Horatio Husky

Chapter Twenty-Seven Bar ‘Crawl’ Hunter was not feeling too bad as he took a sip from his fourth Long Island of the evening, watching from his perch atop the tall-legged bar stool as Jack and Malissa belted out the lyrics to “Take On Me”. The three had been on their university bar crawl for only about an hour, but given their relief at getting through the first week of college their path to becoming shit-faced had been a steep and brief one. The otter’s cheeks were flushed red, the glasses perched on the tip of her nose as she took heavy breathes in preparation for the refrain. Jack appeared similarly enamored, his lips clumsy and heavy looking as he slurred his way through the song. They were making fools of themselves without a care in the world, as having gotten through a week of prophetic academia to come the three had agreed upon making this weekend the official ending of their winter break. The three mammals were properly sloshed, with Hunter having ensured that his night would be uninterrupted by deliberately placing a booster pad on the surface of his changing table before the three had convened at the bottom stares of his apartment building. Jack, not one to miss out on comedic opportunity, had commented in a sickly sweet tone whether the fox was ‘weady’ when he had descended down the stairs with a slight waddle. Malissa and Hunter had exchanged brief, stoic nods, before each picking a shoulder to punch the weasel on. Even now, on stage, the weasel would occasionally reach up and unconsciously rub at his bicep as he leaned into the microphone, the air escaping out of his nostrils eliciting a static response from the speakers behind them. Hunter allowed himself a small smile, relaxing for the first time in a while as he felt the front of his padding blossom with a familiar warmth. He did not care, as he had managed to coax the ghostly paws into his regular pair of cartoon baby animal diapers. The fennec tried not to dwell on the fact that he now had a diaper brand that he could call his ‘usual’, as he raised a fist upwards towards his friends, yelling out encouragement as they reached the pinnacle of the verse. “Twoooo-ooo-ooo-ooo!” The two sang out, exchanging giddy grins as they leaned one one another, holding desperately onto the mic as they belted out the lyric. Hunter laughed at the spectacle, visibly drunk and oblivious to the fact that they were both very much out of tune. Combined together, however, it sounded almost like they had managed to hit the pitch just right with one going a little too flat and the other a bit too sharp. Hunter hardly registered the fact that his stomach was rumbling, the bar food and drinks making their way quickly through his system. It was only towards the end of the song did he note that his tail had been flagging for quite some time. He shifted, his breath catching as he realized what had happened while he had been distracted. His voice muffled by the hubbub around him, he groaned in annoyance as he realized he was now sitting in a not-so-clean diaper. This might be the reason why it's called early… A voice inside of Hunter’s head told him his reluctance to be the reason that he and his friends had to take a breath from the fun weighing heavily on him. He knew that he should excuse himself and take care of his messy bottom before too long, lest he risk a rash that would undoubtedly bother him when he was supposed to be paying attention in class. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind, he could feel the brooch’s sway, lulling him back towards his apartment where the closest clean diaper awaited for him, resting neatly on a shelf just for him. The fennec resisted, upset that his fun was being cut short by the cursed trinket’s influence once more. He would be fine, another few hours in his thick sweatpants and coat would be more than enough to conceal his accident. Almost as soon as his resolve solidified and he had risen out of his mucky seat to order another drink, he felt a distinct presence behind him. The fennec fox glanced over his shoulder, suddenly feeling very small as he peered into the long face of a female mammoth. One of the oldest anthropomorphized cenozoic species, it was not too uncommon to see one or two of them on a day out to the city. Still, Hunter realized that he must have been pretty drunk not to have picked up on her presence earlier. Something was off about her eyes, they appeared glassy and distant. A dreamy expression was plastered across her noble physique, her trunk almost floating through the air as it wrapped itself around his waist. Hunter’s eyes grew wide in a panic, as he felt the tip of her flexible appendage probing and patting the contained accident in the seat of his pants. Hunter barely noticed that the other bar attendees were completely oblivious to what was happening as the fennec received an unrequested diaper check. “Let’s get you into something more comfortable.” The large mammal’s voice was smooth and unaffected by the apparent stupor her subconscious was in, as Hunter felt himself being lifted up by the powerful trunk around his waist and laid gently down on an empty bar table. The fennec’s limbs flailed, the incredible weight and power of the drunk keeping him subdued as the mammoth moved her free hooves to rifle inside of her purse. This had quickly grabbed the attention of the bar lady, as well as the other college students attending that evening. Malissa and Jack craned their necks to catch a glimpse of Hunter’s panicked expression as he desperately tried to push the mammoth’s trunk off of him. “Hey! What’s the big idea!?” The bar lady barked out, the rottweiler baring her teeth and crossing her tattoo covered arms, inky splotches on thin fur conveying to anyone who saw them that she meant business. The mammoth acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary, her trunk lazily trailing down the fennec’s torso until it caught on the lip of his sweatpants, pulling them down to reveal the saggy contents of his packed and padded back seat. Even in the abruptness of the situation, Hunter knew what was happening. He had pulled too far away from the influence of the brooch and the diapers his changing table had provided him; he had given the trinket the impression that he was not nearly infantilized enough for its own liking. From the mammoth’s purse, she produced a diaper with a single cygnet hieroglyph on its front. It was one of the two symbols remaining whose effects he was still clueless on, and it appeared like he was about to find out. The bartender was now visibly upset that she was being ignored. Her legs swinging over the edge of the bar, she deftly leapt over and marched straight up to the mammoth. Tapping the mammoth on the shoulder, her voice rose in volume over the booming music as the mammoth began to untape the first of Hunter’s top tapes. “And just what do you think you’re doing? You need to get out NOW!” She yelled, emphasizing the end of her statement with a shove. She might as well have been addressing a cement wall, as Hunter doubted that even with the combined strength of everyone present in the room could anyone best her in a physical confrontation. That did not seem to be what she had in mind, however, as Hunter felt himself being wiped down with baby wipes that she had miraculously produced from her purse as well. Several of the others had gathered round now, Malissa and Jack exchanging desperate looks as they both racked their brains as for what to do. Hunter had his paws over his muzzle, hiding his face as he silently endured the public diaper change. At last, he felt his tail being threaded through the tail hole of a new diaper, his equipment and buttocks positioned onto the soft, lush bed of a fresh hieroglyphic diaper. He felt a waft of cold air pass over his equipment as the front was raised, snuggly secured into place by large, surprisingly deft fingers that arranged his tapes in a symmetrical fashion. Peeking through his fingers, the fennec glanced down at the diaper despite the hot flush that was coursing through his cheeks. The image of the cygnet stared back at him as he felt the mammoth’s trunk finally being taken off of him. Before he had a chance to scramble off the table, pull his sweatpants back up, and stumble his way out, the demeanor of the crowd seemed to shift. Hunter looked around him, pushing himself up until he was leaning on his elbows as his eyes glanced from one expression to another. They all wore the same, glassy eyes and dream expression as the mammoth did now. Even the rottie, who looked like she was getting ready to bite a chunk out of the mammoth’s knotted coat, looked pacified for the moment. Malissa still looked somewhat alarmed, though a little more relaxed. Jack, on the other paw, was completely entranced. Out of the crowd, came a high-pitched, cheerful tone. “D’aww, does that feel better sweetie? No more mucky yucky pamps for you!” Another voice came from the crowd, Hunter noticing that it came from a particularly petit chinchilla holding onto a wine glass. “All clean!” The rottie nodded, as the crowd’s unified agenda appeared to ripple through them like a wave in a body of water. “All better now, no more stinky bottoms!” A few of the furs cheered, while others offered their own concerns and requests, their voices meshing together into a scattered cacophony of babying tones. “Does someone want a baba now?” “Hey little guy, where’s your plushie?” “Do you need your binkie, honey?” “Hey little kit, isn’t it way past your bedtime?” “Hop up darling, you get to sit in my lap!” The crowd then moved towards him like a throng of the undead in a horror film, causing Hunter to yelp. Out of the murmuring, sleepy furs came a voice shrill and distinct with authority. “That’s my little one you’re talking to, thank you for taking care of him but he needs to go home now!” Bodies turned and heads swiveled towards Malissa, who had one paw firmly clasped around Jack’s limp wrist as she pushed her way to the front of the crowd with the other. She was grimacing hard, as if she was trying to concentrate on a heavily weighted exam and had not prepared nearly enough for it. The furs moved out of way like molasses, until finally she had reached her friend. The mammoth’s trunk halted her, slamming down on the table between them as her massive, wooly face turned to face off Malissa. Hunter could see the otter’s body stiffen at this confrontation, Jack emitting a small, faint squeal of pain as she squeezed his wrist a little too tightly. She looked up, facing the mammoth with as much bravery as she could muster in her tipsy state, her cleft lips pursed tightly as her whiskers quivered. “Aren’t you forgetting something, dear?” The otter waited, which the mammoth took for an answer. Reaching around, she deposited a pastel colored duffle bag on the table. Hunter had never seen it before, but recognized the characters stitched onto its side as belonging to those that had been on his now dirtied diaper. The brooch was picking up his preferences, that was for sure, but at least he could be relatively sure that these contained no ill enchantments. Relatively sure. “His diaper bag!” The mammoth enunciated slowly, beaming with deliberate and slow amusement. The crowd began to disperse, offering small, melodic goodbyes and good wishes as they returned to their seats. Malissa grabbed the bag, Jack still repeating over and over again in a sing-song tone. “Bye-bye now! Bye-bye now! Bye-bye now!” “Let’s get the hell out of here!” Malissa hissed to the fennec underneath her breath, her words coming through a smile so tight he feared that she might start cracking her teeth. Hunter needed no further encouragement as he scrambled off of the table. Momentarily forgetting that his pants were around his ankles in his haste to get away, he tripped and caught himself on his paws and knees. Crawling backwards a few steps to get himself out from underneath a table, he received a few affectionate pats on his diapered butt from the wine-sipping chinchilla on his way out. Inadvertently blushing as he crouched, stopped to grasp the bottoms of his sweatpants to pull them back up. Hunter tried not to think about the fact that he was pretty sure he had seen her in the back row of his Organic Chemistry class as he followed Malissa out of the bar and into the crisp, January night air. He was suddenly feeling very sober.

When The Hypno Kicks In By Horatio Husky Commissioned by AnnaNapps “Soft… Sqweh… Sqweh… Shee…” The lay rat on the lush mattress, wooden bars rising to form the borders of her simple crib. Coherent thoughts were long gone now, as she had succumbed fully to the hypnosis she had tried so hard to resist. Her mind had become a blank slate, all past memories, thoughts, and talents both learned and naturally gifted had been stripped away. They were gone, forever, leaving behind only the pleasant fog that enveloped her waking mind in a soft, flannel blanket. “Comfy… I wuv comfy… Comfy good… Good for whittle rattos… I’m whittle ratto… Smol…” The simple affirmation of her identity brought comfort to the rat, her limbs tingling and growing warmer as the temperature in the room rose slightly, altered by an unseen spell to ensure that her comfort was kept at the maximum level. Her setting was simple, only a crib and comfortable mattress to keep her company. The room is quiet, still, illuminated only by the last few beams of sunlight on a late afternoon. There was no need for there to be anything else in the room, other than the crib to hold her. Annie could not have escaped the room even if she was able to come up with such an idea. No, there was only the wonderful reality of laying on her back, in a soft bed, and feeling ever so happy to enjoy the delicate euphoria sustained by having a mind filled with nothing. “Baby… Goo’... Goo’ guwl… I’m… I’mma goow… Gurl… Baby guwl…” The thought of knowing that she was a good girl gave her immense pleasure, for she wiggled her bottom and tail in response to the personal affirmation. In her mind, she was a good girl, a good girl solely for the fact that she was laying quietly and obediently in her crib, where she was left to do just that. “Goow girls… Need big… BIG diapers… Goow guwls have… Accidents…” A delicate blush formed on the rat’s cheeks, a slight rosiness saturating the normally white fur with a pleasant pink color. Annie was indeed wearing only a diaper in addition to her pink t-shirt. There was a heart on the landing zone, and the rest of the pink and white padding had been carefully wrapped around her waist to ensure that it was a snug, secure fit. The adhesive had been magically sealed against her, though even now her paws remained too clumsy and uncoordinated to loop even a single paw pad underneath a tape. The cushion underneath her tushie was significant, lifting her up a whole two inches off of the mattress beneath her. Its front was robust, wide, and thickly layered. It rode up to her upper thighs. It was so secured and voluptuous in size that no matter what pose her body might be in as she rolled around, it would be able to catch even the largest of floods without a single drop leaking out. “Big… Poofy… Puh… Puh… Poopy… Goow girls go poopy in poofy…” She mused to herself, idly dragging a limp wrist down to the front of her diaper to give her front a weak squeeze. Annie had become enamored by her diaper ever since her brain had been completely washed. It was her favorite part of her wardrobe, always there, sometimes crinkling to remind her that she was safe, and perpetually ready to hold all the messes that inevitably dribbled out of her when she was not paying attention. And Annie could no longer pay attention. She squeezed her thighs together, held apart by a good foot and a half by the sheer bulk of the diaper. Had she been willing, she would find that she would no longer be able to walk with such an immense bulk. Crawling too would be difficult, but given just how cozy she was feeling laying on her back she had no intention of moving anywhere. No, she would stay put, where everything was easy-going and okay. “Good guwls… Piddle… Diapers hold baby princess ratto piddles… No puddles… Only… Soggy woggy… Princess… Pampers…” Annie let out a little accident, trickling out of her only to be eagerly lapped up and absorbed by her diaper. It barely put a dent in the total amount the undergarment could absorb, for she had many such miniature accidents throughout her hours of languishing about. She did not mind. In fact, Annie quite liked how the diaper felt after she had wet it, the warmth of her pee radiating back into her fur to remind her that it was okay to pee in her diapers. That was what they were for, after all, to keep her safe and comfortable as she lay in her crib. “I’m… Mah… Mommy’s widdle… Puddle princess… Goow girls… Are soggy guwls…” This mantra would often repeat itself inside of her shallow consciousness, eliciting a sense of reward and euphoria that sometimes caused her to pass out from the sheer force of good feelings. Using her diaper was her favorite part of the day, and she could not even control when she had to go in it. It was a happy accident, every accident, and waking up from her pleasure-filled dreams into her waking stupor meant only that she would be awake for yet more accidents for her to relish and gurgle at. “Make stimkies… Annie… Gotta go… Make… Stimkies… Gotta… Do pushies… Good guwls… Do pushies…” Annie could feel it, the tell-tale signs that her tummy needed a little bit more room for more treats that would cause her to drool onto her shirt. Though the rat had no capacity to remember just how many diapers she had gone through that day, this was her fourth. Whenever she felt the slightest inclination to mess herself, she did without hesitation. The lavish feeling of being unable to pick herself up, move about, or even adjust herself inside of the overwhelming thick diapers made it so she would remain laying in her mess. Whenever she pushed, her accident remained firmly underneath her bottom, the earthy scent rising up to meet her nostrils and triggering a conditional embarrassment response. She would feel self-conscious at first, messy and dirty, which would eventually progress into a state of quiet reflection. Lastly, she would grow a little upset, and small cries would turn into sobs until tears would glisten in the corners of her eyes. That was when there was attention brought to her, soothing words and warm paws would lower the bars of the crib to change her well-used diaper. Her bottom would be lifted, wiped down and powdered with a generous helping of powder. Her ‘special spot’ too would be worshiped with warm, wet wipes. She quite liked this part, though she could no longer understand why, it was just a pleasant feeling, and it always came with a final reward. A fresh diaper, snuggly diapered, serving as the finest pillow for her now clean bottom, only to be defiled and distorted a few hours later when she had yet another moment of weakness. “Hurt… Tummy ouchie… Gotta… Gotta… Go… Make pushies…” The rat emitted a grunt, scrunching her face and balling her fists against her chest as she raised her knees upwards. The accident came, her tail swishing to the side to allow for more leverage as several loud sounds of flatulence became muffled in the seat of her princess pampers. Her bottom distorted slightly, bulging outwards and then sagging downwards as she pooped. So came the torrent, a flood gushing into the front of her patiently waiting diaper front as she fully relieved herself. Annie lowered her legs, her weight back down on her now messy diaper as she heaved a sigh of relief. The warmth from her fresh accident comforted her, and she wriggled her thighs and hips inside of her used padding, relishing the sensation of having completely soiled herself. Words became lost, as her thoughts could no longer articulate her feelings. Only sensations remained, the last threads of her adult mind vanishing into the abyss never to be retrieved again. Good feeling… Squishy feeling… Warm feeling… I did good to poop my pants… Good girl. “Goo’... Guwl… Goo’... Guwl… Goo’... Guwl…” Only two words remained, the only two words that she needed, for they accomplished everything that she wanted. Annie only wanted to feel good, to supplicate her body and diaper with the affirmation that she was only a baby rat that used her diapers. It was sufficient, no greater desires or wishes came to her mind other than being changed into clean diapers to turn them into messy ones. It was her sole point of interest. Now, she guided her paw to the front of her diaper, groping and poking at the thick, sodden material as yet another jet of pee escaped her, filling it further. She felt the urine drip down her front, seeping down into the flattened cake of her messy accident and mingling with it. Like so much mud against her backside, she wriggled around further, soft gurgles escaping her mouth as the sensation of being in a thoroughly used diaper spiked her dopamine levels to obscene levels. She would never be free from this high, her body would now be fully dependent on using her diapers several times a day to remain functional. It was her only source of happiness, and what a bountiful source of euphoria and glee it was. She would lay in her crib, piddle and push in her diapers, and reminder herself that she was a very “Goo’ guwl” for all eternity. This was her lot in life now, and it had now become irreversible. “Oh dear, it smells like someone just left me a little present in their diaper.” Came the voice belonging to the large, plush lop-eared rabbit. This was the only face Annie knew, and the only one she saw. Enchanted with a spell and given life with magic, this stuffed animal remained inanimate in another room, rising only to feed, wash, change, and clothe Annie when she needed it. It was all the rat needed, spending her days laying in a crib with nothing but the sheer blankness of her mind to keep her happy. She hardly understood the words that came from the rabbit now, but she appreciated the soft tones that she used. The rabbit spared no amount of effort ensuring that Annie remained calm and well-behaved, keeping her well fed and hydrated to maintain the rat’s only purpose for existing in her nursery. To use her diapers, to love her diapers, and to be completely dependent on her soft, pink diapers. “Now then, let me wipe that poopy little butt of yours and let’s put you into a fresh, new diaper. Doesn’t that sound nice, sweetheart?” The rabbit cooed, lowering the bars of the crib before reaching forward to gently cup the bottom of Annie’s diaper. She continued, her voice slightly bemused as she shouldered her diaper bag and deposited it down on the mattress next to Annie. “Oh my, it feels like you really did a number on this one, baby girl. Now then, let’s see what surprises you left me this time around.” The nursery was then filled only with the sound of tapes being slowly ripped off, and the crinkling of plastic as her diaper was unfolded. The rabbit took her time cleaning Annie up, letting the rat enjoy her touch and the pleasant sensation of having her fur wiped. There was no rush, after all, for the rat’s fate was filled with only the inevitability of a diaper change. No cause for hurry, for Annie was never to leave the confines of her crib, standing in the dungeon’s nursery, for the rest of her blissful days. When the Hypno Kicks In [Comm].pdf

