Chels in Ribbons

Hi all! Just wanted to provide a quick update so that yall know this story isn't dead! It's the end of the semester for me, which means I'm very busy and haven't had much time to work on this story. I apologize for keeping you all waiting, but, once the semester ends, I should have a lot of free time to make good progress on this story. So while it might be a few weeks before the next update, after that they should continue pretty regularly. Thanks for your patience!

I'm glad to hear that! It's a very slow build up to what I know y'all are here for, so I'm very glad to hear it's not too slow. Speaking of what y'all have been waiting for.... Chapter Eighteen Ms. Akiyama awoke early that Friday morning and paced between the kitchen and living room, anxiously waiting to see what morning would bring. Emma had said it would likely take a few days, but she had said it was possible that it might happen the first night, especially given Rei’s history of wetting the bed. Ms. Akiyama almost hoped it would the first night. She was anxious about the whole thing, and the sooner it started, the better. The sooner she knew how Rei would react, the sooner she could stop worrying about it. And she was definitely anxious about Rei’s reaction. Emma had reassured Ms. Akiyama that as long as she played her part, Rei would never be the wiser, but Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but worry. She had known plenty of parents who had used behavioral therapy on their daughters, but, to her knowledge, none had gone to these lengths. Of course, as Emma had said, Rei was a tough case. Of course, on the other hand, Ms. Akiyama wasn’t sure she was prepared to deal with Rei’s reaction, especially if she reacted poorly. So, it was with a mix of relief and impatience that Ms. Akiyama greeted Rei that morning as the latter walked down the stairs in the same pajamas she had worn to bed the night before. Competely dry, of course. Before long, Ms. Akiyama was seeing her daughter out the day for her day at school. Then, it was time for her to get to work. With the rise of regressive behavioral therapy as a mainstream practice, more and more mothers across the country found themselves suddenly in need of, so to speak, maternity leave. While some of the more liberal supporters of the Hayes Act had argued for stipends to help mothers who needed to leave the workforce to care for their daughters, ultimately the conservatives won that issue, and instead many work places were forced to offer work-at-home options for women so they could do it all. Strictly speaking, Ms. Akiyama didn’t the extra time at home to care for her daughter—at least, she hadn’t at the time, and she still hoped things wouldn’t go that far—but she had still taken advantage of these work-from-home options. So, Ms. Akiyama, having seen Rei off, retired to the her office, which doubled as a guest room, and logged onto her computer for her day of work. It was a slow day at work, and when a couple hours into her day the name “Heather Eckridge” showed up across the screen of her cell phone, she was happy for the distraction. “Hi, Heather,” Ms. Akiyama answered. “Hi, hun, not catching you at a bad time, am I?” “Not all,” Ms. Akiyama lightly laughed, “it’s a slow day at work, I’ve got plenty of time to talk.” “Oh, hun, same here! And I was just sitting and started thinking about you and thought I’d call and ask if you had made an appointment at Brighter Days yet?” “Oh, actually…” Ms. Akiyama proceeded to fill Heather in on the happenings of the last few days. “If I’m being honest,” she concluded, “I’m still a bit nervous about the whole thing. I mean, they said Rei won’t have a clue, but I’m just not sure…she’s so smart and perceptive, I can’t imagine a little hypnosis fooling her.” Heather made a sympathetic sound, “I thought the same thing about Megan, but I don’t think things would have gone as smoothly as they did without it. And I’ve talked to other moms who used it, and they all swear by it!” “Well, I guess we will see, won’t we?” “For what it’s worth, darling, I think you’re doing the right thing by Rei. She always was too smart for her own good, and it sounds like nothing has changed on that front. Of course, Megan was always the same, that’s why I made sure I nipped it in the bud with her early.” Ms. Akiyama sighed, “Maybe I should have done this sooner.” “Don’t be hard on yourself; I don’t think it ever would have been easy with Rei. She’s always been so…headstrong.” Ms. Akiyama laughed, “that she has,” then sighed, “how was it with Megan? Did you have trouble with her?” “Honestly? Very little. She was definitely resistant at first, angry even, but with a little help and strategic planning from Brighter Days, she was practically back in diapers before I knew it.” “That’s…wow, I’m a little surprised.” Ms. Akiyama could practically hear Heather shrug through the phone, “well, that was when I knew for certain there really was something to this and that I had done the right thing. And so are you.” “I certainly hope so,” Ms. Akiyama sighed, “I just feel so powerless to protect her when she’s off at that college learning who knows what and hanging out with God knows what kind of bad influences.” “Darling, I do not understand why you let her go there, especially if you are so worried about it!” “Rei loves her education; I’d just hate to take it away from her. I mean, I know that sounds absurd, I’ll make her a bedwetter but I won’t take her out of college, but I just…I’ve always been so proud of how much Rei loved school, and it would break my heart for her to lose that love.” “Then send her to an extended high school program! Megan loves hers!” Ms. Akiyama paused, briefly caught off guard, “Megan goes to…a high school program?” “Absolutely! You sound surprised.” “Well, no offense, I just figured Megan more for an elementary program, maybe even a preschool.” Heather laughed, “Megan lives like a toddler in a lot of ways, but she’s still smart as a whip. Unfortunately,” Heather’s voice took on a serious tone, “she does get picked on a little bit. She’s far from the only girl in her high school who wears diapers, but she’s definitely not as mature as most of her peers. Still, it’s what makes her happy.” “Huh,” Ms. Akiyama was genuinely at a loss for words. “Well, as long as she’s happy.” “You know, Megan could use a friend at high school, and Rei might be more open to the idea of a high school program if she already had a friend there…” Ms. Akiyama rolled that around in her head for a moment, “you might have a point there,” she said at last. “And Megan was asking about Rei the other day…” “Mm, maybe we should schedule a play date for the girls for this weekend,” Ms. Akiyama suggested with a smile. “This weekend doesn’t work for us,” Heather replied, “but, besides, call it a hunch, but I think Rei will be more open to the suggestion once she’s started wetting the bed. So, maybe sometime next week after school?” “Perfect.” With that, the two cemented their plans for the next week, exchanged some pleasantries, then mutually agreed they should both probably go back to focusing on work, regardless of how slow it was. Ms. Akiyama went through the rest of her day feeling pretty good about her plans for Rei. She was still nervous, but maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, maybe Rei would take to it just as naturally as Megan had. And maybe, if she could rekindle that friendship, Rei would be more willing to go to an extended high school program. Not to mention, with Megan as her friend again, Ms. Akiyama could stop worrying so much about the company Rei was keeping. That evening, Ms. Akiyama dutifully mixed Rei’s new medication in with the mound of mashed potatoes on the girl’s plate, then called her down to dinner like she did every night. Rei ate