terrance shared a look of concern. "Sweetie... if you're sure, then alright... but you do know that you can talk to me and your father about anything and everything, right?" "I know, Mom!" Ariel smiled and kissed her mother on the cheek. "But right now, I think I'd like to go ahead and get this homework done and out of the way." "You get a lot on the first day back?" Terrance asked. "A little. Mr. Hardwith seems like the no-nonsense type." Ariel quickly excused herself to head up into her room, stopping to grab her new Paw-Ups on the way. The moment her bedroom door was shut, she had to wipe away some tears, frowning as she looked down at the packages. Groaning a little, she set them down by her desk, before using a claw to carefully slice one open. She pulled out the lightly crinkling undergarment and unfolded it. It was mostly white with a bright pink trim. The sides were tearable, with little hearts running down the seam. There was a glittery pink butterfly on the front, which would no doubt disappear when wet. Walking over to her dresser, she opened the underwear drawer and set it inside, taking note of the contrast the training pant painted laying amidst the rest of her underwear. "You got this," she said in a quiet voice to no one. "You'll overcome this and not disappoint anyone..." Ariel gave the drawer a hard shove shut and straightened up. She grabbed her backpack and unzipped it, quickly getting to work on her few homework assignments. Everything would be alright. She was fine. Everything was fine. * * * Ariel hugged her sides as she walked to the bus stop, trying to keep her tail from moving and causing a crinkle sound that her Mom and dad had assured was very hard to hear, yet sounded so loud to be almost deafening to her own ears. The first week back to school had seemed to practically pass by in a blur. C&C with Miss Callistone first thing in the morning hadn't been too bad yet. They got to actually have a bit of a recess last Friday, which meant going outside into the fresh air and sunlight, which was pretty nice. However, it was only allowed in the daycare section's fenced off playground and outdoors play area. Thankfully they wouldn't be getting a recess until around lunchtime, so they didn't have to deal with the overgrown toddlers. A breeze came by and began to swish her skirt. Looking around wildly, she quickly grabbed and yanked her skirt down, unfortunately pulling the top of it down as well, revealing the bright pink and white waistband of her Paw-Ups for potentially anyone to see. Ariel was grateful to every deity that had ever existed that no one was around at the school bus stop to have seen. She had just finished readjusting her skirt when the bright yellow bus came around the corner and pulled to a stop in front of her. Steeling herself, she got on board, and took her seat next to Kelly. The lack of her usual chattiness was a sign enough for Ariel to know that the red panda girl was definitely not liking her new underwear either. Arriving at school, Ariel noticed the very subdued atmosphere on the bus as everyone started to depart. Wincing a little as she felt another gust playing with the hemline of her skirt, Ariel much more gingerly tugged it down, and spotted plenty of the other girls doing the same. Walking through the halls, she and Kelly made minimal conversation, both coming to a halt at the door to their homeroom class. Taking a shared deep breath, the two girls stepped through the classroom door, to be immediately greeted by Miss Callistone, who gave them a warm smile that made the otter blush even more. "Good morning, Ariel and Kelly!" The older vixen's tail started to gently wag. "Now I have to ask, are you two wearing your Paw-Ups, sweeties?" Faces turning crimson beneath their fur, both girls simply nodded. Miss Callistone smiled and nodded, reaching over to ruffle both of their headfurs. "I believe you two. I know how embarrassing this can be, but I promise that this isn't the end of the world some of your classmates are making it out to be... Now, you two should go find your seats. Today is a special class." Wondering what she could've meant by that, Ariel and Kelly did as instructed and took their usual desks next to each other, watching as Miss Callistone started questioning every one of her students as they entered about whether or not they were wearing their Paw-Ups. It didn't take long before a problem began to arise. A certain hyena girl entered, casually trying to walk past the older vixen. "Miss Evanstan, are you wearing your Paw-Ups today?" Miss Callistone asked, causing the hyena to stop in her tracks, eyes darting left to right for a bit. "Yup," she said, unable to meet the vixen's eyes. "Well then, let's just take a quick check, just in case?" Michelle growled as the back of her skirt was pulled out a bit, with Miss Callistone frowning. "Miss Evanstan, you know the rules. You are supposed to be wearing training pants as part of your school uniform." Michelle took a deep breath and scowled. "Well... it's a stupid rule! I'm not some mindless giant baby who's gunna drop a load in her pants without knowing it! This entire law is stupid and I'm not gunna do it!" She looked back at Miss Callistone with a defiant smirk. The vixen slowly shook her head. "Oh dear. Well, some resistance to the new change was expected. You can start heading to the principal's office. I'll call ahead to let them know you're coming and why." "Whatever." Michelle rolled her eyes and stomped back out of the classroom. "Something tells me that Michelle's gunna be coming back with the proper uniform attire on and everything." Kelly flashed Ariel a semi-cheeky grin. Ariel wasn't paying attention, however, because of another issue that had decided now was the time to rear its ugly head for her. She had to go to the bathroom... Well, hop[e you all enjoyed the new story! Let me know what you think!

Jennifer began to stammer. Pregnant? She couldn’t be pregnant? That was impossible! “Th-there’s no way!” Jennifer managed to spit out. “I can’t be! I-I mean, I just had my period five days ago!” It was lighter than normal, but it was there! “Some women still experience spotting. It’s normal.” The doctor said. She swiped a hand over her face and glanced around the room, mind reeling. She had been exhausted lately, and irritable, nauseated, and bloated, but she had chalked it up to stress. Even the binge eating. She never thought in her wildest dreams it was because she was eating for two. “I-I’m pregnant.” she repeated to herself as if to test the words out. “Congratulations.” Meaghan said, coming in with a clipboard in hand. So that’s why she seemed so amused. “By the way, I know it’s called ‘morning sickness’ but it will get you any time of the day, just a heads up.” Jennifer nodded numbly as her hand automatically cradled her belly. A baby…she was going to have a baby. “I can’t believe you had sex with him!” Matilda nearly shouted. “Of course she had sex with him, what do you think they're doing upstairs when we’re playing video games? Playing chess?” Hortensia said. Both Meaghan and the doctor began to laugh. “She’s got you pegged.” Meaghan said. Jennifer began to blush. So one of the kids had noticed. She thought they were being rather subtle, but apparently not. “What? Don’t believe in the stork?” The doctor asked amused, nodding his head in Matilda’s direction. “I read.” Matilda said before Jennifer could formulate a response. “Much too inquisitive, this one.” Jennifer explained. “Too smart for her own good sometimes.” “Apparently not smart enough.” Hortensia said sarcastically. “Hey!” Matilda complained. “Knock it off.” Jennifer admonished half- heartedly. Pregnant. She was pregnant. A baby of her own. Oh gosh. A nursery. She would need to make a nursery. And clothes! And a crib! A baby! Small enough to cradle in her arms. She pictured rocking them in a chair, giving them a bottle. First steps. First words. She’d get to be there for it all. Jennifer grinned and let out a laugh. She was ecstatic. No. Euphoric! No, Exhilarated! She was…uh-oh. “Bag! In the bag!” … It wasn’t until Jenny had left without her that Hortensia’s situation finally began to hit home. She had really done it. She had really just got up and left her here. What if she didn’t come back? What came after three days? Would Jenny send her away? Her eyes began to blur with tears. Hortensia had refused to acknowledge her presence once she had learned of her fate. Her chest hurt. She regretted not saying good-bye and accepting her hug. “We’ll get you out of here once they’re ready for you.” The nurse said before seeing the look on her face and gave her a pitying smile. “It’ll be fine. There’s nothing to be scared of. You’ll be with other patients. You’ll go to both group and one-on-one therapy, you’ll color, get to watch lots of movies, and they’ll take a closer look at your medications. It’s not a scary place. It’s not like the movies. You’re not locked up with the criminally insane.” Hortensia let out a weak chuckle. “Sometimes, life can get the best of us, and sometimes we just need to take a step back and unplug. This is the place to do that. No school. No work. No chores. Think of it like a vacation.” Hortensia liked the sound of that. Jenny could be a real slave driver sometimes. Just when she thought the torture of school was over, she was being told to mop the kitchen and do the dishes. So annoying. “Will I get a shot?” “I don’t know, that’s up to your doctor.” Hortensia bit her lip. “Not a fan of needles. I remember. If you let them do what needs to be done, it won’t be such a big deal. If you need a shot, you’re getting a shot, no matter how much you flail and kick. You cannot out-flail us.” Hortensia watched as she began shadow boxing the air. “You box?” Hortensia asked, mildly interested. “Yep, kick boxing and mixed martial arts as well.” she counted off on her fingers. “Gymnastics when I was little.” she let out a chuckle. “My parents wanted me to try out for cheerleading in highschool, only I joined the wrestling team instead. I said the uniforms were cuter.” “Were they?” Hortensia asked, puzzled. Meaghan began to laugh. “Bloody hells, no, they were hideous. Imagine a single piece leotard that stops mid thigh and gives you the worst wedgie of your life as you try not to pick it in front of a crowd of people.” “I have a punching bag at home.” “Ah, maybe I should tell them to watch out for you.” Meaghan laughed. “Got a fighter headed their way.” One hour became two, and two became four. She was bored and hungry. Her Gameboy sat beside her, the batteries already drained. If she knew she was going to stay here she would have brought spares. And more than one game. She had tried to ask for some, but they said they didn’t have any. Finally, after around four in the evening, a man came into view pushing a wheelchair into the gap in the curtain separating her bed from the others. “Looks like your ride’s here.” Meaghan said, poking her head in. He introduced himself as Stephen and went over a list of rules that went in one ear and out the other. Hortensia never liked when the adults started with rules. “No knives, guns, explosives, shoelaces, drugs, alcohol, metal, belts…” he went on and on. “The crown this” and “the crown that” with a bunch more legal jargon thrown into the mix.“Any questions?” She shook her head. She had tons, but her mouth didn’t seem to want to work. “Are you bringing any personal belongings?” She held up her dead Gameboy. “Got something for you on my lunch break.” Meaghan said before reaching into her pocket and pulling out a four pack of AA’s. Hortensia’s heart leapt. She was saved! … “Last stop, I promise.” Jennifer said once her and Matilda had gotten back into the car. They had just gotten back from the grocery store, where she had bought a home pregnancy test and, unable to wait until she got home, had run into the bathroom to take it. Positive. She was really really pregnant. “Where to now?” Matilda huffed. “The police station.” Jennifer said, ignoring the girl's attitude. She wasn’t happy about the news. She didn’t do well with change, but Jennifer knew she would come to accept it with time, like she had with all the other changes in her life. She was going to be a great big sister. When they got to the police station, they were told the detective that had been so eager to speak to her wasn’t in. “That’s odd.” Jennifer mused, sliding back into the car. He had made it sound so urgent. She let out a sigh. “Looks like it’s just going to be us for a few days.” Us…and the baby. She cradled her stomach and wondered what it would be like to feel him or her kick for the first time. “Isn’t that him?” Matilda asked. Jennifer looked up and saw an asian man dressed in a gray suit with a bowler hat. “Oh, good eye. Let’s go.” Out of the car and across the parking lot, they followed him to his car. “Didn’t she say he wasn’t here? He just came out of the building.” “Maybe he was on his way out? Hello, sir.” she called out. He looked up and frowned at them both. “Can I help you with something?” “I’m Jennifer Honey, you wanted to speak to me. You said it was urgent.” Recognition flashed across his face. “Right, sorry, didn’t recognize you. How are you?” But before Jennifer could answer he started talking again. “Unfortunately, as of this afternoon, your case has been reassigned to another detective.” He sounded annoyed. She wondered what happened. “Oh?” Jennifer said. “Who should I talk to then?” “If you go to the front desk they can put you in touch with the right person.” “Oh, alright. Do you know why?” “I’m sorry, I can’t say. Please excuse me.” He hurried into his car and began to back up. Jennifer grabbed Matilda’s hand and backed away from the moving car. “Someone’s impatient.” Matilda said. “Well, let’s go back inside and get this sorted out.” But when they went inside and explained the situation, they were told the person they were looking for wasn’t available. “I think she says that to everyone.” Matilda whispered. “She didn’t even check.” Jennifer shrugged, left her contact information, and the two of them left. “Hey, mom?” Matilda asked on the ride back to the house. “Why is Hortensia in the Insane Asylum?” Jennifer rolled her eyes. “She is not in an insane asylum; she’s in the Behavioral Health Unit. Hortensia… she isn’t well right now. She’s having a hard time adjusting and the stress is…well…affecting her in odd ways.” Matilda was silently mulling this over. “Have you noticed anything odd? Besides refusing to eat.” “Hmm, not really. She seems as annoying and bossy as usual. But, seriously, how thick do you have to be to think you’re poisoning anyone?” “Matilda, now’s not the time for name calling.” The girl let out a half-hearted grunt of acknowledgement. “The same level of stupid to think people are watching her with video cameras in her toys.” Matilda said under her breath. “Matilda! What did I just say?” But the words slowly began to sink in. “What are you talking about? What video cameras? What people?” “There was one night she was acting like a loon. I forgot about that.” “Matilda! You don’t just forget.” “Fine, I didn’t think it was important!” Matilda said, throwing her hands up in frustration. “I thought it was annoying, not concerning. She woke me up in the middle of the night and started ranting about cameras in the dolls. She was sleepwalking.” “Sleepwalking?” Jennifer asked. She hadn’t known Hortensia sleepwalked. Although… She thought of the pacing outside her door multiple times a week. “Why wouldn’t you say something sooner? Why would you think paranoid behavior like that isn’t important?” She remembered what Hortensia had said when she had confronted her with Spot's remains. “I needed to see what was inside.” “Because she was asleep!” Matilda exclaimed. “You say crazy lunatic stuff in your sleep all the time!” She had a point. “Okay Miss-Cranky-Pants, sounds like someone needs a nap when they get home.” Jennifer teased. Matilda crossed her arms, pouting, and remained silent the rest of the drive. A hint of a smile curled up the corner of Jennifer’s mouth. She was still her little girl. She felt like nothing could upset her now. Not having to temporarily commit her rental child and knowing she’d catch hell for it afterwards, or the inconvenient police run around, or childish tantrums. Today was a day of miracles. She rubbed her tummy. Her little miracle. “Is Mr. Fern having a party?” Matilda asked suddenly as they turned down the street. Jennifer stared uneasily at the dozen or so people congregating on Mr. Ferns lawn. Their eyes seemed to follow her as she pulled into the driveway. Your imagination. She put the car into park and turned her attention to Matilda. “Bed.” Jennifer said. “What? No! Why?” Matilda whined. “Because you get grumpy when you’re tired. It’s been a long day full of surprises, and I am certainly exhausted.” “That’s because you vomited eight times in the petrol station parking lot on the drive home.” “Who’s counting?” She said with an uneasy laugh. She had only been acquainted with the term “morning sickness” for less than a day and she was already over it. “I was. You threw up fourteen times today.” “Okay okay,” Jennifer said, ushering her inside. She cast one more anxious glance across the street at the congregation of people across the way. Jennifer got the distinct feeling they were staring at her as if she had just interrupted something. She grabbed the post out her mailbox before heading inside and tossed the mail on the table. She leaned against the kitchen counter to think. Pregnant. Her hands wrapped around her belly protectively. How far along was she? It couldn’t be that far. She had only been sexually active for the last couple months. She frowned. She had taken some solid hits from Hortensia. She thought of the elbow she had taken to the abdomen last night. What if they couldn’t get to the bottom of Hortensia’s aggression? Now that she was pregnant, she couldn’t be taking heavy blows like that. It was one thing to sacrifice her own body, but it wasn’t just about her anymore. “Hey, mom, what’s this?” Matilda called. Jennifer looked up to find Matilda holding up a piece of paper with a handwritten note on it. She stared at it for a moment trying to decipher the code. It was a list of Bible verses, she knew that much, but it meant nothing to her. Exodus 20:16. Proverbs 6:12-13. Proverbs 12:22. Proverbs 6:16-19. Colossians 3:6. Psalm 7:11. Ezekiel 7:8. “It’s just junk mail.” Jennifer said. “Everyone probably got one.” She crumpled it up. “That’s weirdly threatening junk mail.” Matilda said with a scowl. “Threatening? What do you mean?” She uncrumpled the note. “Do you know what these are?” What was she asking, of course she did. “They're all about how God hates liars and will punish them.” Jennifer’s stomach soured. “The last one is ‘I will soon pour out my wrath upon you and spend my anger against you.’” Lovely. She peeked out the window. They were all just standing there…watching her. She closed the blinds. If she called the police could they even do anything? Or would it just give them the satisfaction of knowing they had unnerved her. She didn’t want to scare Matilda and she was much too worn out to deal with their drama. “Nap time.” Jennifer announced. Matilda’s face soured. “I don’t need a nap.” she insisted. e “I do.” Jennifer said. “And I need someone to snuggle with.” She made her best pouty face. “Please?” Matilda’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “If it’ll make you feel better.” She grumbled while looking away, arms crossed across her chest. “It would.” They went upstairs where Jennifer stripped and collapsed into bed exhausted, her body aching in places she didn’t know she could. “Don’t you dare throw up on me.” Matilda said, crawling her way over onto Jennifer's chest. “Don’t make me laugh, it hurts.” Jennifer said, letting out a weak chuckle and wrapping her arms around Matilda. “I’m serious! If you puke on me I’m never cuddling with you again. Why are you laughing!?” “I’ve gone delirious.” Jennifer said. She squeezed the protesting girl in her arms and rocked her. “I’m just so happy.” Matilda gave an unenthusiastic grunt. “You know, no matter how many people we add to our family, it’s never going to change how much I love you. You’ll always be my girl.” She kissed her cheek as Matilda complained about puke breath, which only made Jennifer laugh harder and plant more kisses on her face. “You’re going to be such a good big sister.” “Does this mean you and Brian are going to get married?” “I don’t know.” A smile worked its way to her lips as she thought about it. Was she finally at a place in her life where she could look to the future and see happiness? She had a career, one and a half daughters, a baby on the way and… dare she think, a possible husband? It was everything she had ever dreamed of. Freedom. Love. Security. She fell asleep dreaming of wedding dresses and baby outfits.

Found an old set of commissions I did for a big bang story I never wrote. Still love how the characters came out.

Chapter 12 Having my nappy changed was becoming routine. Paula was so obviously experienced it raised all sorts of questions in my mind but I was happy enough to keep to my role and see how things panned out. Once she’d changed my nappy it was Simon’s turn. She placed his bum on the changing mat and pulled me across so that I had a good view. Simon’s role in all this intrigued me. He seemed to be the man in control when I met him as my ‘daddy’, but he totally surrendered to Paula and was certainly enjoying his new role as her baby. Before I’d reached any conclusions we were both fresh, nappied and dressed for lunch. “Baby time is over for now, sweetie” she said to me. “We’re going to have a nice lunch and you’ll need to be in adult mode for at least a little while!” Lunch, as I’d expected, was very nice indeed and was accompanied by a very nice bottle of Chianti. I did my absolute best to stay in the moment and enjoy my lunch, and the company, but there was a nagging sense of anticipation whilst I waited for Paula to make her proposal. On the arrival of coffee Paula asked the waiting staff to clear the table and then for us not to be disturbed for an hour as we had business to discuss. As the door closed Paula reached into her bag and pulled out a couple of dummies, placing one in my mouth, the other in Simon’s. “Okay Baby Louise, I want you to pull your skirt up to show mummy your nappy.” I did as I was told and Paula checked my nappy front and back. It was dry and clean. “Come here Baby Simon” Simon went across and Paula pulled his trousers down, and then carried out a similar inspection on his nappy. “What good babies you are. Now, back to your seats.” We both sat down and readied ourselves for what was the only meeting I’d ever attended whilst suckling on a dummy! “I don’t know whether you’ve tied the last day in with your application for the long term contract for a submissive young lady with interests in role play and age play, Louise?” I didn’t even speak - my wide eyes and general look of shock was all Paula needed to continue. “Good. We need to be sure that our choices are good ones at each step of the process. You’ve been obedient, enthusiastic and eager to please since arriving at the hotel. You also appear to have enjoyed yourself - is that the case?” “Yes, I have. I enjoy my work anyway - I try to get the best out of everything I do. I know that people find that a bit surprising. I’ve certainly enjoyed my time with Simon and yourself - it’s been fun!’’ “That’s good to hear. On the telephone we suggested that the interview and selection process would take three days and you’ve cleared the first day successfully. You may also be pleased to know that the agreed fee for the selection process will be in addition to the money you’ve agreed with Simon here over the last day.” “Thank you”. Whatever else happened, my bank balance was looking pretty healthy. “No problem. Let me explain to you the position we’re recruiting for and then you can tell me whether or not you want to complete the selection process. I leant forward, fascinated. “We’re looking for a baby, toddler, nappy-wearing companion for a man who is wealthy and well-known. Before he was famous he would have used your services in the same way as any of your other punters. He can’t really do that now - the risk of exposure is too high. Behind closed doors you will be his baby sister, toy, lover, whatever he wants. He will take different roles but you’ll always be in nappies. You’ll not use a toilet for the length of the contract without express permission. I will be your mummy throughout. You’ll never be mistreated, but you will be expected to sign over all your adult rights. You’ll be my baby and, like any baby, you’ll live by my rules. Are we okay so far?” “Yes. I think I can do this.” Paula smiled. “Good girl. As he’s often busy, it will be me that you’ll spend most of your time with. I’ll change you, dress you, put you to bed and make sure that you’re happy. He pays the bills, though. Anything he wants, he gets. Do you understand?” Yes. I’m sure this is okay for me.” “Mummy” said Simon, “I need a wee” “Good boy, that’s very timely because we need to continue Baby Louise’s training. Come here, both of you. We stood in front of her and she moved us so that we were facing each other before pulling down Simon’s trousers and reaching into his nappy for his willy. She then lifted up my skirt and pushed his cock into the waistband of my nappy. “Now, Baby Simon, go wee-wees for your mummy”. He did as he was told. I felt a strong stream of hot piss running over my cunt before being absorbed by my nappy. Paula held us in position, one hand on each nappied backside while Simon peed. He looked into my eyes - part horny, part sheepish. I smiled back. “Well done both of you” Paula seemed happy with her work. She popped our dummies back in, adjusted our clothing and sat us back down at the table. “Before we go over the boring stuff, I need to let you know that there is a small community who will see you as a baby. To those folks you will be a helpless little girl who has to do what she’s told. You’ll have no control at all. If I want to change your poopy nappy in front of them, or put you on the potty, or strip you naked and spank you - you’ll have no say. This community consists of friends from the Adult Baby / Diaper Lover fetish community, such as Simon here, as well as girls who have trodden the same path that you’re now starting on. We’ve not lost touch with any of our ‘babies’ and you’ll meet them from time to time.” She looked across at me to make sure I was still on board. Happy, she continued: “There are and will continue to be limits around what is acceptable in public. We don’t involve anyone in our fetish games surreptitiously. Whilst you will be wearing - and using - your nappies in public we will take care that no one knows or suspects what’s going on. You’ll probably be dressed in a manner younger than your years, but in a way that it looks like a fun, not a fetish, thing.” I nodded in agreement, but I had a pressing matter of my own to discuss. “Mummy. I wanna poo.”

Somewhere along the way, I missed a week or three of posting, so here's another double-shot of story in an effort to catch up to where I think we should be now. Enjoy! Eighty “And where are you all going?” Mommy asked. “It’s a place that serves ramen downtown,” I replied. “I don’t remember the name. I guess that’s what Ava wanted.” “Ramen,” Mommy pondered aloud, stroking her chin. “Seems like a tricky date meal, doesn’t it? Lots of opportunities to make a mess of yourself. Do you want to bring a bib with you?” “I don’t think that…” She laughed to herself and shook her head–a common signal that she was just teasing. “It’s probably better that you make a mess of your shirt than a mess of your diaper.” “Uh, yeah,” I muttered. “I guess that’s why I’m, uhm, here…” Here was Ms. Potty, my new purple potty chair that Mommy got for me as part of her effort in ‘potty training’ me. It was currently sitting on the floor in the living room–and I was sitting on top of it. Truthfully, between the potty chair, the new potty chart that hung on the wall of the nursery, and her frequent requests that I stop what I’m doing and sit on said chair, it was clear that most of this was just for Mommy’s amusement. While I had become rather dependent on diapers over the last few months, I never truly lost the ability to get myself to the toilet–it was just a skill that needed a little polishing. I pushed again, hoping to convince my body to give up something into the potty. I got another trickle of pee, adding to the little puddle I made when I first sat down. “Empty?” she asked, standing by my side and looking down at me on my tiny little throne. “As empty as I can be for now, I guess.” I had asked Mommy if she thought I could go out without a diaper on. Personally, she had no objections to the idea–though she was concerned that I was being a bit hasty on the jump to ‘big-boy’ underpants. For a few minutes, I was feeling bold enough to just take a chance and leave the diapers at home. Ultimately, when I really thought about it, I decided that it’d be worse to be spotted soaking my underwear and pants while out in public than it would be to just wear a diaper and be a little more sure of myself. And so, I would be wearing a diaper out on the double-date. That, in itself, wasn’t a big deal, I supposed. Ava knew I wore diapers. Paige knew I wore diapers. Caleb was the only one who didn’t–unless Ava told him, though I doubted she would’ve. And if there was one thing I wished to achieve tonight–aside from the unlikely goal of wooing Ava into my arms–it was to not let Caleb see me as a baby. I stood up from Ms. Potty, and Mommy came prepared with a baby wipe, giving my undercarriage a quick clean before depositing the wipe into the chair’s bowl. “I got you something. For tonight.” “R-really?” I was interested, but I was also nervous. Knowing Mommy, it was likely going to be something ridiculous and humiliating. I imagined a t-shirt that read: Ask me if I need a diaper change. Instead, she reached into a bag on the coffee table and handed me a…diaper? “Oh,” I said, feeling my lips frowning. “Another diaper?” She shook her head and laughed. “No, silly. It’s not just a diaper. Feel it. Do you notice anything different about it?” Now that she mentioned it… It seemed lighter. It seemed to have a cloth backing to it, instead of the more rigid plastic that I was used to. It seemed considerably less bulky overall. “What is this?” “Training pants,” she said. “Pull-ups.” She proceeded to sing the song–the one from the commercials I used to see on TV when I was an actual young boy: “I’m a big kid now!” “Y-you think I’m ready for these?” I asked. It wasn’t that I didn’t believe that was the case–I just didn’t believe that Mommy was on the same page. She shrugged. “I don’t know if you’re ready or not. But, I figure that they’re still diapers and they’ll at least help keep your pants dry if you have an accident. So…let’s try them out. Let’s see what happens.” It felt like a promotion. A step in the right direction. My face lit up and a sudden surge of good vibes coursed through my body so quickly that I almost felt a little woozy. Instead of tumbling over, I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around her tightly. “Wow. You’re that happy about pull-ups?” “Maybe.” Yes and no, but we didn’t have enough time to fully explain. Yes, it was a ‘thank you’ for the pull-ups, but it was just as much a ‘thank you’ for everything. A ‘thank you’ for continuing to create a space where I could feel humiliated on a potty chair one moment, while excited to leave the house and see my friends the next. “Alright, happy-baby. Let’s step into these bad boys, hmm? Let’s see how they look.” Just the motions required to put them on felt so different. Mommy didn’t have to put these on me–I could put them on myself. Like underwear. The last time I could remember going through these motions was when I met my mother for brunch–and I was never going to forget how that ended. This was good though. These wouldn’t–knock on wood–allow for an accident like that to happen again. “That’s it,” she nodded, watching as I stepped into them one foot at a time. “Now go on and just pull them right up.” They were thinner. Lighter. They had more give to them. I felt another wave of excitement wash over me as I got them past my knees and pulled them up my thighs. Shit. I’m probably getting excited about these for the same exact reasons that little kids do when they’re given their first pair of pull-ups after all they’ve ever known is diapers. It would be my chastity that would remind me that there were some slight differences. It’s constant presence always served to remind me that there was a very adult aspect to the game we played, even when it was hidden away for long stretches at a time. The pull up fit mostly well–the cage itself causing the front of the pull-up to bulge out a bit more than I’d have liked. Mommy laughed at this and reached into the garment in an attempt to straighten it out. Her efforts seemed to have made only a nominal difference, though the feeling of her smooth hand on my skin never failed–even now, so long after we started–to get my soft cock to strain within its metal confines. “Well, that’s just going to have to be how it is,” she shrugged. “I doubt anyone will be able to tell once you put some pants on.” “I’m going to feel self-conscious about it all night,” I said, a tone that sounded a little more whiny than I’d have liked. “Little boys can’t have it all, it seems. You get to go and pretend to be a big boy tonight, and you get to wear a pull-up. The rest of it is what it is.” Fair enough, honestly. A month ago I wasn’t sure that I’d have imagined even this much. I found that my pants fit better than I remember them fitting in a long time. The pull-ups still have a slight amount of bulk to them, but it’s nothing compared to the diapers I was used to cramming into pants. Pants that weren’t made for holding that sort of extra junk-in-the-trunk. And when my pants fit better, suddenly I find myself feeling better about the way I look in the mirror. I look more adult than I have in ages. I feel more adult than I have in ages. And, to my relief, Mommy seemed to have been right–the pants did a pretty decent job of masking the lump in the front of my pull-up. “You look handsome tonight,” Mommy said to me at the door. “You always look handsome. But you look very handsome tonight.” It’s the sort of thing that mothers are just supposed to say, I think. But…this mother has allowed for my cock to slip inside of her–I feel like that gives her words a little more credence. “Thank you,” I said. “You’ll call me if there’s an emergency?” “Yes.” “What time will you be home?” “Do, uh, I have a curfew?” She chuckled and shook her head. “I just want to know at which point I can start being nervous when you’re not here.” “I don’t know,” I shrugged. “But I could text you throughout the night and keep you updated.” “Don’t text me too much, Baby. Pay attention to your friends.” Don’t worry, I will. “I’ll be sure to let you know when I’m coming home.” “I love you, Clark.” “I love you too, Mommy.” I didn’t expect it to happen–and maybe she didn’t either–but our faces tipped towards each other and we kissed. Her lips on mine. It was warm, it was wet, and it filled my belly with fire just as it caused my cock to writhe in discomfort. When her lips pulled away from mine, she gave me a smug grin. She said nothing, but she didn’t have to. The message was clear: “I still got it.” “I, uhm, will see you later,” I said, my heart rapidly beating as I used a finger to pull some of the moisture off of my lips. “I’ll be here, Clarky.” Mommy’s house wasn’t so far away from the train station that I couldn’t just walk there, but that would’ve required me leaving earlier–which would’ve meant that I’d have less time atop Ms. Potty. I opted to hail an Uber instead, having it jet me right to where I needed to be in town. Someday, I wouldn’t be able to afford such frivolities, but for a little longer it was still on Mommy’s seemingly-limitless dime. The plan was to meet with Paige first, and then we’d meet with Ava and Caleb at the restaurant not long after. The ramen place was actually pretty close to Paige’s apartment. Actually, amusingly enough, it was closer to where I once lived with Evan. Paige answered the door to her apartment with the first knock. She might have actually opened the door while I was still knocking, and I could only imagine that she had been perched there for the last half hour, one eye to the door’s peephole. “Excuse me, sir,” she said in a faux gentlemanly accent. “Have you seen my date? You look far too old to be he. You see, my date wears enormous diapers like a toddler and…” “Hi Paige.” “Hey Clark.” “You look very pretty.” “Too pretty?” she asked. “T-too? I don’t know if that’s a thing…” “No, I just mean, like, does it look like I’m trying too hard?” “Oh,” I said, shrugging. “That’s not the impression I’m getting.” I never really knew how to navigate these sorts of conversations–the ones where girls would seem overly self-conscious about their appearances. They acted like they expected someone to tell them they looked like shit, despite the fact that it couldn’t have been further from the truth. Just once in my life I wanted to see what would happen if I actually followed their lead. “Oh yeah, for sure, what were you thinking–dressing like that?” Well, tonight certainly wasn’t that night. But someday. Just once. If I was ever feeling braver than I had ever felt in my entire life. “So, like, you haven’t really told me much about these folks we’re going out with. What did you say their names were? Amy and Corncob?” “Corncob? Nobody’s name is Corncob.” “I know that,” she giggled. “But I wasn’t paying well enough attention when you said their names and I remember it sounding like ‘corncob.’” “Ava and Caleb,” I said. “Right, right.” She said the name aloud herself: “Ava.” I didn’t like the way she said it. There was something in her tone, combined with the look on her face, that just didn’t sit well with me. And, almost right away, I thought I knew what it was. I had said Ava’s name before to Paige. In fact–I had said it here in this very apartment. I had accidentally called her Ava when we were here together last. Fuck. I truly hoped she didn’t remember that. “And they’re good friends of yours?” she asked. “Well…to be honest, I don’t know Caleb very well at all. Ava and I are good friends, though. We used to work together.” “Oh yeah?” She smirked and playfully punched my arm. “Is this all some sort of elaborate scheme to make Ava jealous and have her fall in love with you?” “No!” I exclaimed. “Oh, gosh no. Not at all. Nothing like that.” Wait, I thought. Is it, though? I didn’t think it was. I thought I had been accepting of Ava’s decisions, and I didn’t want to interfere with her relationship with Caleb. Or anyone else for that matter. And I truly had no desire to use Paige like a tool. I liked Paige. I was having a good time with Paige. I wanted to see where this could go. But. I really liked Ava. You need to be real fucking careful, Clarky. I could have all the best intentions in the world, but what would happen if I somehow actually got the chance to be with Ava again? Would I drop Paige like a dirty diaper? “I’m just teasing you,” she said. “I don’t think you’re the type.” “Oh, well…good.” “Of course, that’s what they always say, right? Like on those true crime documentaries? All the eyewitnesses and family members talk about how the murderer never seemed like he was capable of such a thing until he did it.” “Wait…do you think I’m using you to win someone else’s heart? Or are you saying that you’re afraid I’m going to be a murderer someday?” She shrugged and laughed. “I’ll, uh, be good,” I said, hoping that covered all possible fears of hers. “Not too good,” she said playfully. “I’d still like to have a reason to spank you.” I felt my face warm quite a bit as I scrambled to look at the time on my phone. “So, uh, you think we should get going soon?” “Maybe in a few?” she shrugged. “The place is just down the street. Can I get you something to drink?” That didn’t sound like a bad idea. I was about to tell to grab me one, when she added: “Or are you afraid that you’d wet yourself if you drank too much.” Actually, that was a very legit concern of mine. “Maybe just…something small?” I wasn’t exactly sure what I was asking for. In my head, I imagined her bringing me out a half-can of beer. “A shot?” she asked. “Oh, yeah. That sounds perfect.” Something to calm my nerves just a little, while also not putting me at risk for saturating my pull-up in the first ten minutes we were at the restaurant. “I forgot to ask earlier,” she said, grabbing some shot glasses from the kitchen. “Are you, uh, wearing a diaper tonight?” “Sort of.” “Sort of? I don’t… What does that even mean?” I already felt like I said too much. I should’ve just said ‘yes,’ and left it at that. ‘Sort of’ opened the door for prolonged discussions that I wasn’t sure I wanted to have right now. Might as well just talk about it now. “I’m, uh, trying something new tonight.” “Underwear?” “Uh…not exactly.” She giggled. “Panties? Are you wearing panties tonight?” She seemed kind of excited about that idea–reminding me of my day with Megan. God, I missed her too. “N-no. I’m wearing a pull-up.” She shrugged. “I’m not sure I know what that is.” But then I saw her eyes light up, and the lightbulb go off over her head. “Oh! Wait…like the ‘I’m a big kid now,’ kind of pull-ups?” “Well, yes. I mean…not those, specifically. But…on a bigger scale.” “Oh my god!” she squealed. “That sounds so fucking cute.” “Really?” “I think…you should show me.” I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. God, I wanted to do that so badly. The problem, of course, was the same problem I had when I was here in her apartment the last time–the chastity cage. I could just tell her about it… But no, I wasn’t sure that I could. Then I’d have to talk about Mommy. And talk about the old job. And then, maybe, I’d end up talking more about how close Ava and I had actually been. And then I might as well just tell Paige that I was still in love with Ava. “M-maybe later,” I said. I didn’t like making this conversation the problem of future-me, but I couldn’t see how else to get around it right now. Not without starting tonight off on the wrong foot. “That’s no fun,” she smirked. “Show me now. Just a little peek? Please?” “I, uh…” It didn’t take much female attention to get me to fold most days, it seemed. She wanted to see my pull-up, so she was going to see it. “Okay.” Make it real quick. Just a little flash. ‘Bam’ and then my pants are back up before she can do too much investigating. The way her whole face lit up when she was excited–it was the way I wanted to see her all the time. It reminded me of how I loved to make Mommy look at me like that. Or Ava. Or Lyndie. Or even Megan. Maybe all I want to do is make girls happy? I quickly unlatched my belt, unfastened my pants. A hand on either side of my hips, I took a careful breath and gave the pants a quick push down my thighs. Just enough to show off the top half of my pull-up, but hopefully not so far down that it exposed the lump created by my chastity. Then, just as quickly as I pushed my pants down, I tugged them right back up into place again. “Aww,” she cooed. “Is that it?” “That’s it,” I said, before foolishly adding: “For now.” “Oh good,” she smiled. “So I can see more later?” “Well…” “Because they are cute. And I’d like to see a lot more of them. And, you know, you show me yours and I’ll show you mine.” “A-are you wearing a diaper tonight?” I asked. She shrugged. “Maybe later, when we’re sitting across the table from your friends at the restaurant, you can slide your hand between my legs and find out for yourself.” “Oh,” I said, feeling my cheeks turning red. I tried to speak, but all I got out was some variation of “Uhm…uh…” “Come on, baby boy,” she cooed, thrusting the shot glass into my hand. “Let’s do our shot.” We clinked our tiny glasses together and kicked them back into our open mouths. I thought I tasted cheap whiskey, and my throat certainly had the familiar burn of cheap whiskey. It was bad, but it was also good. “You’re coming back here after our date tonight, yeah?” she asked. I had been operating under the idea that I’d make my exit for the evening from the restaurant later–sparing myself any potential embarrassment from coming back to her place again. But now she was forcing me to either change my plans or to somehow say ‘no.’ Goddamn girls. “Uhm…sure. I guess I could swing back here for a bit after dinner.” Another problem for future-me. I could only hope that I figured out a way to get out of this by the time dinner was over. A way out of this that didn’t let me lose any face with her. “Good,” she said, her body sidling up close to mine. She batted her eyelashes at me, while the floral scent of her hair filled my nostrils–essentially taking control of my mind. “Because I want to get up close and real personal with that pull-up of yours later. And you might want to get real close to mine.” Don’t worry, I told myself. You’ll figure a way out of this one. But I didn’t believe myself. Eighty-One “I remember the door opening,” Paige said, “and you were just standing there in a diaper. Well…I didn’t know it was a diaper at first. I thought you were just wearing underpants. And, you know, it wouldn’t have been the first time someone accepted a pizza in their underpants.” We were walking towards the ramen place, and I had asked Paige what went through her head the first time she saw my diaper–the first time she saw me. “Really?” I asked. “Like…how often does that happen?” “Often enough,” she grimaced. “And it’s never the people you want to see in their underpants. Even when it’s someone who looks cute, right? And if they were wearing clothes, you might think, ‘Oh, I bet they’d look good in just their underpants.’ There’s something that happens to you when you strip down to surprise someone who isn’t expecting it. Like, when I see someone without most of their clothes on, I can’t see their cute qualities anymore, y’know? All I see are all their creepy intentions. Or…lazy intentions? Sometimes I can’t tell if someone is creepy or lazy in a situation like that.” “So when you saw me,” I asked, “did you think I was creepy or lazy?” “Well it took a moment or two to register what I was actually looking at. Even after I realized it was a diaper, it still took a little bit for my brain to even begin processing that. Honestly, I think you were kind of an exception anyway. You could’ve been wearing almost anything–a life preserver, a viking helmet, panties–and I probably would’ve noticed the same thing.” “Hmm?” “Your eyes,” she said. “I remember looking right into your eyes, and I felt like I could understand everything about you in a second.” “Uh…wow.” “I mean, I didn’t actually know a damn thing about you,” she laughed and shrugged. “But I thought I did. I thought I knew enough. Like, I knew you weren’t trying to be a creep. I knew you had a complicated relationship with your diapers–you didn’t just love them or hate them.” “Sounds like lucky guesses to me,” I said, my cheeks warming a little. I wasn’t sure if I completely believed her or not–any of this would be easy to claim in hindsight. “I saw something else too,” she said. “Yeah?” “I saw you were completely humiliated.” “Well…that was probably the most obvious thing you could’ve noticed,” I shrugged. “I mean, I saw you were completely humiliated–and you fucking loved it.” I bit my bottom lip and let a long breath out from my nose as I felt my cheeks getting more red. “And since then, do you feel like you’ve gotten any better at reading me?” I asked. “Maybe,” she smirked. Up ahead, I could see the lit sign for the ramen place, and in front of the door were two people. That would be Ava and Caleb, I was sure of it. I hadn’t even seen her face yet and I felt some of the strength in my legs fading. Shit. It was going to be a long night. “I hope we didn’t keep you waiting too long,” I said as we got closer. A silly thing to say, since I knew we were on time–but it felt like the sort of inane adult chatter you were supposed to use. Was I just trying to sound more adult? “We just got here,” Ava smiled. “Hello, Clark.” Ava and I hugged each other–just a brief embrace, but one that I wished would have lasted a bit longer. She smelled different. Not something I was entirely fond of admitting that I checked for, but the Ava I knew–even if it had been many months since I last encountered her–had a specific scent. Whenever I thought of her, I could almost find traces of the scent in my nostrils. Baby powder, and the faint hint of a floral perfume. I theorized that the perfume wasn’t actually hers–it was Ms. Beaufort’s, and it just transferred to Ava while she breastfed her. Now, she just smelled faintly of citrus. Generically clean, I supposed. Things I probably shouldn’t be thinking about right now. “Ava, this is Paige. Paige, this is my good friend Ava.” I expected a polite handshake, but the two women quickly embraced instead. There was a hint or recognition on Ava’s face. I could tell that she felt like she had seen Paige before, but she just wasn’t where from. “Clark,” Caleb said, stepping towards me with his hand outstretched. “It’s good to see you again.” “Likewise, man,” I said. Man? I never said ‘man.’ I shook his hand. Caleb had a mustache now, and I was pretty sure he didn’t have one before. It didn’t look bad, per se. But, painted by my jealousy for him, it seemed…gauche? Pretentious? Or, maybe it was actually ugly. I made a mental note to inquire with Paige about that later. At her place? Shit, I remembered that I still needed to figure out that situation too. “This is my boyfriend Caleb,” Ava said to Paige. “Hi, Caleb,” Paige said, shaking his head as well. “I’m Paige.” “A pleasure to meet you.” “Well?” asked Ava. “What do you say we get in there and tear into some bowls of noodles, huh?” I grimaced a little as I eased myself into our booth, expecting my pants to emit the usual crisp crinkle of my thick diaper as I sat down. But no–the training pants didn’t make any sound at all. They didn’t bunch up between my legs. It almost felt like…underwear. I’m a big kid now… “So you two used to work together?” Paige asked as we settled in, her finger bouncing back and forth between Ava and myself. “It’s true,” I said. “And what a place that was.” Ava laughed, a little extra pink in her cheeks. “What sort of work was it?” Paige asked. “Executive assistants,” I said. “We were both assistants for some of the big important people at this company.” “Sounds exhausting,” Paige said, shaking her head. “Is it like those shows on TV? Like Succession, or whatever, where the execs just treat their assistants like shit all the time?” “I mean…we weren’t working for a company on the scale of the one in Succession,” Ava shrugged. “But I thought our experience was pretty good.” She shot me a tiny, knowing, smile. It felt good, like a little secret. Neither Caleb or Paige had any idea of the sights we’ve seen, and the surreal experiences we had–and sometimes shared–while at work. “Yeah,” I nodded. “I learned a lot.” “And so what are you up to these days?” Caleb asked me. I felt my cheeks warm a little. Ava looked like she was about to jump in to defend me, but I couldn’t let her go to bat for me. “My boss from that company actually left and started a new company,” I said. “So I’m working for her there, now.” It felt good to talk about my employment. See? I’m an adult. Just like you. “And what about you?” Caleb asked, his question directed to Paige. “Sorry to be so nosey, I’m just a curious kind of guy.” Paige laughed, “Oh, you don’t have to apologize for being curious. I was probably going to ask you the same thing. Well, it’s not the most glamorous job in the world, but I, uh, deliver pizzas.” There it was–the light bulb going off over Ava’s head. She knew exactly who this was. She looked at me and smiled, but kept her mouth shut. Caleb, however, couldn’t help himself. “Wait…is this the fabled Pizza Girl?” I wondered how it was that Caleb knew of Pizza Girl. Sure, Ava could’ve told him–but that story felt like it would require admitting a lot of other details too. It was possible, I supposed, that Ava had told him about diapers and her baby-days, but my gut told me that conversation hadn’t happened yet. There was another possibility too, though. Caleb had been with us at the pizza place back when I first ran into Paige again. Evan told everyone he saw Pizza Girl, and it was something we all had laughed about–with the exception of Caleb. “That is me,” Paige said, confidently nodding. “Fabled, though? I didn’t know my legend was making its way across the land.” Ava laughed. “I think we’ve just talked, from time to time, about how you were the one who used to deliver pizza to Clark’s apartment when we all used to hang out there.” “Oh,” Paige smirked. “So you were there when I came by with pizza?” Translation: “So, you’re in on this whole diaper thing too, huh?” “Indeed,” Ava said, smirking right back. My heart pounded in my chest. It wasn’t that I thought I was in danger–I didn’t think that either Ava or Paige would put me on blast and start talking about diapers–but I couldn’t begin to imagine what was going through either of the girls’ heads. Meanwhile, Caleb, and his mustache, looked pretty unaware of the secret conversation happening just below the surface. The conversation pivoted away from who knew who or how they knew them. We were all finding our bearings, trying to contribute something to each conversation. Here, I had been nervous that I was going to be stilted and awkward compared to everyone else, while everyone else communicated effortlessly–though I didn’t find that to be the case. Even with my still-thawing social skills, coming off months of diapered hibernation, I felt as much as part of the group as anyone else likely did. Here’s what I observed: We were all a little stilted and awkward. Maybe that’s just how we were at this age. Nobody had anything figured out, and everyone was nervous that they’d be the one to slow down the conversation. Maybe my time in the nursery hadn’t set me as far back as I thought it had. The conversation was all over the place. Ava was talking about her recent journeys into mediation and yoga. Caleb talked about how he had been refurbishing a bicycle of his, with the hopes of taking it out for a multi-state bike trip next summer. Paige shared a story or two about the weirdos she encountered while delivering food–these types of stories were guaranteed crowd-pleasers, it seemed. I nervously waited for each story to start with “And then, this one time, a guy answered the door wearing just a diaper,” but, to my relief, it never happened. Food was delivered to the table, and it was good. It’s hard to keep all your dignity about you when you’re loudly slurping on noodles, but the good news was that we were all doing it. At one point, mid to late meal, I rested my right hand on my lap beneath the table. I was just thinking about how I had managed to go this long without having any sort of accident in my pull-up when I felt a hand on top of mine. I didn’t have to look to know who it belonged to–Paige’s warm hand gently squeezed mine. She gripped my hand in hers, and she lifted it from my thigh, slowly carrying it over to her lap. I offered no resistance. “...and it kinda sucks, you know?” Caleb was talking to the group–something about a design application he uses for work. “It’s a good program–but now I have to pay a monthly fee for it? That doesn’t really seem fair to me. I’d rather just pay one cost and be done with it. Like…” I absolutely was not paying attention to that. Maybe Ava was. Paige seemed interested, but despite the engaged look on her face, she was also planting my hand in her own lap beneath the table. She carefully pressed my hand between her legs. I could almost hear her: “Feel right here, Clark. Tell me what you feel.” It felt…soft. Squishy. Warm. I knew exactly what it was I was feeling. She had worn a diaper tonight, and she had wet it too–recently, at that. No, wait. I could feel the gentle vibrations in the dense padding–she was still wetting herself. I was feeling her wet her diaper through her pants beneath the table and nobody else had any clue. It was kind of exciting to not be the diaper-wetter for once. There I was, in a completely dry pull-up, feeling someone else’s diaper getting wet. Okay. Fine. My plan for later? My plan for what I’d do when if–and when–Paige invited me back to her place? I was going to tell her everything. I was going to tell her about the chastity and that I lived with someone who I called ‘Mommy.’ I was going to tell her the whole history of my job, and how I, one day, almost literally stumbled into the craziest job I’ve ever had in my entire life. It feels good to decide that. It doesn’t completely alleviate the stress and anxiety I feel about the situation–I still need to actually have that conversation with Paige, and she needs to accept it all. But that part isn’t on me. It’s up to her. “That’s crazy,” Paige said, responding to whatever Caleb had just been talking about. “You hate to see that, you know? The very people who supported that platform all these years are now the ones who are going to suffer the most when these faceless corporations make stupid decisions in the name of profits.” “Yes,” Caleb said, slapping the table with his hand. “That’s exactly right.” Absolutely amazing. Below the table, my fingers were squeezing and prodding her plump diaper, and yet she was able to act like no such thing was happening. She was actually engaged in the conversation–far more than I was. “Sorry,” Ava said to me. “You’d think he’d get all his design software woes out of his system at work–since he talks about it five days a week there too–but…here we are.” I laughed and shrugged. “The guy’s passionate about it. I get it.” “I should probably take a breather,” Caleb laughed, placing his napkin on the table. “I’ll be back in a few. Gonna hit the head and then step outside for a min.” “Hurry back,” Ava smiled. He smiled, nodded, and walked in the direction of the bathroom. “So,” Ava said. It felt like she was addressing Paige and I’s side of the table, but she was looking directly at me. “Having fun?” “It’s good to see you,” I said. That wasn’t really an answer to her question, though, and I felt myself blush a little. “So, you were, uhm, a regular at Clark’s old apartment when I delivered pizza?” Paige asked. “Oh yeah,” Ava said, as if having forgotten that this was a topic she wanted to bring up again too. “I mean, I don’t think I was there as often, but…I know I was there once when…” She stopped herself, thought about it for a moment and started over: “Wow, what a strange little world we live in. Here you are, eating dinner with us now.” Paige smiled. “So…you know all about this one’s, uhm…” I sighed. “She knows about my diapers, yeah.” And she knows far more about them than you think you do. Ava nervously glanced around for Caleb. “I, uh, haven’t really told him anything about that yet. I will, eventually. I just…that’s going to be a wild conversation.” “I’m not sure I follow,” Paige said. “Why would Caleb care about whether or not Clark wears diapers?” Ava and I were both blushing now. “Oh, uhm, no,” Ava said, her voice still as polite as ever. “I mean, I’m not sure when to tell him about how I wore diapers.” “Oh,” Paige said, sitting back in the booth a little, her cheeks looking a little rosy too. “Sorry. I…didn’t know that you also…” Ava glanced at me and laughed. “I guess I’m glad that Clark’s a gentleman like that. I would’ve assumed he’d have told you already.” “Well, it’s a pleasant surprise to learn you’re a big baby too,” Paige said. “Was…” Ava said. “Well…I’m sure I’ll wear them again someday.” Paige laughed and shrugged. “Poor Caleb. Is he the only one at this table who hasn’t been wearing diapers lately?” Ava’s eyes grew large. “Oh. You wear them too?” “Uh huh.” Ava smiled, her eyes again being directed towards me. “Good for you, Clarky. That sounds fun.” We all shared a laugh that time. I had no doubt that both Ava and Paige had plenty more questions–both for each other and for me–but it was at about that time that Caleb came strolling back to the table. Ava, to her credit, immediately changed gears. “Did you go outside and make some big puffy clouds?” “Aye,” Caleb nodded. “When we first met,” Ava said to Paige and I, “he told me he was using vaping to wean himself off of smoking. But now I feel like I see him vaping way more than I had ever seen him smoke before.” “It’s better for you than smoking,” he said. “I’m not sure that’s true,” I said. It was a risky claim to refute–maybe some big scientific studies had been published in the last few months, while I was just crawling around in my diapers, that actually confirmed vaping was better for you. But I doubted that. “It’s definitely not true,” Ava pouted. “Look, both of you have my permission to hassle this guy about it if you ever see him vaping.” “You think she’s kidding,” Caleb shrugged. “But she’s already got my entire family giving me all kinds of shit for it.” “Well,” Ava shrugged, “wouldn’t it be something if this little campaign of mine actually got you to quit?” I couldn’t get over just how mature Ava sounded. Every once in a while it’d hit me. This was not the Ava I knew a few months ago. This was not the girl who suckled from Neve Beaufort’s tits with me while we waited for the hubbub surrounding Thomas Pritchard to calm down. This wasn’t the girl who laid with me in the park late one night. This wasn’t the girl who had been on her back in Lyndie’s office–almost as many times as I was–getting her stinky diaper changed. But that wasn’t a bad thing. I was happy for her. Adulthood looked good on her. I supposed that I just wished I had been there to see it happen. Or that I had been growing up with her. Instead, she was still changing my diapers–or she had been when she was babysitting me just a few short weeks ago. I glanced over to Paige, and she was looking back at me. We both smiled. Paige was good. Paige was incredible. She was pretty and she was so fun. She had this naughty energy about her that I felt like I had only just scratched the surface of. Case in point, my hand was still trapped in her lap–her hand still pressing my fingers into her swampy diaper. I sometimes worried that Paige was just a placeholder for Ava. Hell, that could’ve been true yet and I just hadn’t been able to admit it to myself yet. But I really liked Paige, and was hoping that we were headed in a good direction with each other. It would probably depend on our conversation after this, I thought. When I put it all out there, we’d see where we actually were then. If I spilled my guts to her–if I told her about Mommy, my life as a big baby, and the metal cage around my cock–and she accepted it all? I’d probably cling to her for dear life, never letting her leave my side again. And then… Then I’d look back at Ava. And my heart would swoon. The heart wants what the heart wants. Even if–especially if–my heart couldn’t have it. “Well, I don’t know about the rest of you,” Caleb said, scratching his belly with big exaggerated movements, “but I’m beat. There’s something about a big ol’ bowl of hot noodles that makes me want to curl up on the couch and sleep.” “So…should I drive?” Ava asked with a smirk. “No, no. I think I can get us home without falling asleep…” The implication, of course, was that Ava and Caleb were going to the same place after this. Were they going to his place? Or back to Ava’s? He supposed he could reach out to Lynide tomorrow and ask. Stop that. It’s not your business. “It was so nice to meet you,” Ava said to Paige when we were all standing outside on the sidewalk. “I’m glad we did this. I hope we can do it again.” “Same,” Paige said, hugging Ava. “It sounds silly, but I don’t have a ton of friends in the area, so it was nice to get out and just socialize a bit.” “Well, we’re friends now,” Ava smiled. “Whenever you want to do this again, I’m down.” “Always good to see, man,” Caleb said to me. We gave each other one of those awkward hug/handshake things where we slap each other on the back for some reason. I never cared for them, as they never felt genuine. I wondered if he felt the same way, or if he actually thought they were a good way to greet or dismiss someone. Goodbyes were said, and Paige and I took off in one direction while Ava and Caleb were off in the other. Now then. It was getting closer and closer to when I’d tell Paige everything there was to know. I wondered, for most of a block, if this was the last time we’d be happy in each other's presence, as the things I’d later reveal would somehow put an end to our budding relationship. “So, did you want to come over to my place?” she asked. I nodded. “If you’ll have me.” She smiled. “I’d love it if you did.” We walked a little further without saying another word. It didn’t feel awkward or anything, it was actually kind of nice to just stroll side by side with each other and not feel like we had to fill every second with chatter. “Hey,” she finally said. “Remember earlier, when we were walking to the restaurant, and I talked about how I could look into your eyes and feel like I knew everything about you in just a moment?” “Yeah,” I nodded. “I remember that.” “I looked into your eyes again tonight, while we were at dinner, and I had that same exact feeling again.” “Oh yeah? What did you learn about me?” She laughed and shook her head. “I don’t know if you’re going to like it.” How could I not like it,” I asked. “I…I want you to know everything about me.” “Okay, but…what if it’s something that you don’t even know about yourself?” “I can handle it,” I said. “Well…” She took a deep breath and shrugged. “I think you’re in love with Ava. Like…you’re big time in love with her.” I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach, and that sinking persisted for the next block or so. With every step, I felt like the gravity in my guts was multiplying. I had managed to keep my pull-up clean all night, but suddenly I felt like I was just a few steps from both pissing and messing myself like a little baby.

Hello, This is the first chapter of the first story I've ever published. Critical feedback and corrections are more than welcome, but please bear in mind that this story is completely fictional and I the medical aspects aren't intended to be accurate to real life. Chapter 1 – A Natural Approach Oliver sat, staring at his shoes with his chin in his hand, occasionally looking around the brightly decorated doctor’s waiting room and catching a reassuring glance from his mother, Abigail. He let his legs swing idly to pass the time but quickly stopped so as avoid any unnecessary attention. “Oliver? Oliver Wilson?” he heard a voice enquire. He looked up again to see the doctor poking her head out of the office. He trailed behind his mother with his head hung low as the doctor welcomed them into her office. This was a new doctor. She introduced herself as Dr. Richardson and explained that she would be taking over for Oliver’s old doctor, a kindly, easy-going old man who, despite his general apprehensiveness about doctor’s appointments, Oliver had been fond of. By contrast, she was much younger – late thirties, with her hair tied back in a ponytail and an energetic attitude. She seemed eager to make a good impression on her new patients and Oliver found himself warming up to her. Over the course of the appoint, any lingering doubts in Abigail’s mind that this woman might be anything but a competent expert with her son’s best interest at heart were also quashed. After a review of his file and the usual battery of tests and questions, Dr. Richardson broached a sore subject. “Well” she intoned in a way that Oliver could tell she was choosing her next words carefully. “I’m a little concerned about young Oliver’s growth.” she began. That was the understatement of the century as far as he was concerned. At just under 4”6’ and 64 lbs, he was the smallest kid in his sixth grade class by a mile. “Some other doctors might be inclined to recommend hormone injections, but I’d prefer to exhaust our natural options before we go down that path. From what you’ve told me about Oli’s sleeping habits and his picky eating, the good news is I think there’s a lot of room for improvement. I’m going to prescribe a course of two nutritional supplement. One for the day to help bridge any deficiencies in his diet and a night time one that will also help with sleep. You can get them at a speciality shop at the edge of town.” she explained as she typed up the prescription. “We’ll see how this goes and then regroup in a few months. Don’t hesitate to call if you have any questions about the treatment.” Dr. Richardson said as she stood, bringing the appointment to a close, Abigail thanked her and led Oliver outside to pay, where he was too caught off guard by the receptionist’s offer of a lollipop to decline it before his mother accepted it on his behalf and prompted a stuttered “Thank you.” out of him. They made their way back to the car where the journey home was mostly in silence as Oliver contemplated his ambivalence the outcome of the appointment. He was eager to hit his long anticipated growth spurt, and he was more than relieved to avoid any needles, but he didn’t even like most of the foods he was told to eat. He didn’t like the sound of whatever a nutritional supplement was, but he felt he had escaped lightly over all. They weren’t long home before he was lying on his stomach in front of the TV listening to the fan on his game console churning as he nonchalantly kicked his feet in the air. “Hey kiddo.” interrupted his mom. He braced himself to be told to get some fresh air or find something constructive to do, but it didn’t come. “I’ve gotta run a few errands, wanna tag along for the ride?” she offered. “Can’t I just hang out here?” Visits to the doctor scored sympathy points that they both knew he he was angling to cash in. She paused just long enough to make him doubt his strategy. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay on your own?” she teased. “Mooom” he groaned but couldn’t help but smile. “Well, okay, but don’t let any axe murderers in.” “Not unless they have a puppy.” he countered as he turned his attention back to his game. Abigail punched the address Dr. Richardson had given her into her car’s GPS and pulled out of the driveway. The place was about 25 minutes drive. Technically within the town limits, but not a part of town she had ever been too or would have necessarily considered in town. She drove without the radio on, deep in thought. This was the start of the Summer vacation and she hoped this could be an opportunity to turn a new leaf with him. He had been increasingly down in himself the entire school year and had become more defiant and withdrawn, rejecting her every bid at the care and affection she felt he needed. It didn’t seem like these thoughts were rolling around in her head for long before a robotic voice was instructing her to take a left turn. The turn was inconspicuous, obscured by shrubbery and she would have easily missed it if not for the direction. She slowed as her car wound over the gravel parking lot which hosted a modestly sized brick building. She pulled into a spot and, approaching the building with the slight trepidation would-be trespassers reserve for when they’re not entirely sure they’re in the right place, she gazed up at the sign above the door with the words Tender Care printed with in pastel letters, angled so as to appear to be on toy wooden blocks. She pushed her way through the front door, causing a bell to ring as she passed the threshold. If the building had been modest from the outside, it was comparatively cathedralesque internally, with seemingly every cubic inch of space planned and accounted for. She had expected a pharmacy, but before her ranged all manner of equipment and clothing. She was so focused on taking it all in, she almost didn’t catch the smiling woman in her peripheral vision. “Hello there. You’re a new face here if I’m not mistaken.” She was a kindly faced woman in her mid fifties with a name tag bearing the name Elizabeth, but she introduced herself as Liz, the shop’s sole proprietor. “Oh, hi! My son’s paediatrician gave me a prescription she said I should fill here.” she explained, digging through her purse for the document in question. “Dr. Richardson?” “How did you know?” “She sends a lot of customers our way, so you’re in good company.” As Abigail was led through the store, she had more time to appraise their other offerings. At first she had taken it for a generic medical supplies store, but on closer inspection a distinct theme was starting to emerge. There were cribs, high chairs, and strollers arranged for display on the floor. Most of the clothing on display had cartoonish appliqués and unusual fasteners. She would have taken it for a baby equipment store sooner, but was thrown off by how much bigger much of the equipment was here. “Excuse me, but what kind of store is this exactly?” enquired Abigail as they reached the till. “We cater to the families of children with a wide range of developmental and maturation delays, just like your little guy. So, this is a two week supply” Elizabeth began to explain, gesturing at two large plastic containers she had taken from a nearby shelf and placed on the counter. A green container bearing the word Nutriform in large text and picture of a smiling tot far younger than Oliver stood along side a second, nearly identical container, except that it was blue, and the label depicted a soundly sleeping child and it had the subtitle Sleeptite in smaller text below the main Nutriform brand. “It will all be explained on the insert, but you’re going to want to give him a scoop of the green one mixed into his bottles at meal times and the blue at bed time. You can mix half a scoop of each together for nap times, but that’s just a tip from me. He might be a little groggy afterwards.” “Oh, I think there’s been some misunderstanding.” chuckled Abigail. “My son is 13.” “Right, how silly of me.” conceded the shop attendant with a glint on her eye. “Still, I know Dr. Richardson well and the prescription is par for the course so no mistake there.” She bagged the two containers for Abigail as she began to ring up her purchase. “Now some good news today: These are fully covered on your insurance, and that will go for most everything here.” she explained, handing the brown paper bag to Abigail. “So no excuse to be a stranger if you find there’s anything else little Oliver needs.” she grinned leading her towards the door. They said their farewells and Abigail walked back out to the car, already trying to figure out how on Earth she was going to sell Oliver on this without a having a meltdown. By the time she had arrived home, she had resolved to transfer the contents of the containers to two inconspicuous containers. No sooner had she placed the bag on the kitchen worktop after making sure the coast was clear, than by the time she had completed the momentary returning home ritual of neatly storing her shoes, bag and keys in the foyer, a curious Oliver had ascended a step stool next to the worktop to interrogate the bags’ contents, hoping his mother’s presumed foray to the store might have yieled some chips or cookies. “Mom...” he asked uneasily. “What are these?” he said holding up the blue Nutriform container like a cross between something from show and tell and a discarded murder weapon. Abigail took a sharp intake of breath and bit her tongue, her plan instantly dashed. “No...” Oliver’s voice started to croak as the pieces fell into place in his head. “Sweetheart... The doctor said.” “No, no, no, NO, NO!” “Honey, please just listen.” but it was too late. “I’M NOT A FUCKING BABY!’ he screamed as he stormed past her. Abigail listened to the as-of-late all too familiar sound of heavy foot fall stamping up stairs, a brief pause, and the bang of a bedroom door being slammed to complete the sequence. She exhaled sharply and let her shoulders fall before following in pursuit, with softer foot steps. She gingerly opened the bedroom door and peaked in to see Oliver turned towards the wall, curled up in a fetal position, with his head in his hands, quietly weeping. The curtains were already drawn, darkening the room somewhat but the evening Summer sun streamed through the gaps. She took a seat on his bedside and placed a hand on his back. “It’s not fair, mom.” he said through muffled sobs. “I know sweetie. I know it’s not exactly what you were expecting. You know I only want to do what’s best for you right?” she ventured, and took his silence as a queue to continue. “I know it’s not easy, but, you know, part of growing up means making the decisions that are best for you in the long term, even if they’re not easy right now. This Summer could be a bit of a fresh start. A lot can change in a few months.” He turned around and edged towards her. “I’m sorry I shouted.” he said in a hoarse whisper. Tears were streaming down his face and his eyes were red from crying. “I know, sweetheart. It’s okay. I’m not mad. Hey, we have some coupons for that new pizza place you wanted to try. How about we order in tonight?” “Really?” he asked, perking up slightly. “My treat.’ she smiled at him. Approximately 45 minutes later Oliver descended the stairs, far more quietly than he had ascended them earlier. His mother sat on the couch with a welcoming smile. In addition to a steaming hot pizza and two large soft drinks, a glass sat of a pale white liquid, like milk with a slightly yellow tinge. “You can have it now or you can have the pizza first if you prefer.” explained Abigal. He settle into the couch beside her and picked up a slice of Pizza. Abigail had put one of his favourite Pixar movies from when he was younger on the TV, hoping in the back of her mind that the familiarity might help ease him into the change of routine. Oliver ate slowly, putting off the inevitable. “I think you should try some of your drink now.” Abigail coaxed gently when they were about halfway through the movie. With some hesitation picked up the glass and raised it to his lips. It tasted more or less like milk, which Oliver usually liked, except sweet, creamier, and just – to his surprise – better over all. Though he wasn’t about to let on so he made sure to drink slowly. About 15 minutes after he finished the glass, he was already flagging. His eyes felt heavy and he laid his head on his mother’s shoulder without even thinking about it. He closed his eyes briefly and when he opened them, the end credits of the movie were rolling. He turned to see his mother smiling warmly at him. “I think you’re about ready for the land of nod, little man.” she said softly. He was too tired to argue. She led him by the hand up to his room. He felt like he was in a losing battle for his consciousness as he changed into his pyjamas and slumped into bed. The last thing he remembered was the silhouette of his mother tucking him in before he passed out just before 8:30 p.m. with the sun still firmly in the sky, hours before his usual bedtime, if he even had one. Abigail stared at her son sleeping soundly. She hadn’t expected the sleep aid to be so effective. She hoped that, now that they were over the initial hump, the journey might be smoother from here on out. She kissed him on the cheek and closed the door gently behind her. “Rise and shine sleepyhead, it’s almost 10:00 a.m.” Abigail half-sang as she entered Oliver’s room. He rolled out of bed as he came to. His initial feeling of being extremely well rested gave way to a far less pleasant feeling of cold clamminess all over. He pulled his sheets away to see that, along with most of his bedding. his pyjamas were soaked from below his knees almost up to his chest.

My mornung Abena M4 diaper is wet and messy with a sooo nice warm, soft, squishy poopie. I don't mind cleaning up, just a perfunctory responsibility after I go potty in my diapee.