Chapter Twenty-Six Syllabus Week The ghost paws had made this decision to place Hunter in his regular, babyfur-themed diapers for the rest of the week. The fox had little trouble hiding them due to the weather, as wearing several layers including flannel pants had made it relatively easy for him to hide his choice of crinkly underwear. Having no publicly embarrassing moments visiting the convenience, school supply, and bookstore leading up to the first day of class, he had mentally prepared himself for a surprise when he woke up wet a few hours before his organic chemistry class. The paws had lovingly unfolded a fluffed one of the hieroglyphic diapers that morning, specifically the one that had the three cygnets on the front. He had been nervous, unknown magic would be a part of his day that he would likely have to deal with. That was why when three ghostly Egyptians were looking up at him next to his changing table, he knew that his unexpected interruption to his life had arrived. The fox had stared back at them, unsure of how to react at the sudden appearance of the ethereal creatures. One of them strode over to the backpack he had prepared that morning, looping its long bill through one of the straps to pick it up before waddling over to him expectantly. The fox sighed, taking it from the bird and looping it around his shoulders before putting on a bare pair of insulative pants. From the look of it, he would have three companions accompanying him throughout the rest of the day. The ibises appeared to have minds of their own, pecking at random bits of trash as he had walked down the street from his apartment, invisible to all except him. It was only when he walked into his organic chemistry class was he surprised to not only find Jack waving at him cheerfully from the bench, but to see the weasel tilt his head questioningly at the birds that were waddling after him as he took a seat next to his friend. “Dude, what are those things?” Hunter shook his head, taking out his grotesquely thick textbook and letting it thump down on the table in front of him. “What do you think, they’re my back-up dancers.” The fox had quipped, no hint of humor in his voice as he turned to face the front of the classroom, trying to ignore as one of the ibises fluttered up to the book and began to peck at the cover of his textbook. He raised a paw to shoo it away, to which it squawked indignantly before flying off the desk once more. Jack had given him a weak smile, eyeing them with suspicion as he looked around to gauge whether anyone else was reacting. It appeared that the apparitions were visible only to him and Hunter, as the fox did his best to ignore their curious venturings to various corners of the classroom. “Are they like here to stay, or…” Jack trailed off, and Hunter told him what he figured was the most accurate answer he could come up with. “They came with my… Uhh… ‘morning change.’” Flexing his fingers to create air quotes, he opened the front of his textbook and began perusing the notes on the first chapter. After reading a few equations, feeling relieved to find some familiarity with the topic of hydrocarbon rings it was discussing, he turned his head without taking his eyes off the page as he asked his friend. “So, what are you doing in Orgo?” He raised an eyebrow at the weasel, just as one of the ibises hopped up on the desk once more and tilted its head inquisitively at Jack. Jack eyed it suspiciously, before turning to respond sheepishly to Jack. “Uh… You know, learning.” Hunter looked at him, smirking slightly as he assessed the weasel’s apparent discomfort. As any college student knows, this particular branch of chemistry was renowned for being particularly unforgiving for students with bad study habits. The fact that Jack had had the grades last semester to even make it into this class was an achievement in and of itself. The fennec continued staring at him, until at last the weasel gave in to the scrutinizing stare. Sighing, he opened his textbook disdainfully and began to imitate Hunter’s perusing as he responded “If I manage to pass this class, they’ll double the credit value for it and mark off a D on my chemistry course last semester. I had to practically beg them for this deal, and I think they found it amusing when they finally agreed to it. My counselor looked pretty entertained.” “I’ll say, you know this is a weed out class right?” Jack swallowed, looking up nervously to stare at an ibis at the far end of the room who was busying itself by dumpster diving into a recycling bin. He responded, his voice unsure. “Yeah… I’m going to need to study… And maybe look at your notes again, if that’s alright.” Hunter shook his head in mock disapproval, the corner of his muzzle turning upwards as he gave the weasel and assessing look. Jack caved until his gaze, placing his paws out in a silent plea as he continued. “Come on man, if I don’t pass I’ll lose my scholarship and might even be held back a semester. This is serious.” “You have a scholarship!?” Hunter said, his ears pinning to his head in surprise as he stared at the weasel. His friend’s discomfort did not lesson, as he continued to monitor the ibis that was currently engaging him in a staring match. “Yes, I do. Anyway, so what are these guys all about anyway?” Hunter shrugged, reaching forward to touch one on the bill experimentally. The bird looked back at him in what could only be described as an offended expression, hopping away from him and shuffling its feather agitatedly. “I don’t know, maybe it’s kind of like a fluke spell or something. Or maybe it's just outdated, like it might have been relevant way back when or whatever. They don’t really seem to do much other than be kind of annoying. They came from the hieroglyph on my… Yeah…” Jack nodded, reaching into his bag and taking out a granola bar. Unwrapping it, he broke off a piece before crumbling it in his paw. He glanced around briefly to see whether anybody else was looking at him before dropping a few crumbs onto the ground. One of the ibises caught wind of this offering, waddling forward and leaning down to tilt its head and inspect the goods. Clicking its beak once, it turned away disdainfully before inserting its long, curved beak into Jack’s bookbag. “They’re ghosts dude.” Jack looked a little annoyed, responding back sarcastically. “Wow, real scientist over here.” A second later, the front door to the classroom opened to reveal a tigress walking through. A thin pair of half-moon spectacles rested on the bridge of her nose, her auburn fur quite the sight as the classroom quieted down as she entered. Placing her briefcase on the table at the front of the class, she picked up a piece of chalk and began to write. After writing her name and the university from which she got her PhD: “Yurvik University” she turned to address the class. “Hello everyone, I’m Dr. Zadira. Three times a week, we shall be meeting in this room and discussing worksheets, lab assignments, and exam prep. There will be six exams, each of which comprising 15% of your final grade. They will be cumulative. The remaining 10% of your grade will be homework and lab results.” Jack kneaded his paws in his lap, surprising a groan as he heard the stringency of the grading rubric for this class. With 90% of the grade being test-based, performing on each consecutive exam would be paramount for a good final grade. Hunter thought of it as relatively generous, given the fact that each exam’s content would stack on top of each other. In the front of the room, one of the invisible ibises hopped up and looked curiously at the professor’s briefcase. Hunter and Jack held their breath, watching as the bird opened its beak and began to tamper with the front buckle holding it closed. The tigress appeared not to take notice, as she turned her back to the class and began sketching out with the chalk once more drawing out several carbon chains. The two friends watched with bated breath, seeing that the ibis’s determination to open the briefcase did not lessen. With a click, it opened, flopping open and spilling its contents across the floor with the sound of fluttering paper. As if in slow motion, the tigress turned, staring confusedly at the pile of strewn notebooks and manilla folders. The class was quiet, watching to see how she would react. She smirked, stepping forward to pick up the office supply detritus, packing it back into the suitcase before returning to what she was drawing. The ibis chittered irritatedly, waddling and weaving between the tigress’s footpaws as it left to retreat into the back of the classroom to join the others. Hunter exchanged a look with Jack, the two wondering the same thing. If these paranormal activities persisted throughout the entire hour, how would a class filled with scientifically minded individuals explain it? Thankfully, however, the ibises appeared to have become tired from their mischief. Hunter a few minutes later they had huddled together next to his bag, preening the feathers on each other’s backs. 𓁥 𓁢 𓐭 “Oh would you just look at these cuties!” Malissa exclaimed, reaching down to pet one of the ibis’s on the head. It hopped away from her, looking at her outreached paw distrustfully as it shuffled its wings. The three were at the cafeteria, laptops and textbooks out as they waited out the afternoon until their next class. Jack was looking over his Orgo notes, demonstrating a significantly more studious attitude than Hunter could ever remember him showing before. The moment the otter had seen the ibises, she had clearly fallen in love with them. The birds seemed to care less for her affections, embarrassing Hunter twice as they pecked inquisitively at the front of his pants, gently squishing the front of his soaked diaper as they did so. “So they really don’t do anything?” Malissa asked, and Hunter shrugged once more as he popped a french fry into his muzzle, chewing before responding. “Other than getting into trouble, no not really. Nobody else can see them except us, and they seem more interested in random trash and bookbags than anyone.” “They did totally spill everything out of Dr. Zadira’s bag though.” Jack added, grinning as he took a bite out of his PB&J. Malissa looked thoughtfully over him, before zeroing in on the sandwich he was eating and looking at it disapprovingly. “Someone really needs to teach you how to cook.” She remarked, taking out a tuna fish salad sandwich she had packed for the day and opening the plastic bag it was contained in. Jack shrugged, placing a peanut butter covered thumb into his muzzle and smacking on it obnoxiously. Chewing, he opened his muzzle and rattled out excitedly. “I think I might have some information on the relic thingy though.” Malissa and Hunter turned their attention to him, just as one of the ibises knocked over a stack of plastic cups over at the utensils bar in the cafeteria, plastic forks and spoons following shortly afterward. “What?” Malissa prompted, looking intently at the weasel while holding her sandwich halfway through her muzzle. The weasel grinned devilishly, pleased at having captured both of their attention so easily. With great deliverance, he spoke in as serious a tone as he could muster. “It’s from Egypt.” The two stared at him in shocked silence for a moment, before Malissa picked up a grape from her tupperware and flicked it at the weasel’s head. It hit him squarely in the forehead, after which he clapped both paws on his head and exclaimed exaggeratedly. “Ow! That hurt!” “Good.” Malissa remarked, turning away in disgust as she addressed Hunter who was still staring, unamused, at the weasel. “Any actual breakthroughs on the other hieroglyphs?” Hunter shook his head, setting down the french fry he was holding on his plate as he spoke. “No, this is the first time I was put in the ibis summoning one. I still don’t know what the other two do, or even if there are going to be anymore. I wish I could pick them out, if I only got to wear the panther ones I think I’d be set until we get more info on the curse.” Malissa nodded empathetically, her attention drawing back towards one of the ibises that was currently tailing a rabbit, hunched forward and ruffling its wings behind it as it stalked the oblivious student. “Well, they’re cute even if they are harmless. I’m going to hazard a guess to say that they’re supposed to be like, little bodyguards of some sort?” Hunter shrugged, willing to accept the explanation as he returned to his snacking. “Yeah, possibly. They’re kind of distracting to be honest.” Malissa turned her attention to Jack, a gleam in her eye as her whiskers quivered as she posed. “So… Orgo?” “You too? You guys are awful.” Malissa raised her paws up in mock innocence, responding in a high-pitched defensive tone. “I’m just asking!” Jack sighed, closing his notebook and taking another PB&J out of his backpack. This was his forth, causing Hunter to grimace incredulously as he watched the weasel unwrap it and take a bite. Talking with his mouth full, Jack responded sincerely as he chewed. “Look, this is a ‘last chance’ kind of deal. I’m gonna be cutting back on the weed too.” “Wow!” Malissa exclaimed, appearing genuinely taken aback as she looked at him. There was a note of respect on her muzzle, and Hunter decided that it would probably be best not to bully his friend too much. He offered. “I’ll give you my notes, but you should probably come over and study with me a few times a week. Wanna swing by my place on nights after class? If we did a review and tested each other we could be in pretty good shape.” “Totally!” Jack exclaimed, grinning and appearing genuinely pleased. Malissa nodded approvingly, closing her laptop as she made to head off for her next class. “Don’t have too much without me boys, we’re still on for Saturday bar crawls right?” “Totally.” Hunter echoed, giving her a wave as she walked off to her next class, her rudder tail waving casually behind her.

Chapter Twenty-Five Snack Run Winter that year had come with an unexpected advantage. Despite the fennec’s natural fur coat, the arid sands from which his species originated had not accounted for the inevitable global expansion into much chillier climates. Now, garbed in sweatpants and a goose-feather coat, Hunter now at least did not have to worry too much about being discreet with his padding. The fennec was standing in line at the local convenience store, his reusable shopping bag having been filled with an assortment of snacks he was sure his mother would have had a few words about. He’d work his way through them before the university cafeteria opened up, having decided that he might as well treat himself a little before the next semester started. Malissa was still on a cruise with her family, and Jack would be back in town in the next two days. Hunter eyed the shelves of arrayed salty and savory snacks, knowing full well that the moment Jack came over to his place the snacks would begin to disappear at an accelerated rate. Grabbing a few more bags and stuffing them into his bag, he took a step forward now waiting second in line. His mind must have been particularly distracted by the thoughts of his weasel friend eating him out of the house, his gut lurching as he felt something snag the waistband of his pants. The fennec’s eyes bulged, his jaw dropping open in shock as he felt the elastic band of his sweats snap, spilling his pants onto the floor of the drug store into a depressed heap around his ankles. The panther hieroglyph now on full display on the front of his diaper, his cheeks reddened as it took him a second to realize the sound of tearing fabric had been quite loud. He looked up sheepishly, figuring that he must have caught the attention of the shoppers around him. Instead they stood, as they were, politely ignoring him as they waited for their turn in the queue. Hunter stared at one of them, a rather scrawny looking antelope teen who was holding a large Icee. Eventually, the antelope returned the look, raising an eyebrow but maintaining eye contact with the fennec. Realizing that he might have appeared rude, Hunter quickly turned around and faced forward once more. The bison in front of him had checked out, and Hunter took a crinkly stride forward to address the chipmunk behind the cash register. “Cash or card?” The chipmunk squeaked, not taking any notice of the fact that Hunter’s padded, and now slightly soaked, was in full view. Hunter glanced behind him for a moment, looking at his ruined sweatpants in utter confusion before he turned back to the clerk. “Uh, debt.” He mumbled, dumping out the contents of his bag and allowing the chipmunk to routinely scan them, the rodent’s buck teeth flashing momentarily as he stifled a yawn. How is nobody reacting? It’s like I’m invisi- Hunter looked down and stared pointedly at the panther covering his crotch. Of course, there was something different about the hieroglyph covered diapers, but this development was most unexpected. If there was one point of consistency when it came to the magical power of the brooch, it was that it seemed determined to shout to the entire world around him that he was a little kit. Now, for whatever reason, it appeared that the trinket’s influence had instead decided to spare him the inevitable humiliation he had come to expect. Experimentally, Hunter swung his tail from side to side, eliciting a round of obnoxious, plastic crinkling from the seat of his diaper as he did so. He glanced behind him, having just given the customers behind him a full show of the state of his padding. Nothing, no reaction. “That’ll be thirty-eight seventy-six please.” The chipmunk chittered, after which Hunter hastily paid and stuffed his collection of snacks back into his grocery bag. The bell of the front door jingled behind him as he stepped back onto the street, a couple blocks from his apartment. As the wind blew between his spindly legs, which were now feeling particularly chilly save for a small part of his inner thighs insulated by his padding, he trudged forward towards his flat. None of the passersby paid him any mind, a fact for which he was feeling surprisingly grateful. He was still cold, however, and was frantically rubbing his thighs as he walked up the stairwell and back into the welcome warmth of his apartment. 𓅹 𓅢 𓅸 Hunter stood in front of the enchanted changing table, internally reminding himself not to hop up on its surface so as to not activate the helping hands that would no doubt be all too keen to change him. Stooping, he sorted through the hieroglyphic diapers and picked one from each type of symbol. There were several cougars, ones he hoped would be regularly magically restocked given their incredible potential to maintain his peace of mind. There appeared to be three other types of hieroglyphic diapers. One which looked like three water fowl sitting in a boat, another which appeared to be a baby bird, and the last appeared to be a crook and flail which he recognized from his previous research. 𓃮 𓅹 𓅷 The word ‘cygnet’ bubbled up to the front of Hunter’s mind as he looked over the baby bird symbol, wondering whether his guess as to what kind of spell this particular rune would cast was accurate. Hunter eyed the other three diapers suspiciously, unsure of whether they would end up with favorable outcomes as the panther had done. Unless he abstained from the hieroglyphic diapers entirely, which might not necessarily be possible given the haunted nature of the changing table, he would likely find out their various enchantments soon enough. Taking his phone out, he took a picture of each of the diapers and opened up Malissa’s texts messages. Feeling a little sheepish sending his friend pictures of his diapers, he saw that she had replied to the original message regarding the panther. Panther, yup. Meaning sneaky, stealthy, quiet, unseen. Before sending the images, Hunter replied promptly. I believe it, given the fact that the chip stand at the drug store decided to pants me and nobody noticed the giant Egyptian themed pillow on my butt. Sending the photos off with a question prompting further translation, Hunter put his phone away and removed the diapers from the surface of the changing table. Behind him, he felt something grope the back of his soaked padding. Hunter squeaked, whirling around to see that one of the clawed ghost paws appeared spontaneously behind him. It vanished a second later, having apparently come to the conclusion that the fennec diaper could still withstand an accident or two. Sighing in relief that he was not about to be accosted by several pairs of ghostly paws, he returned his attention to the shelves of diapers beneath the surface of the changing table and took out his favorite brand. The various pampered pups, kittens, and cubs grinned up cheekily at him, playing with their various infantile toys as they crawled over the surface of the plastic covering. Despite the knowledge of the curse’s influence, Hunter harbored a particular fondness for this brand of padding. Hoping that this would influence the will of the ghost hands when bedtime came around, Hunter deposited the pamper meaningfully on the center of the changing table’s surface. As he headed into the living room, his phone buzzed. Opening it, he read through Malissa’s response. The first two will require some research as to their meaning, other than the obvious I guess. However, the last one is a pretty famous symbol: the Crook and Flail. Basically, they’re weapons when crossed that represent royal authority and power. Hunter waited as Malissa typed out another response, instinctively reaching down to squeeze the front of his diaper to check just how wet it was. He hoped he could hold off on a change until just before bed. As in you managed to cover it up? The fennec took a moment to type out a response. No, like everyone could have seen it in plain sight but nobody appeared like they noticed. So either the brooch duped me or it duped everyone around me. Three small dots appeared on Hunter’s messenger app as Malissa wasted no time in typing up another response. Snap a picture of it and send it to me. Hunter grimaced, looking down at the front of his diaper where the hieroglyph had faded slightly from the amount that he had already peed into it. Sending a picture of his padded front to one of his close friends, despite one that was in the loop on what was happening to him, made him feel more than a little self-conscious. Hunter bit his lip, trying not to think too much about just how excited the prospect made him feel in addition to his initial shyness. Deciding that taking the initiative and simply sending her a picture would probably be the best way not to make a big deal out of the request, he did so. He waited a minute, barely breathing as he wondered whether or not the trinket’s magic would translate through a picture on his phone. A second later, Malissa’s response came. Uhh, you need to take your pants off first for me to see it. Hunter reread the message several times in disbelief. The influence of the hieroglyphic diapers clearly covered all of their bases, which made the poor fennec all the more apprehensive to try out the other ones without knowing what they would do. He responded quickly. Still not wearing any, whatever you’re looking at isn’t the picture I took if you see any pants on me. The otter responded. Okay, yikes. I guess good luck with the other ones? Hunter typed. Yeah… Lastly, Malissa responded. I’ll look up the other ones tonight and let you know if there’s anything sus about them. Leaning back down on his couch, his stomach grumbling, he moved himself over on the cushion until he faced the kitchen where he could just see his plastic grocery bags sitting on the counter. In classic college fashion, he would probably not have a meal more substantial than box Mac N’ Cheese until the campus cafeteria opened. He turned his head over to the wooden box on the mantelpiece, idly musing to himself. If only this thing could conjure up three-course meals for me and maybe do my house-cleaning for me… He griped silently to himself, eventually gathering the motivation to push himself off of his couch and rifle through the grocery bags. He was feeling lazy, and with about five days left of his winter break before the semester started he was not exactly in a hurry to maintain a productive mindset until he had to. Having checked his inbox on his phone finding no syllabi sent earlier, he flopped back down on the couch with a large bag of cheese curls. He began browsing through the channels on his TV, consciously avoiding the children’s channels as he tried to bring his mind off of the daunting prospects of the upcoming semester. Hunter had confidence that he would be able to pull off a similarly well put-together GPA this semester, same as last given the fact that he now knew what he was going up against. Paying little attention to what was happening on the screen, the full weight of what he was going to have to deal with hit him. Hunter took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly as he tried to calm himself down. This is going to be a lot for me to handle… He mused to himself, reaching for a stuffed red panda plushie that had been reclining on the opposite end of the couch. Hugging it, the fennec suddenly felt very small. This was not the kind of small the brooch was intending either. College grades, a social life, and contending with the fact that reality altering ‘magic’ was real. The latter was something he had not even fully digested for fear of becoming overwhelmed with panic and existentialist dread. Where do my physics and chemistry courses even fit into all this? He stopped himself, knowing the cliff he was looking over. He sighed again, wondering whether or not he should have picked up something stronger from the drugstore to treat himself with. Having been idly clicking through the channels, Hunter saw that Blue’s Clues was playing on one of the channels. Deciding that it would be best not to dwell on the possibility that this was somehow the trinket’s doing, he selected the episode. “Bah bow!” Blue cheerfully exclaimed from the television speakers, and Hunter nestled himself down further onto his couch. He would let his mind drift for now. Tomorrow’s problems would be tomorrow’s, after all.

Me and you both!

Fixed, adjusted, and rephrased! I performed a full read through and there were many 'softs' scattered here and there, so I snuffed out most of them.~ Genuine thanks for the feedback! I'm very happy to hear that you're invested in this narrative of mine. Save Hunter further embarrassment? It's almost as if you haven't been reading the story, hehe. 😋