the potatoes without comment or hint of suspicion, yet come Saturday morning, she was still dry. Undaunted, Ms. Akiyama went about her Saturday. A little bit of light housework in the morning, followed by some errands (she invited Rei along, but her daughter cited being under a pile of homework to stay home), and then back home. She spent the first half of her afternoon holed up in her office, reading parenting blogs and articles about other moms’ experiences with behavioral therapy, and the second half splayed out on the couch, reading the latest Stephanie Queen novel. As dinnertime approached, Ms. Akiyama found herself knocking on her daughter’s door. Without waiting for a reply, she cracked the door open and stuck her head in. Rei was at her desk, a word document open on the screen of her computer and two books laying open on her desk. “You’ve been working all day?” Ms. Akiyama asked. Rei swiveled around in her chair to look back at her mother, “yeah, I’ve got an essay due this week.” “I worry about you working too hard,” Ms. Akiyama opened the door the rest of the way and stepped into the doorframe, “you’re going to stress yourself out. That’s not good for girls your age, it’s not good for your brain development,” that, at least, was what she had this afternoon. Rei frowned, “Mom, that’s not true—” Ms. Akiyama raised her hand to silence her daughter, “I don’t want to hear it, Rei, I know what’s best for you.” Rei felt her cheeks heat up at the memory of where it had led last time she had argued against that. She felt her anger rise a bit, too, but not enough to overcome the shame. She just nodded and held her mouth closed. “So,” Ms. Akiyama continued once she was sure Rei wasn’t going to protest, “I think you should take a break, okay?” “But, Mom, I need to finish this essay…” “When is it due?” “Wednesday.” “And how far along are you?” “I have,” Rei looked back at her screen, “700 words written.” “And how many do you need?” “A thousand.” “Oh, well, then you’re almost done! You can easily finish that essay tomorrow, can’t you?” “I…I guess…I just would really like to get it done tonight.” Ms. Akiyama sighed, she really was proud of how studious her daughter was, she just regretted Rei no longer lived in a world where that would lead to happiness for her. And, besides, most parents seemed to agree their daughters were much healthier and happier when they weren’t so stressed. Of course, Ms. Akiyama had an ulterior motive here. So much of what she had read earlier that day had stressed the importance of mother/daughter bonding during regressive behavioral therapy. After all, part of the reason this kind of therapy was so effective is that is taught daughters to be more reliant on their mothers and give up some control to them, that could only happen with sufficient bonding. So, Ms. Akiyama was determined to try to engage in more bonding time with her daughter. Thankfully, this could also serve the purpose of keeping Rei from unhealthy habits like studying all day. “I’ll tell you what,” Ms. Akiyama said, deciding negotiation might be the best way to go here, “why don’t I order us a pizza, and you can keep on working until the pizza gets here, okay? But, once it gets here, you put the essay away for the night, and come downstairs and watch a movie with me, okay? I’ll even let you pick the movie.” Rei gave her mother a genuine if slight smile, seemed to consider the offer for a moment, then finally spoke, “Can we order from Lucia’s?” “Of course.” “Focaccia bread crust?” “Absolutely.” “Extra pepperoni and jalapenos?” “If that’s what you want.” “…gelato?” Ms. Akiyama laughed, “of course, can’t order from Lucia’s without getting some gelato.” “And I pick the movie?” “Yes, of course, any other demands?” “Soda.” Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but chuckle at that one: she had stopped keeping soda in the house when Rei was around ten and the doctor’s suggested she stop giving Rei soda to help her with her wetting problems and had never picked the habit back up after Rei’s problems had cleared up, keeping soda an occasional treat at the Akiyama house. “You got it,” Ms. Akiyama nodded, “we got a deal?” Rei nodded, “yeah, okay, deal.” Roughly fourty-five minutes later, the pair found themselves huddled under a blanket on the couch, eating pizza, and watching a new horror movie Rei had been looking forward to. Rei chugged her first glass of soda, laced, of course, with her new medications, and drank three more glasses after that. Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but watch and wonder if Rei was sealing her fate. When the movie was over, Ms. Akiyama was shocked when she suggested the two play a board game and Rei agreed almost immediately. They hadn’t played board games together since…well…truthfully, not since Rei’s father had passed. Really, Ms. Akiyama thought as they set up the board to play Life, that had been when the two had first started to truly drift apart. Ms. Akiyama missed how close they used to be, maybe more than she had realized before that night. But all that was about to change; she was certain of it. After two games of Life and one game of Clue, a drowsy looking Rei yawned, bid her mother goodnight, and retired to her room. Ms. Akiyama smiled and watched her daughter sleepily drag herself up the stairs. She had a feeling the next morning was going to be a new beginning for the mother and daughter. Rei, on the other hand, cluelessly went through her bedtime routine. She brushed her teeth, washed and moisturized her face, used the toilet, changed into pajamas, climbed into bed, turned her white noise machine on, and snuggled into her blankets, just like she did every night. Chapter Nineteen. It was raining. Big fat raindrops plopped against the windows of Greenham Community College’s cafeteria and ran down the glass in streaks. The glass was cold against Rei’s forehead as she stared out across the empty patio. “Rei, are you paying attention?” Rei’s head snapped forward, “yes, sorry,” she looked up at Professor Rosenstine, her math professor, and nodded. “Good, then you won’t mind coming up to the board to solve this problem?” “Oh, o-of course not,” on shaky knees, Rei slide out of the booth and made her way to the freestanding whiteboard set up in the middle of the lunch tables. Around her, everyone suddenly got silent and put their lunches down, turning their attention instead to her as she approached the board. “Quickly, now, Rei,” Professor Rosenstine said impatiently. Rei was weaving her way through the desks, but the board didn’t seem to be getting any closer, “you’re dawdling, Rei!” “Sorry, Professor, I—” before she could continue her sentence, her foot tangled with a foot thrust into the aisle at the last minute and she went tumbling head over heels to the floor. Laughter erupted from around her. Professor Rosenstine looked down at her as she lay sprawled on her back, “are you quite done causing a spectacle, Rei?” “Yes, sorry,” Rei scrambled to her feet, brushing her clothes off quickly before taking the dry erase marker from the professor and turning her attention to the math problem on the board. Numbers and letters swam in her vision. Focus as she might, they wouldn’t stop moving and shifting. “We’re waiting, Rei.” Rei turned around to look to her peers for assistance, but found herself staring into a mirror, a line of closed bathroom stall doors behind her. Why was she here again? A girl came out of one of the stalls and gave Rei a weird look as she approached the sink next to her to wash her hands. “Are you in the wrong room?” The girl asked, then added, “the changing rooms are next door if you need to be changed.” What was she talking about? Changed? Rei froze as a hunch formed. She looked down and, sure enough, the plastic waistband of a diaper stuck out from