He looks like he's getting ready to say Bazinga! Now I wanna rewatch some of the early episodes! 😂

Chapter 4 Roller coaster - Having fun alone and with her friends Lila’s Mum did not wake her daughter in the morning when they left their hotel room. Her dad picked up the sleeping girl, wrapping her soft blanket around her diapered bum. And just minutes later, he clipped in the buckles of her child seat, ready to let her sleep for another hour while they were driving. Finally, he also took her new pacifier out of his pocket and let it slide back between her sleeping lips and carefully to not wake her gave her a kiss. After being a bit skeptical about his Lila wanting to be so childish, he had to admit that she was happier now, and he could not bear seeing her stressed out or in tears anymore. If this small change helped her cope with the hardship of her teenage life, he was willing to go along with his wife's idea to let her be a child again. “Is our little one still sleeping?”, her mum asked as her dad joined her in the passenger seat. “Yes, like a marmot in the winter.”, he smiled while they drove out in the spacious streets heading to the freeway. Lila was waking up as they had already left the morning rush hour in the city. They were calmly driving down the rural highway, following the final signs to the parking of the amusement park. As they were closer now, the rollercoasters and attractions were slowly coming into view in the distance. She felt so relaxed today and stretched out her arms and legs. And slowly became aware that the child’s seat was holding her in place and at the same time making it really obvious that she had a very soaked pampers-styled diaper on. That night she did not remember waking up, while at the same time, her mum changed her into a dry one just minutes before she finally fell asleep yesterday. This must have been one of her wet nights, she assumed. It was much better than waking up in a soggy pull-up that still would not even hold all her pee. She on the other hand was still feeling dry and comfy and woke up relaxed in the morning. Why could she not just keep wearing the diapers at home, at least at night, she thought to herself. “Fumy”, Lila mumbled, feeling her pacifier strangely stayed in her mouth all night long and made her talk weirdly now. “Oh, you are finally awake.”, her dad responded, noticing that she just tried talking The little girl took the pacifier out. “I wet the bed, mummy.”, she reported truthfully. For a moment, her mum was surprised. Normally, this was exactly what Lila said when she came into their parent's bedroom in the middle of the night, waking her mum with a wet pyjama on. “Did you leak?”, she asked patiently as she did all the time to not bother the little girl too much with her disability to keep dry in her sleep. “No, I actually feel dry and good, it's just I did not go potty on purpose tonight.”, she talked about her nighttime accident. “Don't worry, you were hardly ever dry in the last days. Just relax some more, I will clean you up in the park.”, her mother explained, glazing back, seeing her Lila just in her diaper and a shirt with the black stripped of the secure child seat hardly hiding what she was wearing underneath. She just looked at the pacifier in her hand, and she noticed the ease that sucking on it brought her already started to vanish. No one minds if I am a child today, she told herself and put the small object back in her mouth, looking out of the window, seeing the trees passing by. Finally, they rolled onto the big parking area. Due to the early hour, they could park really close to the entrance instead of walking through the endless rows of empty car parks. “Fumy, felp me” she complained again as she noticed that she could not open the buckle of her child seat on her own. Her daddy slowly opened the door, pressing the release button. “Wait a second, you should slip this overall on because you don't want to wear this diaper with no pants on. Don't you?” He let her feet slip into the legs and closed the bib on the front. “Your Mum will change you when we get in.", he explained as the little girl nodded with her head. For a second while he slid the pants up, she was looking like a young toddler as she was still innocently sucking on it. “You don’t want to be seen as a baby girl using your dummy in the park, do you?”, he asked her, pretty sure she just forgot to take it out. Lila looked at him with worries in her eyes, but slowly took her dummy back in her hand. She did not really want to leave it in the car, while she also was afraid of just using it openly in public. “You can put it in your bib’s pocket.”, he said, and helped her to slide it in. She cuddled at his side while they were walking over to the entrance. They got in line for the ticketing machines and just minutes later, a beep confirmed their admission and let them through the turnstile and into the park. “Mum, why can't we go to the bumper cars first. There is no one waiting.” Lila begged, hoping she could drive against her parents and could finally start having fun. “No we need to change you first, you are still wearing your night diaper and your pyjama top”, she explained while she was keeping a firm grip on her hand leading her to the restrooms. They stopped when they entered a small building with a toilet sign. Her Mum tried to open the baby changing room, but the door did not move at all. “Can you wait for a second while I ask for the key.”, she explained to her girl, and immediately saw that Lila did not want to let her go. “But it may be embarrassing for you”, her mum warned her as she did not soften the grip on her mum's hand. “Can you carry me?”, she asked shyly, touching the dummy in her pocket. She lifted the girl on her hips and kissed her. “No one cares, you can use your Binky, while I change your diaper” her mum assured her, and before she laid her head on the shoulder the little comforting object was back in her mouth. While they searched for someone who could help them, Lila felt the loving grip of her mummy, and even when she wet in her sleep, the need to pee was present in her mind. Without hesitation, she just let it go while she was clamping on her adult. And did not even notice that her mum smiled as her hip was suddenly getting warm. “Can we have the key for the changing room my little girl is still in her nighttime diaper, and we really have to change her into something fresh for the day”, she noticed the voice of her mum The senior facility manager put the mob aside. “Sure thing, we use a code system here that no drunken guys vandalize these rooms.”, he explained, while he was looking at her little Lila. “It should be nice and clean in there for your little one. I just cleaned it.” he added, proud of his work. The little girl noticed that she would not really be embarrassed anymore, when she was wearing and using her diapers while she was pretending to be a little kid. Suddenly, after the helpful employee showed her mum all the details of how the sophisticated system worked, she found herself lying on the soft waterproof fabric waiting for her Mum to undress her. ### “Mummy ... Daddy.... I want to ride again. Please!”, she told them as they exited the slightly less steep but still exciting roller coaster, which was advertised for kids from the age of seven onwards. But now, as the time had passed, a lot of new passengers were already waiting in the line. And the sign told them that they had to expect at least half an hour of waiting until they could start to have fun again. “One last time before we will have an early lunch”, her dad promised his little girl. Quickly followed by her parents, she raced through the empty lines. When they passed a corner, she was slightly disappointed as she saw the long queue of passengers waiting to board the attraction. “You can not wait to ride again.”, her mum noticed as her parents finally reached the joyfully dancing girl. For a short moment, her mum stopped her, to check if her diaper was still dry enough for her last ride before the lunch break. For Lila, this was after so many checks from her mummy not too embarrassing anymore, and it was nice to know that she was not responsible for telling her parents when she needed a change. “You are still fine to go for now, but we have to change you before we have lunch”, she concluded. And they could go some meters further to the boarding station of the roller coasters because another ride has ended, and the people could hop on again. “Daddy do you think we could have a ride at the wild river as well?”, she wanted to know, still slightly afraid that she would be too young or too small and would be sent away as she was when they tried to get on the big rollercoaster for adults and teens. A flashback of the bad feeling came over her as she remembered the friendly but resolute guide that sent her to the measuring scale and stopped them from boarding the carts. “You are way too small, even if I would believe your parents that you are thirteen.”, she heard the guard explain in her head. “Look, you would easily slide out of the safety harness, when you would be doing the first looping.”, he mentioned the immediate danger to her parents. “You will see, the ride over there is still a lot of fun, and it is more appropriate for kids like you.”, he ended his denial. Hmm yes, in the last three hours she was having a lot of fun on these slightly smaller rides for kids. And she honestly had to confess that she now was fine with his decision. She was having a great morning with exciting adventures, while now the screaming sounds of the people on the big rollercoaster were worrying her. “You are next.”, her dad said as they moved forward another time. “You again young lady?”, the guard greeted the family. “Yes, it is our last ride before Mum and Dad want me to take a break and have lunch.”, Lila explained as if he was a friend she met on the playground. “Oh, then I would have something special for you if you feel confident enough to ride in the front?” Lila was nodding in joy and could not wait until the small train of carts stopped and everyone was getting out. Her legs needed to move, and she was running around her mum and dad. “You take her and head straight for the very first exit of the platform”, he told her parents as the train stopped. Just seconds later, they were sitting in the cart and had a full view on the track that was rising high up right in front of them. “Yes, yes, yes” she cheered as the train started climbing up the steep slope. Suddenly she noticed that the excitement made her tummy feel slightly uncomfortable, so she took daddy's hand and was glad she was not on her own. ### “That was sooooo cool.”, Lila told them as they finally stopped and had to get off. And noticed that her diaper was now quite wet as she peed again while she was riding. “She definitely needs a change”, her mum concluded as she saw that her daughter was running along the exit walkway and was waiting on her much slower parents as if they were a couple of sloths. She on the other hand felt her tummy rumbling and was aware that she would not be able to hold it for much longer. But why should she even try? She wondered how she could go poopy without everyone noticing what she did? She tried to go while standing there waiting, but she could not. Then she saw the little playground and got an idea. “Mum, I will play for a bit”, she said, and was again running towards the jungle gym. As she was climbing and no longer wanted to stop it, she was losing her control over her bowel and a log of mess was leaving her. I do not even have to stop for this, she wondered while she was climbing over to the slides. Again, she pushed a little while she was crawling and finally got rid of the uncomfortable stuff in her belly without even stopping. When she would get used to going poopy like this whenever she needed to, nobody would even notice. “Lila, we really have to go, you need something dry around your bum. Do you still need to go potty?”, she asked her daughter, As she lifted her down while she slung her arms around her mum as if she was a baby sloth herself. “I ... I just went poopy in my pants, while I was playing.”, she confessed her babyish toileting habit. Her mum smiled, and she was sure she did not mind her daughter going potty like this. “It's ok baby, I will change your skunky bum in a second.”, her mum calmed her down and kissed her on her cheek. While she did not set her down on the walkway, she held her child close to her. Giving her the feeling of being a little kid again. ### “Mummy, can we take a picture here.”, Lila asked when they were waiting in line for the crazy river attraction and could have a great look at the artificial waterway that was meandering through a network of caves and canyons. The small family was posting while someone took a picture of them when suddenly a splash of water rained down over them and made the picture a perfect memory of the time they spent here together. Some minutes later they could board their raft and the water cooled them down. As she still was pretty afraid of the wild water, Lila cuddled on her daddy's side, trusting he would protect her in the unlikely case that the raft would be shipwrecked. “Everything ok?”, Bernhard asked his little girl, while he knew that she loved it when he was protecting her from her fear of deep water. Even at the pool at home, when Lila tried learning how to swim, she clamped on him most of the time. And since she never became confident in her skills, she still always wanted her dad on her side when the bluish liquid was close by. So he softly pressed the girl with his shoulder. Calming her as they were released and started to float down. And within moments the wild ride over the waves built up speed. Even his little girl cheered several times as the cold water splashed over them and when they ended up at the raft escalator, the family was dripping wet. “This was fun, wasn’t it?” her daddy asked the little girl as she was lifted out of the raft and took his hand for a while. “Yes it was cool, but also a little scary sometimes”, his young daughter added with a strong affection for her parents being back in her heart. “Bernhard, can we take a look at the souvenirs for a bit. I really want to get some new magnets for our fridge” his wife asked her dad to slow down. “You want to have a look too?”, Lila's dad proposed, as he knew his little girl probably also wanted to shop. But this time she was not able to let him go, and so both of them walked into the toys section of the store. “Mummy ... Mummy, look, that girl also wears a diaper.” a small child, slightly younger looking than Lila, innocently commented on the colorful diaper that was now visible through the semi-transparent fabric of her wet dress. Lila quickly hid behind a tray of toys and found herself entangled with the legs of her dad as he did not let her hand go so quickly. Now her need to be loved was irresistible. She wished she could just cuddle with them, or she would be able to take her pacifier out for some moments and just calm down. “Sorry for that, we are just learning not to embarrass others.”, the mum of the young boy quickly apologized and added, “You should not judge other kids, should you?” “No Mummy.”, he answered clearly, only because his mum said so. “Noah, can you apologize to her?”, his mother demanded as Lila was now hiding behind Dad's legs. “I am sorry.”, she heard the little boy's words, and he took a plushie from the shelf and handed it over as if it was a present of apology. For a moment, the brownish-colored beaver was hanging between them. What should she do with a stuffed animal? But with all the need for love in her, it was as if the fluffy animal was enchanting. It seemed as if she saw him smile. “Lila ... Lila”, it was as if he was calling for her. “You can't offer it to her, it is not yours”, she heard his mum as if she was talking from far, far away. She saw the adult hand trying to grab the poor water animal, but she was faster. She was taking it out of the offering hand of the boy and hugged it with her arms. It was as if someone said thanks in her mind. It could not have been real, could it? Her teenage consciousness doubted, while the little girl in her loved the idea of talking with her new-found friend. As his mum finally wanted to continue with her day, the two so similar-looking but also very different children were separated. Just Lila discovering her strange feelings toward that plushie toy remained. “I am done!”, they heard their mum, already leaving with a small bag. “Do you want to put him back?”, she noticed her dad talking to her. But she could not, as soon as she wanted to let him go it felt like treason. “Or maybe you should choose a name for this beaver”, Bernhard suggested lightheartedly. She really wanted to have him. But how could she tell her dad? Would he even purchase the stuffed animal for his teenage kid? What should I call you? Lila asked the animal in her head, and for a second the boy's Name Noah came to her mind. At least the name would be used for something positive. And it would always remind her of the strange encounter that started in such an embarrassing manner and ended in something so beautiful. “Several more rides are waiting for us”, her dad tried to get his kid back into a good mood. “Daddy this is my beaver Noah and I keep him.”, she demanded to her astonished dad stroking the soft fur of her new companion. Her Daddy picked her up. “You really want to buy Noah?”, he asked, suddenly becoming aware that his daughter did not make a joke. “Don't you want one of the cool T-shirts instead?”, he wanted to know that he should buy the brownish animal with whom his child fell in love with. “No, I just want Noah”, she underlined her decision now sounding like a grumpy child. She held his soft fur close and tried to look serious. And after some seconds, she saw her daddy smile and realized immediately that she would not lose her beaver again. ### When Lila's energy finally ran out of steam and her feet were getting painful and heavy, her dad picked her up and carried her daughter to the car. It was late afternoon, and the glazing sun transformed the streets and all the waiting areas in the park into a hot furnace. Even the wild river attraction could no longer cool them down enough to stand the heat for much longer. The little girl was glad when dad turned on the air conditioning and the air cooled down the car that was standing in the shade of some trees. Her dad sat her down on her quite comfy looking seat and tucked her into the fife point harness. “Can I have Noah for the drive?”, she demanded from her dad, not wanting to be alone. “Noah?”, her dad seemed to have already forgotten the little beaver that was packed into their day bag to keep the little guy safe. “My little stuffed beaver.”, she reminded him, and lovingly embraced the brownish animal as he handed it back into her hands. With a smile, they closed her door and started driving back to the hotel. ‘We had a really nice day.’ She started a conversation with her new friend Alex on the phone and just sent her the last pictures of the afternoon where she was having fun drifting down this artificial river in a round donut-shaped raft. Then she scrolled to Alex's report of her day in the city, an attraction that their mum and dad skipped due to the hot climate in the streets of downtown. And while this new-found friendship was new for the young girl, she was wondering if the communication between her and Alex was what the other teenies in her class found in the endless cell phone sessions. The endless staring on the screens nearly ended all normal playing interaction in class and made Lila's life in school not only rather boring but also quite lonely. As the monotone drive was creeping on the little kid, and she was getting tired, She let her phone sink, closed her eyes, and started to cuddle the little beaver in her hand. The fluffy feeling on her skin, his soft fur, and the presence of someone rolled over her. She could not even get enough of the soft touch, and it felt as if the little animal was there to protect her in her sleep. He was just there for her. She knew as she drifted away to dreamland. ### When she woke up again, she noticed the padding in her crotch was suddenly getting warmer and warmer. For a brief moment she thought she wet her pants before she noticed the diapers were soaking up the wetness, just leaving her warm and dry. Did she just wake up while having an accident? Maybe, but she did not care at the moment. Her diaper at least made waking up like this much more pleasant. She was looking at her parents, who were talking to each other and discussing if they could go out today and have another parent's only dinner. Mum wanted them to stay in the hotel as her precious Lila was already pretty tired. She knew the little girl upmost hated being on her own, and a babysitter was not an option in a city where they did not know someone who could help them out. Her dad on the other hand wanted to find a way and wanted to ask Alex mum and dad if they could babysit their teenage child. Lila normally did not interfere in her parent's discussion over such topics and would just go back playing with what she just did. But this time a thought was put in her mind. Her parents surely would both love to go to a dinner party together, and she had the feeling that she was the reason her mum did not want to come. She did not want to be a burden for her parents, and she expected them to have fun. Further now with her babyish potty habits they had so much more work with her anyway. At the same time, she was afraid that they would leave without her and the nightmare of loneliness was creeping through the back of her mind. She was never good at being on her own. At school, she was still attending the afternoon program, just to avoid coming home to an empty house and waiting for her mum or dad without any company. ‘Bing’ her cellphone called for her attention. It was a picture of Alex with her brothers. I am taking care of my brothers again because my parents are out shopping for our trip tomorrow. Do you want to come and play with us, she asked? Would that be a solution to her dilemma? Should she just suggest that to her parents? When she would be able to go on a playdate, her mum and dad could have fun, at least for some hours. Her memories of play-dates she had in elementary school flashed back into her consciousness. She remembered laying on the floor and building with Legos all day long with her friend, and how sad she was when he moved away. ‘Bing’ you don't want to? Her teenage friend demanded a decision. I have to ask my mum and dad, she quickly replied. Should she just start a conversation with them while they were talking? And of course, playing with her new friends all night long would be an additional benefit for her. Maybe she should ask dad, he wanted to go out, so he may be on her side too. Finally, she decided to just drop in. “Daddy?” she asked while her heart was beating in her chest. Both adults suddenly noticed they were not alone in the car, and her little daughter was already listening to them for a while. “Alex invited me to come over”, she explained. “She is watching her brothers, and they surely have a lot of fun.” “No Honey, I don't think so, you should have an early bedtime today, you were busy all day long at the amusement park.”, her mum replied. “But maybe this would be our chance to go out. Maybe Alex could be watching her and even bring her to bed when it is time.”, she heard her dad, not letting the decision of her mum become final. “You mean, she could be her babysitter for tonight.”, her mum said, slowly accepting the opportunity that their evening together could become possible after all. Lila on her side was frightened from hearing the word. Alex was her friend not her babysitter after all, wasn't she? “If she can handle her two small brothers, our child should not be too much effort.”, he argued. “She is not using the potty at all, and if she goes poopy in her diaper she is even more work than their little five-year-old Lukas, and I don't think Alex could handle that.”, her mum insisted on her doubts. “But mummy, I promise to go with you and really try to go to the potty. But could you at least talk to Alex.”, she said while she was sniffing a little and noticing the tears flowing down her cheeks. Her parents looked into each other’s eyes. “You have Alex on your phone, don't you”, her dad asked. “Sure, I will call her so we can talk together.”, she quickly replied and hit the dial button to create hard facts. “Hello Lila”, she heard the teenage voice of her friend right before the first ring. “Hi Alex. My parents still have doubts that I could come.”, she said in a sad voice. There was a second of silence. “Do they hear me?”, she wanted to know. “Hello Alex we can hear you.”, her dad was first to take action and with a piercing glance, he took her phone. “We actually wanted to go out tonight, but we cannot leave Lila on her own, because she is always desperately afraid and very lonely when she has to.“ “Oh, I would never leave her alone, she will be with me, and you can pick her up when you come back.”, she argued. “Do you know how to handle her when she has an accident?” her mum wanted to know. “Hmm ...” I heard Alex talk in an unrecognizable voice with someone in the background. “Hello Maria” now Alex's mum joined the call. “Actually, my daughter really wants to learn how to babysit younger children. She is quite experienced with our little Lukas, and she did quite well when she changed him.” “And I am sure I can take care of her too, and she will have fun with us.”, the teenager assured her mum. Actually, Lila did not want to be babysat. She wanted to just go on a playdate. But at the same time, she felt that she no longer was a burden for her parents and the feeling of being safe and protected, was something she never could get enough of. So the idea of her needing someone who took care of her was worrying and wonderful at once, and at least knowing that Alex was the one to help her was good. At least, even if having a babysitter was strange, it was Alex, one of her few teenage friends whom she could trust. “I think we can approve that Lila can stay over for a trial run of babysitting.”, Dad concluded and ordered child care for her precious teenage daughter at the same time. ### Thirty minutes later, the family was standing at the door of Alex's family's hotel room. The closed door was feeling strange for the little girl, and she could not help to see it as a portal to her new world. Her mum had a big bag with her that contained not only the diapers of the thirteen-year-old kid but also her pyjama and her toothbrush. The plushie her parents just got her in the park was mounted at the side, fixed with the straps of the backpack. Her feelings were right in the middle between her embarrassment that she needed someone to look after her and the anticipation of joy that she was expecting when she could play with her friends. Her daddy just knocked one time when the door swung wide open while her teenage friend was standing there, just greeting them and letting her daughter inside. For a second it seems as if Lila was somewhat reserved now that the only slightly older, but much bigger Alex was her official guardian. The fact that she was her babysitter, was kind of strange. Then suddenly, she put the arm around the childlike girl. “We will have fun together like yesterday.”, she promised while she allowed herself to cuddle a little bit with her friend. “Hi”, her brother, Georg, came over to greet her as well. “Do you want to come and play with us? Alex and Lukas created a strong fortress from the bed’s blankets, and I tried to take it, but I don't stand a chance and desperately need reinforcements.”, he declared if she was his young recruit for the pillow fight of Cape Dorm. “Have fun Lila.”, she heard her parents as I ran off, not noticing that her mum also handed over her bag that contained some fresh diapers and her new plushie. Their room was much bigger than their own and was a little apartment on its own. It even had a little kitchen built in and a separate bedroom for the parents and the kids. She was hardly aware of her mummy and daddy leaving when the door was closed. “You are Ok?”, the big teenager asked her as she let her backpack drop on the couch and noticed that Lila suddenly was not so sure about staying just with her friends. “I want to have Lila!”, the little brother, Lukas, emerged from the omnipresent pile of blankets and pillows on the floor. He was just wearing a shirt and a dry pull-up, which she clearly recognized as the same brand that she used at home. “Collect all you can carry and follow me.”, he advised her, trying to pack three pillows in each hand. Lila also stocked up with the white and fluffy ammunition and followed him into the tiny hideout that was created under the table. “You are ready?”, Alex asked, also bristled with weapon-like pillows. “Yes!”, Lukas yelled, firing the first fluffy shot on his brother. While the others also started to bombard them with an armada of flying pillows. The fight was nearly over when Lila took her first one and fired it at Alex. She seemed to allow her to score a hit, but instantly returned the pillow to its origin. “We won”, Lukas declared, while Lila was sure the two opponents had hit their little hideout pretty hard. He quickly repaired the structure and packed all the pillows before starting the next round. Fifteen minutes later she was exhausted as the fight had quickly drawn all her energy. So instead of helping them to get ready for the next round, she just looked over at Alex. “Do you need a break?”, she realized that Lila was done with playing for the day. “Can you help me put everything back on our beds?” “Mmmm no, I don't want to stop now”, Lukas protested while he was yawning but was clearly just as exhausted as Lila. In moments, the battleground disappeared and they found themselves back in the bedroom. With the action and the excitement slowly ebbing away, the need to be close to someone crept back on her. “I am thirsty.”, the little boy that just fought side on side with her, declared as Alex cleaned up. “And I am hungry.”, the much older Georg declared, expecting that his big sister would bring them something to eat. Lila on the other side just wanted to be cuddled. Should she just go and hug her? Could she just ask for help? But Alex seemed to know what she was doing, she prepared something to drink for them and even filled a baby bottle for her little Lukas. Lukas took his bottle, jumped on the bed, and seemed so happy with his drink, while they stayed in the kitchen area for a moment. She carefully sipped on her glass, feeling the cold touch of the taped water. “Our mum will bring us something to eat when they are back shopping for our picnic on the beach tomorrow.” He still looked at her with his puppy eyes. “And no, we can not eat sweets before we have dinner!”, she seemed to read what was on his mind, as the boy who appeared older than Lila walked away disappointed. “You need my help too.”, she noticed that she could not raise her concern as the siblings could. She finally put her arm around her and Lila instantly cuddled on her chest. “You miss your parents?”, she asked, slowly padding her little head and even drying one of her tears. She nodded, still finding it hard to talk. “Come, I will carry you.”, Alex said softly, lifting her up as her mum and dad did. “Thanks.”, Lila mumbled, as she finally got the love that she desperately needed like water in the desert and gave up all her teenage reservedness, and accepted that she needed her as a babysitter. She let her friend down as she sat on the bed. “I also want to cuddle with you.”, her little brother demanded. Lila noticed as her babysitter placed her on her side and her little brother on the other, while Alex had to dry another tear that rolled over her cheek. “Why is she so sad?”, he innocently asked. “I think she is missing her parents.” “Oh, but what can we do?”, the boys worried. “Maybe I could introduce her to my stuffed lion plushie.” “She doesn't have stuffed animals like the two of us anymore. She is thirteen, remember.”, Georg said. She looked at Alex and begged her for help. Indeed, the little beaver could really do something for her. “Georg, having a stuffy is not something only little children do. I have one, even if I don't sleep with her every night anymore. You have a cute beaver, don't you? Do you want to have it?” She offered. She thought if she could confess her need for more help. “Yes, I need my Noah.”, Lila finally mumbled sheepishly. “Then we can celebrate a tea party for our stuffed animals.”, her little Lukas cheered, jumped up and ran over to the children's bedroom and returned with his Simba-like lion and a dark green turtle before he finally picked up the brownish Noah. She could not help but as soon as he let the brownish animal fall on the bed, she grabbed it in midair and pressed him on her free side. She closed her eyes for a second. “Sorry Noah, I missed you so much”, she mumbled as if he could actually understand her and stroke over his soft face. “I love you too, and you really don't have to be afraid.”, came to her mind, and she could not say if she wished he had said that or if the stuffed animal could really talk to her in her consciousness. Then she noticed her crotch was suddenly warm and wet, and for a second she was not sure if she deliberately peed herself or if she paid so little attention to her blather that she actually had a daytime accident in her diapers. Especially when she was dreaming, it definitely seemed to become harder to not pee herself in the last days. “Alex, can we watch TV while we are waiting for our parents.”, Georg wanted to kill some time and had the remote controls already in his hand. “You cannot watch your action-loaded TV shows with Lukas, and I don't think they are good for Lila either.”, she explained to her younger brother and sounded just like mom to the little teenage girl. “Why can't I?”, he moringed grumpily. “We could watch some little kids' shows. So all of us could have fun, don't you think so.” Alex insisted. “But I am not a baby, and it is so boring.” Lila was not too keen on watching anything. But a movie for a five-year-old could not be that bad, could it? Maybe it would be more fun than she anticipated if she could engross herself in the stories and characters, while still being sure everything would be ok? “You want to choose?”, Lila asked the little boy that was lying on the other side of her babysitter's chest. I really want to see Bobo, it is my favorite, but Georg always complains that it is for babies only. “Yes, and Bobo does not even talk like a real kid.”, Georg complained, “He just uses that simplified two-word sentence language.” “But I still love him, and he is always sleeping in the end.” The little five years old Lukas proudly explained. “I have never seen this movie”, Lila confessed. “Two against one - Bobo it is.”, Alex decided, switching on the television “Thank you”, I heard as Lukas smiled into my face. Bobo was indeed a very simple show, clearly created for toddlers, with Lukas being on the highest end of the possible age scale. But while Georg rolled his eyes on every clear and foreseeable move that the story took. Lila and Lukas were really watching it. Sure it was very babyish in Lila's eyes, but she was also quite busy cuddling with Noah and strangely also talking to him in her mind, and she started to feel a bond between her emotions and her beaver Noah. And on the other hand, as she trusted her little fluffy companion. He made her more and more open to the little kid's TV show and the limited safe boundaries, which the stories were not violating once. When she heard their parents return, Alex and Georg got up, while Lukas and Lila found each other after their babysitter left the bed, and they did not want to be alone. “Everything ok in your growing babysitting business?”, her mum asked her 15-Year-old daughter. As they brought the shopping bags in together. “Yes, Georg is a little hungry, but I did not allow him snacks before our family dinner and the other two are watching Bobo together.” “Lila watches Bobo?”, her mum wondered. Her daughter nodded and added, “You should have a glance at her before we tell them that dinner is ready.” They both stopped for a second at the door “I still can not believe that she is thirteen, she even seems much younger than our Georgy.” Alex whispered. “Maybe this is a lesson you have to learn about caring for kids.” “What lesson?”, she wanted to know. “Kids grew up at their own pace. And you should never judge someone only by their age.“ Her mum noticed that her oldest teenage child needed to talk “Actually she was a little homesick when her parents left”, Alex reflected with her mum. “I let her cuddle with me a little so that she could calm down.” “She is not as developed emotionally as you. Maybe she even has more needs than Georg, but you should not see her as dumb. She is just different and, as her mum said, not ready to be on her own. Maybe you should see her as a very intelligent eight-year-old girl.” “I have one more thing.” Alex now mumbled to ensure that only her mum could hear her. “When we were watching Bobo, I saw that she has a pacifier in her bib’s pocket and I think she is afraid of using it. Should I maybe offer her a bottle to drink when I bring her to bed?“ “You should be careful not to hurt her. It could be something that she carries like a security blanket.” Her mum warned her. Alex nodded. “But what if I just offer her one when it's her bedtime and I just make two baby bottles, one for Lukas and one for Lila. Maybe she would not be afraid of using it when she needs help.”, she suggested. “Try it, maybe she trusts you so far.” “You don't think George would laugh at her when she is so little and innocent?” “No, I would not tolerate it if he is making fun of her. I think I did a wonderful job on raising you without thinking bad of others, and he will learn that lesson, too.” “You know, I am really proud of my professional babysitter.”, her mum smiled at her and gave her a tab on her shoulder. “Could you check on the two little ones, I don't want to have them with a soaked or smelly diaper on our dinner table.” “OK”, she confirmed that order from her mum and headed to the two youngsters on the bed still watching one short movie after the other. “Are you hungry?“, she invited them to the dinner table when the screen finally was switched off and they both just became aware that the movie time was over? “Lukas are you wet?”, she asked her little brother and without waiting for an answer she put the long shirt up and checked the front of his pull-ups. “You are still pretty dry, good job.”, she praised him, “But you will hop over and go to the bathroom really quick.” He nodded and smiled. “And what about you?”, she asked Lila. Not waiting for her answer, either. She knew she was not dry anymore, and she was actually so used to being checked and changed by her parents that she did not pay any attention to her diapers. “Can I take a look?”, she demanded as it became clear to her that her little but still teenage friend must have wet herself several times. Petrified by Alex, who seemed to take the babysitting tasks seriously, she just nodded in approval, she let her open her pants that hardly were doing anything to cover the thick diaper bulk between her legs. “You really need a change into something dry.”, she insisted, sliding the sweaty pants down her legs. “Alex took Lila on her hips. But you are not messy, aren't you?”, she asked and lifted the waistband of her diaper. The little girl who was mindlessly watching TV just some seconds ago now was becoming aware that she just peed in her diaper whenever she needed to go. But now with her teenage friend finding out how wet she really was, she was kind of embarrassed. “You don't need to be embarrassed around me, I know you cannot help it.” She wanted to calm her down. “And I think you are actually kind of cute with your diaper on and just going potty in it like this.” With a quick hand, she grabbed her bag with the spare diapers and unfolded a changing mat on the bed. And sliding it under her little friend's bum. “It's ok for you if I do that?”, she wanted to assure herself that she did not hurt Lila’s little soul. She saw her little head nod as she opened the Velcro strips in the front. “You don't forget to use some cream after you cleaned up her accident. She will probably sleep in it all night long.”, her mum advised, as she was coming to check that her daughter was doing well with the change. “Sure” she said while whipping her clean in the front. She used some baby oil and made the now fresh skin soft and comfy. “And now I have to clean her bum.”, she explained as if it was an exam in class. She lifted Lila’s legs in the air, started to wipe her clean, and removed the old sticky white cream. While Alex was caring for her, she had Noah in her arms and was not thinking about the childish procedure that just happened to her. Instead, she was worried about how this all would come to an end when their vacation was over. She actually did not want to go back to all her stress in her quickly changing teenage life. ### “You already had enough?”, Alex asked Lila as she was having dinner with them and was sitting comfortably on Alex's lap like Lukas did on his mommy's. Yes, she confirmed the food they brought from any takeaway restaurant was delicious, but despite the early hour, she actually was pretty tired. But no, she could not confess that to her babysitter. It was not even Lukas's bedtime jet, and when she started heading to bed, it would make her appear even more like a little child. As she leaned back on her lap, she yawned and could not help but rub her eyes. At least Lukas was tired too, his mum had moved him to her lap as he started getting grumpy while he was eating alone in his place. “It's bedtime for you soon, Lukas”, her mum had announced as she cleaned his face. “I don't want to and Lila does not have to go either”, he protested, immediately comparing him to the in fact much older girl. Instead of arguing, Alex and her mother were looking at Lila. And with a blink of their eyes, they understood each other. “Actually, I think it is time for Lila as well, look at her.”, Alex's mum suggested to her babysitting daughter. “No”, the small teenager in her lap, complained without really meaning it. “You would have to go to bed in an hour anyway.”, Alex explained. “I promised that to your mummy.” “But ...”, she tried again but did not find words and was just too tired of fighting any further. “Bedtime it is, for Lila and Lukas at least. George can watch some cartoons for an hour or so.” Alex's mum said strictly to avoid any further discussion with their five-year-old son. The fifteen-year-old babysitter on the other hand noticed that the actual teenage child on her lap relaxed and seemed to have accepted that the day for her was over and started cuddling with her as if she would embrace the peace and rest that it would bring when she is finally tucked in bed. For Lila, it was kind of strange, the strict words that sent her and the little Lukas to bed were comforting. She no longer had to argue with her teenage side if it would be appropriate and with the ease of mind that she would be safe she accepted it. “You two go and brush your teeth?”, Alex commanded them into the bathroom as if they were both small kids. Handing out the toothbrush that Maria packed in her backpack. “Can you help me?”, the little Lukas asked Lila instead of his sister who was watching them right at their side as if any of them needed help. “Sure, I can do that”, she cheered, glad she could at least be a little help to them. She put some of the funny-looking toothpaste on his brush before she took it over to her own. She had a short look at the tube in her hand. It was for little kids 3 to 7 Years old, as it was mentioned on the package. “You can use it if you want,” Alex explained, ”It is just a little sweet and does not have the fresh smell as the adult toothpaste.” Why not, Lila thought, put it on and proceeded with her nighttime routine. “Mummy, do I have to wear a diaper tonight?” Lukas protested, when he was back from going to the potty, and was put on the Changing Mat with one Pampers Overnights Diaper right by his side. Everyone could see that he was slightly embarrassed to have to wear a diaper when sleeping next to his new friend Lila. “You actually never wake up at night to go pee or poop, so you cannot wear the pull-ups.” his mum said in a strict voice. “But I don't want to, I am not a baby anymore.”, he protested again What could she do to help him, she asked herself while holding Noah tight on her Chest. Just tell him, came the answer from Noah in her mind. “I don't mind you needing diapers ...” she said to calm him down. “I am not potty-trained, just like you, but I even need them during the day.”, she confessed not knowing if this was the truth now or if she just lied to him, and noticed that the young child finally gave up the fight and let his mum put his diaper on. As the last tape was fixed and Lukas was changed into his pyjama by his mommy, he cuddled right next to me. While Alex brought us a glass and two baby bottles. Looking into my eyes, she shyly mumbled “I saw your pacifier when you were watching TV, so I wondered if you want a baba too just like Lukas?” “I ...“, she stumbled, not knowing if she should share that secret as well. And did not even notice as her hand graded the childish drinking glass and pressed the warm object on her chest. Then slowly she took the nibble in her mouth and started to drink the warm, yummy tea. “You want to hear a bedtime story?” she offered and as if this was their normal nighttime routine she took the storybook, laid herself right in the empty spot between the two children, and began to read. “It was in a time maybe a thousand years ago ... “, was all she really could remember before she drifted back to sleep. ### Lila opened her eyes a little bit as she noticed some strange voices. “Just try to sleep some more”, her daddy mumbled as her mum opened the door to their room. But it was much too bright, even with Dad tucking her back in the bed. She did wake up a bit. “Mummy Daddy did you have fun tonight.”, she asked them, noticing that she had not seen her mum so happy, and it seemed that her mother was still dancing deep down in her heart. “Oh, yes we were in one of these nice restaurants and afterward your dad took me out dancing.” her mum cheered and after a second she was looking at her, she added “Thank you so much, Lila. Thanks for staying with Alex for tonight.”, she gave her a kiss on her cheeks. And now try to sleep some more. “It was fun for me too”, she told them and glad to see her parents happy. She rolled from one side to the other, trying to find back to sleep. Even when the light was out, she could not. Something was bothering her and after some moments she felt the slight need to poop in her belly. Just poop in your diaper and go back to sleep, she heard the easy solution in her head and as she relaxed she noticed the first log of mess leaving her even before she pushed everything out and immediately fell back to a good night's sleep.

Chapter 111: Date Night BETH SMILED WHEN she saw Carly and thought she looked absolutely adorable in her ‘date night’ outfit. As much as she knew Carly didn’t want to be a babied Little, she was stuck looking like a toddler, no matter what she wore. ‘I wonder if Amanda could adjust things to make her at least look like she’s a college girl?’ For the moment, she knew Carly would have to deal with ‘cute.’ “You look pretty,” she told her. “You do, too!” Carly responded as they met up outside of Sanders. “You sure you want to just take your car, Amanda?” Nikki asked. “Yes, it makes the most sense. There’s already a car seat for Carly installed, and I put a booster seat in for Beth?” “I don’t need a booster…” Beth complained. “Beth, you know the saying, ‘Booster until nine feet tall?’” Beth sighed, “I know, but it doesn’t even make sense? My dad doesn’t ride in one?” “He does when he’s in my car,” Amanda countered. “Wait… really?” She asked. Amanda nodded, “Really.” “Fine,” she grumbled. “What are you taking for a bag for Carly’s stuff?” Amanda asked when the door was shut after buckling in the two girls, and Nikki climbed in the passenger seat. “I figured I’d just take my backpack, Grandma?” Carly said. Beth looked over at her in the rear-facing seat beside her, feeling bad as she saw the girl was bright red. She reached her hand out and held Carly’s in support. “That will work, I guess? I would tell anyone at the movie theater it’s her diaper bag.” “Grandma…?” Carly did blush and complained. “I’m just trying to look out for you two?” “I don’t think our own moms do this much looking out now?” Carly complained. “Fine, I’ll back off. But you do need to be careful! Now, what restaurant is this again?” “Off-Forkway Stage?” Carly said. “What’s that?” Beth asked. “Good, it’s not a place you’ve been!” Carly smiled after the embarrassment, happy to see that. “It’s a fun place,” Amanda told them. “We haven’t been often, but it’s good!” Amanda programmed the car, and Beth asked Carly, “So what’s it supposed to have?” “Burgers, shakes? I figure that’s a pretty casual first-date meal?” Beth nodded, “Yes, it is. Sounds like fun!” “There’s more, too, but you’ll see?” “Okay, I’ll trust you. But if this date doesn’t work out for activities, I’m in charge from here on out?” Beth liked Carly’s smile then, “Deal.” It wasn’t a long drive to the restaurant, “Now, I know you two would probably like a private dinner, but I think, for the time being, it would be good to have Nikki sit with you?” Amanda told them. “We already expected that, Grandma,” Carly told her as the car self-parked. “We’ll be careful in public not to have any extra shows of affection. As far as everyone else is concerned we may just be sisters?” Beth nodded, “We’re not looking to get people to notice us; we’ll be careful. And if I didn’t have Nikki with me while we’re out, Mom would kill me!” “Glad we understand each other,” Amanda said to the pair. She unbuckled her seatbelt, and Beth did the same. Amanda approached Carly’s side and helped her from the car seat even as Nikki opened Beth’s door and offered her a hand to help her out. Amanda handed Carly her backpack, and Beth gathered her purse. “Everything you need? I’ll come pick you up in a bit over an hour to drive you to the theater?” Amanda told them. “Do you want to just come in?” Beth asked her. “No, I want you two to be on your own as much as possible. Nikki won’t put nearly the crimp in your night, I would. Don’t worry about me; I’m meeting Fred and the kids down the road for our own meal.” Beth nodded and found it humorous as Carly led the way inside the restaurant. ‘First date with a Little?’ She shook her head. ‘First date with a sweetheart,’ she amended. They went through the door, which a helpful giant man held open for them, and Carly led the way to the hostess stand, where a Tweener hostess stood a little shorter than Beth. Carly stood in front of her and waved at her. Beth was surprised to see her ask Carly, “How many?” “Three? We have a reservation for Carly Slane?” The girl did look a little surprised at the reservation. Still, given the half-dozen couples and families standing around the entryway, Carly had been wise to make one. “Gotcha! Are you all here, sweetie?” Beth wasn’t thrilled with her talking down to Carly, but at least it wasn’t taunting. “Yes, we are,” Carly spoke clearly. Beth watched the tweener reach up and work to grab menus from a station that was a bit too high for her. “Do you want a high chair or a booster for her?” She asked Nikki. Beth was more annoyed then, but Nikki said, “Why don’t you ask her? She’s the one who made the reservation?” The girl’s fishmouth motions told Beth she had just been humoring the girl before, not realizing she was Carly! “Umm… What would you like?” She asked Carly. She sighed before saying, “A booster seat, please.” “Of course,” she said, grabbing and placing one under her arm from a pile. “Right this way!” The three followed her into the restaurant and sat inside a booth that looked to have been made of clay terracotta pots. I HAD GROWN up with Mama, absolutely loving old Broadway shows. Our booth was set in a circle around the center where a hungry-looking carnivorous plant made me think the old musical Little Shop of Horrors must have been transported to this dimension or maybe just been developed somehow here, too? We stood for a second at the booth as the waitress set the menus on the table before sliding the booster in a little ways and saying, “Enjoy your meal!” Beth helped me onto the bench, and I crawled into the booster seat. Its plastic rear-end shape seemed cavernous to my tiny body. It got me almost up to table level. ‘I might have been better off with the highchair?’ I tried not to think about that, though! Just after Beth climbed in after me and Nikki sat on the outer part of the circle on the other side, the carnivorous plant bent down. It gave each of us a long gaze before creepily ordering us, “Feeeeed Me!” I laughed at that, even though if real, the plant could have eaten me in one bite! “How have I not been here before?” Beth asked, “This is cool!” I turned and smiled at her, “I hoped you’d enjoy it!” She leaned over and hugged me sideways. We were going to be careful about public displays, but I looked like a toddler girl who would typically get hugs. That kept it from being a real concern, we figured! “What are you going to get?” Beth asked, opening the menu. I had to really work to unfold and hold the giant menu. Barely managing it like a crazy science fair board or something back home! “Well, their specialties are their burgers, and I thought a shake?” “Are those safe?” Beth asked me. “They have good reviews?” I told her. “I can check before you both have them,” Nikki said, “I have a test kit with me.” I felt my blood grow a little colder at the realization she was pretty sure poisoning was in the cards at some point! “I guess that’s a go for it?” Beth asked her. Nikki nodded, “It’s part of why I’m here, guys.” I shrugged, “Guess burger and a shake it is?” “What kind though?” Beth asked, pointing out that there were some absolutely absurd ones on the menu. “That one!” I said with a smile, having found mine! “Breakfast and a burger sounds like a winner!” Beth wrinkled her nose at the burger that came with a scrambled egg, bacon, and some mix of really spicy chile peppers! It had five peppers next to it, the hottest item listed on the menu. There was a boring version, too, but who would want that?!? “One of these days, you’re going to actually find something too spicy,” Beth said. I shrugged, “I have back home, but you all have yet to get close to my upper threshold. That last hot sauce at the contest was starting to get there?” “Wait, you’re both being serious?” Nikki asked. I nodded. “Carly may be the size of a baby, but she has fireproof tastebuds!” I smiled, “Thank you, Beth.” Right then, a Betweener waitress walked up dressed in a costume that looked like it was meant to be a baby costume. “Well, hewwo everyone! You doing okay tonight?” ‘Hewwo?’ I wondered. “Yes,” I said. “Great! I’m Petra, your waitress tonight! Can I get you started with any appetizers?” She looked at Nikki, who motioned towards us. “No thanks,” Beth and I said at the same time. “Do you need more time, or are you ready to order? We’re just about to start a set, so I need to get your food in if you want it sooner?” “We’re ready, I think,” Beth said. “Great! Let’s start with mommy?” Nikki rolled her eyes but decided not to correct her for some reason, “I’ll have the Mushroom Stuffed Burger?” “Which kind of cheese…?” She took the rest of her order, then made it over to Beth and finally me. “And for the cutie?” she asked Nikki. “Ask her? She’s actually a college student?” A quick double-take was had, but she smiled at me with a turn, “For you?” “Firey Breakfast Burger?” “Umm… sweetie, that’s really spicy?” “I hope so?” I smiled back, “I mean, I’d hate to think you put four peppers on something bland?” “Is she for real?” she looked at Nikki. “I’m serious. I can’t eat that thing.” “I wouldn’t bet against her,” Beth told her. “Oooookay, how would you like the egg on that?” I finished giving her the order, and we ensured she had our milkshake order. “How much you want to bet a bunch of people come out with popcorn to watch me die?” I giggled when she left. “No bets!” Beth said. “What’s with her costume? I can recognize our table looks like a show from back home. She looks like she’s dressed like a baby?” “It’s from Crib Chronicles,” Beth answered. “Basically, a bunch of babies singing about their lives throughout one day of their lives?” Nikki added. “It’s a cute show if it’s done right.” We were about to say something to each other when the restaurant lights dimmed. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the best Off-Forkway Stage there is! Tonight, we’re proud to present several numbers from musicals. The first is from the classic Witch!” I watched in the center of the room as a waitress in a witch costume who looked like Elphaba from Wicked began singing a song almost identical to the old song ‘Defying Gravity.’ There were a few twists and turns, but the melody and most of the lyrics were virtually identical. The waitress had some serious vocal chops, and she was joined by another waitress dressed as a Glinda character for a duet for much of it. At the end, the whole restaurant gave them the applause they deserved, and the volume of the conversations returned. After a while, our shakes arrived, and after Nikki gave us the all-clear, we started drinking what were delicious shakes! We were treated to a song from one that seemed like Annie before our food came out. “That was really good,” Beth said as the lights came up. “Yeah, they found some good vocalists,” I said. Right then, our waitress returned and must have heard my comment. “Why thank you, sweetheart. Do you sing?” I shrugged, “Not really. Played instruments growing up?” She nodded as she put a plate in front of me that was decorated with skulls made out of hot sauce in the front. “Are you sure you want this?” She asked me as she sat Beth’s down in front of her. I looked at the plate, saw a whole pepper, and decided to make a statement. BETH LOOKED ON with a cold pit in her stomach as Carly took the pepper larger than her hand and chomped the end of it off, staring at the waitress. Beth took a moment to look at the waitress and wanted to giggle at the look on her face. ‘She looks like she wants to dive in to save the little girl or something?’ Turning back to Carly, she swallowed, smiled, and asked, “Was that the mild part of the burger?” “Uh…” A man in a cape and a half-face mask approached the table and asked, “Do you need to order something else?” “Why? Do you have something spicier?” Carly said with a smile, munching on another piece of the pepper. “Actually, we do? But I meant something more Little friendly?” “I’ll have to try the spicier one sometime; what’s it called?” Beth giggled when the two finally left them to eat, and Carly began attacking what she could of the burger. It was bigger than her head, so she was definitely having to plan through how she was eating it! “You seriously don’t think that’s spicy?” Nikki asked. Carly shook her head. “No, we measure things in something called Scoville units back home. Mild is around zero to twenty thousand on the scale. I start to feel alive in the four-hundred thousand range. The hottest I’ve had was over a million of the units. I think this is probably in the sixty-thousand range.” “Why?” she asked. Carly shrugged, “Honestly, I think it’s related to the size of the peppers? Back home, the smaller the pepper, the spicier it is generally. To me, this is as large as a poblano, which is really mild,” she said while holding up another pepper that had fallen out of the burger. “How big is a spicy pepper to you?” Nikki asked. Carly held her fingers open between her thumb and first finger, not that wide. “This would be about the size of one called the Carolina Reaper—that one is pretty spicy. It was the hottest pepper about twenty or thirty years ago? There were some others that were pretty tasty, about the size of a pea?” She shook her head, “Okay, I’ll stop interrupting your night now,” she said, feeling guilty. “Nonsense,” Beth told her, “You’re eating dinner with us; you’re expected to talk, not just be a stone statue.” “I agree,” Carly said with a smile. “Got lucky with you,” she smiled at Beth. “Same,” Beth said. Right about then, they watched their waitress become the star for her number from Crib Chronicles, ‘Two Timing Diapers.’ It was a song all about a blowout of a diaper and the mess all over the baby. “Change Me Mommy!” She said the most iconic line, placing a pacifier in her mouth right after it and freezing in place. The whole restaurant cheered louder for her than they had any others! When it came time to deal with the check, the waitress started to give it to Nikki, but Carly said, “Please give it to me?” “Umm…?” “Carly, I can pay?” Beth said. “You can do the movie if you want?” Carly said, “I want to pay for dinner at least?” Beth didn’t want to make a scene, so she said, “Okay.” The check was handled through the typical ultra-thin check portfolio. Beth was a little surprised to see Carly easily navigate paying with her phone on the portfolio and noticed she still left a good tip despite the odd looks. “I’m surprised you didn’t take off for the comments,” Beth said as they walked out to the front, where Amanda was waiting for them. “Why? I know I look like a toddler now?” “True,” Beth agreed, sighing. I wonder if we can fix that for you?” Carly shrugged, “I’m not sure; I do know I have to be careful how much more editing we do if I’m ever going home…” WE WERE PRETTY quiet after being buckled into my seat, and Beth went to her booster seat before departing for a nearby theater that was its own complex. “Umm… So there’s a few movies showing that sounded interesting?” I told Beth, “Glens Den is an action-adventure flick, or Harlsgate, which is a Sci-Fi film?” “No romantic comedies tonight?” Beth teased. “We can if you want?” “Which would you rather see?” “I asked you first?” “Seriously, which sounds better?” She asked me. “I kind of thought the special effects would be cool in Harlsgate?” “Then let’s see it!” Beth said, grabbing my hand and holding it even as Grandma made the short trip to the movie theater. “I’ll be here when you guys get out. Make sure you stay with Nikki at all times!” Grandma said. “Oh, and someone needs to change you, Carly; you’re soaked?” I blushed as I realized I hadn’t even noticed! “We’ll change her as soon as we get inside,” Beth said. “Let me just get our tickets really quick!” Beth began using an app on her phone to purchase the tickets. I couldn’t see what she was doing before saying, “All good!” They entered the theater doors and discovered a station manned by HoloAttendants to check for admission. “Good evening, Miss. What show?” “Harlsgate?” Beth showed her the image from her phone. “I’m sorry, Miss, but children under twelve are not allowed in that movie?” She said, motioning to me. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thanks for reading! Please press the 'Like' Button and leave me a comment! This week, I made a hard decision to pull my works from WattPad. First, they seem to be removing ABDL works anyway, but I also have some concerns about posting a site without any sort of child warnings, given recent laws being passed/allowed to stand. For now, this will be the exclusive site for this story, but I may look at starting a Ream or something with a low membership price to host, too. Thank you all for your support here! I prefer to keep my work available for free, so I will try that for as long as I am able! My completed works are, of course, available on Amazon through Kindle still. http://amazon.com/author/babysofia

I had finals this week and bit off more than I could chew. So I will probably stop giving estimates on when chapters will be completed and just let y'all know that I am working on this story diligently. Chapter 9 I opened my eyes and looked up to see that I was being fed from my feeding tube, then I turned to my parents and said, “I think I’m going to throw up.” My mom said, “George, go get something for Will to throw up in.” Then turned to me and said, “I’m going to call the nurse.” My mom grabbed the remote and pressed the call button as my dad rushed across the room to a counter that had a stack of small kidney-shaped bowls on top. My dad rushed back to me with one in hand and handed it to me. Laying down, I focused on taking deep breaths and moving as little as possible to try and keep from throwing up. A few minutes later, Rosie walked in and asked, “What can I do for you, Will?” My mom responded, “Will is feeling nauseous and thinks he might throw up.” “I’m sorry to hear that Will. It looks like your feeding bag is almost empty. The best we can do right now is wait it out and if you do throw up, let me know,” Rosie said. I nodded and continued to lay in bed as still as possible while taking deep breaths. The minutes seemed to drag on as I walked the fine line between extreme nausea and vomiting. About 30 minutes later Rosie walked back in and asked, “Will how are you feeling?” Thinking for a second, I said, “A little better, I think I am now less likely to throw up.” Rosie said, “That is good to hear. I’m going to flush your feeding tube.” After flushing my feeding tube and throwing the feeding bag away, Rosie left the room. I was still feeling nausea, but it seemed with each passing minute, my nausea would get a little better. When the nausea was starting to subside, I was hit with a different bodily function. I needed to poop and I needed to poop now. I turned and said, “Dad. Bathroom!” Wasting no time, my dad sprung to his feet and rushed over to me to unplug the I.V. pump. My dad helped me out of bed and threw an arm around me to help me stay on my feet and with his free hand, pushed my I.V. pole. We got to the bathroom with little time to spare. As soon as I was on the toilet, I unleashed another packed colon’s worth of poop. My dad said as he was exiting the bathroom, “Let me know when you are done and I will help you back into bed.” After a few minutes of emptying my bowels and trying to empty as much of my bladder as possible; I wiped and flushed. I called out, “Dad, I’m done.” My dad walked back into the bathroom and helped me to my feet as I pulled up my underwear and pajama bottoms. My dad helped me to the sink to wash my hands and then helped me back into bed. Utterly exhausted from the day, I quickly fell asleep. I woke up to Rosie gently shaking my shoulder. Feeling even more tired than when I fell asleep the night before, I slowly opened my eyes. Rosie asked, “Will, do you need any more pain medicine?” I weakly nodded and watched as Rosie injected me with Dilaudid, the nausea medicine, and began my feeding tube for the morning. She then said, “Ready to go get weighed and measured?” I nodded again and with all of my strength, tried to sit up in bed, but my muscles were so weak that as soon as I got halfway up, I collapsed back into bed. I looked up with a concerned look and said in a weak voice, “I can’t get up.” Rosie, thinking quickly, said, “That is OK, I can get a fairly accurate weight from the bed and I will go get a tape measure to measure your height while lying down.” Rosie quickly left the room and was back within a minute with a tape measure in hand. She then took the tape measure and measured me lying flat in bed. After pressing a button on the bed she said, “I have you being roughly 5 foot 2 and 98 pounds.” Before my parents could comment on my shrinking size, the need to go to the bathroom hit me. I looked and said, “I got to go to the bathroom.” Rosie froze, but my dad jumped up and said to Rosie, “Grab Will’s I.V.” My dad then bent down over me and easily picked me up out of the bed bridal style. While in my dad’s arms, I was carried into the bathroom with Rosie following with my I.V. pole. My dad sat me down on the toilet seat while he crouched down in front of me. Too weak to sit up on my own, I leaned forward into my dad with my head resting on his shoulder. With one arm wrapped around my upper body, my dad used his other to pull down my pants and underwear. Without a moment to spare, my bowel let loose. At the moment I didn’t even care that I was pooping while pretty much being held by my dad or that Rosie was right there in the bathroom too. I was too sick and weak to care, I was just glad that I did not have a repeat of the ambulance ride. A couple of minutes later, my dad asked, “Will, are you done?” I nodded yes into my dad’s shoulder and before I could attempt to try and wipe myself, my dad took some toilet paper and wiped my rear for me. As soon as he was done and flushed, Rosie spoke up and said, “I have a better solution for when Will needs to go to the bathroom, but for the time being, I think it would be best if Will is just wearing the gown and socks.” My dad nodded and slid my pajama bottoms and underwear the rest of the way down my legs and tossed them on the floor. My dad then picked me back up off of the toilet and carried me back to my bed. He laid me down in the bed and pulled up the covers as Rosie was plugging in the I.V. pump. Rosie said to me and my parents, “I will be back in a few minutes.” My dad went back into the bathroom and washed his hands, came back out, and took a seat on the couch. About 5 minutes later, Rosie walked back carrying something big; at first glance, it looked like some oversized walker with something in the middle. Rosie said, “Will, this is a bedside commode. This makes it easy for you to go to the bathroom. Either I or your parents can help you when you need to make a bowel movement.” Opening up the lid on the commode, she pulled out a small plastic jug and said, “This is a male portable urinal. If you only have to urinate, then you can go in it while still in bed then it can be emptied in the toilet. Do you have any questions?” I shook my head no, and then Rosie said, “I will be back in a little while to flush your feeding tube.” I started to feel nausea from the feeding tube again, but not as bad as the night before. But as tired as I was, I still managed to fall back asleep. I woke up to my mom saying, “The doctors are here to see you.” I looked over and saw that Dr. Kutner, Dr. Taub, and Dr. Cameron were standing next to my bed. Dr. Cameron asked, “Will, how do you feel this morning?” In a weak voice, “I’m very tired.” My mom then interjected, “Will is very weak, he is to the point that he can not sit up on his own. His father had to carry him to the bathroom this morning.” Dr. Cameron responded, “That is disconcerting news. Dr. Taub does have some promising news on finding out what is going on with Will.” “We started sequencing your DNA and do see some anomalies. Humans have 22 pairs of chromosomes and since you are male, an X and Y chromosome too. Our preliminary findings show that you have mutations on your 3p, 6q, 7q, 9p, and q, 12p, 13q, and Xq chromosomes. It is too early to say how these mutations are causing the symptoms that you have, but we do have a team of geneticists working around the clock to get a better understanding of exactly what gene mutations are causing the symptoms,” Dr. Taub said. Dr. Cameron added, “We believe that your genetic anomalies are what is causing an autoimmune response and your symptoms.” Dr. Kutner then said, “I’m still waiting on the results from the biopsy, I do not think that it could be a mycobacterial infection, but it should give us more insight into how your body’s autoimmune response is causing your symptoms. It looks like we now have a clear direction for diagnosing you. Do you have any questions?” I shook my head no and my mom said, “That is great news that we are getting closer to getting an answer.” “Hang in there Will, one of us will check on you tomorrow,” Dr. Kutner said. As soon as all the doctors left my room, I was back asleep. I woke back up and immediately turned my head to the side to vomit. It was only a couple of mouthfuls of a milky white liquid, but I had no time to call out for help or avoid getting it on my pillow and face. As I was dry heaving, my mom came rushing to my side and asked, “Will, are you OK?” After catching my breath, I was able to weakly say, “I’m nauseous.” My mom turned to my dad and said, “Go get a washcloth and a bowl off the counter. I’m going to call the nurse.” I look up to see that the feeding bag is empty, I then see my dad coming out of the bathroom with a wet washcloth. He hands it to my mom and she begins to wipe my face clear of the vomit. Once my face is clean, my mom lifts my head up slightly to remove the pillow from under me and tosses it to the floor. She then raises the head of the bed to where I am in an almost sitting position. My dad then walks back over and places a small bowl in my lap. Rosie walks in and asks, “What can I do for you.” My mom responded, “Will threw up a little bit and needs a new pillow.” Rosie came to my bedside and asked, “Can you open your mouth for me?” I opened my mouth and she took a small flashlight to look in and then disconnected my feeding tube. She then said, “Your feeding tube looks like it is still in place, does it feel any different to you?” I shook my head no and she said, “Alright, I will be back in a minute with a clean pillow.” My dad then said, “Will, let’s rinse your mouth out.” With a small cup of water in hand, he raised it to my mouth. I took a small sip and started swishing it around. My dad took the small bowl and held it up to me to spit in. We repeated the process a few more times until my mouth was relatively clean of vomit. Rosie walked back in with a pillow and handed it to my mom who then helped place it under my head. Rosie flushed my feeding tube, then said, “Let me know if you have any other issues, but you should be OK. You will probably have issues with nausea and vomiting during feedings.” Rosie walked out of the room with the vomit-stained pillow. My mom then lowered the bed back into a lying position for me and told me, “Will, get some rest, we will just have to be prepared when you are being fed through your feeding tube.” Nodding, I roll over onto my side and fall back to sleep. I wake back up to the need to poop. I rolled onto my back and turned my head over to my parents and said, “I need to go number 2.” My dad gets up off of the couch and walks over to my bedside and begins to pull the covers off of me. My mom said to my dad, “I’m going to wait outside to give Will some privacy.” My dad picked me up out of bed, turned with me in his arms, and set me on the seat of the bedside commode. Crouching down in front of me so that I could lean against him, making sure that the back of my hospital gown was moved out of the way. With not too much time to spare, I let my bowels loose. As I am sitting there, the gravity of my situation is starting to sink in. Tears began to well in my eyes as I thought about how truly sick I was. It seems that no matter how much the doctors do to make me feel better, I am getting sicker and weaker each day. I feel for the first time in my adult life that I am completely helpless and fear grips me. Questions of what tomorrow will look like for me, much less next week, have me questioning my future. Even if the doctors can figure out what is going on with me, is there even a treatment option; will this kill me? Tears began to stream down my face as I started to think about my family. Will I ever be able to see Stanley, Katie, and Marley again? Will I ever be able to hold Ellis and Charlie again in my arms? Thinking I would give anything to see them again, spit up, sticky hands, poopy diapers and all. My thoughts were interrupted by my dad asking, “Will, are you done?” I nod yes into my dad’s shoulder. Using wet wipes, my dad quickly wiped my butt. As my dad was positioning me to be able to pick me back up, he was able to see my tear-soaked face. With concern, he asked, “What’s wrong Will?” With quivering lips, “I’m scared . . . I don’t want to die here.” As I was starting to sob, I let out, “I want to go home!” The dam broke and I began to sob uncontrollably. My dad picked me up and sat down on the bed with me sitting in his lap with my legs hanging off to one side. He wrapped his arms around me and I buried my face into his chest. Tears and snot stained his shirt as I cried. My dad started to rub my back and said in a quiet voice into my ear, “Son, it’s going to be OK. As soon as you get better, we will take you on the first flight home.” Between sobs into his chest, I cried out, “What if I don’t get better.” Then I let out another round of uncontrollable sobbing. My dad tightened his hold on me and after kissing the top of my head said, “Will, listen to me, YOU WILL GET BETTER, and YOU WILL GO HOME.” “George, why is Will crying?” I could hear my mom say. “I think that everything that has been happening to him finally hit him. Can you empty the commode and rinse it out for me?” After a few minutes, my sobs turned to sniffing. I felt a hand touch the back of my head and heard my mom say, “Will, can you look at me for a second?” I slowly lifted my head off my dad’s chest and turned to my mom. She had tissue in her hand and as she brought it up to my snot dripping nose, said, “Blow for me, sweety.” I blew out all of the snot in my nose, and then my mom took a damp washcloth and wiped all the snot and tears off of my face. My dad then picked me back up and set me down in bed. After pulling the covers up, he kissed me on the head and said, “Will, it is going to be OK.” Still feeling dejected and not truly believing him, I just turned onto my side and curled up into a ball. A moment later, I could feel my mom get into bed behind me. She wrapped an arm around me and pulled me into a tight embrace. After my emotional outburst, it did not take me long to fall back to sleep.