Chapter Twenty-Four Winter Break Hunter allowed himself a large sigh as he set his suitcase down in the front hall of his apartment, pulling his backpack straps off of his shoulders and allowing that to softly fall next to it. The two weeks he had spent at home during winter break had been somewhat uneventful when it came to the antics caused by the trinket, a fact he attributed to the only reasonable notion which was that with the increased distance its magical effects were somewhat diluted. He had still wore diapers to bed, a fact that he had several close calls with when it came to concealing the matter from his parents. Only a couple times had he woken up wet, which had been the better alternative to having to wash his bedsheets several times throughout his stay in secret. The topic of the mysterious brooch had been on his mind throughout the stay at home, and he had asked several questions about Auntie Tare to his mother. He had tried to be sparing with his inquisitiveness, as he could tell that the grief from having lost the relative was still something that his Mom was grappling with. Still, she seemed too happy to discuss his late aunt, mentioning how she was always rather distanced from her family life once she had started upon her career, spending most of her time in far off countries, the most prominent of course being Egypt. Despite Hunter’s high hopes, the most he was able to glean was just how close his mother and Auntie Tare were. If there was anyone that his Aunt would want to reach out to if she was even still alive, it would have been his Mom. Radio silence remained on his DaringTare.com account, even after Hunter had sent another message to the badger asking whether there had been any progress to figuring out what had happened to his aunt. The lack of information from his side of the search had been frustrating, and only after having joined a group call with Malissa and Jack had he stumbled upon anything relatively interesting. Both Hunter and Malissa had scolded Jack for going out on his own to find information about the brooch, being both a risk to himself and to Hunter who was the owner of what was apparently quite a pretty piece of Egyptian treasure. Jack had assured them that nothing would come of it, eagerly sharing the fact that he had learned about Pharoah’s blood being required to utilize any of the magic possessed within the items. This had puzzled Hunter, as his species technically hailed from the deserts of the Western hemisphere, far away from any of the native species that might have the ability to channel this “blood of the pharaoh” business. Malissa had stated that since Aunt Tare was a cheetah and had been adopted, it could be possible that she might have been descendent from a line of Egyptian royalty. Hunter accepted this as feasible, but it still did not explain why a genetically unrelated individual such as himself had the ability to activate the charm’s mystical influence. Jack posited that maybe the way the Egyptian magic worked was through familial bonds more so than actual blood, and neither Hunter nor Malissa had argued with this statement. They had little else to go off of, after all. Hunter had thought about this fact while he was eating dinner on Christmas Eve, unsure of what to make of the idea that he and his surrounding family were technically of the ruling Egyptian class. While they lived comfortably, they were not particularly wealthy or prestigious. The fact that he was somehow special enough to activate ancient powers of an Egyptian relic seemed somewhat absurd to him, but so was that fact that he had been given a diaper change by his Calculus professor only a few weeks prior in front of his entire class. Now, back in his apartment, the fennec looked suspiciously towards the wooden crate stationed on top of the mantle piece in his living room, a sense of foreboding entering his lower gut as he thought about what trouble it would undoubtedly cause him this semester. He shook his head, deciding to keep himself focused on the mundane task of moving back into his apartment as he picked up his travel bags and moved them into his bedroom. He would unpack, check the syllabi waiting in his inbox to be perused, and organize whatever new stuffed animals had spontaneously materialized in his bedroom. Opening the door to his room, his mouth dropped open at the sight that was in front of him. The talisman had kept itself busy while he was aware, as where his bed, desk, and chair had previously been they were now replaced by a completely different set of furniture. The walls of his bedroom had been painted, featuring a desert landscape filled with many creatures that befitted the Egyptian, dusty wastes. Over by where his bed had been, which was now replaced by a robust, ornately decorated crib large enough to hold him comfortably, the wallpaper’s desert bloomed into the lush environment surrounding the river nile. Toothy crocodiles, chubby hippos, and delicately legged gazelles gathered by the Nile’s waters, a deep blue sky looking over the entire scene with a peaceful serenity. The crib, made of a dark oak wood carved into intricate patterned swirls, appeared rather intimidating, as Hunter noticed that its bars reached all the way to the ceiling. At its foot, a large toy chest stood open, with the fennec’s growing collection of stuffed animals spilling out of it and onto the surrounding floor. The floor too had received an upgrade, now fitted with a lush, soft carpet that the fox’s footpaws sank gently into. His desk, which had previously been a rather sparse wooden table on which he would rest his laptop and textbooks, had been replaced by a changing table. Egyptian hieroglyphs dotted the wooden legs, with several open shelves hosting a collection of necessary changing materials. At least that’ll save my wallet a bit of use… Hunter thought grimly to himself, turning to note whether there had been any other additions to his bedroom. A rocking chair stood next to the crib, currently hosting a large, stuffed lion who appeared to be wearing a cloth diaper around its waist. Its arms were open invitingly, as if it were beckoning Hunter to take a seat in its soft lap for a cozy hug. The rest of the space was occupied by a playpen, a harness and leash lay simply in its center, attached to a stalwart spoke in the center of the mesh-walled play area. Hunter eyed it suspiciously, wondering at the purpose of such a set of straps and why it was placed forebodingly in the center of the playpen. The fennec half expected the nursery to somehow come to life, pulling him into the infantile lifestyle that it imposed on him to embrace. The fennec felt a twinge in his nethers, and realized that the tantalizing offer in front of him was indeed one that he wanted to accept the invitation to. He shook his head, refocusing on the task at hand as he lugged his suitcase over to his closet, opening its door. What he saw hardly came at a surprise, as he noted that his wardrobe had been replaced by a large collection of baby clothes. Onesies, sleepers, overalls, and several choice kigus hung neatly on their coat hangers, organized by color and size. Most notable, he saw that one of the sleepers appeared to feature a lion’s mane, equipped with a tufted tail that would loop over and cover his own. He grimaced, feeling his cheeks burn as he imagined how he would look wearing his thick, crinkly underwear outlined by the snuggly fitting waistline of the sleeper. The nursery remained inert for the time being, but Hunter could feel the artifact’s magic at work. While he was gone, it had painstakingly tailored his bedroom to become reminiscent of a nursery belonging to a prince of Egypt. Hunter saw that there was little to no room to house the few clothes he had brought back home with him, and decided that it would be best to keep them in the closet space by the front door. After lugging them inside, trying not to think too hard on what he would do with his now limited wardrobe for showing up to class, he padded back to his nursery for further inspection. The diapers stacked neatly in the shelves of the changing table appeared all to be in his size, as he presumed they would be, and featured not only his favorite padded cartoon characters but several choice Egyptian themed styles. Hunter picked one up that featured several ash-colored kittens, romping about with one another while others napped comfortably on ornate pillows. On the tape landing zone, he noted a particular hieroglyph in golden ink directly in the center. 𓃮 At first glance, it appeared to be a large cat, though whether it was a lioness or some other sizable feline he was as yet unsure. He figured that it must be a panther, although his limited knowledge of indigenous feral species of Egypt caused him to doubt himself for a moment. He took out his phone, and ignoring the hot sensation that bloomed in his cheeks, snapped a picture of the diaper and sent it over to Malissa for analysis. He noted that several other diapers appeared to have similar animalistic designs, featuring a notable animal hieroglyph in their center. Hunter knew that there had to be some kind of purpose to these symbols, and given the fact that the brooch was anything except prolific with its designs he had a needling suspicion that there was purpose behind the hieroglyph. At that moment, Hunter felt something damp between his legs. He glanced down, and cursed under his breath as he realized that he had just wet himself without noticing. Panicked, he hobbled over to the bathroom to strip himself of his wet travel clothes before he started to leak onto the carpet. He sighed once more, this time from frustration than the exhaustion of traveling. Of course this was the welcoming gift he received when coming home for the second semester of that school year. He grimaced, peeling his sodden underwear off of himself before depositing it down into a neat, soggy pile on his bathroom tiles. Resigning himself to the fact that he was now under the full influence of the cursed brooch once more, he exited his bathroom fully in the nude and over to the changing table. He hesitated for a moment, then mentally shrugged and hopped up onto the plastic surface. Hunter was about to reach down between his legs for a choice piece of padding when a sudden wave of lethargy washed over him. He swayed for a moment, his eyelids growing heavy before he toppled backwards, landing gently on his back with his arms above his head. His limbs felt heavy, as if after a long day of working out, a comfortable numbness settled over his body while his eye remained half open, staring at the constellation filled night painted on the ceiling above him. From thin air, wispy paws materialized in a uniform formation around the changing table, fingers hanging limply from their detached wrists. They glowed a soft, pale blue, semi-transparent as fingers stretched and flexed as though waking from a long period of rest. The ends of their fingers ended in claws, reminiscent of the paws of a jackal. On several of their fingers, jeweled rings adorned their paws which gleamed in a sourceless light, glowing distinctly as if filled with a magical aura of their own concealed inside of their shiny surfaces. Six of these paws closed in on Hunter, two of them neatly tucking the fennec’s forepaws above his head, one tickling him gently underneath the chin with the tip of a claw, whilst another slowly rubbed his belly. The final two busied themselves with picking out a choice diaper, Hunter’s favorite decorated with several padded babyfurs, unfolding it and working together to properly fluff it out. Hunter’s mind was bathed in a lush, fluffy cloud. The delicate attention that was being paid to his body relaxed him even further, a hushed, uncharacteristically childish giggle escaping his muzzle as his hind legs kicked gently in response to the tickling. One of the paws that had been working on fluffing out the diaper parted from the other, gently gathering up the fox’s ankles and lifting his soft bottom up into the air. Expertly, the other claw placed the unfolded diaper in front of the fennec’s lifted tush, placing itself palm down on the absorbent interior and sliding it underneath him. Slowly, Hunter’s ankles were lowered down and his bottom landed gently onto the waiting diaper. Floating through the air, the two paws responsible for padding him up moved together in synchrony as they neatly grasped the front of the diaper with the tips of their fingers. Ceremoniously, they lifted it up and over Hunter’s diaper area, patting it down firmly. As one hand remained fixedly down on the landing zone, the other began to deftly maneuver around and place the tapes onto their landing zone. With calculated symmetry, the paw aligned the tapes and pressed down upon them, rubbing gently so as to activate their adhesive. All the while, Hunter gurgled helplessly, one of his paws now batting gently at one of the ghost paws, who was entertaining the oversized kit by deftly bobbing and weaving. It dodged the fennec’s bapping paws, wiggling its fingers teasingly at him every time it evaded him, causing Hunter to giggle giddily in response. Unaware of the diapering sequence complete, the two paws that had padded him up shook one another as if to congratulate themselves on a job well done, before one of them floated forward and patted Hunter affectionately on the patted bottom. Two of the paws gently scooped Hunter underneath his armpits, pulling him up until he was in a sitting position. Then, with surprising strength and dexterity, they lifted him up and deposited him softly on his footpaws. While one of them continued to affectionately pat him on the bottom, eliciting muffled crinkles from the plastic now snuggly covering his behind and looping around his tail, another booped him lazily on the nose. Hunter closed his eyes, giggling once more in response to the teasing. He opened his eyes, his sense of self returning once more only to find that the mysterious paws had vanished once more. He blinked, processing what had just happened before looking down at the diaper hugging his waist. “Oh…” He said out loud, to no one in particular. The symbols decorating the changing table now made more sense to the fennec as he looked behind him once more, realizing that not only did it come with its own store of diapers but they were also equipped with a magically infused changing system. Hunter thought about just how much he had enjoyed the process, lulled into a simple mindset as he was, and spoiled rotten with affection and attention throughout the entire changing process. He had enjoyed it immensely, as despite his resolute intention on stopping the curse somehow, he now almost wished to repeat the entire process once more. He glanced down at his padding once more, noting that the tape job and conformation to his body had been executed in a manner superior to his own diapering process. The ghost paws knew what they were doing, clearly, and the underwear around his waist now felt almost like a natural part of his wardrobe. Hunter eyed the crib to his right, noting that it also had its fair share of hieroglyphic symbols engraved into its wood. If the changing table had such enchantments, his new bed would no doubt follow suit with similar arcane magic. With only a few hours until bedtime, Hunter knew that he would likely be discovering its magical influence all too soon. He glanced down at his padding once more, noting that the tape job and conformation to his body had been executed in a manner superior to his own diapering process. The ghost paws knew what they were doing, clearly, and the underwear around his waist now felt almost like a natural part of his wardrobe. Hunter eyed the crib to his right, noting that it also had its fair share of hieroglyphic symbols engraved into its wood. If the changing table had such enchantments, his new bed would no doubt follow suit with similar arcane magic. With only a few hours until bedtime, Hunter knew that he would likely be discovering its magical influence all too soon.

I was working on my Linktree account today for which I created a dozen 50x50 pixel art icons, and decided to make it available for public use if anyone might have any interest in utilizing them. They're very simple. DD_Logo_50x50.aseprite

Wolf + husky = wusky! I'm fond of the idea of a little guy who's descended from a barely domesticated species and an undomesticated species, making for a little rascal of a toddler. Several, thick layers of fur, a propensity for cold weather, and a little deer mark on the nose to tell those around him that he's really a gentle little guy make up all the important details. In terms of fur color, I chose simple grey and brown gradients; comfortable to look at but not too eye-catching. Attached artwork by Wen.

Chapter Twenty-Three Jack’s Gamble Jack had always been under the impression that he was a very, very clever weasel. Sure, he had never properly applied himself in school, nor had he shown any particular interest in a craft or anything that would be useful in a career. There was only one exception, and that was his ability to ingratiate himself to just about any fur he set his mind on. Weasels were often stereotyped for being crafty, tricky, and the type of fur that you would have a hard time trusting. Jack knew this, and despite the borderline racial stereotyping his kind of species received at first glance, he had made the decision from a young age to use it to his advantage. He was eager, honest, and openly naive about his interests and activities. He played a lot of video games, liked to slack off and get stoned with his friends, and generally did little to cultivate himself as a productive member of society beyond engaging in as many social events as he could. He knew a lot of people, and a lot of people knew him. Jack was the comedian, the butt of the joke, the guy who would never back down from a perilous dare no matter how stupid an idea it was that he was presented with. The weasel liked how he led his life, even if he occasionally had to get a lecture from Malissa about just emphatically impressed she was at how apparently empty the space between his ears was. In order to fund his lazy weekend smoking weed and playing games with his fellow coasting friends, Jack had the responsibility of procuring the stuff given his disposition to get into places he very much should not be venturing into. He knew of a bar a few blocks south of the university, the place he usually went to meet with his drug dealer. While the weasel had never gone inside, as every week there seemed to be a burly ox or grizzly bear shouting drunkenly being escorted by policemen after having torn up the place, he knew that the shadier characters in the city were particularly fond of this haunt. The weasel glanced up at the neon sign stating, “Swine’s Cradle”. That is so on the nose… He thought grimly to himself, edging his way past the security guard standing stalwartly outfront. Jack evaded the bull terrier’s suspicious glare, slipping inside and making his way directly towards the bar front. His sights were fixed on a jackal, who was currently examining the cloudy contents of an empty glass that was frustrating her efforts to polish. It was early in the morning, so the dregs of last night’s alcoholic responsibilities were currently slouched, scattering amongst several seats and stools throughout the eerily quiet pub. This was exactly how Jack wanted it, as this would likely attract the least amount of attention for what he was going to investigate. “Hey, Shiva.” The jackal looked up from the glass, giving the weasel and impatient look before returning her attention back down at the sisyphean task she was keeping herself busy with. “What, rat.” Ignoring the nickname, Jack hopped up on a barstool before thinking twice and moving one seat to the side. The ox that was currently taking a nap face down on the bar surface appeared particularly muscular, which the weasel wanted to give a wide berth. “What do you know about Egyptian talismans?” The jackal stopped what she was doing, her upper lip curling as she placed the glass down with a little more force than was necessary. Lazily, she turned her head towards the inquiring weasel as she flopped the rag down next to the glass. “If you’re looking to buy more weed you don’t have to start with borderline racist small talk, you hear?” The weasel gulped, shaking his head and holding up his paws in an attempt to placate her. “No no! I’m… Uh, not here to buy weed… This time… I figured you might know something about them… I… Uh… Have a project and-” “You want homework help? Are you fucking serious?” Jack could see that he was only making things worse by explaining himself further, so he decided to double down on supplication instead. “Look, I just need a few minutes of your inside and I’m gone, alright? I just figured I’d ask. I'm in dire straits for my grade here.” Jack had had to think quickly on his feet, and he hoped that she would not call his bluff. It was the end of finals week, sure, but it was a Sunday morning. The jackal gave him a once over, glaring at him with two golden irises that in the right light sometimes appeared to be glowing. She snorted, looking down once more before picking her glass up once more. Without looking at him, she spoke. “You need someone with Pharaoh’s blood to be able to do anything about the ones that are left…” Jack, for once, remained completely silent. He was sure that she had just called his bluff, but he hesitated to admit that her assumption that he himself was dealing with an Egyptian artifact was spot on. He waited quietly, his paws placed on top of the paw as he did his best to steady his breathing. The jackal continued, her heavy accent coming through as she continued to dictate. “Easily said than done finding the ones that are left, although my great grandmother allegedly had a piece of one. Even harder to find someone with Pharoah’s blood that's willing to cooperate let alone not take the talisman for themselves…” She sniffed once, ebony nostrils flaring as she held the glass up to the dim light illuminating the bar surface. Jack followed her gaze, seeing to his mild surprise that the glass was now completely transparent. With a satisfied smirk on her muzzle, she set the glass aside before moving in front of Jack and placing her paws on the surface of the bear in a domineering gesture. The weasel looked up at her bleakly, his ears pinned against the top of his head as he gazed back with wide, watery eyes. The jackal spoke softly, the usual gruffness in her voice now gone to be replaced with a tone that was almost soft. “Whatever you’re dealing with, kid, this isn’t something you want to get entangled with. Stick to flunking classes and smoking weed if you know what’s good for you.” She gave him a meaningful look before pushing herself back and waving a paw over the back of her head. “Now get out of my sight.” Jack’s heart was pounding, the information he had received with minimal prompting had sounded very promising, if a little confusing. Hastily he pushed himself off of the stool, almost tripping and falling off of it as he scampered towards the exit of the bar. Behind him, he heard Shiva's voice rising as she raised her voice to rouse the sleeping drunkards. “Wake up, assholes! If I don’t see your tails exiting the bar in the next ten minutes I’m calling Jeff to give you the express ticket home!” 𓁥 𓁢 𓐭 Hunter’s knee was bouncing up and down at a frantic pace. His anxiety was through the roof, for it had not abated since he opened his university email that morning to find an email from his calculus professor waiting for him. The message was briefly, simply telling him the window of time that his office would be open that afternoon for Hunter to come see him. It had been polite, if a little short, and it had seemed to be more an offer than a firm command for Hunter to see him. The fennec had been strapped for ideas on how to deal with the situation that had arisen during his calculus final. Malissa had advised that he let the situation be for now, as she figured that the polar bear was likely trying to figure out the same thing. There had only been one point of correspondence before then from the bear, which had been an email to the entire class stating that only problems that had been given full answers would be graded, and that any questions left partially answered would be given partial credit if the work appeared to be trending towards the right answer. This had come as a source of great delight to the majority of the class, as the easier questions had been situated towards the beginning of the exam. Because of this, Jack had figured he had a chance to pass the class, barely. The door to the polar bear’s office was closed, a small sign hanging on a string reading that the bear was currently out of the office. Hunter figured that his teacher was simply out for lunch, and had decided to wait for a while to get this over with. Hunter could feel a small tremor registering on the bottom of his paws, which he figured was caused by the approaching footsteps of the bear making his way up the stairs. A few seconds later, the door to the staircase opened with a squeak and the visage of the polar bear loomed into view. The professor stopped in his tracks as he caught sight of Hunter, a grimace coming over his muzzle as he smiled awkwardly at the Fennec. “You got a hundred.” He said flatly, motioning towards the door of his office with a heavy paw before continuing to speak. “Now that hard part, come inside.” Hunter nodded, the brief spike of delight at hearing his grade was quickly washed over by the wave of anxiety of what was about to come. He was not sure whether he would be able to fully explain what happened to the bear without sounding crazy. He figured he would let the bear speak first, walking inside and sitting himself down awkwardly in the seat in front of the professor’s desk. The polar bear leaned back in his armchair, placing his paws on his chest and folding his claws together. He chuffed, appearing somewhat lost for words before he let out a grunt of displeasure. “Alright, lets get it over with. The physician I saw yesterday explained to me that what occurred was likely a fugue state. He did not sound too sure of himself, and the fact that items I don’t remember putting in my briefcase appeared there can’t be explained by loss of volition like that. Would you care to share your thoughts on the incident?” Hunter took a deep breath, his voice catching in his throat as a small, muffled groan left his muzzle. He closed his mouth again, looking down at the surface of the polar bear’s desk and blinking twice in quick succession. The fennec figured he would follow in the polar bear’s directness and reciprocate with his own. In a flat tone, he began to lay it out. “My aunt’s inheritance is an Egyptian artifact that has cursed me with eternal youth. It makes the world around me become infantilized, and recently its started to affect other people around me and not just myself.” Hunter looked up to assess the polar bear’s reaction. His professor was frozen, staring at him with two, pale blue eyes that flitted from one of Hunter’s peepers to the other. The expression on the polar bear’s muzzle appeared to be somewhere between incredulous and offended. A few seconds later, the polar bear sighed and drew a large paw over his muzzle. He let out a groan, his voice rumbling in his throat as the sound came through a long exhalation. The fox flitted with his paws, the hair on his tail standing on end in agitation as he waited for the bear to speak. At last, he did. “Hunter I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I believe what you just said more than I believed the judgment of my licensed physician.” The bear hesitated, looking down at his opened paws as if trying to find an answer inscribed on them. He let out a sound of disgust, then barked out a short laugh, before resuming his previous lazy seriousness as he spoke. “I’ve already spoken with the Chair of Public Outreach to discuss a donation I am going to be giving to the local pediatric hospital. Here’s the story…” The bear nodded to him in a practiced manner, a gesture that he most likely had practiced with many students before. It beckoned for Hunter to pay close attention, which the fennec needed no further prompting for. “You and I pulled a charity stunt, but there was a mix-up. We were both under the impression that the fliers for such an event were handed out, and we performed our little ‘stunt’ under the impression that people knew. It doesn’t cover all of our bases, but it’s an easier explanation for people to swallow than whatever the hell actually happened. It’ll help me keep my tenure, paint you in a selfless light, and make it a more understandable event to make light of. Do you understand?” Hunter nodded solemnly. The idea was clever, if not entirely comprehensive. The fennec suspected that the polar bear had been busy pulling several strings to prevent such a thing from spiraling out of control, judging by the lines underneath his professor’s eyes. The fennec swallowed, opening his muzzle as if to say something but then finding he had nothing further to comment. This was simple, and with winter break coming up people would find other things to talk about before the next semester started. For a moment, Hunter wondered if this was the trinket’s work. Did it inspire the polar bear to come up with such an idea? The fennec looked up at the bear once more, scrutinizing him for a moment before deciding against that notion. His professor appeared haggard, as sleepless as Hunter was when he was first dealing with the artifact’s influence. The fennec shifted in his seat, his padding’s muffled crinkling meeting his ears to the fox’s embarrassment. The bear did not appear to notice, as he was massaging his temples with the ends of his claws. He spoke, his voice sounding fatigued. “Okay… That’s it… I want nothing to do with this anymore… You can go…” Without needing any further prompting, Hunter hastily made his way up to his paws and was halfway out the door when the bear called back out to him. “And Hunter…” “Y-yes?” The bear pursed his lips, giving the fox a bemused expression as he continued. “Whatever it is you’re dealing with… Good luck… And don’t involve me in it anymore…” Hunter gave the polar bear a weak smile, nodding once before lingering in the doorway for a moment longer. “Thank you for the semester, sir.” “You did well.” The polar bear waved a paw, and Hunter made short work of leaving his office as he shoulder his backpack onto his bag. It had gone better than he accepted, but the small fox still felt like he wanted to get away from the bear’s office. He was likely one of the last few remaining students on the campus, and he wanted to make his way back to his apartment to start packing. His flight was leaving early the next day, and if there was anything that the fox needed at that moment it was some time away from the box containing the cursed brooch.