her jeans, which bulged comically around her crotch and butt. “No,” she protested, “I don’t…this is a mistake…” “There you are!” A woman’s voice boomed and echoed off the tiled wall and floor as she burst into through the restroom door. Rei didn’t recognize the woman, but she knew who she was; she was her daycare teacher. The woman grabbed Rei by the wrist and effortlessly dragged her back through the door, “what are you doing, running off like that?” Rei protested and tried to wriggle free from the woman’s grasp, but nothing she said or did seemed to phase her. Up ahead, Rei saw Riley talking to another girl she didn’t know. She called out Riley’s name, but when Riley looked at her, there was no recognition there. Riley merely watched, vaguely disgusted, as Rei was dragged past her. “Ugh,” Riley said to the other girl once Rei had passed them, “kill me if I ever become like that.” Rei watched the two girls recede down the hall. “Here we are,” the woman who had been dragging her cooed as she finally stopped in front of a door and pushed it open, “back to class with you.” She pushed Rei through the door, and Rei looked around at the room around her. It looked like a daycare, but everything was sized up. There were about a dozen girls her age, all dressed like toddlers, sitting in four rows in the center of the room and looking forward at a kindly looking woman in front of a chalkboard. “Ah, Rei, welcome back,” she said as she looked up at Rei. “I…I think I’m in the wrong room,” Rei said weakly. “Nonsense! We transferred you here after you were unable to solve that tricky math problem! This classroom is much better suited to girls your age, anyway! Speaking of, why don’t you come to the board to do the math problem?” Rei swallowed hard, but her feet started moving on their own. She couldn’t help but notice that she waddled slightly, an unfamiliar but somehow also familiar bulk between her legs. As she approached, she took the chalk the teacher offered, and turned to the board. This time, the numbers came easily into focus: 3+5= Oh, Rei thought, this was easy. Smiling confidently, she grasped the chalk in her hand, and drew a great, big, curvy 8. She looked over to the teacher for approval. “Mmm,” the teacher said, her mouth a tight-lipped frown, “that’s not quite right, Rei.” “What? But…” Rei turned back to the chalkboard: 3+4=8. “Wait, that’s…” “It’s okay, you’ll get it next time! Why don’t you go ahead and sit down.” In a daze, Rei plopped down on the floor with the rest of the girls. What was happening? As she ruminated on that question, she felt a sudden and urgent pressure in her bladder. Instinctively, she clamped her muscles down, but it was taking all her effort to keep the floodgates closed. But…why was she holding it? She was wearing a diaper, after all, so shouldn’t she just… The thought wasn’t even done before Rei felt the dam burst and a torrent flooded out of her. The feeling of warmth and wetness spread out through her crotch and across her butt, continuing down her legs. She looked down in panic as the dark spot in the crotch of her jeans spread out. But…hadn’t she just…? “Professor!” A voice rang out to her left, “Rei just peed her pants!” Rei’s whipped towards the voice and saw Jennifer Duffy sitting next to her. Rei looked around herself. She was in Professor Lewis’ class and everyone was looking at her. She looked to her right and found Riley chuckling and looking at her like she was a freak. At the head of the classroom, Professor Lewis just looked at Rei with disappointment on her face. And then Rei was back in her bedroom, panting and covered in cold sweat. It had all been a dream. Rei sighed with relief. She tried grasping at the details of the dream, trying to remember what had reacting like this, but found it already dissipating into the night. But as Rei calmed down, she began to notice something was not quite right. Rei didn’t really need to throw back her covers to be certain of what had happened, but she did so anyway, refusing to believe until she saw for herself. Rei Akiyama had wet the bed.

I'm posting this from my phone, so hopefully it's not weirdly formatted! Enjoy! Chapter Sixteen The next day, Ms. Akiyama made another trip to Brighter days to pick up her supplies. That night, Ms. Akiyama made one of Rei’s favorite dinners: a simple spaghetti with meat sauce. As she cooked, she thought back to her conversation with Emma the day before. “Now,” Emma had said, “a girl like Rei is likely to get very suspicious if you suddenly start trying to get her to take new medications. For less resistant girls, we often suggest parents start giving them a ‘vitamin supplement,’ but even this is likely to set off Rei’s suspicions, don’t you think?” Ms. Akiyama had nodded agreement, “how do we get her to take the medicines then?” Stepping away from the stove, Ms. Akiyama checked the living room to make sure Rei wasn’t there, then walked up to the base of the stairs; Rei’s bedroom door was closed, meaning Rei was safely and obliviously inside. On her way back to the kitchen, she grabbed the white paper bag Brighter Days had sent her home with out of her purse. Back in the kitchen, she withdrew three glass bottles with droppers out of the bag, crumpled the latter, and tossed it in the trash. “Well,” Emma had sounded almost excited, “we actually have a brand new tool in our arsenal just for girls like Rei. We’ve formulated the medicines we use into tasteless, odorless liquids.” Ms. Akiyama filled a bowl with noodles and ladled the red sauce over it. “You’ll want to add three drops of each medication. The first is a minor muscle relaxer that is formulated to specifically target the bladder, making it just a little easier for her body to overcome her potty training.” Ms. Akiyama carefully counted out three drops of the first medication. “The second is a minor sleep agent to make sure she sleeps very deeply; this will help the induction take root. And finally, diuranuretine, which is the generic name for Tinklex, which I’m sure you’ll be familiar with from the commercials. This medicine will really seal the deal. Make sure you do not give her more than the prescribed dose, or you might be dealing with wet pants before you’re ready, okay?” Ms. Akiyama added the last medication with the care of a rocket scientist working with extremely volatile chemicals. She gave the top of the sauce a light stir to mix in the liquid, then held the bowl up to her nose; sure enough, she couldn’t smell a thing wrong with it. “Rei!” She called when everything was done and set on the table (and the bottles of medicine safely stowed in the very back of the spice cabinet), “dinner!” The two made polite small talk about their days as Ms. Akiyama watched her daughter eat the laced spaghetti. She felt a pang of guilt in her gut, but said nothing, even as Rei mopped up the last of her sauce with a piece of garlic bread. With dinner done, Rei excused herself from the table, citing having more homework that she had to attend to, and Ms. Akiyama didn’t see her again until she came out of her room a few hours later to announce that she was going to bed and wish her mother goodnight. An hour later, Ms. Akiyama crept up the stairs, the white noise machine in hand. “Rei?” She whispered as she cracked the door to her daughter’s bedroom, “Are you awake?” The only response was the sound of Rei’s long, deep breaths. Tiptoeing, Ms. Akiyama made her way across her daughter’s room, set the machine on her nightstand, found the outlet behind it, and plugged the machine in. “Don’t worry about hiding it,” Emma had said, “part of the standard induction package is to make the girls think it’s been there all along. After all, many people have trouble sleeping without white noise!” Low static filled the room, and Ms. Akiyama got out as quickly as she could.   