Chapter 7 - Two weeks later It’s been 2 weeks since Tom had his awkward conversation with his dad. That conversation, even more than the first, had further removed a lot of the embarrassment that he’d felt about wearing nappies. He’s worn them a lot, he’s had a few breaks, but each time the urge to put one on has been too great and he’s padded back up again soon after. He’s also been wetting himself much more when he’s in them. His dad was right, it’s much easier and it feels great. Each time he does it he gets a thrill and a feeling of elation like no other. To get a high some people drink, some do drugs, some wet themselves. His dad has really been great to him since he found his nappies. He could not have been kinder and more accepting. He’s been dedicated to making sure Tom feels safe to explore his desires in the comfort of their home, without any judgement or shame. Tom’s thought a lot about his dad’s comments about changing him. He’s fantasied about it a little, but he’s been scared that if it were real he’d freak out. No one but him has seen his bits in at least 10 years. Several times though, he has been tempted to ask “Dad, can you change me?” It was on the tip of his tongue last night as he sat on the sofa sopping wet, but it just felt too weird and he’s not said anything. The fact his dad has said nothing either, after his initial offer, gave Tom the confidence he’s in control and his dad will only do what he’s happy with. As Tom puts down his spoon after his breakfast the question is on the tip of his tongue again, but this time it finally comes out. ‘Dad’ he says softly. ‘After I’ve had my shower, would you change me?’ His dad looked at him flustered, it caught him off guard. ‘No, no, you err, you are capable of doing it yourself aren’t you’ he replied. ‘Oh’ said Tom, after having built up the courage he is disappointed by the unexpected rebuttal. ‘I thought you wanted to’. His dad looks into his cereal bowl. ‘I do, I really do, but it’s not something I can do, it’s just not right, a dad should not be changing the nappy of his adult son’. He replied. Tom fiddled with his spoon in the bowl. ‘I’m sure there are lots of parents out there with adult sons in nappies, who change them, for whatever reason. ‘Please dad, I’ve built up the courage to ask, and I want you to change me, maybe just once so I can see what it’s like?’ said Tom fairly insistently. ‘Really, you want me to do that? You trust me to do that?’ Asked his dad with hope in his eyes. ‘I can’t promise I won’t freak out, but I think I do’ said Tom with an awkward smile. — After Tom had, had his shower he walked into his room. His dad had unpacked his nappies and placed about 10 of them on a shelf, in full display to anyone who came in, not that anyone would come in. He’d laid a towel on the bed and had a nappy in his hand already unfolded and fluffed up. ‘Are you sure you want me to do this son?’ He asked. ‘No, but I want to try, please do it for me’ said Tom as he slowly and anxiously removed the towel around him and laid himself on the towel his dad had laid out on his bed. Both he and his dad were shaking with nerves, it felt extremely strange and awkward for them both. Whilst they’d both thought about what it would be like, actually doing it was another thing entirely. ‘Lift your bottom up son’ said his dad as he slid Tom’s nappy under him. As Tom held his bum up, his dad very gently and nervously applied some cream to his buttocks. ‘Do you want me to put it on your willy too son or do you want to do that?’ Asked his dad. Tom leaned upwards ‘No you do it’ he said. His dad started to rub in the cream, it was extremely sensitive for Tom, he was now terrified of getting a hard on in front of his dad, but thankfully his nerves stopped that. ‘Ok son, down you go, legs open’ his dad said as he wiped his hands with a wipe. Tom opened his legs and his dad pulled the nappy up snuggly, gently pushing his penis down into it. He then very carefully and accurately applied the tapes, 1, 2, 3, 4. Once done he said ‘Up’ before running his fingers around Tom’s bum to raise his leg guards. Whilst Tom had done that himself it tickled to have someone else do it, and he giggled. Which made them both laugh and broke the nervous tension. ‘Thanks Dad’ said Tom, once the process was complete. ‘That was nice, much nicer than doing it myself’. Then, completely unexpectedly for them both, his dad burst into tears. ‘Oh son, you don’t know how much that meant to me to do that for you’ he said. ‘Any time you need it, I’m there for you. Wet ones, messy ones, whatever, just ask me and I’ll do it’. Tom got off the bed to comfort his dad. He walked up to him and put his arms around him. ‘You are a silly old thing, I love you so much dad’. he said into his shoulder. ‘Love you too son, your everything in the world to me, you know that don’t you’. Chapter 8 - The Tailor ‘Dad! Dad! I’ve got an interview!’ Tom screamed down the stairs in excitement. ‘Great, where?’ Asked his dad as he put down his book. ‘Just up the road on the business park, an Architecture consultancy’. ‘That’s great news, when is it?’ ‘Tomorrow!’ replied Tom excitedly. Then he remembered, his interview suit has a huge cigarette burn on the arm. ‘Oh crap, I’ve just remembered, my suit is ruined!’ ‘What do you mean?’ Asked his dad. ‘What’s happened to it?’ ‘Some arsehole, walked into me with a burning cigarette and burnt a hole in the arm’ said Tom frustratedly. ‘Go get it, let me see’ said his dad. After looking at the burn hole he shook his head. ‘We gotta get you a new suit, like, today!’. ‘Do you not have work?’ asked Tom. ‘This is more important,, come on let’s go, get your jacket, we can go to the suit place on the high street, they’ll have something. ‘Right ok, I erm..I better take off this nappy I guess’ said Tom regretfully. His dad stood and gave it some thought. ‘I guess it depends on whether you would feel more relaxed if you were nappied for the interview. I’m sure your nerves get the better of you. If your nappies relax you then,I think you should wear it and you’ll need to make sure you have a suit which will fit over the top of it. ‘Right, err, yeah I guess I would be more relaxed’ Tom said thinking it through. ‘Ok let’s go then’. The high street (the local shopping street) was only a short walk. They walked into the rather posh looking Tailors. Behind the counter an older man stood peering down the end of his nose. ‘Good afternoon gentlemen’ he said in a frightfully posh British accent. ‘How can I help you today?’ Before Tom could open his mouth his dad jumped in ‘I’m looking for a suit for my son here, he’s got an interview tomorrow’. ‘Tomorrow?’ enquired the man surprised. ‘We can’t tailor a suit by tomorrow, we’ll have to find you a ready made I’m afraid’. ‘That’s fine’ said Tom, looking at his dad for reassurance. The man called out ‘Arthur, please could you assist these gentlemen with a ready made’. They both turned to a young man, perhaps just a couple of years older than Tom. ‘Yes father’ he said obediently. ‘Come this way gentlemen’. They made their way over to the fitting area, where the young man, Arthur, grabbed his tape measure and immediately knelt down in front of Tom. Tom’s face was a picture. He threw a panicked look at his dad. ‘It’s fine’ his dad mouth back. Arthur measured his height, chest, waist and outside leg. He then took the tape measure and measured his inside leg. As he pulled his hand up he bumped the back of his wrist into the bottom of Tom’s nappy. ‘Oh sorry sir’ he said, thinking he’d whacked him in the balls. Tom didn’t say a thing, he was frozen with nerves. ‘This one should fit’ said Arthur, handing over a nice dark grey suit. ‘You’ve got a lovely slim figure’ so I recommend a slim fit suit. ‘Do you like the colour?’ ‘Yes’ said Tom taking it. ‘Ok, please go into the fitting room and try it on’ said Arthur gesturing the way. Tom took the suit and nervously made his way into the fitting room. He pulled the rather dilapidated curtain across trying to make sure there were no gaps, but as he closed it one side it opened slightly the other. After much fussing, he had to give up. He took off his shoes and jeans and then his t-shirt. The changing room had mirrors angled on all three walls, giving an almost 360 degree view. This is the first time Tom got a look at himself all around in his nappy. He stood there staring at himself for a while. He’d never really realised how big it was at the back, or how much it protruded from his thighs at the front. He was a little wet, which didn’t help. Did he like what he saw? Overall yes he did. He felt kind of special in it, different from everyone else. His dad had fitted that nappy on him, no one else he could think of at his age had that from their father. He admired the way the leg guards ran up his buttocks and then opened his legs slightly to show the wet spot which had contained his earlier “accident”. ‘You alright in there?’ He heard his dad call out. ‘Yeah, sorry, coming’ called out Tom. He hurriedly put on the “fitting shirt” that Arthur had given him to try the suit on with, then pulled up the trousers. He pulled them right up and then tried to button them up. He managed to get the button done up and eventually after some compressing of his nappy, the zip. He looked in the mirror, the trousers looked like they were going to explode at the groin. His bum looked considerably oversized for his frame. ‘It doesn’t fit’ Tom called out from the changing cubical. ‘May I see sir?’ asked Arthur politely. ‘I assure you it doesn’t fit! called out Tom. ‘If I could just see where, I can see if we have something else’ asked Arthur politely. ‘Round the crotch and backside!’ called out Tom. ‘It may just need taking out a little’ said Arthur. ‘We can do that for you, please step out and I’ll take a look. Tom’s heart was thumping in his chest. This was incredibly embarrassing, why on earth had his dad suggested he wore a nappy to this suit fitting! He put on the jacket to cover the bulging trousers and stepped out. ‘The jacket fits nicely’ said his dad. Arthur stepped forward. ‘Yes it does, if I could ask you to remove the jacket though please sir so I can get a look at the trousers’. Tom looked at his dad and shook his head. His dad nodded back, as if to say. “You’ve got to, don’t worry”. Tom took a deep breath and slowly removed the jacket. As he stood there with the trousers bulging awkwardly at the groin and bum, his face was bright red. ‘Oh’ said Arthur surprised. ‘You are a little bigger round than the buttocks and crotch than I was expecting’. He knelt slightly in front of Tom and pulled at the trousers to try and figure out what was going on. ‘These come with a little extra fabric in the seams, we can take them out a bit, give you more room at the seat’. ‘Quite a lot more room!’ said Tom anxiously. ‘Thing is’ said his dad. ‘We need this today, he’s got an interview tomorrow’. ‘Let me ask my father’ said Arthur. ‘Mr Marsden can you come over here a moment?’ called Arthur. How formal thought Tom. He could never imagine calling his dad Mr Collins. Mr Marsden came over. ‘Oh I see’ he said. ‘They fit exquisitely in the legs, but tight round the buttocks and groin. I guess it’s either a bigger size and take in the waist or take these out at the seat. Can you untuck the shirt for me.’ A flush of panic came over Tom. ‘Don’t be shy’ said Mr Marsden. ‘I’ve seen it all before, as they say’. Tom untucked the shirt, but absolutely did not lift it up. It was Mr Marsden that did that. As he did he revealed the waist band and top 25% of Tom’s nappy, right there in front of the three of them, top tapes and all. There was absolutely no mistaking what it was. ‘Oh I see’ said Mr Marsden calmly. ‘I did wonder what was going on there. If you pop these off in the changing room and we’ll see if we can take them out enough to fit comfortably over your erm…your…undergarment.’ As Tom turned to go into the changing room, his face was so red it was burning. He could not wait to get out of here. He tore the trousers off and put his jeans and t-shirt back on before returning back to the measuring area and handing them over, without making any eye contact. ‘Ok’ said Mr Marsden ‘Inspecting the amount of extra material in the seams. ‘I think there’s plenty of extra material here to bring the seat out of these and give them more room. As it’s an emergency we can do them this afternoon. Pop back in between 4 and 5. Arthur, you can do these. If you just bring them out here, here and here, that should give him plenty of room to cover his erm…underwear. With that Tom’s dad paid and they left the shop, promising to return later. As Tom walked out he breathed out a massive sign of relief. ‘That was the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to me in my life!’ He shouted at his dad. ‘Why did you make me go in this thing?’ ‘I didn’t’ he replied. ‘I just suggested it and you agreed’. Tom didn’t say a word as they walked home. — When they got home Tom immediately went upstairs to his room. He pulled off his jeans, and ripped off his nappy, throwing it in a nappy bag. He went straight to his underwear draw and pulled out a set of regular boxers and pulled them on, before putting his jeans back on. He then threw himself down on his bed in a huff, trying to not think about the cringing embarrassment he’d just felt. As he laid there he looked across at the nappies on the shelf. He leaped off the bed, grabbed them, and then threw them into the bottom of his wardrobe out of sight. He couldn’t look at them. Sitting downstairs his dad could tell Tom was upset and angry. He wanted to go up and talk to him, but he wasn’t sure how he’d react. Maybe he’d pushed him too far? If he had, he felt bad about it. Eventually Tom came down and joined him in the lounge. He stood confidently in the middle of the room. ‘Dad’ he said with sureity. ‘Thank you for all the support as I explored that, I really appreciate it, but it’s over now’. He lifted his t-shirt slightly to show the waistband of his jockey boxers and pulled it out snapping the elastic against himself. ‘Ok, sure thing’ said his dad returning to his book. ‘What does that mean?’ Said Tom angrily. ‘What? said this dad. ‘What do you want me to say?’ ‘I dunno’ said Tom. ‘I expected more of a reaction than that. ‘Ok, well, if you’re done you’re done’ said his dad. ‘I am done. I’m not wearing them again’ said Tom sure of himself. ‘You can put the remaining ones on eBay or throw them away or something’. ‘Ok, will do’ replied his dad. Chapter 9 - Purge So that was it, Tom was done. He was absolutely sure of that. He had his interview the next day - no nappy, and it went pretty well. He wasn’t sure if they’ll ask him back or not, but he felt a little more confident than the last time. Over the next few days he was obsessively checking his email. Every time a new one came in his heart skipped a beat, only for it to be some junk subscription email. It was getting him down and whilst he wouldn’t admit it, so was the loss of the magical feelings he’d had from nappy wearing. He also felt like he’d lost some of the closeness to his dad. When his dad changed him over the last couple of days he felt so close to him, now that wasn’t necessary and his dad was keeping himself to himself working in his study all day. Tom felt bored and lonely all over again. He was beginning to hugely regret telling his dad he didn’t want to wear anymore. As the embarrassment from the Tailors wore off, the feeling of loss from what he’d given up grew stronger. Could he swallow his pride and go and tell his dad he’d made a mistake? How would he tell him? Would he still be supportive? Would his dad still change him, or had he had enough? He went over to the wardrobe, where the nappies from the shelf were still strewn in the bottom. He picked one up and held it. That feeling, that magical feeling welled up inside him. He wanted nothing more in the world than for his dad to walk in and put it on him. He took a deep breath, and went down to his dad’s study, gently tapping on the door. ‘What’s up?’ Called his dad without turning. ‘Can you change me?’ Tom asked softly. His dad turned around and looked at him. ‘You told me you’d given that up?’ he said. ‘I know, I was wrong, sorry.’ Said Tom sheepishly. ‘Right, well of course I can’ he said holding his hand out to take the nappy, which Tom passed over to him. They made their way upstairs, and just like before, his dad creamed, powered and changed him on the bed. When he was done, he stood at the end of the bed looking at Tom. ‘Well I did wonder how long it would be’ he said matter of factly. ‘I’m sorry dad’ said Tom with a tear rolling down his cheek. ‘Hey mate, don’t get upset’ said his dad gently as he made his way around to the side of the bed. He knelt down by the side, so his face was close to Tom’s. ‘What you sorry for? What you getting all upset for?’ Tom’s tears turned in more of a sob. ‘That I’ve asked you for this again. I thought I could stop, I thought I was done. I’m sorry for messing you about’. ‘Oh son’ said his dad wiping away Tom’s tears with a tissue. He looked down at Tom’s nappy and put his hand on it. ‘I knew you’d have to go back in them. No one gets over this compulsion, fetish, addiction, need or whatever it is that quickly. Some people are past it in a few years, others….well…for them it never passes, they wear nappies for the rest of their lives’. ‘Years?’ asked Tom sitting up alarmed. ‘The rest of my life??’ ‘Who knows’ shrugged his dad. ‘But yeah, if my experience is anything to go by, at least years. But it’s fine, it doesn’t matter’. ‘But it’s so difficult…’ said Tom frustratedly, looking out of the window with sad teary eyes. ‘What’s difficult?’ Asked his dad. I’m making it as easy as possible for you aren’t I’? ‘Yeah, you are’ replied Tom. ‘But in the suit shop it was awful, and if I get this job, I can’t go to work still in bloody nappies can I?’ ‘I don’t know how you remember the Tailors Tom, but I don’t recall them being anything other than professional about it. Did they kick us out? Did anyone laugh at you?’ ‘No’ replied Tom. ‘So the only person who was embarrassed, was you, no one else there was. They just adjusted the trousers to fit, because all they care about is selling you, well me, a suit for £400’ said his dad with a slight laugh. ‘Heh’ Tom chucked over his tears. ‘There’s no reason why you can’t live a perfectly normal life, with that nappy on’ said his dad looking at it. ‘I learnt this long ago, it’s your life you’re living, no one else’s, you just remember that. Don’t stop doing something which makes you happy, just to satisfy some guy in a shop you’ll likely never meet again and who hasn’t given you a second thought since anyway’. ‘Yeah, I know’ said Tom looking at his dad. ‘You don’t have to explain to anyone, ever, why you’re in nappies. It’s got nothing to do with anyone else’ said his dad reassuringly. ‘Yeah’ said Tom. ‘I’ll tell you one thing though’ His dad said getting up. ‘Changing you on this bed doesn’t do anything for my back, it’s too low’. ‘Oh right’ said Tom ‘shall we do it on the floor?’ His dad stood up thinking. ‘I’ll do you a deal’ he said. ‘If we’ve had no more of this silliness in a month’s time and you still want to carry on, I’ll get the spare room adapted with proper facilities’. ‘What do you mean?’ Asked Tom. ‘A built in changing table with a padded matt, at the right height, maybe a hoist to hold up your legs’ we’ll see. ‘Cool!!’ said Tom sitting up further. ‘Yeah’ replied his dad. ‘But if I’m going to start paying out for facilities, I don’t want to see any more of this…giving up on yourself…this denial, ok?’ ‘Ok’ said Tom. ‘So I gotta wear them all the time?’ ‘No’ replied his dad. ‘There are no rules, you know that, but what I’m saying is, if you do start wearing them all the time, I will get the appropriate facilities installed to make it easier for both of us’. ‘Right…’ said Tom, still a little confused.

Around :18 Seconds into the Taylor Swift Song: DELICATE "Diaper on the East side, Where You At??"

That's an idea I hadn't considered at all and it's definitely something I'll try. I guess when hearing onesie I was always picturing a very obviously ABDL one that would defeat the purpose of being discreet. 😁 As for high absorbancy diapers I think I've got that covered but thank you anyway. I'm still trying different brands so I might give it a try. My main point about being noticed: I'm not from the US and where I live people can be pretty curious, (though usually in a friendly manner) even in major cities. I normally consider this a good thing since it means that people aren't just all just living in parallel universes but it can be troublesome when you do something you don't necessarily want everyone else to know about at a glance. I'm aware that a large part of the issue is probably that I tend to worry too much about what others might think but that is an issue I'll still be working on for a while. It's something I'm currently in therapy for. Throughout my life I had to deal with far too many people who would make your appearance or preferences their business, whether you liked it or not.

It’s awesome! I always love the MSer stories.

*giggles* Yes, there's going to be a fair amount of exposition, and lots of diaper changes. XDD You know, looking more into what toddlers ate in the late 1500s...I think they will. There was bread soaked in water and stuff like that...but these ladies will probably want to feed the crew something that's a lot less icky. Thanks for pointing this out; it made me research it a bit more. They probably could eat mashed up food, but honestly, the crew being breastfed does sound more along the lines of what the characters do. So, thank you for pointing it out, Panther.

@ReddyI appreciate you responding to my questions and your valuable courage and data you're sharing with our community on becoming incontinent by surgery. It's very hard to find honest people willing to talk about this subject. I have had this feeling since 12. I even remember being so desperate to be bladder incontinent, I tried bruising my bladder with the edge of a hard cover book at 14. But I could never have the courage to do it hard enough to do damage. Thankfully I didn't land up doing it that way or I could have done severe damage to an unwanted part of my body...... So, this is why they should allow us to have it done safely in a hospital. I wish bobbybrown and yourself that your dreams of incontinence may be granted soon! You guys are basically celebrities in the community now lol!

I have one that I got from Amazon. Generally, I shave use the laser on the stubble that is left behind. It works fairly well, but I still have to touch it up periodically. It is thinner hair growth. Wear the laser eye protection. The laser is very bright.

or should it be Sarah Harkonnen?!

Robert also wrote the following: "in dramatic writing, the very essence is character change. The character at the end is not the same as he was at the beginning." Ouch! This is easy to do in a generational epic like Coleen McCullough's The Thorn Birds, but how the heck was Ian Fleming supposed to pull this off in Doctor No, which has a time in story of only four days? My answer? You have to cheat. You can't do it in a story with a single narrative point of view, nor in a binary setting (protagonist/antagonist) unless you lengthen the time line. A conspicuous example of how this can work is John Fowles' The Collector. But for those of us who write in a compressed time frame (only 13 days separate scenes 2 and 54 in Homage), a good tactic is having lots of characters, and giving many of them narrative point of view. You pitch characters against one another in different settings not to show character change, but to reveal different features of human complexity. So, right now Sarah looks like she would outclass Blofeld in the villainy department, but what drives her? Perhaps she truly is the Nightmare Nurse, but then again, she may have demons eating at her in the same way that we now see how they have eaten at Vickie since childhood. Time will tell-- and the big reveal lies but a few scenes ahead.

I asked Dr. Ivan that question and it doesn't have a name. It's an irregular surgery. But it consists of three things: resection of the bladder neck, prostate, and sphincter. I am skeptical of the idea of someone becoming incontinent after 6 months of catheter use, at least permanently. I've never tried masturbating with a catheter in, but I believe it's fine to do.

Also in that age group,with me it is only starting currently get up once \twice a night on average but if I have a bad night four times plus.When I wear da diaper at night I sleep much better and wake up much more refreshed and more energetic.

Chapter 5: Date Arbitrio Sanguinis – LittleFallenPrincess ScarletBaby90: I can’t believe we’ve been talking this whole time. And I hate to stop, as I’d love to keep talking to you, but I have to go, otherwise I’ll be late for something. That message was copied and pasted, over from the chat with Lupa, to the other chat I was having with the human Mummy, as it was getting late and I had to shower and get ready for my ‘date’ with the lamia domme in the city centre. MummyDearest: I know, I feel the same! Don’t worry, I won’t keep you any longer. Can I ask though… What is your name? We’ve been talking for most of the past twenty four hours, and I only know you as ScarletBaby90. Even if you give me a fake name, that’s okay, as long as I’ve got something else to call you. ScarletBaby90: …Lucy. And no, that’s not a fake name. MummyDearest: Then it’s lovely to talk to you, Lucy. And such a pretty name too! Pretty name for a pretty baby! Well you can call me Avery. I blushed as I turned on the shower, very nearly getting my phone wet as I just couldn’t seem to put down the phone right now; I was too enamoured with both these women that had messaged me. I was like a giddy schoolgirl who had been messaged by a crush, and the world around me disappeared, the only world that interested me right now were these two open chats. MummyDearest: So where’s Little Lucy off to tonight? I wasn’t sure if I should lie or not. Surely it’s awkward to tell a potential partner that you’re going out for a few drinks with another potential partner? ScarletBaby90: Going for a few drinks with a friend. I lied. Of course I’m going to lie! MummyDearest: Is this friend a potential date? ScarletBaby90: What? No! Just a friend, that’s all! Maybe I sounded a little too defensive… MummyDearest: Don’t worry, sweetie. I figured I wasn’t the only one to message you once you posted that message, as you got a number of likes on there. Some from other dommes. And I’m sure you’re on other websites too, trying to find a Mummy. I’m not stupid, you’re an absolutely adorable baby girl and I bet you’ve got dozens of caregivers wanting to snatch you up. Just have fun, okay? And be careful. There are a lot of people who may take advantage of you. ScarletBaby90: You’re not… upset? MummyDearest: Why would I be upset? Just means I need to up my game, now that I know I have competition. I giggled and clutched my phone against my chest, ecstatic that I hadn’t scared her off by being too obvious. MummyDearest: So let me think about the perfect date, and then I’ll get back to you and ask you out on it. That okay? ScarletBaby90: Okay? I… umm… sduioganlal;sdngfg… sure! I… gotta go now… MummyDearest: Go have fun, I’ll be here to message if you need me. I’ll give you my Chatter info so you can message me there, if you’re comfortable with that? ScarletBaby90: I’d love that. I’ll message you there later. Seeya! I quickly opened up my messages to ‘Lupa’, to see if she had replied whilst I was occupied with the other potential Mummy, and my heart felt happy as soon as I saw that she had. Lupa: Okay, lil vamp, you get going. Be good, stay safe and all that. I’ll be working all night, got a bit of stock-taking to do and some ordering, so I’ll be working a late one tonight. So if you find some time on your hands, send me a message. Would appreciate the distraction! After what MummyDearest, who I now knew as Avery, suggested… I quickly sent a message back. ScarletBaby90: Will do! Oh btw, would you want to maybe add me on Chatter? That human messaging service thing? Lupa: Sure! It’s easier than dealing with this awkward site. My details are… And so I quickly opened up Chatter, added Avery as a contact, sending a simple message that just said ‘Hi! It’s Lucy!’, before adding Lupa and doing the same. Then I realised that I hadn’t shared my name with Lupa… Fiona: Lucy, eh? Cute name, kiddo. Well as you can see, I’m Fiona. Lucy: Oops. I’m such an idiot sometimes. Fiona: It’s cute. Now, don’t you have somewhere to be? You should go! And don’t forget, message me anytime. Especially later tonight, if you’re free. I need a cute baby to distract me from all the boring work I’ve got to do at my shop. Lucy: Will do! Talk to you later, Fiona! Fiona. It really was a cute name. Kinda fit her too. Once I was out of the shower, I stood in front of my wardrobe, completely naked, as I started to quietly panic over what I was going to wear for the date tonight. Part of me didn’t care, as this lamia domme clearly wasn’t into littles, she just wanted a sub, and I doubt this will go anywhere. It’ll most likely just be a boring night where she flirts with me but I feel nothing. But then I felt like it had been a while since I last went out on a proper date, so I needed to not only make an occasion out of it, but to get some practice. Not that I see this one going anywhere, but potentially others… Especially if Avery wants to ask me out on a date soon. I’d definitely want to look good for her… ‘Stupid Nia, pushing me to go out with this domme… wait! Nia!’ Lucy: OI! YOU! Nia, Queen of the Playpen: What? Lucy: Seriously? ‘Queen of the playpen’? Who gave you that title? Nia, Queen of the Babies: Don’t know what you’re talking about. Lucy: Hey! You’re not the queen of me! Nia, Queen of little vampling brats: D’awww… poor baby! Lucy: I swear… I’m going to bite you next time I see you. Now, I need your help, stat! Nia, Helper of little babies: Cool, maybe I’d become some cool demon-angel-vampire hybrid? But anyway, sure, what do you need, lil stinkypants? Lucy: STOP CHANGING YOUR USERNAME! Also, what the hell do I wear for this date with the domme you forced me to go out with? Nia, stylist extraordinaire: Something sexy. Black. Gothy. Bra and panties. Lucy: What else? Nia, teaser of babies: That’s it. Just bra and panties. Lucy: Nia: Fine… what about that purple dress? Lucy: I was saving that for my birthday… Nia: That’s ages away. But fine, what about the poofy black one? Lucy: Isn’t that a bit too much? I guess the top half is kinda sexy, but the bottom kinda bellows out. Nia: Do you think she cares what you’re wearing? Lucy: I don’t think she cares about anything regarding me. She just wants a sub. Nia: Then there you go then. Lucy: But I want more. Nia: Look, I’m just trying to get you laid. We can work on finding you a relationship another time. You just need a confidence boost, and this will give it to you! Lucy: nevermind. Forget I said anything. Nia: Luce… Nia, concerned friend: Hey Luce… what’s up? I left her on read as I threw my phone onto the bed and looked into my wardrobe for the black dress she had suggested. It wasn’t my favourite thing I owned, but I guess it was fancy enough for a date night, but wasn’t too over the top. And it wasn’t really that poofy, it just… it wasn’t like my usual clothes, which are either form-fitting, or insanely baggy, and this was neither. It was sort of in the middle. Grabbing the dress, as well as my strappy black heels, I walked over to the full-length mirror in the corner of my room and held them up in front of me. “Yeah… I guess these will do.” I sighed. I got ready as quickly as possible, nearly ripping my dress trying to zip it up, slapping what little makeup I owned on, and stuffing my most date-appropriate bag with my phone, my keys, purse, all the usual stuff. And on impulse… a nappy. I wasn’t sure I’d end up getting to wear it, but if she surprised me by secretly being the best Mummy in the world ever… then maybe… just maybe… she’d need it for me. Doubt it though. “Maybe I should put one on too…” I don’t know why, maybe it was Nia getting in my head, corrupting me… but I actually thought that was a good idea. Maybe it would make the inevitable disaster of a date somewhat bearable? So, giving into the little voice in my head, I quickly reached under my dress, dropped my panties so that they lay around my ankles, and grabbed one of my nappies. Awkwardly positioning myself against the wall so I didn’t have to lay down and potentially ruin my dress, I awkwardly taped it up, using the wall to pin it against my bum. One tape first, which was slightly wonky, then the other side, which wasn’t much better, then I sealed the top two much more neatly. And… voilà! One thickly padded vampire. Admiring myself in the mirror once again, I made sure to straighten my dress so that the nappy wasn’t visible. Thankfully, the weather wasn’t set to be windy today, because if it was, there was no way I was risking going out in this nappy underneath my dress. Too many past experiences of my dress blowing up and nearly exposing my secret underwear… It's why I usually stick to pants. The way the nappy hugged my hips, even if it wasn’t put on brilliantly, made me instantly feel a little safer and less nervous about tonight. Like sure, I was still expecting tonight to be a failure, but at least I’d get to enjoy wearing, and wetting, this nappy. And hey, I’ve got a change if I need one! ------------------------------------------------ Walking through the quiet city centre, I noticed that the only people walking down this pedestrianised area I was in were couples going on dates. Most of the shops had shut, and the only places open were bars and restaurants. The human bars were full and very lively, but that wasn’t where I was going. I was going to the one monstrum bar that I knew around here, Ronnie’s, and I had not heard good things about them. They’ve had beef with the Sanctuary ever since it opened, as they used to be the only place for miles until Beth and Susie opened their doors, providing a much more friendly, less seedy, place to drink and have fun. I lied to the lamia because I didn’t want to start things off with hostility, so I played innocent and pretended to not know of its existence. And as I looked in the window (something only us monstrum can do due to a spell hiding it from human eyes, kinda like the Sanctuary and a few monstrum only areas of the city), I saw why people preferred the Sanctuary over Ronnie’s. Ronnie’s really was the seediest looking place ever. And I instantly regretted agreeing to this. I walked into the bar with a few minutes to spare, and just in time… as the heavens had just opened up and it began to pour down with rain, narrowly missing me as I ducked inside. Noticing the lamia from her profile picture sitting at a table, I saw that she was looking… human. Like… she didn’t look half snake at all. She must have similar magic to that of mermaids when they’re on dry land, as she had the most slender legs I had ever seen… “Come, sit.” She called over, attracting the attention from all the other patrons. Sitting down across from her, she eyed me up and down… like I was prey. Which just felt weird, as vampires are always at the top of the food chain, and I wasn’t used to having anyone above me. I know I’m not the toughest of vampires, but I had never had anyone desire to eat me before. Not until now, at least. She smiled at me, before raising her glass of red wine to her lips, taking a sip before settling it back down on the table again. She had clearly dressed up for this date, wearing a sequin dress with a short cardigan. Which made me feel like we had both overdressed for this shithole of a bar. “It’s… not very busy…” I commented, looking around at the three people at the bar and one creep in the corner, hugging a pint of beer. Even the bartender looked dead. Or maybe that was because he was a ghoul. Hard to tell with them. “You’ll do nicely…” She growled, raising her eyebrow whilst continuing to look me up and down. “I will? For what?” I asked, nervously. “To worship me, silly.” “I… think you have me mistaken.” “No, I think I’m right. You’re just a silly little girl who thinks too much for herself. When really you should be on your hands and knees, begging to worship my feet.” “I…” I didn’t know what to say, I wasn’t very good at standing up for myself, and she just… I didn’t know how to react to her. “See, there we go. As if you needed that stupid little brain of yours. You should join my harem, you’d make a good little pet for me…” She grinned. “I’m not really into pet…” “You’ll be into whatever I tell you, slut. Maybe I’ll let you wear those ridiculous nappies, but I’ll probably make one of the others change you.” Now normally… I won’t lie… this kind of talk would turn me into a drooly, blushy mess. But not with this woman. This woman just… ruined it. I actually felt repulsed by her words, which just upset me more, as yes, I am a very submissive person normally, and for the right person, I would happily let them talk to me like this. But not her. “I… no… no thank you…” I replied, quietly. “No? You think you can turn me down? Ha! You have a bratty side, it seems…” She clearly doesn’t know me in the slightest. Didn’t even bother to read my bio or anything. I’m not a brat, if anything, I’m the complete opposite. I want to please people a little too much sometimes, usually at my own expense. But again, not her. “I’m not a brat…” I mumbled. “What’s that? Speak up.” She snapped at me. “I… nevermind.” “That’s right. Now, I’ll get you a drink, you’ll rub my feet for a bit, then I’ll take you home to my harem. That sound good?” “I…” All I could do was sit there, quietly soaking my nappy in disbelief. ======================================================= It's going to be interesting watching people's teams change over the course of the story... Clearly Team snek is not going to have any fans... 😛 Also... still v proud of the texting part of this chapter. You can really see how much of myself I put into Nia... -------------------------------------------- Thinking of finally opening up short story commissions now too finally, now that my writers block seems to have subsided. If you haven't seen, I'm now up and running on Subscribestar! (Sorry for the reminder again, trying to get my subscribers back after the Patreon rubbish!) ======================================================== I hope everyone enjoys this chapter! Please leave likes and comments and all that fun stuff, I love reading them! If you want to read the next 4 chapters, thanks to two weeks early access to my main story and also soon-to-be exclusive access to short stories (or even have a chance at commissioning one when I add the tier for them!), why don't you check out my SubscribeStar! The basic tier gets early access and exclusive access to short stories (when they're written), higher tiers will be limited but get a short story each month (1-2 per month in total, also not yet running this tier yet, will announce when I'm starting!). Thank you to all my subscribers for their support over the past few years! Seriously, your support means the world to me. New chapters of my latest story every Wednesday/Sunday! Also just a quick note: I don't mind people saving this story for personal reading. But I'd appreciate it if people didn't post it elsewhere, even if you're just suggesting it to other people. If you want to show others, please send them a link to the first page of this post! Thanks!

Thank you! I might try and speed things up a bit from here. I'm aware we're on chapter 6 but haven't actually gotten much into the meat of the story yet. They bought them back in chapter 1. The girls version were the only ones they still had in stock, hence Alice buying them. I hope you enjoy what's to come!

Chapter 6: Conference Call Alice heard George close the door behind him – a bit too hard for her liking – and the lock clicked shut. She adjusted her position on the kitchen stool and took another sip of her coffee. Two and a half sugars, and plenty of milk. She liked her coffee sweet. Jane coming back from practice when she had was great timing. She’d hoped to get George to meet the neighbours soon, but Jane meeting him first like that was excellent news. George would really need to make friends over the summer, and it looked like he’d already made one. With any luck the two of them could spend the rest of the day getting to know each other. George could lose the sullen mood and start to have some fun. Alice knew from personal experience how isolating it could be moving to an entirely new country. How much the loneliness weighed down on you and how hard it was to pull yourself out of that rut of disconnection and unease. George’s mother had been there to help Alice out of that many years ago. Now it was time to return the favour. She placed the rounded black mug back down on the plastic coaster gently, then leaned over and pulled her tablet out of its charging cradle and powered it on. She needed to write an email. Pulling up the app icon she typed slowly with one hand. The dull pink tablet resting on the countertop as her other hand shuttled the coffee mug back and forth from the coaster to her mouth. Hi Mary, It's the middle of the night over in England as I’m typing this, but I just wanted to give you an update on things since it's been a few days. George is settling in slowly but surely. It's a bid adjustment for him being so far from home, but he’s a resilient boy. He’s already made a friend with the girl who lives across the street. The two of them are out exploring the nearby woods right now. I’m sure he can tell you all about it when he calls you – Don't worry, I'll make sure he does just as soon as the jet lag has worn off! I’m taking him into town tomorrow to pick up some swim-shorts and a baseball uniform. His first game is the day after. I’ll take pictures to send you. Did he ever play rounders much at school at home? I remember them having similar rules. I’m hoping I can make this a summer for him to remember. We’re going out to the lodge in a few weeks, and I’m sure he’s going to love it there. Should help him take his mind of things. I hope things are better for you these days. You and George deserve better than what you’ve been through. If you need anything at all, let me know. And call me when you’ve got the chance. It's been too long. Your best friend, Alice Warding Alice sat back and looked over what she’d just wrote. She frowned. She hadn’t mentioned the bedwetting. Should she? Mary didn’t need to be worrying about that right now. She had that leach of a husband to finalise divorce papers with and a dozen other going concerns after that. There was no need to add to it. As much as Alice loved her best friend, she had to admit she wasn’t the best at problem solving. Or even problem spotting. If she was, she might have thought to listen to her best friends' warnings now and then. She’d had suspicions that Mary’s decision to marry Alex had been a mistake. Now she felt rather vindicated. She could see a lot of Mary in her son. George had her same shy demeanour, the same wariness that seemed to weight down on them. They shared the anxious tendency Alice had seen in Mary since their own childhoods. The same – what was the term, catastrophising? George had seemed to react to the bedwetting as if it was the end of the world when she’d found out. Mortified and apologising profusely as if he’d done her harm somehow. Her decision to omit the bedwetting from her report was the correct decision, she decided. One person fussing and worrying over it was enough. It wasn’t like she’d be able to help from across a continent and an ocean anyway. If George wanted to mention it in their call that was his prerogative. Just as solving the issue in the here and now was hers. Running her eye over the draft for spelling errors one last time, she hit send. The rest of her inbox received a brief inspection as well. With nothing of importance being found, it felt like a good idea to make some preparations for George tonight. The tablet screen went black with a click, and she set it aside to make her way upstairs to George’s room. The bed sat unmade, and she busied herself straightening pillows and getting the duvet in alignment once again as she looked around. She was happy to see that aside from the bed, everything else seemed to have been left in a presentable condition. His Nintendo sat on the bedside table next to the empty phone charging cradle. A solitary light flickering orange as a light grey wire feed from it down into an adaptor and then the wall socket. A backpack now emptied of its change of clothes, toiletries and other sundries lay slouching on the wall next to the sliding wardrobe. As far as she could see from outside the bathroom was in an acceptable condition as well. “Spoke too soon.” She tutted only to herself as she stepped into the en-suite. Her eyes catching the towel that had been hung back up crookedly on the chrome rack. As she quickly smoothed the fluffy white cloth out properly, she caught sight of the toilet itself, and a spattering of yellow drops on the seat. Now Alice sighed. Grabbing a wad of toilet paper, she wiped it up quicky. Lifting the seat up to conduct a proper inspection. Nothing had escaped underneath thankfully, but she did find a dribble of pee had fallen on the outside of the bowl. Sliding down all the way to the bathroom floor. This too was scoured clean with toilet paper as she made a mental note to gently remind George to clean up after himself properly in the bathroom. Speaking of peeing where you shouldn’t, George’s new protection didn’t seem anywhere to be found. Not in the bathroom cabinets or his chest of drawers or the sliding wardrobe. She knew for a fact he had carried them up to his room. She’d watched him climb the stairs with them with her own eyes. Having exhausted all other options, she grumbled and got down uncomfortably on her knees to peer under the bed. There in the gloomy darkness a glint of light reflected on the plastic sheen of one of the packages. Both were almost all the way at the back, right up against the skirting board. Getting back up onto her feet she winced at the slight joint aches as she thought about how to get them out of there without having to crawl around in the cramped space like the world's most ill-prepared cave diver. She walked over towards the wardrobe and retrieved the longest looking coat hanger there. If she briefly got down on her knees again and leaned forward with the coat hanger, she could just about snag the end of the packages with it. It reached, just barely, and a few tugs later she managed to pull the package of easy ups out into the daylight again, quickly followed by the Goodnites. “What am I going to do with you George?” She asked herself as she placed the packages on top of the Duvet cover. He didn’t have to like the idea of wearing protection but throwing them about like this and trying to hide from the problem wasn’t helping anyone. Using her thumbnail, she cut a seam in the thin plastic bag and opened it out to reveal the tightly stacked row of disposable underwear. She pulled a handful of them out to look and saw the muted purple and pinks of the girls Goodnites patterns that came about the waist and leg holes. The front panel was dominated by a cartoon of Princess Jasmine from Aladin, whilst yellow and violet flower patterns served as wetness indicators. Alice nodded in approval as she examined it further. The stretch at the sides looked a little flimsy to her eyes, but she was no expert. The packaging had talked about the placement of a surge layer tailored for girls to better absorb wetness, and she wondered if that would factor into their effectiveness when worn by a boy. George would have to let her know how they felt when worn, and only time would tell them how well they held up to the “up to 100% leak free” advertisement claim. George would be wearing these tonight. She’d need to make that clear to him. He wasn’t going to deal with problems by hiding them under the bed. The easy ups received a similar inspection, and this time Alice was far less impressed. They, like the Goodnites, were a slip-on design, yet seemed smaller than them and even a bit thinner. It was obvious from the packaging that these were meant for potty training toddlers, not bedwetting pre-teens. She might have been better off with just the Goodnites. Picking up both bags she strode over to the wardrobe and opened the large top drawer. The inside was mostly empty aside from a dozen pairs of boxer shorts stacked in two neat piles. Shifting those to the side, she set the diaper packs on the top of the unit and began to stack them in the space she made. All except for a single Goodnite, which she left on the top of the unit for him to wear that night. The drawer closed with a gentle sliding sound and the rest of the diapers vanished from view. She turned and looked out of the window. Enjoying the view it offered of the back garden. They should have a barbeque out there if the weather decided to hold, invite Jane and her family over, and a few others. She looked beyond the garden. From the upper floor of the house, she could see out over the wide expanse of woodland that hugged the suburb she called home. Somewhere out there George was hopefully having some fun with Jane. Making memories and becoming less of a hermit. She hoped, at least. She’d need to ask how they got on once they were back. Speaking of, she’d need to start thinking about dinner soon. She was tempted to order takeout, but they’d already eaten out for lunch earlier. As much as she wanted to spoil her godson, a bit of home cooking would do him some good. She hoped he liked beef tacos. She went through a mental checklist of what she’d need. Alice had stocked up the fridge and freezer in preparation for George’s visit, but she’d need to think about other things. If Jane wanted to stay for dinner, what they might watch on tv. Inevitably her train of thought chugged along, and the issue of bedtime began to come into view of the tracks. How was she meant to convince George to wear protection to bed? She couldn’t even convince him to stop slamming the car door. Alice was, at heart, a manager. She organised, she planned, she delegated. No one could be an expert at everything, but you didn’t need to be if you knew the right people for a task or a situation. It was a skill that served her well in business, giving her company the edge it needed to thrive. Of course, that was the business world and not childcare. But surely some principles of organising and delegation were transferable, right? She made her way back down the stairs. With George outside playing, it was time to talk to someone with experience. In the kitchen she retrieved her tablet once more, this time swiping into the group chat she maintained with her friends. It was a small group, just a half dozen or so of Alice’s confidants and friends. When one of them – Alice couldn’t quite remember who - had first suggested forming it a few years ago they’d struggled to think of what to name it. Eventually they’d settled on “Alice’s Wonderland” as a joke and it had stuck. It was a fitting name though. Alice was very much the queen bee of their little cabal and the more than once had tongue in cheek comparisons to the queen of hearts been made. It had been a couple of days since Alice had looked, and she found herself scrolling past missed conversations. Book recommendations, plans for their next get together, suggestions for a poker night, pictures of cute pets being cute. Eventually Alice caught herself up to speed and, after giving an approving emote reaction to the idea of a poker night, started typing. Alice: Hi girls! Still getting my little guest settled in for the summer, but I’ve got some free time to catch up. What have I missed? Was hoping to ask you all for some advice as well. Melissa: The queen returns! How’s George settling in? Must be good to have some use for all those spare rooms! Katie: Yes! Details, give them! And shoot. Whatever you need, let us know! Alice: I think we’re doing alright, all things considered. Obviously, this is a big deal for him and he’s going through a lot at the moment. Poor guy been out of it with jetlag since we arrived back home. I’m taking him shopping for a baseball uniform tomorrow, so hopefully he’s over this before his first time on the pitch. I was hoping the moms amongst us might be able to give me some pointers? I’ve not had to look after a kid since my high school babysitting gigs, so a bit rusty! Also, bit of a more serious topic, but he had a bit of an accident his first night here. Found the poor guy trying to strip his bed to cover it up. Katie: Oh, the poor thing. Do you know if that’s happened before? Its more common than you’d think with kids that age. Half the kids I’ve looked after had night problems like that. Melissa: Can confirm. We had issues with my boys for years with this. Caused lot of problems before we found a solution that worked. What have you tried so far? Alice: I’ve taken some preventative measures for tonight. Katie: That sounds rather cryptic. Alice: Just trying to be delicate. He’s a sensitive boy. We picked up some protection for him to wear tonight. Though I’m not impressed with what we were able to find. Melissa: I’m not surprised. It's a real struggle to find anything that works for boys of that age. There’s Goodnites of course, but both of my boys managed to soak through them every night. Alice: Oh, well that’s what I’ve got for him. That and some easy up training pants that *might* fit him, but I think they’d perform worse than the Goodnites. Honestly, I wish I’d not bothered getting them. I was seriously struggling to find anything that might work for George. Katie: Yeah, even if he fits those, a boy his age would leak right through them I’m afraid. They’re much more meant for kids learning to use the potty. Sorry Alice. Alice: Well, too late now. Maybe I can donate them. Katie: I suppose you might be able to use them as stuffers for the Goodnites. But I doubt that would be comfortable for George. Melissa: I hate to pry further Alice, but is this a new development? Alice: As far as I know. George claims it's never happened before, but he might just be embarrassed about it. Melissa: He might just be stressed. Alice: That’s what I’ve been thinking. It's a big change for him. Poor guy has got a lot on his plate at home, and this was meant to be a nice getaway for him over the summer. Let him make some friends and get away from his troubles. But he just seems all mopey and moody with me so far. I don’t know where I’m going wrong. Melissa: You’re not going wrong. You just need the right help and advice. We’re here to help. My boys went through a similar phase, and it didn’t get better until we went to see a specialist for the help we needed. Alice: I suppose. But isn’t that a bit drastic at this stage? Its only happened once so far. We might not have to deal with it again at all. Katie: I hope so. But in my experience kids with wetting issues are usual repeat offenders. Not every night for a lot of them, but I’ve also never seen a case of it being a one-time thing. Melissa: Let me give you the contacts info for the therapist my boys go to. She’s an absolute life saver and I can’t tell you how much things have improved since we started her program. See how things go with him tonight and if it's still an issue, give her a call. You won’t regret it. The key to remember right now is staying consistent and staying in charge. Make it clear to him that this is to help him and that you know best. Don’t flip-flop or concede if he pushes back on it. Boys need strong parental figures in their lives, and they need to rely on you to make the best decisions for them. Alice: Thanks Melissa. I owe you. Oh, and speaking of your boys, I was wondering how you’d feel about maybe doing some sort of get-together with them and George? He’s made friends with the girl next door already, but I think it would be good for him to make friends with some boys his own age as well. Melissa: I’d be delighted to! Give me a call soon and we can discuss details. You should come over as well. I can show you how we do things with my boys, and young George can make some friends. Win-win. Alice: Sounds like a plan! I’ve got to go and make dinner together for me and George, but I’l be in contact. Thanks girls, you’ve been a real help. Melissa: It's what we’re here for! Katie: Let us know how things go with George. I hope it goes well for you both tonight. Alice reacted to Katie’s last message with a thumb's up emoji, then closed the app and set her phone down on the table. She felt a bit better already. Glad to know she wasn’t dealing with an unprecedented problem in the field of caring for children. She took her cup over to the sink and began to wash out the dregs of her now cold coffee, watching the murky brow water swill around and around the mug as she thought about the coming evening. Looking out the window, the light was just starting to dim. She’d been taking to her friends for longer than she’d thought. She set the cup upside down to let it drip-dry as she heard the phone vibrate where she’d left it on the table. She picked it back up and glanced at the flashing notification to see she’d already gotten an email from Melissa with the details of the therapist she was recommending. A Dr Paige, it looked like. She’d read it later. Right now she had dinner to think about it, and what would come after. Her mind switched tracks as she focused on the beef tacos she was planning to make. As she pulled down two plates from the cupboard and retrieved a pack of frozen beef from the freezer section of the fridge, she glanced out the window again and hoped George was having a good time. A good mood and a full belly would hopefully break him out of his grumpy mood, and let bedtime go all the smoother.

Hah. I broke my leg once while out and about after slipping on a glaze iced sidewalk. Of course I was wearing a printed diaper. At the hospital, “We need you to take off your pants for the x-ray.” Me: “Um, no.” They probably thought I wasn’t wearing underwear at all, because I just kept saying I wasn’t comfortable removing my pants. Eventually they came up with a pair of some kind of hospital shorts, and we carried on.

The comments about her intelligence would hold merit if her message wasn't "listen to the experts." All these comments insulting her and not a single one even touching on the actual relevant subject. If you are against this girl so much, explain why by using the actual science she's pushing for you to understand. She's telling you to listen to the experts, and you're saying she's wrong. Now it's on you to explain why the experts are wrong, not why the person telling you to listen to them is wrong. Be sure to have your research peer reviewed and cosigned by other educated and qualified people. We wouldn't want a bunch of morons with no degrees on the internet pushing science based policies without any scientific literacy, right?

Hey everyone! Welcome to the final chapter, or in this case, the epilogue of this story. I was batting back and forth on whether I should make it a full chapter or not, but I really just liked the conclusion of the last chapter too much for it not to be the official end. So, with that in mind, this chapter basically ties a few ends up and points to a few other easter eggs and future stories if I ever really wanted to go down this story path again. Also, just a little note about this chapter and a bit in the same vein, something does happen in it that I’ve been thinking about doing for a while to connect to another story I’ve been planning for over a year now. I won’t say its title here, but when you all read about this particular segment, I’m guessing many of you will already know about it. Additionally, another event happens and if you know anything about two characters from another one of my stories, yes, those are the connections I was going for. It didn’t start out that way, but once I saw my accidental connections while I was planning this story, I just couldn’t help myself. Also, by now, I think it’s pretty clear that Wattpad is doing a purge like with what happened to Patreon last year and DeviantArt and Tumblr before that. It’s a bit frustrating, but I can’t do anything about it, so for now, I will be solely posting here, though I may branch out to other platforms as well in the future. If I do so, I will let anyone know here in case they want to see my work elsewhere as well. Next, I am announcing that I will soon start work on my next story, ‘Tell Me More II’ very soon. Adding the votes from my last story and the ones from this one, it was close, but the ‘Tell Me More’ sequel just won out. My hopes are to complete it before the start of my upcoming trip about halfway into this month, and I think I should have enough time to complete it by then as it will be like the previous story with only about seven chapters. As the story will be shorter than most of my other ones, I might wait to post the final chapter until the last possible moment before my trip in order to give everyone a chance to vote if they want. I’m going to be a little busy over the next few days, but at the latest, the first chapter should be up by next Monday. Now, with all that done, I hope everyone enjoys this next and final part of this story! Epilogue: Escapes and Additions The summer was slowly coming to a close and I was exhausted after a long day of playing in the pool with my friends. I felt a little raw where the advanced all-day sun block hadn’t been rubbed in all the way, and I blamed myself a little for running away too quickly from Lillian when she was applying it to my shoulders, but my fun with my friends was totally worth it even now. Days like today had delightedly become my normal routine since I had been adopted. I even held a party the day after the paperwork went through and while some of the older Littles thought I was crazy for accepting to live here forever basically, most of my good friends were happy for me in making the decision to stay. Jimmy and Lillian worked their best to treat me as mature as they could, but the dictates of my disabilities still required my life to stay very much as it was. Others might have been upset by that fact, but I had little concessions throughout my life and that made it okay for me to accept. So, for example, I was now sitting at a small desk that Jimmy had gotten for me in my nursery. It allowed me to freely doodle whenever I wanted without having to lay on the floor like I used to. It was small, but it made me feel a bit more like a grownup, despite the colored plastic exterior coating of most of the furniture. ‘At least it’s comfortable…’ I then heard a knock on my door. I quickly turned around and looked to see who it was. “Hey, sweetie,” Lillian cooed down to me as she walked in. “Just wanted to check on you really quick. I know you got a little red today, but I also just wanted to give you this.” I looked at the envelope she handed to me as she started to look over the minor burn on my shoulders. I blushed a little as you could still see a faint outline from where I had been wearing my water wings in the pool. It had been another small concession, but Jimmy and Lillian allowed me to be in the pool by myself if I agreed to where them, so again, I was okay with them. “Hmmm… not too bad, but I’ll check on it before you go to bed tonight.” She started to leave the room, but then quickly turned back to me. “Oh, honey, Jimmy and I are watching some TV downstairs if you wanted to join us. I know Adventure Sam or Princess Poppy will be on soon, but I know you’ve had a long day, so, it’s completely up to you.” “Dank you, Lillian. I wanna look at the ledder a’ leas’ firs’ dough.” Lillian only smiled, nodded, and walked out of my nursery. Once she was gone, I looked back at the letter. It was a little awkward getting the plain white envelope open by myself, but once I did, I saw there was only one piece of paper inside. Curious, especially considering there wasn’t a specific sender listed on the front of the letter, I looked over the paper carefully. Oddly enough, it only said to ‘Color Me Red.’ Not really sure what to make of that and almost thinking it was just junk mail for Littles, I stared down at Patch to decide what to do. My magical stuffy had still never left my side, and while his powers had seemed to fade from our time together at daycare, there was still something about him that made me feel protected. “So, wha’ do you dink, huh?” I asked, not expecting an answer back. I know others might have thought that I was cracking from living in this place too long as a Little, but he was just a nice neutral friend I could vent to in situations like these. Talking out loud always made me feel better and clearer about what to do next. “You’we wigh. Wha’s da hawm in finishin’ ih?” Smiling, I then plucked out one of my crayons and went right on coloring the whole sheet red. I didn’t think anything of it at first, and even found the whole exercise just nice and relaxing. I didn’t have to worry about coloring within the lines and I was just free to go as wild as I wanted. About halfway through my scribbling though, I started to notice a faint trace of blackish blue in a few of the areas I had colored red. I looked closer and other lines had started to reveal themselves from where I had colored last, like the paper was reacting to the red crayon. Insatiably curious, I speedily colored the whole paper in and found a hidden note, clearly meant for a Little to read… specifically me. It took a second for it all to come in, but as I read it for the first time fully, the message was even more confounding as to who had sent it to me in the first place. “E, Subject N. taken. In pursuit. From tracking, Subject N. is likely headed to DC. Stay vigilant in case. B, OF.” I read the words over and over again. My scrambled brain used to be great at puzzles and word searches, but even those proved just a smidge over where everything started to get fuzzy. I had found that with a little practice and repetition though, I could eventually stumble onto an answer. In this case, I quickly realized that Briana from Omega Force had likely sent it about Nancy escaping. A few months ago, I might have frozen in place and have required another diaper change over the one I had just gotten an hour ago, but now, things were different. Nancy still hadn’t shown any signs of improvement from her latest PSAs, and her eyes seemingly just became as dull as ever. I wondered lately if she was even still in there, but now, I knew something was happening to her. ‘Taken… by who? When? Why?’ My mind puzzled with a thousand questions about her, but I soon heard the TV from downstairs spike in volume for a second. I figured I might tell Jimmy and Lillian about Briana and the Omega Force one day, but sighing, I simply placed the note away for now. There was nothing I could do about it in my current life, so instead of getting worked up, I just decided to join my new parent’s downstairs, carrying Patch along with me. To be honest, I only felt proud of myself for actually keeping my emotions in check. Jimmy and Lillian had been working on getting those a bit better and I was finally starting to see the results. As I walked downstairs, I mused over how it had taken me a while to truly think of them as my new parents, but Lillian specifically was slowly getting me used to the idea that around here, ‘parents’ could just be used as a title rather than a chain linking me forever to a babyish lifestyle. I could tell both were itching to be called by other titles, and maybe one day I would, but neither pressed the issue, so I felt comfortable waiting until it felt just right. “Hey, pumpkin,” Jimmy greeted, using his new nickname for me. I still wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but I just smiled back. “Ya got woom fo’ one mo’?” I asked innocently as I could. Jimmy and Lillian smiled back like they usually did when I asked the exact same question likely hundreds of times by now. “Right here, sweetie,” Emma said, patting the cushion between her and Jimmy. It was my usual spot and with Patch still in my hands, nodding, I walked over and then crawled up, nestling between my two new parents comfortably. Princess Poppy soon came on, and while it was a repeat episode, she was still entertaining enough and reviewing some of her more advanced lessons in this episode, that I soon found myself glued in. Halfway through though, to my annoyance, the program was interrupted. ‘Breaking News!’ soon flashed up on the screen before a slick and well-groomed younger man appeared on the screen dressed in a nice suit. “Good evening, everyone. I apologize for interrupting your local program, but this just in: Nancy Donahue has recently been broken out of her undisclosed place of confinement.” From the secret note I had just read, it wasn’t news to me, but I could feel the reassuring hands of both Jimmy and Lillian slowly creep over to me like they usually did whenever we watched a particularly suspenseful movie together. Jimmy began rubbing my back while Lillian held my hand. “Doubtless, many know her from her recent string of PSAs against Little abuse, but she should still be considered armed and dangerous. Current reports are sketchy, but we believe this woman was seen breaking her out earlier today.” A picture then flashed up on the screen. It was grainy and I wasn’t sure how much use it would do anyone else, but every inch of that woman had been burned into my brain: it was Nurse Bee. “Authorities have been questioned and unconfirmed reports believe this possibly to be scientist, Britney Crandle. Connections with Juventas have placed her as a main subject of interest, but again, these reports cannot be confirmed as of right now and authorities are just interested in asking her questions. Lastly, reports track their positioning to Locus Sinus, and I‘m sure we all know what that likely means.” He then sighed as if Locus Sinus was somehow a forgone conclusion that it would be a bad thing. “More tonight… Thank you. And now, back to your local program.” The screen soon flicked back to Princess Poppy as she tried to solve the equation of the lock to get into Gum Meisters castle. Instead of watching though, my mind whirled with everything I had just learned. Authorities may not have known, but Nurse Bee, this Britney Crandle, I just knew was the person that had broken Nancy out. Further, a tiny, long-forgotten memory soon cropped to the front of my head where both had promised each other about their contingency plans. I had no idea what it meant at the time, but looking back now, I was convinced this was it. Lastly, I wondered what was near Locus Sinus and why they would be headed there if it was considered so bad. I mulled it over in my head for a while and everything else seemed to just be white noise around me. I didn’t think much of it, but soon, the TV had been muted and it slightly snapped me out of my thoughts. “Wha…?” I looked at both Jimmy and Lillian, who were now both looking at me intently. “We were asking you if you were okay, Emma,” Jimmy clarified, clearly looking worried. “So, are you?” Lillian questioned me fearfully. “I mean, with Nancy escaping and…” “Wha’s Locus Sinus?” I asked, interrupting Lillian. Both my new parents stared at me in shock, and I quietly wondered to myself if it was just one of those unmentionable things in this society. I had already learned that lobotomies and surgeries performed in the old days and breeding programs were such topics, but now, I wondered if oddly Locus Sinus was as well. I was itching for the day this fall when the Oasis room was going to cover geography for just moments like these. Finally, though, Jimmy sighed. “Well, it’s uh…” I could clearly see he was struggling to choose the right words to use to describe the place. “It’s just a city on the west coast, honey, but most people associate it with… uh, Dark Cliff Prison…” I struggled to categorize all my thoughts, but then something clicked that I had been wondering about since I had read it in the letter. ‘Dark Cliff Prison… DC… holy smokes! From the letter!’ My thoughts burned with curiosity, and regardless of what I learned, I had to know more. “Wha’s Dar’ Cwiff Pwison den?” Jimmy and Lillian quickly looked at each other. Jimmy seemed he wanted to say something, but Lillian kept shaking her head not to. Finally, I couldn’t stand not knowing. “Pwease! I weally need ta know! Iss ‘bout Nancy. Am I in twouble now because o’ Dar’ Cwiff?” Lillian reluctantly sighed and eventually nodded. “Very well, sweetie. You deserve to know, but see, Dark Cliff is a really bad place for really bad people. We got rid of most of our main prisons years ago… all except for the one, but even that is just used for Middle and Littles.” “That’s right,” Jimmy agreed. “It’s mainly a prison for you all and Middles… the worst of the worst, but for us Bigs, we don’t go to prison usually. We either get reform schools, monetary punishments, or manual labor of some kind. For the truly awful of our kind though, no one seemed satisfied with those punishments for a long time, but when Dark Cliff opened, they ended up being sent there. Curiously though, everyone also knows Bigs don’t stay on the island either.” I felt like I was missing something. If someone goes to a place but then doesn’t stay there, where do they go? I could tell neither wanted to tell me anymore, but I felt I was so close to the truth, so I pushed further. “So… wha’ happens to dem?” Lillian sighed. “We honestly don’t know, honey. That’s kind of the whole mystery surrounding that place. Anyone who knows either has top secret clearance or above… or isn’t talking anymore.” There was a pause, but Jimmy winced for a moment and we both looked at him suspiciously. He quickly looked guilty, but then held his hands up in defense. “Okay, okay… Look, it’s just rumors, but some say the stuff that Nancy has been advertising…” “You mean bein’ a baby an’ all?” I asked quickly just to clarify. Jimmy nodded. “That’s right, but the rumor is that it happens there. Secret facility and all, so don’t repeat this to anyone, but, if that’s where she’s headed… well, I don’t think she’ll ever be a problem for you again, sweetheart.” He then stopped suddenly and widened his eyes to drive home his unsaid conclusion. Lillian got it quickly and gasped, but my mind took a second. By the time I realized what he had meant later that night before I was tucked into bed, I didn’t want to dwell on it anymore. Knowing that she was likely already at least partially regressed, I never thought I would say it, but maybe it would be a gratefully small mercy for her. After all, being a Little isn’t that bad… It was all a lot to take in, but not long after, I was quickly distracted by another piece of news, this time on the home front. Jimmy and Lillian had been placing me with a babysitter lately several times during the week and I was worried that something was wrong with me, but both had also never seemed happier. Satisfied with that much at least, I just went about with my life as usual until one afternoon. I was playing with Patch in my room, having just woken up from a nap, and saw both Lillian and Jimmy walk in. Both were giving me looks that I had seen before that always meant they were up to something. Curious, I pressed first. “Wha’ iss ih dis time? We getting’ a puppy?” Both laughed and then kneeled down to me. “No, sweetie. Maybe one day, but we’ve seen a few other couples do something and we thought we might give it a try.” Jimmy nodded. “That’s right. So, we have a question for you… would you maybe be willing to be an older sister?” I guess I should have expected this, but I was still thrown a little off by the question. The Jeffersons down the street had recently adopted a new brother for their toddler-aged Little, Harry. Harry had been lonely and prone to mischief, but as soon as he became an older brother, he had nearly transformed overnight. I might have been nervous that my new parents thought I was similarly misbehaved but a quick glance over at my reward chart with nearly all smiley faces seemed to prove otherwise. Still, the proposal did seem tempting. “I guess… iss dat wewe you all been goin’ to a’ nigh watewy?” I asked, trying to put everything I knew together. Jimmy smirked and held up his hands. “Oops. She caught us, Lillian.” Lillian rolled her eyes at her husband’s silliness but then looked tenderly back at me. “That’s right, Emma. We just wanted to see if there was even a Little that we figured could fit into our lives. Turns out, we found another portal Little. Was even a teacher like you from Arizona as well.” I immediately started to feel an excitement bubble up in my chest. I was an only child growing up, but I had always wanted a younger brother or sister. A pain sometimes from what I had heard, but here, I felt we could form bond that would just be perfect. So, excited, I wanted to ask several questions, but one stuck out more than the others. “She have a name den?” Lillian smiled and Jimmy retrieved a small photo and showed it to me. “Her name is Vicky.” I looked at the photo, and flashes of my old life quickly filled my head. Her face and her name seemed so familiar from my old life, but I couldn’t place if was maybe at daycare before I was regressed or from even when I was back on Earth. Regardless, seeing her photo and hearing her name, I could only smile widely. “She’s so cute! Can we geh hew soon?” Jimmy and Lillian smiled and pulled me into one of our now classic family hugs. “Of course, sweetie. Of course.” I just kept smiling in the knowledge that our family would soon be growing. Change wasn’t always the best in this world and dimension, but after seeing her photo, something inside of me just tickled with the knowledge that somehow, I just knew this time, the change would be for the best.