Chapter Twenty-Two Tools of the Ruling Pharaoh The exam ended prematurely that morning, as the professor ended up excusing himself after having all of the students deposit their unfinished exams on his desk before he departed with haste to his office. This left Hunter to pick his jeans off of the polar bear’s desk and awkwardly loop his legs through it as he felt more than a dozen pairs of curious eyes on him. He had refused to look back at them, as he was in fight or flight mode and simply wished to depart as quickly as he could. Malissa had been by his side after he had finished buckling them onto himself, holding his backpack which she had placed his items into with her own pack on her opposite shoulder. “Hey, let’s get you out of here.” She had whispered in his large ear, and the poor fennec had only been able to nod silently in response. Raising his gaze up to the front door, he tried not to think about the distinct waddle he must have been exhibiting as he made his own exit, Jack jogging up to the two of them as he did so. Hunter could feel his chest heaving, almost painfully, as he tried to catch his breath and calm himself down. He felt as if he were having an out of body experience, the world around him seemed fabricated and surreal as he passed a bench standing outside of an office as he made his way down the hall. Thoughts of what would happen to his exam grade and the final results of his class were now in the far reaches of his mind as his brain replayed what had just occurred to him over and over again. Despite the sense of panic and utter humiliation he was currently experiencing, a cool sense of rationale bubbled to the surface of his consciousness. The broach’s influence had since expanded, and was now clearly influencing the behavior of people around him. He sensed that despite Malissa’s naturally kind and generous disposition, it had affected her just as it had taken over the mind of his calculus professor. The powers at play were growing in intensity, not only warping his own mind and reality at his proximity but the thoughts and behaviors of others. He had not expected this development at all, as he had been fixated on himself and his own problems for the past several months to begin with. Could something like this have happened to Auntie Tare? Had she not known that giving him this item would cause this particular sequence of events? Questions that had been fermenting inside of him for weeks now bubbled to the surface once more, pestering him and frustrating him with their unanswerability. Malissa spoke up, sounding far away despite being right next to him. It pulled him back into the moment, as the fennec glanced over to her talking to Jack. “I think this was the act of God you were looking for to save your grade during that exam.” Jack grimaced, nodding without looking at her as he continued to trudge forward, a distracted look on his face. His canines showing as he grinned, he shook his head as he replied in a sheepish tone. “Yeah… I only got through about half of that exam… I think I got most of them right though, if you’ll believe it.” Malissa shook her head, a disapproving if amused expression on her muzzle as the three of them made their way hastily down a flight of stairs. The atmosphere between the three of them seemingly becoming more casual, she turned to Hunter. She wore a determined expression, and something told Hunter that the otter had finally come to the conclusion that more factors were at play than he had originally expressed to her. In a firm, no-nonsense tone she nodded at him while she spoke. “You have some explaining to do.” Hunter sighed, an odd sense of relief coming over him as he came to the conclusion that the nightmare scenario he had just experienced reached its conclusion anyway. He nodded back, swallowing hard before speaking in a tone that commanded more authority than he had expected it to. “You’re right. Come to my place, the both of you, if you’re done with exams for the day that is.” The two of them nodded, and as they reached the front entrance to the building, they turned their path towards the direction of Hunter’s apartment. They walked in relative silence, though Hunter could feel Jack’s eyes occasionally wandering down to the seat of the fox’s pants. The fennec spent the silence mulling over how he would breach the topic of the broach, figuring that he might as well take what he could get from finally telling someone he was close to the trials had been suffering through since that semester began. 𓁥 𓁢 𓐭 Jack and Malissa were staring at the wooden box sitting on the mantle fear with mixed expressions on their muzzles. Hunter saw awe, disbelief, a note of fear, disbelief, and a touch of terror written across their faces. He had just delved into the history of his experiences over the past few months, describing to them in detail the occurrences that had happened to him as well as his thoughts and strategies on how to approach the problem. The weasel had laughed more than once, only to receive a pointy elbow in the side from the otter as she appeared keenly interested in hearing the entirety of what Hunter had to say to them. While Hunter had appreciated the sentiment, he had appreciated his friend’s attempt at levity as he described the burden that had been trying not only to keep his curse a secret but do his best to outsmart and work against its influence. He had been worried that something supernatural would happen as the two had sat so near the Egyptian relic, but after warning them not to touch it it had appeared that the magic was taking a respite after such a potent spell. As Hunter ended on the exam they had experienced that morning, an awkward silence settled over the three furs sitting bolt upright on the living room couches. His friends had hung onto every word he had described, never once interrupting him with questions or prompts beyond the laughter that inevitably escaped the weasel’s muzzle. Malissa shook her head slowly, trying to take everything that her friend had just told her in as Jack continued to stare in fascination at the wooden box above them. Slowly, she opened her muzzle, visibly appearing to gather her thoughts as she posed a single question. “Are you sure your Aunt is gone?” The corner of Hunter’s drooped downwards in a tight-lipped grimace, as he shook his head slowly while maintaining eye contact. He had suspected that given his aunt’s reputation, she was likely fending off something or someone for a prolonged period of time. The honey badger’s conviction to get to the bottom of what was happening had given him enough hope that not everything was as what it seemed when it came to her, but the lack of communication from both his aunt and the badger gave him little to work off of. Jack added his own opinion, breaking the silence once more. “This explains why you’ve been so introverted this semester. I was beginning to worry that you were hanging out with other people that were more fun than us or something.” Hunter barked shortly, an awkward laugh that sounded mirthless and dry. He shook his head, replying. “Not at all, you guys are great. I just did not want to get you involved is all. This thing seems to be focused entirely on my life. I guess I was kind of scared that you guys wouldn’t want to associate given the… Uhhh… Weirdness of it all…” Malissa placed a paw on Hunter’s, squeezing it as she continued to stare at the box on the mantelpiece while she spoke. “That’s not something you need to worry about. This… thing… I think I’ve read about artifacts like this before. They were written about, described before, but the ones that were found were always really busted up. The gemstones were usually pried off by grave robbers leaving the rest of the item theoretically useless. But you said the middle one had a crack of some sort?” “Yeah…” Hunter replied simply, his gaze now fixated on Malissa’s muzzle, keenly awake. Seeing for the first time that somebody might know something that he had not concluded himself when it came to the item, his sense of hope rose substantially before he could tell himself to calm down. Malissa continued, shaking her head as her small ears pinned against her head in what appeared to be a concerned expression. “Putting aside the fact that magic… Exists… We can deal with that earth-shattering realization later before I go crazy… That thing might be a talisman of eternal youth. Apparently, they were created for Pharaohs in order for them to rule for decades without aging and… Well, theoretically they were designed for immortality. That never worked out according to history, because many of the Pharaohs ended up having their broaches destroyed, stolen, or they themselves were simply poisoned or murdered by their impatient descendents.” “Do you know anything about, like, how they work or how you can get them to work?” Malissa shook her head, a grim expression on her muzzle as she continued to look at the box. Hunter was feeling unnerved by how much attention she was paying to the box, and found that her enraptured expression was coming across as a little disturbing to him. He was about to ask further, when Malissa suddenly shifted her attention to his pants. Before he was able to react, she reached over and placed a paw on his belt buckle as she spoke in a soft tone. “Hey, how’s that diaper doing little guy? We should probably check if you’re soggy by now…” Hunter glanced momentarily at Jack, who appeared to be nodding in agreement, a hazy expression in his eyes as he watched the two of them. The fennec jolted, placing a paw hastily on top of Malissa’s to stop her as he cried. “Malissa! Stop!” She looked up at him, confused and glassy eyed. She blinked, appearing as thought she had just woken up. She recoiled, her chest heaving as she glanced from him to the box in quick succession. “Holy shit it is real.” Jack said, sounding aghast and awestruck. Malissa ran a paw through her headfur, appearing embarrassed as she looked away from Hunter stuttering out an apology. “Suh-sorry… I uh… Yeah… The talisman…” Hunter took in a deep breath, deciding to move on so as to not further trigger the magic’s gathering strengths. “Do you know how to get it to stop?” Malissa considered for a moment, biting her bottom lip before continuing. “No, but I think I know why it’s doing this. You said it was broken, and allegedly the ‘magic’ was stored in the gemstones and directed by the hieroglyphs etched into the metal. What did you say they were?” Hunter replied promptly. “Eye of Horus, a crane, and these crossing tools that looked kind of like weapons…” “Did they look like a flail and a hook?” “Yeah…” “Yeah, those are symbols of royalty, protection, longevity, and… Wait, you said a crane?” Hunter nodded silently, his heartbeat in his throat as he took in every single word that Malissa uttered. This was more information he had been able to glean about the broach than in all of his research, the fact that the otter seemed to know these things was exceptionally exciting to him. He felt as if he should feel regret in not confiding in her, anyone, sooner, but the honey badger had been particularly closed when it came to telling him anything other than to wait. Malissa continued, her voice soft as if she was speaking in a way so as to not disturb something in the room. “That’s not meant for ruling Pharaohs. I think… Okay, this might be a stretch but I think that talisman was made for a child, like an actual baby. Maybe to keep them eternally young and, well, unable to rule. And now that it’s broken, it's not only affecting its owner but the world around him. It’s just a guess, but it totally fits with everything you’ve described Hunter.” Hunter leaned back on his couch, feeling surprised at the fact he now felt more stressed than relieved at coming to this conclusion. Malissa could still be wrong, of course, but it all just made too much sense. If Aunt Tare had tried to give him this as a gift to keep him eternally young, she had done too good a job of it. Whether or not she was aware that this talisman would actually slowly turn him back into the mental state of a baby instead of keeping him perpetually in his early twenties he did not know. There was still much he did not know, but now that the cat was out of the bag and he and his friends knew what the intentions of the magic were, spoken out loud as they were, it offered a modicum of clarity to his situation. “Well, what are we going to do about it?” Jack spoke up unexpectedly, causing his other two friends to turn their friends towards his direction in surprise. The weasel wore a calm expression, looking back and forth from the two of them as he assessed their apparent confused expression. He added, sounding a little impatient with a note of giddy excitement in his voice. “We need to figure out a battle plan, try and stop the flow of magic or whatever. We can’t just leave Hunter like this, he can’t join in on game night if he’s going to be drooling on his keyboard.” “Wow Jack, sometimes I wish my priorities were as simple as yours, really.” Malissa replied in a dry tone, casting an exasperated look at the weasel. Jack grinned, appearing to take no offense at the remarks towards his immaturity. He looked at Hunter, beaming at him before nodding at the box containing the broach. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, don’t worry dude.” Hunter felt an odd sense of warmth fill his mind, a feeling not so dissimilar to the front of his padding swelling up after an impromptu accident. He greatly appreciated his friend’s bravado, ignorant and simple as it was, to join in aiding him to stop the curse. The fennec took a deep breath, nodding and turning to Malissa expectantly. Malissa glanced between the two of them, disbelief on her muzzle before she finally smiled and laughed, shaking her head as she placed her paws primly in her lap. “You guys are dorks, really, in the face of Egyptian magic that isn’t supposed to exist you want to Dungeons and Dragons your way out of this?” Hunter shrugged, and Malissa seemed to take further stock of the situation. Sighing, she looked down at her paws before continuing. “I guess Hunter doesn’t really have much of a choice does he?” Jack moved, placing a paw forwards in between the three of them before speaking excitedly. “Come on, paws in, ‘Curse-Breakers’ on three!” Hunter put his paw in without thinking, even as Malissa continued to giggle uncontrollably. After a moment, she put her paw on top of theirs, commenting sarcastically as she did so. “You guys are huge dorks for this, just so you know.”

Chapter Twenty-One Finals Hunter was wearing a ‘Blue’s Clues’ diaper that morning of the Calculus final. A had a stuffed animal in his backpack, a pacifier in the front pocket of the bag, and in his jean pocket he had decided to stuff a tiny teddy bear keychain that had miraculously appeared on his bedside table that very morning. The fennec had spent a lot of thought trying to figure out how to game the system that the brooch had established. He noted that when he resisted the pull towards regression it would always bite on him on his crinkly bottom. This time he would play the magic’s game, if only to keep his GPA at the level he had desired. There was a lot riding on this final exam. He had visited the polar bear during his office hours and gotten the impression that his professor would not be playing nice on this particular test. He had given the fennec a stern look, informing him that while it was wise to visit him during office hours for a tip, he should very much have a comprehensive understanding of the material they had covered that semester. This had caused a lump to form in the fennec’s throat as he suddenly became very conscious of the pull-up he was wearing in the bear’s office. He had nodded curtly, clearing his throat before replying that he had compiled a study guide for the polar bear to review. His professor had, and with a reluctantly admiring nod he had handed the paper back and told the fennec that he was on the right track. Hunter had been pulling long hours in the library, in between having to sneak off to the bathroom to wipe himself down and change himself. He could concentrate for long periods of time, but they were usually interrupted by his tail lifting up and depositing an accident into the seat of his pants. He could work with it, even if it meant looking around nervously and making sure that he was truly alone when he invariably filled his pants. This morning he had been sure to relieve himself as much as possible after waking up, refrained from consuming liquids, and had a few bites of toast to give his stomach something to work with while he took his exam. He would pay whatever cost the brooch would imbue on him later, but he had sent up a silent prayer to whatever Egyptian gods or goddesses might have been listening for him to just get through this exam uneventfully. He had studied, he had done his due diligence, and he had made sure to get enough sleep despite having spent long hours pouring over mathematical formulae. “Nervous?” Malissa sat down next to him, giving the fennec a warm smile. They had not spoken much since Hunter had shown his particular brand of underwear to her, and he was still unsure where they stood on the subject matter. There had been a particular sensual tension between them that night, and the fennec had not had time to properly sort his feelings on the subject due to the exam week looming over his head. He nodded, smiling back and taking the otter’s apparent friendliness as a good sign. “Yup.” A moment later, Jack slumped down in the seat next to the fennec. He looked utterly worn out, as if he had not caught a wink of sleep the night before. The two looked at him curiously, tilting their heads in synchrony as the weasel tossed a forlorn look towards the two of them. “Doomsday.” He stated flatly, to which Malissa shrugged as she took out a pencil and eraser. “For you maybe.” She stated, the corner of her lip twitching as Jack turned his attention forwards as he adopted a thousand yard stare. Hunter stifled a chuckle at just how pathetic the weasel looked. He had a sneaking suspicion that the weasel might be casting the occasional glance towards his paper, but he did not mind. No amount of cheating would fix the fact that the weasel simply was not made out to excel at Calculus like Hunter could. All the fennec wanted that day was just to get through the test uneventfully, and he crossed his fingers in his lap that his wish would come through. The door opened, and their professor lumbered inside holding an envelope which was undoubtedly full of their exams. Opening the packet, he set his briefcase down on his desk before he began to distribute the exams. Hunter silently accepted his, noting that the cover page was blank. He fingered the packet with his paws, noting that there appeared to be ten packages contained within the stapled stack. Within a minute, the bear had finished before meandering his way back up to the front of the room. He faced the class, speaking in a bored tone as he warbled out the specifics of taking the exam. “You have sixty minutes, please circle final answers… Good luck.” He nodded respectfully towards the class, the end of his statement sounding kinder than his regular stern voice. The class quickly bowed their heads, and the sound of shuffling papers ensued as the furs set about getting as much of a headstart as they could with the time they had. Hunter set to work, working his way through the first four pages without too much trouble. He glanced up at the clock, and noted that he had about forty-five minutes left. The fox was making good time, and hoped that the rest of the examination would not prove too difficult. Jack was mumbling underneath his breath next to him, and Malissa had a slight frown on forming on her brow as she worked on her own problems. An intrusive needled at the back of Hunter’s brain. The padding between his legs seemed to grow tighter as he tried his best to shrug off the idea. He noted that his front appeared to be slightly damp, undoubtedly an accident he had noticed while he was working. The hunter drew a paw back, scratching his headfur as he tried to refocus. He turned the page, and found to his satisfaction that the problem featured was one he had had on a homework assignment a few weeks ago. He worked through it quickly, flipping the page again and finding himself almost halfway done. The fennec tried his best to ignore the pleasant warmth that was emanating from the front of his diaper, comfortably squishing against him with every small movement of his thighs. It was distracting, but bearable. The fennec glanced at the clock as he had only three more problems to go. Twenty minutes remain, he could do this. He might even have some time to check his work as well. Hunter turned the page, and then felt a wave of softness and warmth wash over his mind. Vivid as day, a strange expression came over the polar bear’s muzzle. Hunter looked up, watching with a sense of confusion and dread as he saw his professor rise shakily to his footpaws. He gazed towards the fennec’s direction, his eyes glassy behind the spectacles perched on his long, broad muzzle as he took a step forward towards the fennec. Only Hunter had noticed the bear’s movements, as his classmates around him were too engrossed with their exam to look up. The fennec swallowed, a prick of sweat forming on the back of his neck as he watched the large mammal approach him. In a rumbling tone, the bear spoke softly, in a manner that was much more affectionate and understanding than he had ever heard before. This drew the attention of his classmates, and Hunter felt himself grow red in the face as he heard the words warble out of the beast’s muzzle. “Hunter, do you need a diaper check? It’s been a minute since I took a look.” The fennec’s jaw was now wide open, slack and disbelieving as his eyes bulged towards the approaching polar mammal. He was frozen, unable to move or speak as his mind raced to figure out a way to escape this situation. Hunter was rooted, three problems remaining with the minutes quickly passing away as the polar bear now stood next to the fennec. Gently, the polar bear reached down and wrapped his claw paw around the fennec’s bicep. The fennec was lifted to his feet, his tail tucked tightly between his legs as the bear smiled down sleepily at the small fox. “Come on kiddo, let’s see what’s going on down there.” Hunter’s heart pounded in his chest as the bear used his other free paw to deftly loop a claw through a belt loop, teasing his pants down until they were wrapped around his thighs, revealing his padding to the entire class which was now gawking at the spectacle before them, test forgotten. The fennec had wet himself profusely at that point, undoubtedly in part as a reaction to the nightmare that was unfolding in the calculus classroom. The bear let go of his forearm, placing it authoritatively on his crinkly bottom before giving it a few affectionate pats, the plastic crinkling underneath him. Hunter felt a shiver run down his spine as one of the bear’s claws reached inside between the leak guards of his diaper and thigh as he assessed the soggy contents of his padding. The bear nodded approvingly, as if his suspicions had been confirmed as he turned his attention to the fennec’s burning red face. “I think we can take a little break kiddo, let’s get you changed before you get back to drawing.” As if in slow motion, Hunter looked down at his exam only to see that the numbers and figures had vanished to be replaced by a box of crayons, spilling its contents out onto a drawing. A polar bear and fennec, who was clearly wearing a thick diaper, were holding hands in a green field filled with flowers, a sun shining down in the corner of the image. The class remained as silent as a church as Hunter felt the bear’s strong paws scoop him up underneath the armpits, lifting him up before depositing him on his hip. “My little artist drew me such a splendid picture too.” The bear cooed, placing a claw tip gently on the tip of the fennec’s nose as he booped him softly, squeezing him tightly towards his large body for a moment as he moved him over to his desk. Hunter cast a glance at his friends, who both appeared stricken, in the midst of execution dysfunction of whether they should laugh, stop the polar bear, or join in the teasing. The class watched, a few stifled snickers breaking the silence occasionally as they watched aghast and disbelieving while Hunter was made to lay down on the surface of the polar bear’s desk. Hunter tried to move his paws in front of his padding, the tip of his curled tail now pressing against the front of his padding in a vain attempt to conceal his humiliation. The bear clucked his tongue, softly grasping his paws and moving them away before opening his briefcase. Hunter glanced down to see to his astonishment that there were several diapers, in his size no less, waiting and folded inside. The bear removed one, unfolding it and fluffing it with apparent experience. The bear’s somnolent experience never left, only to be slightly accented by a kind smile as he prompted the fennec. “Lift that bottom up for me, kiddo.” Hunter found that the bear did not wait for him to obey, but instead gently grasped both of his ankles in one paw before lifting them up. The fennec wanted to run away, flee, go and hide his face away in a spot that nobody would ever find him. The sound of tapes being pulled up ripped through the air, cutting through the silence before being followed by the soft ruffling sounds of a diaper being pulled back. “Good job kiddo, you really sogged this one up for me.” The bear exclaimed, reaching inside of his briefcase once more and withdrawing a package of puppy wipes. Hunter’s thighs quivered, and tears formed in his eyes as he watched the bear softly bear down on his shaven spot, wiping it clean and taking great care around his bits. He could not help himself, a wave of nostalgia and pleasure coursed through him causing the fox to gasp as his voice caught in his throat. He stuttered for a moment, letting out a non-sensual sound of surprise that sounded like pathetic mewling than actual language. The bear made quick work of cleaning him up, depositing the used wipes in Hunter’s used diaper and balling them underneath his butt. The bear pulled his used padding out front underneath them, folding it up into a neat ball before turning his attention back to his fresh padding. “Now for the puppy powder!” He exclaimed, reaching forward and tickling the fennec underneath his chin. Hunter wanted to turn away, but he was so upset and torn at that point that he could hardly move. A sob caught in his throat, which he pushed down. The bear pulled the large, baby blue bottle of puppy powder out of his briefcase before uncapping it. He placed a little on paw, retracting his claws, before reaching down and applying it on Hunter’s diaper area. He pawed between his checks, gently dabbing it on Hunter’s member which to his horror was beginning to grow slightly erect in response to the stimulation. “My my, a little excited today for our diaper change, are we?” The bear commented, chuckling softly as he reached down to pull Hunter’s diaper front over him. He worked on the tapes, taking his time to pull them over properly before placing them firmly and symmetrically into place. As a final touch, the bear looped a claw between Hunter’s wings and his thighs and pulled the flaps backwards for a snug fit. The fennec looked down, finding that the bear had done an excellent job securing him in yet another, perceivably thicker, diaper. “You can go back to playing now, sweetie.” The bear rumbled, picking the fennec up yet again before placing him down on his footpaws, facing the classroom and patting him on the bottom with enough force to cause him to take a step forward towards his seat. Hunter gazed at the sea of faces, noting the varying expressions he saw. Some disgusted, some awestruck, some evidently very amused, while others appeared to have some other look on their muzzles, a mixture of desire and jealousy. This was simply too much for the fennec. He sniffled his nose, beginning to run as his vision grew blurry from the tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. He had just wanted to take his test and leave, but the curse had done its work once more. Far away from the building as the box containing the brooch was, its magic had extended and taken hold of his professor. As if on command, behind him the bear’s expression suddenly looked confused. He blinked, shaking his head as if clearing it of some befuddling fog. He cleared his throat, looking down for a moment at the diaper changing supplies clearly spewing out of his suitcase. He swallowed, concern growing on his face as he looked up and stared for a moment at the sight of Hunter’s padded behind facing him, pictures of padded babyfurs smiling back at him. “Ehrm… What… What’s going on?” He mumbled, appearing as if he had been caught off balance as he placed down a heavy paw on the surface of the desk to steady himself. Hunter hung his head, sobbing quietly to himself as the tears finally broke and streamed down his face. Hunter did not know what he could possibly do, other than let the months of stress and dread finally break free and flow unrestricted down his fuzzy, ruddy cheeks.

Chapter Twenty Just Chilling Malissa waited patiently in the living room as Hunter worked on cleaning himself up in the shower. She browsed on her phone, relaxing on his plush couch as she listened to the faint sounds of water cascading from the shower head behind the closed door of his bathroom. She figured that he would likely take his time, as getting his fur properly cleaned out would likely be an unpleasant process. Unaware of the fact that he had a freshly shaven nether region, she felt some level of sympathy for the incontinence troubles her friend was having. While peeing himself in the library was somewhat entertaining, she had grown more concerned for her friend’s health as he continued to have such troubles. She figured that he had acquired some kind of incontinence products at this point, and wanted to respect his privacy as much as she could while still showing him that he had her support. Poor thing… And right around finals to boot, yeesh… He definitely is going to need to chill during winter break, that’s for sure. She thought to herself, looking up from her phone to gaze at the bathroom door, a thoughtful expression on her muzzle. Her whiskers twitched as she thought, wondering whether she would be stepping over the line to make the offer she was currently considering. She felt her cheeks growing a little warm at the thought. He’d probably be too embarrassed to say yes… No… Maybe some other time, not now. To her surprise, she heard the water cut in its cascade and the sound of a shower curtain being brushed aside. A minute later, Hunter had stepped into the living room wearing a fresh set of clothes, his headfur still slightly damp and a sheepish expression on his muzzle. “Th-thanks for waiting… I really appreciate it.” He stuttered out, twisting his paws in front of him as he smiled at her. Marissa beamed back, his lips closed as she nodded an affirmation. There was an awkward silence for a moment, before Malissa nodded over to the television with a questioning eyebrow. “You wanna… Like… Take a break?” Hunter thought for a moment, before nodding as well and taking a seat next to her on the couch. Malissa heard a muffled crinkle as he moved, and her suspicions were confirmed. He was taking steps to treat his incontinence. An image formed in her mind of Hunter wearing nothing but a diaper around his waist, and she felt her cheeks growing red once more at the thought of it. Given Hunter’s small size and relatively cheerful nature, the thought of him dressed up as a baby would tickled a part of Malissa’s mind. It was adorable, a cute idea, a reality that she realized was now something that Hunter’s self-esteem was likely wrestling with. She knew she should not comment on it, and she refrained. Still, the thought of the fennec prancing about with nothing but a thick, crinkly diaper on his butt made her stomach twist. It’s… Really cute… She thought, turning her attention to the program that Hunter had switched onto the television screen. They said little for about half an hour, watching in silence as the sun made its slow descent towards the horizon and casting long shadows in Hunter’s living room. Malissa could not stop thinking about the fact that Hunter was wearing a diaper. She figured that he was hoping that it was discrete enough for her not to notice, and she did not want to embarrass him. But still, she could not figure out why she could not take her mind off of it. She never before had thought so much about adults having to wear diapers, even when her cousin shared with her his own incontinence troubles. It was somehow different when it came to Hunter, something about it stuck in her head and caused butterflies to spring to the air inside of her stomach and flap about madly. She liked the idea of Hunter wearing diapers, her eyes grew wide as she zoned out of the television program and sunk deeper into her thoughts. I like it… She thought to herself, and before she could stop herself her gaze drifted down and settled on the front of Hunter’s pants. It took a second for the fennec to notice where the otter’s attention was now directed, and she glanced up quickly just in time to see his face grow slack and then slightly red from embarrassment. They spoke at the same time, stopping as they realized they were interrupting each other. “I’m no-” “It’s coo-” They looked at each other, then grinned. Malissa could tell that Hunter was okay with talking about it, so she looked down at her paws in her lap and did her best to appear a little embarrassed herself. She thought for a moment, before gathering up her bravery and asking Hunter directly. “What’s it like? Wearing them…” “Uhhh…” Hunter reached back to scratch the back of his neck with a paw, taking a moment to respond as he chose his words. “Com… fy? They’re comfy, but a little bulky.” Malissa nodded several times, as if she were eagerly absorbing information imparted to her by a most highly educated professor. Hunter continued, taking her silence as a cue to explain further. “I like them better in bed, to be honest. Waking up dry is nice, but wearing them out and about makes me a little nervous. I get a little paranoid that people might know what I’m wearing under my pants.” Before Malissa could interject, Hunter continued. “And yes I know, people don’t notice and even if they do they don’t care. It’s still something I get a little in my head about, you know?” Malissa resplied, her voice soft and understanding. “No, I get it. But you can’t help it, this isn’t something that you’ve been cursed with or whatever. It’s just biology.” Hunter looked a little past Malissa for a second, the corner of his muzzle twitching downwards. He looked like he was about to say something, but then turned his face away and faced the television screen once more. “Yeah… Biology…” He said flatly, appearing a little crestfallen. Malissa was not sure why he had this reaction, but figured that talking about a relatively intimate part of his personal health was just something that he was not used to. The idea that she had before sprang back into her head, and she bit her bottom lip as she too faced the TV screen once more. Should I? I want to… It’ll just be a joke, just for fun… But… “Hey.” She said, and Hunter turned towards her once more. She continued, feeling her heartrate escalate as she asked him the question that she had told herself would be totally rude for her to prompt him with. “Can I see it?” Hunter stared at her, his muzzle a mixture of confusion for a second before he understood her query. He looked down, his cheeks blushing profusely as his paws twisted in his lap once more. The fennec appeared unsure of what to do, but then he shook his head and closed his eyes. A stupid grin spread across his muzzle, and he laughed softly to himself before nodding and standing up. “Yeah, whatever.” He said, his shoulders relaxing as he reached down to unbuckle the front of his jeans. Malissa watched with bated breath as he unzipped his fly, shimmying his hips as he pulled his pants down the thick undergarment. Malissa did her best not to gape open mouthed as she watched, her eyes alighting on the little cartoon baby animals wearing their own diapers springing out at her. Oh my god that’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen… She thought to herself, as Hunter’s face grew even redder. He stood up, placing his hands on his hips and did his best impression of pride as she showed off his crinkly underpants. Before she could stop herself, Malissa reached forward and gently touched her paw pads against the front of his padding. Hunter did not move, and she could only guess at what thoughts were racing through his head as she examined his diaper more intently. She looked up, deciding that since he had been vulnerable with her, she would return the favor. “Hunter… I think they’re really cute.” “Ha, you think so?” Hunter’s voice was tight, and appeared to be struggling to maintain his composure. Malissa nodded, her voice imploring as she continued. “No, I’m serious. I actually think they look super cute on you. Like, your body type totally matches them. It’s kind of hot.” Hunter’s mouth fell open, and Malissa quickly looked down as her face burned. She could feel her blood pooling in the vessels in her face from the embarrassment of her statement. Did I really just admit to Hunter that I think he looks hot in diapers? He’s going to think I’m a total dweeb for this… “Hey, thanks! Honestly not the reaction I was expecting but definitely the best one I could have received.” The otter looked up, and saw that Hunter was grinning at her. He appeared pleased, the initial nervousness was now gone as he laughed with a note of incredulousness in his voice. Malissa could tell that his mood had lightened somewhat as he continued, her voice tinged with humor as he teased her. “Honestly, Malissa, I would have never guessed that you’d be into this. You know how annoying it is to try to act as cool as I do while wearing baby pants? I wish everyone had the same opinion as you about diapers.” Malissa laughed once, more of an exhalation of breath than a genuine sound of amusement. She was still feeling anxious about just how much she had revealed to Hunter, but was happy that he was taking it in stride. She shook her head, reaching forward to poke the front of his padding once more with a finger. “Yeah diaper butt, and now I know you wear them every day and can remind you about them too if you get too cheeky. In public.” Hunter appeared to falter at this, and Malissa giggled at his reaction. She shook her head, her mouth closed as she gave him a mock disapproving look. “Wow, you really bought that one huh?” Hunter nodded sheepishly, scratching the back of his ears once more before replying. “I mean… Don’t?” “I won’t. Jack will notice though eventually.” “Yeah… That’s going to suck…” Malissa raised her eyebrows in a knowing fashion, looking at him from the side as she continued. “Don’t worry, I’ll punch him if he gets too mean.” “Can I punch him too? Like both of us from one side, at the same time?” “Honestly I’d just like to do that just for fun.” Hunter laughed, reaching down to bring his pants back up once more with some effort. He was about to pull his belt buckle into place, when Malissa reached forward and gently grasped his paw. “Don’t. Just keep your pants off. It’s cool.” Hunter looked up at her, unsure. Slowly, he undid his fly once more, pulling his jeans down until they were gathered around his fuzzy ankles. He stepped out of them, his knees brought together as his tail reflexively moved from behind him to cover his padding. Malissa nodded approvingly, patting the spot next to her on the couch and indicating towards the TV with a lazy finger. “Yeah, that’s more comfy. I want to be able to see that padded tush of yours during the commercial breaks.” The otter could tell that she was now properly flustering the fennec, but he appeared to keep his cool as he sat down next to her once more. The padding forced his legs apart just far enough to make it noticeable, a detail that Malissa found particularly enjoyable. They resigned to a welcome silence as they continued to watch, with the otter occasionally stealing glances down at Hunter’s diaper. He noticed of course, but was far too overwhelmed by the fact that his friend had hinted at finding him attractive, and in diapers no less. He tried to keep his thoughts focused on the TV to no avail, as his mind was too busy going over what Malissa had said to him. Hunter could not bring himself to fully accept what Malissa had told him, as there was still one factor he had not entirely ruled out. Was this Malissa talking, or was the effects of the curse that was causing her to further encourage him into wearing infantile clothing. He had no clue.