Chapter Seventeen Rei’s head jerked up and a bit of panic rose in her chest. She was sitting in class and her professor was droning on about something she couldn’t quite force herself to pay attention to. She must have dozed off for a moment. In front of her, Jennifer Duffy scribbled notes with the crinkled waistband of her diaper sticking out at least two inches above the top of her skirt. Rei could remember when a girl Jennifer’s age would have been mortified to have their diaper showing, now it seemed to be a fashion statement. Speaking of, Rei had to pee. Slipping out of her chair, Rei quietly and quickly made her way to the door, trying to distract her fellow students as little as possible. “Rei?” Her professor stopped mid-lecture to call her out as she weaved between desks, “where are you going?” “Um, sorry, just going to the restroom,” Rei replied, squeezing between two desks that were particularly close together only to find the next two desks two close together to squeeze between, she turned and tried another direction. “And were you going to ask for permission?” The strap of a backpack tangled Rei’s foot and she almost went down, but caught herself on her professor’s desk, finding herself face to face with the man. She tried not to huff in frustration; most professors in college didn’t make students ask to use the restroom, Rei must have forgotten this one did. “May I go to the restroom?” She asked. “Absolutely not,” he replied, “just use your diaper and you can change after class.” Rei stared at him, slightly aghast. “Sir, I don’t wear diapers.” “No?” He looked at her confused, then let his eyes wander downward. He sighed, “well, if you truly must, you can use the restroom,” he reluctantly acquiesced before going back to his lecture. With relief, Rei turned to walk away from the desk, only to find her way blocked by Jennifer Duffy. “You can use one of mine,” she said, her tone helpful as she held up a bright white plastic rectangle of fluff. “Ew,” Rei sneered at the girl, pushed past her, and finally found herself in the hallway outside the classroom. Except…wait… “Where am I?” She didn’t recognize this hall, and it seemed to stretch out to the left and right infinitely. Where was the nearest bathroom? She chewed her lip and crossed her legs as she considered her options. Neither seeming more promising than the other, she picked right, and made her way down the hallway. The hallway was lined with doors on each side, and Rei glanced through the tiny windows in each door as she passed. Behind each one, a class was in progress. She stopped when she got to one that was clearly not a college class. About a dozen girls around Rei’s age dressed in juvenile clothing sat in a circle while a middle-aged woman in pencil skirt and blouse read to them from a picture book. Since when did her college offer elementary school classes? Slightly confused but mostly dismayed by this news, Rei continued down the hall. “Rei!” A voice came from behind her. Rei turned to find Riley running up to her. “Hey, Rei,” she said breathlessly as she caught up, “wanna go to the mall?” Rei chewed her lip and looked down the hall behind Riley, then back towards the way she was going. “Did you see a restroom that way?” She asked Riley. “No, why?” “I need to pee,” Rei responded matter-of-factly. Riley seemed to think for a moment, then grabbed Rei by the wrist and started dragging her down the hall back the way she had come, “I think I know where one is,” she called over her shoulder as she turned right down a hallway Rei would have sworn wasn’t there a moment ago. Riley dragged Rei through the unchanging hallways, turning left and right seemingly at random. Rei’s legs pumped hard to keep up with the other girl, and her need to pee became more desperate with each jarring step. “Here we go!” Riley stopped so suddenly Rei almost collided with her. “The bathroom!” She gestured to a small alcove where, sure enough, were two doorways: a men’s bathroom and a women’s. “Finally,” Rei said, pulling her wrist from Rei’s hand and pushing open the door to the women’s bathroom. Except, the room beyond wasn’t a bathroom at all. The long, narrow room had six adult sized changing tables, three on each side of the room. Two were currently in use; girl’s Rei’s age laid atop them while women in white nurse’s uniforms changed their diapers. “Hi,” a third nurse greeted them, “which one of you needs your diaper changed?” Rei just shook her head and slowly backed out of the room. “Rei?” Riley said, watching Rei as she backed up, “where are you going? Didn’t you need to be changed?” Cold sweat dripped down her forehead. Rei looked to her right, then made a break for the men’s room. As long as it had a toilet, she didn’t care. She burst through the door and into a typical bathroom. Sighing with relief, she dashed to one of the stalls and tugged the door open. Or tried to; it was stuck fast. “Rei?” Riley and the nurse had followed her in, and the former was smiling calmly at her, “come on, it’s okay. The nurse will take care of you.” “I don’t wear diapers!” Rei shouted, but even as she did she felt her bladder spasm and push a squirt of pee out into her panties. Her hands darted to her crotch and she pressed her legs together. “Uh oh,” the nurse said in the same tone of voice you’d use with a toddler in Rei’s predicament, “look like she’s about to have an accident.” “Go on, Rei,” Riley said encouragingly, “just let it go, then we can get you changed.” Rei shot up in bed, panting and covered in cold sweat. What a fucking dream. As her breathing slowed down, she became aware of how painfully full her bladder was. No wonder she had been dreaming about it. Throwing her covers off herself, Rei got out of bed and hobbled with her thighs pressed tightly together to the bathroom down the hall from her bedroom. Relief washed over her as she flopped down on the toilet, her bladder releasing the second she did. Her business done, Rei wiped, stood up, flushed the toilet, pulled her pants back up, and froze. Her panties were just slightly damp. She remembered starting to lose control in her dream and realized that must have been real. She didn’t need a mirror to know how bright red her cheeks got at this discovery. Gotta be more careful about what I drink before bed, Rei thought as she made her way back to her bedroom. The last thing she wanted was for her bedwetting to come back. Somewhere in her mind, she wondered if she should be more concerned about this; after all, this was the…what? Second? Third time this week? Or was it? She had the distinct feeling this wasn’t her first close call lately, but her mind was too foggy with sleepiness to mull it over sufficiently. Rei got back in bed, pulled the covers over her, snuggled into them, and let the gentle sound of falling raindrops from her white noise machine lull her back to sleep.

Funnily enough, I was just recently having a conversation with Altered States (whose work this world is based on) about how me being American and the political climate of America has shaped how I've interpreted his world building, and it really speaks to the role of dystopian literature in our lives. I'm glad you seem to be enjoying it, but I certainly don't blame you if it becomes a little too on the nose to enjoy it! Thanks! I appreciate that! So, anyway, I'm working on a small side project: a soundtrack for this story XD just a fun little thing I'm putting together. I won't share it yet because some of the songs won't make sense or might give away the direction I'm going, but if you readers have any songs that you think fit the vibe of this story, I'd love to hear it! Of course, the namesake of this story is already on the list! XD New updates coming soon! I'm off work next week, so hopefully I'll get a lot of work on this story done!