DESTINY'S CHILD Janis felt like the proverbial fish out of water. Since she was already a volunteer with regular hours at the hospital, there was no need for her to sit down and fill out an application form. This left her standing alone while her sisters scribbled away, many of them desperately trying to recall the courses that they had signed up for in the winter term, and the hours to which they were already committed. The morning's events had also left her dazed. Incredibly, her “day in court” had gone just the way Professor Grady had promised it would go. Forty of her sisters would now be volunteering as candy stripers for six hours a week until they graduated. The house had to get its grade point average up and keep it up, and if they could do so over the long haul, their records would be expunged when their probation ended. And after having a private chat with the gangster who owned the diaper service, Professor Grady had assured them that they were no longer in any danger of being fed into a wood chipper. A bus had magically materialized at the back of the courthouse, and having kept them away from the press, the Professor had brought them to the hospital to put in their applications-- and to be locked into their diapers. Janis grimaced. It was hard to come to terms with the fact that she had lost her toilet privileges, and would be peeing and pooping into a diaper until she graduated years in the future. A diaper service truck would be pulling into the sorority's driveway every week, a humiliation that would only stop when Tippi Bjornsen, their first year Legacy, earned her diploma. Will I lose my bladder and bowel control before this is all over? Am I going to end up in diapers for the rest of my life? And how am I going to pay for the diaper service? I don't have near enough in the bank, so the money will have to come from my parents … Will they disown me? And what about dating? Will anyone be desperate enough to date a girl who's locked into a diaper? Seriously? I'm not like Kimberly … our very own “Fraulein D Cup!” Looking around the vast cafeteria, Janis was thankful that there were so few visitors at mid-morning, and doubly thankful that she didn't recognize any of the doctors and nurses enjoying their coffee breaks. Her shift didn't start until three, and when she could manage a break and come down in search of a Tab, it was always closer to five. She watched quietly as the Professor left the room in the company of Officer Canon and two more members of the staff, whom she did not recognize. It seemed likely, however, that they were all headed for the Psych ward up on Seven-- notoriously, the Professor's home away from home. “Janis?” Snapping out of her reverie, Janis looked at Marcia Mason, who was holding a folded slip of paper in her outstretched hand. “I want you to go up to Seven,” the first shift charge nurse ordered, “and ask to speak with Doctor Stevenson in the Psych ward. When they admit you, give her this note, and Rita will take it from there.” “Do you think that I'm crazy,” Janis whimpered. “Just because I stole some diapers ...” “Well, you did put one on, complete with a pair of baby pants. But no, I most certainly do not think that you're crazy! A little too curious for your own good, perhaps, but in the broad scheme of things, about as sane as the rest of us. Still, if you're having problems … emotional difficulties … Rita is an old hand. She's not judgmental, and she's a good listener. If you talk freely with her, she can help you put things in perspective.” Note in hand, head bowed, Janis shuffled slowly out of the cafeteria. In her imagination, there was little to choose between the walk to the elevator, and a walk to the gallows. Her unease increased tenfold when she stole a peek at the note's contents. Rita, this is to introduce Janis Marsden, who is a second shift candy striper in my department. Janis is one of the sorority girls with a thing for stealing diapers, and part of her sentence includes wearing and using them until she graduates. Please outfit her, including baby pants and locking canvas cover. Give three keys to Professor Grady, and give the fourth to Janis, with instructions to leave it on the desk in my office. I am hoping that she will open up to you, and that you have the time to work with her if she does. She is well liked down here, and I want to help her get through this as best I can. Marcia Mason . . . . “And you are?” “Tippi Anne ...” “Bjornsen. Yes, I see … just turned nineteen … first year student ... from New Ulm.” Gayle Soderberg looked up from the application form in surprise. The Patient Relations administrator had put in more than five years running the hospital's candy striper program, and she took pride in selecting quality candidates-- young women with a spring in their step and a smile on their faces … young women whose boundless optimism and cheerful demeanor would brighten, if only for a moment, the lives of patients and their families in the surgical wards. Tippi Anne Bjornsen was the first applicant in her tenure to have been convicted of a criminal offense. She had pleaded guilty to a DWI a few months earlier, and the terms of her probation required her to remain alcohol and drug free until her twenty-first birthday. “Looking at the date,” Gayle commented with a reasonably straight face, “I'm guessing that you attended one too many high school graduation parties. The drinking got out of hand, you got behind the wheel, and you got pulled over for speeding or driving on the wrong side of the road. Does that about sum it up?” Tippi nodded in agreement. “I was smashed. I started with vodka, then progressed to gin, tequila, scotch, and rum. I spent the next forty eight hours mostly throwing up. Before they let me go, the police gave me a bucket and a mop, and stood over me while I scrubbed the floor of my cell. Lesson learned. I haven't touched alcohol since.” “This was late on a Friday night. Didn't your parents bail you out?” “No. They raised me to take responsibility for my actions. I didn't get out of jail until Monday morning, when I went to court.” “Where you pled guilty. And this morning you pled guilty again, this time for theft. Diapers, no less!” Gayle leaned back in her chair, and studied the young woman opposite her. Tippi Bjornsen was tall and predictably blonde, but unnaturally thin. She looks like a light breeze would lift her off her feet! Well, the one thing she won't have to contend with inside these walls is a stiff headwind … “Janis tells me that you're the brains behind this bizarre stunt. Well, I have to give you credit: this is the most creative Fraternity Row has been in many a year. But is the notoriety worth the price that you're paying? You'll have to explain this to your parents, and you're going to spend the next three and a half years wearing diapers-- wearing them and using them. No toilet privileges whatsoever. And Tippi, our diapers are thick and impossible to conceal. Even a flared skirt won't hide the bulge. On campus, you are going to be the butt of a lot of sick jokes. Was it worth it?” “I think so, but only because of Professor Grady … because of what he did last night, and again in court this morning, and now here. There's the family you're born into, and the family you choose. He's taught us all the meaning of family, got us to understand that we're more than a bunch of girls living under the same roof. We care for one another, and going forward we'll be there for one another. How do you put a price tag on something like that?” “You don't,” Gayle agreed. “And it says a great deal about you … about all of you … that you have found a way to turn a bad experience into a rewarding one. Now, I see that you have not entered the hours at which you would be available; how flexible are you?” “I want to work with one person on the staff here … Professor Grady's fiancee. I'll arrange my class schedule to fit her needs.” “You want to work with Sarah Haikonnen? In post-surgical care?” Gayle was floored. Even for full-time staff, the oncology and post-surgical wards were the most emotionally taxing in the building. Death and its imminence hung over the hallways like a darkened shroud. “Good Lord! Why?” “Because I missed it.” Tippi was resolute, and it showed in the jut of her jaw and the determination in her eyes. “Missed what?” Gayle was absolutely mystified. To say that she had never met a late adolescent like Tippi Bjornsen was to put it very mildly indeed. “When I spoke with him during his office hours, all I saw was the diapers. I never saw the man, and I couldn't understand how any woman would want to share her life with a cripple unless she was a loser herself. But Officer Canon isn't a loser, and she's so much in love that the word doesn't even begin to describe her. And then there are the doctors here who also love him. 'What's wrong with me'? That's what I keep asking myself. How can I be so completely blind to what others see almost instantly?” “Don't beat yourself up, Tippi.” Gayle was shaking her head, remembering the heady days of her late teens, the highs and the lows, the triumphs and the setbacks. “When you put the last vestiges of childhood in your rear view mirror, you will begin to weigh your choices differently. It's all just a part of growing up.” “Which is painful, and scary. I'm not ambitious. I don't want to set the world on fire. All I want is to find Mister Right, fall in love, get married, and have children. I'm a small town girl who wants to have a family. I want a good man to look at me the way Professor Grady looks at Officer Canon. I want a husband whose eyes melt when he looks at our children the way the Professor's eyes become so soft when he looks at us. And I'm greedy-- I want to find Mister Right without wading through an ocean of Mister Wrongs.” “And you think that Sarah can help you to realize your dreams?” Tippi nodded emphatically. “She knew that Professor Grady was Mister Right when she first met him … and yes, I know that love at first sight is supposed to be a myth. How? How did she see the man when all I saw was the diapers? I want her to teach me what to look for because I need help, and I'm not going to find the answers to my questions in a classroom.” “No … no, you won't,” Gayle conceded. She didn't know Suzie Marshall, didn't know that the two of them were on the same crusade. Both were convinced that there came a point when a human could only learn from experience. Life was the ultimate teacher. “Is she going to be all right,” Tippi asked, abruptly changing the subject. Note in hand, Janis Marsden was leaving the cafeteria with her head bowed, broadcasting her guilt and shame to the world. “Janis is so fragile ...” “She'll be fine,” Gayle answered, and she meant it. “Oh, don't get me wrong; her coworkers are going to tease her, but it will be good-natured, not malicious. Tippi, since you're going to be working here, you need to think of this place as a village. We have our friendships and our rivalries, our likes and our dislikes, and I swear that gossip flows up and down the corridors like the tides. But when one of us needs help, we come together, in the way that families so often do.” Coming to a decision, Gayle flipped Tippi's application form over, and began writing in the empty space at the bottom reserved for her comments. Sarah, this young lady has expressed an interest in working with you, and I believe that it would be mutually beneficial for you to mentor her. She is one of the sorority girls involved in the diaper scandal, and will be with us until her graduation. Her plea agreement includes wearing and using diapers for the duration. Put her under lock and key; keep one key for yourself, and forward the other three to Professor Grady, who will share responsibility for her with Bernice Miller, the sorority house mother. With forty- one surrogate daughters, your fiance is going to be a very busy man! Gayle Soderberg. Gayle folded the application, and slipped it into an envelope, which she addressed to Sarah. Directing Tippi to the bank of elevators that would usher her to Sarah's third floor domain, Gayle slipped her the envelope, wished her good luck, and sent her on her way. As another of the girls slid into the chair to take Tippi's place, Gayle watched the young woman walk away. Destiny's child, she thought; truly, this one is Destiny's child. . . . . Approaching the door to the Psych ward, Janis looked up at the camera, and with hand shaking reached out to ring the buzzer. In a matter of moments, the door buzzed to admit her. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Janis entered the Psych ward, but she almost jumped out of her skin when the door loudly shut behind her. She was now locked inside the one part of the hospital she had hoped never to visit, and she was acutely aware that she could not leave without permission. . . . . Standing quietly in the doorway, Tippi took a moment to examine the woman seated at the desk, head down, engrossed in some report or other. One of the few things that she knew about hospitals was how heavy the administrative workload was for the charge nurses. Sarah Haikonnen, she judged, was another natural blond, but with hair a somewhat darker shade than her own radiant crown. The Finnish blood line, she knew, was far more complex than her own purely Swedish roots. Then she looked down at Sarah's chest, and what she saw took her breath away. Even with the crown jewels safely hidden away inside her bra and nurse's smock, it was obvious that the woman had been blessed by nature. Tippi's first thought was that the Professor had struck gold, and that their lovemaking must be off the charts if Sarah's tits were sensitive to the touch of his fingers and lips, to nibbling teeth and a questing tongue. Involuntarily, Tippi's hand drifted up to her own chest, and not for the first time, she cursed her ill fortune. She was tall and thin, neither her breasts nor her hips what she wanted them to be. She wore a 32A, and knew that a training bra would have still got the job done even as she approached the end of adolescence. But training bras didn't turn the boys on, not that she had ever been able to compete with the cheerleader types anyway. She had mastered oral sex early and practiced it often, but on her eighteenth birthday, in the one way that mattered, she was still a virgin. The first professor she had scalped was shocked to discover her hymen still intact. Only moments before, as his knowing fingers had unclasped the hooks on her bra … feeling the straps slide down her arms-- for the first time she had felt like a woman in the fullest sense of the term. But he had paused, and she had read the doubt in his eyes when he gently asked her if she was sure … really sure. The question had hurled her back into little girlhood: yes, she was sure. He had been gentle and caring, and he had nibbled on her breasts, not at all discouraged by the smallness of her buds. And it had felt so good!! A wave of molten pleasure had flowed from her tits to her vagina, her clit gorging with blood, and he had made love to her, the giving and receiving of pleasure. Eric had ushered her into womanhood, but she was indebted to him above all for teaching her so clearly the difference between a boy and a man. Tippi was done with boys. She wanted a man, and she wanted Sarah to teach her how to separate the wheat from the chaff. Who am I kidding, she mused. I want the Professor, but that means standing in line behind at least four other women, maybe more. So how do I cut the queue, as our British cousins would put it? Being diapered for umpteen years will put us in the same boat … can I use that? Get him to change my diapers? No, wait! What if I can persuade his girlfriends to let me change HIS diapers when we're on campus? Surely the Batgirl will have to go back to doing whatever it is she normally does sometime soon. There's the opening! And since I'll be locked up, kept chaste, I won't pose a threat. I'm the logical choice!! “Can I help you?” Tippi snapped out of it, and looking up, saw that Sarah was steadily staring at her. Wow!! Sarah's eyes were large and luminous, an unusual shade somewhere between blue and green, but when she looked at you? Tippi felt like a deer trapped in the headlights. This was not a woman to be trifled with. And there's something exotic about her features. Eskimo, maybe? Somewhere in her blood line … “Um … hi,” Tippi stuttered. “Gayle Soderberg … uh … down in Patient Relations? She spent me up here. Here … she, uh, she wrote a note to explain what's going on.” Tippi held out the envelope, still unopened. Without shifting her gaze, Sarah took the envelope and slit it open with a fingernail. Pausing only long enough to scan the contents, she went back to staring at Tippi while she thought about it. “So, you're one of the diaper thieves who have been tormenting my fiance. What is this about Ian now having forty-one surrogate daughters?” “He's … uh … kind of taken all of us who took part in this stunt under his wing. I mean, he's protecting us from the gangster, taking charge of our probation, and maybe the biggest thing of all … he's helping us to create a sense of family at the house. We have a house mom, and now I guess that we have a house dad, though no one knows quite how that's supposed to work.” “It says here that I'm supposed to diaper you, and take away your toilet privileges. That's easily done; when you leave this office, you will be wearing one of our hospital diapers, which are very thick ...” “Like the Professor's,” Tippi interrupted. “One and the same,” Sarah agreed. You'll also be wearing vinyl baby pants, and a heavy canvas diaper cover with a lock that cannot be defeated. It looks like I'm personally to take charge of diapering you here at the hospital, but pass three of the four keys to your locking cover to Professor Grady and your house mom. Are you comfortable with having my fiance change your diapers when you're on campus?” “No!!!” Tippi found it easy to feign shock. Somewhere in the future, she was looking forward to having Ian change her diapers, but not now! This would sink all of her plans, vague as they were. “I mean … think of the damage to his reputation! That poor man … I don't want to do anything that would hurt him!” “What year are you in?” “First year.” “So, you are going to be wearing diapers for the next three plus years, peeing and pooping … you do realize that your bladder and bowel control are going to slip badly, don't you? In fact, they may vanish altogether, leaving you incontinent and diaper dependent for the rest of your life. Are you mentally prepared for this?” “I think so,” Tippi shrugged. “I mean, realistically, what choice do I have?” “None whatsoever. Now, what's this about me mentoring you, and the arrangement being mutually beneficial?” “When I visited your fiance during office hours, I was blind to everything except the diapers. I never even thought about him as a man, never gave him a chance. But you were totally different. You saw the man, not the diapers, and you saw his worth. It's the same with the Batgirl … er … Officer Canon. She changes him, cleans his messy bottom, but she's never lost sight of the man, and I think it's fair to say that she worships him. What was it that the two of you saw, and that I missed? I want to meet a guy like the Professor … fall in love … get married … have a family. I want you to teach me what to look for, so that I don't make this mistake again.” “I see.” Sarah was absent mindedly drumming the desktop with her fingernails as she considered what Tippi was saying. “And how does taking you on as a candy striper benefit me?” “When Officer Canon returns to her duties, you will need someone to change his diapers on campus. Who can you trust not to seduce him? Any one of us could do it because we'll all be wearing these diapers and locking covers-- just don't let Professor Grady anywhere near the keys! But I want to do it, and I'll be on hand for the next three and a half years. That's a long time in which you won't have to worry about him being unfaithful.” “True … although there are other ways to insure his fidelity.” Sarah opened a desk drawer, and removed the chastity cage. She held it up for Tippi to inspect. “Do you know what this is,” she asked. Tippi shook her head. She had no idea what Sarah was holding in her hand. “It's a male chastity cage,” Sarah declared; “the male version of the medieval chastity belt for women. This ring locks behind his testicles ... his flaccid penis is secured inside this very tiny sheath … you marry the two together and insert the lock … turn the key … and voila. Just like that, you have a forever faithful boyfriend or husband.” “Wow!” Wide-eyed, Tippi held out her hand, and Sarah obligingly passed the steel cage over for her to examine. “This is so neat,” she excitedly proclaimed before returning the cage to Sarah. “But are you sure that he'll wear it? Have you asked him?” “Not yet, but I'm confident that he'll agree. Ian has a problem with self-control, and he admits it, so he'll see the wisdom of wearing this in order to make the problem go away. Still, you're right that I'll need someone on campus to change his diapers. I'll take you on in this department, but you will have to adjust your class schedule to give me three hours of your time, twice a week, between seven and three. Can you do that?” “Yes. It won't be a problem.” “Good, then let's get you diapered, and I'll inform Gayle that I'm taking you on. She'll set up orientation for all of you, give you a tutorial on the do's and don'ts, and with the preliminaries out of the way. I'll put you to work. Welcome aboard.” Sarah held out her hand, and the two women shook. Then, without further ado, Sarah ordered Tippi to close the door and take off her clothes. She spread a changing mat on the floor, and silently directed the girl to lie down. Tippi obeyed without a moment's hesitation. Sarah paused to examine her new charge. Tall and slender, with boyish hips and childlike breasts, with a bit of work Tippi could easily pass for a boy in his mid to late teens. Or add a pair of shortalls to her bulging diapers, put her hair up in pigtails, and she'd make an adorable toddler! Now, there's something to think about down the road! Setting her fantasies aside for the moment, Sarah got down on the floor and went to work. Tippi raised her hips to welcome her diaper, and with it a heavy application of baby powder-- heavy enough, in fact, to make her smell like a newborn. Sarah efficiently pinned the diaper tightly in place; the vinyl pants came next, and then the diaper cover. As it happened, she had collected it from stores at the start of her shift, her plan being to lock Ian up in a new cover to which she alone would have the keys. She wanted to deal Priscilla Canon out of the equation, and this was the fastest way to do it. And as an added bonus, she reasoned that long hours in a wet and messy and possibly leaky diaper would serve to remind her baby husband to be that she ruled the roost in their relationship, and that she was not above punishing him with a nasty diaper rash. And if I pitch it as a way for him to get back to regular diaper changes, he's much more likely to welcome the cage. And how will he like having a barely nineteen year old babysitter? A babysitter he can't screw because she'll be trapped in a locking diaper of her own? Wonder if she'd like to babysit Vickie as well … now, that would be a sight! Sarah left Tippi to finish getting dressed, knowing that it would be almost impossible for her to squeeze the mountain of cloth, vinyl and canvas that she was now wearing into her jeans. As the girl struggled, Sarah also knew that it would quickly occur to her that she would need to buy a new wardrobe to cover her bulging rear end. The humiliation that Tippi would soon begin to suffer every time she went out in public sent a shiver down Sarah's spine. Tippi was still struggling with her jeans when the telephone rang. Watching the girl, a triumphant smile on her lips, Sarah was in a very good mood when she picked up the receiver. “Sarah, it's Rita. You need to get up here right now!”

Cool! Also, the lady holding the can is wearing a diaper. Or my brain might be filling that in.

Hey everyone! As a heads up, this will technically serve as the final chapter in this story. There is one more part I have planned after this that I’ve almost completed, but it will serve as an epilogue more than as a strictly ‘final’ chapter. That being said, I think you all will enjoy it just as much as this one. There were a lot of ways that I could have had this story turn, but if any of you have read my other stories, I usually like the happy endings better. I have a few stories with decidedly negative endings, but I kind of like my fiction to be an escape sometimes and ending happy is just a nice way to go in my opinion. Next, as a reminder, I’m now polling between two stories to figure out what I should write next. The two choices are listed out in chapter 2, so be sure to check them out and let me know. As I am announcing the winner with the next and final chapter tomorrow at some point, be sure to let me know which story you would like to read first. As usual, I hope everyone enjoys this penultimate chapter! Chapter 15: Spring of a New Life My heart pounded within my chest. I didn’t see a way out of this. I just knew that Nancy was serious and only bad things could come from this. But then I saw the rippling eyebrows of Agent Dawson. Subtle, but something was definitely there. I just hoped that she was trying to indicate for me to duck, and I really couldn’t be sure about that even, but I knew that at least at minimum, she had a plan in mind. What specifically, I had no idea, but at that point, I only had trust to go on. So, with few other options, I nodded my head to her. Agent Dawson cleared her throat and Chief McGinty briefly looked back at her. He seemed to know what she was indicating, and he was clearly the one in charge, so when he looked back at Nancy, he stared at her even further down than he already had been. I could probably have heard a pin drop in that single moment. I could feel the tension rising behind me with Nancy. I knew she was planning on doing something very soon. Before she did though, Chief McGinty then squinted, slightly curved his mouth upward, and said very clearly, “Take ‘em.” All at once, I stopped breathing. I knew the moment of truth had come and I froze in Nancy’s hands. I just hoped that whatever happened, it would be over quickly. As if to answer my hopes, a single shot rang out from Agent Dawson’s gun. It kind of made a splattering noise of sorts unlike the pure deafening bang of a normal gunshot though. It confused me for a second, but being so tightly wrapped in Nancy’s arms, I couldn’t see it, but as soon as the round thudded above me, her body went slack, and she dropped back to the floor. Still clutched in her arm, I fell with her. I was stunned for a moment. I even patted myself down to see if I had been injured anywhere, but once I felt I was in the clear, I pried the lifeless but still heavy arm of Nancy off me. I didn’t want to turn around and look, but a morbid curiosity soon overtook me. When I looked back though, there was no sunken head, no blood or brains smeared onto the home I thought would have been safe. Instead, a bluish-purple splatter could be seen right in the middle of Nancy’s forehead. Curiously, and slightly unnerving, her face had been frozen in the emotional state she had before getting hit. To be honest, I felt Like I was watching a movie of her, and someone had just pressed the pause button. I mean, I could see the rage for sure, but there was also a sense of panic and dread there as well. Maybe even regret, but it didn’t matter in any scenario. Nancy was down and I was quickly surrounded by practically every officer. It was highly overwhelming, but Agent Dawson quickly plucked me out of the crowd and led me over to Lillian who was frantically searching around for me while still cradling the still unconscious Jimmy. “Oh, sweetie! Come here! Come here!” Lillian held one of her arms open to me and I needed no further prompting to dive right in and give her a giant needed hug. “Oh, honey, are you alright?” I nodded into her arms, and she just hugged me tighter. Right then, Jimmy began to stir, and while at first, he was a little disorientated, he soon seemed happy just to be in the embrace of his family. For me, I was happy about that, but there was a part of me that was even happier when I saw the still frozen form of Nancy being dragged off. “Well,” Agent Dawson finally said, clearly relieved herself, “I guess that’s all there is to it. I reckon this is a pretty open and shut case now. What do you think chief?” Chief McGinty scratched his head and sighed. “Yeah. I suspect so as well. Good thing for those stun rounds you agents keep on you for these situations. Nancy will definitely stand up to trial now. Even here in southern Virgan, I don’t think there’s a jury within 500 miles of here who would convict her as not guilty.” “Might even be able to press her a bit at this point to get some information as to how she escaped…” Agent Dawson added. Chief McGinty didn’t seem too pleased about that, and there was a part of me that wanted to know why. But for tonight, I finally felt safe that Nancy was going away for sure and was also definitely going to pay for her crimes. * * * I guess I wasn’t sure what I was hoping for after that. Months with Nancy in her growing pro-Big state of vileness against me had put me on the defensive for so long that I wasn’t even sure of where I wanted my future to head anymore. On the one hand, my memories of Earth were coming back to me, but as the season began to grow warm again in the following Spring, I still couldn’t bring myself to just simply go back home. I was reading better than ever now, but my mind still seemed scattered and unfocused when it came to any activity that I had to complete above maybe a first graders. My thoughts were better, and I did find some satisfaction in some of the activities I used to, but simplicity offered me a safe haven with the other attributes I hadn’t quite mastered yet… if ever. Pronunciation of words, potty training, coordination, and several other feats now just seemed beyond my grasp. So, going back to Earth seemed like more of a dream to me more now than ever. I still felt wrong about staying in this dimension, and this led to several moments of frustration in my life, but admittedly two things began to help me out until I could decide what I should do. The first was Jimmy and Lillian. Their comfort and protection of me the night Nancy broke in and afterward helped me more than I ever could begin to know. As vindictive and paranoid as Nancy had been in the end, they were just as kind and considerate to me now. Even when I got closer to them, fearing that they would turn out just like Nancy, they only became more supportive of anything I tried to do. The second thing that helped me out was seeing Nancy. As Agent Dawson and Chief McGinty had predicted, she did go to trial and while the details aren’t as important, the conclusion was. After striking a plea deal, she wasn’t sentenced to a growing new program designed to ‘disappear’ Bigs. Of course, there were persistent rumors of those ‘disappeared’ Bigs turning into Littles themselves, but most just believed them to be just rumors and nothing else. That being said, Nancy found herself in a program that seemed deadest on confirming those rumors without actually confirming them. Nowadays, there wasn’t a soul alive who didn’t recognize Nancy, now sporting her undyed dark brown locks of hair, from the myriad of PSAs she now appeared in, all solely dedicated to warning other Bigs about what not to do with Littles. Most commercials began simply. She would be dressed in the Big attire I most remembered her in, but she would ‘act’ harshly against an actor Little and would then soon be forced to endure all the treatments normally reserved for Littles in this society. It was a riot heard around the country as she used her visible diapers on every television screen. I reveled in the sweet sense of justice that it brought me, but I also began to notice a change in her and the format of the PSAs. At first, I thought it was just the acceptance of her fate as the poster Big for the anti-abuse of Littles, but about two months ago, I started to see that she seemed less mature when she was supposed to be acting like a Big. If anything, she almost started to appear like a Little trying to pretend to be an adult. I loved it at first, but it didn’t take long after that for them to drop the adult portion of the PSA entirely. Slowly but surely, I began to see a decreased awareness in Nancy’s eyes. If I didn’t know any better, I would have sworn she was being regressed herself. When I asked Jimmy or Lillian about it, they seemed nervous but steadfast in their answer to me. “It’s just acting” or “She’s being punished in the way the state deemed fit.” In other words, I never got a straight answer to what I was seeing with my previous caregiver, but life just continued and like other portions of my current existence, I learned to just accept this society’s version of justice and move on. “I’m sorry, honey,” Lillian said as she changed me back into a new diaper. “Maybe we can try the pull-ups another time. Jimmy and I are really proud of you, but I think for now, we just need to keep you dry and well-protected, okay?” I tearfully nodded, but it had already happened before. As one of my Christmas gifts a few months ago, I had been given a shot to try out the pull-ups they had bought for me initially. Unfortunately, just like now, my control seemed minimal at best. Jimmy and Lillian were both patient and helped me through each trial run, and while I did make it a few times, I hadn’t lasted a week either back in December or now. So, at this point, I was pretty resigned to the fact that I likely never would. As if sensing my thoughts, I heard someone creak along in the hallway and a figure soon appeared at my door. “Knock, knock,” Jimmy said cheerfully as he knocked on my nursery door just as Lillian finished taping my diaper into place. “Hey sweetie. I know you’re probably feeling down, but I was thinking that maybe to cheer you up, we could go to the park today. How’s that sound?” They both knew me very well by now and that I had been itching to get back to the playground without wearing a jacket for at least a month. We had made several trips to the playground during the winter months, but today was one of the first few weekends that was nice enough to thoroughly enjoy outside. So, I nodded quickly. “Yes, pwease!” Jimmy and Lillian both smiled at me. As Lillian helped me back down to the floor, Jimmy gave me a thumbs up. “Perfect! Let me go pack our to-go bag, you all get settled here, and we leave in five, okay?” “We got it, dear. You run off and pack now,” Lillian said patiently. They had gone through this routine several times before and Jimmy always said five minutes, but he would always forget something, and the five minutes would soon blossom into fifteen. As he speedily took off, Lillian looked back and me and we both giggled at the sight of him hurrying away. “Now, let’s get you packed.” I nodded and proceeded to help about as much as I could with my diaper bag. So, as predicted, fifteen minutes later, we were all in the car and headed to the main park everyone lately seemed to be going to. It was deemed a ‘safe zone’ by the local authorities where Littles could run about and play without fear of pro-Big protestors. Rumors swirled through the community that some were considering the passage of some humane state Little laws and the pro-Big movement hadn’t responded well at all. “We’re here!” Jimmy finally announced after a while. I easily got bored lately in the car and though Patch remained diligently by my side, I kept forgetting to give myself something to do in the car. I’m sure Lillian could have helped me out, but I already felt like enough of a burden to bother with that kind of thing. Both were trying to get me out of that habit, but it was very hard to break still. Regardless, getting settled into my stroller and my diaper bag and our to-go bag stuffed underneath, we all soon took off for the main area of the park. It was almost lunch time, and everyone seemed gathered about the picnic tables. Fortunately, I saw Anna and Lilly’s families both there and convinced Jimmy and Lillian to sit by them. A quick lunch later and every Little was back at play. First up, were the swings. Again, as had become habit, I got Jimmy to push me, but today, being one of the few double parent teams, he offered to push a few of the other Littles as well while Lillian caught up with a few of the other caregivers to arrange playdates and the like. “Hiyer Jimmy! Hiyer!” I demanded as politely and sweetly as I could. Seeing my smile, he never seemed to mind. Admittedly, he was getting a pretty good workout today, as I saw him jogging back over to me. “Right on it, sweetie. Try kicking your legs out when you go forward. It will help you even more.” “Like dis!” Lilly shouted out from nearby. We were a little more on equal terms now with our abilities, but being a native Little, she knew just how some of these more childish things worked better. Nearby, the still young Anna merely copied her. Lilly and I had both noticed that she was doing that type of thing a lot more lately. We both wondered why she seemed to be slipping further, but after coming in one day with a Jasper and Jinx t-shirt underneath her skirtalls, we both knew the reason. ‘I swear, that program was responsible for more Little regression than the FOY some days…’ Next was tag. Seeing as it got me moving my now more coordinated legs around and let me just be as free as I wanted to, when possible, it was rapidly becoming my favorite outdoor activity. I still loved the swings, chalk, slides, and other things like that, but tag just checked off a lot of what I wanted. Plus, when you found a good place to hide, chances are, there were other fellow Littles nearby as well you could whisper to and catch up on what was going on. “One, two, thwee, fou…” Anna began to count. I quickly found a perfect hiding place, but I saw that Charley, Jenny, and Vivian were also hiding nearby as well. “Are you schure issa good idea ta let her count?” Vivian asked, raising an eyebrow over to Anna who was getting stuck in the teens with her counting. Charley shrugged. “Eh. I dunno. She’s pwobly bettuh dan me, buh one of da adults will hewp… you dink so Emma?” I nodded and pointed. “Look. Miss Suzzy, Jane’s mommy, is comin’ to hewp. Somone’s always watchin’ when we pway.” All seemingly satisfied now, I then looked over at Jenny. She was relatively new to all of us and was still making friends. Like me, she was from Earth and had been set adrift from her original caregiver. Her stuffy, Victor, had provided an excellent distraction in her time of need, but she was still trying to find a new one. Curious, I then looked over and saw the potential Big candidate she had been getting to know lately. “Hey, Jenny. Iss dat youw new caegivuh?” She nodded with a big goofy grin on her face. “Uh-huh! He’s so weird buh so funny! He can make aww dese difwent voices. Victo’ an’ I have so much fun wiff him!” I smiled at my new friend’s newfound caregiver. It wasn’t easy finding a new one, especially for the quirky oddball she was… ‘I mean, what Little dresses in purples and blacks?’ But she was truthful and creative, two qualities I admired a lot, and when I learned that she was looking for a new caregiver, I quickly stepped in to help her out. “Dat’s gweat, Jenny. I’m so happy fo’ you.” She smiled but then clearly a new thought popped into her head. “Ooh! I nee’ to invite you aww to a pawty nex’ weekend! He says he wan’s to becuh my offischul caegivuh!” “Oh, congwats, Jenny!” Charley celebrated. “Yeah, I’ll totly be dere!” Vivian announced. “Me too!” I knew I had to clear it with jimmy and Lillian first, but I doubted either would have a problem with it. It was supporting another Little who was my friend after all, and they had been trying to get me to make new ones for a while now. Truthfully, I had a guess as to why. Anna soon found us after our rather loud cheering echoed cleanly through the metal tube we were hiding in. It didn’t matter much, as after a few more rounds of tag, a lot of the Littles began to nod off and either were taken home or simply took a nap on a blanket their caregiver had laid out for them. For me, I was starting to feel the day wear heavily on me, but I decided to absolutely exhaust my remaining energy by going down the slide while I thought about a few things. Now, some caregivers would have flat out said no or would have insisted on going down the slide with their Little as an alternative. Jimmy and Lillian however, elected to either trust me, or when there were other less regressed Littles around, wait for me at the bottom. Again, it only reinforced my suspicion from earlier about making new friends. See, I think both of them wanted to form a stronger bond with me and get me to stay with them. I was still too timid to even contemplate the notion of adoption, but I also knew that caregivers were technically only meant to be temporary fixes for regressed Littles. I, unfortunately, knew now that I was a regressed Little. I wasn’t so bad to the point of never being able to return to Earth, but I also knew my life would be very difficult there if I did. Automations and programs helped the other fortunate to be returning by now, so it was possible, but every time Lillian caught me and swooped me up into the sky as I made it back down the slide, I caught myself wondering if it would really be so bad to stay here. All that seemed moot for the moment though, as the sun began to set, Lillian scooped me up one last time. “Alright, missy. Playtime is over. It’s almost dinner.” I wanted to whine, but a yawn only caught in my throat instead. Lillian only smiled and hauled me off. A quick trip to the changing table and some extra wipes to clean me off from the dust of the playground and I was declared ‘as ready as ever’ as I was then loaded into my car seat once more. I soon nodded off, but when I awoke a little while later, I was quickly aware of the fact that we weren’t going home like we normally did. Instead, we headed into the main part of the city, Loculofus. “Whew… whew aww we?” I sleepily asked. Lillian turned around and smiled at me. “Oh, good. You’re up. I was just about to wake you because we’re getting closer to where we’re going out to eat tonight. For now, though, just sit back and we’ll be there sooner than later.” I nodded passively and just hugged Patch even tighter as we passed over one of the taller and scarier bridges. Once parked, Lillian plucked me out of my seat and followed Jimmy. My memories from before still took a second to come back, but it didn’t take me long to realize that we were back in the park I had first arrived after the coming to this dimension in the first place. Almost a year ago now, it instead felt like a lifetime ago. Giving my diaper, stuffy, my little flower dress, and the fact I was being carried by a Big through the park now, I don’t think that notion was too surprising though. Finally, after a little more walking, we soon came to a large restaurant, one that I had recognized from the chain out by where we lived. The restaurant, ‘Blue Apollan,’ catered well to both Bigs and Littles and was a growing success everywhere. Beyond their funky and even whimsical décor, they had a zero-tolerance policy for Little discrimination and was even known to hire the occasional Little willingly. Jimmy and Lillian had introduced me to it late last year and I couldn’t get enough of their Little-sized burger, fries, and chocolate milkshake. We all sat down and despite the fact I was in a highchair, I was still given a menu to look at. At one time, I would have considered it just standard at any restaurant, but I had quickly learned in my outings with Nancy that it wasn’t the normal case for Littles in this society. “So, what can I get for you, young sir?” the roughly college-aged Big then asked me as I continued to look over the menu. I quickly looked at Jimmy and Lillian and both just smiled and nodded their heads. I instantly saw the relief on the waitress’ face. Choosing from a menu was a big deal for me, but despite the restaurant policy, it was still usually considered a privilege and not a right by most Bigs. I could only imagine how many Littles she had seen getting punished for acting out here. “Uh, one bacon buguh an’ one cholate shake, pwease.” She wrote everything down and hesitated for a moment, and I quickly realized why. “Oh! Sowwy! Widdle sized fo’ aww dat.” I blushed heavily, but to my relief, she just smiled back. “You got it, cutie,” she said cheerfully. She then took Jimmy and Liliian’s order and went off to put it in. To their credit, neither said a word about my slip up. Not punishable, but considering the Big size was almost three times the size of the Little version, it would have been wasteful nonetheless. Regardless, our food soon came, and the meal went pretty typically afterward, but I could also feel that both Jimmy and Lillian had been looking at me differently all night. At first, I thought it was just residual looks from my slip up with my order and then I thought it was just because I was their Little and they didn’t want me to choke or anything. Looks like that were common and I had gotten used to them a long time ago. With Nancy, it was because she thought I was simple incapable, but with Jimmy and Lillian, I knew it came from a place more to show their care for my safety than anything else. Still, the looks persisted. Finally, after I polished off the first round of double chocolate smoothie, savoring each of the sprinkles that had sunk to the bottom of the malt glass, I had to know what was going on. “Wha’ss goin’ on wiff you two?” They were about to say something, but I quickly added, “An’ pwease don’ jus’ say nuthin’.” Jimmy smirked and then looked at Jillian. “Well, I guess we can’t keep it to ourselves any longer. Are you ready, honey?” Lillian instantly looked terrified, and my palms began to sweat. I had learned long ago by now that if Lillian was nervous about something, I probably should be too. I don’t know if it was simply a Big versus Little thing or that I was just mimicking how she reacted to the world now, but her emotions were usually a pretty good indicator for how I was feeling as well. She then sighed heavily and nodded her head. “Yes, I think it’s time.” Oddly enough, she then looked over to my milkshake. “Probably better take that now before she finishes the rest. No need for any tummy troubles tonight.” “Ooh! Good thinking, honey.” To my chagrin, Jimmy then reached over and took away my milkshake. I was about to protest, but he just held up his finger to me… his classic symbol to me to not interrupt him for a moment. It honestly wasn’t a power move at this point, because in almost every scenario, he let me speak after. If anything, he just used it as a way for me to speak with all the facts once he gave them, rather than for me to just lash out initially. After all, he knew very well that my emotional state was still in a bit of flux after my time with Nurse Bee and Nancy. “Now, sweetie. You’ll get this back after what’s next. I’ll even fill it back up with the rest, but first…” he then waved his hand around in the air. I wanted to turn to see who he had signaled to, but he quickly spoke again before I could. “First though, we have a bit of a celebration for you. It’s why we came here, not far from where we first met, to celebrate a special event.” Before I could ask a single question, a few of the waiters and waitresses soon came over and began to clap as our main waitress soon placed a decently sized single cake in front of me with a lighted number ‘6’. “Alright everyone!” she yelled out to the rest of the restaurant. “Can I get a big round of applause for someone celebrating their six-month anniversary?” All at once, every table began to clap in earnest. For my part, I was utterly confused. A six-month anniversary… it felt so short to be celebrating something and I tried to wrack my brain back six months ago. I was still a little fuzzy with dates and all, but six months ago was Nancy… ‘Maybe?’ Before I could question anything, our main waitress placed a cardboard crown on my head. To be honest, I smiled a little bit at that, feeling every bit like a special princess. Still, I was really confused about everything else. “Happy six months, sweetie!” the waitress said cheerily. “We’ll leave you to it but be sure to make a wish before you blow out your candle!” I could only nod to her in stunned silence. As they left, I turned back to Jimmy and Lillian, both of whom were smiling as wide as they could, but I noticed that they could also quickly see my confusion. “Ooh, you know, Jimmy… she might have been in her regressed state when that state law was passed.” Jimmy then palmed his forehead. “Oh geez. You’re probably right.” Both then quickly turned to me. “We’re really sorry, honey. We completely didn’t even think about the fact that you might not know about the whole six-month rule in place now.” I wanted to say ‘duh’ but my instincts told me that probably wasn’t my wisest move. “Uh, so may’ee tell me now?” Lillian nodded. “Right. So, last year, the government passed a new rule for Virgan that any Little must be in the care of Big for at least six months before… before…” She seemed stuck on saying some word and she looked at Jimmy for help. He nodded and turned back to me. “Adoption. Adoption is what she’s trying to say, Emma. It’s okay either way with us, but if you want, we’re offering it to you now.” In an instant, my whole world turned. I had only meant all of this to be a temporary break from teaching, but now, I was faced with a challenge that most Littles, oddly enough, would be so lucky if they were able to choose themselves. Choosing to be adopted was essentially declaring me a ward of this dimension now. I could potentially still go back to Earth, but it would require several more steps than what I was already still technically going through now. So, in essence, I was choosing whether I wanted to go back home or not. It was a tough decision and one that I thought I would never have to make. There was a big part of me that still was who I was when I initially stepped out of that portal last year. I felt I was still that English high school teacher from Arizona thirsting for adventure, but at the same time, I couldn’t shrug off a single notion that kept flashing through my head: ‘Was I really still the same person?’ I guess if anyone from my past back on Earth was to see me now, there’s no way they would have ever considered me the same person. Even from just a glance and not knowing about my playtime at the park today, the fact that I would require a diaper change before going home, and then where I would get a bath, be rediapered, and then tucked in for the night as I, Jimmy, or Lillian read a story before falling asleep in my crib, they could see the difference. Going even further though, they wouldn’t know about daycare, or my other diapered friends, or even the numerous playdates I had set up for this week or my visit to the public library for Reading Day on Friday with Lillian. So, no, they wouldn’t see all that, but they would see me in a highchair, proud of my paper crown declaring me a princess for the moment, likely could smell my diaper from the powder or otherwise by now, and they would probably see the few globs of milkshake and ketchup I had accidentally dropped on my dress instead of opting for a bib. By now, I wasn’t sure what was worse for one of my past people to see, but I doubt they would ever refer to me as an adult anymore. That notion stung more than I ever thought it would at this point, but I knew I also had to look at my life with how it currently was. Sure, it wasn’t how I thought it would turn out, but I still felt I had the basics of what it was to be happy. I had friends, a social life, a fun and healthy environment to live in, my books and other assorted likes in my life, and yes, even a family. As I stared over at the still eagerly waiting Jimmy and Lillian, I realized that I had now spent more time with them than I ever had with Nancy. Nancy had seemed so safe, but barely two months in and she was cruel and sadistic. Jimmy and Lillian had passed that mark long ago and they were still the same happy and dedicated couple I had first met. Sure, I still got put into timeouts and whatnot, but there was a genuine care and understanding they gave me that I felt I needed in my life now. So, maybe bikinis and driving a car were out of my life, but I also felt I had gained more than I had lost at this point. Not wanting to waste a single more second worrying or second guessing myself, I knew my whole world was about to change, but I still nodded. “Yes.” Like a pin had just popped a balloon full of air, it seemed both could finally breathe. Ever the detail man though, Jimmy looked back at me. “Okay, yes. But I just want to be clear… What are you saying yes to?” I could see that Lillian just wanted to soak in the moment and had assumed what I had said yes to, but I knew that Jimmy had a point as well. Adoption for Littles was always a sticky subject whenever the Little’s consent was actually involved, so to reassure them of what I meant, I nodded my head again. “Yes, I agree to be adopted by both of you.” In an millisecond, the tension that I had been feeling on the periphery for both Jimmy and Lillian instantly vanished. Smiles instantly lit their faces and I could see a few other Bigs cooing and awing over my acceptance of their proposal. I saw a few Littles look at me with disgust as well, but I quickly pushed them out of my mind, especially when Jimmy and Lillian scooted their seats around me and gave me a giant hug. A few moments like that passed, and both then released me from the front of the hug while still bracing me from behind. I felt safe, protected, and loved. “Okay, honey,” Lillian told me, smiling down to me from my left. “Blow out your candle and make a wish.” “Go ahead, sweetie,” Jimmy encouraged me from my right. “Just make it a good one.” I nodded and smiled at both before looking back down at the longer lasting candle on my tiny piece of cake to think about my wish. Sure, my life hadn’t turned out the way that I thought it would, but my mind kept coming back to one simple fact: I was happy. Coming from a world once bent on the edge of destruction, growing up, I never thought I would get any sort of happy ending. So now, here in another dimension entirely, once again, the Bigs were giving me a chance to be happy. Nancy and a few of the others weren’t pleasant, but all those problems seemed very far away as Jimmy and Lillian both embraced me as I stared back down at the candle. I could have wished for many other things, but only one wish really stood out to me. ‘I wish to lead a simple, peaceful, and happy life with my new friends and family.’ Childish, wishful thinking, and even simple perhaps, but given my current life, I thought it seemed entirely appropriate. So, having made my wish, I sucked in a big breath of air, and blew out my candle. Receiving praise from both Jimmy and Lillian, we all hugged once more, and I felt that what once was supposed to just be my little break, had actually turned into a pretty good life already. So, maybe, just like in all my favorite stories, my wish might actually just come true.

Chapter 9: Rude Awakening Ashley shifted uncomfortably in bed and then suddenly opened her eyes. Looking around, she saw she was in her childhood bedroom, surrounded by her favorite toys and the comforting presence of her parents. "Hi there, sweetie, having trouble sleeping?" her mom asked in a smooth, comforting tone. "Was I just dreaming? The mannequins, Steve, my entire life? No, that can't be. Am I dreaming now?" "It's okay, sweetie. Try to get some sleep." Her mom leaned over and kissed her forehead, followed by her dad. They both walked over to her bedroom door, pausing for a moment to look at her. Ashley wasn't sure what was going on, but she felt relieved not to be in the nightmare of the daycare. She was comfortable, loved, and safe. "Love you, Mom and Dad," she spoke, her voice much younger than she remembered. She was a child. "Awe! Isn't that sweet, Elysia?" the mom said, but her voice twisted, turning into the same sound she heard from one of the mannequins. Ashley's eyes widened in fear as she looked around her room. It began to change, the walls melting away to reveal the abandoned daycare around her. "The sweetest." her father spoke, only he was becoming the other mannequin, their faces morphed into the eerie mannequins that had trapped them. "No, no, this can't be real." Ashley started to panic; she was back to her adult self. She tried to scream, but no sound came out. She was paralyzed, trapped in her bed as the mannequins approached, their lifeless eyes staring down at her. They began to speak in unison, their voices echoing with a chilling tone. "You can never leave," they whispered, reaching out to her with their stiff, plastic hands. Ashley felt a wave of terror wash over her as she realized she was completely trapped, with no way of escape. In a panic, she struggled to free herself from her bed, but it was as if she was glued in place. The mannequins leaned closer, their faces contorted into sinister smiles. And then, without warning, Ashley felt a warm sensation growing beneath her. She was wetting the bed in her dream. She closed her eyes as the mannequins were inches away from her face. "Oh no, sweetie, did you have another accident? It's been years, what happened?" The voice was her mother's again. "huh, what?" Ashley was completely confused. She slowly opened her eyes to see her parents standing above her once more. "Honey, you're 23. You can't keep peeing yourself like this." Ashley looked down and saw that her bed and pants were still soaked from when she thought she had peed. "At this rate, you're going to need diapers." Ashley felt a pit in her stomach at her mom's words. They didn't even diaper her when she went through her bed-wetting phase as a child. Now, she has one accident, and they want to diaper her. Wait. She is an adult. They can't diaper her. "It's a good thing we have them in your size." the voice changed again. Ashley looked up at where her mom was standing to see one of the mannequins holding out one of the childish diapers she was put in when she arrived. Ashley shot up in her bed. She looked around and saw she was back in the nursery, in the crib she had fallen asleep in. The shame and humiliation of wetting her bed washed over her as she woke up, drenched in sweat and tears. It took her a moment to realize it was just a dream, but the fear lingered. The image of the mannequins replacing her parents burned into her mind. Then she felt it. Her crotch was damp. She did wet herself in her sleep, but she was wearing the diaper, saving her from the humiliation of a soaked bed. Suddenly, the lights switched on. Ashley looked over to the door as the mannequins walked back in. Looking over at Steve, she could see him and the others slowly waking up. Both Nick and Steve gave a huge yawn as they stretched. It looks like they at least had a good nap. "I hope you all had a good nap. Does anyone need a diaper change?" Elysia asked as she walked over to Nick first. "Looks like someone does. Nyxara, can you take Nicky as I check on the others?" "I'd be delighted. He is such a good boy." Ashley was shocked to see how much Nick played along with their games. He was easily in his 30s. How could he be okay with getting treated like this? He had a pacifier in his mouth, smiling happily as the mannequin took him away, practically snuggling up to the thing. "Good job, Kelly! At this rate, you might be ready for big girl undies for bedtime." Ashley could clearly see the frustration on Kelly's face. If looks could kill, that mannequin would be dead. But hearing that Kelly could be back in underwear made Ashley blush. She used to wet the bed all the time as a kid, and now she did it again. What if she started having issues again? Would she be stuck wearing a diaper to bed each night until they escape? "Oh God, I can't let that happen." "Are you going to be a good girl, Kelly? Can I trust you to stay in here as I check on the others?" Elysia asked her. It seemed to Ashley that the mannequins didn't have the same relationship with Kelly that they did with Nick. Was Kelly someone she could trust to help them escape? Kelly simply nodded at the mannequin's question. "Alright, you be a good girl now. We wouldn't want you to get hurt... now would we?" The pause in its voice sent a shiver down Ashley's spine. She was told that this one was dangerous, but would it really injure them? It was supposed to be the nice one between the two of them. The mannequin picked up Kelly and carefully placed her on the ground, watching her closely to see if she would run off. Kelly just looked at her feet. It was clear to Ashley that Kelly feared this one and didn't want to push her luck with it, even if she hated it. "Good girl." The mannequin shifted its focus to Steve. Now, how did my little Stevey do?" Steve was unphased by what happened with Nick and Kelly; he didn't really care. He was just happy to no longer be around the other mannequin. "Good. I tried to tell you we aren't babies. There was no way I was going to use these stupid diapers on such a short nap." Steve was still mad about Ashley's comment, but maybe if he agreed with her, they would finally figure it out. The mannequin gave a robotic chuckle at his comment. "Someone is talkative already. That nap must have done you wonders. Now, let's check that diaper of yours." Steve wanted to resist, but he knew these things were ten times stronger than them, and resisting only seemed to make things worse. "Good job! Looks like you managed to stay dry, too." Ashley's heart sank as she heard its words. She didn't want Steve to use the diaper, but she also didn't want to be the only other one who woke up wet. "Now, young mister, normally I would ask if you could be responsible enough to stay in the room while I checked on your friend here. But after seeing your behavior today, I think you're going to have to stay here while I check on little Miss Ashley over there." Steve felt frustrated by its words. He wanted to be let out like Kelly, then while its back was turned, they could have made a run for it. But now, he was stuck in the crib. The mannequin walked over to Ashley's crib and picked her up out of it. "Oh my, you little miss, you really need a diaper change. You soaked it. Let's go get you cleaned up." Ashley blushed as the mannequin carried her away from the others and over to the changing room. She could see Steve as she was carried away. His face started off as one of confusion, quickly changing to a smirk as if he was happy about her needing to get changed. "What the hell is with that face? Is he happy I'm getting changed? What the fuck? That's so messed up."

Yep, I had it in early December of last year. I am always kind of on the fence about sharing details these days, but it has overall been successful. I am incontinent and would not be able to go through day to day life without pull ups or diapers. I did have some complications - strictures, pain and retrograde ejaculation. Pain is largely gone nowadays, but I still get some stinging after orgasms which I am trying to get to the bottom of. Retrograde ejaculation was to be expected, and I had a procedure to treat my strictures which has solved the issue seemingly. Besides that, I don’t ever manually pee anymore. It just leaks out, whether it’s drips or larger gushes/streams just depends on position/movement/fluid intake. But my bladder ultimately cannot hold urine anymore. Even if I clench my sphincters it still comes out. I can still get normal erections and have normal orgasms, but sometimes I have that stinging discomfort for a few hours after doing so. Hopefully this can be resolved, because it is a bit bothersome to be honest. Otherwise, I’ve just been adjusting to my new state of being. Personally I prefer pull-ups to tabbed diapers, so I’ve been changing lots and lots of those. Always need to bring spares if you’re going out just in case too.

Chapter 110: Pre-Date Planning BETH HAD BEEN surprised to leave class and find Carly waiting for her in a chair not far from their classroom. She had her head in her hands and looked like she was one step from breaking down. “Hey,” she said, walking up to her, “are you okay?” Carly looked up at her and noticed that there were some tear tracks. She scooped her up and hugged her, “What’s wrong?” “Nothing,” she tried to say. “You look like you’ve been crying; that’s not nothing?” Beth asked. “Fine, I’ll tell you later… can we get out of here?” “Sure, let’s go get some food.” “Would you please put me down?” Carly asked her. “Sure,” she said, worried about this change from the past couple of days where she didn’t seem to mind when she held her. They walked beside each other to the Union, and Carly led her to a line at a chain that served chicken. They both ordered chicken nuggets, and Nikki picked up her own chicken sandwich, too, behind them, joining them at a table. “What’s wrong, Carly?” Beth asked. She sighed, “Who says something is wrong?” “You? Your body language?” Beth insisted. “Ugh… I just had, I think, the most mortifying experience of my life so far!” She said, dipping a piece of fist-sized chicken into it, “I don’t want to talk about it, though,” she told her. Beth considered pushing, but a shake of Nikki’s head was advice she decided to heed. “Did your test go okay, at least?” Carly tensed up but released a little bit as she said, “I think so… I mean, I’m nervous about my first real test here in this dimension, but I think I answered everything correctly.” She nodded, “When do you find out?” She asked. Right then, there was a ping from Carly’s bag, and she reached in for her phone, “Right now, apparently?” Her face was unreadable, Beth decided to ask, “So…?” “Perfect score? A Hundred?” Carly said. “Great job!” she told her. “Thanks,” Carly said sheepishly. “You ready for your test? That’s your next class, right?” “Yeah,” Beth told her. “Not looking forward to it, but I don’t think I can do any more studying?” Carly looked at her phone. “There’s a studio available for editing; want to go edit for an hour before our classes?” “Do you think we can actually finish that last scene?” Carly shrugged, “Not sure, but we can probably get close if not?” Beth looked at the clock on her phone and said, “Let’s do it!” It was a brisk walk for the three of them, but they made it into the studio and loaded the project. Carly was moving faster than anything she’d seen her do so far. ‘Is she trying to burn something from her memory from earlier?’ She thought. She certainly didn’t help Beth with that if that was her goal! Carly moved through the selected takes for the last two pages of the script at a rapid pace. Beth watched as Carly argued with the HoloCharacter about being the baby before getting fed some fake baby food by Beth. “All done! What a good baby!” she watched herself say. ‘I could have been saying that to a real baby,’ she thought. Right then, she grimaced as she watched herself squat down. Per the script, the camera angle briefly showed her filling her diaper before Isabella came in and sniffed beside her. “You’re poopy, sweetie!” was amongst the top ten most embarrassing lines said towards her while they filmed. She turned red as Carly manipulated the footage to show her ‘walk of shame’ back inside the daycare. ‘Brings a whole new meaning to walk of shame, actually,’ Beth thought. Carly practically jumped a moment later as she watched herself ‘poop’ her own diaper. She turned to look at her and noticed she was kind of shaking. “Are you okay, Carly?” She shrugged, “I hate seeing myself doing it, even more than doing it?” Beth nodded at that, “I’m not a fan of those scenes of pooping myself either? I think I have more than you, actually?” “You probably do…” Carly said, “But I’m the one who keeps living it right now?” “What happened this morning?” She asked, reaching over and squeezing Carly in a side hug. I TENSED AT the question but knew this was like when my mom or sisters asked me similar questions on bad days. I decided to rip the Band-Aid off as I manipulated the final camera angle and faded to black. “Done!!!” I said excitedly. She smiled, “Good job,” she said. “I’ll text Charlotte and let her know. Now, this morning?” I saved our work, locked everything back up, and turned to her. “I… I pooped my diaper in the test?” She hugged me again, “Nothing bad happened, right?” I shook somewhat, then said, “Well… I guess at least I didn’t get punished or demerits?” “But…?” “Someone complained about how I smelled bad, and so one of the girls in my class offered to change my diaper behind the desk.” “Why didn’t you just leave for the changing station?” “If we left, they considered us done. I guess the professor is being cautious about cheating?” She nodded at that, “I’ve had a couple of those morons…” She moved me onto her lap, then, “So, what did you say?” I blushed, “I accepted?” “So everyone saw you get changed?” “I don’t think so…?” I shrugged, “I had my eyes closed most of the time, though.” “Sorry, Carly, that’s pretty embarrassing.” She squeezed me, “Come on, we still have ten minutes to get to class. And I don’t think you can edit us out of being late?” “I could try?” I told her. She tickled my side then, “Let’s not push our luck?” We walked quickly to Euler, where we both had our class. She hugged me, “It’ll be okay, and we’ll have a great time this weekend! Try to relax in that voodoo you call math.” “Good luck with your basic calculus,” I razzed her. She stuck her tongue at me, and we split off to our classes. I spent the class going through the date that night in my head and all that I hoped would go right while contemplating what could go wrong! I really didn’t want to wear my uniform. Still, I also knew from the student handbook that if you wore it, the police and LPS would be more likely to believe you were a student and not just making up stories… Given that we’d have Nikki with me, I contemplated risking it, though! ‘It’s not like I want to dress up like a princess… just jeans and a sweater?’ I thought to myself with a sigh. Professor Nash began class with new variations on the content we’d discussed so far in the week. It was really cool to see the possibilities of using this process to further astronomy and portal physics calculations! While I was entertained, I noted several class members hadn’t made it in that day, and several others were propped up on their tablets, taking a nap. Professor Nash wasn’t a fool, so she said, “Okay, I think that’s as much of this as any of you will absorb today! Remember you will have a test on all we’ve discussed this semester on Friday of next week. I’ll have a study guide on my site this afternoon that you can use to review.” With that, I was helped down from the table and shouldered my bag, realizing it was at least an hour until Beth’s class was usually done. I didn’t know how an exam would affect that, so I just sat in the lobby outside her lecture hall to wait for her. As I approached, I saw Nikki sitting there already. “Not watching Beth?” I asked her. “Hi, Carly, skipping class?” She countered. “The Professor saw several absent students and several passed-out students and decided the math added up to early weekend! So… watching Beth?” I asked. “There’s only one way in or out, and they didn’t want me in the room during the testing?” “Sounds like an opportunity,” I frowned. “I’m going to be addressing it later. Right now, I’m not overly concerned. We’re more likely to deal with problems tonight. Speaking of which, tell me all of your plans!” I felt nervous as I said, “Well, I was debating about some place fancier, but I think it would be better to keep it casual for a first date.” “First date?” “Well… first official date?” I told her with a blush. “Anyway, my cousin Shelby told me about this place called Off-Forkway Stage that does burgers and shakes. They entertain you randomly with show tunes from musicals, too?” “Cute,” Nikki said. “What else?” “We’re just going to go see a movie. There are a couple of movies; I thought I would give Beth a choice.” “For your own sake, avoid the animated ones?” I nodded, “Shelby told me that, too. I was thinking either Glen’s Den, which is an action-adventure flick, or Harlsgate, which is some sort of science fiction film?” “No romance movies?” “I think there’s also one of those called Cupids Rise, but it didn’t sound as good to me?” “It hasn’t gotten very good reviews from anyone I’ve seen,” she conceded. “So, how are you getting there?” “Grandma?” “Romantic ride?” I shrugged, “Practical, I need to get her our overnight bags to go home with her?” She nodded, “Well, you definitely have a good head on your shoulders. What’s your end goal for this, though? Aren’t you supposed to be going home at the end of…?” She was about to finish when a series of students began escaping the room where Beth was taking the test. Nikki and I saw her come up behind a few Bigs and walk beside Livy. “Hey, Conn… Carly!” Livy said a moment later. “Hi, Livy!” I said. “Ready to change and head out?” “Are you dressing up for this?” Beth asked. “You’re safest with your uniform on?” She reminded me. I held up my wrist with the Student ID band we’d updated earlier in the week. “I have this, you, and most importantly, her!” I said, pointing at Nikki. Beth nodded, “So, how dressy are we talking?” “Casual, don’t go getting a ballgown on?” I told her with a smile. “Casual dinner and a movie; I just want to wear jeans and that purple sweater Aunt Bella made for me?” “That really soft and fuzzy one?” She asked me. I nodded. “I’ll be petting you all night long…” she said, turning red, “You two did not hear that!” Everyone laughed and walked me to Sanders. “Meet you down here in half an hour?” Beth asked. “Sounds good!” I said, racing upstairs to change out of the jumper outfit. I was tired of wearing the same outfit for the past week! It was infinitely more comfortable and loose-fitting than the fake tie and suit I had to wear as a boy, but I wanted to cover my legs more until it grew warmer! BETH HURRIED UPSTAIRS and discovered Rachel had again already packed her bag for her. She checked it for anything missing but decided she’d done a great job this time. Rings was even carefully laid on top of her clothes and pillow, so she closed the bag again and walked to her closet. Knowing Carly was going to wear jeans and a sweater made her want to do something similar. She found a pair of darker-colored jeans and a light green sweater that would probably look okay with Carly for any photos they might take while they were out. She took the time to change, brushed her hair, and was thinking of styles when Rachel appeared. “May I help you with your hair?” “Umm… what did you have in mind?” “I can do anything you can think of. Or show me a picture, and I can go from there?” Beth thought that was kind of cool and hadn’t thought about using her ‘nanny’ as a hairstylist. ‘I probably should have thought of it, though. They do kids’ hair all the time?’ she said. She thought for a few moments and said, “Can you just put it into a half-pony with the pony curled?” “Certainly!” Rachel said to her, moving behind her and seeming to pull all of her hair accessories that were needed from across the room. It was a bit dizzying, but also quite impressive, how quickly Rachel could style her hair. She momentarily looked at herself in the mirror and said, “This is great, Rachel. Thanks!” “You’re very welcome, Beth! Have a good time on your date!” With that comment, Rachel faded from existence. ‘She knows too much!’ she griped. She took one last look in the mirror at her makeup, and she decided to change the look before she left. It wasn’t an over-the-top night-out look, but it did look a little bolder than she usually kept her day look. She tossed her backpack, overnight bag, and purse over her shoulder before closing and locking the door. Nikki was waiting for her outside her door, “Ready?” “Yeah, let’s go get Carly!” I MADE MY way upstairs to the nest and quickly packed anything else I had missed in my overnight bag. Sure that I had toiletries and clothes, I also took time to embarrassingly load some diapers into my backpack and add some to my overnight bag. I was sure Grandma had a fully loaded changing table back at her house. Still, after being stuck in that monstrosity the other day, I didn’t want to risk a repeat! I then moved to my clothes and found the jeans and sweater I’d told Beth I wanted to wear. Lilly walked over right then, “Ready to head to your Grandma’s?” I nodded, “Beth and I are going to do a couple of things first, though.” She looked around the room for a moment, then picked me up and said, “Let’s chat in my room?” I still held my jeans and the sweater as she carried me into her apartment and closed the door. It was only the second time I’d seen it closed so far, and I was a bit worried! “What’s wrong?” I asked her as she carried me to the couch and placed me an arm’s length away from her so we could look at each other. “Going out with Beth?” I nodded, “Uh-huh?” “It’s kind of risky for you two to be a couple?” She said gently. I nodded, “We know, and we’re careful?” She sighed, “I just don’t want to see anything happen to you?” Shrugging her shoulders, “So what’s with this outfit if you’re going out somewhere off campus?” I shrugged, “I didn’t want to go on the date in my uniform?” “You know that uniform is a bit of protection, right? If you’re wearing it they have to check with Emerson?” I held up my wristband. “They have to deal with this first? Not to mention how many Littles just get ripped out of their clothing, and they claim not to have known?” She looked at my wrist, “Portal Littles can’t get those? How did you?” “There has to be a family member with them, right?” I shrugged. I have an adopted grandmother here. I doubt any other Portal Littles have ever had that.” She smirked, “Probably not! I’m still shocked that your grandma let your mom go home; then she was crazy enough to let you come here?” I smiled, “It’s a family tradition thing?” “Huh?” “For at least a few centuries, probably longer, Slane men have always gone on adventures. They were some of the first to come across the ocean to our continent to settle the ‘New World,’ as they called it. They were also some of the first to go several places on Earth, and my mom came on her adventure here.” “Wait… Slane men?” I felt a bit bad then, but just said, “Yes, Mom was a boy when she came?” “Another tradition?” she smiled. “Seems like it might be becoming one,” I nodded. “So, this sweater and jeans, huh? What’s the plan?” “So it’s okay?” “I heard Beth has a bodyguard now? She’ll be with you, right?” I nodded, “Yeah, Nikki goes with her everywhere.” “Then I can’t imagine her letting someone adopt you. Word is also that you took care of yourself with that lunatic last week…? Try not to get arrested while you’re out, at least?” I smiled, “I’ll agree to that!” “Good, let’s change that diapee. You’re soaked, so let’s get you dressed, and I’ll do your hair for you.” “Thanks!” I said to her. Twenty minutes later, I had a dry diaper, jeans, and a sweater on. Lilly had curled the bottom of my hair. She made a couple of mini-braided ponytails to keep the rest of my hair tied back in the middle and attached a medium-sized bow. I would have complained about looking like a toddler, but the truth was that with the fat being adjusted in my face, head proportions, and body proportions from the nanites, I wasn’t going to get away from that look. I knew I would probably look like I was the youngest daughter out with Nikki, our babysitter or mom. With a shrug, I smiled and said, “Thanks, Miss Lilly.” “You’re welcome, Carly.” “Oh, and I’m coming back to pick up a few of the girls for a shopping trip tomorrow?” She blanched, “Is that safe?” “We’ll have plenty of supporting Bigs?” “You be careful, no taking too big of risks?” I smiled, “I won’t.” Grandma showed up right then, and we headed downstairs together, where Beth and Nikki waited outside the hall. She looked cute in her sweater and jeans combo. I was glad it was warm enough to leave the coats off as we climbed into Grandma’s car and headed for what I hoped would be a memorable date night! ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thanks for reading!!! Please press the 'Like' Button and Leave a comment! Real life is definitely raging right now, so sadly, I'm at a standstill with writing. Fortunately, I have a 15-week lead, so hopefully, that will let me have another writing spurt before I run out of completed chapters. This weekend is probably my last opportunity for a few weeks, but we'll see if I can get my head into writing mode again. Just a reminder if you enjoy my work, please consider purchasing an ebook version from Amazon of my completed works! http://amazon.com/author/babysofia

Chapter 8: Naptime "Wait here, young miss, while I get your friend here a diaper change. I'll check on you once he is all cleaned up." The mannequin carrying Steve and Ashley spoke as it set Ashley into one of the cribs in the nursery upstairs. "Now, as for you, stinky mister, let's change you. I hope you learned your lesson about misbehaving." Steve simply nodded slowly. He didn't want to listen to these things, but also after what he just went through, he's not too sure about not listening to them either. Nyxara took Steve out of the nursery and across the hall to the changing room. As much as Steve wanted to be out of this diaper, he knew he was just getting into another one. He wasn't sure what was more humiliating, the fact that he would be getting a diaper change or the fact that he needed one in the first place. The mannequin gently set Steve on the changing table. He felt his soaked and messy diaper squish from under him. As much as he hated the feeling, he was already starting to get used to it. Getting out of this thing and into a new one would be so much better than what he had to deal with for the last while he was here. He wasn't sure how long he was like that. He hasn't seen a single clock since they got here. All of the windows had thick curtains that let in no light. Without their phones or watches, there was no way to tell how much time passed while they were here. Steve began to wonder. How did that man know he's been here for years, then? Without any sense of time, couldn't it have just as easily been only a matter of months or even days? He must have some way of tracking time. Steve was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't even pay attention to what the mannequin was doing. He didn't really want to. It would only make him feel worse about his situation. Trying to keep himself distracted, he began looking around the room. He remembered the last time he had been in here. The mannequin had placed Ashley's phone up on the shelf. Steve glanced over at the shelf above his head, trying to see if he could spot her phone. "No squirming, mister. I'm almost done." The mannequin spoke in a commanding manner, breaking Steve's attempts to be anywhere but here mentally. He looked down to see the mannequin placing the diaper tapes around his waist. His diaper was already changed, and he didn't even notice it. "Alright, up we go, now let's get you into some comfy pajamas." the mannequin grabbed his arms and pulled him to his feet, standing on the changing table. Steve focused solely on the shelf above his head. He had to see if Ashley's phone was on it. More importantly, he noticed that standing on the changing table put the shelf just ever so slightly out of range. Realistically, if Ashley gave him a boost, he could reach her phone that's up there! "Here we are. These will be perfect." the mannequin held out a baby blue footie pajama set. It had little blue cartoon whales all over it. "Are you gonna be a big boy and help put them on, or do you need me to help?" It held open the onesie in a way that allowed Steve to place his foot in it. He hesitated for a moment. He didn't want to wear such a childish piece of clothing, but at least he wouldn't be subjected to it dressing him. Reluctantly, he stepped into the onesie, being careful not to trip. Within a matter of moments, he was securely zippered into the garment. "Thank you! Good job, young man!" Its words felt more like a mock instead of encouragement. Steve had no way to tell when it came to these things. It seems like they think they all are children, but at times, it seems more like it's trying to be condescending. "Now let's get you off to your nap." Nyxara picked up Steve and took him back to the nursery. Looking at the shelf, he couldn't tell if his phone was up there, but he could make out the faint outline of Ashley's. "How are those two doing?" Nyxara asked the other mannequin. "Angels as always. It seems like we might have a bit of a troublemaker. That one has been trying to climb out of her crib since the moment you turned your back. Luckily, it's too tall for her. We might need to help them fall asleep, it is their first day here." Elysia walked over to Steve in Nyxara's arms with a smile on its fake face. "Probably a good idea, this one was very well-behaved. No fussiness at all. I think he might have learned his lesson. In fact, he was so good that he even managed to help get himself dressed. We might have a young man here in no time." Every word the mannequin spoke felt like getting a knife twisted into Steve's side. He blushed a deep shade of red, knowing that Ashley just heard every word of that. How would she ever look at him the same after everything that's happened? Nyxara walked over to the open crib and placed Steve into it, laying him down on his back. She then tucked him in under a blanket. "There we go, sweetie. You get some rest," it spoke softly to him, then pulled out a pacifier and stuck it in his mouth. His eyes got huge. He never thought he would have one of these in his mouth as an adult. Steve quickly scanned the room, looking at the others, confused about what to do. He saw the other male and female in cribs across the room. Both of them were in the same situation as him. Both were tucked in under a blanket and had a pacifier in their mouth. Not wanting to create more trouble for himself, he just left it in and began to close his eyes. Realizing he didn't know if Ashley was safe, he stopped himself. He saw the mannequin leave him and walk over to the crib next to him where Ashley was. "Alright, young miss. How are you doing? Do you need a diaper change?" the mannequin pushed Ashley on her back, trying to reach her crotch area to undo the buttons and check on her diaper. "Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing!?" Ashley screamed at it when it went to grab her. "Of course, I don't need a change; I'm not a baby!" She screamed, not realizing how hurtful the words were to Steve. He felt a stinging shot at his ego and self-image. Mad at her comment, he didn't bother to try and see what happened to her. Instead, he just rolled over onto his side and closed his eyes. Hoping when he awoke that this whole thing would turn out to be a nightmare. "Miss, that's enough. I know you're tired, but this is no way to act." Nyxara was having some trouble getting Ashley to stay still long enough for her to undress and check her diaper. Unlike the changing tables, there were no straps to keep her contained. "Elysia, can you help me with this one? She is being a bit of a pickle." Elysia rushed over and pinned Ashley's arms to the bed as Nyxara unbuttoned her onesie, getting a clear view of her diaper. "Looks like someone is dry. Let's just leave her in this one. I'm sure it can hold any accidents that may happen. She is too tired to try and get changed." Nyxara told Elysia as she pulled the onesie up towards Ashley's head to remove it. Ashley blushed at the mannequin's words. Recalling her childhood issues. She prayed that they wouldn't rear their ugly faces again. It's been years, and she was an adult now. She hasn't had any issues in forever now. Just because they were being treated like children didn't make them one. Right? Reality quickly came crashing back in as Ashley felt the cold air from the room on her stomach. She was about to be in just a diaper in a room filled with mostly strangers, leaving everything on full display. "Why isn't Steve doing anything!" She thought. "Steve! Help me, for crying out loud!" She shouted, hoping for him to come to her rescue. Anyone to come to her rescue. "Shhh, Sweetie, the others are trying to sleep. Now stop being so difficult," Elysia said to her. It was clear the mannequins were starting to get frustrated at the situation. Ashley was doing everything in her power to prevent these things from violating her again. She did everything she could to keep her arms pinned to her sides, not wanting them to remove the childish onesie dress she was placed in. But it was of no use. Elysia used its arm to keep Ashley pinned to the bed while it slipped her arms, one by one, through the sleeves. Finally getting the majority of the garment off. Ashley felt mortified; she was lying in a crib with just a diaper on, her breasts on full display for anyone to see. The mannequins finally let up now that the onesie was off, freeing her arms. She quickly wrapped them around her chest, doing her best to hide her breasts. "Let's use this one; it'll be easier to get off." Elysia handed Nyxara a nightgown with tank top style shoulders. The shoulders had snaps, making it so it could be taken off either way. Ashley wanted to refuse, seeing the bright pink dress, but it was a better option than remaining naked. Ashley sat up and threw her arms up, hoping they would take the chance to cover her up quickly and without difficulty. "Thank you young miss." Nyxara spoke, pulling the nightgown over her head, and into place. Ashley hated every word, and sound out of these things mouths, but having something to wear still beat being exposed. Nyxara, then pushed Ashley back down to tuck her under the blanket that was in the cup. "Alright, sleep tight all. Remember, it's nap time. I don't want to hear any noise from in here." Nyxara spoke, its eyes glowing red in the dark of the room. Its menacing expression sent shivers down Ashley's spine. Glancing around the room, she noticed it looked like everyone was already asleep. How could they sleep in such a terrifying place? Suddenly, Ashley's eyes felt heavy. She tried to stay awake and look around the room for a means of escape, but something caused all of the energy in her body to drain, and she passed out, unable to stay awake.

I find I get a more restful nights sleep when i am diapered for bed i toss and turn less and wake up refreshed and not as groggy or grumpy.