Chapter Nineteen In Public Hunter was having trouble keeping himself awake. It was late afternoon, and he was sitting in his history class as Malissa was stubbornly trying to ignore the fact that he was nodding off right next to her. A week before finals, she had tried to nudge him awake at the beginning of the class as it was a review day right before they would have only four days left before their final paper would be due. “You know, he’s doing us a favor by telling us exactly what he wants on the paper right?” Hunter had simply shrugged, unwilling to exert any more energy than he had to. He had been awake for the majority of last evening twisting and turning, unable to fall asleep. The poor fox had even taken more than the advised amount of melatonin gummies he kept by his bedside, but that had only resulted in him feeling tired for the rest of the night and well through the rest of the next day. He was grateful that he had shown up to class at all, as he had considered skipping in hopes of getting some shut-eye, even if it was during review week. Hunter knew that this was not a good time to be dozing off, especially with finals fast approaching next week. He had figured that at least his daytime wettings that he was now finding himself to be having would not be an issue during that, as even if he were distracted during an exam he would have time between them to change himself. Still, it was not the issue of having surprise bathroom breaks he did not remember taking that he was worried about for his exams. It was the overwhelming amount of spouts of daydreaming he was having trouble wrestling with. They would happen when he would least expect it, his mind becoming awash with thoughts of stuffed animals or characters from the little shows he was now watching every day during his breakfast and late into the evenings. The only saving grace was that both Malissa and Jack were busy with their own pre-finals week preparations, so there was no reason why the three had not been meeting up as frequently as they normally would. Still, trouble was brewing, and the part of Hunter’s mind that still retained his adult wariness was sure that something was going to disrupt the most critical part of his semester in a manner that he would surely not appreciate. Currently, Hunter was staring blankly at his computer screen, as Malissa had given up trying to coax him into paying attention and had instead decided to herself the same favor and take dubious notes on what the professor was saying. The fennec’s mind wandered, drifting back to the familiar, soft feeling of being nothing more than a little fennec kit with no worries in the world other than ensuring that his toys were right in front of him where he could grab them and pull them along, giving them little voices and dances as he played with him. Unbeknownst to the fox, his tail flagged behind him. Normally such a display would not be done in the middle row of seats of a busy classroom. Usually such an act meant that the fur in question was releasing gas, and although most furs would not prevent themselves from doing such a thing they would at least have the courtesy to not show any visible demonstration. Hunter was not paying attention, and despite the fact that a few giggles and stares behind him were burning into the back of his head he paid them no notice. Quietly, so quietly that not even he heard the sound, his stomach churned and gurgled. He felt a pressure, and his forehead creased slightly from the cramping happening in his torso. The fox ignored it, at the moment trying his best to keep his eyelids from shutting completely even as the thought of resting his head on his laptop’s keyboard kept tugging at him from the back of his mind. How nice would it be to take a nap there and then, with no one to bother him and not having to worry about something like a final history paper. Frankly, even if he were not being actively regressed by an Egyptian curse he would not have cared either way. He would have composed the paper the night before, have Malissa read it and then scold him for being lazy, and then have taken the B the generous professor would have no doubt given him given the fact that the hedgehog was not the type of teacher who wished to punish students for not being passionate about the same subject he had dedicated his whole life to. But here he was, forcing himself to go through the movements of academics only to ensure that his participation grade would not falter and further hinder the average grade he was shooting for. Seriously, why did his seat have to feel so comfortable when wearing pull-ups? The lush, soft material that encased his shaven nether regions felt as if it were being nestled in a bed of clouds. If there was a bed right in front of him at that moment, he would have happily fallen in without even bothering to cover himself with a blanket. He just wanted to rest, to relieve himself of the pressures of getting good grades, and simply pass the time comfortably in his messy, slightly smelly pull-up. Hunter felt himself suddenly grow very cold as his sleepiness vanished in an instant. He had not been paying attention, and suddenly the furs in front of him had twisted round in their seats to stare at him. Why are they looking at me… Did I fart or som- Hunter shifted, suddenly noting the fact that his backside felt significantly more soft than it had before. His face paled, and then almost just as quickly it turned bright red as he realized the full extent of what must have happened while he had been blissfully zoned out. His nostrils twitched, and the smell he had hoped he would never have to encounter in a public setting as the classroom he was in now met his olfactory senses. He froze, utterly at a loss for what to do next as he dared not turn to his left to see how Malissa was looking at him. The professor had stopped writing on the chalkboard as well, and had his head tilted to the side with an expression of concern and slight confusion. Hunter looked down at his notes, a distant part of his mind noting that he had barely written anything throughout that entire class period. He could feel himself shutting down, even as several people started giggling and a few people began whispering amongst themselves. The little fennec felt as if he were about to burst into tears when, mercifully, Malissa piped up. “Professor, will you excuse us? Hunter’s recently been having some issues due to a recent diagnosis and the physician said something like this would come up.” The professor, whose lip was just beginning to turn upwards at the corner, looked at Malissa and adjusted his spectacles, taking a moment to find his words. “Erhm… What? Yes. Yes! By all means, I’ll personally pass along my class agenda for today to you. Thank you, err, Malissa. Thank you.” Malissa placed a paw on the back of Hunter’s shoulder, helping him up to his paws and quietly escorting him out of his chair and out of the classroom into the hallway. Hunter kept his gaze pointedly downwards, unable to meet the faces of any of his fellow classmates. The otter, who could sense that Hunter was not feeling particularly happy at the moment, leaned in as they left the door behind them. “I’ll take your notes for the next class if you don’t want to show up, don’t worry about it. I’ll work on your paper as well, you really don’t have to worry about it.” Hunter wanted to say thank you to Malissa for trying to console him, but he was still feeling utterly mortified at the fact that he had just defecated himself in front of an entire classroom and had not remembered any of it. The worst part of it was, the immense amount of self-consciousness that was whirling around in his mind at that moment was not entirely unpleasant. Some part of him reveled in the fact that so many people had seen him regress to a completely helpless kit filling his pull-ups. The fact that he had been so vulnerable and so helpless in such a public setting caused his gut to twist, so much so he was worried he was about to go again. As they talked, Hunter felt his bladder let loose, but he hardly noticed the front of his pull-ups swelling with their newest addition. It increased the amount he was waddling, but he figured that Malissa would just figure that that was from him attempting to not further cake the further into his fur. If only she knew that he had already been prepared for something like this, and at least the clean up he would have to do would not take too long. “To your apartment?” Malissa asked, as they exited the building. Hunter nodded, still unable to formulate words as they turned towards the direction of his apartment. Hunter tried his best to figure out his next move, his next excuse, his next half-truth on how to cover this up. There was none, as Malissa had already basically stated to the public that the fennec was suffering from some sort of illness that caused bowel incontinence. It was the most empathetic option, even if it still did detail the fact that he could not control when he went to the bathroom. “Do you… Do you want me to stick around?” Hunter hesitated, wanting for all the world to send her away so he could nurse his pride in peace. But after looking up to see Malissa’s concerned, kind eyes, he figured that saying no would be rude. After all, she had left all of her stuff just to take care of him, so showing her some hospitality would probably be the right move. They ventured up, taking the stairs due to the broken elevator as Malissa ensured to take point up the stairs so as not to get caught in the cloud that followed Hunter’s backside. Fumbling with his keys for a moment, he let her into his apartment and immediately headed towards the bathroom. He figured that she would not blame him, as she was already familiar with the layout of his place and given the fact that he had a very pressing matter to attend to. The warm water tumbling down from his shower head had never felt as good as it did when he had finally extracted himself from his clothes and hopped into the rising cloud of steam softly enshrouding his entire bathroom.

Chapter Eighteen Sublime The softest of beds always arrive in the morning when it is time to leave them, but Hunter had no reason that day to leave the confines of his guard-railed bed that day. Having finished up a busy week of academic obligations, and with finals just under three weeks away, Hunter had decided to schedule some time for himself and only for himself. It was Saturday, and dawn had just broken as Hunter cracked open one eye to see whether the sun had broken through his shades yet. Not quite, and given the circumstances of his underpants Hunter saw no reason to pull himself out from the comfort of his covers. He moved his thigh, attempting to half-heartedly gauge how full his night time diaper was from his wettings. The fennec felt the absorbent undergarment squish softly against him, his freshly shaven area feeling as if it were enveloped in a soft, warm sponge. Despite the initial itching, Hunter had gone over his handiwork a few more times until he was as smooth as a well polished piece of sea glass. Given the fact that he was now wearing pull-ups every day and diapers at night, he had no concern about his regular underwear causing him discomfort against his exposed skin. In fact, Hunter pondered to himself as he gave his legs another squeeze, feeling the warmth of his wet padding press up against him, he had not had to do a laundry for his underwear in several weeks. The curse had continued to supply him with a generous amount of diapers, all displaying his favorite cutesy fuzzy characters in addition to becoming accustomed to a general theme. His night time diapers were covered in sleepy bears, soft kittens, and snoozing puppy dogs. With several stars on the front leading all the way up to the back to serve as wetness indicators, he had grown fond of their friendly visage when he finally retired for the night. His pull-ups were significantly more dynamic. Illustrated with happy little kits heading out for a day at the beach, or sliding down a colorful slide, their diapers peeking out from their shorts or bulging slightly from their shortfalls. The curse was intent on continuously reminding him of his diapered state, but despite the occasional spell of anxiety that his reality would warp the brooch appeared content enough to leave him alone when he was properly diapered. Although, there had been one episode where he had not avoided public embarrassment. Having taken the bus to visit the off-site area of his college campus for research purposes, he had woken up on the bus having missed his stop, and with several furs giving him odd glances. At first he had stared back, unsure of why they were giving him so much attention. It had stressed him out a little, and it was only a minute later when he realized that he had been coping with the stress by suckling eagerly on the pacifier lodged in his muzzle. His face had burned, he could still remember just how profoundly he had blushed. Never before was he so flustered and caught off guard than when he realized that he had been sleeping on a public transit system with a binky in his mouth. Of course, he had no idea how it had gotten there in the first place. Whether the curse had compelled him to reach inside of his backpack mid-sleep and pull the object out after manifesting it or if it had simply popped into existence where he found it was beyond him. He had hastily departed the bus at the next stop, pulling out his phone and frantically opening up the GPS application to see where he was. Only a mile away, a short walk if anything. He had been lucky, as had he slept even fifteen minutes longer he would have had triple that length to traverse. It was only half a mile walking back through the dim streets did he finally remember to yank the pacifier out of his mouth. He had been caught off guard once more, as the moment the plastic rubber bulb left between his lips he had felt unreasonably upset. He had felt his eyes getting watery and his lips began to quiver. It passed after only a moment, but he still remembered viscerally how close he had been to bawling his eyes out because he no longer had that feeling of security. He had managed to shrug it off, cramming the pacifier into his pocket and making it back to his place just before his bedtime. It had taken all of his might to put on his diaper that evening and restrain himself from putting the pacifier back in. He had managed it in the end, but it was only upon recalling the confusion in the faces of the furs around him that kept him from replacing it back into his maw. I really should be focusing on relaxing now… Hunter chided himself internally, turning over to hug one his new and decidedly favorite stuffed animal. It was rather simple, a brown and beige paw with dark brown hearts on the ends of his paws. He had not known where the inspiration for his name came from exactly, but upon seeing him in a store front he had immediately named him, “Stitches.” Stitches was the best size for him to embrace in his arms, not too big that it felt awkward and soft enough that he could press him up against his chest without feeling uncomfortable. He had had a dream the following night after purchasing Stitches where the plush had become animated. Not only that, but the little bear appeared very intent on taking care of the little Kit. He had patted him affectionately on his diapered bottom, held a bottle up to his lips, and lovingly placed a pacifier in his muzzle before coaxing him into his crib for an afternoon nap. Hunter still remembered that scene, as of all of the regressive dreams he had been having lately that one was the most pleasant. There was no brooch, no worry of discovery, simply a state of mind where the only thing he cared about was having something warm and yummy in his tummy, and a soft place to lay his head alongside Stitches. The fennec could feel himself slipping into that mindset now, only half away from the fact that he was peeing himself. His mind was only aware of the blissful ignorance of the outside world in that dream, where his favorite plush bear was responsible for everything that he needed. Lost in his reverie, Hunter turned over once more before mumbling something unintelligible into his pillow. His stomach gurgled, but he hardly noticed as he rubbed his muzzle against Stitches’ soft fur. He felt as if there was something that he had forgotten about, but was unsure exactly what it was. Unnoticed by the fennec, his lower abdomen had relaxed, coinciding with his tail flagging underneath the covers. A moment later, the muffled sound of flatulence escaped his backside before being shortly followed by a much deeper, wetter sound. Suddenly, Hunter heaved a sigh of relief having felt a pressure lift off of him. The backside of his wet night-time diaper had expanded somewhat, bulging out slightly to accommodate the addition he had just made to his padded backseat. Hunter rested for a few minutes longer, a small smile of pleasure spreading on his muzzle as his sense of comfort increased significantly. It took his nose twitching twice at the hint of an offensive scent for his eyes to shoot wide open in realization. He swore, his feelings of morning bliss forgotten as he tore the covers off of himself. As he had suspected, he had just willingly relieved his bowels into his night-time padding, which now appeared in desperate need of a change. He cringed slightly, feeling the softness of his accident pressing up against his buttocks from having turned around on his back. Sighing, Hunter gingerly heaved himself over the railing of his bed, imagining just how childish he must look with his sagging diaper swinging in the air for all to see. In that moment, the front of his sodden padding pressed against him as it was pushed upwards by the wooden raid underneath him, Hunter felt the initial state of bliss wash over him. He toppled over onto the carpet of his bedroom, giggling to himself as he felt himself land on his messy bottom. He cooed to himself, his face spreading into an unworried smile as he rocked forwards and backwards gently, kneading the contents of his diaper against himself. He had never felt something as comfortable and freeing before this sensation, utterly uncaring about the clean-up that was to follow shortly as he had simply forgotten about it. As the sunlight began to pour into his room, he opened his mouth in a soft gasp as the iridescent beauty of it. The fennec was mesmerized, aware only of the warmth and squish of his night-time diaper beneath him and the dazzling array of light coming through his window to kiss him gently on the fur of his cheeks. Hunter was content, his eyelids half closed from the glare, but in part from the softness pressing up against his skin underneath him. Hunter felt that one of his paws was in his muzzle, and he suckled contentedly on them. It was not as pleasant as the pacifier that had been in his mouth, but it would do. The… Pacifier… Huh! With a jolt, Hunter started having woken up from his waking dream. Having recalled his public incident a few nights prior, reality had come crashing back in. He looked around, confused as to why he was sitting on the ground. He looked down, seeing that the stars on the front of his padding had completely disappeared. The front was swollen, with a yellowish tinge coming through the otherwise white covering. It took him a second to realize what he had done, shifting about, he felt that his accident had crept up to the front of his diaper as well. He was utterly caked, and had been giddy as ever to sit about in a diaper that was now in desperate need of changing. Instead of wallowing in his momentary lapse, the fox picked himself up and stood awkwardly. Shuffling bow-legged towards the doorway as not to make the situation any worse. I’m going to shower for ten years… He thought grimly to himself, arriving inside of his bathroom to reach through his shower curtain to turn the knob to its highest heat setting.