Emma was a lot of fun to write. She was supposed to be a one-off character, but I think you'll be seeing her again 😉

It's my birthday and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth just came out, but I'm still taking time to give you all an update. You're welcome XD This chapter was really fun to write, and I hope you all love it as much as I do! Chapter Fifteen Ms. Akiyama was having a very different afternoon. About the time Rei was first finding Riley on the patio, Ms. Akiyama was pulling her car into a spot directly into front of a colorful, three-story concrete building. The outside walls were a continuous mural of girls of various ages playing. There was a large, wooden privacy fence that extended out from one corner of the building before wrapping around and connecting at the corner diagonal from the first. As she stepped out of her car, Ms. Akiyama could hear the gentle cacophony of girls playing from the other side of the fence. A large neon sign hung on the façade of the building with “Brighter Days Academy” spelled out in a rainbow. A smaller, more professional sign hung below that read “Institute of Behavioral Therapy for Young Adult Girls.” Ms. Akiyama walked through the tinted glass front doors into an immaculate and brightly-lit lobby. There were a few plush chairs set around the perimeter of the room that looked as though they had never been sat in, and neat piles of uncrumpled magazines sat on end tables by the chairs. There were wooden doors with spotless silver door handles to Ms. Akiyama’s right and left, and a reception desk directly in front of her. The desk was occupied with a young woman who clearly was the most organized receptionist any office had ever seen. Everything on her desk was neatly laid out and organized, not a thing seemed out of place, and everything seemed to have a place. She sat behind the desk, back straight, in a white blouse that left her warm beige arms bare. Her smile crinkled the corners of her brown eyes and showed off pearlescent brilliant teeth. Her nails were short but well-manicured, and her black hair cut in a shoulder-length bob. “Akiko” was printed on a name tag that was pinned to her chest. “Hello, welcome to Brighter Days Academy,” she chirped brightly. “How may I help you today?” Ms. Akiyama smiled at the young girl, vaguely wondering if she was old enough to be working as a receptionist in the first place. “I had an appointment for a consultation? Under Hana Akiyama?” “Fantastic,” Akiko replied as she turned towards her computer and began typing rapidly. “Yes, I see that appointment in the system. Thank you so much for coming in today, Mrs. Akiyama; we’re very excited to meet you and your child’s needs!” “Oh, Ms. Akiyama,” Ms. Akiyama corrected. “Oh, I’m very sorry,” the girl turned towards the computer, hit a few keys, and turned back, “I’ve corrected that in our system so it won’t happen again. Now, I see that,” she glanced towards the screen, “Dr. Welles will be your consultant today. I think you’ll like her; she’s very brilliant and will definitely be able to help you. I’ve already notified Dr. Welles that you are here, so she should be with you soon. Might I get you something to drink while you wait?” “A water would be wonderful, Akiko,” Ms. Akiyama responded with a smile. The young girl was so bright and cheerful, it was contagious. Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but wish Rei could be more like that. “Excellent, I’ll—” Before Akiko could finish the sentence, the door on Ms. Akiyama’s right opened, and a fit woman with brown, curly hair wearing a white lab coat over a tight black dress emerged with a clipboard in her hand. “Ms. Akiyama, I presume?” “Oh, um, yes,” Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but be caught off guard by their promptness. “Yes, that’s me.” One thing was certain about this place; it was efficient. “Are you Dr. Welles?” “Please,” the woman said, extending one arm to shake Ms. Akiyama’s hand, “call me Emma. If you’d like to follow me, we can get started!” The woman couldn’t match Akiko for bright and cheery (and who could?), but she was doing her hardest. “I’ll bring your water in to you,” Akiko said as Ms. Akiyama began following Emma Welles through the door. The door led to a short, carpeted hallway with walls adorned with what looked like the art projects of children of various ages and proficiencies. At the end, the hallway turned left, and Ms. Akiyama found herself staring down a much longer hallway with doors along each side. “This is really just the administrative wing,” Emma explained, “the real fun stuff happens through the left door. But still, we need offices to get some work done, right?” She said it with the cadence of a joke, but Ms. Akiyama wasn’t sure she got the joke. She chuckled politely anyway. “Thank you for coming in today,” Emma continued as she led Ms. Akiyama down the hall, “I’m always excited to help new clients get started on reaching their goals. And I’m sure you’ll find that we are well equipped to help you reach those goals, regardless of what they are.” “Well,” Ms. Akiyama replied, “I’m not really sure what my goals are, yet…exactly…” “And that’s okay!” Emma exclaimed. “We can help you with that, too. Here we go,” Emma stopped at one of the many doors, swung the door inward, and gestured for Ms. Akiyama to go ahead. The office was darker than what Ms. Akiyama had seen of the rest of the building by far. In contrast to the bright white, fluorescent lights of the hallway and lobby, Emma Welles’ office was lit by a few table lamps and the natural light streaming through the tinted windows that spanned the wall across from the door. A large desk made of dark wood dominated the room, flanked by shelves absolutely brimming with books. “Please,” Emma said, gesturing to one of the two plush chairs in front of the desk as she made her way around the desk to sit at the high-backed leather chair behind it. Ms. Akiyama noticed there were three more chairs pressed against the wall: all wooden, hard-backed chairs that looked better for your posture than your comfort. “So, Ms. Akiyama,” Emma said as she settled in to her chair, “tell me about your daughter.” “Well,” Ms. Akiyama started then stopped speaking for a long beat, trying to figure out where to begin. “What’s her name?” Emma prompted when Ms. Akiyama was coming up short. She was used to this from new clients; so many of them were just in so over their head that they needed to be guided by the hand. “Rei.” “What a pretty name,” Emma managed to keep it from sounding like a practiced response, “and how is she?” “She’s nineteen.” “Ah, what a magical age,” Emma smiled warmly and began typing on her laptop, recording Ms. Akiyama’s responses. “And I assume she is not emancipated?” “Correct.” “Excellent,” of course, it wasn’t truly a barrier since parents could revoke emancipation at any time for any reason, but Emma always liked to get any potential complications out of the way first. “Does she attend school?” “Yes, Greenham Community College.” Emma made a disapproving sound in her throat as she typed, “mm, that’s risky, you know. She could be getting exposed to all sorts of…problematic ideas there. I don’t want to make any official recommendations until we’ve talked about your goals, but I definitely recommend removing her from the college setting. Most girls Rei’s age can’t handle that kind of environmentl; they aren’t mature enough to make the right choices, you know?” Ms. Akiyama smiled awkwardly, “it’s just…she likes school, I feel bad taking it away.” “Oh!” Emma exclaimed, “well, that’s wonderful. We love a little girl who loves school; but there are a lot of healthier options that will be better for her and her development into a happy adult that we can explore, okay?” “Oh, well, okay,” Ms. Akiyama said uncertainly. “Don’t worry, Ms. Akiyama,” Emma reached across the desk and gave Ms. Akiyama’s hand a reassuring squeeze, “I’m here to help and guide you through this. I know it’s a lot and that it can sometimes seem hard to make these calls. So many of the clients I see come in and tell me that they feel like bad parents, but you know what I tell them?” “What?” “That