To get back to the original topic: Yeah..... Nah.... I don't think so. The politie just haven't considered her best camera angle when removing her. Even if we disregard Occam's razor, a modest tweak of image enhancement suggests a very distinct bum crack, the landscape for which is obscured by diapers. If you look at the fat deposition on her thighs, that would be consistent with the slightly puffy derriere. Of course, as others have said, if she WAS diapered, I'd expect sustainable hemp cloth under canvas pants, something like that 🤣

My problem is...we go to sleep early, like 8:30 (eat at 4:45 pm). So, I am up at 11:30 for the bathroom and also cannot get back to sleep. So, I often come down to sit in my recliner and watch some scenic video that I watch every night and nearly fall asleep after 15 min. I actually go and empty again as I find the bed and recliner really do weird things to my bladder and cannot fully empty on first wakeup, such that going maybe is somewhat harder. I just recently started getting up at 11:30. Ya, I'm pre-diabetic. Which is weird because I started reducing carbs and self monitoring...Granted the last two nights were spicey foods. I have re-begun the treadmill after dinner for 20 minutes too. I started trying to wear at night for a couple hours (or whatever I can tolerate) without wetting. For now I am wearing a day time Amazon pull up, which is super thin between the legs (I cannot stand the bulk as I am a side sleeper). Because of this, I have been a daytime zombie for the last 20 years. Averaging 4 to 5 hours a sleep on weeknights. At least on weekends I can catch up some. I think I have super strong anxiety or something like that causing issues. I told my doctor about not getting back to sleep and he prescribed zalaplan, some generic of Sonata. It kind of makes me feel worse on weekdays, but somewhat ok for weekends.

Chapter Thirty Five Amanda looked at her clock. About an hour until she had a guest, and somehow John was still awake. Usually he’s fallen over by now, but since lunch he was so wired he climbed on the couch, climbed down and ran around it with Xerxes following him. He drew for a few minutes and then got back up. Being mostly caught up work, with only an hour or so of work left to finish later, she stopped and pondered how to get him slowed down long enough for the sleepiness to take over without blatantly just putting him in the playpen. After a moment the idea came to her, so she tapped her computer to put into standby and went to gather her supplies. Bottle of a specific lotion. Shower cap. Gloves. Shower turned on. She was ready. Stepping out of the bathroom, she watched as John crawled around the corner of the couch and used the side of the couch to get back onto his feed and waddle away from Xerxes, towing a toy behind him. He definitely grumbled about the fact that once the rough pup diapers got the slightest bit wet he waddled, and when they got partly full he was reduced to crawling. But she had to admit it, he was rough on them and they never tore once. Waiting for John to waddle into range, she reached out and snatched him up. She got him against her up with a squish and hugged him “I know someone that’s getting a quick shower.” He grumped at her a bit about being stopped, but it was obvious to her that he was almost out of steam. Maybe he kept moving so he wouldn’t feel it. Either way, it was about to be solved by some relaxing warm water. Standing him up and kneeling down, she was able to undo the locking snaps on his onesie. Press up, twist halfway, pull, twist the rest of the way and pull while tilting it back away from the direction that it would get pulled if it got snagged. Or if little hands were trying to remove it. It was the most normal locking snap, meant to keep them from just getting tugged off while littles were playing. It also made sense to Amanda that some more regressed littles would try to take their clothes off even if it was cold, so that just seemed all too practical. With just a moment of effort, his onesie was off, his diaper was off and she was able to give him a quick pass with a wipe, and she could see that the cream she used in her diaper area had definitely gotten rid of all the hair. But the rash that wet hair had caused was just barely there. Swinging her charge up and into the bath tub she gave him a quick kiss on the forehead and started explaining. He always seemed calmer if he halfway understood what was going on. “Okay John, do you remember us talking about you getting a bit scruffy?” He nodded “Yes…” “Well, first we’re going to wash your hair and then put a shower cap on you. Then I’m going to use this cream to knock that facial hair off, and that will take care of that, okay?” She watched him nod uncertainly and then she got to work shampooing his hair that was some how halfway oily again anyway. It was rewarding how he closed his eyes and enjoyed the scalp massage. Once he was shampooed and rinsed, she held up the shower cap and explained “I just need you to stand still for a moment. This will protect your hair and eyebrows so we don’t have to worry about any splashing, okay?” He looked a bit nervous as he nodded but she went ahead and put the shower cap onto him, and then dried her hands before putting on her thick gloves. Now it was time to be careful. She took a moment to make sure that his eyes and ears and even the back of his neck was covered up before using a fingertip to smear the paste onto his face, up under (but not into) his nose and all the way down to his neck and chest. Thankfully the nanite paste had no smell at all. Since he was cooperating and being a very good boy, she was able to wash her gloved hands off, and rinse his face off slowly with a cup of water. Just to be certain, she rinsed him a coupe of extra times. And now for the rest of him, she took an old rag that was about to be tossed and used it to rub him down all over with the same paste from the neck down. Since she wasn’t worried about messing up and having an accident, it didn’t even take a minute before she was washing him off thoroughly. After taking her gloves off and throwing them away with the rag, she went ahead and popped the now empty tube into the trash with the gloves. It’s amazing how you could buy a tube sized exactly to do one whole little, and it was honestly very inexpensive, too. Now it was time to lather him up for real and give him a good scrubbing down! The rest of the shower was uneventful, and the warm water worked wonders, as he was starting to sway back and forth trying to stay upright. As she got him up and wrapped in her fluffiest towel, she stepped out of the bathroom with him just in time to see a shadow moving through the window. Apparently she had gotten a later start on this than she expected, and her visitor was here. Before they would knock on the door and wake up her son, she half-dashed while keeping her upper body still to reach over and open the door. She was greeted by a formally dressed woman about her own height, which was on the short end of the spectrum for her people. The woman looked to be in her forties and dressed in a very casual pair of slacks and presentable cool blue blouse. Everything about this woman, including her demeanor seemed to exude calm and collected. Even her light brown hair, which most professionals wore up, was brushed out long and presented half in the back and half over one shoulder with not so much as a wrinkle or split end to be seen. Amanda waved silently in greeting and pointed to the now sleeping little on her shoulder. The woman nodded immediately in understanding. Waving the visitor inside, she gestured her to the counter where she always met with guests and had coffee. Only once she was seated and seemed comfortable did Amanda turn and walk as smoothly as she could manage to the her sons room. Pivoting him slowly onto the changing table, she unwrapped the towel from around him and gave him a quick once over. The nanites in the paste had done their job admirably, and he was smooth as a baby. When his body hair grew back it would likely be a gentle fuzz, and not something thick or unsanitary. He slept through her putting a rough pup onto him. He was still out when she put a fresh onesie on him. And he was completely limp when she laid him in the crib and pulled a blanket over him. She knew she would find him laying comically butt up on his big pillow later, but for now he was just an adorable sleeping blessing. She pulled out her phone and took a picture to prove that he could be still, before sliding the rail back up and turning out the light. As she started out of the door she was confronted by Xerxes, who was sitting up and staring at her. She had to lean down to whisper to the dog “Go lay down next to his crib.” Xerxes did not move. He obviously wanted his little. So with a sigh she grabbed his doggy bed and carried it into the room, putting it next to the crib. The dog looked indignant, but eventually gave up and sat on his bed looking into the crib. Stepping out of the room and pulling the door semi closed behind her, she pushed the child gate on the bathroom closed and flicked the towel into the hamper through the open laundry room door on her way to greet her visitor. Holding out her hand, she was greeted with a gentle handshake. “Hello, I’m Amanda Taylor. I’m pleased to meet you.” With a nod back “I’m Carol Scientia, pleased to meet you as well.” With a polite smile, Amanda motioned “I usually have a cup of coffee around this time of the day, and if you would like a cup, coffee is better when shared.” The woman nodded thoughtfully “I would happily share coffee with you.” Taking a moment to pop the seal on the vacuum container that she used to keep her coffee fresh on the counter, she quickly got a pot of coffee brewing and then dutifully resealed it. Turning back to Carol, she waved “I have a variety of coffee cups, if you would like to pick your own. Or if you would like, I could just grab one of my favorites.” Now with a smirk, Carol said “You know, I’m interested to see which one of them is your favorite.” With a nod, she reached out and pulled her two favorite mugs off of the cup hooks and sat them down on the counter. One was a sky blue with wisps of white that reminded her of looking up at the sky on a foggy morning as the sun comes up and starts to chase away the fog. And the other was an earthy brown with swirls of light green that reminded her of a freshly tilled garden, ready to be planted. Neither one was fancy. The handles were just the right size, the bottom was slightly rounded and comfortable to hold from the bottom. Filling both cups with black coffee, Amanda sat them down on the counter between her and Carol and motioned “Take your pick, these are my two favorites.” Carol nodded as she took the blue one, saying “Thank you very much. I find myself drawn to the blue one, so that is the one I will take.” After they had a few sips of coffee, Carol spoke up again “You have a very nice house. It’s just the right size. What drove you to move so far out of town?” Amanda took another sip as she thought of the best way to answer. Finally she spoke “I know that a lot of people like to live in tight little neighborhoods and keep everything identical, and that’s fine if they want to do that. I just don’t … fit that mold. I can’t have a garden in a suburb. I can’t ignore my yard for a couple of days if I’m backed up a bit on work. Everyone around you is constantly pressuring you to conform to their ideals of your life. If … I guess if that makes sense?” Carol simply nodded along in understanding as Amanda spoke and when she stopped, Carol simply pointed to the three rows of mugs hanging under the counter from cup hooks. She spoke “Much like your coffee mugs there. Not being all identical is not a bad thing. Sometimes the uniqueness makes us more complete as a whole. And just the same, there are all types of people. If I may ask, how do you like your garden?” Now Amanda smiled “I love my garden. Now that I have John in my life I may need to save up a bit and move the fence back and then move the whole garden back next year so that he has more room to play. As much as he tries to spend all of his time outdoors, it may do to get him a nice playhouse. Maybe one of those with the solar panels to power some fans on the inside, since it get humid here in the summer.” Carol smiled “That’s more of a what you want to do with your garden than it is how you feel about it. It sounds like your garden is a big part of your life that you are willing to, literally in this case, move back to make room for someone in your life.” With a little laugh, Amanda nodded in agreement “I think that you might be right. I wasn’t lonely before, but now I already don’t think I could live without my son in my life.” Yet another smile in response, until the look on her face changed “Tell me, do you ever have any trouble with wildlife in your garden?” Cautiously, Amanda asked back “Do you mean like birds and squirrels?” After a very short pause, the response came “I mean those things, as well as foxes and snakes. Just any wildlife in general.” “Well, with the smell of Xerxes here, foxes have never dared come anywhere near the house. I do get the occasional garden snake. They’re non venomous, so I just get my gloves and grab them and carry them off to the treeline to set them free.” “Have you ever had any venomous snakes?” Now with a sigh, Amanda admitted “Only once.” “And how did you handle it?” “Well … it was rearing up at Xerxes, so I grabbed the shovel and … I’m sad to say that I had to make the decision to kill it. I felt bad about it, so I buried it out front and planted a white Azalea bush over it as my way of apologizing to it.” There was a pause while Carol left her to have her thoughts before she spoke up again “You know, from the report I was given, and what you’ve said so far, you strike me as a very model Big in some ways, and a bit rebellious in others.” Unable to hold in a bit of a laugh, Amanda asked “Okay. I can’t resist asking: How so?” After calmly finishing her sip of coffee, the visitor explained “You act to protect first and foremost. You value nature, you value life, and I’m willing to bet that you don’t want to mess up the forest around you, as you’d rather live in the middle of it, and not make it conform to your ideals.” Amanda nodded “I suppose that is all pretty accurate. And as for the rebellious side?” “Well” she paused to take a sip. “Where most people would just conform to what their neighbors expected of them and blend in to avoid standing out, which I’m certain that you tried to do, you decided that life was not for you, and you changed everything about your life that you needed to in order to get away from it and live more like you wanted.” Trying to take a sip of her coffee was a mistake as she choked on it a little as Carol ended her statement. That took a moment of coughing to get over. Covering her mouth as she finished coughing, she mumbled “My son is rubbing off on me.” Now even the incredibly calm seeming Carol joined in the chuckling “Littles do tend to bring out the best in us in some ways, and try our patience in others.” “Amen.” Exclaimed Amanda and they even raised mugs and clinked them together. After another sip, Amanda spoke this time, saying “Do you know what the giveaway is that a neighborhood is going to be super oppressive, from my point of view?” Now looking intrigued, Carol leaned in with a smirk and asked “Oh? Do tell, I’m always looking for more ways to understand patients.” Amanda held up one finger and answered simply “The mail boxes.” That gave Carol a moment of pause before she asked “Okay, what is it about the mailboxes?” Smiling now, Amanda explained “If all of the mail boxes are ornate and every single one of them is completely identical in every way, then that neighborhood is usually the kind where someone will yell at their neighbors about anything end everything, from how they park, to if their mulch is faded, if they plant a bush without clearing it with everyone else first, even if their driveway is dirty. Next time you drive through an unfamiliar neighborhood, look at the mailboxes.” For her part, Carol listened intently, nodding along, and finally agreed “You know, that is a bit reductive in a way, but I can only think of examples that prove your point. My Mother moved into a neighborhood like that and let’s just say that I got my masters by studying and writing about the people in the neighborhood around my Mother.” Waving a hand, Amanda explained “Oh, I’m certain that there are exceptions. But when I was trying to find a new place to live, that became my red flag before I found this place and fell in love with it.” Another moment and a couple of sips of coffee later, Amanda got up and brought the carafe over and refilled both of their cups. After putting the carafe back in place she said “Please let me know if you would like any water to drink as well.” With a nod Carol took her mug again before explaining “So I suppose you’re patiently waiting for me to ‘get to the point’ as it were?” Amanda shrugged a bit “I’m not going to rush you or anything, I figure that the small talk was polite conversation, and I don’t mind it. But if you’re ready, we can change the topic.” Carol reached over and placed her hand onto Amanda’s own and said softly “I was sent out to check on you because you seemed pretty shaken up last night. Which is very reasonable.” All that Amanda could really do in this situation was nod, trying not to dwell on the events that left her crying all night long. “Well.” Carol explained “The best possible news is that the little girl that you saved woke up two hours ago. She doesn’t know where she is and she doesn’t remember how she got to where she was, but she remembers being carried and someones voice telling her to wake up.” Finally she realized that she had been holding her breath when she exhaled and slumped against the counter in front of her, mumbling “Thank the Goddess.” For her part, Carol did not seem to say anything, she waited patiently for Amanda to take a few deep breaths and sit back up before continuing. “Now that she is awake, the LPS has assigned a case worker and she is in an LICU unit. She’s going to be very well taken care of and they’ll get her healed up. A Child Psychologist will be visiting with her, and she will be placed in a loving home.” It took a bit longer to process than Amanda was willing to admit, but the end result was still a relief. Seemingly that relief must have started to show on her face. Speaking now, Carol did not interrupt her until the end of her moment of reflection. “So you made quite an impression with Agent Praefectus, and the paramedics. There is a bit of a push to offer you a cash reward for your assistance. It wouldn’t be a huge number, but the higher ups over Agent Preafectus want you to be willing to cooperate in the future for a few things.” Immediately Amanda held up a hand “I refuse to take any money for that. Period.” Smiling now, Carol looked the image of pride as she explained “I already told them that you would likely refuse. But I know them so they are very likely to send out a contractor to try and talk you into an improvement to your driveway and maybe a walking path at the very edge of your property line, at the very least.” Frowning a bit, Amanda argued “I can maintain these things. There’s no need for that, really.” Now Carol seemed to actively choose to give a nonchalant shrug as she explained “I am here to help you adjust and make sure you are doing well after a traumatic event. You seem like the type that would prefer to know in advance. Arguing with them directly is your job.” Nodding appreciatively, Amanda admitted “Yes, I do appreciate that.” After a long quiet moment sitting together. After finishing her second cup of coffee, Amanda admitted out loud “You know, I thought this would be more stressful and it would turn into some sort of session? Looking up from her own mug, Carol commented with a straight face “You’ve been answering questions and reflecting on things for an hour now.” That gave Amanda a moment of pause while she thought. “Now” Carol interrupted her thoughts “It seems like you’ve had time to talk about the events from last night with someone and spent the night with them being there for you?” Amanda nodded along. “Have you noticed suddenly feeling over the top as far as being protective of your son today?” “Well … A bit, yes. I think I’ve kept it mostly under control though.” Carol nodded along “Why don’t we talk for a bit longer, let this process, and you can tell me how this has affected your internal dialogue.” Amanda sighed a bit “Okay, so that’s probably going to be a bit harder.” ~~~~~~~ An hour and a half John woke up in his crib, and not snuggling with his dog. He had that feeling that he got when he slept either too much or not enough and even flopping onto his giant pillow, which usually worked wonders, could relieve his temporary grumpiness.