Chapter Seventeen A Close Shave God I hate my aunt… Hunter thought to himself, as he pulled off the tapes of his night time diaper. It had taken a few weeks for him to realize, but the nightly necessity to pad up then to change, wash himself, and redress in the morning was beginning to cut into his schedule. He knew that it was only a matter of a few minutes a day, but he still had not realized what such a state of being required. The monotony of it was beginning to get to him, and despite the initial thrill of putting on a diaper in the evening, dealing with the aftermath the following day was not always fun. If it was only a soggy diaper, that would have been enough for him to handle. But now, ever since his accident in the library, he was having the occasional night time mess that sometimes took up to an hour to properly take care of. He would think sparingly of the details of cleaning up his messy fur, but at this rate his bathroom was beginning to run out of shampoo. He had thought about doing what most cubs had done when they were young, which was having shaven bottocks and nether regions. There was something about that, however, that still caused him to feel a sense of revulsion. There was some pride in having glossy fur down there, and despite the fact that given his current problem he could not exactly be outside courting furs back to his bedroom, he still did not want to give up his pride. Still, the fact that he had almost been late to a class because of his droopy drawers was something he knew he needed to do something about. Hunter stood in his bathroom, the slight hint of his own accident beginning to waft up to his sensitive nostrils. He was going to shower, and take a good one at that, but even as he thought about the ordeal he was about to suffer through his eyes wandered over to the pair of sheers he normally used on his chestfur. Am I really going to do this… It was not like Hunter was a frequent visitor at his local gym, nobody would likely find out that he was walking around with a completely bare bottom. The idea disgusted him still, however, as the thought of having his bare skin in contact with his voided bowels in the morning caused his stomach to lurch. But then I wouldn’t miss class… Deciding that the best course of action would simply be to address the pressing matter at paw, Hunter reached through his shower curtains and turned the knob to turn on the water. Against the background of water colliding with ceramic, Hunter stripped off his pajama shirt and began the careful process of extracting himself from his soiled night-time padding. He had started to keep garbage bags in his bathroom for this exact purpose, venturing out in the morning to stop by the dumpster near his apartment complex to deposit his double-bagged morning surprise. He had done so as casually as he could the first few times, paranoid that someone might discover him in the middle of disposing of his diapers. It was silly, and he knew it, as nobody ever had any reason to inquire what it was exactly that they were throwing away in a black trash bag. Still, he was always nervous about it. Stepping into the shower, a breath of relief escaping his muzzle as he felt his fur being weighed down by the pleasantly warm water, he stepped awkwardly bow-legged to allow the stream to hit his backside. He grimaced, the smell becoming particularly pungent for a minute until it had all been washed away. Lathering his paws, he set to work on his headfur before working his way down. As his thoughts drifted, he thought back to the first time he had accidentally pooped his pants. Jack’s nostrils had twitched, and he had glanced meaningfully down to the front of Hunter’s pants. The fennec knew there was no hiding it, and had come clean immediately telling Jack that he was having a shitty day and needed to take care of something. Jack had immediately taken off his coat, smiling ruefully and handed it to Hunter telling him to wrap it around his waist to stifle the smell. Hunter had felt relieved, grateful that his friend was helping him instead of taking this as an opportunity to humiliate him. He knew what Jack was thinking, and was suspicious of Malissa’s paw having a role in the weasel’s newfound maturity. He was grinning the entire way back to Hunter’s apartment, having decided to keep him company on the way back. Not once did he crack a joke, but he had been in a rather jolly mood. Undoubtedly he was simply working on material he would spring on Hunter if the two were ever having a platonic bickering session. Hunter knew that this would eventually work its way back into Jack’s mouth when it came to quips at the fennec’s expense, but he was willing to suffer through if Jack had at least enough sense to not make the moment any worse. Jack had shaken his head, bidding him farewell and waving cheerfully before Hunter had sprinted up the stairs of his apartment and practically leapt into the shower. It had not been a good day, but at least his friends were being somewhat supportive. He knew that Jack would tell Malissa immediately, and was beginning to wonder when the two would inquire when he was considering seeking medical attention. He had an anecdote ready, something about his particular family having an unlucky set of fennec genes that trended towards incontinence. Still, bowel incontinence was an entirely different beast compared to urinary. Something about the two sphincters being weak or something… Vestigial marking behaviors? Nah, they’ll never buy that… Satisfied with his headfur, Hunter set to work lathering up his nether regions. A few minutes later, he was cleaned and rinsed but even then he remained in the shower. He peaked through his shower curtain, staring out at the pair of clippers resting on top of his bathroom sink. I can’t believe I’m doing this… Reaching out with a dripping paw, he clasped at the razor and set to work cleaning up his bottom and front as best as he could without nicking himself. He walked out later that morning to his class, several pieces of toilet paper stuck to his ass that he tried his absolute best to push out of his mind. 𓁥 𓁢 𓐭 Hunter thought about the message he had read on DaringTare.com that morning as he sat in class, replaying the single line over and over. Postponed a week… Great… More time to crap myself while I sleep… He was in a sour mood, having felt somewhat wary about the fact that his reality had not warped significantly aside from his smelly mornings. Hunter had decided that interacting with the brooch as little as possible was likely the best course of action, after having taken a photo of it to study its hieroglyphs and putting it away. He had managed to make no sense of the inscriptions on the piece of jewelry, other than they appeared to be dedicated to protecting its wearer to some degree. Something to do with life… But what? He had no clue, and he was not too keen on reexamining the object. Still, maybe if he showed it to the bounty hunter when he decided it was time for them to meet again he could make heads or tales of it. The fennec had a feeling that the investigation into what had happened to his aunt was not going well, mostly from how terse the messages from the badger had been. Hunter glanced down at his laptop, and saw that a message from Malissa was pending. Opening it, he read through her message while doing his best to appear as if he were still taking notes on what the professor was saying. So you gonna tell me what’s up or are you trying to keep things discrete? Hunter had been expecting this, and he replied a minute later after jotting down a few lines in his notes. I’m seeing a doctor about it, he’s running some genetic tests to see if it's hereditary. Malissa replied almost immediately. So like, has this happened before? Do I lie? Hunter considered, having felt awful about lying before even though he was given every indication from his friends that they could be trusted. He could not tell them the whole truth, they would think he was losing it. He had to come up with a half-lie, something that was believable but would keep them from thinking he needed to take a gap semester to regain his marbles. I was late for potty-training even as a kid, but no this has been a recent development. Pissing me off tbh. A bubble popped up indicating that Malissa was typing back, followed promptly by her message. I think you meant ‘me pissing’ but go off sister. Hunter was quick to reply. Since when is your name Jack? The fennec shook his head, not realizing that his movement was likely to be seen by his professor. He looked up to receive a steely eyed glint from the puma that was at the front of the classroom, and he felt his face redden. He averted his gaze, switching back to his notes for a few minutes as he did his best to pay attention. After he felt like he could steal a glance back as his direct messenger, Malissa’s response was waiting for him. He’s beginning to rub off on me isn’t he? Still, figured I’d keep this light. My cousin is incontinent by the way, I could ask him if he has any advice without mentioning you if you like. I’ll take the L if he thinks it’s me, lol. Hunter would have smiled gratefully if he were not trying to keep his muzzle as blank as possible. Still, his tail swished behind him once indicating his happiness. He felt grateful that Malissa was being supportive, he needed it more than he had initially realized. It had been lonely having to deal with this issue on his own, if only she knew the truth that he was not suffering from a medical malady but an ancient Egyptian curse his aunt had so generously given to him to deal with. Oh the words I would have to say to her if I ever met her… He thought grimly, the corner of his muzzle tightening as he tabbed back to his notes. His mother had always seemed rather fond of her, even if there was always a hint of sadness to the fact that they rarely saw each other. Whatever this cheetah was, he was sure that she was not worth the time his mother spent missing her. Hunter’s nostrils flared, deciding that he should actually focus on the material for the class he was currently in. He set a reminder on his computer to ask Malissa to inquire with her cousin, as that might actually be useful. He did not feel like looking up any material on the internet to deal with his current problem, as he was sure that whatever the curse was it would be paying close attention to his internet history. The last thing he needed to do was to give it any new ideas. For what must have been the thirtieth time that day, Hunter stopped himself from reaching back and scratching his behind. He had not shaved well enough apparently, because he had been itching that entire day.

Epilogue Janet’s memories of her previous life had just about vanished completely from her mind. She still had the occasional dream where she recalled a few people, places, and feelings she had had when amongst her own kind. Those, however, were quickly forgotten upon waking, evaporating in the morning sun as the dew on the many flowers and bushes did every day on the Isle of Foxes. The young woman had trouble forming any coherent thoughts at this point, beyond the primal instincts of hunger, tiredness, and the desire for cleanliness whenever she had properly soiled herself and desired a change. In fact, there was really little difference between her and an actual infant other than her size. She would fuss, and communicated the majority of her feelings through giggling happily or beginning to cry when she yearned for a specific kind of attention. The foxes, of course, were always quick to quiet her down so as not to displease the matron or the chieftess, as the responsibilities of their new pet were taken very, very seriously. She rarely wanted for anything, since to her the greatest pleasure she could receive was a stomach full of warm milk, and the soft caress of the sponge baths she received whenever her mostly liquid diet poured through her and into the back seat of her diaper. The clacking of plastic keys or the bouncing of a stuffed animal puppeted by one of the foxes attending her was the greatest form of entertainment she could possibly imagine. An increasingly effective distraction whenever the foxes cleaned her, or wanted to lure her to another part of their village as the source of evening entertainment when she was to be put on parade. To an extent, they had some relative success with training her. The leash that was attached to her collar was one that she had become well familiar with. She would no longer fuss or pull when she was led about on her hands and knees, her padded rear giving her a distinct waddle that the tribe found most amusing. As long as there was something brightly colored in front of her, or soft and cuddly like the stuffed animals the foxes had collected for her, she would be more than willing to blindly follow wherever the foxes guided her. She had become used to her routine, which consisted mostly of being fed and cooed over by the foxes. She was no longer tied up every night, as her will was no longer strong enough to even conceptualize the idea of escaping. Instead, several of the foxes had put their strengths together and constructed a large crib for her that remained in the tent she was originally held hostage in. The bars of the crib could be locked into place with wooden beams that were simply too heavy for her to lift, even if she had any idea how to remove them. During the night, she was snuggly locked in and given several of her stuffies for company. And throughout the night, several foxes would check in on her to ensure that she was sleeping soundly, as well as to check on the state of her diaper. She would occasionally need changing throughout the night to prevent any rashes, as both she and the foxes had learned the hard way. Though they had the salves needed to cure the rash, they still preferred to keep her clean and happy as opposed to constantly sniffling due to a glowing red bum. This too she became accustomed to, after a few nights of behaving fussily due to being woken up, she eventually learned to simply relax and keep her eyes closed while the foxes wiped her down and repowdered her bottom. She would mumble, and occasionally babble at them during her midnight changes, but stay well behaved enough for them to do their job. The foxes had also come to the conclusion that it was easiest to keep her clean by keeping her freshly shaven. Carved seashells were used to meticulously keep her completely hairless all the way up to her neck. There was some debate on whether shaving her completely bald would be easier, as maintaining the hair on her head required additional maintenance to keep clean from natural sweat and grime. However, after several of the female foxes had found great pleasure in braiding and otherwise decorating her hair with bows, shells, and beads, it was decided that she would be allowed to keep her hair. After all, some of the foxes had joked, the only way to make a human look even more unappealing is to remove the only plethora of fur they could enjoy. So she was maintained, shaved once a week to keep her mess an easier ordeal to deal with and thus keeping her completely smooth. Her skin was somewhat of an oddity and a great point of interest to the foxes. With soap they would lather her, keeping her smooth and soft to the touch. The stroking of fur covered paws over her sensitive skin was a source of great pleasure for both her and the foxes, and so they fell into a mutual exchange of caressing and enjoying being caressed. She was their pet, and what good is a pet than to give soft, physical attention to for the pleasure of both parties. With their new docile charge now a part of their daily life, the task of educating the younger foxes on how to take care of their special, infantilized guest had become the new item on the agenda for the tribe. With it came many lessons and instructions, which were all the duty of the matron fox who was viewed as the fox that had the most experience and skill when it came to taking care of Janet. Hidden amongst the vine-covered trees, a small group of young foxes were gathered round the matron, listening intently as she continued to lecture on the subject of the day. “Now, normally getting all of the food into her tummy is as problematic as she gets. There’s a very specific way of spooning it into her mouth, which I will demonstrate…” One of the foxes began to whisper to his neighbor, smirking as he did so and nodding over to the young woman. Janet had been leashed to a small post outside of her nursery hut, and was drooling profusely. A spot of sunshine had alighted on her forehead, and the warmth that came with it was dulling her already passive mind to a pleasurable level of numbness. The fox whispered, “She looks even dumber than a toddler kit that got into his mother’s berry stash and ate his fill.” The other fox gave him a look, not wanting to get into trouble since they were both supposed to be paying attention. Still, she could not help but feel the corners of her lip twitch as she imagined what her friend said in her head. It was accurate, stupefied and full of sugary berries the human did very well appeared as if she were stuffed to the gills and unable to think. “Just look at her diaper, how does that thing even hold up when she’s pooping in it five times a day?” One of the other foxes whispered to another, who was unable to contain her reaction and laughed so loudly that it caused heads to swivel in their direction. The matron looked over the heads of her students at the two whispering foxes in disapproval, her voice taking on a forced sweetness as she addressed them. “Mara, since you seem to be so interested in the baby’s diaper I’m sure you would love to volunteer to help me through a diaper change demonstration.” Mara, the fox who had laughed nodded sheepishly. Her friend next to her was keeping her eyes low, and Mara glanced sideways at her to give a playfully dirty look. Deciding that she ought to make the best of the situation, the young fox moved past her other classmates who stared at her as she walked past them. She could tell they were not envious of her, but getting the matron’s attention and personal instruction was something to be coveted. After all, the vixen in charge had announced that by the end of the course, one of the foxes would be nominated to be her successor. Being the matron fox was only a few steps away from being the chieftess, and even if it meant being on diaper duty 24/7 it remained a much desired position in the fox tribe. Mara stood in front of Janet now, her forepaws crossing over her front as she waited for the matron to instruct her. Janet’s eyes wandered up from the keyring she had been chewing on and alighted on Mara, her blank expression barely registering that a new individual had presented herself to Janet. From what Mara understood, Janet struggled to distinguish between the foxes except for the matron and the chieftess. With so much time spent with her, Janet had started to call the matron fox “Mama” and the chieftess “Gama” to the great amusement of the entire tribe. The matron addressed Mara, her attention snapping up to the vixen’s face. “After the baby finishes her lunch, she usually has a routine mess that we try to clean up as soon as it happens.” Behind her, Mara’s young, sensitive ears picked up another whispered comment. “Just look at how big her diaper is now, it’s going to take forever to wipe her down!” Another came shortly afterward. “Why isn’t she bibbed all the time? She produces as much drool as the ocean has water in it…” Mara nodded, swiveling her ears forward towards the matron as not to become too distracted by the teasing behind her. The matron appeared to take note of this, and nodded approvingly as she knelt down in front of Janet. Placing a paw authoritatively on her chest, she pushed on Janet until the woman relented and laid down on her back. The matron spoke, placing the paw on the front of Janet’s diaper, which had turned slightly discolored and was visibly swollen with pee. “The baby is used to her diapers being changed, but will occasionally grow fussy if they take too long. This is easily remedied by giving her a toy to keep her distracted while you clean her up. She knows to behave when she is being changed, but sometimes grows bored and needs a little entertainment.” The matron nodded inside of the tent, continuing to speak. “Jump in there and get a stuffed animal, any will do.” Moving promptly as ordered, Mara stepped over Janet’s lythe form and into the hut. Spotting a basket full of toys almost immediately, she selected a brightly colored canine she thought would serve the purpose of keeping the oversized baby stimulated. She returned at once, and the matron nodded approvingly once more. The matron raised her voice, turning her head to address the class once more. “Now watch carefully as I undo the tapes, it’s important to keep the diaper unfolded underneath her while you clean her up. You will be disposing of the wipes and diaper in one package.” A ripple of excited chittered broke through the class as they watched the matron work, the noise rising so much that the teasing began to come out in full force. “She’s so smelly, eugh!” “Should we be feeding her so much if she poops like this?” “So it is the diaper that gives her such a big butt, she’s so doofy!” “I bet she’s super ticklish while she’s being changed!” “She’s getting drool all over the stuffie now!” Janet was indeed intently gnawing on that stuffed animal’s ear during her change, seemingly completely oblivious to the fact that she was now stark naked in front of a captivated audience. Mara stood at attention next to the kneeling matron, watching closely as the matron wiped downwards and began to clean up Janet’s bottom. “We haven’t had a rash in a few weeks, but that does not mean that we don’t want to take steps against this. This salve that we make usually does the trick, dab between her buttocks like this when you finish cleaning her up. Grasping Janet by the legs, she lifted her up before sliding the dirtied diaper out from underneath her. Turning her head to Mara, the matron addressed her. “Hand me a clean diaper now, would you dear?” Mara obeyed, stooping to pick one up from the pile that stood outside of Janet’s nursery hut before pawing it over to the matron. Accepting it, the matron used one paw to unfold before sliding it underneath Janet’s raised bottom, speaking up. “If you’re changing her alone, this is usually sufficient. However the baby usually likes to have her diaper fluffed before it’s taped up. You can make up for that, however, by giving her diaper a few pats after putting it on her.” With deft paws, the matron lowered Janet’s looks and brought out the wings of her diaper over the woman’s thighs. Raising the front of her padding over her privates, the matron completed the tape job with practiced ease. Turning, she spoke to Mara as a smile spread across her face. “Would you pat her diaper bottom for me, Mara?” Kneeling beside the matron, Mara extended a paw forward and began to gently pat Janet’s bottom. The woman raised her legs up to allow her better access to it, and began to gurgle appreciatively at the attention. She cooed, audibly pleased with the attention she was receiving. The motley group of young foxes behind her burst into delighted laughter, the uproar rising in volume as their teasing intensified. “Look at the happy little baby!” “She’s probably going to poop again now…” “She’s such a big diaper dummy!” “The baby almost chewed the stuffie’s ear off!” “Is she peeing? I think she’s peeing…” “Mara’s the baby’s new Mommy! The baby loves her!” At this last comment, Mara grew visibly red in the face. The matron flatly ignored all of the commentary, balling up Janet’s used diaper into a neat package before turning to the crowd. The vixen spotted the young fox who had shouted the last comment, giving him a fish-eyed glare as she held the soiled diaper in front of her. The matron spoke, a steely sweetness in her voice as she addressed the fox boy. “Vic, you will be so kind as to take the baby’s used diaper to the disposal area.” The crowd’s jeering stopped, and they all “Oohed” collectively at the crest-fallen fox who was tasked with dirty diaper duty. He nodded glumly, reaching forward to accept the diaper from the matron. Holding it a foot away from his chest, he awkwardly stepped away headed towards the dispenser. Behind him, the foxes giggled at him as a few gave him a friendly wave goodbye. The matron clapped her paws, bringing their attention back to her as she chittered. “Now then, the baby is going to be put down for her nap for the afternoon but we will convene later after she has finished resting. This evening we will go over how to give her a bath, which may be necessary if her diaper is especially dirty.” The foxes gave restrained nods, keeping their thoughts to themselves for once as they thanked the matron for her time. As they began to depart, the matron turned to Mara. “Thank you for helping me today Mara, I think the baby took a liking to you.” Mara smiled, close-lipped, and nodded her appreciation to the matron’s thanks. Her gaze turned back to Janet, who appeared to be blinking sleepily while she continued to chew on her toy. The young woman appeared very much ready for a nap, having become somewhat tuckered out from so much attention during her public diaper change. ⤐ ⬷ “As you can see, lifting the handle of the spoon upwards aids in making sure most of the morsel remains inside of her mouth.” The matron removed the spoon from Janet’s mouth, scooping another portion of applesauce from the container in her right paw before repeating the movement she had just described. The class had gathered around her once more, as it was now dinner time for Janet a couple of hours after her nap had ended. There was some excitement in the group of gathered foxes, as it was announced at the beginning of the session that Janet would be receiving a sponge bath during which several of the foxes would be expected to directly assist. The feedback had started up once more, which Janet blithely ignored even as some more applesauce dripped down from her chin and onto her bib, which displayed a small feral fox design on its pink front. “Could she even feed herself if she tried?” “She’s still drooling!” “We’re going to have to change her after her bath I bet…” “Is she peeing right now?” “She can’t even close her legs because of her diaper!” “Do you think the matron would let us take rides on the baby’s back while she’s crawling around?” Mara stood close to the matron, as that day’s previous direct participation had given him something of a confidence boost. She had not minded helping in taking care of the baby, and the daunting prospect of potentially being in charge of her well-being seemed just a little bit less scary now. The matron spoke up once more, reading for another cup of applesauce preservation before opening it with a protracted claw. “The baby usually needs to eat at least four of these containers if that’s what she’s having for dinner. If she gets hungry later, it’s likely because she did not have her fill before. We prefer to make sure she’s full so we don’t have to deal with the cleanup after any midnight snacks.” The foxes nodded, Mara making eye contact with the matron before the matron began to spoon in the last of the applesauce, speaking up once more. “Mara, dearest, would you go into the nursery and grab her bathing supplies? It’ll all be in a tub with sponges and washcloths in it. There should be some warmed up water in there as well, by the firepit.” The young fox promptly obeyed, returning a few minutes later with a small plastic tub filled with soapy water containing several floating sponges and clothes inside. Nodding approvingly, the matron pointed with an applesauce covered spoon to a patch of grass next to Janet, chittering softly. “Right there, yes. We’ll give her her bath in the open today, the sun will keep the water warm.” The excitement grew as the last of the applesauce was consumed, leaving Janet with a face, bib, and chest covered in small smatterings of the sweet fruit. She appeared ripe for the bathing, and the class of young foxes appeared eager to get their paws wet. “Now everyone, I’m going to take the baby’s diaper and bib off and I expect everyone to grab a sponge or cloth. Remember to dab gently, we want to keep her skin soft.” There was the sound of swishing tails and paws scampering over to the tub, where each fox in turn took a soaked washing item in preparation. The vixen made short work of Janet’s bib, checking to see how wet her diaper was before taking it off and carefully folding it nearby to be reapplied once the bath was complete. “She might pee herself during the bath!” One of the foxes exclaimed, to which the matron replied in a matter-of-fact tone. “Then she will water the grass, come along let's get her sudsy” Janet was coaxed onto the grassy spot, and laid out on her back. She gurgled, staring up dumbly at the group of foxes that loomed over her and began to gently massage her with their washcloths. The young woman smiled, enjoying the sensation of warm water being gently poured over her as the foxes spoiled her with their attention. Accompanied by an ever growing amount of commentary, that is. “Imagine how badly she would smell if we didn’t clean her up like this!” “She smells bad anyway…” “I’ve got the apple sauce on her face!” “Hey, I wanted to clean that!” “She has to be the biggest baby in the whole world…” “Hey look! She’s ticklish on her feet!” “Do we scrub behind her ears or not?” The matron looked on, watching approvingly as the foxes took eagerly to their work. She would occasionally add some constructive criticism, guiding the foxes towards the idea that Janet should be cleaned from head to toe. Janet’s head was eventually lowered into the tub, and the matron demonstrated how her hair should be washed and cleaned, utilizing a different kind of soap. “She smells so good now!” “I wish she smelled like this all the time…” “It’s a good thing we keep her shaved for these baths, but doesn’t she get cold?” “Haha, her dirty diapers keep her warm enough I bet!” “Hey baby! Look at these jingly keys!” “Careful she doesn’t start chewing on your paws, you look just like her stuffies!” “Do not!” “Do too!” As the bath eventually drew to its conclusion, the matron’s eyes met with Mara’s before she posed a question. “Mara, would you like to be the one to put the baby’s diaper back on?” The young vixen swallowed, taking a moment to think about it before nodding hesitantly. The other foxes quieted down as they watched her pick up Janet’s partially used diaper. Turning, she knelt down in front of Janet who had now mostly dried up in the sun’s rays. Awkwardly at first, the vixen spread the young woman’s legs before grasping her by the ankles the same way she had seen the vixen do. Unfolding the diaper with her other free paw, and seeing that it was already pretty soggy inside, she slid it underneath Janet’s raised cheeks, which gleamed in the sunlight. Once her bottom was over the back of the diaper, Mara lowered her legs and spread them apart again. For a moment she appeared lost for what to do next, but the matron remained quiet. She was watching intently, hoping to see that Mara had been paying close attention during their previous lesson. At last, Mara appeared to figure out what she should do next. Bringing Janet’s legs closer together, she pulled at the wings of the diaper and brought the heavy, soaked front of the diaper over the young woman’s privates. Next, the tape job. Mara could tell that she was certainly not as adept at this part as the matron, but to her satisfaction she was able to secure them in a fashion that appeared snug, if not entirely symmetrical. When the task had been completed, the foxes cheered and clapped for Mara who appeared a little flustered at the attention. “Well done Mara, that should keep the baby clean and comfortable for the night.” The other foxes began to disperse, as the matron announced shortly afterward that class was done for the day. Mara remained behind, having volunteered to escort Janet to her crib for the evening. Speaking to the matron, Mara allowed herself a bit of her own humor to show as she asked. “So, what’s the most number of diapers the baby has gone through in a day?” To her surprise, the matron chuckled and shook her head. A second later, she replied with humor in her voice. “Nine, she had the runs that day. It was awful…” Mara laughed in response, giving Janet’s leash and soft tug as the two vixens guided her back to her tent, where she would be secured into her crib for the night. Undoubtedly, she would need to be changed once more the following morning after her bedtime accidents.