just by walking through those doors they’ve shown me that they are a great parent,” Emma smiled reassuringly. “Just by walking through that door, they’ve shown how much they care about doing what is right for their daughter, and isn’t that what makes a great parent?” “I…I guess so…” Ms. Akiyama had to admit it did make sense. “I know how hard it is these days, Ms. Akiyama. Things are so different than when we were kids; the parenting lessons we learned from our parents just don’t apply anymore! Even the things we learned as parents don’t seem right anymore. I’m a mother myself, Ms. Akiyama; I know how it can feel like you’re lost and don’t know how to be a parent anymore. But you’re still that great parent you always were; you just need new tools to deal with new problems. Don’t worry, we’re here to give you those tools and teach you how to use them.” Yes, that was exactly what Ms. Akiyama needed. She nodded, feeling a sense of resolve; she was doing the right thing. “Thank you, Emma,” she said, sincerely, “you don’t know how hard I’ve fought with myself over the decision to come here today.” “Well, we’re glad you’re here, and, more importantly, you’re going to be glad you’re here. And most importantly? Rei is going to be glad you came here, I promise. This can often be a rough road, and especially if Rei is used to being in college, she’s likely to throw a temper tantrum or two, okay? But every girl I see come through here leaves happier, healthier, and better adjusted.” “It’s a relief to hear you say that.” “So,” Emma said, turning back to the matter at hand, “Rei is 19 and attends community college. Is she…willful?” Ms. Akiyama chuckled, “a little, yes; she can be very hard-headed and stubborn.” “Mmm, I see,” Emma typed for a moment, “and does she get good grades?” “Oh, yes! Like I said, she loves school. If anything, she studies too much.” “Mmm, yes, we see that a lot in girls like Rei,” though Emma didn’t say quite what she meant by ‘girls like Rei.’ “Does she have a father figure?” Ms. Akiyama shook her head, “her father died of cancer some years ago.” “I’m sorry to hear that,” Emma gave her a consoling smile. “Any other guardian or caretaker figures in her life?” “No.” “Any behavioral problems?” “No…well, not really, but…” “Go ahead, Ms. Akiyama, you can tell me.” “I recently found out she was taking a gender studies course—” “Goodness!” “—and she lied about it too.” “Oh my,” Emma shook her head, “that’s troubling. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you what kind of filth those classes fill young girls’ heads with. I simply don’t understand why they still allow them to be taught. I’m glad you came in when you did, Ms. Akiyama; it sounds like Rei is need of major intervention.” “Well,” Ms. Akiyama said nervously, “I don’t know about major. I was thinking more of…well, just something to curb her worse tendencies and make sure she stays out of trouble.” Emma turned away from the computer and fully towards Ms. Akiyama. “Let me ask you this: what are your goals for Rei? What do you want for her, ultimately?” Ms. Akiyama considered the question for a moment but gave the answer that had come to her immediately: “I just want her to be happy and safe.” “Girls like Rei have often already been exposed to ideas and radical leftist propaganda that can make it hard for them to be happy. Call it the legacy of so many years of misguided feminism. There are still some fringe elements pushing that feminist narrative, but we, as a culture, have moved past it, thank God. We know now that all the feminist dreck pushed by unhappy women was exactly what was making them unhappy; but some women refuse to accept that, and they push it on to young girls, girls like Rei, If you want Rei to be happy, you have to help her realize that all that stuff her college has put in her head is the reason she’ll never be happy. To put it bluntly, girls like Rei will never be happy until they accept their place in the world.” Before Ms. Akiyama could finish processing everything Emma had just said, there was a polite tapping at the door. “That must be Akiko with your water,” Emma said before calling out for the girl to come in. The door opened to admit Akiko, who Ms. Akiyama now saw was wearing brightly polished Mary Jane shoes, black knee socks, and a pleated black skirt that came to mid-thigh. She was carrying a small tray with a glass full of ice and a bottle of water that was sweating with condensation and walked with a bit of a waddle that explained the rustling Ms. Akiyama could hear from under the girls’ skirt. “Ms. Akiyama, your water,” she said as she set two coasters on the table before setting the glass and bottle of water down on top of them. Tucking the tray under her arm, she picked the bottle back up, cracked the seal, and poured it over the ice. “Is there anything else I may get for you, Ms. Akiyama?” “No, thank you so much.” “You are very welcome,” she beamed at Ms. Akiyama, then turned to Emma. “Dr. Welles, may I get you anything?” “No, thank you, Akiko, you may go,” Emma smiled as she watched the girl leave, then turned back to Ms. Akiyama. “Akiko is one of our students; she’s part of a work education program through her extended high school program. She’s a lovely girl.” “She seems so…happy,” Ms. Akiyama remarked, “I almost wish Rei were more like her,” she added giving voice to her earlier thoughts. “Rei can be,” Emma smiled, “after all, Brighter Days is responsible for molding Akiko into the girl she is today. It takes a lot of work though, Ms. Akiyama. You were saying you weren’t sure if you wanted to do any kind of major behavioral therapy for Rei, but I’ll caution you now that, based off what you’ve told me about Rei, she’s going to need more than just some minor adjustments to make sure she stays out of trouble.” Ms. Akiyama considered this for a moment. “What do you suggest?” she asked at last. “Well,” Emma leaned back in her chair and steepled her fingers, “as I already said, I think the first and most important step is getting her out of college.” Ms. Akiyama’s brow furrowed, “Rei won’t be happy about that.” “As I said, Ms. Akiyama, temper tantrums are just part of the process. Think of it this way: if she reacts poorly, that’s a sign that she’s not mature enough to handle herself.” “That…makes sense…” “And like I said, we love little girls that love school! We certainly don’t want to squash that love of learning and education; we just want to make sure it’s nurtured in a safe and healthy way that will help her grow up into a well-adjusted adult.” “Something like an extended high school program?” “Extended high school programs are really best for girls who are already on their way to growing up to be happy, healthy adult women. I recommend them most for girls whose parents are choosing to extend their teen years. It can also be a good starting point, a way to test the waters, if you will, for more drastic measures, or to see if they really are necessary in the first place. I’ll caution you, however, that this often isn’t enough for girls like Rei. If you really want to make sure she learns and more important accepts her place and grows up to be a healthy and happy adult, I highly recommend incorporating other behavioral therapies. In fact, in girls like Rei, we often see the problem behaviors become worse if you don’t use other behavioral therapies.” “Like what?” “Well,” Emma leaned forward in her chair, “potty training regression is certainly our most potent tool.” Ms. Akiyama nodded; she had expected this conversation to come up. She tried to picture Rei in a tshirt and diaper like Megan had been and just couldn’t muster the image. “I’m just…not sure about that…” “I understand, Ms. Akiyama, it seems drastic. But girls like Rei often need drastic measures.” “Rei is a good girl though, really,” Ms. Akiyama said. “She’s a little misguided right now, but she’s a good girl.” Emma gave her best reassuring smile, but she couldn’t keep all of the condescension out of it. “With respect, Ms. Akiyama, we here at Brighter Days have a lot of experience in these matters, and we’ve found that potty training regression is the backbone to any behavioral therapy