JUNE 20 - ADDED A HAND-FULL OF BREAK POINTS TO MAKE IT EASIER TO READ THIS FIRST PART Loose papers, file folders, thick books and numerous legal pads were scattered across the boardroom table. At the head of the table, an older man leaned on the polished oak, looking down at a small pile of documents in front of him. He reached down and flipped open one of the file folders, pulled a post-it note from where it had been stuck. Not looking up he said, “Miss St. James.” “Yes, Mr Cotton?” He looked up then, grey eyes seeking out the young woman. “Go down to the library, I need you to check all the cases from 1986.” Kristine St. James nodded at the tall Oscar Cotton. “Yes sir. What do you want me to find?” He looked at the post-it note again and then said, “You’ll know it when you find it.” Several of the other people in the room, all young men and women, rolled their eyes, and one dark-haired man gave her a sympathetic look. However, Kristine only said, “Yes sir.” Oscar nodded and then began to shift through the documents in front of him. By the door was a polished aluminium coat rack on which hung some expensive suit jackets, mostly blue and black. Kristine took a jacket of dark red, worsted wool and slipped it over a white blouse, open at the collar. Before leaving she grabbed a messenger bag, heavy with the laptop within. Beyond the boardroom was a large, open office space, the perimeter made up of other such boardrooms and offices for the lawyers. She paused, looked around, promised herself she would have one of those offices in two years. As she walked to the elevators the two-inch heels of her pumps clicked on the office's hardwood floor. Hardwood floors were just one of those things that the law firm of Cotton and Black used to set itself apart from the others. The elevator took her down to the lobby, and she crossed the tiled floors, towards the stairs. She was a young woman, looked more or less her twenty-five years, average across the board, maybe a little pretty. No one gave her any more attention than anyone else. She walked down two flights of stairs, into the sub-basement. Cotton and Black had space down there, for storage and the library. Her security key got her into the room. She reached out and flipped on the lights. The fluorescents came on with a quiet but pervasive ‘hum’ and a barely perceptible flicker. “Too bad the clients don’t come down here,” she said, walking over to one of the scarred wooden tables and placing her bag on it. The cases for 1986 occupied their own shelf. Books of past cases and the legal precedents set in them. She pulled several down, carried the heavy armful back to the table, placed them down on one end. From her bag, she brought out a beat up, old laptop, and several pads of legal paper. “Okay, let’s go fishing,” she said, and then pulled a book towards her, sat down, and flipped it open. Time passed. She ran numerous searched on her laptop, filled almost an entire pad with notes and photocopied nearly one hundred pages. Feeling she had found everything she (and Oscar) wanted Kristine put the books back in place and then left the library, snapping off the lights behind her. She had been there for almost four hours, and it was a little after seven in the evening. The offices of Cotton and Black were not empty, but most everyone had gone home. Kristine might have gone home herself, but she really wanted to get things finished up. She sat at her cubicle, a far cry from the office she wanted, logged into the desktop computer and then began to write up the document. It was almost ten when she finally finished putting everything in order. All the precedents neatly organised, from the ones that had the most relevance to the case to the ones that had the least. There were a few good ones there, but nothing that she would have considered a home-run in the case. She could only hope she got what Oscar Cotton had wanted. While the computer logged off, she stretched in her chair, arms above her head. Flopping bonelessly she slumped in her chair, eyes closed. So simple to just fall asleep in the chair. She would feel like hell tomorrow. Standing she took her jacket from the back of the chair, then slipped her arms into it, pulling it straight. Grabbing her messenger bag up she walked through the nearly empty room, towards the elevators. She almost ran into someone coming out of one of the offices. “Oh, sorry,” Kristine said, jumping back. The other woman started, took a step back, then shook her head. “No problem. Here late?” “Yes Mrs Kirk.” Linda Kirk looked at Kristine for a few seconds. “You’re working with Oscar.” “Yes Mrs Kirk.” “St. Just?” “St. James.” “Sorry.” Kristine smiled. “No problem.” Linda nodded and started towards the elevators. She walked slowly, and Kristine took that as an invitation to fall in beside her. Linda was a little taller than average, and her three-inch heels made her stand taller than Kristine. She was a beautiful blonde, blue-eyed woman, looking to be in her late thirties, but probably older than that. Married, as Kristine understood it. Not happily, according to office gossip. Kristine tried not to pay attention to such gossip. Linda was the kind of lawyer that Kristine wanted to be, minus the wedding. “You’ve been here for about six months,” Linda said. “Yes. Came in around April.” “Do you like it here?” She and Linda had arrived at the elevators and Linda reached out and pressed the call button. “I do,” Kristine said. “Are you hoping for a job?” Kristine knew what Linda meant. “Yes.” “Work hours like this and you’ll probably get it.” “Thank you.” “Don’t let it take over your life though.” “Pardon?” “You’re a young woman. I suspect some of the other people articling are out having some fun. God knows I did a few times.” “I’ll remember that, but,” she paused, “I like the job.” Linda looked down at her, not that there was that great of a difference in their heights. “I suppose you do, but still…” The elevator ‘dinged’ and the doors opened. They both stepped in. Kristine reached out and pressed the button for the lobby. As the doors closed, Linda said, “Just don’t burn yourself out.” “I won’t,” Kristine said. They ended up riding down in silence. Kristine looked at the muddy reflection in the dull silver doors. All she could really make out was her dark hair, brown, worn to her shoulders. Different from Linda’s long, blonde hair. “It was nice to speak with you,” Linda said as the elevator doors opened on the lobby, then walked out. “You too,” Linda said, following. Linda’s longer strides made it clear that their conversation was over. Still, she followed Linda across the lobby and out of the building. They went different ways a few steps later, with Linda stopping by the side of the road to hail a taxi while Kristine turned and walked down the block towards the subway entrance. When she reached the platform, she took a moment to check her phone. There was a message from Daniel, the dark-haired young man from earlier in the day. He and the others had gone out for drinks, wanted to know if she was going to come. She considered it for a moment but chose not to, sending him a text message telling him she’d go out drinking tomorrow night. Friday night. Tonight she’d get some sleep and be ready for a busy day tomorrow. In another place a busty woman with cat ears sat in a booth, several women with rabbit ears tight around her, hugging her, pouring her drinks, laughing with her, sharing kisses. The cat-eared woman laughed loud and drank deep. “Another round,” she called out. The rabbit-eared women cheered. “Tac is so generous,” a bunny girl with ridiculously huge breasts said. “Of course I am my sweet little hare, the party never ends,” Tac said. She was well dressed, in a tuxedo cut to flatter her feminine curves, her black hair cut in a short bob that called attention to a long, feminine neck. The waiter came by with a new bottle. He coughed, as if uncomfortable. “You’ve run out of money ma’am.” Tac produced a card from her jacket and handed it to the waiter. “Of course, put another fortune for my tab, and twenty percent for tips across the board!” “Of course ma’am.” The rabbit girls squealed happily, fighting to throw their arms around Tac as the waiter nearly skipped off. “Oh, my life is good!” Tac crowed. A new glass of alcohol (a catnip whisky) had been poured, and Tac was slipping her hands under the clothing of her table mate. “I’m a pussy that knows my stuff,” she told one of the rabbit girls as she slipped a hand between her legs. Someone coughed loudly. Tac looked over her shoulder. Behind her was an older woman, dressed in a severe but beautiful dress. Her lower body was that of a snake. “What is it mama-san?” Tac asked. “Do you have a new girl you want me to meet.” The woman smiled, though it did not touch her eyes. “I am afraid that your card has been denied.” She placed the card on the table. Tac straightened. “Impossible.” She reached for the card. “I am afraid it is true. Do you have another form of payment?” Tac looked at the card, then shook her head. “Only barbarians carry cash.” “Enjoy the bottle, it is your last. Girls.” “Awww, sorry Tac,” one of the girls said as she and the others slipped from the booth. Tac sighed and slipped the card into her jacket. “Share a glass with me Mama-san?” she asked, holding up the still mostly full bottle. “For old times sake,” she replied, slipping the upper part of her body into the booth, leaving her tail to the side. “To the good old days,” Tac said, lifting her glass after she had poured two full tumblers. “You have spent the good old days here,” the snake woman said as she tapped the rim of her glass against Tac’s. “You jest,” Tac said and took a drink. “Why I have hardly been here…” she looked at her watch. “Wow! No wonder they cancelled my card.” “I wish you well,” the snake woman said, finishing the drink. “When you are rolling in money again, you are of course welcome.” “You’ve got a heart of gold Mama-san.” “If that were true I would have cut it out long ago.” That said she slithered off, leaving Tac alone. She poured herself one last drink, then corked the bottle. She had paid for it so she would take it with her. After knocking back the generous measure, she got up and walked with the exaggerated and affected grace of one very drunk. Outside the bar, it was daylight. Bright daylight. Tac’s green cat eyes narrowed, and she raised her free hand up to shade her face. “This sort of day is obscene,” Tac said. “There is only one obscene thing here, and that is you.” Tac turned to the speaker. “Gorgeous,” she said as if the word tasted like ashes. Not entirely living up to her name, the rail-thin Gorgeous with soft brown skin, kohl-lined eyes and perked up Anubis ears seemed a pretty Egyptian princess. “You are an embarrassment,” Gorgeous said. “A sexy embarrassment, with cat class and cat style,” Tac smiled, taking her hand away from her brow to place it across her chest. Gorgeous’ lips twitched into scowl for a moment. “You’ve left your job undone.” “What? You told me to take a couple of years break before starting up work again.” Voice expressing insult as eyes widened in surprise. “A couple of years! Two! Like a married couple. You’ve been in that bar for twenty-three!” “Your definition of marriage seems both heteronormative and supporting only monogamous pairings. In some cultures I am easily married to many of the women in that club,” she took her hand from her chest and made a gesture, pointing behind her with a thumb, “and our ‘couple’ is much larger than two.” “Really? That’s your answer. Twenty-three years in a club and all you can do is argue that you have a different definition of a word? You aren’t even going to act embarrassed that you have been spending a fortune of the organisation’s money on a party?” “So it was you that got my card cancelled. That’s low even for you.” Tac took a few steps forward and stood nearly nose to nose with Gorgeous. “You owe me an apology.” Gorgeous seemed exceptionally off-put by Tac’s attack, and stammered out, “But it was you…” She took a deep breath, threw her shoulders back and puffed out her chest. “If you want your card reactivated you had better do your job. There is a candidate that you have to take care of.” Tac shuffled a step back, realising that she had lost the opportunity to claim the moral high ground. “But it has been twenty-three years, surely that is too late. Maybe it is time I got shuffled into an office job?” “Oh? Now twenty-three years seems too long?” “Well, for the job. The candidate is probably dead right? Humans only live about fifteen years, right?” “You know that is not true!” Gorgeous snapped angrily, taking a step forward. Tac skipped back several steps. “But you got to admit, it is like too late. I mean, what adult would ever accept the deal?” Gorgeous smiled. Tac did not like that smile. “Well, that is your problem now. You want your account reactivated, you get your candidate to accept the contract. And until you do, you are persona-non-grata at the organisation. And don’t expect to get any sort of reference from us if you just decide to quit and seek a new job.” “Well, shit,” Tac said. “Kristine, good work on that report,” Oscar Cotton said as he came into the boardroom. Kristine and the other people assigned to work with Oscar had come in earlier, had been working for about twenty minutes already. “Thank you, Mr Cotton. So I found the precedent you want?” “Not at all,” he told her, smiling. “But it was good work, and it reminded me of what I was looking for.” He held up a law journal and then tossed it onto the table. “I want you to all go through the marked pages,” he told them, “give me your impressions. That is what we will be basing our defence on.” With a focus for their work, Kristine and the others set down to get all of the details hammered out while Oscar put it all together in a cohesive whole. “Miss St. James,” Oscar said near the middle of the day, “would you like to join me in court on Monday?” “Me Mr Cotton?” A moment of modesty, just not to seem too opportunistic. “Yes. I would appreciate it.” But it helped to seem a little opportunistic. “Very good. Okay, let’s dot our i’s and cross our t’s,” he told the rest of the team, smiling. Kristine knew there would be a little bad-blood that she was going to assist Mr Cotton at the trial, but she knew it would not last. She had nursed short-lived grudges about the same thing. A little before six in the evening Oscar pronounced them ready. “Get some rest, have a little fun.” Dismissed they gathered up their things to head out. Daniel fell in beside her as they entered the elevator, Olivia Smoke on her other side. “Going to sit in the big seat,” Olivia teased. Dark hair, dark skinned, handsome, Olivia stood out in all the right ways. “Will you remember us little people?” Daniel asked her. “Just like you remembered us when Mrs Kirk had you help you on the Rafter case?” “I did enjoy lording it over all you peons,” he said, striking an arrogant pose. Kristine and Olivia laughed. “You heard the boss,” Olivia said as she hooked an arm through Kristine’s. “Let’s go and have some fun.” Daniel put a hand on Kristine’s shoulder. “You did promise me to go out drinking tonight.” Kristine laughed as the three of them strode out of the elevator as it opened on the lobby. “Then let’s enjoy a night of debauchery.” Close by were some upper-class bars, very expensive. They stopped in one for a few drinks, letting themselves enjoy the finer things. “For practice when we are all big shot lawyers,” Kristine said. However money did not go far there, and they piled into the subway, heading downtown to less genteel but much cheaper options. They drank heavily, in celebration, for another week done. Daniel handled his booze better than the other two, and watched over them, even when drunk, knocking over glasses that had been left unattended and sending them to get fresh drinks, staying close to them, so they were not bothered too much. Kristine liked him. She liked Olivia more. The two of them, she and Olivia, ended up in a stall in the woman’s bathroom, their hands in each other’s panties. Near last call, Daniel saw them both into taxi cabs. Sending them off to their homes. Kristine sobered up a little on the ride back to her apartment. She stretched lazily in the back seat, and the taxi driver kept up a stream of what sounded like meaningless conversation. One thought dominated her thoughts. On Monday she would be in court. It was going to be an excellent opportunity to learn. The cab dropped her off at a nothing special high-rise, close to the university. Not a bad part of town, but loud students made it less desirable for older people and those with families. Kristine could just afford the small bachelors apartment she rented, with a little left over after food to enjoy a few nights out each week. She passed through the security door, and into the lobby. Took the elevator up to the fourteenth floor. She walked stockinged foot along the faded, slightly ratty carpet with the blue and gold pattern, her heels in her hand. When she reached the door to her apartment, a cat waited for her, sitting right in her way. “What’s up?” the cat asked. Kristine frowned. She was nowhere near drunk enough that she should be hallucinating. It was unlikely anyone had slipped her anything. Which meant she was facing a talking animal. “Get the hell out of here,” she told the cat, kicking at it. She did not think to connect, but the cat jumped away from the kick and from the door, and Kristine quickly unlocked it and slid inside. “Damn magic animals,” she said as she pushed the door closed and locked it. “That was hardly nice.” Kristine looked over her shoulder. That cat sat on the floor behind her. “Of course.” She turned and slid down the door, so she was sitting on the floor. “Don’t you have to be invited in?” “You are thinking of vampires.” She closed her eyes. Took a deep breath. “What do you want?” “Become a Magical Girl.” “Fuck no!” She said, opening her eyes, straightening to her feet. The cat was gone. In its place was a beautiful woman in a tuxedo, cat ears upon her head. She understood, intellectually, that cat and woman were the same, but it surprised her none the less, and she swayed on her feet. “Come on, don’t be like that?” The woman stepped closer. “I’m Tac. You’re Kristine. Introductions over.” She put a hand on Kristine’s bare hand. “Now become a Magical Girl.” Kristine shivered at the touch and pulled back. “No.” She pushed past Tac and into the centre of the small apartment, between the couch and the TV. “Every girl wants to be a Magical Girl,” Tac told her. “Exactly, every girl. No woman. I’m a woman.” “Don’t I know it,” Tac said with a smile that made Kristine feel as if she were naked. And realise that she might not mind it if she were naked. “Then why ask me? Find some actual girl.” “You’re my target. Sorry. Become a Magical Girl. You’ll be a superhero. What’s so bad about that?” Kristine shook her head, then reached for the TV remote. With a beep, the TV came on. She flipped through the channels until she found what she was looking for. “There. That’s a Magical Girl.” There was some kind of panel show on the TV. One of the guests was a young woman in an extravagant pink mini dress, pink hair done up in an impossible style. “Hey, that Magical Parfait, one of the Baker’s Dozen,” Tac said. “Been forever since I saw them. She’s looking well.” Kristine nodded. “I know who she is. She or some other pathetic once was are always on late night TV, being an embarrassment. That’s what happens to Magical Girls, now that there is nothing left to fight. Why would I become one of those people? It would be embarrassing, becoming a joke, hell I think my employment contract says I can’t become magical.” “You make a few good points, but I don’t really care. Let’s fuck and then you can become a magical girl.” Kristine almost said, ‘Yes to the first part, no to the second.’ Instead, she said, “Get out or I am calling the cops.” Tac took a step back, holding up her hands. “Okay, okay. I’m going, but think about it.” Before Kristine could tell Tac that there was nothing that needed to be thought about, Tac was gone. “God damn magic,” Kristine muttered. BREAK POINT#1 Morning came. Kristine woke in her bed (a folding couch), looking up at her room’s ceiling. She wondered it a magical animal had actually offered her the opportunity to become a magical girl. It seemed like something that should be a dream. But it did not feel like a dream. Well, she had refused it, and that was what mattered the most. She went about her morning routines, then chores. The small apartment made it easy to clean. She held up her suit from the previous night. Partying and bathroom sex had done a bit of a number on it. The suit and a few other things got folded into a bag, to be dropped off at the dry cleaners, different clothes got stuffed in a mesh laundry bag. She would take them down to the building’s laundry room later. Dressing in faded jeans and a smart, cream, peasant blouse, she took up her purse and the bag of clothing and headed out. Standing outside of her door, waiting for her, was the cat. She looked back and forth, to make sure she was alone, then said to the cat, “Go to hell.” “Come on. Become a Magical Girl.” “Go to hell,” she said again, enunciating each word. Then she turned and walked towards the elevators. “You get magic, you’ll be really strong and fast. You won’t ever get a cold again,” the cat told her, following at her heels. “There is not really a downside.” “What part of go to hell don’t you understand,” Kristine asked, looking down at the cat she walked. “Is it the ‘hell’ part? It can’t be the ‘go’ part.” “The part where you won’t become a Magical Girl.” Kristine stopped at the elevators, she jabbed the down button then turned and grabbed the cat, picking it up by its scruff. “Hey, hands off the fur.” Ignoring the outburst she lifted it up, so it was hanging in front of her face, and they were eye to eye. “Get this kitty. I will never become a Magical Girl. Never, ever. If you keep bothering me, I’ll find a magical violin maker and tell them there is some magical catgut around here and they can come and get it.” “Oh real nice. How’d you like it if people were making things out of human organs?” “Don’t bother me again. The answer is and will always be no.” There was the sound of the elevator door opening. Kristine dropped the cat and stepped back into the, fortunately, empty elevator car. The cat did not follow her. Watching the doors closed Tac’s feline eyes narrowed. “If you want to play rough, I can play rough lady. Oh, I can play very rough.” Maybe once the room had been something more. Maybe once it had been clean, and sunlit, where decent people gathered. But that did not seem likely. A handful of lights made the shadows all that deeper. The walls and the floor were bare cement. It smelt of mould, stale vomit, piss and beer. The clientele often smelled just as bad. At the bar, a large figure sat. Swathed in a long overcoat and wide-brimmed hat, seeming to carry a cloud of shadows about itself. Every now and then the bartender would place a glass, filled from an unlabelled bottle, in front of the figure and the figure would throw some tattered bills on the bar. When Tac entered the bar almost every pair of eyes (in a few cases a single eye and in some more than two) was turned towards her. She was obviously out of place, with grace and style that was discordant with the general atmosphere of malignant neglect. A few watchers licked lips or gripped groins, but most identified Tac as bad news and looked away. Tac, after placing a handkerchief on the stool, took a seat beside the large figure. The figure was one of the few who had not looked towards her. “General Hemlock, the First Lance of the Rose Empress… how the mighty have fallen.” Slowly the figure turned its head towards Tac. The brim of the hat cast most of the face in shadow, buy toxic green eyes shone out. “You were with those bitches.” “The Charms, Princess Calliope. She was the one who killed Empress Rose at the end. She was the one that beat you, then left you. She thought she was kind.” The glass Hemlock’s hand shattered. “Yeah, it’s sad. You didn’t die in battle, and you didn’t protect your Empress. And you can’t go home, and you can’t do anything here, except drink.” Hemlock stood, towering over Tac. “Oh dear,” Tac said carelessly. “Are you going to kill me?” For a moment Hemlock stood there, then his shoulders sagged, and he seemed to shrink in on himself. He dropped back onto his stool, turned away from Tac, back to the bar. A few bills were tossed onto the bar, for another drink. “That’s what I thought,” Tac said with a smile. “Still, maybe there is an opportunity. You see, there is a brand new Magical Girl out there. Just maybe you could kill her. Kill a Magical Girl, and you could probably return home, little bit of honour instead of disgrace.” Hemlock’s head dipped, perhaps he was nodding. “Or she kills you, but you die like the great warrior you are.” The bartender placed a new drink in front of Hemlock. Hemlock picked it up and drank most of it in one gulp. “Tell me more,” Hemlock said. Kristine enjoyed a cup of coffee in a small cafe. She had a shopping bag on the seat beside her; her dry cleaning had been dropped off earlier. There was a little more shopping she needed to do but was happy to take a small rest. On Monday she would be in court. That was what mattered. Not some stupid cat who wanted her to become a ridiculous Magical Girl. She finished her coffee, dropped a handful of change beside the empty cup, then left the cafe at a leisurely walk. She looked around, trying to decide where to go first. She saw the people staring before she saw what they were staring at. She followed their gazes and spotted what had attracted so much attention. A ridiculously large figure, dressed in a trench coat, wearing a wide-brimmed hat. Was it some kind stunt, she wondered? Her mind on how unbelievable the figure was it took her a moment to realise it was heading towards her. She turned, looked both ways, then dashed across the street as soon as there was an opening. Having a road between her and the strange giant in black made her feel a bit better. The sound of tires screeching and horns honking made her turn. The large figure had stepped onto the road, and even as she watched, one of the cars slammed into him with a metal crunching sound. Knocked forward the figure flew through the air for a few feet and then hit the ground, losing its hat in the process. Kristine’s mouth was open in shock. Then the figure got to its feet. Without the hat an inhuman face was visible, looking more like the rough bark of a tree, with small, glowing green eyes and a simple black slash across the lower part for a mouth. It got to its feet and, ignoring the car, continued forward. Right at Kristine. When she realised it was coming right at her, she turned to run. However, with impossibly long arms it reached out and grabbed her. “Where is she?” the thing screamed at her, drawing her close. Kristine stared at it, fear wide eyes showing white all around. “Where is she?” The words were punctuated with a shake that made muscles hurt. “I don’t know what you are talking about,” Kristine almost babbled. It slammed her against the pole of a street light. Kristine was sure bones had broken. “Come out and fight me!” it screamed, then hurled Kristine through a shop window. She was certain something snapped when she hit the glass, then the glass shattered and cut her as she went crashing into a clothing shop. I am going to die. The thought was clear. “Things don’t look good for you.” Kristine shifted her gaze, towards the voice. Tac, as a cat, sat nearby. “What…” “Some monster is going to kill you, sad,” Tac told her. “Help…” “I’d love to, but I am a lover, not a fighter. But you could be a fighter. Want to become a Magical Girl? Better than dying.” There was the sound of glass being crushed, something breaking. That thing was coming after her. She knew this was wrong, but there was too much pain, and her head was ringing. She could hardly think. But she did not want to die. “Okay,” she said, giving up. The cat’s eyes glowed. “Say the words,” it said. The words? What words? Then she knew. The words that would seal the covenant. By the Power of Innocence, I am Nursery Knight Kristine. Those were the words. Those were what she said. She was almost certain what she heard was, ‘By the Powa of Innothenthe, I’m Nurthwy Knight Kwithy’. However at the moment what she heard was not as important as what was happening. The pain faded, the cuts closed up, and bruises disappeared. Her clothing changed, though she could not see, and it felt weird. Something was happening to her hair like someone was combing it and styling it. As she stood, she felt something weigh her hand down and looked to see she was holding some odd looking, giant plastic looking mace. It looked like… “You!” She turned towards the monster. “You are the Magical Girl!” “I guethh I am,” she said and wondered again at what she heard. The monster charged her. Without thinking she swung the mace out to crash into the monster. The blow lifted it from its feet and hurled it out the window. Wow! She was strong. “You better finish it off before anyone gets hurt,” Tac said. Kristine did not want to finish anything off, but if she did not then, it might very well hurt others. And it might come after her again. So she went out, leaping through the smashed window, onto the street. The monster was getting up from where it had landed, in the middle of the street. “I am the late Empress Rose’s General Hemlock, and I dedicate your death to her memory and honour!” it screamed. Words again flashed through her mind, “Innothent Wattle Thaker!” Leaping forward she swung the mace around, bringing it down on the monster’s head. The force of the blow drove General Hemlock to his knees, and the asphalt under it cracked. Its head was twisted over to the side. “Ah, still too weak,” it said sadly. “Finish me Mag…” Kristine hit it again, hard as she could. It did not move. Stepping back she thought she should be breathing heavily, thought her heart should be beating like a drum, but neither of those things were true. She felt perfectly fine. Perfectly calm. “Good job,” Tac said from where she had leapt up onto the broken windowsill. Kristine tuned towards the cat. She noticed people around her had lifted their phones, were taking pictures or videos. They seemed amused. “Don’t worry,” Tac said, “no one can get a good picture of you.” A few people started laughing, laughing at her. She moved, fast, faster than anyone might expect. She was not even sure how she did it, she just did. A man stumbled back from her, but she took his phone from him before he could stop her. He did not seem to think things were so funny. She turned it around and looked at the picture. The face was blurry, and there was something indistinct about the picture. Likely what Tac had meant when he said no one could get a good picture of her. But she could see enough to know why people were laughing. The girl in the picture was dressed in a ridiculous baby blue, child’s party dress, with a puffy skirt and puffed sleeves and a big bow in the back. And the puffy skirt was short enough to make it evident that the girl was wearing a diaper. Carrying a comically colossal rattle (her mace) with a pacifier clipped to the dress, hanging off a white ribbon. Oh, and her hair was done up in pigtails. “Cat, what the hell ith thith!?” “Magical Girl Nursery Knight Kristie,” the cat said. “What do you think a Nursery Knight would wear?” Kristine looked around. People were watching her, still taking pictures. She hated it, hated that they were looking at her like some kind of joke. Without thinking about it, she snapped up the pacifier and put it in her mouth. I just want this to all go away, she thought. It did not, but the people looked surprised. They lowered the phones they had been using to take her picture, looked around in confusion. “The pacifier makes you invisible to almost anyone but me, and probably soothes you as well,” Tac said, walking towards her. “No, don’t take it out of your mouth, not if you don’t want everyone staring at you. Why don’t you give the nice man back his phone and then we’ll take a walk.” Kristine nodded and slid the phone into the man’s pocket, as quick as she had taken it from him. He made a sound of surprise, looking around. “Come on,” Tac said. Kristine followed, the pacifier in her mouth, waddling slightly because of the bulk between her legs. It was humiliating. At least no one could see her now. And no one would be able to identify her from the pictures. The cat led the way down the street and into an alley. She jumped up on a dumpster and turned to give Kristine a look over. “Very nice,” Tac said after a few seconds. “Extraordinarily cute. Just what I would expect of a Nursery Knight.” Kristine wanted to take the pacifier from her mouth and swear a blue streak at the cat but did not want to risk becoming visible again. She shifted from foot to foot in agitation. “Well, let’s start your lessons. So, you have a mace, solid weapon, looks like a Silver 7 special version, so you can teleport.” “Tewepot?” she mumbled around the pacifier. “Right. Let’s start simple. Turn around, see that big building there? Look up at the edge of the roof, and just kind of will yourself there.” She turned, looked as she had been told. She felt Tac’s weight land on her shoulder. Well, it was magic. She focused on the edge and pictured herself appearing there. There was a momentary sensation of vertigo, and she felt as if she had just gone over the first drop of a rollercoaster. Then she realised she was standing on the edge of the roof, about twenty stories up. “Am’zing,” she said, the pacifier coming out of her mouth, dropping down to fall the length of the ribbon. She stepped forward, completely onto the roof. Tac jumped from her shoulder. “Excellent for a first try. With enough practice, you’ll be able to go anywhere.” Momentarily stunned by the wonder of it all she nodded, and then shook her head in denial. “I am dwethed like a fucking toddwer.” “Yes,” Tac said with a nod. “You are. Very cute too, thought the swearing ruins the effect really.” “I don’t care that thwearing… No. Not going to be thidetwacked. Magical Girlth are thupposed to look like thripper cheerleaderth, or hooker waitretheth, or bondage nunth, or naughty thchool girlth. They’re not thuppothed to look like toddwerth.” “Well one,” Tac said, “not all magical girls are short skirted stripper types, it’s rude to group them all like that.” “I don’t care.” “And second, you are a Nursery Knight. Nursery Knights were all girls six and under who fought the Nightmare King. What would you expect them to be dressed like?” There was a lot in that and Kristine had a great deal of difficulty processing it, but she said, “I am in diapeeth!” “Well, who knew if girls that age would be fully potty trained? Better to have them in diapers, just in case I suppose.” “Thith ith inthane.” The cat nodded. “Yes, somewhat. The entire Nursery Knight thing was ill-conceived if you ask me. A pet project of some middle management type I've heard. But here we are, you dressed as a toddler and wearing a diaper and me having to teach you to be a Magical Girl. Best we get on with this and then put it all behind us, right?” Kristine started at the cat for several second, gripping the huge, rattle/mace tight. She wondered if that cat would make a squeaking sound were she to hit it. “You thet me up,” she said after a second. “That is a serious accusation, and seeing as you killed the only possible witness, not one that you can prove.” Kristine found herself making a growling sound. “You’d have to prove it, right,” the cat said with a smile (a good trick). “If you could be certain you’d try to pound me into kitty pate paste, but you can’t, so you won’t.” She loosened her grip on the mace. “I learn what you teach. You go away, and I never have to twanthform again?” “You learn what I have to teach, I go away, and if you chose to never transform again that is your business, but you keep the benefits of longevity, durability and the ridiculous heath of those touched by this magic. A pretty good deal, don’t you think?” “Just thtart the lessonth cat. Thooner we finithh the thooner I can get back to my life.” “Okay, very well.” The cat turned into a woman. “Let’s start with banishing and summoning your weapon, Magical Girl 101.” Kristine sighed. “All right, what do I do?” “Just focus on your weapon and imagine it being somewhere else, a closet or a room, or under a tree you know well.” Kristine took a deep breath. She imagined the mace as being in the closet in her old dorm room. The weapon was gone. “Oh.” “Good job.” “Did it weally go where I ‘magined it?” “No,” Tac said, shaking her head. “It was just important you pictured it being somewhere else. Now for summoning, just imagine yourself reaching out and grabbing it.” Kristine could not help but be a little excited by this. While she genuinely had no desire to be a Magical Girl, there had been a time, when she was younger, when she had fantasised about that very thing. And now she was doing magic. Reaching out with her hand she closed her fingers around the empty air. The mace appeared in her hand as if she had just grabbed it. “I did it.” “You are picking this up fast. I’d say you’re a natural.” Tac’s voice and tone cut through the euphoria of magic, reminding Kristine that she had not wanted this, had been forced into it. Completely soured the experience. Tac, seemingly unaware of the change in atmosphere said, “Okay, let’s practice something a little more advanced.” “What?” Kristine hoped it was some offensive magic that would let her smash the grin off of Tac’s face. “Teleportation to a place you cannot see,” Tac announced. Kristine nodded. She could see the value in that. “Okay, picture your apartment, see it in your mind. Close your eyes if it helps.” Kristine closed her eyes, thought about her apartment. She could see it in her mind. She felt something land on her shoulder. Assumed that Tac was a cat again. Right in her ear, Tac said, “Once you can see it, just imagine yourself there.” She felt that sense of vertigo, of the roller coaster drop again, and then, when she opened her eyes, she was in her apartment, standing on her coffee table. The table legs creaked slightly beneath her. “Good job,” Tac said, jumping down from her shoulder. Kristine stepped down from the table. Again, there was that feeling of amazement. She had to keep herself from shouting, ‘This is Magic.’ “What next,” she asked as if teleporting was something that had already become old hat. “Well,” Tac the cat said, turning to look at her, “how about you change back?” “Finally. What do I have to do? Thout out thomething?” “Not for turning back. Just picture yourself untransformed.” “There ith a lot of vithualithation to this magic.” “It was made so non-magic types could master it easily. Very point and click, if you get my meaning.” Kristine thought she should be insulted, but she closed her eyes and pictured herself back to normal. Seeing in her mind the young, twenty-something woman in jeans and a blouse. The thickness between her legs disappeared, the sense of bare skin and fluffy petticoats, of hair, pulled back into pigtails, all faded. So much better. Then her jeans slipped down to her ankles, and her panties to her knees. “What the hell?” she said, eyes open, looking down. Her legs were skinnier than she recalled, smoother. “Well that was unexpected,” Tac said. She almost tripped on her pants as she ran for the washroom. Her panties were kicked off along the way. In the mirror she was looking at a familiar stranger. In the pictures she had seen the blurred out face and the ridiculous outfit had made it hard to notice. In the mirror was the child she had once been. She spun to stare at Tac, feeling the far too big bra shifting loosely on her. “What the hell?” “As I said, unexpected.” “What is this?” “Well, you were supposed to get this magic when you were three or four. You were about twenty-five when you did get it. I suppose the magic split difference.” “Split the difference?” “Split the difference,” the cat said with a nod. Kristine screamed. She reached down and snatched up the cat. “My life is ruined,” she yelled into its cat face. “Your life is ruined? What about me?” “What about you?” “I love to have sex with the magical girls I guide, and was looking forward to conquering you, but you’re right out of my strike zone now. It is a real disappointment.” Kristine made a few strangled sound of outrage before hurling the cat across the room. As soon as she did it, she felt terrible. She was not the sort of monster to hurt an animal. Tac hit the far wall with a thump, slid down to the floor. “Oh my god, oh my god,” she said, stepping hesitantly across the floor, afraid of what she would see. The cat bobbed up, leaping on the back of the couch. “I’m fine, take more than that to hurt me.” She dropped to her knees. “I’m sorry, that was terrible. I mean, you’re a jerk, but you did not deserve that.” Her earlier anger had all drained away leaving her exhausted. “I’m not a jerk. I am quite nice.” “Nice?” “Don’t shoot the messenger. The Nursery Knights were not my idea, and I certainly did not come up with the uniform.” She dropped her head forward. “This is a mess. My life is ruined. I don’t even have an identity anymore.” “Sure you do.” She shook her head, not looking up. “I don’t. I look like the little sister I never had. Kristine St. James might as well be dead.” “Okay, first, the identity stuff can be taken care of.” Kristine looked up. “And second, you’re pissing yourself.” She looked down. There was a puddle of urine under her. “What the hell?” she looked up helplessly at the cat. Tac seemed to shrug her shoulders. “I guess someone thought the Nursery Knights should be using those diapers.” “Fuck,” Kristine yelled, jumping to her feet, the socks on her feet absorbing some of the urine. The tails of her blouse were wet. “What the hell am I supposed to do? Am I going to be pissing myself all the time now?” She paused, eyes widening. “Am I going to shit myself?” Tac’s cat shoulders gave a shrug again. “Hell if I know. Maybe?” “Oh god.” Her knees went weak, and she almost fell onto the floor. “Okay, there is something we can do,” Tac said, jumping down from the back of the couch onto couch itself. “Really?” she felt her hopes soar. “Not that you won’t be wetting yourself, but we can manage it.” Her hopes plummeted. “Hey, buck up. Now, first thing lets summon your Magic Bag.” “Magic Bag?” She was still standing in her own pee, the inside of her thighs damp, but if there was something she could do… “All Magical Girls can summon their Magic Bag, it holds various things they need. And summoning it is a good lesson.” She stepped out of the puddle, shucking off her loose socks. If there were something in this Magic Bag that could help, then she would summon it. “How do I do it?” “Just like you called your weapon back to you,” Tac said. Visualize it and then picture yourself having it. Kristine nodded. She pictured a bag. She reached out for it. Nothing happened. She tried again. Still nothing. “It’s not working,” she said, blushing when she heard how winey her tone sounded, so close to tears. “You’re picturing the bag in your mind?” “Yes,” Kristine said with a nod. “What does the bag look like?” “Pardon?” “What kind of bag are you picturing?” Tac asked. Kristine looked over towards the apartment’s front door. “Like the messenger bag I use for work.” “Do you think a Nursery Knight would have a bag like that?” Kristine thought about it. “I don’t know?” “Well, they wouldn’t. Think of a colour that matches your uniform. Add some frills to it.” Kristine nodded, closed her eyes. She pictured the messenger bag, but in pastel colours, with a little bit of frill. She reached out, closed her hand on it. She felt something heavy settle in her grip. She opened her eyes. In her hand was the padded strap of a large bag, baby blue, quilted, big pockets on the outside, a kitty face appliqué on it. “This,” she paused, “is a diaper bag.” “Which is exactly the kind of bag a Nursery Knight would have.” Kristine held it at arm's length like it was a dead rat. “You have to open it,” Tac said as if Kristine were a little slow. Having a cat cast aspersions on her intelligence was a new low in a day of lows. Sighing loudly she put the bag on the floor, avoiding the puddle, and bent down to open it. It was filled with disposable diapers and training panties, powders and creams. There was a folded, quilted changing pad, plastic and rubber panties, wipes, bottles, a sippy cup, jars of baby food nested in a collection of bibs. And there was a teddy bear with a light blue ribbon around its neck and a few more things she could see but did not bother to try to identify. She made a grunt of derision. “There is a lot of things in there,” Tac said, jumping close and looking into the bag. “Grab a pair of training panties and put them off to the side. Kristine did, pulling a pair of the thick panties from the bag, there was a soft crinkling sound of the plastic under the faux material covering. “The bag will always have supplies in it, no matter how much you take from it, so at least you won’t have to buy diapers and stuff. That’s good, right?” She stared at the cat. The hand holding the training panty tightening into a first, making the plastic rustle and the padding squeak. “Tough crowd.” She threw the training panties onto the coffee table. “Okay, so I got a pair of training panties for the next time,” her face grew warm, “I piss myself, is that it?” She could not believe she had just said. “Of course not. This is magic. Pick up the teddy bear and say, ‘I need your help Mr Bear.’” Kristine looked at the bear, frowned, then reached in and took it from the bag. It had the solid feeling of a well-made thing, with incredibly soft fur. If she were the kind of woman, who liked teddy bears she was pretty certain she would like this one. “I need your help Mr Bear.” Nothing happened. She looked at Tac. The cat gave her another of those pitying looks that suggested she was slow. “Is that how a Nursery Knight would talk?” It took her a few seconds to get what Tac meant. She blushed. “I need your help Mithter Bear.” The bear twisted out of her hands, landed on the floor close by and then, with a pop of displaced air, became a stuffed bear, probably a little over six feet tall. Kristine made an expression of surprise and fell backwards onto her bottom. The bear looked around, glittering eyes pausing on the puddle of urine, and then on Kristine. “What is this cat?” “It is your Mr Bear.” “My…” she started, but suddenly Mr Bear had stepped close, grabbed her (somehow with those stuffed bear paws) and lifted her to her feet. With a blur of motion it had her blouse off, leaving her only in her ill-fitting bra. “What the…” The bear tossed the blouse and bra into her laundry hamper (she swore she saw it look at the laundry label first) then had a t-shirt from her dresser and was back by Kristine’s side before she finished her thought. With an upsweep of its fluffy arms its lifted Kristine’s arms above her head, and with a down sweep had the t-shirt on her. “…hell….” Mr Bear put a giant paw across her mouth. Kristine got the idea that it did not approve of such language. Then it was blurring off again, to the bathroom, coming back with a towel and some cleaning supplies. In a moment the urine puddle was cleaned up. She had to admit that was helpful. “So what, it cleans up messes?” she asked Tac. “Among other things.” “Among what…” Again she was kept from finishing her sentence as Mr Bear scooped her up, put her on the couch, and reached into the diaper bag for one of the very thick diapers. “How do I stop this?” Kristen asked as the bear secured her ankles and lifted her bottom off the couch. “Say ‘Thank you Mr Bear, I love you.’” “Tank you Mithter Bear, I wuv you,” she said, not having to be told to lisp. With another pop of displaced air the bear returned to its original size and then it, and the diaper fell neatly back into the diaper bag. Kristine scrambled off the couch, closed the bag, and without being told how sent the bag away. With a sigh she collapsed bonelessly to her knees. “What the hell?” “Your Mr Bear is your caretaker,” Tac said as she jumped back onto the couch. “Remember, the Nursery Knights were all to be pre-schoolers. They would need help. Mr Bear would clean up their messes, change them, feed them, comfort them and if they were bad punish them.” “Bad? Punish them?” “They were little girls given a stupid amount of magical offensive power. It was a pretty certain thing they would abuse that power. So, Mr Bear would deal with that.” “Great, I’m a twenty-five-year-old woman who looks like an eleven-year-old girl with a magical teddy bear that will treat me like I am two… that is the shape of things, right?” “More or less. Oh, Mr Bear can show up on its own.” She stared at the cat. “What?” “Well, you couldn’t trust a little girl to know when she needed help.” “So you’re saying I could just be walking along and suddenly a six-foot-tall teddy bear will show up and… what, change me?” “Or give you a bottle, or put you down for a nap, or spank you if you are naughty.” “Fu… Now I’m afraid to swear.” “Swearing is a bad habit. Mr Bear will help you deal with other bad habits if you have any.” “Just drinking to excess and bathroom sex,” she muttered. “Those are great bad habits to have,” Tac told her, “if you did not look like a child. I would suggest you avoid them as I am pretty sure Mr Bear would intervene.” “You think?” “Your lucky sarcasm is not naughty.” Kristine looked over at the training panty on the coffee table. She grabbed it, stood up, and pulled it on. It slid up her legs and over her bottom, the padding nestling up to her groin, feeling impossible soft, evident in its thickness. She placed her hands on it, noting it fit perfectly. Angrily she pulled down on the bottom of her t-shirt to make sure it was hidden. “Okay, now I don’t have to worry about making a mess.” She tried not to sound embarrassed, but the warmth in her cheeks told her that her body had betrayed her. “Now let’s hear about how I get my life back.” “Last time I was around here the internet was starting to take off. You still have that?” “Yes.” She wondered when the last time Tac had been in the mortal world. “Alright. So you can find stuff on that. You’ll want to search for government support of magical issues.” Kristine went and got her phone and took a seat on her couch. “Where’s your computer? What are you doing with that?” “This is my phone, and it can do everything a computer can.” “Really,” the cat moved in close to look. “Well I’ll be darned. You manage to do pretty well without magic.” “We try,” Kristine said in a snarky tone as she searched for what she had been told. It did not take her long to find a government site and a phone number for magical issues. She got a phone robot that asked her to state what she was calling about. “I became a Magical Girl, and now I don’t look like myself.” There was a pause, and then the system said, “It sounds like you have undergone some kind of transformation. Is this true?” “Yes.” A few more questions which she answered. Then it asked if she had a liaison. “Do I have a liaison?” she asked Tac. “That’s me,” the cat told her. “Yes,” she told the robot. “Please give your liaison’s code,” the robot asked. “Code?” she looked at Tac. Tac gave her a series of numbers and letters. She spoke them back into her phone. “Just a moment,” the robot said, and there was a click. Then a real person said, “Magical Issue Support, you have undergone a transformation?” “Yes, I have. I became a Magical Girl, and after I transformed back, I looked totally different.” “I understand,” the woman said as if she heard such calls all the time. “Can you tell me where you live?” Kristine did. The woman gave her an address, asked if she could make it there. Kristine checked and then said, “Yes, in about an hour I guess.” “Please go to that address, bring all the identification you have. Someone will be there. Ask for Mr Green.” “Mr Green, I understand.” She was given a case code, told to quote it if she had to call back, then the woman hung up. “That was not too bad for a government agency,” she said, hanging up. “The magical realm makes sure there is good support available.” She put her phone aside and got up, realising she needed something to wear. It did not take her long to realise there was nothing that would fit her. She found a pair of shorts, used a belt to cinch them up tight around her skinny waist. A pair of sandals, the straps pulled as tight as she could get them, gave her something for her feet. Then she gathered up her various ID cars, credit cards, bank cards, her passport and everything else she had that identified her. Tac watched her but said nothing. She had everything she needed. “Are you coming with me?” she asked the cat. She was a little nervous about some magic related government agency and though she was not going to say that she hoped Tac might take the hint. “Sure.” She left her apartment, Tac riding on her shoulder. BREAK POINT#2 The taxi that Kristine had called dropped her off in front of a nondescript government building in the downtown core. She stood there, looking about, noting that a few people were taking note of her. She told herself that was because she was dressed in a ridiculous manner and not because they knew she was wearing training panties. Still, it was hard not to think that they were somehow showing, or they were making her walk a little different, or there was a soft rustle of plastic, or that she had wet them and they were leaking. She could not stop herself from surreptitiously checking her shorts for damp spots. Taking a deep breath, she walked into the building. It had an old look, with clean but dull black and white tiles on the floor, and high ceiling of much-patched plaster. No one was in the lobby except for a single security guard sitting at a desk near the elevators. He did not look up when she entered, his attention on the book he was reading. When she got closer he looked up from the book and asked, “Can I help you?” He did not get up from behind his desk. “Uh, yes. I was told to come here, to ask for Mr Green.” “Take the elevator up to the ninth floor, third door on your right,” he told her. “Thanks.” She crossed the floor to the elevators. The guard had gone back to reading his book. The doors opened a moment after she pressed the button. She took a surprised step back, wondering how someone had known to have it waiting. Then she realised she was stupid. It was a weekend. No one was there, and likely all the elevators were just stopped at the ground floor. She stepped in and pressed the button for the ninth floor. The interior walls were polished, metal mirrors. Tac jumped from her shoulder and was once more a woman. “This place has a classic feel,” Tac said, looking at her reflection. She reached into the pocket of her suit jacket and took out a lipstick tube. “As do I.” She touched up her makeup. Kristine had already gotten a good look at herself, and the mirrored walls showed her nothing she did not already know (except for maybe making it clear how much a ragamuffin she looked). However, standing beside the sexy Tac, the changes were brought into stark relief. She was a child, well, she looked like one. When they had first met Kristine figured she was a near equal in the looks department to Tac. Now, of course, it was no contest. As she was there was no way she could compete. Before she could think on that much more the doors opened. She stepped out, leaving the mirrors and their brutal truths behind. Third door on her right. A slab of wood, no windows, old, metal doorknob. She tried it. The door opened. There was an empty reception counter behind it, beyond which a waiting room. Six doors, one an obvious bathroom. One of the doors opened. An older man stepped out. Thinning black hair, tanned skin, gold-rimmed glasses and a blue suit. “I’m Mr Green,” he said, looking her up and down. “Kristine St. James.” “You have your ID?” “Yes.” “Please.” He stepped aside and indicated that she should enter the office. Kristine walked around the counter and into the room beyond, Tac at her heels. It was an office, with a big oak desk and a single visitor chair. Kristine took that seat. Tac became a cat and jumped onto her knee. Mr Green stepped beside her. “Your ID?” She reached into her bag and brought it all out. Taking it, he went and sat down behind the desk. “That is a rather large change,” he told her as he looked through everything she had given him. “I know.” “Well, this is all simple enough.” “What?” She could not believe anything about what had happened was simple. “We’ll give you bridging ID, as well as new ID, all of it will allow you to prove to people who you are. Do you want a new identity?” Kristine thought about that for a moment, then asked, “What good would a new identity do me?” “Depends. If there is anyone after you, creditors, ex-boyfriends, that sort of thing, a new identity can be useful.” She frowned. “Do other magical girls get new identities?” “Not often at first, after several months it is more common.” “I’ll keep it in mind.” “Very well.” Mr Green stood. “This way.” In one of the other offices, there was a camera and several impressive looking printers. Mr Green took her picture and then printed out several pieces of ID. The bridging ID, as he had called it, mated her old ID with new, while the new ID just showed her as she now looked. It took about thirty minutes, then he handed the bundle of ID to her. “I’ve put in a request for a new passport, that should be delivered to you soon. If you need anything else call this number.” He handed her a card. “Like a new identity?” “Or legal assistance. It sometimes happens.” She did not say she was a lawyer (or almost one) but took his card. “Thank you.” “Good luck Miss St. James.” “Thank you.” She stepped from the room, then looked back at Mr Green. “Can I use the bathroom?” “Feel free.” She nodded. The washroom was small, with a toilet and a urinal as well as a sink. The tiling on the floor was old, faded and cracked in a few places, but the bathroom was clean. She reached through the leg of her shorts, felt the training panties. As she suspected they were warm, the padding swelled up with a wetting. “Damn,” she said softly as she loosened her belt. Summoning the diaper bag was easy. Kristine was a little worried Mr Bear might jump out, but the teddy bear remained a toy, and she took out a new training panty and dismissed the bag. Changed into a fresh pair of the absorbent panties she left the bathroom. Cat Tac was waiting for her. No sign of Mr Green. She left the office without looking for him. In the lobby, the guard was still reading his book. He did not look up as he wished her a good afternoon. Before going home, Kristine went to do some shopping. Tac came with her, in human form, though she was soon off in stores and parts of stores that Kristine knew she would look ridiculous were she to shop in. She had to try on a few things to get her new size figured out, and she needed to rethink her old style choices. That was made clear when a pair of tight jeans, which was just the kind of thing she would have bought before, made the padding of her training pants visible. She found a pair of denim overalls, lose enough in the seat to hide any puffiness from undergarments that she thought looked okay for her new body type. Paired with a white, long-sleeved shirt and a pair of running shoes she thought she looked good. Well, she looked like a girl, but at least a girl who did not dress too childlike. She bought a few more things, using cash. In theory with her bridging ID, she could use her credit cards, but she did not want to deal with that. Her final stop was to buy some training bras. She did not think she actually needed a bra, but she had been wearing one for long enough she was not willing to give it up. Tac came with her and seemed to make a point of looking at sexy bras in large cup sizes. The woman at the shop was kind and helpful, though from her look Kristine was pretty certain that she was of the opinion Kristine did not actually need one. Kristine walked out of the store with three training bras that were really just cotton vests with a bra like design. Like a little girl being sent out with some to salve a childish bit of vanity. Getting home, she dropped her shopping bags at the door and went to her bathroom to check her training panties. They were wet. Of course. “Fuck,” she said softly, then, with her coveralls and training panties around her ankles, sat on the toilet. Maybe she could re-potty train herself if she just made an attempt. “Hey, did you fall in?” she heard Tac call from the other side of the door several minutes later. “I didn’t fall in,” she retorted as she got off the toilet. She bent down and pulled up the training pants. The now cool, wet padding pressed uncomfortably against her, but she would put up with it. She was still buttoning the strap of her overalls when she came out to find Tac the cat sitting on the coffee table. “Now that you are finished in there we need to talk about work.” “Work? What does the law firm have to do with anything?” “Not your mundane and boring work that does not matter. Your work as a Magical Girl.” “What do you mean it does not matter?” “You said it yourself. No magic, and it is not like the little girl you are now can go to work after all.” “You’re asking to be picked up and thrown again,” Kristine said snapped as she went over to get her phone. “What are you doing?” Tac asked her. “Sending Mr Cotton an email. You’re right, damn it, I can’t go to work like this, but I have to let him know what happened.” She paused. How was she going to explain what happened? What could she tell him? The truth. Well, at least as much as the truth as he needed. The email was simple to write. Kristine told him she had encountered magic, had been changed by it, and could not be present at work, but would like to speak with him about it, to explain in detail. It was short and left so much unsaid, but it was good enough. She sent it and then tossed the phone onto the couch, dropped down beside where it landed. Her training panties ‘squelched’ unpleasantly around her bottom. “Finished with your pointless mundane job issues?” Tac asked. “Fuck off.” “Little girls that talk like that get their mouths washed out… assuming they still do that.” “Child abuse,” Kristine said, putting her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands. “Well, your Mr Bear probably does not know that, so watch your tone. And I would love to fuck off, and I can say it because I am a mature adult, but until I finish training you, I can’t leave. So let’s talk about your real job, the one you accepted when you accepted your Magical Girl powers.” Kristine said nothing for a few seconds, then in a despondent tone said, “Fine, but what am I supposed to do? Didn’t you say the Nursery Knights,” she hated that name, “defeated their enemy?” “The Nightmare King, and yes, he was defeated, so I can’t train you fighting him and his minions, but there are always useful enough targets for you to focus on.” “Like what?” “Smugglers.” “Smugglers?” If you could line of sight teleport, you could move across the city quite fast. It was exhilarating, the roller coaster stomach drop of each jump, appearing on the top of some building’s roof, looking out over the sea of skyscrapers for the next jump, and then it repeated. For moments Kristine could forget she was outfitted as an overgrown toddler, with a thick diaper pushing her thighs apart. A diaper that for all she knew might already be wet. In those moments she felt powerful. Faster than any car might have covered the distance, perhaps as fast as a helicopter might have, Kristine reached the edge of the city, where the buildings became smaller but sprawled more, warehouses that took up entire city blocks. They were near the docks, though not close to the well lit, busy sections, where huge cranes moved cargo containers. They were on the edge, where warehouses gave away to empty factories, a part of the city where things had started to decay, where dreams had faded. “Down there,” Tac told her from where the cat rode on her shoulder. Tac held out a paw, pointing towards a warehouse on the water’s edge, where a ruined quay was half sunk into the water. “And put your pacifier in your mouth so you’ll be invisible.” She grabbed the pacifier from where it hung on the ribbon, popped it into her mouth and began to suckle on it. As before it made her feel better. She hoped it was not addictive. Focusing on the low roof of a warehouse below she once more crossed the distance in a moment, ended up standing on the edge of a roof, looking down at cracked asphalt apron in front of the shuttered loading dock. There were a large number of men down there, carrying travelling trunk sized crates out of the warehouse and loading them into several rental trucks. They worked by the light of red filtered flashlights, kept their voices down. “They have gotten armour from the magical realm. It’s old crap where I come from, but here it will stop even heavy armour piercing rounds,” Tac said into her ear. “Why do I haf to thtop thmugglerth?” she asked around her pacifier. “Well, the magical realm really should have stopped this stuff from being exported, so it falls on agents like you to deal with it. And this is good training. They don’t have any weapons that could stop you.” “Weally?” Kristine asked. “The armour of your outfit could probably stop a tank round. They are just going to have handguns.” Handguns? “Wiwl thith outfit weally pwotect me?” It left her arms and face and almost all her legs bare. “Trust me,” Tac said. She hated the fact she had to trust Tac. “Just jump down there and tell them you are here to punish them as Nursery Night Krissy.” “I don’t wanna. Can’t I jutht thtay invithible and walk awound hittin’ dem on da head?” “No. You are a magical girl, not some nocturnal mammal themed vigilante. You are a symbol of the power of innocence, and you don’t get to be a symbol by hiding. You don’t want to throw your magic off. It might not work.” “Tho, it might not pwotect me?” “Well, it won’t fail you completely, but it is likely to hurt a lot more.” “Fine,” she sighed through the pacifier, then she spat it out and jumped down onto one of the truck’s roof, calling up her mace as she fell. She landed with a creaking of heavy suspension and crunching of metal as the roof cratered and cracked around her. That was crazy, she thought, she just jumped down two stories. No time to overthink on that. Stepping to the edge of the truck’s roof, looking down at the smugglers, she said, “I am Nurthewy Knight Kwithy! Thwow down your weaponth and thuwender or I will punith you.” Punish? Ugh. What a terrible choice of words. The men below her swore and expressed shock, fear, confusion. Some looked like they were ready to run. Other pulled out the pistols that Tac had mentioned. She jumped down from the truck, landing on one of the crates. It shattered beneath her feet. She pointed the mace at one of the smugglers. “Thuwender.” The man shot her. Guarantee of protection or not, the sight of the gun being fired, the boom of the shot, it made her scream, and she fell backwards, landing on her diapered bottom. She did not have time to think about it, but she was certain that fear had ensured the diaper was well used at that moment. Something had touched her head. That was the best way to explain how it felt, a gentle touch. Something rolled down the side of her face. She looked. It seemed to be a flattened bullet. “What are you doing?” Tac yelled from the roof. “You can’t be scared of a little pistol.” “Fine,” Kristine yelled as she jumped to her feet, swinging the mace out, even as the man was shooting her. The heavy mace smacked into his hand, knocking the gun aside with a crunch of breaking bones. The man screamed in pain, falling to the ground, clutching his ruined hand. “What are you doing?” Tac yelled from the roof. “You can’t hit them that hard. Use a little control. You're an adorable Nursery Knight, not some bone breaking vigilante.” “Thith ith tho annoying,” she shouted, as several more men fired at her and several others made to escape. She moved fast, even though she was waddling, and struck with as much control as she could manage. She used the handle of her mace to knock weapons from hands, to jab into guts and sweep feet. No more broken bones, just bruises and pokes that took the fight and the flight out of them. When it was over about a minute later she stood among the moaning men who lay on the ground about her. Tac had jumped down onto the roof of one of the trucks. “Now secure them so the police can come and pick them up.” “Thecure them?” “Handcuffs or the like, Just envision it and then call out the magic that comes to you.” Handcuffs, okay. Just picture them all with their arms cuffed behind their backs, except for the one whose hand and wrist she had broken. She imagined more of a sling type cast on him. She held up her mace and called out the words the came to her. “Naughty Boyth thhut up and thtay thtill,” she yelled. Those were not the words she had expected to come out of her mouth. Around the men sparking light appeared, falling around them, lifting them, and then coalescing into… wheeled chairs with various restraint straps. Oh hell, they were all large strollers, she thought. Around their hands formed pink mittens that fastened the men's hands behind their backs with pink ribbons. And pacifier gags. Well, she supposed they were going to stay still and shut up, but really. “What the hell is wrong with you?” Tac asked. “I jutht did what you thaid,” Kristine yelled as she turned on Tac. “I pictured them rethtwained, with handcuffth. It ith the thtupid magic.” “What a mess. I mean, it’s like your some kind of bondage pervert.” “I’m not a bondage pewvert,” she yelled up at Tac. “Well, that’s not… Look out!” “What…” Pain. Like fire painted in a line across her back. She fell forward onto her knees. Behind her, the sound of metal scraping across the ground. No thought. She raised the mace above her head. Something hit it with a crash. The force of it feeling as if it would dislocate her shoulders. She rolled forward, her back flaming in fresh pain as it moved across the ground. Up on her feet. Facing her attacker. A man, in armour, holding a sword. “That sword is from the Magical Realm,” Tac called out. “It can hurt you.” “No thit,” Kristine said as she parried another sword strike. The man was relentless, coming at her fast, forcing her entirely on the defence. Several times the tip of the blade traced out red lines on her arms and legs, even cutting her clothing. The laceration on her back bled freely. She could feel the blood running down her back, likely into her diaper. What a mess that would be. Tac shouted out less than useful advice as Kristine tried to find a way to attack. What was some crook with a magical sword doing beating her? She was a Magical Girl. She was a Magical Girl. “Innothent Wattle Thaker!” Swinging out her mace she slammed it into the sword. The sword shattered under the blow. She swung the mace back, driving it into her attacker’s side. He was wearing armour, she was certain he would be fine. And if he was not, well, the pain in her back made it hard to care. The armour all but shattered from his body, and the force of the blow sent him into the air and then down, hard, onto the ground. Still, she was pretty confident she had heard no bones break. “Naughty Boy cowner time.” The magic again came in glittering lights that lifted the man up, and the coalesced out into the mitten restraints and the pacifier gag, but instead of a stroller, he was secured to a stool, pants around his ankles, his nose pressed up against a wall. “I mean really,” Tac said as she jumped down onto Kristine’s shoulder. “This is too much.” “It’th your thtupid magic.” “Just call the police and let’s go.” Kirstine scowled, but she looked among the smugglers until she found a cell phone she could use. She called 911, reported that she had heard shots, then dropped the phone without hanging up. She picked up one of the fallen pistols and fired several shots into the air. “Nice touch,” Tac told her. “Thut up.” A moment later both cat and magical girl were gone, teleported away. Tac told Kristine not to transform back when they arrived at the apartment. “Get your magic bag, have some of the healing food and drink.” She did so. She also got Mr Bear, who stripped her dress off her so he could mend it, as well as dressing her wound. He also changed a very soiled diaper, though she fought against him on that. Somehow in all that the fur on his paws remained clean. During all that Tac took her leave. She glowered at the big stuffed animal as she ate two jars of the baby food while watching as it stitched up the rip in the dress, cleaning the blood from the material at the same time. She had no idea how it did that. She was drinking from a sippy cup (she could not remove the top from it) when Mr Bear finished his work and quickly got her back into the dress. Then he pulled her down onto his big, soft lap, took the bottle from the bag, and proceeded to try to feed it to her. Keeping her lips closed and turning her head she did her best to avoid the nipple. She turned her head and said, “Tank you Mithter Bear, I…” And then he got the nipple securely placed in her mouth. When it became clear he was not going to give up until she drank she sucked on the nipple until the bottle was empty. It refilled itself, but Mr Bear put the bottle back in the bag. “Tank you Mithter Bear, I wuv you,” she got out quickly. Mr Bear returned to toy size and dropped into the bag. Kristine gabbed a couple of training panties from the bag and then dismissed it. “God damn I hate that thing.” She transformed back, thankfully losing the diaper, replaced by the training panties she had been wearing when she had transformed earlier. She dropped into the couch and reached for the TV remote, turning it on and flipping through channels until something caught her attention and she left it. Not really paying attention to what she was watching Kristine grabbed her laptop and turned it on. After powering up and logging on, she saw she had email. Oscar had sent her a message. She had almost forgotten the message she had earlier sent him. He wanted to see her. The next day, at a cafe she knew. She replied, said she would be there. Nervous fingers made spelling mistakes, it took twice as long to type it as it should have. She read it over and then sent it. That was done. Noise from the TV made her look up. A cartoon was on. She had been watching a cartoon? Grabbing the remote, she flipped channels until she found the news. She was presented with a shaky cell phone video of a girl in a short dress and a diaper. Her. Hell. Kristine turned the TV off and went to get ready for bed. The next morning Kristine woke to an orgasm that left her lying in her sweat-soaked sheets, breathing heavily. She could not recall the last time an erotic dream had left her so flustered. Probably when she had been a teen. For a time she lay there, breathing deeply as the warm glow faded. It was perhaps a minute or two after she had woken that she realised she was wearing a diaper. She knew she had gone to bed in a training panty. “Fuck,” she said softly, wondering if the training panty had magically become a diaper, or if Mr Bear had visited her in the night. Neither possibility pleased her. The diaper, she discovered, as she got out of bed, was quite wet. The sheets, except for the sweat, were very dry. She had to admit, given the options, she preferred the damp diaper to wet sheets. Though of course having neither problem would be most preferable of all. She walked to the bathroom, tearing the wet diaper off as she went. There where, Kristine noted as the diaper landed in the trash, several training panties already in the trash. Was she going to have the throw out garbage bags full of diapers and training panties every week? And shouldn’t the magic deal with them in a more environmentally friendly manner? Why was she evening thinking such things? Sighing she went into her bathroom to shower. Later, in a fresh pair of training panties and an oversized t-shirt, Kristine ate her breakfast at the small kitchen counter, while browsing the web. She was looking for information about herself. There were some pictures of her from when she had first transformed, various stories about her, all of them made up of suppositions and outright lies. There was a story about the smugglers she had caught the other night, but no mention of the way she had left them. Had the magic faded, or were the police just keeping quiet about how they had found them? At least no one was suggesting a connection between her Magical Girl persona and the smugglers. Not yet at least. For the morning she treated the day like any lazy Sunday. She read a book while drinking a cup of coffee, or she tried. The coffee tasted terrible. She made two more cups before she decided that it was not the coffee but her. Coffee tasted terrible to her now. That sucked. Instead of reading she went through her kitchen and tried different things. Some teas were all right, as was milk, and the almost expired carton of orange juice she could drink. However, she found that alcohol tasted unpleasant and several fancy kinds of cheese that she had liked no longer suited her. When she catalogued what she liked she found the menu options to be somewhat, well, juvenile. Really, it was bad enough she had to wear training panties and diapers, did she really now need to subsist on a diet of peanut butter sandwiches and milk? Getting a handle on her new palate took up much of the morning, and by the time she cleaned up, it was getting close to her meeting time. The day before while shopping, she had picked up a few more pieces of clothing than just the denim overalls and blouse. A pair of grey slacks and a light blue blouse gave her, well, not a professional look, she thought looking in a mirror, but at least a well turned out appearance. She had found a pair of shiny black loafers with tassels over the toe. They were cheap, she doubted that they would last longer than a month of constant wear, but they looked decent enough. So dressed she grabbed her work bag, shoved a few more pairs of training panties into it, then headed out. Just outside of her apartment building she was met by Tac who sat, lounging on a bench. “What are you doing?” Kristine asked her. “Enjoying the sun,” the woman said. “It’s a cat thing. You going to that work thing.” “I’m going to talk to a man I worked for.” “I’ll tag along,” she said, standing, becoming a cat, then leaping onto Kristine’s shoulder. “Why are you coming?” “Boredom mostly. This might be funny.” “I’m going to throw you into traffic,” Kristine muttered, but she let the cat ride on her shoulder. As she rode on the subway, she wondered what Oscar would say to her. She wondered if she could keep her job. She did recall the part of the contract that said no magical people could work at the law firm, but she hoped that they would make an exception. Being a lawyer was what she had wanted for years. Looking down at her small feet she wondered what sort of career she could have. Could she go to court, looking like a girl? She shifted on the seat, squirming a little, trying to judge how wet the padding under her bottom might be. It did feel a bit wet, but she thought likely just damp rather than soaked. What a thing to have gotten used to, she thought, and in only less than a day. How soon before she was just wearing the diapers that Mr Bear seemed to want her in? She shook her head, the action attracting Tac’s attention. “What is it?” the cat asked. “Nothing, just a thought I want out of my head.” “Weird.” “I don’t want to hear that from you.” Tac remained silent, and Kristine sat there for the rest of the ride, mind going around in unproductive circles. She got off one stop sooner than she usually did when going to work. The coffee shop was about two blocks away from the subway station. The area, mostly business office towers and the like, was quiet on a Sunday afternoon. The ‘Smart Bean’ was an upscale little shop, often crowded during the week but very nearly empty now. She saw Oscar Cotton sitting at one of the tables near the back of the shop. He had looked up from his phone when she had come in, looked at her, then went back to his phone. He did not recognise me, she thought. She walked across the floor, went to stand up beside the table that he sat at. “Mr Cotton,” she said. He looked up from the phone. He looked at her. “Can I help you?” He looked confused. She produced her bridging ID and handed it to him. He looked at it, the confusion in his expression growing. Finally, he looked at her. “Miss St. James?” “Yes sir.” “Magic,” he said, sounding disgusted as he handed her back the ID. “May I have a seat?” she asked. He nodded at the seat opposite to him. She sat, her feet not quite touching the ground. Tac jumped down from her shoulder and into her lap. “I got you a coffee,” he told her, indicating the cup in front of her. “Thank you,” she said, taking it. She loved Smart Bean coffee, the rich dark roast, of course, black. It was bitter and awful to her changed taste buds, but she kept her expression neutral as she took a drink. “What happened?” he asked her. She told him, most of it, leaving out the part about diapers and baby themed stuff, but covering the basics. Kristine finished with, “It was not what I wanted. I never would have made the decision, but I was going to die.” “I understand,” he told her. “I want to continue working with Cotton and Black. I’m a victim. I know that there is a clause in the contract about magic, but it’s not fair.” She blushed realising how childish she sounded. He did not answer her immediately, instead picking up his coffee cup and drinking from it. He put it down when he finished the contents and asked, “Did you study magical law in law school?” The question confused her a little, and she thought back to law school, not so much about the classes she took, but the ones she did not. “I don’t remember anything about magical law,” she told him. “Just some details about the nature of the treaties between the worlds.” “Do you know how the law works in the Magical Realm?” She shook her head. “If you are accused of a crime you are brought before one of the most powerful magic users in the area. They cast a truth spell and you are asked if you did what you were accused of. Once you answer you either go free or are punished.” Kristine did not say anything for a few seconds, and then, “But that is incriminating yourself.” “No such protection in the Magical Realm.” “But what if there are witnesses?” “No witnesses are ever called.” “What if the accused has magic powerful enough to trick the spell?” “Might makes right.” “But…” Oscar held up a hand, stopping Kristine’s words. “I am not here to debate the nature of the Magical Realm's law or lack thereof. That is how it works because that is how it has to work. Magic complicates things. Witnesses might have seen an illusion, or be under a spell of compulsion. Evidence may be summoned out of nothing. In a world like that, they use the simplest way to deal with it. That is why you never saw any courses concerning magical law. That is why you can no longer work at Cotton and Black. “In fact, I am going to have to call the opposing lawyers and tell them that a person articling with us has become a Magical Girl. Likely they will ask for an extension while they make sure nothing in our case has been magically tampered with, they might even ask that the judge simply rule for them seeing as the case is now tainted.” “But I just became Magical Girl yesterday.” “And you have a witness to that?” “Sure she does,” Tac said, speaking up. Oscar looked surprised for a moment at the talking animal, but only a moment. “That will help, I might need to call you to tell your story to the judge.” “Anything to help,” Kristine answered without thinking. Oscar nodded. “I appreciate it. Did you bring your work ID, keys, laptop?” “What? No. Why?” “I’ll need the keys and ID, and I’ll need to have one of our IT people take a look at your personal laptop.” Well, that was a sign that her time with Cotton and Black were over. “I’ll have to go home and get all that. It will take about an hour, maybe a little longer. I guess I can take a taxi.” “No need. I will drive you to your home. We can take care of all of that as soon as possible.” “As soon as possible,” Kristine echoed back. He nodded. She stood, dumping Tac from her lap. “I got to go to the bathroom,” she said and headed to the back of the coffee shop. She did not have to go to the bathroom, or maybe she did, she no longer knew, but she was not about to sit in someone’s car without checking to make sure her training panties were not about to leak. In the stall, the somewhat complicated task of getting her pants off made her decide it was possible skirts would be a large part of her future wardrobe. The training panties were wet, though not sodden. She would not to take a chance and changed into a dry pair. Fortunately, there was no one else in the bathroom to see her toss the wet training panties into the garbage before she washed her hands. On leaving the bathroom, she found Oscar at standing at the front door, talking to a familiar looking blonde woman. She was tall, Kristine thought, probably equal in height to Oscar, and in her heels, she stood taller. Long blonde hair, fair skin, pretty. Oscar noticed Kristine as she approached. “Kristine, this is Emily Black, of the IT department.” That explained why she had looked familiar. “Black?” she asked. “My Uncle is Oscar’s partner, but don’t worry, I did not get the job due to nepotism.” Oscar laughed at what was probably a private joke, then said, “Emily will have to check your laptop, you understand.” Not pleased, Kristine nodded. “Of course.” “Let’s go,” he said and led them from the cafe. His car was only a few blocks away, a dark blue Lexus, four doors. Emily took the front seat, leaving the back for Kristine. Seeing the leather interior, she was glad she had changed her training panties. In the front seat, Oscar and Emily talked business, the IT side of things. Kristine’s computer knowledge was not as in-depth as that of Emily’s, but she thought she might be able to join in. However, she got the feeling that she was not expected to take part in the conversation. Neither made any effort to include her. She sat quietly in the back, petting Tac who slept in her lap. About twenty minutes later Oscar pulled into her apartment’s visitor parking lot. His car looked a little out of place, and he parked some distance from the other vehicles. As Kristine got out, she looked at the building, suddenly feeling that she did not want either of these people to see how she lived. She knew it was ridiculous. She was a recent graduate, no one would expect her to be living in any sort of luxury. She squared her shoulders and said, “This way.” Kristine led them into the building and up into her apartment. Could they smell the used diapers she had been throwing out? Would they see them? “Where’s your laptop?” Emily asked, breaking Kristine out of her thoughts. “Here,” she walked across the room and got the laptop, bringing it back to Emily. As Emily set up Kristine went and got her work ID and various security keys which she presented to Oscar. “Can I get you to log in?” Emily asked her. She had the laptop on, and it had booted up. Oscar stood near the door, waiting patiently, as Kristine logged into the laptop. “This won’t take long,” Emily said as she went to work. “Just going to remove the VPN software and proprietary data, check for any files from the firm.” Kristine nodded. As promised it did not take long for Emily to finish up with the laptop. She plugged a USB key into the computer, fingers typing rapidly. Kristine looked towards Oscar, but he had his smartphone out, looking at that. He was not interested in talking. And what would they say to each other anyway? About a minute later Emily pulled the USB key out of the laptop. “It’s clean.” Oscar looked away from the phone. “Good. Thank you for working on a Sunday.” Emily smiled at Kristine and then looked to Oscar and said, “This was a special case, so no problem.” “Miss St. James, again, I am sorry. You might have become a good lawyer.” “Thank you,” Kristine said. It was the only thing she could say. They left, talking again about the firm’s IT requirements. She was no longer on their minds. She closed her apartment door and went back to the couch, flopping down and looking at her laptop. Shifting forward, feeling her training panties squelch under her, she worked on the computer, checking to see what had been removed, making sure that her pictures and a few other things she would not want to lose were still there. “Damn,” she said, slumping down. “What’s the problem there?” Tac asked, jumping onto the back of the couch. Kristine looked up at the cat. “There are so many answers to that.” “Got one that I might care about?” She mumbled something unflattering under her breath and then said, “I am out of a job.” “I am aware. Don’t care.” “Well, you should, cause I am going to be out on the street soon.” “I don’t see how you being out on the street is a problem for me, but I will point out that you are stupid?” “Stupid? That I need money is stupid? That I still got student loans is stupid? That I can’t even afford to buy new clothes is stupid?” “Those things seem more on the sad side than stupid,” Tac told her. “What is stupid is that you have forgotten you got a magic bag that has almost everything you need.” “What? It has money in it?” She could not believe that. “Why not summon it and find out,” Tac paused, “stupid.” She sat up straight, making certain to knock Tac off the back of the couch as she did not. “Not cool,” Tac said as she fell. Holding her hands out in front of her she pictured the bag and it dropped out into her arms. She placed it beside her and opened it up. She found the familiar diapers and training panties, food and drink and baby care products and Mr Bear, but no money. “Well?” she asked Tac, who had jumped up beside her. She grabbed a couple of pair of training panties, knowing she was going to need them. “Open up the zippered, front pocket.” She did. Inside she found an envelope. Written on it was ‘for clothes’. Opening it, she found a stack of twenty and fifty dollar bills, even some hundreds. Counting it revealed there to be about four thousand dollars. “Where did this come from?” she demanded of Tac. “Where do you think? Banks.” “Is it…” “Stolen? Don’t be stupid. There is trade between the Magic and the Mundane Realms. The Magic Realm enjoys a huge trade surplus, but we don’t have use for your money, so we leave it here. When an agent, like you, needs money, you get money.” She looked at all the bills. “I don’t have to work anymore.” “You don’t.” “If I want a bigger apartment? A house.” “You’d get it.” “A sports car?” “Can you reach the pedals.” “Shut up.” “You won’t be getting any mansions unless you need one, and probably not any of those fancy Italian sports cars,” Tac paused, “do they still have them?” After Kristine nodded Tac continued, “or diamond studded golden back scratchers, but you’ll have what you need for a comfortable, easy life. Magic Girls have it good.” She did not have to work. “I wanted to be a lawyer.” “I wanted to be a rich princess who never had to travel to the Mundane Realm. I did not get that,” Tac told her. “Life is unfair. Suck it up. We’re going hunting tonight.” “Hunting?” “I am going to teach you to track minor magical threats. An important skill for a Magical Girl.” “Yay for me,” Kristine said sarcastically. Several hours of hunting down, and in some cases killing, small magical beings (goblins and such) left Kristine tired and wet. Returning to her apartment, she dismissed her magical outfit and then went to take a shower. Clean, in a dry pair of training panties, she took a seat on her couch and turned on her laptop. She just wanted to stream some movies and relax, maybe check out some real estate as well. As the laptop booted up, she reached for her phone. There was a message. From Oscar. She played it. His recorded voice came from the phone. ‘Miss St. James, I want you to come to the courthouse tomorrow. Call me.’ She stared at the phone for a few seconds. It did not make any sense to her. She had been certain she would never hear from him again. After several seconds she hit the icon to call him back. After a few rings, it was answered. “Miss St. James,” Oscar said. “You wanted to speak with me Mr Cotton?” He was silent for a few seconds, then said, “I would appreciate it if you showed up at court tomorrow, at 9am. I have a meeting with the judge, and I want you to be there.” Her eyes widened as, for a moment, she imagined that he would be making a case for her to remain part of the case, but only for a moment. That was stupid. “Why?” she asked, sounding a little more bitter than she wanted. “I want to get the judge’s ruling as to whether your recent change compromises the case. The judge will have questions, it would be best if you were there.” “I understand. I’ll help.” She paused and then said, “I have nothing to wear for court.” Oscar did not tell her not to worry. He would never tell her that. The right clothing was an essential part of one’s presentation in court. After a short silence, he said, “I’ll bring something, Don’t worry.” She took a deep breath. “Okay, I will be there.” “Thank you Miss St. James, I appreciate it.” “I am glad to help,” she answered. “I will see you tomorrow.” He hung up. She looked at her phone for a few seconds and then tapped the hangup icon. Gently chewing on her bottom lip, she wondered what tomorrow would be like. Would she be a professional in the room, or would be she like some weird piece of evidence. It worried at her all night, and she crawled into bed early, setting her alarm before she pulled the covers over her head. BREAK POINT#3 Kristine woke not to the beeping of her alarm but to another orgasm from another terribly erotic dream. She lay on her bed, breathing deeply, squirming, slim chest rising and falling with each gasping breath. She finally got control of herself, wiping at her damp forehead. “What the hell,” she said softly. Her alarm started beeping. As she sat up, she felt something heavy and wet slide about in the back of the diaper that she was wearing. Eyes wide she reached behind her and put her hand on the back of the plastic. The mass within the diaper shifted and spread out as she pushed against the padding. “Oh no,” she said. She shifted forward, taking the weight off her bottom. The mess slithered forward as she got up on her hands and knees. How was she going to clean up that mess? She’d have to get into her shower, take the heavily soiled diaper off. And then what? Could she flush it? And she would have to clean herself up, the mess that she felt stuck to her bottom. Just the thought of doing so made her feel ill. She should just be able to magic this away. Then a thought occurred to her. “Mr Bear, help.” She blushed even as she said it out loud, not entirely certain about what she was doing. A moment later the giant teddy bear was at her side. She did not have to give any instructions, the bear grabbed her up from the bed, cleared some space, and put her on the floor. She blushed as the bear pulled her legs up and untaped her diaper, then began to clean her up. The bear was fast, efficient, in extremely short order she was clean, the area around her was clean, the dirty diaper and the wipes having disappeared, even Mr Bear was clean. Of course, the bear then proceeded to put a new diaper on her, acting so fast she could hardly resist. He creamed her bottom, rubbing it across her butt and between her thighs, sending a shock of unexpected pleasure through her that made her gasp. Then he rained sweet smelling powder across her before pulling a thick diaper up between her legs and tapping it snug around her. He lifted her up from the floor, grabbing her under her arms, then placed her on her feet and patted her head. She blushed at the gentle touch, then lisped out her ‘thank you’ sending him away. Standing there, in the middle of her apartment, in just a diaper and her t-shirt, she sighed. “What the hell,” she said, then sat down on her couch. “Tac?” she called out softly. The cat did not appear. Well, she supposed that was for the best. She was not really sure how to ask the cat why she was having crazy erotic wet dreams, waking up in diapers that were damp for reasons other than piss. Was it part of the magic, or, as she was afraid of, was she just some kind of pervert? It was probably the magic. She hoped. Thinking of magic and the cat she summoned up her magic bag. She opened the small zippered pocket she had found the money in the night before. Within were two envelopes, neither feeling as if it were stuffed with cash. In one was a letter, informing her that all her student loans would be paid off by the end of the business day. The other letter showed that all her credit cards, as well as her line of credit, had all been paid off. She was completely out of debt. “Well, that’s something,” she said, tossing the letters on her coffee table and then dismissing the diaper bag. Standing she tore the expertly taped diaper from around her waist and tossed it, heading into her bathroom. Tac showed up when she left her apartment. She was dressed in the same outfit she had worn the day before, the slacks and the blouse. “Where you going?” the cat asked. “To court. Oscar wants my help,” she said, feeling happy for saying that. “Your help?” Tac asked incredulously. “Yes, my help,” she said, sounding far more defensive than she had intended. “Some kind of monster thing?” “No, legal matters,” she said, tilting her chin up as she walked towards the elevator. “This I got to see.” Kristine paused, wondering if she should tell the cat it could not come. Of course, she did not expect that Tac would do something just because she had ordered, and she supposed having an obvious magical animal might help things along in some manner or another. “Do as you want,” she said, and resumed her walk. Seeing as she was debt free and flush with cash (she had the money for clothing in her messenger bag) she decided to take a taxi. “How much more do you need to do to finish with me?” she asked Tac as she did up her seatbelt. “A few more nights and you’ll have all the basics down. You’re not as stupid as what I was expecting.” “Is that one of those magical animals?” the taxi driver asked, looking back at her in the rearview mirror. “Is that a problem?” Kristine asked. “I can toss her out of the cab, no problem if we are moving fast.” “Rude,” Tac said. “No, no, just never saw one before.” He pulled away from the curb and merged into traffic. “So,” the driver asked, “you one of those Magical Girls?” “Yeah, I’m one of those Magical Girls.” “You look a little young for it.” She laughed loudly. “I say something funny?” “Hilarious, but don’t worry about it.” “We’re not going to get attacked by monsters, are we?” “I don’t think so.” She looked at Tac. “A monster attack against a mundane is a pretty unlikely thing,” the cat sat smugly. “Is it now?” Kristine turned her gaze on Tac. “I don’t think my statement can in anyway be used to infer any wrongdoing on my part.” “And if I got one of those truth spells Oscar mentioned?” “Well, you don’t have one.” “You don’t seem to be all that friendly,” the driver said. “Tell me about it,” Kristine answered. “Aren’t you magical girls and your talking pets supposed to be all friendly like?” “Pets?” Tac sounded offended. “I am beginning to suspect that is just PR.” “Pets?” “So how did you become a magical girl, if you don’t mind me asking?” “Desperate measures,” Kristine said. “Either that or I die.” “So you didn’t want to be one.” “Of course not. Why would I?” “I bet it beats driving a cab.” Kristine was about to argue that, seeing as she was pretty sure driving a cab did not require diapers, but she decided not to. And she thought about the letters from the morning, the money in her bag. Probably a lot of people would think the benefits outweighed the costs. “It still was not what I thought I wanted to be doing with my life?” “Oh, what did you want to do with your life?” “I was going to be a lawyer.” The driver was silent for a few seconds. “You ask me the world needs more Magical Girls than lawyers.” “Did I ask you?” she snapped at him. “Don’t be so catty,” Tac told her. “I don’t want to hear that from you,” she told the cat. “Listen, I’m just saying that society is too litigious as it stands and fewer lawyers might not be a bad thing. Maybe people would talk things out and not tie up the courts with nuisance lawsuits and real legal change could happen.” “What, are you a professor of sociology or something?” “Philosophy.” “A philosopher cab driver, this is getting good,” Tac said. “You’re a professor of philosophy?” “Masters degree. Working on my doctorate.” Kristine frowned. “Are you driving for money or is this your thesis?” “Welcome to my lab, Magical Girl.” “Oh, crap.” “Do you have a card? Cause I think I want to ride in your cab more often," Tac said. “So, do you think you can do more to make the world just if you were a lawyer than you could be being a magical girl.” “I did not get into law because of justice,” Kristine said, exasperated, and then, “No, wait, I mean, justice is important, but the law is complex and beautiful.” “Really?” “Well, it’s complex.” “So, if you were interested in justice, would you find it easier to make a difference as a lawyer or a Magical Girl.” Kristine squirmed in her seat, thought the padding of her training panties felt both warm and wet but was not sure. And she could not check. “I suppose if I was only interested in justice that a Magical Girl has more options.” “But Magical Girls are not agents of justice,” Tac said as she jumped up onto the back of the front, passenger seat. “At least not necessarily.” “But do they have the freedom to become so?” “Probably,” Tac said. “So Magical Girl, do you feel that if you cannot practice law that you are required to uphold justice? Does your power require you to act.” “Hell no,” Kristine said. “Power does not equate to responsibility.” “Interesting.” “Listen, can you just drive.” “Sure,” he said, and then asked Tac, “so you offer power to these girls?” “That is right.” Tac sounded pleased with herself. “And you don’t feel that there is a problem with that? It’s like you are creating child soldiers.” “No like about it. But young girls have the purity and innocence to wield magic. Their pure hearts and pure dreams protect them from the corrupting taint of magic.” “Bullshit!” Kristine said from the back. “I was twenty-five, and you still picked me.” “Twenty-five?” the driver asked, looking at her in the mirror again. Kristine wished she had kept her mouth shut. “You were immature for your age,” Tac said by way of explanation. She smacked the cat from the back of the seat hard enough that it hit the interior windshield. “Hey, watch it,” the driver said. “The cat’s fine.” “My feelings can be hurt you know,” Tac said, jumping down from the dashboard. “Good to know. I’ll try to be more emotionally cruel.”
 The driver looked at her in the mirror, then down at Tac. He asked no more questions. Kristine felt a little bad about that but did not want to start up the conversation again. When she was dropped off at the courthouse, she tipped the driver well, by way of apology, then walked up the steps towards the large entranceway. She was near the doors when she was met by Oscar’s assistant. Yvonne Clark was an older woman, brown hair striped with grey, dressed conservatively. She had some garment bags hung over her shoulder. “Kristine?” she asked hesitantly. “Yes. Mr Cotton wanted me here.” Of course, Yvonne had to know that. What a stupid and obvious thing to say. “Yes. Come on. I have some clothing for you.” He held up the garment bags a little higher. At least Kristine was not the only one stating the obvious. Yvonne led her to a bathroom where she could change. Kristine went in on her own, carrying the three bags. She left them on a small bench inside the room by the door and went right for a stall. Her training panty was not too wet, but she cleaned herself up and put on a new one, not wanting to take a chance of staining any of the clothing she was going to borrow. There were three dresses within the bags, as well as a few packaged sundries. She wondered if they belonged to Oscar’s daughters or granddaughters. Perhaps young nieces? She did not really know much about his family other than he did have children. One of the dresses looked like a little girl’s Sunday dress. A bit too much frou-frou and pink for her tastes. Another was a surprisingly mature looking dress in a pale blue, clingy. Kristine was certain the bulk of her training panties would be visible. She went with the third, a dark blue dress, with a pleated skirt that dropped below her knees and short, wide sleeves that fell just above her elbows. The skirt was loose enough that there was no chance of her training panties showing through and it looked conservative. There was a pair of white tights, still in the package, along with the dress. She tore the bag open and put them on. The cotton tights were a little too small, and the dress a bit tight across her slim chest, but, looking at herself, she saw that none of that showed. Good enough. She gathered up everything and left the bathroom. Yvonne and Tac were waiting nearby. Yvonne looked Kristine up and down and nodded. “Good. Come on.” Tac jumped up onto her shoulder. Yvonne led Kristine up the main stairs, where the too small tights and slightly too tight dress made themselves a little more obvious. She felt a little corseted as she could not breathe as deeply as she wished, and the tights were sliding down a little, and she had to resist the urge to try to pull them up. Down a hall, deeper into the building, to a small waiting room where Oscar, and to her surprise and no small amount of embarrassment, Daniel were waiting. Daniel was staring at her, shock obvious on his face. She noted two others, a woman and man, well dressed. The man she recognised as Wendal Pine, the lead lawyer for the other side. “Miss St. James, thank you for coming,” Oscar said to her. “You’re welcome Mr Black.” Daniel schooled his expression to something more professional and nodded a hello to her. “Kristine,” he said. She returned the informal greeting with a “Daniel. You’re assisting with the case? Good job.” He looked a little uncomfortable, for they both knew that she was supposed to be here. “Thank you,” he said, almost sounding himself. Wendal and his companion were openly staring at her. She ignored them, deciding she would let someone else handle introductions if they were required. “Is there anything else Mr Cotton?” Yvonne asked. “Not at the moment Yvonne, thank you.” Yvonne nodded and then left them. There were several seconds of an uncomfortable silence in the room before Oscar said, “Let’s go.” He walked to one of the doors, knocked and then pushed it open. Kristine started towards the doors, but the others, with their longer strides (not hampered by trying to keep cotton tights from sliding down over a pair of training panties), put everyone else in the room, and she had to wait to enter last. There was a small office beyond. The five of them filled it. A woman behind a desk was talking to Oscar. “Go in,” she said, “Judge Morrison is waiting for you.” They all filed through the secretaries office into the much more significant office of the judge. Bernard Morrison was a tall man, big, shaved head, wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. He was standing, waiting for them. “Sit,” he ordered, pointing at a table in front of his desk. Everyone sat. Kristine found the chair too big for her, wished she could kneel on it, so she was not so low. Bernard went and sat at his desk. “Let’s make this fast.” He looked at Kristine. “Kristine St. James.” “Yes sir,” she said, hating how her voice seemed to squeak. “Papers?” She reached into her bag, pulled out her ID. She was about to get off the chair when Tac jumped to the floor and became the tuxedo-clad, cat-eared beauty that was her other form. There were a few expressions of surprise. With a smile Tac took the various documents from Kristine and walked to the judge’s desk, handing them to him. He looked through them, turning the bridging ID back and forth, staring at Kristine. She felt her cheeks grow warm under his scrutiny. He gave the documents back to Tac. “Thank you.” “Of course,” Tac said, and walked back, putting the documents on the table, in front of Kristine, just far enough from her that Kristine had to reach to get them. The cat-eared woman took a seat beside Kristine, smiling at the other people. “Tell me how you came to this position,” Judge Morrison said to Kristine. So Kristine told him of her meeting with Tac Friday evening and of her accepting the contract the next day. She kept it simple, to the point. Tac confirmed her story when asked. “When was the last time you worked on this case,” he asked her. “Friday evening, about 5pm.” “Anything since then?” “No sir.” “Have you had any contact with anyone involved in the case since then?” “Just Mr Cotton. I let him know what happened, and met with him yesterday too, well, officially end my employment with the firm.” “Did you talk about the case?” She shook her head. “No sir.” Wendal shifted forward in his chair. “Any witnesses to this?” “I was there,” Tac said. At the same time, Oscar said, “Emily Black from our IT department was there. She can be a witness as to our conversation. Shall I ask her to come by? I have a signed statement from her.” He brought an envelope from his jacket. “Give it here.” Oscar did so, and Bernard looked it over. “Good enough,” he finally said. “I would like a ruling now as to if Miss St. James unfortunate situation in any way reflects on this case,” Oscar said. The judge looked at Wendal and his companion. “Are you requesting a stay in procedures?” Wendal did not answer immediately, but finally said, “Not at this time.” “Your honour, if not at this time than if I may be permitted to say, than not at all,” Oscar said. “More information could come up later in the case,” Wendal replied, a little heated. “We may need to request a stay or delay later.” “If things start to go bad for you,” Oscar said. Kristine had suspected but now knew why Oscar had requested her presence there. “Enough,” Bernard said, loudly. No one else said anything. “Mr Pine, if you do not see a reason to delay proceedings at this time, based on what we know, I will not allow you to request a later delay. Unless of course, you put further evidence in front of me that puts into question Miss St. James' statement that she has had nothing to do with the case since her unfortunate transformation.” “Very well,” Wendal said. He did not sound happy about it. “All right, then this meeting is done. I will see you in court in,” he looked at his watch, “twenty minutes.” It was a dismissal that everyone recognised. They left the office. Out in the waiting room, everyone started walking away. Daniel paused, looked at her, back at the others who were all watching, and then said, “I’m sorry this happened to you.” He walked off. Not about to taint the case by being seen associating with her. She was alone. She found Yvonne, down the hall, waiting for her. She returned to the bathroom on the first floor, changing back into her own clothing. She held up the tights, making sure there were no telltale stains on the white cotton, then shoved them into the garment bag with the dress. “Thank you,” she said as she handed the bag back to Yvonne outside of the bathroom. “You’re welcome,” she said with a smile before turning and walking away. “Now what?” Tac asked from where she lazily leaned on a wall. “I guess I’ll go shopping.” “Good, I like shopping.” Kristine supposed some retail therapy was a way to not think of things. Or maybe not think that there was nothing left to really think about. She was a Magical Girl, and it seemed that was all she would be. All she could be. So letting her mind focus on buying a new wardrobe was welcome. She looked for quality, triple stitching, good materials, nothing that looked like it had been made in a sweatshop. Since training panties and, not that she wanted to admit it, diapers, were going to be a constant she looked for skirts and dresses mostly, to make changing easier. She bought some slacks and loose jeans, but they made up only a small part of her new and growing wardrobe. Quality and conservative were her watchwords. She soon had several bags full of clothing. Tac had to help her carry them. Some training bras were added to her purchases. As she had the day before Kristine got the idea that most of the salespeople who sold them to her were ultimately humouring her. What she did not need (assuming she was not going to chance a mess) were panties, but she bought them anyway. She did not want anyone thinking about why she would not be buying them. It was mid-afternoon when she decided to go home. She and Tac stuffed a taxi’s trunk full of clothing of all sorts, and the back seat was pretty full too. They did not get a driver who wanted to speak, so Kristine sat in the back seat, feeling tired and wet, hoping her training panties did not leak. Fortunately, she made it back to her apartment leaving the seat behind her dry. She and Tac hauled everything up to her apartment and Kristine went to change. She had leaked a little on her way up, small damp spots on the seat of her slacks. After changing into a dry pair of training panties, she tossed the pants into the laundry hamper and then, in only her socks, blouse and training panty, began to unpack her purchases. She was not sure at first what to do with all her old clothing, but after a few minutes of looking through her wardrobe, she decided it had to go. There was no point in keeping it around, other than to torture herself. She found some boxes and used the bags all her new things had come in and packed away all her old things. She would donate them to some charity, or better yet a woman’s shelter. Maybe her suits would do someone some good. As she finished boxing the last of the old things up, she felt odd, as if something were off. She found herself walking about the apartment, looking onto corners, opening things up. As small as the apartment was her actions did not go unnoticed. “What are you doing?” Tac asked her. Kristine looked at the cat. “Something feels off, but I don’t know what.” “Probably just because you are being watched.” “What?” Tac, in cat form again, stretched out. “Yeah. Not long after we got back.” “Where?” she asked, starting towards the windows. “Stop, don’t be stupid,” the cat told her. “Pardon?” she looked back at Tac. “You don’t want them to know you spotted them. That’s like tradecraft 101.” “Tradecraft?” She shook her head. “What should I do?” “Stop being stupid?” “Aren’t you supposed to help me?” “If I can make you stop being stupid that would help a lot.” “You make me want to kick you.” “Transform. Put your pacifier in your pie hole and teleport down there.” Kristine wanted to say something snide, but the cat was right. “Thank you,” she said softly. “What was that?” “I said thank you,” she snapped, and then before Tac might say anything else she transformed. Teleporting about, being invisible, it was all pretty amazing. It almost made being a Magical Girl worthwhile. Though not the diapers. She stood beside the car, not seen by the occupants, looking into the windows. It did not take her long to figure out who they were. There was a file, open in the back seat, with some stationary with the Pine law firm letterhead on it. So they were looking for proof that she was still somehow involved in the case. Good luck on finding that, she thought as she teleported up onto the roof of a nearby high-rise. She took the pacifier from her mouth. “Annoying.” “I will teach you a spell to chase them away,” Tac said. “Chase them away?” “Sure. Magic Girls need to make the mundanes scatter, stay away from dangerous places. Nice simple spell. You envision something unpleasant and focus it… Though with your weird ways of casting spells who know how it will work. Still, it is simple enough.” “No.” “No what?” “I’m not going to cast it. They are just doing their jobs, and it is not like they are going to see anything that will be a problem for Cotton and Black. I’ll just ignore them.” “But this is a teachable moment.” “I don’t care.” She teleported back to her apartment and ended her magical girl transformation. Tac had jumped from her shoulder. “Boring.” “I can learn that spell later,” she told the cat as she picked up the packed boxes and stacked them next to the door. Tac shook her cat head and then went and curled up on the couch. Kristine went and cleaned everything up, considering what she might do if she got a house. That all she needed to do was to want one and she would be given one seemed so unlikely. It was like she had won a lottery. And in a way she supposed she had. Just not a lottery that she would have bought a ticket for. She had everything sorted out and cleaned up when she heard someone knocking on her door. Not expecting any visitors she went to the door, stood up on her toes, and looked out the peephole. On her doorstep stood the handsome Olivia. “What the hell?” she asked aloud even as she unlocked the door. “Olivia, you can’t be here, there…” That was all she got before Oliva had her wrapped in her arms, her lips pressed against Kristine’s, her tongue slipping into Kristine’s mouth. It was like the night they had last seen each other. That was one of her thoughts at that moment. She also recalled that their hands had been in each other panties, and she worried that Olivia’s hands would slide down from her shoulders and discover what she wore instead of panties. That was another of her thoughts. She also was a little surprised at the tongue in her mouth. It seemed strange and well, the only word that came to her mind, strangely was, gross. It seemed a little gross. Then suddenly before Kristine could think of anything Oliva pushed her away, she herself stumbling a few steps back to fall against the door jamb. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Oliva said, crying. Kristine stared at Olivia, her mouth hanging open. She closed her mouth, then asked, “Sorry? What? Why?” “I heard, I thought, it didn’t matter. I was in love with you. I was sure it didn’t matter what you looked like, but it felt so wrong. I’m sorry.” “Olivia?” She took a step forward, then stopped. “You love me?” She was surprised. She liked Olivia, a lot, but in love? “Oh,” Kristine said. Of course, she loved Olivia as well. Why had she not seen it? “I…” “I don’t love you anymore,” Olivia cried and wiped at her eyes, smearing eyeliner. “What?” “You’re a child, when I look at you, I feel nothing. When I kissed you I just felt like a monster.” She straightened. “I never should have come here. I have to leave.” “Olivia…” Kristine took a step forward. “No, Kristine, I can’t be near you. It’s tearing me up.” Kristine stopped. “Goodbye.” She turned and fled the apartment. “Olivia,” Kristine said softly and took a step forward. She would just be torturing Olivia if she followed. “Well that was some nice drama,” Tac said as she jumped down from the couch. Kristine turned on the cat. “Shut up.” “That’s hardly nice. And here I am going to help you out.” “Help me out?” Tac saying anything like that seemed so foreign. She did not think the cat was capable of helping her. “I am going to take care of those guys in the car, so they don’t remember seeing your friend coming in here, cause that is probably important, then I am going to talk to your friend and make sure she doesn’t hurt herself.” “Oh,” Kristine said, suddenly feeling bad for her earlier thought. “And then I am going to get her on the rebound and fuck her until she can’t even remember your name.” “What?” The cat looked up at her. “She’s got a nice figure, and I am one horny kitty.” “Listen you damn cat I’ll pick you up by the scruff o the neck and shake the sh…” Tac was suddenly the buxom, tall woman in a tuxedo. She moved fast, grabbing Kristine and yanking the smaller girl across her lap as she dropped onto the couch. Skirt flipped up, training panties yanked down, she proceeded to wail on Kristine’s bottom, in the middle of the apartment, with the door to the hallway wide opened. It was humiliating. And it hurt a lot. “You Listen. I put up with a lot of crap from you cause you are cute, but you don’t get to tell me who I fuck.” Kristine was squirming, trying to break free, biting down on screams and sobs, worried someone could come and look into her apartment. Then suddenly she was on the floor, dumped from Tac’s lap, and Tac was heading out the door. “Don’t wait up,” Tac called back with a cruel smile as she left. Kristine watched her go, wiped her eyes, then stumbled to her feet, and with the training panties around her ankles, stumbled to the door and closed it. She bent down, pulled the training panties up. As they slid over her well-spanked bottom, she hissed at how much it had hurt. Had that bitch Tac used claws when she spanked her? Well, she would show Tac, she would… What would she do?
 Chase after Tac, tell her to leave Olivia alone? Scream ‘don’t have sex with my ex-girlfriend’? It was ridiculous. Olivia was not stupid, no easy lay. If Tac could seduce her, it would be because it was what Olivia wanted, at least at that moment. She sat down on the couch. Jumped up with a cry of pain. What sort of crazy magical spanking had Tac given her? She stood there, still sniffing, thinking about her friend and her life and her very adulthood which had all been snatched away for some stupid reason. She thought about how helpless she felt about it all. She thought about how there was nothing she could do about any of it. “Mr Bear,” she cried. And then the bear was there, and she threw herself into its warm, soft hug. She cried into the fur, and Mr Bear gently patted her bottom, easing the pain there. She felt completely pathetic, and at the same time completely safe. BREAK POINT#4 And now the new part that has not beeN posted yet Later, sprawled on her couch, in a too big t-shirt, the padding of a training panty a subtle but unforgettable presence, stared at the TV. She was not really watching what was on it, it was the background for her thoughts. Olivia, and what she represented. Things had been happening so quickly that she had not really considered what her life was going to be like. Saturday morning she had woken up, and everything was normal. It was now Monday evening, and she had lost her job, probably her friends, a girlfriend she had not realised was her girlfriend, her potty skills and her maturity. Things had been happening too fast. She had not really thought about it. Now that she was thinking about it Kristine did not like it. She sniffed, suddenly worried she might start crying. She rubbed at her eyes, took a deep breath. “I can turn this around,” she said out loud. It made her better to hear that, but what followed was the silent question, ‘how?’ Pulling her knees up to her chest she considered what she would need to do to fix things. She did not think she could break the magic that had changed her. She had, under duress as it had been, accepted a contract. There was something sacrosanct to that. Magical rules that had been established that would not be broken. The sticking point was that she was a child. It did not matter that she had a bridging ID, the fact that anyone who looked at her was going to see a little girl. And if she were not careful they would see a little girl in diapers. Jobs, relationships, even leisure activities would all be denied to her. Suddenly she was depressed again. She recalled, only a few days before, flipping through the channels until she could present to Tac a magical girl: Magical Parfait of the Baker’s Dozen she recalled. She could be, she realised, a joke. She could go on TV, or maybe get jobs performing. A cute little girl who was not really a little girl. Her knowledge of entertainment law was sketchy, but she seemed to remember that there was a limit on how much children could work. An apparent little girl, who was really an adult, would probably be useful. She supposed had she ever wanted to go into entertainment than this might be the best thing that ever happened to her. But while she had wanted to stand in front of a court as a lawyer, standing in front of an audience as a performer had never occurred to her. A professional joke, just like Magical Parfait, and other magical girls like her. No, she realised, she would be even a bigger joke because of the theme of her magic, and the diapers. Exhausted by her depressing thoughts, she turned off the TV, unfolded her couch, pulled her blankets over her head. She just wanted to sleep. Morning came, as it had since her transformation, with a wet dream and a messy diaper. She lay there, breathing heavily, waiting for the sensation to pass, and kind of wishing it would not. Then she called for Mr Bear so he could clear her up. It was just so much easier. After Mr Bear had her in a fresh diaper, she dismissed him. Sitting up on her fold out bed she wondered if all the Nursery Knights had to deal with that. And then she smacked her hand into her forehead. She could find them, talk to them, get them to tell her what the deal was, how they might have dealt with it. No dealing with Tac, who she really did not want to speak to, and certainly did not want to confide in. Staying in her diaper, she went to her laptop, turned it on, waited for it to boot up. It took so long. She summoned her magic bag, wrote a note that she wanted a new computer and a tablet. The message went into the side pocket, the bag dismissed. Once her computer was running, she opened a browser window and began to search. Terms like ‘Nursery Knights’, ‘magical baby girls’, ‘diaper magical girls’ got her some results, but she only found a handful of useful articles. There was a magical sighting page, with an entry on the Nursery Knights. It had not been updated in more than fifteen years. They had been active in Sacramento about twenty years prior. Kristine’s family had lived in Sacramento, but they had moved north to Seattle shortly before the Nursery Knights had been active. Had Tac shown up when she had been supposed to, would Kristine's family have moved? The Magical Realm certainly had access to money. Her father had taken them to Seattle because he had a new job there. She could envision Tac using the Magic Realm's money to keep her and her family in Sacramento. Or perhaps her teleporting power was to allow for the commute. Putting such thoughts aside she read what information was available. There was mention of a few battles, one in the downtown core. No record of any civilian casualties. Kristine found a few stories of people found asleep, unable to wake for a few months. She supposed that made sense for something that had been called the Nightmare King. Then the Nursery Knights all but disappeared. She spent about an hour reading through various sites but found nothing online that really helped her. Shutting her computer off she leaned back. Her padding felt damp on her bottom, and the diaper crinkled. Shaking her head, Kristine got up from her bed and went to the bathroom to clean up. It was still early when Kristine left her apartment. She had a small bag, loaded with a few extra training pants and an envelope full of computer money. Her outfit was all her new clothing, a black, designer A-line dress, with a skirt that hid her padding. She had paired it with a faded jean jacket. Out in front of her building, she decided not to call a cab but went for a walk instead. Kristine used to like going for walks. With school and the working at the law firm, she had had less time for that. Now she had nothing but time. She sighed loudly as she stood on a street corner, waiting for a break in the traffic. “Something wrong sweetie?” The person asking a question was a school crossing guard. An older woman with a kind smile. Kristine had not even noticed her, but it had been a long time since she had needed crossing guard’s help. “I’m just tried,” Kristine said, not even thinking to explain her problems. “You should get lots of sleep sweetie,” she told Kristine, then, a break in the traffic presenting itself, put her whistle to her lips, raised her sign, and stepped out into the crosswalk. Kristine mumbled a thank you as she crossed. Several other children, who Christine had not really noticed either, were louder in their thanks. There sure were a lot of kids around, she thought. Of course, because they were going to school. Kids were walking, almost always with an adult, though. Walking past a school, she noticed how many were being dropped off by parents. It looked like children had grown a lot less independent than she was a child. Kids a few years from being teenagers seemed to be treated more like they were children half their age, or so Kristine thought. It made Kristine rethink her earlier concerns about looking like a child. It was worse than she had thought if this was the new normal for children. “Goddamn depressing,” she said softly. No one tried to stop her, no truant officers or police demanding to know what she was doing, but she saw curious gazes turned her way. She really did not want deal with anyone asking her questions. The morning grew late, children and commuters disappeared from the streets. She watched the cars going by, supposed that people were out shopping, like her. Kristine had been walking for a while, but she was not tired, no ache in her leg muscles. Recalling what Tac had said she could only assume that she was enjoying another of the benefits of being a magical girl. Even untransformed it appeared she enjoyed a stronger body. Almost two hours after she had set off she reached the shopping mall she had wanted to visit. It had not been open for long, and it was not too crowded. In an electronic store, Kristine went to the computer isle and looked around. She had educated herself about computers, enough to know what she wanted. Before price had always been a concern, but now she had money waiting to be spent. It took her about twenty minutes to decide between the three computers she had been considering, and then she stood around for several minutes, waiting for someone to come up and ask to help her. She was a little surprised that the salespeople had left her alone so long. Then she remembered. She was a kid. Of course, they were ignoring her. They probably thought she was screwing around while her parents were shopping somewhere else. “Excuse me, I’d like to buy this,” she called to a middle-aged man who passed close by. He paused, looked around, and then, Kristine was sure he sighed, he walked over to her. “What is it you want young lady?” “This,” she put her hand on the laptop she had chosen. He looked at it, then her. “Is your mother around?” “I’ll pay for it,” she told him. He looked at her for a few seconds, she guessed he was trying to decide if she was serious if he was about to get a commission out of the sale. “Okay, we’ll ring it up.” He reached under the shelf, grabbing one of the boxes. She paused on their way to the cash registers and pointed at a tablet. “And one of those.” Again he looked at her, thoughtfully, perhaps taking in her clothing. Then he grabbed another box. When they reached the cash register, he said, “All right, so where is your mother, or father?” She reached into her bag and took out the envelope with the cash in it. She had already figured out the cost, so she put the hundred dollar bills and fifty dollar bills in front of him. “I am paying for it myself. I am really spoiled.” Kristine was not sure what the salesman had been expecting, but probably not a large wad of cash. She wondered why she had not used her credit card. It probably would have been easier. Had she wanted to flash her money around? Seemed more than a little childish to her. “I’m joking,” she told him and pulled her bridging ID out. “It’s really okay. I’m older than I look.” She smiled as she held out the card. He took it from her, looked at it, flipped it over, read what was there. “You’re from the Magical Realm?” “Well, not really.” She did not want to say she was a Magical Girl. “It’s complicated.” The ID fell from his hands to the counter. “You’re a Magical Girl,” he said, nervously, looking around. “Look, I don’t…” “Fuck, is some monster going to show up? You’re going to get us all killed.” He was not shouting, but he was loud, and a few people were looking towards him. She had heard that some people were afraid of all things magical. She had never seen it before. “Listen, just take my money and give me my receipt and my stuff and I will be out of here. I’ll never come back.” “Fuck you,” he said quite loudly. “Dan, is there a problem?” A middle-aged man in a shirt and tie had approached. “She’s a fucking Magical Girl.” “Dan, go, take your break.” “But…” “Go to the break room.” Dan stared at the man, shook his head, and then almost ran away. The manager, Kristine assumed, quietly rang her up, looked at her ID once, then took her money. He did not ask her to come again. No one asked if she had found everything she wanted. People were staring at her. “Fuck,” Kristine muttered as she left. She should have shopped online. Who knew she would have to deal with such crap. She had planned to shop a little more but had no stomach for it. Leaving the mall, she hailed a taxi. As she got in with her purchases, she said to the driver, “Take me to the downtown branch of the library.” The driver pulled away from the mall. He did not want to talk, which was okay with Kristine. Kristine had excellent research skills. However, she was in no way a professional. Librarians were professionals, which was why she had come to the library. An older woman, probably around fifty, looked down at Kristine. “The Nursery Knights?” Kristine nodded. “Yes. I want to find out what I can about them.” “I see,” she simply said, and then, “come along.” She led Kristine to her desk where she sat down and started her search. She did not invite Kristine to take a seat, there was not even a chair there for visitors. However, she was not left standing for long. Perhaps after a minute or two, the librarian scribbled down some notes and then stood up, once more asking Kristine to follow. It was a pleasure to watch a professional at work, Kristine often thought. They went to an old-fashioned card catalogue, though they only stayed there a few moments. Then there was a short stop at an old microfiche machine. Kristine was not even sure she would know how to use that device. That done the woman began to pull books and old periodicals from various shelves. In less than an hour, Kristine was looking at a stack of material sitting on a table. “Thank you,” she said. “You’re welcome. Most of that material cannot be taken from the library. Leave it on the table when you are finished, we’ll get it shelved.” She turned and walked away. Kristine began to read. There was a book on the various teams of Magical Girls who had operated on the West Coast for the past thirty years. There was a full chapter on the Nursery Knights, though much of it was the author’s supposition about why a team of little girls had been chosen, and that magic must be related to innocence. It was still interesting. She put that aside, picked up a book of photography, found several pictures of the Nursery Knights within. Faces were blurry, but she would make out the little girls wearing the same style of outfits she wore when transformed. The diapers were embarrassingly obvious. A scholarly book about magical girls in general mentioned the Nursery Knights a few times, and how as a group composed of small children they represented an example of how irresponsible the Magical Realm was. “Preaching to the choir sister,” Kristine said softly as she put the book aside. She read more books, magazine articles, even an interview done with Nursery Knight Becca. Not that Becca, probably Rebecca, had a lot to say. Kristine guessed that Becca was perhaps about eight at the time, but the person doing to story assumed an age of about half that. Christine had been making notes of when the Nursery Knights had first appeared and when they had disappeared. The interview with Becca was one of the last times anyone saw one of the Nursery Knights. She had been at her research for a couple of hours. Straightening up, amazed at the fact her back did not hurt, she was aware of the wet, squishy feeling around her bottom from a soaked training panty. Hoping that she was not leaking she nearly ran to the bathroom. The inside of her dress’s skirt was just a little damp, and it did not show, fortunately. Her training panty was heavy with her pee, and she tossed it into the garbage once she had changed. Back at the table she looked through the few remaining books and magazines but was not able to add to her knowledge of the Nursery Knights. They had been much like most magical girl teams, but for their youth. But unlike those other groups, when they had finished their fight they had disappeared completely. Where had they gone? She left the books and magazines on the table as she had been told. On the way out she paused near a donation box, a sign over it reading, ‘Help Support Our Library’. She had a few hundred dollars left after her purchase of the laptop and tablet. Most of it went into the donation box, but for enough left for her cab ride home. Tac came into Kristine's apartment in her cat form. It was early evening. Kristine had set up her laptop and told herself she was still doing research, but she was really just playing around with all the new features the better computer and OS had given her. The cat jumped up onto the coffee table. “Let’s go, we have some more training to do.” Kristine almost told Tac to go to hell, but instead, she stood up and lisped out her transformation chant. She stood in her uniform, suddenly feeling more embarrassed by it. Having seen pictures of the Nursery Knights wearing that outfit, the juvenile costume felt even more so. The short skirt, the puffy sleeves, the lace trim, the ribbon on which her pacifier hung, the rattle shaped mace, and of course the thick diaper. Tac jumped up onto her shoulder. “There’s a big park west of here, do you know it?” “Yeth, I know it.” “Teleport us there for the next lesson.” Kristine did so, appearing on the roof of a medium-sized building that looked down on several acres of green space. People were enjoying the end of the day, a soccer game and a baseball game was going on at either side of the park, and people moving around between. “Okay,” Tac said. “When a Magical Girl needs to fight she should do her best to keep people from getting hurt?” “What about pwopety?” “Property damage is not a problem. We got the money to pay for it.” Kristine supposed that made sense based on what she had learned that day. Tac continued. “You need to be able to make people leave an area, so they don’t get hurt.” “How do I do that?” “It was like I was telling you. If you want to chase someone away from a place you envision something unpleasant, though not frightening, and focus on an area, then push that feeling into that area.” “Thomething unpleathant?” “A feeling of being too cool, or too hot, or an annoying sound.” “Okay.” “Clear everyone from about a hundred feet in every direction of the fountain.” Kristine nodded, stepped to the edge of the building. She looked down at the space Tac had defined, she let the words come to her as they had before. “Dirty Diaper Diaper Pail,” she said, and then, “Fuck cat.” “Hey, I don’t make this crap up.” She wanted to be angry, but when she saw what was happening below, she could only be amazed. People were leaving the area she had envisioned. They were not running, they did not even seem to be aware of it, but they evacuated the space in an orderly manner liked it had been well planned and practised. It could not have taken more than twenty seconds before the space around the fountain was deserted. People had redistributed themselves around the park, apparently unaware of their actions. What was more was that people were walking the long way around, again seeming not to notice that anything was weird in they did. They were, on further observation, actively not looking towards the space around the fountain. “Weird.” “Jump down there,” Tac told her. Kristine judged the distance and then took a few steps back. She then ran up to the edge and leapt. She sailed across the distance between, landing close to the fountain, hitting the brickwork, her shoes leaving scratches on the surface. “Oopthieth,” she said looking back at the damage. Tac made a rude sound. “That’s not an oops level of damage, trust me.” She jumped from Kristine’s shoulder to the fountain side. “No one will care.” Kristine looked around and then walked towards the edge of the space she had envisioned. No one was looking at her, no one had seen her land, heard her land. She stood, about two feet away from a man who was talking on his cell phone. She could hear what he was saying, but he did not seem to notice her. “Weird.” She walked back towards the fountain. “But what happenth if the monthter weaveth the spathe?” “Why do you think Magical Girls are in teams? A few girls working together can contain the monsters.” “I thee.” “But let’s assume you need to keep a monster contained when it is really trying to get away. Or you want to avoid accidents and not just the type you have in your diapers.” “Hey!” Ignoring her outburst, Tac continued, “You don’t want someone tripping and falling into the area, or maybe a piece of a destroyed building goes flying out. If that is likely, you need to firm up the barrier, so it does not let anything pass through.” Kristine nodded. “So, now I want you to envision the barrier becoming something that will keep people out. Visualize it and say the words.” “Okay,” Kristine told Tac, then looked around. Prison cell. Sheets of thick plastic. Steel walls. Chainlink fences. Wood slats, gaily painted, safely rounded with no sharp edges. “Cwib time thafe thpathe,” she said aloud, and all around her appeared crib like bars. “Fuck,” she said again. “How cute,” Tac said in syrupy tones. She kicked the cat into the fountain. Splashing and sputtering the cat thrashed about in the water for a few seconds before turning into a woman. Tac, the woman, splashed out of the knee-deep water. She was soaked, so her ordinarily tight clothing was obscenely clinging to her. Kristine tried to tell herself she was not all jealous and was careful not to look down at her own lack of curves. Stepping out of the fountain Tac stood over her, glaring down at her. “Do you want another spanking already little girl?” Recalling the spanking of only the night before Kristine took a step back. Her lip trembled as she shook her head. “Don’t mix cats with water you overgrown toddler.” “I’m not…” she said, but looking up at Tac’s angry face killed the rest of the words in her mouth. Tac snapped her fingers. Water exploded away from her. A mist of it hit Kristine in the face, leaving her lightly drenched. Perfectly dry Tac stood there, imperious for a moment, then the woman was gone, and the cat was back. The cat leapt back up onto the fountain edge and stared at Kristine, almost as if she was daring Kristine to try something. Kristine did not take up that dare. Some water dripped from her hair. With the impossibly smug look that only a cat was capable of Tac said, “Now you have your safe crib space. That will stop most things from getting in and out, but a determined or a powerful monster might break it.” Kristine nodded, still feeling scared and not trusting her voice. “Or perhaps the monster has minions. Either way, you may need some extra help.” “What about the other Magical Girlth?” Kristine asked. “You might be fighting on your own, or they might be just as busy. Fortunately, you got Mr Bear to give you a hand.” “Mithter Bear?” “Consider if you had an army of your Bear? Each one ready to knock a monster away from the barrier, or form a wall of fur to keep the barrier safe.” Kristine nodded, seeing the point. “So, picture an army of your Mr Bears, and then, call them.” Kristine closed her eyes and did just that. She imagined an army of giant teddy bears. She opened her eyes. “Todayth the day the teddy bearth haf their pi’nic,” she called out. Well, that was not quite as bad as the other things she had to say. Around her formed shadows, and those shadows began to clump together. “Looks good so far,” Tac said. In seconds there stood about fifty or sixty shadowy forms all around her. Then, with a sound like a pop, those forms became giant teddy bears. They looked a lot like Mr Bear, though they lacked his more distinct features. They had an unfinished look to them. The close to sixty bear heads all turned towards her. It was a little creepy. “What now?” she asked Tac. “Now, think about what you want them to do.” Kristine started at them for several seconds. Then she giggled as every bear suddenly pushed its hip forward and grabbed its crotch with a big paw. “Real mature,” Tac said. Kristine ignored the cat as the bears started doing the thriller dance. “A magical army and thy best she can think to do with it is play,” Tac said. Kristine pretended the cat was not there, just watching her dancing bears. She could see that there was a lot that might be done with the bears. They could handle crowd control, probably lock enemies down she so could hit them, even just stand a perimeter guard as Tac had earlier suggested. Or she could make her very own teddy bear flash mob. The bears had been dancing for a few minutes (she felt sorry for everyone on the other side of the barrier who could not see the show) when Kristine suddenly felt dizzy. “Oh my,” she said, stumbling back a few steps before sitting slowly on the edge of the fountain. The bears all stopped moving. As she sat there, taking deep breaths, Kristine felt her diaper grow warm under her as she wet it without control. “Wha’ happen?” she asked. “It takes a lot of magical energy to summon and maintain your bears,” Tac told her in a tone that suggested she thought that Kristine should have known that. “Teddy bearth ta bed,” Kristine said, and the bears disappeared. As soon as they were gone, she felt better. “You need to work on your magical stamina,” Tac told her. “Magical thtamina?” “Your ability to channel and hold the magical power. The more magic you use, the better you’ll get. Normally, of course, you are working with a team, and each girl can handle a different thing. Still, a Magical Girl never knows when she’ll have to fight on her own.” “I would like to meet the other Magical Girls,” Kristine said, seeing an opportunity. “What?” “The other Nursery Knights. I would like to talk to them.” “I’ll see what I can do,” Tac told her. Glad that Tac had not asked why Kristine got unsteadily to her feet. Her soaked diaper sagged under the weight of her pee. “One more thing and then we’ll call it a night.” “One more?” Kristine asked. She wanted to teleport home and get a fresh diaper, or training panty. As long as it was dry. “If things are terrible, then you want to take the area you are fighting in out of the world.” “Out of the worl’?” “Think about it as moving the area to another dimension.” “Another dimenthion?” “Are you a parrot?” Kristine was about to say, ‘Parrot,’ but shut her mouth on the word. “How?” “Visualize it. Think about this space sinking away.” Kristine looked around, thought about the ground under her becoming water, the entire area sinking away, going somewhere else. “Into the dark toy box and clothe the lid,” she said, sweeping her hand out. The barrier went black. Suddenly all around her was darkness. It was as if the temperature suddenly dropped, and she shivered, her diaper growing cold and clammy around her hips. There was an indirect light, and there were long shadows all around her. Turning in place, she started open mouth. “I’m really somewhere elthe.” “You are,” Tac told her. “Did I leave a hole in the worl’?” “No. Its as if this space no longer exists, the space it took up no longer there.” Kristine thought about that and shivered again. “Okay, take us back out.” Kristine nodded. Without being told she visualised the area returning to the world and said, “Open the toy box.” It became warm and brighter, and around her, the park returned. “That’s enough for today,” Tac said as she jumped up onto Kristine’s shoulder. “Back up to the roof.” Kristine tried to teleport, but her concentration failed, and she felt as if the world stuttered around her. Her hand tightened on the mace, and she almost hurled it at the ground. She felt tears in her eyes. It was all so hard, and she was so tired. She realised her emotions were suddenly out of control with exhaustion and she had been about to throw a tantrum because of it. I am not a baby, she told herself and focused. Kristine successfully teleported on her second attempt. Standing on the roof she followed Tac’s direction, dropping the barrier and then the exclusion field. From above she watched as people began to move back into the space she had earlier driven them from. Again they did not seem to notice that they were returning to the area, just as they had not been aware they had been leaving it. Within a few minutes it was as if it had never happened. Magic was amazing, Kristine thought. She teleported back to her apartment. Tac left her for some other business. Kristine made sure not to ask if that other business was Olivia. She sat down on her couch, her diaper squishing beneath her. She just wanted to rest a moment, then she would change back, but she was asleep in seconds. BREAK POINT#5 Someone, probably Mr Bear, had unfolded her couch, undressed her, changed her, and put her in the bed, sheets tucked in around her. While the magical bear could do all that to her and not wake her up was a little disconcerting, there was something about it that her still sleepy mind found comforting. Knowing that there was always going to be something that would take care of her. Closing her eyes she tried to go back to sleep, but after only a few seconds she opened her eyes and turned her head towards the clock in the room. She had been asleep for a few hours, and it was not too late in the evening. Kristine did not think she would get back to sleep. Sitting up, the sheets slipping off her, she found herself dressed in one of the pyjama tops she had bought. Mr Bear had not bother putting the bottoms on her. She got up from the bed, felt too lazy to hunt up the pyjama pants or switch from the thick diaper to a pair of training pants. She got her new laptop and tablet, setting them up on the coffee table as she sat down on the sofa bed. At first, she was not sure what to do, then she decided to search for a house. She suddenly wanted a bedroom, with a real bed. That search kept her busy until she felt tired enough to go back to sleep. Morning. Waking up from an orgasmic wet dream. Messy diaper. Mr Bear cleaning her up. She doubted she would ever get used to it. At the very least the sweaty, panting, twitchy, wet and wonderful feeling of the wet dream was something that would never get dull. Well, she hoped. Tac was not around. She sat on her folded up couch, wondering what she was going to do. Kristine thought that there was nothing more she could learn in researching the Nursery Knights. She would have to wait until Tac got back to her. Shopping was out. Leaning back on the couch, diaper crinkling under her, TV tuned to a local news station, what to do with the day occupied her thoughts. Sitting around the apartment sounded dull. Tac had said she needed to work on her magical stamina. That seemed like a good idea. Lisping out her transformation phrase left Nursery Knight Krisy standing in the apartment. She grabbed her a bag for her tablet, hung it over her shoulder, then tucked her tablet into it. Looking at herself in the mirror she giggled at how incongruous the black bag looked with the baby style dress. Then she disappeared, teleporting away. Kristine looked at houses. She practised putting up exclusion fields, making everyone leave the house. Then she would teleport in and look around. After getting a feel for the place, she would teleport out and then drop the field, watching as people went back in. It was kind of fun. By the end of the day she was feeling tired. She had been using her magic pretty heavily. Still, she felt kind of good about it, as if she was making progress. Back in her apartment she transformed back to her regular self, changed out of the wet diaper and into a set of dry training pants. She looked over the list of houses, considered what she had seen, then wrote a note explaining that she wanted to know more about one of the houses. She summoned her magic bag, put the letter in it, then dismissed the bag. Afterwards, Kristine made her dinner and was about to eat it when Tac came into the room. “Eat up, we have more training to do tonight. We’ll be working on scrying and remote viewing.” “All right,” Kristine said, then asked, “have you found anything out about the other Nursery Knights?” Tac shook her cat head. “Not yet.” Kristine nodded, not yet wanting to push, not wanting Tac asking more questions. So she ate quickly and then transformed. She and Tac headed out into the night for more practice. The next day Kristine found a set of papers in her magic bag. They were what turned out to be papers from someone who had performed a magical inspection on the house. Without the property owner’s knowledge apparently. As a lawyer, well, as someone who wanted to be one, that seemed a little wrong. As someone who was considering moving into that house she found she did not mind much. Along with the inspection results were a list of spells that could be used to repair the problems that the inspector had found. There was a report on the neighbourhood and the neighbours. Finally, there were the details of the offer that might be made. She read it over. She was not going to have to spend the money, but it still seemed like a big deal. The house was pleasant, not a big home, but it was on a big lot a lot of privacy. It had three bedrooms, the master unusually large with an east facing window. She picked up a pen and scrawled on the bottom of the page that she wanted the house. Then she returned it to her magic bag and dismissed it. Now what, she asked herself. What was she going to do? She wished she could talk to her friends, but all her friends were working for law firms. She could not contact any of them. Kristine really wanted to contact Olivia, but she knew she could not. She was also afraid of what she might learn if she did. After several minutes of sitting there she knew she had to do something. Transforming she teleported from her apartment. Standing on a windowsill, pacifier in her mouth, so she was invisible, Kristine looked in at the classroom. Perhaps she could go back to school. Relive her childhood. People always dreamed of that. It did not take her long to decide it would be more a nightmare than a dream. Classes looked boring. Worse for her as she knew everything they were teaching, or at least vaguely recalled it. And she was pretty sure that being a student in training pants or diapers would not be in anyway fun. After about an hour of watching she teleported away. There were rumours that the police had magical girls on the payroll. Being a police officer would let her still be part of the legal system. She stood in a corner, invisible, investigating the city’s central police station, trying to see what it might be to work there. Being invisible offered her a lot of opportunities see how the officers behaved. It seemed the female officers were subject to a fair amount of low-level harassment. It was coached as good-natured ribbing, but the female staff took a lot more of it. She saw no evidence that there was any magical staff there. Kristine suspected if there were any they were made to keep a low key. Harassment and being treated like an embarrassment. Kristine teleported away. The fire department seemed like a better work environment. As long as you did your work it looked like they gave everyone the same amount of respect. Hard work, but it looked rewarding. And the fire engines looked cool. It would be something to look into. Later. She teleported away. There was one more area where Kristine thought that she might get a job, The entertainment industry. She had thought about that earlier and been dismissive of it, but there were reasons to consider it. Kristine had learned that there was filming going on in the city, she teleported over to watch. As she stood invisible among the crew, she considered what it would be like to work in such an environment. Magical Girls had a certain cachet, and she was pretty cute. If she was not going to grow older, and she hoped it was not the case, but if it was, she was the type of child actress that the industry probably wanted. One that would not get older and age out of the part. Honestly, after watching for a few hours, she thought it looked a little dull. However, she could not deny that everyone seemed to be working hard. When Kristine teleported away, she decided she was willing to consider entertainment. “Have you found out about the other Nursery Knights?” Kristine asked Tac. “I am working on it,” Tac said. She sounded cross, and her hair stood up along her spine. “Well, work harder.” “Why is it so important to you?” The day had given Kristine an answer other than, ‘I want to know if they wake up with orgasms and wet diapers’. What she said was, “I want to know what to do with my life. They might have some ideas.” “Fine,” Tac said. “I’ll look deeper, but tonight we have to practice.” “I want to work on repair spells,” Kristine said, and then named some of the spells she had learned of that morning. “Repairs?” “I can? Can’t I?” “Well, you can, but why?” “I want to, and how to shield people and place from heat and fire.” “The fire shields are useful.” “And the repairs.” “Fine,” Tac told her. “Let’s go.” Kristine had fun that night. She and Tac teleported around the city, fixing things. A street covered in potholes and cracks left like new. A large number of street lights shining brightly again. Graffiti wiped away. She especially liked cleaning the graffiti, a wave of her hand, a lisping command, and walls were left unmarked. She also practised fire shields, though that was a little harder because there were no significant fires to work with. When Kristine returned home, she felt tired but pleased. “Okay, tomorrow night you can practice on your own. Fill in some more potholes.” “What are you going to do?” “I am going to find out about the other Nursery Knights before you throw a tantrum.” “I’m not going to throw a tantrum.” “Which is exactly what I would expect a toddler about to have a meltdown to say.” “Just shut up.” “Make sure you practice,” Tac said, and then was gone. “Stupid cat,” Kristine said. A large number of countries and cities had asked that the Magical Realm set up its central embassy in their territory. The diplomatic branch of the Magical Realm had decided to ignore all those requests and dump their embassy in the middle of the Antarctic. Tac usually thought that was pretty funny, but when she had to make her way to the embassy, she had to admit it was a little inconvenient. Even for a cat who walked through walls and played the Schrodinger game to be where she should not, it still took some time to get there. Which was why she had told Kristine to practice on her own. Tac figured she’s be gone at least a full twenty-four hours. The Antarctic was cold, even for a cat with as fabulous fur as she had. One of the first things the Magic Realm had done on setting up was to chill the continent back down to its proper temperature. No global warming allowed there anymore. It was showing off to the mundanes in part, but the staff were the type to like the cold. As Tac glided into the embassy on two legs, wrapped in a thick fur coat, she was greeted by a pair of ice warriors who looked her up and down and then stood aside so she could pass. “Thanks, boys,” she said, walking further into the ice palace. She passed through public areas and moved into the offices where the real work happened. Down, several levels below the ice was a room that looked like a mission control sort of place. Staff watched floating crystal balls, staring at the events taking place. Scrying in a world where almost no one knew how to put up a ward was one of the easiest ways to gather intelligence. Tac looked about and then walked up to a woman with white skin and blue hair, wearing a black suit that did all the right things for her. “Hey sweet stuff, looking for details on the Nursery Knights, Magical Girl team. Got a location?” The woman smiled. “Nursery Knights huh?” She spun the globe in front of her. Tac could have sworn she saw snowflakes in it. “Hmmm, I think you need to talk to Controller White Out.” She looked up towards one of the highest levels of the control centre. Tac followed her gaze, saw that the woman was looking at another white skinned, blue-haired beauty. “Well, happy to talk to the Controller. Thanks, sweetheart.” She left the first woman behind and climbed the stairs to where Controller White Out worked. “Hey Controller, I need some help finding some Magical Girls. Got time for a fellow working girl.” The woman called White Out looked at Tac for several seconds. “You don’t look the type who actually works that much.” “Guilty as charged, it’s the cat in me.” White Out smiled. “Well, one can’t be blamed for their nature I always say. Magical Girls?” “A team called the Nursery Knights.” White Out pursed her lips. “That sounds familiar.” She turned to her globe, spinning it about. “Hmm, I actually have a recent spike.” “That would probably be Kristine. I recently activated her.” White Out looked away from the globe towards Tac. “The Nursery Knights were active about twenty years ago.” “Yeah, I was a little late.” “A little?” “The cat in me.” White Out actually smiled. “All right, let’s ignore the recent activity.” She went back to the globe, turning it, running her hands over it. “Okay, now I remember. We started getting activity on them about twenty years ago, pretty consistent for about two years.” “Sounds right. It took the Nursery Knights about two years to take down the Nightmare King as I understand it.” “After that, there was consistent, low-level activity, about what you would expect from Magical Girls who are no longer active.” “Okay. So do you have any recent activity from them?” “No,” White Out said. “No?” “They went dark almost sixteen years ago.” “Went dark? Like they never transformed again?” “No. Even an untransformed Magical Girl occasionally gives off energy.” “So they’re dead?” White Out shook her head. “No, we would have picked up their deaths.” “How does a Magical Girl go dark then?” “It’s difficult. The girls have to actively mask themselves in the world. It takes a lot of work.” “Does it happen often?” “No.” “Has an entire team ever gone dark?” “No.” Tac said nothing for several seconds. “Well, that is weird.” “Yes. It is why I remembered them.” “Well, I am going to have to speak to those in the know.” “Who is that?” “That,” Tac said and smiled, “is first the coordinator of that team, and then their liaisons.” “Ah.” White Out nodded. “But, that being said, are you like all cold, or do you think I can warm you up. I got a talented cat’s tongue, but I don’t want it freezing to anything.” After her usual morning wake-up pleasure and mess Kristine had planned on spending the day fixing stuff to practice her magic, and then she had planned on talking to someone in the fire department. There was a note from Tac in the front pocket of her magic bag, telling her to keep practising. That made the idea of popping around and repairing things seem even better. However, she ended up on the roof of a building across from the courthouse, pacifier in her mouth, using the scrying spells that she had learned to watch the court proceedings. Oscar was a pleasure to watch, and she could see that Daniel was working hard to keep up. He seemed to be enjoying himself. She could not help but feel a stab of envy. Sitting on the edge of the roof, sucking on her pacifier, watching the trial, hours passed before a recess was called. During that time her diaper had grown wet. Something she only noticed when she stood and felt it sag. “Thith ith getting ridiculouth,” she mumbled aloud. She reached under her skirt, checking the diaper. It did not seem too wet yet. How had the actual Nursery Knights dealt with their wet diapers? Had their Mr Bears been continually changing them? After another check of her diaper, she decided she did not need to change it yet. She teleported away from the court, to the roof of the building in which Cotton and Black had their offices. On the roof, she called up her scrying spell and scanned the office for Olivia. It felt a little creepy, spying on her ex, but she wanted to know how Olivia was doing. Kristine found Olivia at her desk, working. Through the scrying spell she watched Olivia as she worked, trying to discern how she was doing. The face that had grown so familiar looked much like it had in the time Kristine had known her. Was she looking sad, or happy? Were their dark circles under her eyes, as if she had not been sleeping? And if she had not been sleeping was that because she was spending her nights crying over love lost, or because Tac was keeping her awake. Was that far off look because she was thinking of Kristine, or Tac, or was she just wondering what she was going to have for dinner? Two other women came up to Olivia. Kristine recognised them both, though she only knew one of them, Wendy Davis, another articling student. The other woman was a secretary, but Kristine had never known her name. They asked Olivia for some help with research in the library. Olivia agreed and went with them. The same smiles, the same tone of voice, Kirstine would be hard pressed to find anything that suggested that Olivia was in any way distressed. What did it mean? Olivia seemed pretty friendly with the secretary, who name Kristine learned was ‘Bethany’. Was Bethany Kristine’s replacement? No, she told herself, Olivia would not just jump into a new relationship. Kristine was sure of that. However, after that every smile had Kristine wondering. Maybe Tac had done something? Maybe Tac had made Olivia forget about her. Though Tac had said she wanted to catch Olivia on the rebound, so she could not have made Olivia forget. Kristine ran her hands through her hair and let a small cry of exasperation around her pacifier. It was so hard. She just wanted to know what Olivia was thinking. Was there a spell for that? She would have to ask Tac. “No,” she growled. Bad enough she was watching Olivia, but to try to read her mind? That would push her well into the creepy territory. Kristine was somewhat aware that she needed to poop, but she ignored it. She could hold it, and she was still trying to understand what Olivia was feeling. Someone mentioned Kristine, wondering if it was true what they had heard. Kristine focused on Oliva’s face, trying to figure out what her expression meant. Was it a sad smile? A frown? Was she about to say something, tell them it was true? Then Kristine was distracted by the feeling in her diaper. The warm, bulky mess that was filling the seat. The scrying spell collapsed, and Kristine opened her mouth in an ‘O’ of surprise. Her pacifier fell from her mouth, jerked to a stop by the ribbon. She reached behind herself, put her hands on the seat of her diaper. There was a weight in the back, and she pushed at it, feeling the warm, almost hot, poop squish again her. She gasped at the strange feeling, kept pressing it against her, even as the continued to fill her diaper. She was squatting down, pushing more of the poop into her diaper. She could not stop herself as she continued to rub the mess against her bottom. What was she doing? What was she feeling? It occurred to her she was visible, for the pacifier was not in her mouth, rubbing the back of her messy diaper. “No,” she grunted, and snatched up the pacifier, putting it back in her mouth. She stood, the mess shifting. Envisioning her apartment, she teleported home. “Mithter Bear,” she cried out. Mr Bear showed up, with her magic bag over his shoulder. Within in moments, the bear had a changing pad on the floor and Kristine on her back. He had her messy diaper off in about twenty seconds and began to clean her up. Soon her bottom was clean, oiled up and powdered. Mister Bear had slid a new diaper under her bottom, lowered her onto it and taped it up around her. Kristine was so glad to be clean, happy that she was no longer tempted by a messy diaper. She thanked Mr Bear and sent him away. Lying on the changing bad, legs spread, the magic bag full of diapers and training pants beside her, Kristine wondered what she was going to do. Would she end up rubbing a messy diaper all over her bottom every time she messed herself? Was she going to mess herself more often? Kristine sat up and grabbed up the changing pad, folding it up and stuffing it into her magic bag. She checked the zippered pocket, seeing if there were any new messages. Dismissing the bag, she reversed her transformation. Back in her clothing from the morning, she realised she was still in a diaper. She had not taken it off from when Mr Bear had changed her that morning. “I should have put on the training pants,” she told herself. However, she did not change out of the diaper. She unfolded her couch, sat down on the thin mattress, and pulled the blankets over her head. Tac was glad to be back in the Magic Realm. She breathed in deeply of the air rich in magical energy. “Good to be home,” she said to herself. “Be better if my expense account was reactivated.” Around her was the Great City, built around the gate that led to the mundane world. Ever since she had started dealing with the Magical Girl program, the city had been Tac’s home. While she would have preferred to make her way straight to the entertainment district, the lack of an expense account would make such a trip nothing but depressing. Instead, she made her way across the city, forced to rely on public transport. Not that she paid for it of course. A cat can sit on top of a tram car, and no one ever notices. If you circled the city, always counter widdershins, after always twenty minutes, one would find themselves looking out at a lake that was an impossible blue. Above the lake was a vast globe of polished silver, the impossible colour of the water reflected in it. The globe was the Office of Magic in the Mundane and handled, among many other things, the deployment of Magical Girls. Switching back to her human form after jumping down from the tram, ignoring an angry call from the tram driver, she stepped up on one of the entry portals. There was a sense of movement for a moment, then she was standing in the central foyer of the Office of Magic in the Mundane. Tac did not bother talking to the receptionist golems (cute as they were made, they gave her a significant ‘Uncanny Valley’ vibe). Her job had brought her to the office many times in the past, and she knew where she wanted to go. In the admin section of Magical Girl processing Tac chatted up a pretty little filing clerk and got her to pull the information on who had been in charge of the Nursery Knight’s project. After a bit of bite (the clerk had some mouse in her, and as a cat, Tac had to nip) and tickle Tac was on her way to the office of one Umon Derrypiz. Umon was, unfortunately, as far as Tac was concerned, male. Tac was pretty good with getting on the right side of women. She had a knack for it. With Umon she was just going to have to be professional. That was annoying. She entered his office, decent size, midlevel paper-pusher type of place. There was a man behind a desk. She assumed Umon. He looked up from whatever he had been working on. “Yes?” “Umon Derrypiz?” “Yes. Who are you?” “Tac, Magical Girl liaison, second class.” “I see. How can I help you?” It seemed to be going well. With a smile, Tac crossed the room. “I’m looking for information on the Magical Girl team the Nursery Knights. I understand you are the coordinator of that team.” “I am the coordinator of a lot of teams. I don’t know why you would expect me to be able to help.” Tac was taken aback. She wondered what had happened that made him get all prickly. Maybe he did not like cats. “I suppose,” she said, “but this team was all little girls, around four or five, kind of unique.” “All Magical Girl teams are unique. That is the point.” Again Tac felt as if she had missed something. “Well, the Nursery Knights as a whole went dark about fifteen years ago, which is weird, so I was hoping to get some details about them. Maybe something about their mission required them to disappear?” “Why are you wasting my time with this?” he demanded, pounding a closed fist on his desk. Were they speaking two different languages that only sounded the same? Tac wondered if she was insulting him. She would have to explain things. “I recently activated the last of the Nursery Knights you see. And she wants to meet the other Knights, to get an idea of what is going on. Poor girl, all lost and alone.” Tac decided to play the sympathy card. “You activated the sixth Nursery Knight?” he asked her. He seemed surprised, maybe. “I’ll admit that I was little late,” Tac said, assuming that was the cause of his surprise. “The sixth Nursery Knight is active, has become a Magical Girl?” Same shocked expression. Tac could not figure it. “Yes. Nice girl. Named Kristine.” “I have to go,” Umon said as he stood up. “What? But what about the Nursery Knights?” “Look them up in the records,” he told her as he started towards the door, almost knocking Tac over. “When are you going to be back? I really wanted to talk to you about this?” “I don’t know, urgent business,” he called back to her as he left the room. “Well, that is just great,” Tac said as she left the office as well. “Now I got to look up records. Maybe mousey will help me.” With his quick pace, almost a run really, Umon left her behind. Tac ambled, as was her way, back towards the admin section. She was about halfway there when someone suddenly grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around. Tac found herself facing an angry looking Gorgeous. Though as far as Tac was concerned Gorgeous could only look angry, so it really meant nothing to her. “What are you doing back here?” Gorgeous demanded. “Hi Gorgeous, good to see you. Did not miss me?” Gorgeous actually growled, showing teeth. Tac raised her hands. “Now Gorgeous, calm down. I’m here working, for my Magical Girl.” That gave Gorgeous pause, and she stopped showing teeth. “What do you mean?” “She wants to meet the other Nursery Knights, perfectly sensible right.” Gorgeous narrowed her eyes. “Why are you here then?” “Cause I can’t find them for her, and she's really a bitch about constantly asking.” Gorgeous frowned. “What do you mean you can’t find them?” “Just that I can’t. I talked to the monitoring station people at the embassy. I met a really nice lady who while looking like an ice queen melted rather nicely when I…” “Tac!” “Right, sorry. Anyway White Out told me that the Nursery Knights had all gone dark about fifteen years ago.” “What?” Gorgeous’ eyes widened. “Yeah, it is odd, right? I came here to speak to the team’s coordinator to see if I could find out anything, for all the good that did me. Acted like he had never heard of the Nursery Knights and then when I told him I was trying to find them for Kristine he was all surprised and then ran off. I mean, I admit I was a little late but…” “Shut up Tac.” Tac took a step back. “Well excuse me.” Gorgeous was frowning, there was a line between her eyes from concentration. “The team went dark, all at the same time?” “Yes. That is what I said.” Tac sighed. “And you came here, and the coordinator got defensive when you mentioned the Nursery Knights?” “I suppose that might be one way of looking at it.” “And as soon as you mentioned the sixth Nursery Knight was active he suddenly had to leave?” Tac nodded. “Yes. Do you want to state the obvious some more Gorgeous?” “Are you that self-absorbed or are you just stupid?” “I think we both know that I'm just that self-absorbed. It's kind of my thing.” Gorgeous shook her head. “Cats,” she muttered softly, and then said, “This coordinator was responsible for the disappearance of the Nursery Knights, or if not responsible played a part in it. And now that he has learned the sixth Knight is active he has run off to arrange her disappearance.” Tac’s eyes widened. “Hey, that makes sense. That bastard.” “Go, go back to the Mundane Realm. You have my permission to use one of the speed passes.” “But what about Umon, and the other Liaisons?” “I’ll look into that. You get back and see to the protection of your Magical Girl.” “Fine,” Tac said, “I’m going.” She paused. “Don’t suppose you might activate my expense account again? Just so I can get a little pick me up before I go?” “Get out of here,” Gorgeous almost screamed. “Man, calm down,” Tac said as she turned and walked off in the direction of the exit. “Don’t see why you are worried. Kristine is probably just fine.” Kristine was not fine. She was sitting on her bed, blankets pulled over her head, wishing she had never become a magical girl. The money and all the other things seemed little compensation for the fact she had been squatting on a roof, rubbing her messy diaper against her bottom. And just maybe she had enjoyed it. She shook her head angrily in denial. Hours had passed, and the room had grown dark around her. She might have sat under her blankets all night if there had not been a knock on her door. At first, she ignored it, but when the knocking turned to a louder pounding, she tossed off the blanket and stood. “What do you want?” she demanded loudly, walking towards the door, slapping the light on. She looked out the peephole. Two men stood at the threshold of the apartment. Both wore suits, the smaller one in dark grey, the taller, heavier one in dark red. “Hello Miss,” the smaller one said, appearing as if he was trying to look back through the peephole. “We’d like to speak to you about your little friend Tac.” Kristine frowned. Had Tac found out something and sent these two as messengers? She made sure the chain was in place and then opened the door, peeking out. “What about Tac?” she asked. She had a better look at the two men than through the peephole. Their suits looked cheap, smelled of mothballs. The smaller one smiled, showing a mouthful of pointy, yellow teeth. “Ah, your little friend is in trouble. Needs you to help her she does. Isn’t that right Mr Badger?” he looked towards the large man. “Most true Mr Rat. Mewling sadly she was, desperate need of saving. Said she loves you she did.” “You’ve never met Tac,” Kristine said, slamming the door closed, bolting it and jumping back. She had no idea who those men were, but if Tac wanted her help, she was pretty sure she would demand it, and there would be no statements of love. “Now Miss, don’t be like that,” Mr Rat said from the other side of the door. The doorknob rattled, and there was a thump as something heavy hit it. Kristine transformed into a Nursery Knight and jammed her pacifier into her mouth, becoming invisible. A moment later the door came free of its hinges and fell in. Mr Badger entered, followed by Mr Rat. Kristine stepped back towards the wall, ready to teleport away. Mr Badger looked around the main room from his place near the door. Mr Rat looked into her kitchen and then the bathroom. “It looks like she's done a runner Mr Badger,” Mr rat said. “Her profile pegged her a teleporter. She could be anywhere now Mr Rat.” “That is rather unfortunate I'm thinking.” “That is so Mr Rat, but were she a time jumper she could be anywhen. You got to look on the positive side.” “You are correct about that Mr Badger. Should we wait here, in case she comes back?” “I think Mr Rat we had best tell his Loftiness about this.” “He won’t be pleased about it Mr Badger.” “That is most certain Mr Rat, but we do ourselves no favours by putting it off.” “Then let us go Mr Badger.” The two left together. Kristine, still invisible, watched them walk down the hall, towards the elevator. She waited until she heard the elevator arrive, listened to the sound of the door closing. She then stepped into the centre of the room, waved her mace at the broken door. It swung up into place, the twisted hinges mostly righting themselves. Good enough for now, she thought and teleported to the front of the building. About thirty seconds later she saw Mr Rat and Mr Badger exit her building and walk to the parking lot. There they got into a beat up old muscle car and then drove away. Kristine followed them, teleporting from rooftop to rooftop. They drove towards the old manufacturing district. While much of the area had been gentrified, old manufacturing buildings turned to condos, the car stopped in one of the regions that had so far avoided renewal. Parking in the lot of an old foundry the two men left their car and entered the building. Kristine followed them. On the first floor was a room that had probably once served as offices. Now it was empty, but for a throne-like chair on which a man with blue skin, dressed in luxe clothing, grey and red and silver. There were several women there, fawning over the man. Kristine noted that all the woman had blank expressions and glassy eyes. “Where is the girl?” he demanded as Mr Rat and Mr Badger entered. He pushed the woman sitting on his lap to the floor as he stood. “Spooked, she teleported away,” Mr Rat said. “Hardly cared about her little cat friend it seems,” Mr Badger said. “What?” the blue man asked. “She looked older than the other Nursery Knights, didn’t she Mr Badger.” “As you say Mr Rat. Less trusting I would say.” “More mature.” “Damn,” the blue man said. “The Duke will not be pleased.” “One would expect,” Mr Rat said. “We’re returning to the Magical Realm. We’ll get a tracker. Best not to let the Duke know of this.” “Most wise, that is,” Mr Badger said. The blue man reached into his jacket, brought out a gem the size of a chicken egg. It glittered and shone with its own inner light. The light grew, Kristine had to look away. When the glow faded, the three men were done. The women all seemed to come to their senses, looked around, confused, scared. Kristine stayed close to them, waited for them to sort themselves out, followed them from the building and watched over them, still invisible, until they had got to the well lit and safer gentrified area. Satisfied that they would be okay, she teleported back to her apartment. There she found Tac, who looked a little relieved when Kristine showed up. “I saw the damaged door and was worried.” Kristine was a little surprised that Tac could be worried. She waved her mace at the door, completing the repairs to it. Then she told Tac what had happened. Tac told her what she had learned. “Thomeone kidnapped the Nurthery Knightth?” “It does look that way,” Tac said. “And now they want me?” “Complete set I would say. Collectors are like that.” “What the hell? What am I thuppothed to do?” “Ah, good question.” “That’th why I athked it.” Tac nodded. “Well, you could try hiding, but you did say they were going to get a tracker.” “That’th what they thaid.” “Right. Well, if they get a true tracker there is no hiding it. It will find you, but they probably won’t get a true tracker.” “Why?” “Cause they are expensive and most end up killing what they are tracking.” “What?” Kristine’s eyes widened. “Well, why else track something?” Kristine had no answer. “So they are probably going to get a lesser tracker. You might be able to hide from that, but you will constantly be on the move.” “I can’t keep running.” Though she thought about it and realised there was nothing in her life that really required her to stay in one place. That might have depressed her were she not worried about the things hunting her. “Well, there is a place you can go where they won’t be able to track you.” “Where?” “The Magical Realm. Whoever is after you might waste weeks hunting the Mundane Realm before they figure you ran to the Magical Realm. And you’ll be a lot harder to track in the Magical Realm. Plus, that’s where we can find out who is behind all this, maybe even stop it.” “Maybe even stop it? Maybe?” “You said they mentioned a Duke. Duke’s can be powerful. I’m not about to stick my tail into a mess like that.” “Thankth a lot,” Kristine said, the lisp taking the edge off the sarcasm. “Listen, Gorgeous seems to care about this, and while she is a pain in my most amazing ass, she does know her stuff. So just trust me. Come to the Magical Realm and maybe we get this sorted out to your benefit. And, most importantly, as I will be doing official work there, they will probably reactivate my expense account.” “Why thould I care about your expenthe account?” “I don’t understand the question,” Tac said after a few seconds. Kristine sighed. “Fine, let’th go to the Magical Realm.”