Thank you! I particularly enjoyed putting this chapter together to breathe a little life into a mysterious character. She may be appearing once more in the future as well.~

Chapter Sixteen The Christmas Party 14 years earlier… Agatha Tare gazed out at the motley collection of furs that milled about her. She noted a group of mildly overweight men eyeing the eggnog in the corner, glancing from each other to their wives as if daring each other to make the first move. The cheetah allowed herself a small smile of amusement, her earlier sense of annoyance dissipating as she reminded herself that she should be grateful for such small social details of regular civilian life. Better than wondering whether the blue-eyed skink in front of you is hiding a shink in his drawers… Her grin broadened. Sure, she was more than a little bored of the idle small-talk she was forced to endure. None of the people had anything tangible to offer her other than small, impersonal compliments about her stature for her age. But family was family, and her niece had insisted in multiple letters that she make the trip home for the holidays. As if sensing that her Aunt was thinking about her, a petit fennec maneuvered her way past to the bears that were now helping themselves to the aforementioned eggnog while doing their best to act as casual as possible. “Auntie.” Camilla beamed, the fennec’s eyes sparkling the same shade of emerald as the cheetahs. It was their little joke, that despite the vast genetic difference in their respective species that it was they and only they that were actually related. Agatha had been adopted, a fact that she undoubtedly was sure had spawned her aptitude for maintaining her cool while in spaces she did not belong. Her family had done their best to include her, but to be a female cat that towered above her vulpine relations was an aspect of her physiology that always served to remind her that she did not belong. But that was decades ago. Still, it was only with Camilla that she did not feel as if she were an alien living amongst dwarves. “Sweetheart, it’s good to see you.” The two embraced, several of the other furs giving them space as even those who met Agatha at eye level found her mildly intimidating. Perhaps it was her choice of dress, a dazzlingly green dress held together by a brooch on her upper left breast. The opals sparkled in the radiance given off the Christmas tree lights, giving the item an alluringly dangerous aura. “You don’t even know how happy I am that you were able to make it, how was the flight?” Agatha shook her head, closing her eyes for a moment and smiling closed-lipped. Camilla was quick on the uptake. “Did they put you in the cargo hold again?” Agatha put an offended paw on her chest, recoiling slightly as she pretended to appear insulted. “That’s rich coming from someone who would fit comfortably in the overhead luggage compartment.” Camilla beamed, twisting her shoulders from side to side while clasping her paws in front of her. It was her adorable face, one she knew that the cheetah had an immense soft spot for. “They say I’m so light I actually help keep the aircraft aloft!” Agatha laughed, a sharp high pitched bark coming from her throat as her shoulders shook. It was an alarming sound, rich with mirth to cause the other houseguests to falter in their respective conversations. The two ignored them, uncaring that their conversation was drawing attention. The cheetah felt her sense of boredom disappear entirely, forgotten now that she was in the presence of one of the few family members she truly loved. As she felt warmth blooming in her face, her mind darted back to the latest mention in Camilla’s letters. “Well, are you going to introduce us?” Camilla’s eyes blanked for a moment, before lighting up in recognition of what Agatha was insinuating. She yipped, excitedly nodding before nodding over towards the direction of the other room. “Yes, of course! We’ve given him a Christmas present to open early, he’s in his bedroom.” After Camilla excused herself from a guest that was inquiring if there was any more eggnog available, the fennec guided the cheetah through the hall and through an open bedroom door. A small kit was sitting cross-legged on the floor, currently in the midst of constructing a miniature LEGO set and completely occupied by the task. “Hunter sweetheart, I’d like you to meet your Great Aunt.” The kit looked up, his eyes wide with curiosity as he looked at the cheetah. He appeared a bit unsure at first, the intimidating visage of the African cat causing him some pause in what to say next. A second later, however, he recovered and spoke up. “It’s nice to meet you.” Camilla beamed, happy that her son had remembered his manners. Closed-lipped, Agatha smiled back and nodded a greeting while blinking once. She studied him for a moment, noting that she appeared the spitting image of his mother, save for his eyes. He met her gaze, raising her degree of respect for him as he appeared relatively comfortable with someone that was a good five times his own height. He’ll do. She thought to herself, raising a paw reflexively to her brooch and adjusting it. Camilla continued to speak, introducing Agatha. “This is Auntie Tare, she’s an Egyptologist situated in Egypt if you’ll believe it.” Chortling, the fennec nudged the cheetah in the side and gave her a look. Agatha got the message, and stooped down to peer at the half-constructed pile of plastic bricks that Hunter was working on. “Why don’t you tell me what you’re working on there, Hunter?” His eyes lighting up, the kidfur launched into a detailed explanation as to what he was trying to make. Of all things, it was a replica of the tomb of Tutankhamen. Agatha found herself rather intrigued by the spirit and vocabulary of the little fennec, surprised by the fact that she was more interested in what he had to say about his construction set than the droning on of the adults she had left behind. Camilla eventually excused herself, pleased to see that the two appeared to be bonding almost immediately. Agatha found herself sitting cross-legged beside Hunter, aiding in the construction of the LEGO set. Hunter was quite pleased to have a partner in his project, and eagerly handed over several of the bricks for her to work on in parallel to him. The cheetah was enjoying herself, though she would not have predicted this. Normally she was dismissive of children, but there was something special about spending time with one that she was related to. She found him cute, and realized that she actually cared for him in the same manner she cared for her niece Camilla. Agatha was a hardy beast, and only a few times in her life had she actually found any affection for anyone else. But Hunter was different, small and young as he was, she found that she was already beginning to feel proud to be able to call herself his Aunt. Within the hour, they had completed the LEGO set. Raising a paw up, Agatha’s voice caught in her throat at the awkwardness at her attempt to bond with the little fox. But Hunter was quick on the uptake, smacking it gently with his own; the little fennec smiled toothily at his aunt, pleased by the high five. “Very good Hunter, this looks just like the real thing!” She was not lying either, whoever had designed the set clearly had studied the schematics of the ancient tomb themselves. Hunter replied with excitement in his voice. “Have you been there? Momma mentioned that you worked with Egyptians.” Dead ones, mostly. Or soon to be. Agatha thought grimly to herself, but quickly nodded serenely after having decided that shielding this young fox was now her duty. “Indeed I do, I’ve actually seen a mummy before in real life as well.” “A mummy! I’ve got one of those!” Agatha laughed. He really had a spark in his head, undoubtedly inherited from his mother. The cheetah could hardly believe herself, she was actually enjoying spending time with her nephew. Her heart hurt, the same way it hurt whenever she thought about how it was only Camilla who had ever understood her. The regal cheetah had reached a decision, even as she launched into a family friendly version of one of her adventures she had become resolute in her latest desire. He would inherit her gifts. This little kit, young as he was, had shown no fear in connecting with her despite the fact that she always seemed to stand out. He was deserving of her great feats, and she would do everything in her power to ensure that his life was a long and happy one. Almost too soon, Camilla was at the door appearing exceptionally pleased. She spoke, powdered sugar on her apron. “Hunter, would you and Auntie Tare like some gingerbread cookies? They’re fresh out of the oven.” Hunter looked to Agatha, his eyes wide with excitement and Agatha found that she could not have said no even if she had wanted to. “Make sure you leave some for Santa Claws” She replied with a smile, her teeth showing now as her face relaxed. As Hunter practically leapt to his feat, grabbing his aunt by the paw and pulling her out of his bedroom, Camilla and Agatha exchanged a quick look. Camilla appeared slightly amused at how much Agatha was allowing herself to show that she was having fun. But for once, the cheetah did not have a care in the world as to what people were judging her for. She was spending time with her nephew, a small window of her life she knew she would treasure for the rest of her life. She could only hope that Hunter would remember her as fondly as she would him.

Chapter Fifteen Jack in the Box It had become a morning ritual to check DaringTare.com in hopes of seeing a notification waiting to be read in his inbox. And every morning, with unyielding regularity there was nothing for Hunter to read. Except today, however, Hunter did a double take at his phone screen. He was still in bed, having woken up before his alarm and had been enjoying wallowing in his sodden night time diaper. Since he had started to wear regularly at night, it was as if his bladder had given up completely. Waking up in a diaper that had grown cold and damp was still something that sent his heart thumping in the mornings. Despite the necessity of his mattress protecting measures, he still found the experience of needing the diapers a thought that made his heart flutter. This morning his circulatory system was racing for other reasons, as he hastily tapped the inbox icon and waited for the page to load. The message he opened had no subject, and was rather short and to the point. Wait for a follow-up message in one week. The fennec let out a sigh. It was not much, but at least it was something that could keep him in the loop. Hunter pulled the covers off of him and looked down at the swollen pamp between his legs. He had tried to make sure not to drink too much water before bed, but he had no doubt that the curse had something to do with how full his nighttime diapers were in the morning. Every morning started with him waddling to the bathroom, the droop from his padding reaching down to the middle of his thighs. As much as he wanted to dislike this part of the curse, the flips his stomach performed when he realized that he woke up after another soggy night were a thrill he was becoming addicted to. If it wasn’t for his real life getting in the way, he would have probably welcomed this change after some consideration. The feeling of safety and comfort going to bed every night with the knowledge that he had nothing to worry about was euphoric. The softness of the padding between his legs, the cutesy designs running up the front to pack, the cuddly characters cheering him on on the diaper’s landing zone. Hunter was slowly but surely coming to look forward to falling asleep, as it was after the day’s assignments and obligations that he could finally have some time to himself and his new favorite article of clothing. Once or twice, he had even woken up feeling rather stiff in his soggy diaper. The excitement and potential of such squishy softness hugging him from all directions had been a little too much excitement for the little fox. After all, the practice of imagining just how much enjoyment he could derive from getting off in his soggy diapers was just a little too much like staring into the abyss for Hunter. It was in the mornings when he would put on his regular underwear that he would remind himself that he was trying to break the curse, not indulge himself in it. Still, he would always breathe a sigh of relief that following evening when he was finally able to snuggly tape himself up into his favorite type of underwear. 𓁥 𓁢 𓐭 It was one of the underwear transformation days, Hunter came to realize shortly after lunch with his friends. It was in the middle of one of his classes that he had shifted his weight in his seat, only to have a muffled crinkle reach his ears. He had not reacted of course, judging from such a sound he figured that anyone who might have heard it would have just assumed he had a candy wrapper or something in his pocket. The fennec had continued to type away at his notes, occasionally glancing up to make eye contact with his professor. As was his habit, he checked the clock on his laptop to see how much time was left in class. Only a few minutes, and afterward he would get ahead on his assignments at the library. Even given his recent infantilizing circumstances, he had not been lying to Malissa and Jack about wanting to double down on school. He had been putting in the hours, and his grades were looking like they were on the uptick. Especially Calculus, which after managing to ace a pop quiz he had gotten a boost in confidence for. “Alright, I think that should wrap up today’s agenda. Class dismissed.” The dire wolf nodded towards the door nonchalantly, putting down his piece of chalk and striding over to his briefcase. Maybe he’s not in the mood to lecture today either… Hunter thought to himself, unplugging the charger to his laptop and gathering up his items. Within a minute, he was outside and making his way towards the central university grounds. The air was beginning to grow a little chilly, as with the approach of finals in a month came the onset of late autumn. This was one of Hunter’s favorite times of the year, and the sight of the many multi-colored leaves litter the border of the sidewalk ahead of him. Unbeknownst to Hunter, his tail began to flag reflexively behind him as he was lost in his reverie. He thought nothing was amiss, other than a momentary pressure in his lower abdomen he had cringed at slightly. Think I’ll visit the men’s room before getting down to it… Scanning his student ID at the front door of the library, he made his way up the stairs to the second floor when his mind wandered to the pullups he was wearing. It was really comfortable when it came to cushioning his rear end. His mind half distracted, he wondered if it had been that cushy around his bottom when it had first manifested itself. The fact that spontaneous transmutations of matter occurred to him on a daily basis was something he should be used to, but for some reason the way it was pressing up against him with an added firmness seemed off. Glancing over his shoulder to check that no fur was behind him, Hunter reached back with a paw and gave his posterior a squeeze. It is squishy… But how… Hunter twitched his nose. There it was, the faint whiff of what he had been fearing for several weeks now violating his nostrils. Shit.. Shit shit shit… Hunter’s mind raced, as he hastily made his way up the stairs and darted for the closest bathroom. Once inside a stall, he leaned against the door and considered his options. He had no spare underwear, and nothing to properly clean himself up with. Nothing but toilet paper, and he had a feeling that would serve as a poor substitute to the shower he would need to properly clean his fur. Not to mention, even if he did make it back to his apartment without anyone noticing the fact that he had just pooped his pants it would be another hour until he would be finished properly cleaning himself up. Which means I’m going to miss Calculus again… Hunter sighed, having come to the conclusion that something like this would be inevitable. His life had been too uneventful, besides the nightly wet accidents. But this of all things, having a messy accident during the day while he was. The fennec realized that he was not sure when he had messed himself, meaning that he could have been walking out of class with a particularly plump behind. Not productive, think about now. Hunter grimaced to himself, his ear twitching in irritation as he mentally traced the shortest path he could take to his apartment. He would have to be brisk, but moving around would only further embed the mess into the fur of his butt. Hunter wondered briefly how actual mammalian mothers put up with this, having to deep clean their pup’s or kitten’s bottom every time they had a bowel movement. They probably have special wipes for it or something… Having decided his course of action, Hunter tried not to think about what this would mean going forward if he would have to be on the lookout for unanticipated messy pull-ups. Maybe I should be grateful that I’m at least wearing a pullup… Taking in a breath, Hunter opened the stall door to come face to face with none-other than Jack. Hunter felt the front of his pullup grow warm as he wet himself, the surprise of seeing his friend at such an awkward moment a little too much for his weakened bladder.

He did just that, thanks!~ Chapter Fourteen Pee-Pants “Hunter! Dude, wake up!” There was a paw on his shoulder, shaking him as the fennec’s eyes shot up with a start. He yelled, looking around bewildered before raising a paw to clamp his mouth shut. He was in the study room, the one they had reserved that evening, the one that he had called Malissa and Jack into because of his recent social withdrawal under the guise of a need to study. It’s what, four in the afternoon? Hunter blinked, swallowing the lump in his throat as he tried to calm himself down. He was fine, what he had just experienced was just a dream. Albeit, one that he would have sworn was actually happening to him. That vixen’s fur, it had felt so real, so tangible, so soft and warm. Like water seeping between his paws he could hold onto the memory of what she had felt like, what it had been like to have his diaper changed, and how blissful it had all felt until he had seen the brooch pinned to her breast. And then, like the darkness that had gripped him after he started screaming, a cold clamminess fell over him. Except this time, it wasn’t coming from all around him causing to feel like he was suffocating. It was coming from around his waist. Hunter gaped, his eyes wandering downwards as if in slow motion as he beheld the sizable stain on the front of his jeans. He had wet himself in his sleep, plain and simple. How he had fallen asleep in the first place was beyond him, but he suspected it might have been due to his previous irregular sleeping patterns before he decided to bite the bullet and wear diapers at night. This was completely different, of course, as he had nodded off in the middle of the day long enough for his somnial incontinence to strike with a fury. Not only that, but his two friends had noticed at just about the same time he had. “Dude…” Jack said flatly, aghast as he stared almost incomprehensible at the stream of dripping urine that was beginning to pool beneath Hunter’s chair. Malissa gave Jack a warning look, but Hunter barely noticed the exchange as he began to blubber. “I… I didn’t… I didn’t mean… How… Why did…” Malissa interjected softly. “Hey, it’s okay. I think it’s just stress. You’ve been putting your mind after your needs for school and your body took record. It happens.” Hunter shook his head, knowing that it was not the stress of school that was causing it. Well, maybe a little bit. After all, he was keeping an eternal youth curse secret from everyone while trying to maintain a normal college life. He was sure that stress was certainly compounding the current situation, but detangling that element from the curse was a problem he really did not care to solve at the moment. Hunter’s voice was strained, he could feel the panic beginning to well up in his stomach as he had not seen something like this happening so unexpectedly. “What-” Malissa cut him off, her voice stable. “Jack, head over to the gym and grab some sweats from your locker.” Jack turned to her, the weasel still processing what she said as he stuttered out half of a question. “What about-” “Just do it, Jack. We’ll wait here.” Malissa gave him a look, and he averted his gaze. Almost tripping over the legs of his chair as he got up, Jack grabbed his bookbag and left the room with some haste in his step. The two were now alone, otter and fox. Hunter knew what she was about to ask him before she even opened her muzzle. “Hunter, is everything okay? Is there something you’re not telling us?” Oh if you only knew how much I would want to confide in someone like now. Malissa was only a few inches from his own face, having scooched closer to put a paw on his shoulder. The movement was meant to be comforting, but Hunter felt himself growing hot in the face. They were at an intimate distance, and feelings began to well up inside of the fennec he certainly did not want to face while sitting in a puddle of his own making. “Just… Look, it’s a species specific thing… Fennecs are known to have kind of a weak bladder and with my genes I’m no exception.” Malissa nodded, the corner of her lip lifting as she nodded understandably. She appeared to be empathizing with his chagrin. She spoke up, her pearly white canines flashing as she spoke. “You don’t want to hear me get started on the menstrual cycle of otters, I get it. There are a lot of things that other fursons don’t know about us. This really isn’t a big deal, you know.” “Yeah, it’s having to deal with Jack’s snide comments over the next two weeks that I’m worried about.” The response came out of Hunter before he even realized he said it, and he turned his face away as he felt himself blushing even more. To his surprise, Malissa laughed. She leaned back in her chair, for which Hunter was grateful for as he was beginning to feel more than just his brain react to her closeness. “Ha… Yeah… You’re not going to hear the end of it, pee-pants.” The comment caught Hunter by surprise. Sure, she was no stranger to joining in on the teasing when the two boys would start to verbally roughhouse but he had expected her to be gentle in this moment. The comment did not sting exactly, in fact it mashed his buttons far more than he wished to admit. That combined with the fact that her muzzle was only a few inches away from the tip of his own was really beginning to cause his adrenaline glands to shift into gear. He laughed as well, awkwardly at first. It was so audibly apparent that he did not find her comment amusing that Malissa laughed even harder. This caused Hunter’s feelings of stress to loosen up as well, and before he knew it he was starting to chortle at himself as well. “You… Hahaha… I can’t… Oh, Hunter I’m so- HAHAHA!” Malissa was now wiping tears from her eyes. He could see that some guilt was creeping into her mirth, as she raised her paws up and began to clear the air of invisible smoke as she spoke between breaths. “Look I get it… It’s a medical condition… Haha… But still the look… the look on your face… Hunter, I’m an awful friend really… Hahaha!” Hunter could not help it, he laughed along with her genuinely. He knew that she meant no harm by teasing him. In fact, he realized that he probably ought to be grateful that she dealt the first blow. He had been dreading listening to Jack’s comments about it if something like this ever came to be. But now, hearing a friend who he knew had his best interests in mind and had a relative maturity to match it with, he really couldn’t care less. “I’m warning you…” He said between laughs, holding his sides even as his bladder threatened to release once more due to the convulsions happening with his diaphragm. “I’ll do it during our next Calc test… I’ll take… Hahaha! I’ll take one for the team… Cause a distraction…” “Yes!” Malissa chimed in, holding her right side with one paw as her tail swung wildly behind her. She continued, shaking. “Please! We’ll make a group cheat sheet… Those’ll… Hahaha… Those’ll be the best marks that polar bear will have ever seen!” Hunter chimed in as well, starting to breath in deeply as he tried to calm himself down. “I’ll write it… But… Hehehe… It’s all going to be in purple crayon…” Malissa lost it. At this point, she threw her head back and completely let loose. Had they been in the common area, and not in one of the private study rooms that were essentially soundproof, she would have likely disturbed the entire floor. Malissa laughed, which turned into a squeak causing her face to freeze as before she clasped both paws over her muzzle. Hunter stared at her, now having completely forgotten about his wet jeans as a wide grin spread across his muzzle after he recovered from the shock. The otter cut him off with a finger pointed straight at him as she whispered. “Don’t you dare tell Ja-” “Tell me what?” Jack stood in the doorway, appearing someone left out as he stared at the two of them in confusion. Hunter looked at Malissa. Malissa looked at Hunter. Both of them sported puffed up cheeks as they did their best to contain their mirth at Jack’s expense, appearing as two goldfish mirroring one another. They could not hold it. Once more they fell into fits of giggles, comments about Hunter’s pants and Malissa’s squeak passing through wheezing fits and strained voices. Jack appeared utterly perplexed, and more than a little upset as he tossed a gym bag onto the study room table. “Here’s your new rags dude, now can you two tell me what the hell happened here while I was gone?” This, once again, reignited the laughing fit. Hunter was beginning to feel a stitch growing in his side which he pressed a paw against, almost grateful now that his bladder had voided itself while he slept because he would have undoubtedly lost control then and there. “I’m gonna pee!” Malissa squeaked once more, standing up and attempting to push past Jack who stood stubbornly due to his annoyance at not getting the joke. “Way ahead of you sis!” Hunter yelled back after her, which only caused her to place both of her paws into her crotch. “Stop it, you're a jerk!” She yelled over her shoulder, still laughing uncontrollably, as Jack finally stepped aside and let her pass. Jack crossed his arms as she departed, staring at Jack expectantly. Hunter ignored him, standing up and grabbing the gym bag before unzipping it. Taking out the sweatpants, he pulled his legs through it before picking up the bag and heading for the bathroom himself. “Thanks Jack…” He said, shouldering past him while still breathing deeply. “I’m funny too you know!” Jack yelled after him, which reignited Hunter’s sense of humor. He continued to breathe, however, as he did not want to soak yet another pair of pants. If Malissa were to find out that happened, it would undoubtedly spell the end of her. Hunter was sure that if the otter had laughed more, she would have ruptured something vital. The thought amused him, and he continued to grin giddily as he padded inside of a bathroom stall. Maybe this was not such a bad day after all, even if he did pee his pants.

Hi Sophia, thank you for reading! Heh, I write the majority of my furry stories in a more 'Disney' format. The focus is on the ABDL genre, the characters being fluffy is more of a way to make things even more cute as well as to compose about my client's fursona. You're not the first to bring this up, as usually what I have done is slowly upload my completed stories in an update fashion. Is it possible to move the thread to that spot? I'd love to get more correspondance about this particular manuscript! Thanks again! And there will very much be more.~ Alas, Hunter's on his own when it comes to the curse. For now, at least.