treatment. While it’s true that it was once considered a radical technique, it’s not considered quite mainstream! Really, it is! Over 80% of young girls ages eighteen to twenty-eight wear pull-ups or diapers. Here, see for yourself.” Emma reached into her desk and produced a glossy pamphlet that she slid across the table. Ms. Akiyama picked the pamphlet up: the cover featured a girl in her early twenties whose body language spoke of a desperate need to pee and a older looking woman standing behind her with a knowing smile. The pamphlet was titled “Fast Facts About Potty Training Regression Therapy.” “To be honest, Emma,” Ms. Akiyama said, setting the pamphlet back on the desk, “I just don’t get it. It’s really only been lately that I’ve even considered any kind of…regressive behavioral therapy for Rei; I never quite understood why other parents thought it was good for their children. I think I’m finally starting to see the benefits of this kind of therapy, but…” Ms. Akiyama sighed and shook her head, “I just don’t understand why it’s necessary to put Rei…back in diapers.” Emma nodded understandingly, “Believe it or not, many of our clients have only recently begun to think about this therapy, and many express that same sentiment. You see, the whole reason we see so many behavioral problems in girls in the eighteen to twenty-eight range is that they still see themselves as adults. They have notions of independence and freedom that girls their age simply aren’t ready for. That’s why they are so susceptible to all the feminist drivel we were talking about earlier, right?” She chuckled dismissively. “So, you see, potty training regression is a way of kind of…dissuading them from such ideas. It’s hard to think you’re an adult who is ready to make decisions for themselves when you can’t keep your pants dry; I mean, just imagine that. Of course, that’s just the main benefit, there are numerous other benefits as well. For example, potty training regression strengthens the bond between mother and daughter by creating a feeling of dependency, and being reliant on mom for diaper changes can minimize time spent away from home. Not to mention, it discourages intimate behavior with boys.” Ms. Akiyama had picked up the pamphlet again and was scanning over the pages of the pamphlet as Emma spoke. What she was saying made sense, but…could she really do this? “I don’t know,” Ms. Akiyama set the pamphlet down again and looked at the woman across from her. “I guess this is a silly question but…is it…permanent?” “Oh, no, of course not,” Emma waved her the very notion of the idea away with her hand. “Once a girl is old enough and ready for it, she can always be re-potty trained. Of course,” Emma laughed, “some girls do have more problems with re-potty training than others, but that’s no different than the first time.” Ms. Akiyama smiled fondly and laughed lightly, suddenly she was a mom just gossiping about her kinds to another mom. “Rei was such a hassle to potty train; she’d die if anyone knew, but she was accident prone until she was 12 and wet the bed until she was 15.” Emma giggled and nodded, “that’s actually excellent news! Girls who were late potty trainers and/or bedwetters tend to be more susceptible to potty training regression. It suggests you will have excellent results!” Ms. Akiyama’s smile faded and she sighed. She was silent for a long moment; Emma recognized that thoughtful look from countless clients before Ms. Akiyama and gave the woman time to think. “Let’s say,” she said finally, “that I was actually considering doing this, and, really, that’s all I’m doing right now, how…how does it even work?” Emma grinned from ear to ear. “Well, Ms. Akiyama, we have so many tools and resources to help you with this process. And it is a process! While most of our clients see results within the first thirty days of starting therapy, you can’t expect results overnight. With the proper tools and strategies, most girls do see regression fairly quickly, but for some girls that first accident can take weeks. More importantly, the process is unique for each girl. For example, for some girls its enough just to put them in pull-ups and inevitably they give in themselves; that, of course, is not the kind of girl Rei is. For girls like Rei, it’s best to start with inducing accidents, making her doubt her own potty training, and leading her to pull-ups or even diapers from there.” “But…inducing accidents? How do you even start to do that?” “Well, if you decide to buy a therapy package from us, we will individualize a plan for Rei that will include a mix of methods, mostly likely including some medicines that will help loosen up her bladder, white noise induction machines for bedtime that will encourage bedwetting, a regiment of diuretics, and actionable plans to keep her distracted from using the toilet. If we couple this with enrollment at an extended high school program, we can write doctor’s notes instructing teachers to reinforce the therapy through prohibiting restroom breaks during class and other such strategies.” And that brought them to the question Ms. Akiyama had been dreading, “and, uh, how much do these therapy packages cost?” Emma smiled warmly, “there’s a misconception that these kinds of individualized behavioral therapy programs are expensive, and that’s because, well, that used to be the case! But the fact is, insurance companies are actually required to cover regressive behavioral therapy under the Hayes Act! You’ll pay a small copay depending on your insurance, and any prescription drugs we prescribe as part of your therapy plan will be covered as per any prescription. Of course, that is not to say there aren’t some financial burdens to this kind of therapy. For example, insurance companies usually do not cover things like new furniture for Rei’s new lifestyle and most other supplies you’ll likely need.” “Furniture?” “Oh, yes, you know, things like playpens, cribs, changing tables.” Ms. Akiyama shook her head, “well, I don’t think Rei will be needing any of that.” “Mm, of course not, but it’s good to know what’s covered and what’s not, just in case you decide to change your mind. And as for the other supplies, while insurance doesn’t cover things like bottles, sippy-cups, or pull-ups or diapers, we at Brighter Days partner with many manufacturers to offer starter packs and discounts on regular purchases. We can even sign you up for a delivery service that will keep you and Rei stocked in pull-ups or diapers. Or a mix of both!” Ms. Akiyama sighed, “I don’t know, this is a lot, isn’t it?” “It is,” Emma leaned forward in her chair and gave Ms. Akiyama a sympathetic look, “and that’s why we are here to help.” “I’m just not sure that Rei needs all of this…” “This can be a difficult decision for many parents, Ms. Akiyama, but keep in mind that the longer you wait, the more drastic the measures you may have to take.” Emma let that sink if for a minute, then continued, “Ms. Akiyama, may I make a suggestion?” A little hope flickered in Ms. Akiyama’s eyes amidst the confusion, “yes, please, I just…don’t even know where to start.” “That’s natural, Ms. Akiyama,” Emma said as she reached into her desk and pulled out a thick three-ring binder, “and that’s why so many parents come to us. This may all be very new and overwhelming for you, but we here at Brighter Days have seen it all and been through it so many times with children of various levels of resistance to this kind of therapy; we’re experts! You may not know where to begin, Ms. Akiyama, but we do.” She gave Ms. Akiyama her biggest, most confident smile and opened the binder to exact page she wanted (it was one of her most frequently used selling points, after all, so why not have it marked?). The top of the glossy page read “So, you’ve decided you want a daughter who wets the bed.” “Bedwetting?” Ms. Akiyama asked. “Bedwetting.” Emma replied confidently. “This is an excellent starting point, Ms. Akiyama. It can be perfect for minor attitude adjustments; so, if you’re right and Rei just needs a little push in the right direction, this might be all you need to get her there! It doesn’t impact her life outside of bedtime, still