This is a special bonus chapter I'm posting early as a thank you to those who have followed me on WattPad. Yesterday I finally crossed 500 followers, and I so appreciate you all supporting me! Please enjoy this special early chapter as a thank you from me! 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 Chapter 17: Break-Ins I FOLLOWED MACKENZIE as she carried Liam back to the dorm. He looked pitiful in her arms and clearly was embarrassed about being carried around like a toddler. Liam was not quite a foot taller than me, but he looked about the size of a year-old baby at best in her arms. I couldn’t help but notice her patting his back like one as we walked across campus, and he buried his head in her shoulder. ‘He’s going quick!’ I couldn’t help but think. He struggled to free himself one last time as we reached the door to Sanders Hall. Still, she bounced him like a fussy baby and said, “I’ll put you down when we get inside. We still need to talk about what happened earlier,” she warned. ‘What happened earlier?’ I couldn’t help but wonder! ‘He didn’t stay for the computer science test… so it could be during that time… or after she took him back to the dorm? Or something while he was with the Dean?’ He had hurried out almost as fast as Doctor Owens had. I couldn’t help but wonder if he had actually made it to the potty in time! Back in our room, she finally put Liam down on the floor, and he moved as quickly as he could to his desk, away from her. I walked over to my desk and pulled my backpack off my shoulders before saying, “Miss Mackenzie, I’m going to use the potty real quick?” “Go ahead, Connor; I’ll be there in a second.” I walked towards the open doorway to the bathroom and pushed my way into a stall. Pulling down my pants and hopping back onto the potty-shaped toilet was just a little effort but far more accessible than the big toilets would have been earlier! I took advantage of the smaller potty to empty my bowels and bladder, which had grown fuller as we walked back. I was just getting ready to reach for the toilet paper when Mackenzie opened the stall door. She knelt and looked at my Pull-Ups, “All dry and clean here! Smells like you made a poopy in the potty?” She asked, even as she pulled me forward and looked down at the bowl. “Wow! What a good boy, unlike Liam! I think you’ve made it every time today!” I was red as a tomato then and only got redder as she grabbed some wipes from up above somewhere and proceeded to ‘help me’ get clean. Her efforts only required a few moments, and then she dropped them in a wall-mounted trashcan and stood me up. I reached down to pull my pants up but was slower than her, so she finished the job. “Why don’t you wash your hands, and then we’ll update your potty chart together!” She said happily. Earlier that day, Mackenzie seemed like a better Nest Mother than the others, but suddenly the ‘mommy’ part of her seemed to be out in full force. I sighed and went to the sink while she went to the main room and said, “Come on, Liam, let’s change that diapee!” I took my time washing my hands, but she still was in the middle of lifting his butt up into the air to moon me as I walked out. I looked away and walked to the desk, turning on the computer and inputting my login information. Obviously, I didn’t trust their laptop, so I opened up my backpack, pulled out my computer, and sat it beside the desk. “Why are you using that computer?” Mackenzie startled me. “Because it’s one from home with all my documents on it?” I told her, “Not to mention, it’s more familiar to me. Also, I have a camera from home that I brought to take pictures of my time here that I can’t connect to your computers?” She started to object when I said, “Say, can we take a picture together? My moms will love to put a face to a name?” “Umm…” she was shocked by the suggestion. “Liam, can you come to take a picture of Miss Mackenzie with me?” I asked. He gave me a look like I was nuts, but I glowered at him to take the hint. “Miss Mackenzie, how about you sit on the ground, and I’ll sit on your lap?” “You’re sending this to your moms?” She asked. “So they know I’m okay and in good hands!” I told her. “Don’t tell me none of your nest has ever asked you to take a picture with them before?” “Umm… actually, no, they haven’t?” “That’s kind of silly,” I told her. “Go ahead, sit down there. Here Liam, take the camera,” I told him. He hesitantly stepped forward and grabbed it. Mackenzie clearly didn’t know what to think but ended up sitting down, and I clambered onto her lap. “Okay, umm… three, two, one,” he said, and the flash went off. He took a few for me, and I said, “Here, let me see it,” I told him. I pressed some buttons, and it pulled up the zoomed-in photo of us looking like a mommy and her baby. “Here, Miss Mackenzie, you want to see it before I send it?” She was still on the ground and said, “Umm… sure?” She sighed as she looked, “Aww, it’s a cute picture of us! Thanks for asking me to take one with you! Liam, you want one?” “No, thank you,” he said. He started walking away, but she said, “Let’s update those potty charts for you two. Liam, we’ll do you first.” Without warning, she picked him up and placed him on her hip. Some stickers appeared from somewhere, and she said, “Okay, we didn’t do yesterday yet, so here’s a poopy sticker for your first accident. Can you be a big boy and put it on Wednesday?” I grimaced for him as he said, “Do we really have to do this?” “Well, if you want to just plan on diapers for the rest of the semester, we don’t have to do a potty chart? Since only big boys get underwear, they’re also the only ones who get potty charts?” “Fine!” he said. I watched as he put a brown sticker on Wednesday. “Then let’s see, we went through three more diapers yesterday, so let’s put those down on Wednesday too!” He grumbled but put some yellow stickers down on the chart. “You had one time you did use the potty yesterday, so go ahead and put this down on Wednesday!” I could tell it was a gold star from where I was sitting. “Now, this is the morning spot; you had a wet diapee then, so put this yellow one there!” “I wouldn’t have been wet if you had let me out to use the potty! You were gone when I woke up!” “Aww, sweetie, I actually checked you before Connor, and I left. You were already wet, but that’s okay. Night diapees are normal in our Nest.” “I was…?” He started to say. “Now you had two more wet diapees, and then that poopie diaper just before we picked up Connor. Then the wet one I just changed, so let’s put three more pee pee stickers here and one more poopie.” He was bright red as she did this while holding him underneath the diaper bulge with one hand. When she was done, she bounced him up and down, “Liam, I’m sorry to say you aren’t going to be earning a Potty Star this semester. You’ve already used up enough accidents to make even a Bronze Star impossible!” “But…” “It’s okay; it’s not the first time a Little has burned through their stars so fast. I need to tell you, though, that if your chart looks like this every day for the next week, I’m going to just pull it down, and we’ll go with diapees only.” “But…” “Now, why don’t you go explore and check out your textbooks? They should be on your tablet,” she told him and set him down. A pat was made to the rear before she said, “Come on, Connor, let’s update yours too.” I walked over to her and found myself in her arms like he’d been. “You said you had a poopy diaper yesterday while you were out?” I blushed but nodded, “Yes.” “So here’s a poopy sticker for that.” She handed me a sticker that was shaped like an old poop-shaped emoji back home, complete with a frowny face on it. I grimaced but put it down on Wednesday. “Now I think you used the potty five times yesterday, according to my records and what your grandma said, so here’s five gold stars!” She handed me one sticker at a time, and I put them on the chart. “And you’ve been a good boy all day so far, so from the records, I have you earning seven more gold stars today!” I took each ridiculous sticker and covered a fair amount of the area on the chart. Mackenzie bounced me up and down like a fussy baby, “You, unfortunately, have that one accident that will keep you from a Gold Star, but I think you might be able to achieve a Silver or a Bronze still!” “Great,” I told her. She sat me down, “Okay, you two, why don’t you check out your coursework and schedules from the Dean and start planning everything you’ll need next week for a bit. I’m going to be in my apartment for a while. Don’t try and leave the Nest, please.” Liam looked like he was about to challenge that but instead joined me in saying, “Yes, Miss Mackenzie.” I walked over to the computer and camera I had left on my desk. A quick glance that she was gone and Liam was occupied let me pull up the camera card memory. While the camera displayed the picture that Liam, or anyone focused on, the actual image recorded was far broader. Nearly 360 degrees wide! Liam’s body was the only thing blocking the camera’s rear, but even his face and body were completely imaged. I began typing an email to Mom, making it as innocuous as possible but still attaching the ‘real’ images. Hi Everyone, I just wanted to let you know everything is going well here! Well… at least well enough. Unfortunately, I’ve shrunk two and a half feet, so I’m definitely a Little. At least I’m taller than Mom was! (Not that it’s saying much since I’m tied with the shortest in the exchange group) This morning we took our placement tests and got our results, and set up schedules this afternoon. I did really well on the tests… including scoring a perfect score on the programming one! Math and Science I only missed things related to Portal Physics since I’ve never studied any of that! As a result, the courses I requested before I came are the ones I’m signed up for. Well, those plus I have to take that Little Seminar you told me about Mom. I met Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Bella, Aunt Megan, and all of their family yesterday, as well as Uncle Cameron, Aunt Addison, and their kids. Beth is here going to school and is really cool. I ate lunch with her and one of her Big friends earlier. She’s like double my height, but really nice! I hope I can hang out more with her this semester! Anyway, I need to keep exploring what I have been given for textbooks and things, but I’ve attached a picture of my Nest Mother here. Miss Mackenzie was nice enough to take me swimming this morning, and she’s mostly been nice to me, at least. I’ll write again soon! Love you all, Connor I wiped some moisture from my eyes and played with the ends of my long hair as I explored my textbooks on the tablet they’d given me. BETH WAS JUST about to enter her room when her phone rang. It showed her mom’s picture on the screen. “Beth, don’t go into your room; go downstairs instead,” her mom told her. “What? Why?” “Just go! I’ll explain when you’re away from your room.” “Okay…?” Beth was confused that her mom even knew she was about to go to her room before remembering she’d enabled her family tracking location on break. ‘Got to remember to turn that off!’ she griped. She walked down the stairs and reached the bottom, “Okay, now what?” “Someone got into your room and planted some used Pull-Ups to try and prove that you’re not mature,” she heard her dad’s voice. “What?!?” she hissed. “Luckily, your dad’s Christmas present recorded it all,” her mom said. “You’re going to go to your RD right now and show her the video. If you recognize the culprit, that will help. We’re sending it now; please call us back as soon as you’ve shown her so we can be on the line.” Beth was shaking then with anger as she hung up and received the video file from her dad. She watched as Kelly’s friend Nevaeh entered the room and put a wet Pull-Up underneath her bed covers, another in the trash can hidden by the limited trash she had so far, and a stack of unused ones in her underwear drawer. The bitch actually stole all of her panties while she was at it!!!!! Deciding that calling her parents later would be too late, she instead opened an app she’d installed that allowed for a call that couldn’t be seen while she was showing the video. “Mom, just stay quiet. This is going to stay open so you can hear me. Mute your side; I know the culprit.” Her face was red as she walked up to the RDs apartment and knocked. The door opened suddenly and revealed that Kelly was inside with their RD, Penelope Rogers. “Oh, there she is now,” Kelly said. “Can I help you?” Penelope asked. “Yes, can I talk to you? But without her around?” Beth motioned to Kelly. “I’m only trying to help,” Kelly said, “I’ll talk to you later, Penelope!” She didn’t even argue as she left. Instead, once the door was closed, Beth said, “I have a complaint to make about a break-in into my room.” “A break-in?” she asked. “Yes, a girl, Nevaeh Dominguez, broke into my room and planted some used Pull-Ups. If I had to guess, Kelly was just trying to say she’s been catching me having accidents or some other made-up story?” “Well, actually… she did say she thought you were having some potty problems?” “Here, let me show you this video,” Beth told her. “You know it’s not a big deal if you’re having…?” “Watch this video, please!” Beth told her and used a built-in projector from the phone to project the video of her phone physically to a mid-sized image in the air in front of them. Unfortunately, the 3D mockup of her room wasn’t physically stable like a real projector. Still, it quickly showed the whole thing, from the sounds of a series of beeps from outside the room to Nevaeh committing the crime.” “Oh my…” Penelope said, taking in the situation. She glanced up at Beth and seemed to realize she was well-connected based on how white she had turned. “This is a serious problem. Let me call campus security…” ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

 Thank you for reading! Please press the ‘Like’ Button if you’ve enjoyed it! Comments are always super appreciated as well! LCW will have a new posting every Friday for the foreseeable future! Your support through likes and comments means a lot to me. If you’ve enjoyed this or any of my other works, consider supporting me by purchasing copies of them on Amazon Kindle! (And if you do so pretty please consider leaving me a 5-star review (you can just leave the stars and no public reviews are viewable then!)) If you have a WattPad account and haven't followed me over there please go do so! I guess if I hit a 1k followers I'll have to do something more special? 💜

Chapter 15: Warnings “AND THAT’S TIME!” Dr. Faulkner said. “If you would go ahead and pull your immersion glasses off and leave them on the table.” I shook my head and said, “Those are cool!” to the girl beside me. “Yes, they are! I’ve had some reality goggles at home, but nothing compares to those!” “Never really been a fan of the ones we had back home,” I admitted. “Those might change my mind, though!” “If you like those, you should check out the artificial lens option!” The TA for the class said to me as she collected my glasses. “Contacts?” Liam asked. “Basically! Everything the goggles can do, but you can just go on with life in an augmented reality setting.” “They work?” I asked. She turned towards me and pushed on her eye, revealing just a hint of the circle of different colored material. “Yep, I use them all the time! It beats carrying a tablet or a laptop around. Just carry a portable keyboard like you were using, and you can do everything you can with a screen. The bonus is that it has some limited neuro interface connections too.” “That’s…” I started to say. “Erin,” I heard Dr. Faulkner sound like she was scolding her TA. “They need to get going; you can’t geek out with them all day!” “Sorry, Professor… I think they’re ready to go. You want me to lead them over to Sanders?” “Well, just the Littles; the others should be able to find their own way…?” I noted that our two taller group members were blushing and looking nervous. “Yeah, we’re good,” the Mid-sized boy said nervously. He and the other taller boy took no time in high-tailing it out of the hall, and we watched an elevator door close in front of us as we waited for another car. I noticed that Liam was squirming a bit and realized it was probably due to the diaper drooping and attempting to take his pants with it. Erin looked at the same thing, “Oh, you poor thing, you need that diapee changed badly, huh?” “I wouldn’t if I wasn’t stuck in this…?” He complained Erin smiled, “If you’re stuck in one already, I’m guessing it was because you didn’t behave for your Nest Mother?” He looked stoically at the floor, “She was being mean.” I heard one of the two girls with us giggle at that. “It’s not funny,” Liam complained. “The rest of you probably need a potty stop too?” She suggested with the doors still closed. “Now that you mention it?” I replied. “Do you have a spare with you… I didn’t get your name…?” She asked Liam. “Liam… No…?” “Well, let’s see if there’s a backup in the bathroom here…? You all can still use the big boy and girl potty…?” She asked the rest of us. I nodded. The taller of the two girls with us, who I knew was from another dimensional group, snorted. “I’m not about to wear one of those baby diapers!” “You made it through yesterday without one…?” The shorter girl asked. “It was close, but whatever they poisoned us with must have been dosed with you shorter kids in mind.” “Umm… Okay,” Erin interrupted. “Let’s get you to the potty and see if I can find a change for Liam here.” She led us down the hallway to a set of bathrooms with boys on one side and girls on the other. Most of us started going into the boy’s bathroom, with the two girls following Erin. Erin had to physically pull Liam with her, and I could hear him complaining that he shouldn’t be in the girl’s room even as the door shut. I shook my head and pulled out my step stool to help me reach the urinal. One of the boys beside me said, “That’s really smart; where did you get that?” Even as he struggled to aim high enough, I could see he missed initially and caught part of his pants. “I brought it from home,” I told him. “What? Were you this short back home?” A third boy asked as he was struggling to reach his own urinal. He was a bit taller, so it was almost possible for him. “No, but my mom was when she came through, so it seemed wise to be prepared?” “Your mom came here?” Then, the first boy asked, “Like on a tour or something?” “Initially, but she went to college here at Emerson.” “Even knowing everything about this place, you still came here…?” the third boy asked. “By the way, I’m Jack.” “Connor,” I told him, “Yeah… Their tech for film and using their holographic systems is so cool and way beyond what we have back home? I want to learn about it and take it home.” The first boy pulled his pants up, and I hoped no one noticed the small amount of pee on his pants from aiming poorly. “I’m Nikolai,” he said, moving to the sink and doing a weird hop-up and down as I took the time to reach in my bag and grab a wipe to clean myself before pulling my Pull-Up back up. “Why are you wearing one of those diapers anyway?” “It’s just a Pull-Up, and it’s way better than getting busted with pants around here that aren’t protected?” I responded and blushed. “Yeah, but we’re adults, we’re not going to have accidents,” Jack said. I straightened my shirt and tie out before dragging my stool to the sink. Jackson was trying to figure out how to get up there while Nikolai was hopping up and down and spilling water on his shirt. The accessible sink was lower, and with my step stool, I could just reach the sink and wash my hands without making a mess. I noticed Jack staring at me, “You want to use it before I put it away?” “Thanks!” he said, “I’ll have to get one of these!” BETH WAS SPENDING some time relaxing with a book when she heard a knock at the door. ‘I was just getting to a good spot!’ she thought as she sat up, slid off her tall bed, and went to the door. She opened the door to find her RA there, “Hi Tracy, what’s up?” “May I come in for a moment?” “Umm… sure?” Beth said and moved into the room so she could let her in. She noticed that Tracy looked closely around the room and ran a hand down the back of Rings’ tail as she saw her nearly bending over to do so with her eleven-foot-tall height. “What’s up?” She felt things grow more ominous as the door was closed. She had her phone in her pocket and activated an instant recording app her parents had insisted she installed years ago, “I’ve been asked to stop by and do a wellness check on you?” “Huh? What?” “A few people just want to ensure you are doing okay? We know you’re not a Little, but we know sometimes those of you who are a little shorter do still struggle? I understand you were out at the mall with a Little yesterday?” Beth looked up at her, “Yeah? What of it? He’s a college student and, more importantly, a family friend? My dad wanted to make sure we met?” “Well… let’s just say we know some of the people who were at the meal yesterday had some potty issues, and there were some concerns you might too?” Beth looked up at her incredulously, breathed, and said, “No, I have not. Fortunately, I was not poisoned like all of the Littles were.” “How can we…?” A knock on the door came, “Just a…” Tracy tried to say, but Beth pushed by her and opened the door. “Hi, Cassie!” She said with a smile. “Hi Beth, I just wanted to make sure everything was okay? I thought RA’s weren’t supposed to be in our rooms with closed doors, Tracy?” “Well, I just needed to make sure Beth was doing okay…” she started to say. “I’m sure she is. You ready to go to lunch, Beth?” Cassie asked. “Yep! Thanks for the check-up Traci,” she told her. She felt her stomach churn but knew she couldn’t leave things at that, “And just to make it absolutely crystal clear to you, given who my dad is, I wouldn’t go trying to generate some fake evidence of me having issues. Even if he doesn’t take care of it, my grandmother will tear you apart.” She motioned for the much taller girl to leave the room and locked up behind her. A surreptitious press on the side of the new lamp her dad had assembled for her ensured a recording was now being made of the room while she was out. ‘Damn it! I hate when he is right about things like this!!!!’ She griped. ‘He’ll never let me hear the end of this!’ “What was that about?” Cassie hissed when they were out of the dorm. “I think I’m getting ready to have someone targeting me…?” She told her quietly. “I think it is just because I went shopping yesterday with my family and Connor, that exchange student?” “What?” Cassie said, “Why?” “Good question!” AS SOON AS I was led into the cafeteria, I noticed Mackenzie look at me and smile. I groaned as I went to get a tray of food and was intercepted by the perky woman. “How did your tests go?” She asked excitedly. “Umm, I think they went…?” I started as suddenly she put her hand on the front of my pants, “well?” “Well, I hope they did. It feels like you’re dry? Is this the same Pull-Up you put on this morning?” She asked me. I groaned, “Yes, it is, actually.” I took a deep breath, “I’m hungry. Do you mind if I get some food?” “Sure, I’ve got Liam at a table over there; come join us when you have your food,” she smiled. I followed her hand to a weird table with high chair-looking seats around it, with one normal-looking chair that was clearly Big-Sized. I saw other tables that looked less demeaning and was debating about my argument when I heard. “Hi, Connor,” from my side. I looked up and saw Beth, “Hi, Beth,” I said. I noticed she was looking a bit nervous. “Umm, Miss Mackenzie, may I eat with my friend Beth instead?” I asked, hoping I wasn’t making a mistake. “I don’t know, Connor…? I’m supposed to get you to your advisory appointment after lunch. I know that Liam will need some new pants before then too? His diapee leaked on the ones he’s wearing.” I felt my insides turn at that, “You could go and come back?” “Who’s his appointment with?” A giant girl towering above Beth asked, “Can we get him there?” “Dean Northrup?” She told her. “I know where her office is,” the taller girl said. “We’ll get him there?” Mackenzie looked a little flummoxed and clearly couldn’t find a good reason why that wouldn’t work. “Okay, but if he doesn’t make it, I’ll ensure you all have consequences?” “Sure,” Beth said. “Come on, Connor, let’s check out the slop that is Emerson’s finest dining hall food!” As we were far enough away, I said, “Thanks!” “Don’t thank us yet; I need to talk to you,” Beth said. “By the way, this is my friend Cassie,” she said. “Hi,” I said, “I’m Connor.” “So I’ve heard!” She said with a slight giggle. ‘What’s that about?’ I wondered. I walked with them around a few stations and used some preplaced steps at the rails to reach in and use tongs to grab a burger, fries, and a piece of pizza. Because the food was all mixed together for Bigs and Littles, in this case, I felt like I was probably safe even more, as Cassie grabbed almost an identical meal. I skipped a drink since I had a water bottle from the store run in my bag. Beth led us to a corner of the dining hall with more mixed seating. There was a cool booth with one side taller for someone shorter like me and another with a regular-size seat for Bigs. “Scoot in, Beth,” Cassie told her as she moved to the regular-size seats. “Here, let me put that on the table for you, Connor,” she told me, taking the plate. I used a set of steps to climb onto the taller bench and found myself sitting pretty evenly across from Beth. In contrast, Cassie’s taller frame definitely loomed over us both. I looked over at Liam, who looked surprised, and a couple other Littles I recognized from testing earlier. All of them were with their nest mothers. I was sure they were wondering, ‘how was I so lucky?’ “Thanks for the save there,” I told Beth. “Well, I’m not sure how much of a save it was,” Cassie said. “Beth needed to talk to you, so it was kind of convenient.” “About what?” Beth looked around and verified no other people were near our table. “I’m not sure what’s going on, but my RA came to see me because of you?” “Huh?” I asked as I put a fry in my mouth, “Why would she care?” “I don’t know, but she was pretty threatening, Connor. Did you do anything to upset anyone yesterday?” “I came here?” I smirked. “Not that I can think of?” “Well, you need to be really careful, Connor. I’m not sure if she has her eyes set on adopting you, or if someone else does, or…?” “Beth!” Cassie hissed in a way that made me realize something was going on. “So, Connor, you really decided to come study…?” She was saying louder when another shadow arrived at the table. “Oh, hi, Kelly,” Cassie said. “What can we do for you?” “I don’t know, Cassie; seems like maybe you’re cossetting a Little and a Tweener to be your new girls?” Cassie laughed, but the look in her eyes said it was forced, “Kelly, unlike you, I can actually have babies when I want them! These are what you call friends!” She giggled, “I know you don’t have any, so it’s okay that you don’t understand that.” “You watch it Bitch,” Kelly said. “Or what?” I asked. I hated bullies with a passion! She glared at me, “Who the hell are you looking at, baby boy? Or is it baby girl?” I shrugged, “An entitled prima donna?” I looked at Cassie and Beth, “How close am I?” I turned back to her, “Sorry, I must say first impressions of you aren’t very positive. Now, why don’t you go have your hissy fit somewhere else so we mature grown-ups can enjoy our lunch?” She was about to say something else when one of the nest mothers came over, Lucy, and asked, “Is everything okay over here? Miss Mackenzie asked me to ensure you were okay while she ran Liam to change his pants?” “Yes, Miss Lucy,” I told her. “Kelly, I have a feeling you’re not wanted here?” Lucy told her. “Fine!” Lucy shook her head, “Sometimes I wonder if we need to enroll a few more people in our dorm. Have a good lunch,” she told us. “Connor, that was awesome!” I heard Cassie say simultaneously as Beth hissed, “Connor, that was stupid!” ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 Thank you for reading! Please press the ‘Like’ Button if you’ve enjoyed it! Comments are always super appreciated as well! My apologies for the extra long hiatus this work has been on! When I took on preparing my other works for publishing on Kindle it quickly took way more time than I expected to do so, and I was suddenly at the time of year I couldn't write. Emerald publishing also slowed me down. Now the great news is I have had an amazingly productive month here! I've managed to write about 50k words this month, and am currently a third of the way into writing Chapter 33! That means I should have a nice cushion that will hopefully lessen any gap that could happen after this next summer. (I'm guessing at this rate we have at least another 100k, maybe more of story to be written...) So, beginning today LCW will have a new posting every Friday for the foreseeable future! Your support through likes and comments means a lot to me, and truly helps keep me typing at the computer screen! If you’ve enjoyed this or any of my other works, consider supporting me by purchasing a copy on Amazon Kindle! (Sales can help me find more time in all honesty!) So anyway, long winded end here, thank you for reading and joining me on this journey! Sorry! I had hoped to run from work much faster today, but got held up about 20 minutes longer with a project. I'm guessing you'll have to read when you wake up... Sorry ? Sooner or later it'll work out better! ? Hey now! No spankings! I'm a good girl, it's up and posted! Not even dinner time for me yet! ? Looking forward to hearing what you all think once you read this and the future chapters!

Chapter 11: Family BETH FELT HORRIBLE for poor Connor! She might not remember her time as a Little, but she could remember seeing the looks of horror on the faces of all those Littles around her as she grew up the second time. Even in the State of New Haven where she’d grown up, while forced babying didn’t occur as often, pranks from Bigger students to Littles were not unheard of. One time, her friend Elsie had been the subject of a spiked drink while they were at a dance. It was horrifying to see her poor friend going from looking like a princess in a beautiful gown when they arrived, to leaving in a school diaper and onesie. The worst part had been the school forcing her and six others with the same problem to wear diapers for the next six months until the end of the school year. Elsie had been just under six feet tall, but most of the others had been shorter. Lindsay had been the exception, as she was as tall as Beth was now. Nearly eight feet tall and spending her junior year in diapers had been horrible for the poor girl. She’d eventually transferred to a school in another town to escape everything. Beth knew all too well about the ease of discretely using the products that had evolved from ones her mom’s mother had developed. Some of them didn’t even require ingestion now, so she was sure Connor hadn’t stood a chance of resisting. Her mom asked her some inane questions as everyone stood around waiting for Connor to be cleaned up. The door opened, and she saw a Big mom and her young girl coming out. “Mommy, why was that Little in Pull-Ups? Shouldn’t he wear diapees?” She shook her head, Ames was better now, but there was no doubt that prejudices still ran deep here towards adult Littles. A few minutes later, Amanda held the door open for Connor as he came out. Connor had been wearing the Pull-Up before, which was slightly thinner, but now definitely had additional padding on his rear. He looked embarrassed and refused to meet anyone’s eyes as they walked to the waiting vehicle. Her dad and the others had gone on ahead, so Amanda and she were the only ones there as the limo’s door lifted open for them. Beth bent down to Connor and said, “Hey, don’t worry about this. It’s not going to be the last time someone spikes something on you, and you can’t let anyone know it gets you down.” Connor looked at her in surprise, “Why would you care?” “Well, your mom apparently had a close friendship with my dad, which means she must have been a special lady. I know they were never more than friends, but I think they were pretty close friends? I’m not exactly a ‘family member,’ like Amanda is, but we can be friends too?” Connor was red with embarrassment but looked up at her and said, “I can definitely use friends.” He held out a hand to her, but she leaned over and hugged him instead. “Better get used to hugs if you’re going to be my friend!” “Aww…” Laura said from behind her. She turned and glared at her baby sister, “Hush you!” Some giggling broke out, but at least some of the tension left Connor’s shoulders. Luxuria buckled Connor in again, and they were soon off to a restaurant that Beth knew had been a favorite of her parents when they had been in school. Apparently, it was being run by the original owner’s daughter now. The menu had changed some, though, and she personally appreciated that there were some more modern dishes on the menu! Her parents were both recognized by the hostess, who, after seating them, ran to the back to let the owner know they were there. “Cameron, Addy!” the woman, a bit younger than her parents, said happily in her chef’s jacket. “I’m glad you came!” “Wouldn’t miss it, Ginny!” her dad told the woman. “Needed a place to take the kids to eat before leaving them to eat the horrors of campus food for the next semester.” “Those are horrors,” she agreed. “I didn’t go to Emerson, but I’ve heard enough horror stories to know it’s best to be avoided. Beth, you’re the one going to school here, right?” Beth looked up at the woman, surprised she remembered her name, “That’s right.” She inclined her head to where Connor sat in a booster seat between her and Amanda, “And this is Connor; he’s also a student.” She smiled in a way that made her believe she probably didn’t want to rip Connor from the booster seat and baby him. “Nice to meet you, Connor. How do you know this clan?” He pointed to her dad, “Her dad was friends with my mom in college.” Then, he pointed to Amanda, “She’s my adopted grandmother.” “Well, it’s nice to meet you! Feel free to come here and eat sometime if you want. I don’t let anyone bother customers, if you know what I mean. Enjoy the meal!” Beth took that cue to start looking at her extensive menu while noting that a smaller, but identical, version had been handed to Connor. Many empty seats were still present at the table for the rest of Amanda’s family, who was supposed to be arriving soon. I LOOKED AROUND the menu for a few minutes, deciding what I wanted to eat. I didn’t remember Mom mentioning this place, so I assumed it wasn’t one that she went to with Grandma. I was just about set on picking something that was a spicy chicken roast dish when Grandma waved at someone, “Over here.” I turned and saw a small entourage coming inside then, and I assumed this meant I was going to meet the rest of the family. Walking in front was a couple made up of a larger man and a shorter woman. I recognized my Great-Aunt Megan from pictures mom had shown me, which meant the man next to her must have been her husband, Matt. A couple of taller teenagers walked beside them, while Megan carried a toddler-sized Little on her hip that I knew must be mom’s friend Meggy from pictures I’d seen. What surprised me was how young she looked! ‘How does she look younger than me?’ I could help but think! Behind them was an older giant of a man using a cane to help stabilize himself, and a shorter Little with two taller teenage Littles, a boy, and a girl, beside her, walked in front of him. I was soon introduced in a flurry of hugs. The shorter Little was my Aunt Bella, and the other two Littles were her kids, Ryan and Shelby. After everyone was seated, I really wanted the full story of how an adopted Little had kids but had been given a whispered, “We’ll explain this weekend.” I was used to our family of six, which was a fair amount of chaos, but this large table of extended ‘family’ was a bit overwhelming, so I went back to the menu. A dish labeled ‘Spicy Stuffed Cantalonian Chicken’ intrigued me. Mom had raised us to eat the ‘spiciest foods on the planet’ according to my sister Riley’s friends. Of course, none of us blinked an eye at it, but apparently, that wasn’t normal. The waitress came by, taking orders, “And for you, sweetie?” “I’ll take this spicy stuffed chicken?” “Umm… I don’t normally get like this, but our shorter guests typically can’t handle that dish?” Grandma laughed beside me, “I’m guessing he’ll be fine with it. His mother had weird taste buds, and I have a feeling he takes after her with that.” The woman raised an eyebrow at us but continued down without further comment to Beth, who ordered some sort of pasta dish with seafood. I watched the odd family dynamics as Meggy and Bella had bibs velcroed around their necks. Meanwhile, Bella’s kids, Ryan and Shelby, were treated like adults with booster seats to help them reach the table. Ryan looked a little older than I was. Shelby talked to Laura about both graduating in a few months from high school. I did my best to track conversations to learn about this group, but there was so much going on! Beth must have sensed it, “Not used to this?” I shook my head, “I mean, I have three sisters, so it gets loud sometimes, but this is pretty chaotic?” She laughed, “It can get worse, you know? Wait until you’re eating in the cafeteria tomorrow?” I shrugged, “That always seems different. I don’t care about others talking. I’m just curious to get to know all of these ‘relatives’ I’ve never met here. I know Mom said Aunt Bella had two kids, but I didn’t know I had cousins before? Mom and my Mama were both only children.” Beth looked at me and said, “My dad was an only child too, and my mom’s sister has been in prison with a rejuvenation sentence for as long as I can remember, so I can understand that.” I found myself giving up tracking all the different conversations, and just chatting with Beth then. I was genuinely surprised at how easy it was to talk with her. I also appreciated that she hadn’t once brought up my accident in the mall! Eventually, food arrived, and I felt my eyes practically explode at how large the food was. “This is enormous!” I exclaimed. Amanda laughed, “That’s pretty close to your mom’s reaction when she first saw our food. I should have remembered to ask them to split the portion into a box.” I nodded, “Do our dorms have refrigerators?” “They do have some common area fridges, but I wouldn’t trust anything left in them,” Beth told me. “Something like that left in a fridge is just asking for tampering.” I sighed, still remembering the feeling of my bowels suddenly being outside of my control earlier. Even now, I could feel my guts occasionally groaning in protest. ‘I hope this meal isn’t a mistake!’ The waitress seemed to hover in the distance after delivering our meals, and I felt like she was particularly watching me. But, for that matter, so were most of those at our table. “What?” I asked as I sliced a piece of the chicken and collected some of the stuffing onto the bite. “Just waiting,” Aunt Bella said beside Grandpa Fred. He had his own twinkle in his eye, “Go ahead,” he said. I shook my head and went for it. Mom had said something about eating contests with Grandpa Fred once. The bite was quite flavorful but only left the barest tingle on my personal spice meter. “Were you all waiting to see if I would cry from it being too hot or something?” I asked, spearing another bite and ensuring a pepper was now wrapped around the meat. Aunt Bella shook her head from the high chair she was sat in. “Your mom was just as weird. I don’t know how you can eat that!” The waitress came by about ten minutes later, “Everything okay?” She asked. “It’s good,” the chorus came. “And you, sweetie, that’s not too spicy for you?” I laughed, “If you think this is spicy, you really need to get out more…?” The waitress looked at me like my body had sprouted a couple of extra heads. “Umm… Does that mean you don’t like it?” “Oh, I’m happy with my choice. It is tasty, just not spicy?” She left soon after, shaking her head, which made Beth giggle. “I wonder if any spicy food contests are coming up on campus?” “The bigger question is if they’re during hours that a Little may attend,” Grandma said beside me. “Fred had difficulty finding contests in the right hours to take Stacy to.” “My mom did spicy food contests here?” I felt cheated by not having heard this story. “She never told us that one?” Grandpa Fred had been listening and jumped in from the head of the table, “Your mom always had a theory that since in your dimension, the smaller the pepper, the spicier it is, and since ours were so large, that nothing really was as spicy as yours. It took until we found some hybrid pepper before I ever saw her even sweat!” I laughed at that, “We’ve gone to a few special shows out of town for spicy foods over the years. I never knew that Mom was hustling people here, though?” “Oh, she definitely was!” Cameron said. “I always enjoyed her having fun at some moron's expense. She put plenty of Bigs to shame on what she could eat. You definitely should try and hit up a contest if there is one!” After that, I became the center of attention with stories from Mom’s time from Cameron, Grandma, Grandpa, and Great-Aunt Megan. Meggy contributed a number of the better stories. Some of my favorites included the escapades that she, Megan, and Beth’s dad had gone on together. I knew they were together when Meggy had to be adopted but didn’t bring that story up! Eventually, dinner was wrapped up, and we were waiting for the check that Beth’s dad insisted on picking up. I heard arguing from everyone about that, but just tuned it out, waiting instead for a chance to say thank you. Grandma nudged me then, “Need to use the restroom before we leave?” I could feel my bladder was kind of full, so I said, “Yeah, actually?” “Fred, you want to take Connor to the men’s room with you?” “Sure, Mandy,” he told her. “Come on,” he told me. “Anyone else need to go?” He looked at Bella’s son Ryan. “I’m good, Grandpa,” he told him. I followed the giant man through the restaurant with my backpack. I noted his cane didn’t seem to be all that necessary and wondered if he was just dealing with some sort of recovery from something. Then, finally, the bathroom was opened up, and he asked, “Just need to pee?” I thought for a second and nodded, “I think so.” “Let’s get you out of that diaper then. I think you can reach that urinal over there?” He motioned towards an ultra-low urinal that kind of surprised me, actually. It seemed even lower than the fixtures in the bathroom in the dorm, so obviously, the restaurant was okay with Littles using the potty here. Fred undid one tape and asked, “Is that enough?” I nodded and moved towards the urinal. It was a relief to go like a normal person this time! He used the taller urinal next to me while I went. I was done long before he was and tried to figure out if I could restick the Velcro tab myself. I gave it an attempt but was sure it wasn’t tight enough when I reattached it. “You get it?” He asked. I shook my head, “I don’t think it’s tight enough?” He picked me up and sat me on the countertop, undoing the tape quickly, and resticking it much tighter. “Better?” I nodded, “Yeah.” “Good, let’s wash our hands and get going! I know Cameron and Addy have to get going to make their flight soon!” When we came back out, I found Grandma and the others just standing up from the table. “Thank you for dinner, Cameron,” Fred told him. “You didn’t have to do that!” Cameron laughed, “You didn’t have to help me years ago either!” Then, he looked down at me, “You all good?” “I think so?” “Well, let’s get you and Beth back to campus then, and then we’ll head to the airport!” BETH HUGGED HER dad and mom goodbye. “I love you guys! See you soon!” Laura and Jason got hugs, too, though Jason looked annoyed by his. ‘Boys!’ she thought. Meanwhile, Amanda and Fred had loaded everything they bought into Amanda’s car to store some of it. She looked at her watch and saw it was an hour before Amanda had told Connor’s Nest Mother he’d be back. ‘I’d go help move him in… but I really don’t want anything to do with that building!’ She watched her parents drive off a few minutes later while Connor and Amanda had loaded up his backpack, arms, and her arms with as much as they could carry. It looked like they were getting all of the swim diapers and one box of the Pull-Ups in one load. Amanda had a case of water for Connor that she somehow handled well too. “I guess I’ll see you around, Connor,” Beth said, “It was nice seeing you again, Amanda,” she added. “Don’t be a stranger, sweetheart,” Amanda said. “Why don’t you come over in a few weeks for dinner? A nice home cooked meal?” “That sounds nice,” Beth told her. She looked at Connor, “I’ll email you later, so you can get my email? Sounds like we might have a class or two together this semester. Maybe we can get together and study?” Connor’s face brightened, “Sure, that sounds like fun!” Beth made the awkward trek away from them and towards her own dorm room with the goodbyes finished. She had just reached the elevator and pressed the door-close button when she heard, “Wait!!!” She reflexively hit the door-open button and smiled, “Livy! You’re back!!!” She gave the slightly taller girl a hug, before noticing the backpack and rolling suitcase with her. “Just got back?” “Yeah, my flight got in about an hour ago. Got a Bruber back just now.” “Cool!” She said as she pressed the elevator to go to the fourth floor, where their rooms were next to each other. “When did you get back?” “Last night, but I only came in to drop my stuff off this morning. I spent the rest of the day with some… family members and an exchange student.” “Exchange student? They’re almost always Littles?” “Connor is…” “Ooh… Connor?” “You’re horrible… It’s not like that. My dad and his mom were great friends back when they were here at college.” “Wait, his mom? I thought you said he was an exchange student?” Beth laughed, “I don’t know the full story… but what I do know is crazy…!” Beth and Olivia talked for a long while about Connor’s family story. She couldn’t help but think, ‘I wish he was taller. I actually thought he was kind of cute!’ ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Thank you for reading! Please leave me a comment and/or a Like to let me know what you think! I know Stacy's former family and friends had been major questions for many of you, hopefully your curiosity is pretty satiated with this chapter! I'll post again next week probably early on Friday of next week. Thanks for all of your comments and support!