Chapter Thirteen Dreaming Hey, something’s up with you. Hunter read the text on his phone as he felt a hefty sense of trepidation wash over him. His proactive, and sometimes overactive, mind had been preparing for such a scenario. Sure, college was a time of change and of new things but he had suspected that his friends would pick up on his relative withdrawal from socialization lately. He had spent the week in diapers during the evening, which meant inviting his friends over with the inevitable potential sleepover conversation had been a risk he had not been willing to take. Sure, he might have a decent chance at hiding a wet bed even if he did not put on his nightly protection, but the bars on his bed were still there. Hunter had been putting his hopes on the mysterious honey badger ever since the meeting, deciding that if he had to take extra steps to conceal his predicament he would. Still, a week had passed and even after he had sent a follow-up message there had been no response forthcoming from the Australian bounty hunter. Hunter knew he had to respond to the text. She had already seen him read it, and delaying any longer would only arouse further suspicion. It’s Calc. I’m sweatin’ a bit on it. It was mostly true. He had been redoubling his efforts and even pulling overtime in studying in the library. When he was not distracted by thoughts of sitting on a crinkly tushy in the middle of the least populated floor of the stacks, he had actually been making progress. He felt more sure of himself with this upcoming exam, and had even visited the grumpy polar bear in his office hours. “You’ll do alright.” His professor had reassured him, after proofing through the practice problems he had assigned the fox. Hunter knew he was on his side, but he still had to pull his weight in the subject matter if he wanted the score he was going for. The polar bear had no favorites when it came to whoever he was grading on the other side of his red pen, that much had been made clear. Another text from Malissa came through. You sure? You’ve seemed a little off lately, and finals aren’t for another month. You know that your mental health is as important as your grade average, right? He had been too terse with her. Malissa had a way of knowing when people were not telling her the whole truth, unlike Jack who took pretty much everything Hunter told him at face value. For a weasel with as wicked a sense of humor as he possessed, his people reading skills were not nearly as refined as his otter friend’s. I think you’re right on that one, I went to the bear’s office hours a few days ago. Malissa responded almost immediately. Willingly subjecting yourself to more time exposed to that old man? Wow you must be feeling desperate. You don’t even know the half of it on feeling desperate… Deciding that he would have to offer more to the conversation, he decided to ask a question of his own. Do you want to meet up with Jack and I tomorrow and work on a study guide? A minute later, Malissa sent a message back. Sure. 🙂 Hunter breathed a sigh of relief. If he was going to save face, some semi-productive socializing would probably do the trick. He still had not managed to acquire a pair of bolt cutters, and getting together for a “study sesh” in the library would probably bring him some ease of mind. Still, even now he looked back on the nights spent together at his apartment filling up on junk food and bad movies with fondness. He hoped that he would be able to go back to those kinds of platonic events soon. For now, he could only dream. 𓁁 𓆭 𓉠 Hunter’s sense of comfort was immense. Everything around him felt lush, soft, and lighter than air. He murmured something unintelligible, the sensation of whatever was in his mouth bringing him a sense of ease and relief from whatever had woken him up from his slumber. Awake now, as the light had grown somewhat stronger, the fox’s eyelids fluttered open to be greeted by the sunshine streaming in from the window. Hunter was fussy. He had been having the most comfortable dream only to be interrupted by the night’s conclusion and the onset of morning. The bars of his crib were now the only things between him and the star’s welcoming rays. The little kit shifted, and immediately he could tell that during the night he had done quite a job on his diaper. He did not care in the slightest, however, as that was not his responsibility to take care of. Nestled in his blanket with the army of brightly colored stuffed animals around him, the small fox wanted nothing more than to catch a few more Z’s. Still, the smell coming from underneath his covers was enough to tell him that he needed a change, and badly at that. Shifting around once more to take full advantage of the warmth he had accumulated over the night in his covers, Hunter heard a muffled squelch coming from between his legs. He could feel it too, mushy and soft even as it was hugged closely to his bottom kept safe from sullying his sheets or stuffies. His night time accident was contained, but also beginning to contribute to the fox’s inability to get back to sleep. It itched, just a little bit, but enough to cause him to feel just a little bit overwhelmed by the sensation. The kit sniffled, and before he realized what he was feeling he could feel a little sob begin to bubble up from his chest. He sniffled again, and soon the waterworks were well on his way as his nursery became filled with his cries. In the distance, just barely audible over his miserable complaints, he could hear muffled pawsteps approaching the door to his nursery. It had been exactly what he had been hoping for, despite not knowing what to expect, when a warm, furry face appeared over the crib bars above him. Her headfur was a little all over the place, probably from having been woken up by the little kit, but the softness in her brown eyes just about wiped away the tears from his fuzzy cheeks. “Good morning sweetheart, did somebody wake up a little smelly?” She crooned, her voice soft as she reached down over the bars and pulled back the blanket. “Oh honey, you need a change.” She commented, even as she placed a paw on his padded front and squeezed gently as she checked him. Clucking her tongue, the vixen scooped him underneath his armpits and deposited him on her hip. With one paw, she cupped underneath his messy bottom to support him. Hunter felt himself cringe slightly as his accident was pressed up against him, a distinct reminder of the source of his discomfort. He suckled on the pacifier in his muzzle, grateful now that he had something to focus on as he was carried away from his crib. The soft rustle of vinyl plastic met his ears as he was laid down on his back, with now only the force of gravity pressing the diaper against him. “We’ll get you nice and comfortable in a moment, darling.” The vixen commented, half distracted as she reached underneath the surface of the changing table to acquire the aforementioned changing supplies. “The wipes were in the warmer all night, this should only take a moment. Why don’t you hug Mr. Rex in the meantime?” Hunter’s eyes widened, looking up as he saw his vision become filled with the face of a lime green dinosaur with several large, goofy-looking canines sticking out of his muzzle. He giggled, his woes now forgotten as he grasped the T-Rex tightly between his stubby arms. He rubbed his cheeks against the fuzzy dino, his attention completely fixated on hugging him as much as he could while barely paying attention to what was going on in his diaper area. The vixen coughed once as with a crinkle she unfolded his diaper, chuckling to herself as she set to work. Hunter sighed, his eyes closing as the rays of sun streaming from the window next to him began to warm up his fur. It was like a blanket of its own, bathing him in its warmth. He was feeling much better already, the scent of lavender baby powder wafting up to his tiny nose. There was a waft of cool air as he felt something hug his midsection, followed by the sound of velcro tapes being pulled into place. “There we go, all better now!” The vixen sang out, scooping him up once more and bringing both him and his dinosaur buddy into a tight embrace. “No more fussing, only happy little baby kits for me to kiss all over.” And kiss she did, causing Hunter to burst into a fit of giggles as he wriggled and writhed in his arms to avoid her barrage of pecks and smooches. She covered his cheeks, and then proceeded down to his tummy causing his giggles to turn into a whole laughing fit. Hunter dimly felt the front of his padding grow warm during the kiss attack, but was distracted by just how much the vixen’s whiskers tickled. “There’s my little happy camper.” Ceasing, the vixen brought him down to her hip once more and allowed him a minute to calm down. As he did so, Hunter rested his head against her shoulder, his gaze wandering down to the front of her shirt. There was a little piece of jewelry there, sparkling and giving off rainbows as the sun hit the large, fractured opal on the front. Hunter’s blood suddenly ran cold, his eyes widening in fear as he recognized the the item as the cursed brooch. He opened his mouth to yell out, to fight the vixen’s grasp, and to get away as quickly as he could. Before he could move, everything around him disappeared, only to be replaced by a pitch black void. As the sound of rushing air filled his ears while he fell into it, he could hear the distinct sound of cackling just audible over the roaring wind rushing through his ears.

Chapter Twelve Sleepless Nights After Hunter had somewhat recovered from the shock of his conversation with the strange badger, he realized that they had not even exchanged names. So that was a real mercenary… Straight to the point, no pleasantries, and immediately taking charge of the conversation. The fennec let out a breath, steadying himself as he thought about what to do next. He decided that even though he was in the compromising position he was in, he would not allow himself to get pushed around. After washing his paws in the bathroom sink, Hunter made his way back to his laptop and opened it up to begin to compose a message. Logging into the website, he replied to the message stating that he was going to need a little bit more information if the badger wanted to work together. He also mentioned allowing the badger to examine the brooch and read his aunt’s letter, hoping that maybe if the badger tried to pull a fast one he might be rid of the brooch altogether. After he sent the message, he was surprised to find that only a minute later he had gotten a response. This came as a bit of a shock, seeing how he had gotten nothing but dead air since his first attempt at establishing contact. Call me Ishmael. Hunter snorted, rolling his eyes before pinching the bridge of his nose between two fingers. The badger had answered his question, but with a quote from Moby Dick. Regardless, he would humor the badger if he wished to remain anonymous. Wanting to take advantage of ‘Ishamel’s’ apparent availability, he responded quickly. Why so cryptic? You realize I don’t care beyond getting rid of this brooch’s curse, right? Again he waited, and found that another response was readily forthcoming. We’ll talk again. Check this site for when and where. I’m confident your dear old Auntie Tare will show up. Regards. Hunter knew that whatever other message he might send would not get a response, given how determined the badger seemed to keep him blind on what the badger was planning. He sent a simple confirmation, and then pushed himself back from the study table and began to gather his things. How he wished at that moment to be in a play with nothing else on his mind than childish cartoons and perhaps something warm in his stomach. Managing his infantile desires, academia, friends, and whatever game he was now playing with this odd honey badger was getting to be a bit too much. Alcohol. I need alcohol. Opening his phone, he checked the time and found that class was over for both Malissa and Jack. He sent a message, starting with a beer emoji and a quote from Fenrir’s Day Off. He was not surprised when his two college friends leaped at the chance to do some weeknight drinking. 𓁥 𓁢 𓐭 Hunter murmured softly in his sleep, his right around curled around the large stuffed panda plushie that had miraculously appeared on his bed a few days ago. It had been two weeks since his last meeting with the badger, and the curse had taken an interesting turn since then. Throughout his apartment, as if left behind by some kind of diaper-toting fairy, he was finding items that seemed to only further reflect his growing infantile desires. At first it was a pacifier, which he had begrudgingly put in his muzzle as his curiosity got the better of him. It had been comforting, more so than Hunter would have imagined and he found that he could not bring himself to dispose of the item. Next came the stuffed animals, which started to accumulate in such volume that the poor fennec was running out of closet space to hide them all in when his friends arrived for board games and movie nights. Lastly, however, after a lull in the magical appearances of kit paraphernalia, came the guard rails on his bed. They were wooden, and of surprisingly high quality painted with a white sheen of paint. These, of all the mysterious occurrences, had surprised Hunter the most. He had never imagined having such an installation on his bed, as he had not noticed something like this existed. It made sense to him, kids tended to fall out of bed sometimes and something like this would offer quite a valid solution to it. As he was rather determined in stymying the spell’s effects for as long as he could, Hunter attempted to dismantle the rails but found to his even greater surprise that it was locked in place. Two padlocks, one on either side of the rail glistened as if polished new. They were heart-shaped, which stirred something inside of Hunter he now recognized as the increasing attraction he was forming to such infantile accommodations. Well… Looks like nobody’s allowed in my bedroom until I get some bolt cutters or something… He had thought to himself, resigning to the fact that he would be sleeping with a little extra security around his pile of blankets, pillows, and ever growing collection of plushies. The stuffed animals he was allowed to some degree, as the pacifier in his bedside drawer remained untouched after he had chastised himself for giving into the spell’s wants. Now, in the middle of the night however, he found himself waking up to a dampness that too was growing a bit too familiar. “Oh shit…” Muttering to himself, his right paw fumbled for the switch to turn on his bedside lamp. Squinting as the light assaulted his irises, Hunter looked down in dismay to see the distinctive damp spot on the top of his covers. This had been the fifth night in the row he had had to do laundry first thing in the morning, and he was beginning to get tired of it. He knew what the curse was trying to coax him into doing, yet the hassle of waking up in the night or morning with this point of stress was beginning to get to him. So what if I start wearing diapers to bed… Beats having to constantly do my washing before getting a night’s sleep… I need a temporary solution… Deciding that he would grab his spare blanket to get through the rest of the night, Hunter groggily pushed himself over the railing on his bedside and made his way to his wardrobe. He opened the top drawer, expecting to see his underwear but froze with his paw still on the handle. His underwear was nowhere to be found. There were not even pull ups waiting for him this time. They were, as bluntly as he could put it, stacks of diapers depicting the cutesy designs he had liked most during his internet browsing. The brooch had truly outdone itself this time, as he found that the cartoon baby animals sporting their own voluptuous diapers were precisely those that stirred those strange, nostalgic feelings of desire he had experienced. Despite his shock, accustomed as he was to finding the unexpected at this point, he could not help but feel a sense of dry humor bubbling up in the back of his mind. Saving my bank account at least from having to buy diapers at the incontinence store… These will have to be done I guess… Now aware, Hunter hoisted his sodden bed clothes into a pile along with his blanket and mattress cover and threw them into the wash. He’d turn it on in the morning, but for now he was going to have to get as much sleep as he could for the next day. It was a review day for another upcoming Calc exam, and he would only have this last chance to catch up on what he needed to know for it if he wanted to score a high mark. Tonight my grades are more important… Hesitantly, and feeling his cheeks redden despite being the only fur in his apartment, Hunter turned around to face his wardrobe once more. It’s just for leaks… It’ll help me concentrate if I can get a full night’s sleep… Hunter knew he was making up excuses. Part of him desperately wanted to wear one of the diapers not just for the night, but during the day as well. The knowledge that no matter where he was if he had to go, he would be taken care of was a security that he had been imagining for months. His fantasies had apparently caught up to him, and the curse was offering him an easy way to experience it. He held one of the diapers in his paws, sleep forgotten as he examined it in fascination. He noted the leak guards, soft material that appeared semi-elastic in composition which he figured would aid in the apparel’s intended purpose: keeping him dry. Hunter bit his lower lip, unfolding the diaper and listening to its crinkle. It had a plastic outer cover, something he figured would not easily be concealed underneath his day clothes. These would have to remain for night-time wear, temporarily, as he continuously reminded himself. He hoped to get more pull-ups from the curse if he started to have issues during the day. The fennec hung his head, his feelings of excitement abating somewhat as he realized that this was a tipping point in his current predicament. Sure, he wanted to wear the diapers as they brought forth a sense of nostalgia that did not even shine a light to something like watching kid’s shows. But still, he felt as if an essential part of his adulthood had just been taken away from him. Hopefully he would retain his daytime continence long enough for him to figure out a way to break the spell. He silently cursed at the brooch, vowing that he would sell it on Craig’s List the moment he confirmed that getting rid of it would break the enchantment. Mentally prepared, he turned back to his bed and laid the diaper out flat on its surface. He would be sleeping on his mattress with no cover with just his blanket over himself, as well as his stuffed animals. At least now I can sleep without worrying about waking up with a disaster between my legs… Awkwardly, Hunter lay himself on top of the unfolded diaper and positioned himself as best as he could in the middle of it. Bringing up the front over himself, he pulled the tabs towards the middle and taped himself up. The tape job was nothing to scoff at, but at least it held relatively snuggly. At that point, he could care less as he checked the clock on his bedside. He only had a few more hours of shuteye before his next class, and he was determined to get as much as he could. Having suffered many sleepless nights in high school, the ability to sleep relatively normally in college was one that he tried his best to take advantage of. Eyelids heavy, the fox turned off his bedside light and reached for one of his stuffed animals to hug. A plush fennec, that appeared shockingly similar to him. The curse must have been developing a sense of humor at that point, though whether or not there was any sentience to the brooch was completely beyond him. So much I don’t know… So much… I want to… Hunter’s might slowly calmed, and he fell sound asleep in his brand new pair of underwear. Whether he would wake up with a little bit more weight between his legs, was the last of his worries as his bedroom soon became filled with the soft sound of his snores.

Chapter Eleven Study Room Hunter woke up the next morning feeling as if he had never gone to sleep in the first place. After he had turned off his television and slunk his way into his bedroom, his thoughts had been obsessively revising the letter that he had read from his late aunt. The fennec realized now that his aunt being alive and somehow making her way towards him might be the only hope of getting any answers to his current predicament. But would she? Seeing how she had been an almost non-existent presence in his life, would he be a priority of hers at all? Sure, he had an artifact that she would very likely want to reacquire if she got out of whatever situation she was currently in, but that was still assuming that she was alive and able to escape. Hunter’s rumination drifted to what his life might be in the future if he was unable to find any kind of solution. His feelings were still mixed about the clear diaper obsession he was starting to develop. Given his experience with the locked pullup he was rather surprised just how comfortable it had felt. That sense of comfort, however, was very much offset by his sense of anxiety at being discovered. That seemed to be his chief concern, despite his inner feelings on the subject matter being somewhat mixed he was very much sure that discovery of his problem was not something he would want. Strangers were one thing, he had no idea who that furson in the bathroom had been. Even though they were on the same campus, finding her again was pretty unlikely. He had never seen her in any of his classes, and assumed that she was an upperclassman. But Jack? Malissa? He could already imagine their reactions. Malissa would of course be somewhat understanding, kind as she was. Jack would probably have a field day with the comedic material he could come up with, and be constantly shushed by Malissa. Forced sympathy and pity would be the only products he would receive from his friends, if even they were capable of figuring out how to support him in such a strange predicament. They would think he was crazy if he just tried to explain it, even with the strange episode with the magical beer into apple juice episode. Malissa had brought that up only once after it had happened, and they simply chalked it up to being drunker than they had originally thought. I need to keep this down low… As much as I can until I can get an answer… Hunter forced himself out of bed, and stumbled over to his desk where his laptop had been left charging for the night. After logging in to wrap up an assignment, he reflexively opened up the Egyptology website to see if he had any messages. He had expected the same empty inbox that he had seen all the other dozen times that he had checked, but he blinked in astonishment as he saw that he had a message pending. Clicking on it, his heart pounding in his chest he saw a single line of text in response to his original message. 3:00 P.M. in study room 402. That’s in the library… and during my Calc class to boot… Hunter bit his lip, his mind racing as he tried to figure this out. Somehow, whoever was on the other end was near enough to have access to his university. Perhaps they had waited to respond to his message until they had managed to arrive nearby. Why on earth do they want to meet with me? The fennec’s sense of suspicion rose as he considered whether he should ditch his class for this strange meeting. It would undoubtedly bite him in the tail in the long run, seeing how his math grade hung in the balance after his last test score. Continuously getting random magical episodes of baby stuff is probably going to make things equally if not more impossible anyway. It was decided, he would come up with some excuse that he hoped Malissa’s keen sense of intuition would not see through. Jack would buy it, ditching class was something he would happily relate to after all, especially math. Pity nobody else in the class was doing as well as Hunter, he was sure that between Malissa’s and Jack’s notes that day he would get only about 80% of what was covered that day. Hunter sighed, running a paw through his headfur as he felt his sense of stress increase the more he thought about it. Meeting someone completely anonymous in a university library study room to deal with a curse that nobody except one other person would believe. What could possibly go wrong… 𓁥 𓁢 𓐭 Hunter was sitting in the study room and checking the time on his phone every thirty seconds. He had arrived in study room 402 a whole half hour early, as he was keen to gain some clarity if any on the brooch’s curse. The room was completely quiet save for the soft hum of the central air unit running through a vent in the ceiling. He could practically hear his own heartbeat in the stillness, a fact he was not too thrilled about given the rate it was pumping away at. He had almost abandoned the idea all together, and was wondering whether he should cut his losses and arrive at his class late. Better than nothing at all, after all. The fennec fox checked his phone once more, biting his lip as his tail swished agitatedly from side to side, brushing against the wooden seat of his chair. He could have spent the time working on an assignment on his laptop, but his nerves were far too active for him to be able to concentrate on school. The oddity of the situation was not lost upon him, seeing how he imagined such anonymous meetings only happened with criminals online. Was he going to get in trouble? Was this brooch Aunt Tare left him even hers to give? Maybe that would be a good thing… If he had the brooch taken away from him, it could be possible that it would take the curse with it. Not that he wanted anybody else to have to deal with his current problems, but whatever Egyptian artifacts collectors did was their business. He knew his aunt had made more than a few enemies in the past, and getting associated with them because of his relation to her was not something he needed right now. I’d chuck it in the gutter at this point… Hunter heard the doorknob turn, and his heart skipped a beat. As the door opened, he was greeted by the sight of an relatively unassuming honey badger wearing a hoodie and jeans. “Your library security’s pretty scuffed, mate. All I had to do was run to the photocopy store and my student ID worked just fine.” The badger had an Australian accent, clearly hailing from a continent other than the one that his species was indigenous to. His eyes were a deep brown, and he appeared the image of friendly as he dropped his backpack next to the table and pulled out a chair. It took a second for Hunter to find his voice, after which he managed to stutter out a question. “Who- Who are you?” “Now that is an interesting question.” The badger responded, turning the chair around a hundred and eighty degrees before sitting himself down with a sigh and leaning his fuzzy forearms on the chair back. He lowered his head, resting them on his arms as he studied Hunter for a few seconds. The two stared at each other, Hunter wondering whether he was about to get interrogated or whether the meeting was some sort of trapped. He was half right, as the badger leaned back and glanced up at the ceiling as he queried. “So, tell me Hunter. When was the last time you talked with your dear old Auntie Tare?” Hunter looked down at the table in front of him, spreading his paws out palms facing him as he thought for a moment. Seeing how he might have wanted answers as badly as the badger he decided to push aside his concerns for the moment and cooperate. “Christmas party a long time ago, I was still a kid. I pretty much know nothing about her other than the fact that she would occasionally send some money to my college fund.” The badger nodded morosely, his ear flicking as the only indication of impatience as he prompted once more. “But recently my sources tell me she has reached out to you through a law firm following her recent disappearance. Can you tell me-” “Wait, you don’t know if she’s alive? What happened to her, I thought you’d have some answers for me.” The badger raised a single finger up to stymie Hunter’s barrage of questions. Hunter fell silent, realizing that he had interrupted the honey badger. The badger spoke, his accent coming out as more distinct as he responded. “Our sources have not identified what happened to Auntie Tare, no. But if there’s one thing we know it's that that old cat wouldn’t have gone out without a fight. There’s been no fight, no evidence of it anyway. I’m just here to see if there might be anything you know that could help us find her whereabouts?” Hunter stared at him, realizing that he did not know whether this badger’s intentions with his aunt were good or bad. “Who are you?” The fennec asked, setting his jaw stubbornly as he maintained eye contact with the badger. Rolling his eyes, the badger said nothing but reached into his pocket. Pulling out a wallet, he unsheathed his claws before rustling through a mixture of bank notes and receipts. “Ere.” He said, placing a photograph flat on the table and pushing it towards the little fox. “I’m her strongman.” Hunter looked down, and saw in the image a collection of furs including his Aunt and the badger sitting in front of him. The badger was holding what appeared to be a shotgun, a wicked grin on his face while his Aunt was looking away from the photographer as she was busy scrutinizing a hieroglyph covered wall. “So…” Hunter started, his eyes still fixed on the photograph. “You worked with the archaeologists as hired protection?” “So to speak…” Replied the badger, his response dismissive as he reached forward to retrieve the photograph. “Let’s try this again.” The badger continued, as he saw that Hunter’s nerves had been somewhat assuaged. “Tell me what you know about your Aunt.” Hunter hesitated, and then decided to bite the bullet. He started with when he first acquired the artifact, and then admitted to the strange happenings. As the badger’s eyebrows became raised at the absurdity of his claims, he hastily followed up by recounting the letter his Aunt had left him confirming the nature of the ancient brooch. The badger listened intently throughout the entire explanation. As Hunter ran out of steam, the mammal stood up and paced once from one end of the room the other. “Not what I was expecting…” He muttered to himself, before turning back to the fox and clearing his throat. “Thank you, Hunter. I’ll get back to you if we need any more information.” The badger turned to leave, but Hunter bolted upright from his chair as he exclaimed. “Wait! Please, I need some kind of solution here. I’ve been cursed for crying out loud, you can’t just leave me like this!” The badger sighed once more, rolling his eyes and muttering something under his breath. His back still turned, he looked up at the ceiling once more as he spoke. “Look mate, whatever it is that’s got your knickers in a twist is not going to get resolved until we can locate your dear Aunt Tare, capish? Sit tight for now.” Aghast, Hunter watched in disbelief as the badger exited the room after hoisting up the backpack he had come in with. Slowly, as if not to disturb something in the room, Hunter sat himself back down onto his chair and stared dumbly at the table in front of him. That’s it? I just told him I got a letter from my Aunt and a brooch and he leaves? Hunter realized that it might not have been in the badger’s interest to help him to begin with. After all, he had only asked about Aunt Tare and nothing else. Even the brooch did not appear to interest him. Whether the badger was missing his paycheck or actually more concerned about his aunt Hunter was not sure of. One thing remained clear, however. Whatever happened to him and the continual influence of the curse, it all depended on whether that badger and whatever other members of her team were working on finding her managed to locate her. Hunter grimaced, quickly pushing himself back from the table and making his way over to the door. He needed to pee, and he already knew what was likely to happen if he tried to hold it for much longer.