Chapter 10: Urgency I COULDN’T HELP but blush as Laura began talking to me about things right after buckling me in the baby seat. “So, what did you do in high school?” I shrugged but found my shoulder movement limited by the stupid straps. “I swam freshman and sophomore years, and even medaled at the state level sophomore year. I like band more, though, so I stuck with just music my last two years.” “Any other sports?” Jason asked. I noted that Beth and Grandma were both listening to my responses. “No, I’m not really much of an athlete…?” “Weren’t you like taller than everyone else around you, though?” Jason pushed. I shrugged, “I was, but more gangly than a massive pile of muscles that would do football or something.” “Didn’t you study Tae Kwon Do like your mom?” Grandma asked me. I made eyes around the car. Cameron shook his head and laughed, “You don’t have to worry about saying things in here, Connor. You can guarantee the moment your grandmother sat down in the car, she scanned for anything bug-wise. The actual vehicle AI was written by her, so I have a feeling she also has a way to make Luxuria forget about anything?” “Just a simple privacy mode, Justice Sylvester.” She smirked. “So…?” Grandma asked. “I thought Mom told you this?” “Not everything. The portal communications are way riskier for being overheard.” I nodded at that, “I get that.” I looked at her, “Yes, my siblings and I have been practicing Tae Kwon Do with our mom since before we were out of diapers.” Laura snorted. “Laura!” Cameron hissed. “Sorry, it’s a normal pun Daddy,” Beth tried to help her sister out. “I heard it was used on you once upon a time?” I watched the Justice turn red himself then too. His glare seemed deflected from some sort of invisible shield though as Laura looked unphased. “So, are you good?” Jason asked. “I’m good enough,” I told him with a smile. “Further than your mom was when she came?” “When she left,” I told Grandma. She looked a bit surprised then, and I realized Mom hadn’t been sharing that information. “Your great-grandfather would have loved to meet you,” she told me. “Mom’s said that too,” I told her. Suddenly the holographic woman reappeared and said, “We have arrived at your destination. I’ll wait here for you.” “Thanks!” Beth told her as she wasted no time in reaching over to help me out of the seat. “I’m going to grab a spare couple of Pull-Ups to put in my bag,” Grandma announced to the whole world. “I won’t need them, I hope…?” “Never know,” Addison said, breaking her silence. “You just had that lunch with all of the other exchange students. I wouldn’t put it past someone to have messed with visiting students there.” I groaned but knew that was true. Beth sat me down outside the large vehicle and asked, “Where to first?” “You probably need everything clothing-wise at this point?” Grandma asked. “Except underwear, apparently,” I said with a blush. “Let’s just hit a few of the big stores, Beth. We shouldn’t need to hit every teen store that you and Laura love here. Most won’t even have clothes in Connor’s sizes.” “Go to a couple of the Little shops?” Laura suggested. “Maybe… I don’t think we’re looking for baby clothes though, Laura,” Cameron said to her. He looked at his watch. “This will have to be a bit of a speed trip, I’m afraid, if we’re going to catch dinner before we leave.” “Let’s get to it then!” Addison said and reached down to hold her husband’s hand. BETH WAS ACTUALLY genuinely amazed at how quick a trip to the mall could be made when her mom and Amanda put their minds to it. Even the super-shopper Laura looked outpaced as they made it from one store to another. “You’ll have to wear your uniform most of the time,” Amanda had told Connor as they started. “Let’s just focus on several pairs of jeans, maybe some slacks, a few t-shirts, dress shirts, and that swimsuit you mentioned?” Connor had clearly been prepared for the trip, but even so, Beth watched him shirk into the group more as they passed some Bigs who were even taller than her mom. At one point, he was looking at a pair of pants Amanda had handed to him, when a teenaged salesgirl asked, “Do you need help trying on those pants? I can help you!” “No thank…” was all poor Connor got out before the girl was already popping the snaps of his uniform pants open. “Excuse me, he doesn’t need help. And if he does, he’s got me, his grandmother, and my mom to help,” Beth found herself saying to the tall girl who towered over her. She had just about turned Connor’s pants into a skirt by pulling open the snaps but suddenly stopped when she realized the looks she was getting. “Umm… Sorry about that, I’ll go help another customer!” The girl dashed away to the checkouts, and Connor was left blushing the cutest shade of red ever. Unable to help herself, Beth found herself leaning over and redoing the snaps for him. Fortunately, the ones furthest up his crotch hadn’t yet been undone, so it avoided a bit of awkwardness. “Sorry about that,” she apologized to Connor. “It’s okay,” he said with a sigh, “thanks for stepping in.” “Happy to,” she smiled at him. ‘He really is cute… I wish he’d come through at his own height!’ A few minutes later, she held onto the pants for him while they got a key to a dressing room. They were told that Littles weren’t allowed in one on their own according to store policy, so Amanda went with him. ‘Dad probably should’ve been the one…?’ Beth couldn’t help thinking. While they were at the checkout counter, the girl shriveled when her mom gave her a stern look. “Mom, you don’t have to terrorize everyone,” Laura said. “Only people who deserve it?” Beth said. “And she deserved it.” “What else do we still need?” her mom asked Amanda and Connor. “Swimsuit?” Connor said. “Excuse me, do you have any swimsuits in Little sizes available?” Beth asked the girl who was finishing bagging their purchases. She shook her head, “It’s not quite time for them to be in-season for us. You might try Littlecise? They’re a few doors down?” “Thanks,” Amanda told her. Beth grimaced; she’d walked past those stores before. “You sure you want a swimsuit…?” She asked Connor. “If that’s the only store carrying them right now, it may not be worth the trip?” “How bad?” Connor asked her. “Probably a six or a seven out of ten?” she responded. He shrugged, “I don’t want to get fat, and none of the exercise equipment in the dorm is sized for me. Mackenzie said she would take me with her to swim in the mornings if I got a suit?” “I’ll walk beside him,” her mom said to her. “Amanda and I’ll go in with him. Why don’t the rest of you go do a quick fifteen minutes, and we’ll meet you outside the store?” Beth saw the look on Connor’s face and felt terrible for him as he realized the group was about to be less protective. “I’ll go with you too,” she told them. “You sure, sweetie?” her mom asked. “Yeah, sis? They probably carry things in your size there…?” Laura looked at her in surprise. She shot her sister a laser glare and said, “We’re just two college students. We’ll be fine.” Laura shook her head and said, “Jason, let’s go down over there and see if they have any of those headset accessories Meggy told us about!” Beth looked up and followed her mom and Amanda down the hallway with Connor beside her. I COULDN’T HELP but be nervous based on the signals I’d been getting as we walked into Littlecise. It instantly became apparent why Beth had been worried about this store. Immediate inside were racks and racks of ballet leotards, dresses, and other dance apparel appropriate for a three-year-old’s first ballet recital! The following section consisted of some sort of wrist and ankle cuffs that led your Little in guided aerobic exercise. Another area featured safe mats you could fall onto. It was adjacent to a section of balance beam type units and even some sort of VR headset attached to a baby bouncer. Grandma and Addison moved quickly through the store until we were greeted. “Good afternoon! Oh my gosh, your baby boy is so cute!” She said, looking at me. “You must be such a good big sister too, huh?” Beth looked like she wanted to die right then. Thankfully Addison spoke up, “we’re looking for a swimsuit for Connor here. We were told you might have some in stock?” “Oh, you have a wading pool somewhere for him?” “Something like that,” Amanda said. “Well, over here, we have the selection. Of course, there are about four girl choices for each boy choice. Boys’ clothes are so bland, aren’t they?” She looked at Beth as she said that. Beth shrugged, “I guess.” Internally I actually agreed with the woman completely. I had always thought it wasn’t fair how many more choices my sisters had. “It looks like we have these five styles in small enough sizes. They’re based on the latest competition suits we say, but the important part is they’re basically a romper and will keep him from accidentally falling out of his suit, or worse yet, his diaper. About six months, I’m guessing?” “That’s right,” Amanda said. She looked and held out four options. One was a light blue with white horizontal stripes that looked pretty girly to me. Another featured cartoon sharks on them, one had flowers, and another had ‘Handsome’ on its butt. All of them were like a wetsuit almost with sleeveless shoulders that would cover all the way down to a pair of shorts. ‘I like that it covers me more…’ I thought. ‘Too bad these were banned from competition back home, I might have kept swimming longer…’ I did grimace about the patterns and decorations though, as Grandma asked, “Which ones do you want?” “I guess the sharks and the blue ones?” “How about the flowers?” Beth said, “I know a lot of guys who have that style?” “I also even have a matching larger one-piece for your sister here, too, if you pick it!” Before Beth or I could say ‘no,’ Addison said, “Sold, show me the other suit!” with a wink at Beth. Poor Beth looked like she was about to die, but got let off the hook when they discovered her size was unfortunately out of stock. ‘I would kill my mom if she did that… but she would do something like that too!’ I paid for the swimsuits… or rather, Grandma paid for me, before we headed out to rejoin the others. “Find something?” Cameron asked us. I nodded, “Not great, but they’ll work.” “Almost found something for Beth to match, too,” Addison smirked. “Really? Cute?” Cameron looked like he was enjoying picking on his daughter as well. Beth looked at me, “Tell me your parents are just as crazy?” I laughed, “My mom came here before me on an exchange program; what do you think?” By that point, I had jeans, shirts, sweatshirts, pajamas, socks, shoes, and now swimsuits in my new size, so I figured we were about good. “Dinner now?” I asked. They looked at the watch devices on their wrists, and Cameron said, “It’s early, but we have to get to the airport for our flight, and you’ll need to get you back to your dorm and unpack the rest of your stuff before bedtime.” “Seems like we’ve got a plan then,” Grandma said. There was a bit of discussion on where everyone wanted to eat, finally settling on a casual place that Cameron and Addison apparently used to frequent. “I’ll call Fred and have him meet us there.” The walkout to the car was almost successful, until I suddenly felt the urgent need to go pee, followed by some sudden cramping in my stomach! “Is there a bathroom on the way out?” I asked. Beth looked at me, “How bad?” “Bad…?” “This way to the closest one,” she said as she reached down and grabbed my hand, and pulled me along. Grandma and Addison followed right behind us as I caught a glimpse of a bathroom sign. The urgency inside my gut was growing fast! It was faster than it had been when I’d been the victim of food poisoning one time. My need to pee suddenly felt like I’d been holding things for an entire day! Beth looked down at me as we reached the restroom and said, “Almost there!” I watched her force the large door open and couldn’t help but note that even though I was only waist-high to her, the door made her look like a tiny kid pushing it open! The grumbling in my gut grew stronger even as an open stall appeared! Finally, I managed to pull my pants and shirt out of the way, but before I could even fathom whose arms were trying to help, I lost the battle. Epically lost the battle! I felt a pile of muck begin to fill the back of my Pull-Up! Its stickiness was just registering in my brain while the front was being soaked by my urine. There was literally no stopping it, and I just stood there helplessly as Grandma and Beth’s eyes watched me. Whatever had affected my stomach was vicious because my intestines must have emptied everything they had right then. I looked down in horror as I realized the leg gatherers had given up in their battle to hold everything inside. Small gooey droplets began climbing down my legs like some sort of slugs. I looked up helplessly as Beth said, “I’ll give you two some privacy…?” My heart broke as I figured any normal relationship between us was probably ruined. After several long moments, I heard a mom come in with her young daughter. “Go potty, sweetheart, then we’ll go play in the playpark for a bit!” “Mommy, it’s stinky!” “Now, sweetie, sometimes that happens in the potty room. You don’t smell so good sometimes yourself! Do you need me to help you on the potty?” “Mommy! I’m five now! I’m a big girl! I don’t need help to potty!” I heard a giggle, “Okay, but you know I’ll help you if you change your mind!” I heard the adjacent stall door close, even as Amanda asked, “Done?” I could feel my stomach clenching in some sort of painful after-effects. My abdominal muscles that had been forced to release my bowels felt like they’d been beaten up in a tournament where I lost every match or something. “I think so…? Why did that happen?” “I’m guessing there was something at lunch; Beth was right to be worried. You’ll probably go back to find the rest of your friends also had some issues.” “Not you?” I gasped, realizing now I had to get out of the mess I was in. I was concerned my pants would get ruined, so I tried kicking them off. “I’ll get those,” she said. “I’m guessing they only put it in the desserts of Littles, or they may have only used a small dose that would get someone your size.” “Can I complain?” I asked, annoyed at being poisoned. “Not worth it,” she told me as she managed to free my shoes and feet from the pants. Thankfully, they were still clean. “I know you’re not going to like this, but why don’t we get you cleaned up on a changing table. It’s a bit easier on my old bones,” she told me. I nodded, “Okay.” She motioned for me to follow her out of the stall to where a couple countertop changing tables were situated. Grandma pulled something from her oversized purse to place down on the table. She was just about to lift me up under my arms onto the table when I heard, “She’s a stinky baby! She missed the potty!” I winced, guessing my hair threw her right then. “Now, sweetie, that little boy can’t help it any more than you could a couple years ago! It’s not nice to pick on Littles who can’t help themselves! Now apologize!” I was being lifted up by Grandma as the girl came toward me and said, “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to be mean.” I winced as I was sat down on top of the counter and more poop squirted out of the leg holes. “Umm… apology accepted,” I had no idea what else to say. “Well, we’ll let you get back to clean up there. From the back, I figured he was a girl. That’s some long hair for a boy!” Grandma laughed, “family tradition.” She looked at me with sympathy and pushed me onto my back. The girl and her mother washed their hands even as she began pulling at the Velcro sides of the Pull-Up. “This isn’t going to be pleasant,” she whispered. “Sorry…” “Unfortunately, you couldn’t help this at all. I’ll talk with your grandfather about getting you some things like we used to have for your mother to help. We’ll have something for you when you come home with us this weekend.” I nodded as she lifted my legs effortlessly awayfrom the disgusting Pull-Up, just like one would a tiny baby. Baby wipes came out, and she brought one up to my butt. I winced at the intimate touch as she began first down the middle of my butt, then made her way to both cheeks with a second and third wipe. Finally, she used one hand to wrap everything in the destroyed Pull-Up and tossed it into an adjacent disposal chute. Still holding my legs up, she wiped me with a few more wipes and then asked, “Do you want to wear a diaper to be safe? You may not be done with all of that?” I felt my eyes open, “I thought the point of the Pull-Ups…?” “Not when the deck is being stacked against you. I’d honestly say you probably should wear a diaper to dinner, and you’ll have to at bedtime regardless. Try your Pull-Ups again tomorrow?” “What if I need to go?” “They’ll hold anything you can throw at them?” I didn’t know how things went so far off the rails so quickly, but I couldn’t think of a good response right then. Instead, I just stared at Grandma with my jaw open… +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ First off, thank you all for your comments while I was away! I was in a remote area (very pretty mountains) and just didn't have reliable (or private) internet during that trip. Back home now and should be good with the privacy thing for the foreseeable future! I'll be posting again next Friday - not sure on the timing as I'm on another trip - but thankfully in civilization with internet! In the meantime please let me know what you think of this chapter with a 'Like' and commenting on it! I'll be back to my normal replies now! Once again thank you so much for reading!!!!

Chapter 8: Nesting I WAS STILL blushing as I followed Liam and Mackenzie back to our dorm. Of course, since Noah had been removed from the luncheon, we hadn’t seen him. ‘I doubt we do again…’ I couldn’t help but think. I had noticed that Professor Owens had followed Dean Northrop out in the middle of lunch, so maybe he could intercede on his behalf. That had been about as dumb of a meltdown as he could have had, though. Just clicking through my memory of the presentation earlier, he would have easily been able to rush through the sixteen demerits if they chose to go that far. I figured fifteen was the fewest he might have ended up with! “Excuse me, can you hold up a second?” I heard Grandma Amanda’s voice behind us. Mackenzie turned around, “Umm… yes, Professor Westerfield?” “How long is your room meeting going to last?” I looked up at Mackenzie, who narrowed her eyes a bit, “Probably about an hour to cover everything?” “Do you mind if I come to pick Connor up then?” “Why?” “I haven’t seen my grandson in person before. I’d like to get to know him! Also, he has some other extended family in town that want to get a chance to meet him.” “When would you bring him back?” “Lights out for them is at eight, right?” “That’s correct; they have to be in their beds by then?” “I’ll have him back at seven then if that works for you? He can finish getting settled then?” “Umm… I don’t know if this is really okay. Maybe you should check with Dean Northrup?” “I already did; she okayed it,” Grandma told her. “I guess that would be fine then. Connor does need to get everything unpacked, though? Suitcases will be taken to the storage units later.” “I’ll help him out when we get back if he’s not done, and I’ll grab his suitcases while I’m at it.” “This is really unusual, Professor.” “If you knew his mom, you would know that was normal!” She laughed. “See you in an hour, sweetie,” she told me. “Come on,” Mackenzie said while Liam just gaped at me. We made it to the dorm room, and I headed for the restroom. “Where are you going?” Mackenzie asked. “I need to go potty,” I told her. “Do you need any help getting your diapee off?” “I don’t think so? You told me I should be able to remove it?” I replied. “Why don’t I go with you this time and make sure,” she told me. I blushed as she followed me into the restroom I hadn’t even entered yet. I noted that there were no urinals along the walls; everything was toilets separated by colorful stalls that would block my view of my neighbors. Still, someone taller would have no problem looking in and seeing if the Little boy was being good and going potty. I tried to keep ahead of her and went towards the nearest… potty…? The more I looked, it didn’t look like a regular toilet. It really truly looked like a ceramic rendition mocking a baby’s toilet training potty. I shook my head, pushed my pants down, and pulled my shirt out of the way. I began pulling at the right diaper tape, and at first, it didn’t budge!!! I pulled on it with a lot more effort, and it came a little bit loose. Harder yet, and it finally popped off the front of the diaper, leaving me with the diaper hanging awkwardly from the other one. Before I could reach for it, a big hand beat me, “Let me get that one… those aren’t impossible for you, but it’s a lot of work, and I don’t want you to have an accident!” The invasion of space and privacy was embarrassing but nothing I hadn’t prepared myself for. The tall giant pulled the diaper out from my crotch and pushed me by the shoulder down on the potty. “Go ahead, show me what a big boy you are!” She cooed. I blushed but immediately began letting out the urine that urgently needed to be released before I even noticed that the ‘toilet’ had a pee guard seat. I pushed out a log while my feet dangled, unable to press against the floor even on what was essentially a baby’s potty! Then, I heard Liam come in and ask, “Do you have to be in here with us?” “Yes, actually,” she told him. “Are you still dry?” “What?!?” Liam asked. I began wiping myself clean as I heard a shriek of surprise next to me. “Good boy! You are all dry! Are you sure you don’t want to wear some protection to be safe?” She asked him as I stood up. “I’m good, thank you.” Deciding to bail him out, I reached up to press the flushing button at the top and looked at the odd contraption again. It appeared to be a fully working toilet, but had a light blue seat on it that looked like it belonged on a training potty to keep a little boy from peeing out of the toilet. It was also firmly attached, so there didn’t seem to be an easy way to stand and use it. On the backside was a shorter water reservoir covered in a decal of fox kits waving and happily smiling. The whole thing was short enough that at least I could climb onto it unassisted. As I pressed the button, I heard a sound effect like a ‘victory’ in a game. “Good boy Connor!” Mackenzie said as I pulled my pants up. “Let’s wash your handsies, then we’ll get you in a fresh diapee before we have our little meeting. Maybe we’ll have Noah back by then?” I didn’t comment back to her, just walking over to a low sink with my pants pulled up awkwardly without underwear instead. The counter was clearly designed to be shorter like the toilets, but I could still have used a couple more inches in height to use it comfortably. The top was just below my armpits, so I had to really reach to get soap from an automated dispenser and wash my hands in the sink. As soon as I was done, I felt my stomach fall as I was picked up and held to her side, “Let’s get you into a fresh diapee. Not that you need them like some Littles, but at least you’re smart enough to wear them just in case!” She practically cooed at me. She placed me down on the changing table and clicked a strap that she hadn’t used earlier closed across my chest. My pants were unceremoniously pulled down, and she looked at my crotch. “Did you shave before you left?” I nodded, “My mom suggested it…?” “That was smart,” she said with a bemused expression. “Normally, I have to shave everyone on their first night here. I won’t have to do that with you.” I watched her straighten for a second, and she placed some gloves on her hands and then grabbed some sort of lotion, “Let’s put some more of this on you just in case you do have an accident. It’ll help keep that tush nice and clear of any icky rashes!” Mom had made a face when she described diaper changes that I hadn’t entirely understood. Now, during my second one, though, I got it. This relative stranger placed her hands completely indiscriminately all over my groin and butt. Even going so far as to rub it inside my crack. It was all done in seconds, but for those seconds, I felt… violated. Mackenzie apparently wanted to hurry, so by the time Liam came out of the bathroom, she had already pressed the two Velcro tabs down on the diaper to close it. She tossed her gloves into the trash can in a quick, practiced motion, pulled up my pants, and undid the strap. Then, she placed me on the ground and said, “I’ll be right back, guys. I just want to check on Noah.” I walked over to my desk and sat down, hearing a crinkle as I did so. Liam walked over and whispered, “What the hell? Like Noah asked, why the hell are you going along with this stupidity?” I stood up and got close to him and whispered, “Liam, I can’t tell you everything – she won’t be gone long enough, but if you have any hope of making it back home and not ending up adopted by a young mother like Mackenzie, you need to get a grip! I highly doubt Noah will be returning to this room, or home, at this point.” “What do you…?” He asked “Everything okay, guys?” Mackenzie asked. “Yes, ma’am,” I replied. “Any word on Noah?” “Umm… I hate to be the one to say this, but Noah’s not going to be allowed to continue here at Emerson.” Liam’s eyes opened wide in disbelief. His eyes turned to mine, and I gave a slight shrug. There was a moment of awkward silence, so I broke it and asked, “I guess can we get this meeting done? My grandma is going to be here soon?” “Sure, thing, sweetie, especially as you’ve been the model student so far!” She sat down on the ground and said, “Why don’t we just sit down here together, and we’ll go over some of the basics?” I found myself sitting down cross-legged about six feet from her, and Liam did the same with a sigh. “First off, even without Noah, you’ll have seven other roommates when everyone gets back on Saturday and Sunday. They’re all second-year students, and I think you’ll both find you fit in with them well. I know Dean Northrup went over the Code of Conduct with you, but I highly recommend you look at the copy that’s on your tablets in depth before tomorrow night is over. There are quite a few rules that you don’t want to get on the wrong side of.” ‘She almost sounds sympathetic,’ I thought. ‘That’s a weird trait in a Nest Mother. I still don’t think I can trust her though!’ “So, among those rules which she may not have gone over… Let’s start with the ones you’re going to hate the most. First up, potty charts!” “What?” Liam asked in disbelief. He looked over at me, “Why are you completely unsurprised by most of this stuff?” Mackenzie looked at me with her own curious eyes, “I have to admit I’m curious about that too, but let me get through these rules, and then maybe Connor will be kind enough to tell us the story?” I shrugged and nodded, “Sure, it’s not exactly a secret.” “Anyway, yes, Liam, you each have a potty chart on the wall over there. In this world, you have to have figured out you are much smaller than those of us ‘Bigs’ or ‘Amazons’ as I know many Littles refer to us as. I do recommend against the term Amazons, by the way, it’s really not seen as polite by most of us.” She said as an aside. “Anyway, you are the size of our native Littles, who have traditionally had issues with making it to the potty at times. To help businesses understand which Littles fit their companies upon graduation, we have a star chart system that gets sent along with your transcripts.” “But we’re only here for one semester?” Liam tried to object. “True, but you have to follow all of the rules of our normal students, right? I know they went over that with you before you left and earlier with Dean Northrup too?” I nodded with a scowl, and so did Liam. “Anyway, the way it works is we will check you in the mornings and when you come back from classes. If you have absolutely no potty accidents in a semester, you get a Gold Star. Silver Stars are earned by having five or fewer wetting accidents in a semester - or one poopy, and one wetting accident. Bronze Stars are awarded if you have less than ten wetting accidents, or two poopy accidents, in a semester.” “Why would we have accidents? There’s been all this talk of accidents, but I haven’t peed my pants since I was in preschool?” Liam complained. “Then it’s nothing you’ll have to worry about, sweetie! You’ll be guaranteed to have that Gold Star no issue then, right?” He looked nervous but nodded. “Now, I told you I wanted to get the bad out of the way. Unfortunately, due to the way our curfew works for our Littles, you will not be allowed to get out of bed from the time of Lights Out until I wake you up in the morning.” “For any reason?” I asked. “Absent a true medical emergency like you’re vomiting, have severe diarrhea, bleeding, or dying, no.” “We can’t get up and use the bathroom?!?” Liam asked, finally getting it. “No,” she answered. “Because of that, every Little in the dorms is required to have protection at night until they go at least one semester without accidents.” “So, some of our nest won’t be wearing protection?” I asked. She shook her head, “It’s possible, but none of your fellow kits are in that situation. I think there might be one girl in the junior class that’s made it to that point.” “What do we do if we wake up and need to go?” Liam asked, clearly still not getting it. “That’s why you wear protection, sweetie! You can just go in your diaper and go back to sleep.” “But…” I shot him a warning look, “Liam, it’s okay. We’ll both probably never need it since we’re not from here. It’s a rule; we just follow it and deal with it, okay?” He looked at me like I had horns coming out of my head, “Easy to say for you! You’ve already admitted defeat and agreed to wearing diapers!” “Defeat?” Mackenzie laughed, “No, honestly, Connor’s the smartest exchange student I’ve ever seen. You’re the one who’s practically admitting defeat, sweetie. We’ll talk more later, though. Other things you need to be aware of… oh, if it is truly one of those rare emergencies, there is a red button in your pod you can press. It’ll set off an alarm in my room - that’s adjacent if you haven’t figured that out - and I’ll come check on you. I also tend to be nicer than most of the other Nest Mothers. I’ll come make a pass before I go to bed. If you’re wet or poopy when I come by, I’ll give you a quick change.” Liam squirmed at that more. ‘He’s going to have a really awkward time this afternoon while I’m gone.’ Mackenzie went over some other rules about study hours, bringing girls into our room – not allowed – and how we could arrange for special events like leaving campus. “Make sure you always have that student ID around your neck, though! It should never really leave your neck unless you get one of the student ID bands at the bookstore. Some of our students prefer those as they can’t be lost as easily.” She looked at us to make sure we understood, and continued when we nodded, “Now the last part of this is something that will seem odd to you both as you are fully adults, but anytime you address me from here on out, it is to be as Miss Mackenzie, or Miss Kenzie.” “We can’t just call you your first name?” Liam asked. She shook her head, “No, it’s a rule here on how Nest Mothers are to be addressed. I know some of the Little girls skip over it and just jokingly call their Nest Mothers ‘Mother’, or ‘Mommy’. Honestly, I’d be okay with that, but little boys usually don’t like to do that.” Mackenzie then took us on a quick ten-minute tour of the dorm and showed us the laundry room where our laundry was washed for us. “We don’t have to do it ourselves?” Liam and I asked in stereo. She laughed, “Because of how small your clothing is, and how small you all are, the university did a study years ago that it’s better to have a service available for our Littles. We have a maid for each floor that will also change your bedding if you have a leak, or twice a week otherwise. Just leave your worn clothes in the hamper next to your bed each day, and Jenny will get them washed and back in your wardrobe or dresser!” We were shown a gym full of giant equipment, but nothing in our sizes. It was clear that it was for the Nest Mothers, not the Littles. “Dean Northrup mentioned we could get up early and exercise if we got permission?” I asked. She looked surprised, “Yes, that’s possible. What would you want to do?” “Swimming would be my first choice, but I doubt that will be allowed. So practicing my katas or going for a jog each day would be my backup choices?” “Hmm… Swimming might actually be possible here; let me show you.” As she scanned her ID and pushed down another hallway, she presented me with a room that had a small pool by their standards in the middle and a couple of infinity pools along the side. “I happen to like waking up and going for a swim. So if you want to join me in the mornings, I would be open to it. We need to get you some swim diapers, though, and a swimsuit?” “I honestly expected you to say no. I’d appreciate that!” “There is a price to this, though?” She said as she walked us back to the elevator and our room. “What’s that?” “The story?” “Oh, I guess I can do that if that’s all you want!” “Do you mind if I sit in my desk chair?” Then, I asked her, “You can sit on the floor, so maybe we’re a little closer in height?” She giggled, “I don’t think that will help you, sweetie, but if it makes you feel better!” I pulled my desk chair out and around. Liam looked skeptical but drew his near for the storytime as well. She sat nearby on the floor on a carpeted area that looked much like a daycare would have. I ignored that as I was almost at her shoulder height now with me in the chair. “Before I start, is there any rule against bean bag chairs or inflatable couches?” “Inflatable couches, yes, bean bag chairs are allowed. Most Bigs have them in their dorms; for some reason, Littles don’t buy them for their rooms?” I shrugged, “I might keep my eye out later. Anyway, I guess the short answer to your question is that my mom came over here thirty years ago looking to go to college. She’d been here on one of the early tour group trips with her parents and fell in love with the technology and computers here...” I spent the next fifteen minutes giving a very highly sanitized version of how mom had shrunk down to thirty-eight inches of height and stayed with her adopted parents. I didn’t go into all of the adventures she had, but I did mention that she was good friends with Beth’s dad as well. I told a bit more, and finally, Liam’s eyes opened, “Wait, your mom, is that Stacy Slane?” at the same time as I heard Mackenzie gasp and say nearly the same thing but ‘Stacy Westerfield’ instead. I nodded, “That’s her.” “You’re like super-rich, dude! Why are you even going to college?” I laughed, “First of all, my mom is smart enough to not just give us all a fortune. We have trusts that pay for school, expenses, and some spending money, but not as much as you would think. She and my mama have set it up to where we will be wealthy someday when they pass away, but most of their wealth will be given to charities.” “But she… she’s like one of the biggest legends around here!” Mackenzie said. “My aunt was here at school at the same time! I…” Thankfully, a knock at the door saved me from any more of an inquest. “May we come in?” I heard. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Sorry for the late post here! I'm traveling and where I'm staying has relatively no working internet, and then what little there is affords zero privacy. I'm going to try and get somewhere again next Tuesday to post the next chapter too. Please let me know what you're thinking with comments, and most importantly the Like button! It'll give me something to look forward to when I return to civilization! (Besides the no internet having a great trip so far!)

Normally, I wear a Confidry disposable under a Kins (Babykins) pull-on cloth diaper and their softies plastic pants. If I'm going the same diapers for 24 hours to 48 hours, I'll use another same diaper but I'll use an xl size and a larger plastic pants. I always use a pin-wheel to puncturing the plastic cover of the disposable. It lets the wetness drain into the cloth diapers. I use the disposable because I don't want my cloth diapers to get too messy when I poo. Thick and bulgy. The Confidry 24/7 diaper are real quality. Soft and comfortable. My cloth diapers and plastic pants feel great to touch and feel. I always end up having loaded messy diapers. Because of this I might just use cloth diapers but I always end up going poo . They might get a little messy but they're easy to wash. I always dry my cloth diapers for maybe just damp then I line dry them. Keeps the elastics of the pull-on cloth diapers still strong. So I guess I'm always double or tripled diapers. Now you'll have to excuse me while I go do whatever I want, all the time.

I do wear (and use) diapers probably 75% of the time. I've been retired since I was 50 and I'm 61 now. I go just about every where. I live at a medium lake and a very nice little village. I can walk just about 10 minutes for everything. I love my coffee shop, the library and all the shops. I play almost 4 to 5 days for golf. I've never had an issue. And I wear kinda thick diapers. I use Confidry 24/7 disposables under a Kins pull-on cloth diaper and plastic pants. Thick? I guess but I always use baggy clothes. Right now I'm wearing a very xtra baggy cargo shorts and a xtra large polo shirt un-tucked. People never knew. This morning I went to my coffee shop with my tablet. I even saw some semi-friends. While I was reading and drinking my coffee I had a strong urge and had a massive load. I just sat there and filled my diapers. Spread up and back. Thankfully I've been using Nullo for 10 years. I've never had any odd odors. I just sat at the coffee shop for an hour and a half. I've done this plenty of times. I'm always relaxed and never worried. My advice is to wear the right clothes and if you fill your diapers, use Nullo. Now you'll have to excuse me while I go do whatever I want, all the time.

Chapter 14: The Old Waiting Game I sat there in Oakshire Elementary’s clinic near the front desk, completely exhausted. Tracy, Mrs. Beouf and I had spent the entire previous night cleaning my room to beyond perfection. My room was already in very good condition. ‘Very good’ wasn’t going to cut it. Nothing short of perfection would be acceptable. As soon as Janet reported the essay that little pissant wrote about me, there would be blood in the water we knew and Principal Brollish would look for any excuse that she could warp or exaggerate to her advantage. We weren’t going to give her anything to work with. Mrs. Brollish disinfected and scrubbed every surface until it was shining. I organized my closet space, graded logged and sorted papers for return; even the ones that by contract didn’t need to be graded, yet. The play space for the kids went from ‘well used but tidy’ to ‘display model’. We found a stray Pull-Up hidden behind the cubbies. Bullet dodged; especially since it was a boy Pull-Up. Amazons would read into anything. Tracy beat us both. She called in some favors and got a couple of Tweener custodians to come in and work over the entire floor with a carpet cleaner. I had to excuse myself to go cry. The tears were a mixture of complete fear and panic coupled up with absolute disbelief and gratitude. The rest of the night was coaching on what to say and what not to say. “The games you play with Forrest and the others aren’t going to cut it here.” Mrs. Beouf told me. “Don’t give Brollish an opening. If you go for the cheese you’re going to get your hand snapped.” If I hadn’t been so terrified, I might have been surprised that Beouf knew what I’d been up to all these years. I got home late that night. Cassie had been up and we had a fight. Even now, I can’t remember the exact wording, but it all came down to us being worried. Cassie wasn’t stupid. She knew what that hurried text about me staying late had really meant. She wanted to bug out and run that night. I wanted to stay and fight it. Not just because I was right but because I wanted to- needed to- prove the shitheads wrong. It was stupid and I shouldn’t have wanted to do it... We compromised. I let her ride on the back of the scooter to work the next morning and she drove back home with it. If I didn’t contact her by dinner; she’d be gone. There hadn’t been sleep the night before. With the cleaning, coaching, fighting and me staring down the bars of a cot, sleep wasn’t going to come. I’d ironed and pressed my best outfit. The slightest wrinkle might be cause for Brollish to invoke the bullshit maturity clause in my contract. The first hour at work had been easy. Sleepwalking. Check in. Get the kids. Get breakfast. By hour two I was beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, I was worried over nothing. Maybe Janet would turn in the essay and Brollish would see that it was a stupid story fabricated by a stupid kid. It was not quite 9:30 when Brollish walked in with a strange Amazon and asked to speak with me in private. “Not to worry, we have a substitute,” she told me. Brollish was all quiet smiles. I don’t know that I’d ever seen her smile. So it began... “Is this going to be a while?” I asked, already knowing the answer. Brollish held open the door and gestured for me to follow. “I think it’s best if we spoke in private.” On my way out I spotted something poking out of the stranger’s purse, something white and rectangular. “Tracy!” I called out, hoping I didn’t sound as suspicious as I felt. I raised my hands into the air and clapped my pointer and middle fingers to my thumb twice, like I was playing invisible castanets. My assistant saw the signal and followed my gaze to the Amazon’s purse. “Got it, boss!” I started walking alongside Mrs. Brollish, walking quietly in the open campus back towards her office. “What was that?” she asked. She’d tried to make it sound like she was making small talk. In reality, the interrogation was already under way. “Crab clapping,” I said, and repeated the motion I’d made. “We’re working on manners and offering it up as an alternative to giving a presenter loud applause. My students don’t really have the dexterity yet for snapping their fingers.” This of course, was a complete fabrication. The motion I’d made was really a bastardization of the sign language motion for ‘diaper’. The proper sign involved doing that motion over my beltline, like the tapes on a diaper, but Beouf and Tracy agreed that might be too obvious a warning. The coaching was paying off. And yes, Tracy was going to do a lesson teaching all of my small fries about crab clapping as a polite way to applaud a performer when it was time to still be quiet. Brollish didn’t speak further until we’d gotten to her office. She went to her desk and sat down behind it. I went and climbed into the chair across from it. “Some serious accusations have come to my attention, this morning, Mr. Gibson.” “If this is a matter of contract,” I said. “I’d like Union Representation, please.” “Don’t you want to know what the accusations are, or who is making them?” I didn’t smile. I didn’t frown. I took a breath. Every instinct I’d developed was both screaming at me that this was a trap and telling me that I had to find a way to wriggle out of the trap right now. That’s not how this was going to go down. “I understand that you’re doing your job, ma’m,” I said. “However if these accusations are serious, I think it would be best if I had appropriate representation.” “That would be Mrs. Beouf.” “Correct.” “I can’t call her out of her classroom during school hours for this.” Yet Brollish could yank me out of mine. Typical Amazon. So typical, we figured it was exactly what would happen. By my own estimation Brollish, was more than twice as clever as Forrest, and not quite half as clever as me. That’s the thing about authority; you don’t have to be clever or even particularly good at your job to win. I decided not to argue. “I understand, ma’am,” I said. “I’m willing to wait…” It took me everything not to say ‘...if you are.’ Don’t give the monster an opening. Brollish leaned forward. “That might take a while. Are you willing to be outside your classroom for that long?” She was talking slowly. Choosing her words carefully. She was baiting me. “I know how important it is for children to keep to their routines.” Would that I were six feet taller so that I could reach across and slap her in the face just then. “I think it would be best for all involved,” I said slowly, “in the long term, if I had Union Representation.” “Are you sure?” “I would like Union Representation.” “You’ll have to wait all day.” “I would like Union Representation.” “We could end this very quickly…” “I would like Union Representation.” “You won’t be able to wait here. You’ll have to wait in the clinic with an ad-...with another staff member.” “I would like Union Representation.” Brollish’s mask slipped for a moment. Her face soured. Her nose wrinkled in contempt. In her eyes I was the bratty kid whose Mommy and Daddy were super important sponsors in the Parent-Teacher Organization. And there was nothing she could do about it. She hadn’t been counting on me stonewalling her. She counted on me being clever or trying to twist her words against her, and give her an opportunity to do the same. The usual song and dance. The best dancers knew more than one routine. The best fighters knew when to dodge and risk tiring themselves out and when to block and let their opponents wear out. Waiting meant more time for a case to be fabricated against me. It also meant more chances to catch a fabrication. Better odds in my favor. Still sucked though. Royally It sucked waiting in the school’s clinic. It sucked being babysat, watched like a hawk by the school’s nurse. It sucked being so damn tired and powerless. It sucked having to hope that somehow, some way, my friends would save me; or at least run out the clock. It sucked not feeling like the main character in my own life. “You look tired, Mr. Gibson,” the nurse said. “Why don’t you lay down?” she gestured to a vinyl covered sick bed. Over the years I’d seen plenty of kids who’d thrown up or run a fever lay down on them in misery while parents were contacted to pick them up. Never an adult, though. “No thank you,” I said. “Are you sure?” I eyed the single diaper on the corner of her desk. I was sure it hadn’t been there when I’d passed by the clinic this morning, and it wasn’t big enough to fit on even an Amazonian Kindergartener. “I’m sure.” “Would you like something to drink? I’ve got some milk in the fridge.” Pants shitting poison. “No thank you,” I said. “I’m just waiting for the moment.” “Do you need to go to the potty?” So much wrong there. The only non-Amazon sized toilets were in the kindergarten classrooms, mine, and Beouf. “I”m fine. Thank you.” No way was I asking for a boost up. Just had to stick to the plan. No matter how hard it was. Throughout the morning kids trickled in and out of the clinic. Nothing major, just getting usual stuff. Diabetes checks. ADHD meds. Routine upkeep stuff that the bureaucracy of school mandated be kept locked up and overseen in the clinic. These were a relief because for a few precious minutes at a time I wasn’t the center of an Amazon’s attention. I still had to be on my toes, however.” “Hey, Mr. Gibson.” “Hey Tyler.” “What are you doing here?” I caught the eye of the nurse. It might be considered ‘bad-form’ or ‘immature’ to tell a fifth grader that I was under investigation for something. “Just waiting,” I said. “Are you sick?” I made a show of feeling my own face and forehead, like I was checking for a fever. Nothing too animated, just token effort. “I don’t think so.” “Why are you in the clinic?” “Mrs. Brollish needs to talk to me later and the nurse agreed to keep me company while I waited.” All technically correct and nothing implying guilt on my part. “Okay. Have a good day.” “You too, Tyler.” Lather, rinse, and repeat for about half a dozen kids. A few hours in my stomach started growling loud enough to hear. “Would you like something to eat, Mr. Gibson?” “No thank you.” “I don’t mind getting something from the cafeteria for you,” the nurse insisted. “I’ve got a tiny box of chocolates if you’d like a snack.” “No thank you. I appreciate the thought, however.” That was a lie. Fuck the thought. Next through the door, carrying a lunch tray was Tracy. “Hey boss. Gossip is you were waiting for a meeting, so I brought you some lunch.” I sat up a little straighter and felt my heart practically jump up and tickle my uvula. I looked at the time. It was already past lunch and Tracy was on her break. That meant it was nap time for the kids...but if Tracy wasn’t watching the room, then... She must have read my thoughts. “Don’t worry,” she told me. “Beouf is watching the kids. All of them. We’re still working on stuff and following the lesson plan...with a few modifications.” I was confused. There weren’t supposed to be modifications. The fuck was happening? “What about the substitute?” I asked. “Got called away for some kind of emergency,” Tracy said. “Beouf volunteered to bring her class into our room and merge for the day.” My Tweener friend leaned in close and added in a whisper, “Good thing, too. She was up to something. Kept looking around the room like she was trying to find something.” I remembered the diaper poking out of the stranger’s purse. “Or looking to hide something so it can be found later.” Tracy nodded, and crab clapped her fingers together. If it weren’t for the Amazon in the room I might have been able to give her further instructions. Speaking of which, the nurse cleared her throat. “Shouldn’t you be on break?” Tracy stood back up and left the tray on a chair beside me. “Yes ma’am. I was just dropping off lunch for Mr. Gibson.” “I already offered him lunch and he refused. Can he not make up his mind?” Typical. By most any other metric, both Tracy and I should have at least as much if not more clout than this pill dispensing pencil pusher. She wasn’t even a real nurse as far as I knew. Her only real responsibilities were keeping track of meds and calling parents when their kids puked. Legally she couldn’t even give an aspirin. But she was an Amazon… I raised my hand. “Actually,” I said, “I was waiting for my assistant to bring me lunch.” Suspicious eyes stared back at us. She was connecting dots and we couldn’t look like we knew about this accusation ahead of time. “Yeah,” Tracy bluffed. “That’s our go-to. Like whenever Mr. Gibson has an I.E.P. meeting that overlaps with his lunch.” It was the best kind of lie: One that was based in confirmed truth. “Byyyyyye!” Without waiting for Tracy to be completely out the door. I tore into the pre-wrapped peanut butter and jelly sandwich and gulped down the pre-packaged milk. They were straight from the cafeteria line, meant for Amazon students. They were safe. I saw the nurse staring at me from across her desk. The sandwich was pre cut. I offered up half to her. “Would you like some?” “No. Thank you.” Honestly, the food sucked. It was cafeteria food meant for kids, but it was in Amazon proportions so it was filling. It quieted my stomach and made me feel a bit more alert, at least. Just as I finished downing the sandwich and was beginning to feel bloated from the milk, a new element entered into the equation to make me feel sick to my stomach. “Right in here!” an all too familiar voice said. Raine Forrest entered the room. Behind her, an Amazon man with a gut that hung out well over his belt was wheeling something in on a dolly. It was something like a big glass tube that was almost as big as a Tweener and framed with steel. Near the top end was a latch and a panel with different knobs. The inside of the glass had wired bulbs, like heat lamps at a fast food joint all up and down it. All told, it looked like something of a cross between a bug zapper, a tanning bed, and a cheap air conditioner. “Right here,” Raine Forrest said. “Right by the socket.” The guy with the dolly slid the monstrosity off and grabbed a clipboard from off the top. “Sign here, please.” “Gladly.” I watched as the school receptionist signed for it, and handed the clipboard back. The big man tipped his hat, and turned around, leaving with his dolly. The nurse asked my question for me. “What in the world is that?” “It’s an instant body hair remover,” she said. “For people who need a Little help keeping clean.” I felt my lunch threaten to come back up. Even when she wasn’t looking directly at me, I felt Raine’s mental gaze. She was sizing me up. Window shopping. Ready to get herself a new doll. The nurse got up from her desk and walked up to it. “I’ve never seen one like that, before.” Neither had I. “It’s old,” Forrest explained. “This one came from the high school. Used for Littles who proved they were too immature to graduate. Haven’t had any in a while, so they weren’t using this.” “Lots of mature Littles?” the nurse asked. Forrest laughed at that. “Goodness, no. They’re just not enrolling over there. You know how it is.” We all did. “Mrs. Brollish requisitioned it this morning. Just in case.” My entire body felt a sting of shock at that last comment. The room was filling up with elephants fast and no one was talking about them. I felt like the weight of those elephants might crush my skull then and there. “How does it work?” the so-called medical expert asked. Raine looked back to me sitting quietly. “It’s easy,” she said. “I can talk you through it.” Of course Raine Forrest knew how it worked. She likely researched it and recommended it to Brollish. On the side of the contraption was a panel that Raine opened up. It was hollow on the inside except for a pair of black goggles, a silvery bathing cap and a plastic jar filled with white salve “You just strip down the Little darling,” she said, “and put the cap and goggles on to protect them.” “Which first?” Raine smiled; a witch explaining her spell. “Cap first. Then Goggles. This latch on the back makes it so they can’t take it off.” She flipped open the top of the tube. “Then you just plug it in, feed them through the top, close the lid and press this button.” She pointed to a big red circle. “Voila. All adult hair...everything not under the cap or protected by the goggles goes bye bye.” The nurse grabbed the jar and started looking for a label. “What’s this? Petroleum Jelly? I know how to take a Little’s temperature.” They weren’t barely pretending this wasn’t meant for me. Typical. “That’s for after,” Raine said. “This is an old model, so the process stings a little bit. This stuff soothes the skin. Helps them get to sleep, too.” “Sleep?” “Yeah. The process takes a lot out of them, poor Little things.” Another glance at me. “Don’t worry. The tube is sound proof.” Raine walked over to me and bent over to make eye contact. “Hello, Clark. It’s very nice to see you. I’m super glad you came to school today.” I said nothing. She stood back up and picked the lone diaper up off the desk. She held it out from her, like she was farsighted and couldn’t quite make out the multi colored monkeys on the landing zone. I knew what she really was doing. She was sizing me up, putting angling it so that from her view it was between my legs. A tiger sizing up its wounded goat. Damn it all, I prayed she was wrong. “See you later, Clark.” She walked out, leaving me alone with the lesser of two Amazons. I sat there in the chair, silently trying to figure out where I went wrong with my life. The nurse finally let me be and pretended to do work on her computer; likely looking up extra instructions on how to use the giant bug zapper torture device I was to be put in. Typical. The final bell rang. The students loaded up on the buses and the buses pulled out for the weekend. I didn’t move. The clicking of heels signaled Mrs. Brollish’s approach. I looked up as she entered and stared into the wrinkled hag’s face. “Mr. Gibson,” she said. “If you’ll follow me, please.” I hopped off the chair and followed along behind her back to her office. No words were spoken. Brollish looked quietly pissed. That was a plus. But if Beouf or some other Union representative wasn’t present - no...just Beouf...only Beouf.. If Beouf wasn’t present, the only words out of my mouth would be ‘Union Representation’. There were three chairs, pulled up in front of the Principal’s desk. The center one was obviously for me. There was a step stool and everything this time. Sitting in the chair to my right was Mrs. Beouf. To the left, face red and snot dripping from his nose with Janet looming over him was Jeremy; former student and current accuser. No one looked happy. So this was the trial… “Mr. Gibson,” Brollish started. “Thank you for being so patient. Are you aware of why I asked you out of your classroom today?” I said nothing. I just looked over to Beouf and she nodded. “I don’t think you told me, ma’am.” “One of your former students,” she gestured to sullen looking Jeremy, “wrote an essay accusing you of…” she paused. In a sane world; in a fair world, they could have just said I was accused of wearing diapers and laughed it out of the room. I reminded myself that the world wasn’t fair every morning I woke up for a reason. “Symptoms of an acute and chronic maturosis flare up,” Beouf said, filling in the silence with more clinical sounding pseudoscience bullshit. “Yes, that,” Mrs. Brollish agreed. “May I read it to you?” Beouf nodded to me. I nodded back to Brollish. She read the whole damn thing word for word and I did my best to keep a blank face, I had to act as though I didn’t know what she was going to say and was seriously considering the accusations leveled against me. But I couldn’t act as though it had any other effect on me or I might seem guilty. “Is any of this true?” she said when she’d finished reading. I chewed on the sides of my tongue. Had to choose my next words like each one was a footstep in a minefield. The trap hadn’t snapped yet but I hadn’t gotten the cheese, either. “I’ve never worn diapers during my time here at Oakshire Elementary.” Such a stupid way to phrase it, but anything more absolute would be nitpicked and used to try and justify shoving me in a bug zapper. “Why would he write that?” Beouf held her hand out to shut me up before I responded. “That’s not important,” she said. Janet spoke up. “We did a special lesson today, Mr. Gibson,” she said. “It was about the difference between fiction and lying” She was talking to me, but looking directly at Mrs. Brollish. “About how fiction doesn’t hurt people because it admits that the story isn’t true up front.” “Yes ma’am…” Jeremy muttered, even though he wasn’t being addressed. He looked at me and his face hardened. Who knew such hate could come off an eight year old. “I had my class do a special writing prompt to see if they absorbed the lesson. The prompt was to talk about a time when you or someone else you knew lied and what happened because of it.” Janet looked towards me. “May I read some of them to you, Mr. Gibson?” I dared to hope. “Yes…?” Janet reached over Jeremy’s head and took a handful of papers from Mrs. Brollish. Brollish looked absolutely disgusted with herself as she released the evidence. “Lies are when you say things that aren’t true to either hurt people or to help only yourself,” Janet read. “My friend Jeremy was telling me at lunch last week about how he made up a story that Mr. Gibson wore diapers and acted like a Little baby at school. That is a lie though and it could hurt Mr. Gibson and if another adult heard it and believed it Mr. Gibson could get in trouble and end up in the baby Little class with the Little babies and that is not where Mr. Gibson should be. Mr. Gibson is a good teacher and should be teaching the pre-k kids.” Janet finished and looked at me. “Needs some help on sentence length, but I think it communicates the idea. That one was by Hyacinth. Another former student of yours.” She shuffled the papers and read another one. “This one is by Mason,” she said. “Fiction is a fun story that teaches a good lesson, like The Wizard of Auz. It teaches you to make friends and go on adventures but that there is no place like home. A lie is like a story, but it teaches a bad lesson and pretends to be real. Like when Jeremy Merriwhether wrote in an essay that Mr. Gibson wore diapers. He was telling us about it on the playground yesterday. If people believe the lie, they’ll think Mr. Gibson is just a baby. Jeremy will believe he can say anything he wants about people he doesn’t like and it doesn’t have to be true. Neither of those are good lessons.” Janet riffled through a few more papers “And this one-” “I think we get the point,” Mrs. Brollish said. She adjusted her glasses and looked straight at me. “It was Mrs. Grange-” “It’s Ms. Grange, actually,” Janet interrupted. Brollish looked even more annoyed. “It was Ms. Grange who brought the original essay to my attention first thing this morning.” I still don’t know how Brollish did it, but she emitted a silent growl; something I could sense instead of hear. I could almost see the little flaps on her neck vibrating. “It was also Ms. Grange that conveniently discovered this pattern among many of her students’ essays today.” Janet jumped in. “Due to the serious nature of the allegations, Jeremy, Mrs. Brollish, and I have been talking and we discovered a lot of inconsistencies with his story.” Jeremy sank a little lower in his chair. “A lot of things that just weren’t adding up. Like why neither he, nor his parents, nor any other student or their parents have ever reported such brazen babyish behavior from you and why he waited so long to tell anyone.” Thank you! Thank you Janet! Someone was finally talking sense in this room! I wanted to hug her right then. The Principal stood up and walked over the eight year old Amazon. “Jeremy. Your parents are waiting for you up front.” The kid stood up. “But first,” she said. “I think you owe Ms. Grange an apology for lying and putting her in an awkward position.” Yeah, that tracked. Even acquitting me, Brollish was gonna throw shade. Head bowed, Jeremy muttered out the barest of apology. “I’m sorry, ma’am.” “Look at me,” Grange commanded. She was using her teacher voice, that tone that only the truest asskickers; rarely recorded and impossible to put into words. Jeremy lifted his head. “You owe Mr. Gibson an apology, too.” “Do I have to?” “Yes.” It was Beouf who spoke up. “Because of your story, Mr. Gibson had to wait in the clinic all day and Mrs. Brollish had to pay for a sub.” I caught the twinkle in Mrs. Beouf’s eye. The kid pivoted and gave more of the same half-assed apology. “I’m sorry Mr. Gibson. I’m sorry Mrs. Brollish.” Mrs. Brollish reached out and took his hand. “Come along, Jeremy. Your parents are waiting for you out front.” “Do I have to hold your hand?” the little asshole whined. “After what you did, be glad that’s all you have to do.” Mrs. Brollish said, sternly. “Your parents may decide that you have to visit the clinic for a few days.” The look of dread in Jeremy’s eyes was palpable and sweet. I hoped his parents wouldn’t give him that most ironic and Amazonian of punishments...but I wasn’t going to shed any tears if they did The Principal turned around and addressed us. “Ladies and sir,” she said. “I’ll be right back. Please wait for me and we’ll finish this right up.” Beouf, Janet, myself. The three of us all smiled and flashed thumbs up at each other. I was. Almost done. Almost free. We were grinning like idiots up until the moment the office door reopened and Mrs. Brollish took her seat. “Just a few more things and we can put this behind us.” It was back to business. “Mrs. Beouf, thank you for stepping up like you did.” “Happy to do my part,” Mrs. Beouf said. She looked at me and explained. “The substitute that was hired to watch your room switched to watching Ms. Grange’s class after she read the essays and brought Jeremy here. Mrs. Zoge and I merged our class with yours and gave Tracy a hand.” I wanted to laugh. I wanted to cackle with drunken glee. Not only had Janet rounded up witnesses to my defense, she’d gotten the mole out of my classroom in one masterstroke. “Yes. About that,” Brollish narrowed her eyes towards Beouf. “Why was that? Why did you empty your class into his room instead of the other way around? Mr. Gibson doesn’t have any developmentally appropriate supplies for your students. No baby toys. No diapers. No bottles.” Another trap. An attempt to get my friend to implicate me where Brollish had failed. “I felt it would be best if Mr. Gibson’s students remained in a familiar educational environment to minimize disruption in their routine. No reason to uproot them further.” (Translation: “There was no way we were leaving Clark’s room unguarded so you could plant something.) “It was easy enough for them to bring their bottles and a few toys.” (Translation: “Suck hosewater you old bat.”) “Did you clean up after your students?” “Of course,” Beouf confirmed. “Mrs. Zoge and her daughter got the last of it packed up before it was time to take the kids to the buses.” “So there are no baby toys left in Mr. Gibson’s?” Uh oh. I didn’t like where this was going. “Correct.” Brollish leaned back in her seat. “What about hygiene? Changes? None of your students are potty trained. Did you bring their diapers over to Mr. Gibson’s room?” Oh crap…. Beouf shook her head nonchalantly. “No ma’am. My classroom isn’t far from Mr. Gibson’s. Mrs. Zoge or myself just took turns walking our Little darlings back to our room if they needed a change.” The hell was Beouf doing? Plausible deniability much? ! “So what you’re telling me,” Brollish said, “as Mr. Gibson’s local Union Representative, is that there are no developmentally inappropriate toys, bottles, or diapers from your room in his?” No. “Yes.” “And that if I went in and inspected his classroom, if I found something, it couldn’t possibly be from your classroom.” No. No. “Correct.” “And therefore, logically, anything remotely immature would have to belong to Mr. Gibson…” Please Beouf. Please Melony Beouf. Please develop telepathy right now! This is a trap! If you’re my friend, if you’re REALLY my friend, don’t walk me into it! No! No! No! “I would have to agree.” Brollish didn’t smile. She didn’t laugh. But something changed in her posture. Something quiet, but dangerous. If the woman had mastered a soundless growl like I thought she had, she’d made an artform out of a subsonic laughter. She didn’t laugh. She didn’t smile. But she did stand up. “Then out of due diligence,” Mrs. Brollish said. “To completely clear Mr. Gibson of these obviously false allegations, allow me to inspect his classroom.” Beouf stood up, too. “Yes ma’am,” I said. I had no choice. On the way out walking to my classroom, Janet shot me a look. ‘What the hell?’ it said. All I could do is shrug. Beouf was walking side by side with Brollish. A dark part of me wondered if this was part of some elaborate triple cross. I immediately even felt guilty about that, but feeling guilty was better than feeling afraid. Brollish took out her set of master keys and opened the door to my classroom for me. I went inside first. “Well…” I said. My throat felt extremely scratchy and my one word came out as barely a whisper. “This shouldn’t take long, Mr. Gibson.” Brollish said. “I’ll only be a moment and then we can put this whole thing behind us.” Like everything she did, her tone was calm. Cold. Calculated. There was more going on here. I felt Janet’s hand squeeze mine back and only then did it register that I was holding her hand to begin with. I looked up just as Beouf kneeled down so she could put her hand on my shoulder. The Principal went over to the supply cabinets, cabinets that were so high up I couldn’t possibly reach them without assistance. It’s where I had Tracy store arts and crafts supplies, and even she needed a chair to reach them. Even if what Amazons believed about Littles were true, it wouldn’t have made sense for me to hide any baby stuff in something so hard for me to reach. An Amazon, however; a tall stranger with a purse looking for things to plant… I tried to step back. Time to bolt. Beouf shifted her hand down my back and blocked my path. She pressed a finger to her lips and quietly shushed me. “Everything seems to be in order here,” Brollish said, shutting the cabinets. “Tracy does a very good job organizing the cabinets for you.” I stayed silent. Nothing to confirm or deny. No falling into last minute word traps. Next, Brollish went over to my student’s cubbies, looking carefully into each one, moving aside blankets as if she expected to find something. Because she did expect to find something… Someone had planted something for her to find and told her where to look. She’d gone straight from the tall cabinets to my kids’ cubbies and they weren’t anywhere near each other. Lastly, she went over to my desk. My teacher’s desk. My big thick desk that was too big for me and could have doubled as a small tree-house. She slid open the top drawer and looked inside. All I kept in there were staples and paperclips. That’s all she found, too. Quietly, Mrs. Brollish walked back up to us. “Everything seems to be in order. Mrs. Beouf. Ms. Grange. Mr. Gibson. Have a good weekend.” And she was gone. I let go of Janet’s hand and looked at my old colleague resentfully. “Mrs. Beouf?! What just happened?” “Seriously,” Janet echoed my tone. “What the hell?” Beouf stood up and walked towards the back of my classroom; back towards hers. “Come on. Let me show ya.” Her grin was the very definition of ‘shit-eating’. As the three of us crossed the short divide between my room and Beoufs, I heard voices singing. “Chō, chō ha ni tomaru.” Was that Mrs. Zoge? “Happa ni akitara sakura to asobu.” And who was singing with her? “Sakura no hana no ue de.” Ivy? “Teishi shite saisei shite saisei shite teishi” Amazon mother and adopted daughter waited for us; the two of them giggling happily as Ivy bounced on her mommy’s knee; playing some kind of hand game. It would have been sweet if it was an actual mother and child. Mrs. Zoge saw us come in and gently slid Ivy off of her. “Mommy…” Ivy whined a bit. Zoge looked down at her Little doll. “Grown-ups are talking, my love.” She handed her a rattle. “Play with this.” Ivy looked at me and waved a bit before going to shake the rattle. “I assume things went well and that we missed nothing,” Zoge said. “Looks like we got ‘em all,” Beouf said. “Beouf, I’m not following you,” Janet said. I pointed to Grange. “Same.” It was Zoge who replied. “The substitute,” she said. “I’ve never seen her here before.” She spoke slowly and quietly. When others chose their words carefully it sounded forced or sneaky. Now that Zoge was doing it, there was an almost musical quality to her voice. Maybe it was the Yamatoan accent. “Me neither,” I agreed. “Subs come and go, but she wasn’t what I’d call one of the regulars.” “New substitutes,” Zoge said, “they get lost. They find things and put them back in the wrong places because they do not know any better.” Her face was straight and plain, a mask of tranquility. Beouf was already starting to crack up and covering her mouth with the palm of her hand. Ah. So that’s what happened. “And what did this new substitute misplace?” I didn’t put any extra emphasis for sarcasm. There was no need here. Not now. I’d won. We’d won. Me and my friends. Old and new. The foreign Amazon bent over and picked up an empty bottle. “She put a bottle of my daughter’s apple juice in the tall cabinet.” Ivy looked up from her rattle. “It was yummy!” “Also, she misplaced my daughter’s new rattle and put it in one of your students’ cubbies. All the way in the back behind their blankets. Very odd.” Ivy gave it another shake and giggled. I wasn’t entirely certain that she was giggling at the rattle, now. Now Janet got it and started laughing. Beouf was having to hold herself up by leaning against her desk. I remembered what was sticking out of the intruder’s purse. “And her diaper?” I asked. “Most peculiar,” Zoge said. “She put it inside your desk. Such an unusual place to put a diaper.” Ivy lifted up the hem of her dress and gave the front of her diaper a pat. “It’s a big one, Mommy!” It’s true. It fit but it was big on her. The tapes on either side of the diaper almost touched in the middle. Ivy and I were both Littles but I was thicker in the middle than her. If Ivy had been any slimmer the two tapes might have overlapped one another. Zoge bent over and picked Ivy up. “A mistake on my part. I accidentally bought her a size too large. My Ivy is not yet big enough for these, but it would be a waste and I did not wish for them to go to waste.” She patted Ivy’s padded backside. “A little wet,” she said. “But I think we’ll wait till we get home to change. Just in case.” (End of Part 1)