allows her to be independent and feel like ‘big girl,’ but still gives her that little bit of a nudge towards being the obedient daughter you are looking for! And if the worst case scenario happens and Rei needs a little stronger push, this establishes the foundation for further behavioral therapy perfectly.” “I suppose…I suppose that does make sense,” Ms. Akiyama replied after a moment of thought. She sighed. “I guess…my biggest reservation is that I’m still not sure how this all works. It’s not like she doesn’t know that this kind of…therapy exists, won’t she immediately suspect what I’m up to when she walks up one morning to find she’s wet the bed?” Emma smiled reassuringly, “that’s a concern many parents have. That’s one of the reasons why for so many girls, it’s best to introduce diapers and let the girls come to using them on their own. But as I’ve said, we’ve dealt with girls of varying levels of resistance to therapy; that’s why each plan is individualized for each girl, so that we can figure out ways to keep them from suspecting anything until it’s too late!” Ms. Akiyama shifted in her seat a little, slightly uncomfortable with the ‘until it’s too late’ part, but…who was she kidding? The phrasing might be blunt, but it wasn’t incorrect. “Thankfully,” Emma continued, seemingly unaware of Ms. Akiyama’s temporary discomfort, “with Rei, we have a perfect, shall we say, alibi for you.” “We do?” Emma nodded, “After all, didn’t you say Rei wet the bed until she was fifteen? It’s certainly not inconceivable that she return to that little bad habit, don’t you think?” Emma got a mischievous smile, “It’s especially common in girls who are dealing with all the pressure and demands of college. Of course, you’ll have to do your part to sell her on it, but we can include it as part of her nighttime induction to make it easy for you.” “You mentioned this…nighttime induction earlier. What is it?” “Oh!” Emma reached into another drawer and brought out a small, white plastic appliance, about the size of a digital alarm clock. “The first night you start treatment, you’ll put this in her room, plug it in,” she swivel in her chair a bit to plug it into an outlet behind her desk, “and turn it on,” she pressed a button and a sound like falling rain filled the room, “and it will play this white noise. However, while what you are listening to right now is, I assure you, just harmless static, Rei’s will have subaudible suggestive inductions playing underneath the static to help plant ideas in her head.” “Subaudible suggestive inductions? Like…hypnosis?” “Well,” Emma replied, smiling with a hint of condescension, “it’s not dissimilar from hypnosis, but hypnosis is, well…it can be effective, sure, but its powers are very limited compared to what most people believe. For example, no amount of hypnosis can truly affect a sleeping person; contrary to popular belief, a person must be conscious and capable of hearing hypnosis in order for it to work. Subaudible suggestive induction is a patented technology perfected by Brighter Days scientists that can do everything hypnosis can, but better and without the patient ever knowing. The downside is that, like the name implies, it’s just a suggestion, so we must reinforce it while the patient is awake in order to cement the idea in place. Here,” Emma pulled a brochure out of the top drawer of her desk and handed it to Ms. Akiyama, “you can read all about it in this, but the bottom line is that it’s completely safe and very effective.” Ms. Akiyama took the brochure and glanced over it for a moment before putting it on the desk. “Is all of this…reversible?” “Oh, yes! Behavioral therapy targets cognition, not the physical body, so it is very reversible. However, that is not to say the body isn’t affected; once girls stop using those muscles that keep them from having accidents, those muscles tend to start to weaken, hence why re-potty training is necessary. That said, when a girl only experiences potty-training regression in the form of bedwetting, it typically only takes two or three weeks for the bedwetting to clear up once treatment has stopped. Of course,” Emma added, “as I said, how easy a girl was to potty train the first time remains a good predictor of how quickly they’ll recover, so, for Rei, it might be a couple months, but it will definitely clear up eventually.” “Does anyone ever…not recover?” This was one of Emma’s least favorite questions to answer, but she smiled and did her best, “Well, Ms. Akiyama, the truth is that, yes, some girls never quite recover their potty training. But I assure you, the number of girls who are unable to fully re-potty train is really, truly statistically insignificant, and our behavioral scientists believe these cases to be more related to an emotional or cognitive resistance to re-potty training rather than a physical inability. That is to say, some girls don’t seem to even want to re-potty train!” Emma’s laugh was a little forced. “I don’t know…” Ms. Akiyama sighed. She thought back to when Rei was still wetting the bed. It had been a huge source of embarrassment for the girl, especially in the later years when regressive behavioral therapy started becoming mainstream. She had been so happy and relieved when she finally stopped. Could Ms. Akiyama really do that to her again? But, then again, if it could keep her from filling her head with all sorts of impossible ideas that would prevent her from finding happiness in this new world or, God forbid, falling in with the wrong crowd and getting herself in serious trouble… And after all, Rei may have been embarrassed by her bedwetting, but she was still able to live a normal life outside of that, just like Emma had said. And that was when most of her peers didn’t wet the bed, technically Rei was in the minority for not wetting the bed now. Ms. Akiyama took a deep breath and nodded, “okay, let’s do this.” Emma grinned, “I think that’s an excellent decision, Ms. Akiyama. Now, let’s talk details and make an action plan. Because each induction machine must be program specifically for each child, you won’t be able to get started until tomorrow, but I’m confident you’ll be changing Rei’s wet sheets before the weekend is over.”

It's an interesting setting! I have a feeling this won't be the only story I write in this setting because there are a lot of other kinds of stories to explore in this universe. And don't worry, this will get smutty. Ah, gotcha! Thanks for the explanation! Alright, kiddos. I really do apologize for taking such a long hiatus from this story. I've been very busy with work and, honestly, I'm going through some shitty things in my rl. I had originally really wanted to do weekly updates, but, at least for right now, I'm not sure I can promise that. BUT! Don't worry, however long I go between updates, I will definitely not be abandoning this story. Thank you all for your patience, and I hope you find it worth the wait! But, alright. Here we go. Neeeewwwwwwww chapters; go! Chapter Twelve Rei thought about texting Riley that morning; she had wanted to text Riley, but she thought it prudent not to—that is, the questions she wanted to ask Riley were not questions she wanted a record of asking. So, instead, Rei sought out Riley at lunch. She wasn’t even sure Riley would be there, but most students at her school had the same schedule Monday and Wednesday, so it was safe to assume Riley would be having lunch around the same time the two had run into each other earlier in the week. And, as predicted, she found her easily enough. Riley was sitting alone on one of the patio tables in the farthest corner. The day was warmer than it had been for the past two weeks, but still chilly enough to keep most of the student body off the patio and inside. Riley sat on the black crisscross tabletop with her cafeteria tray of food next to her and her combat boots on the attached bench. Her mop of curly blue hair was free today, and she wore an oversized black and red knit cardigan over a band shirt at least three sizes too big tucked into a black pencil skirt over fishnets. She sat facing perpendicular to the direction from which Rei approached, giving the latter plenty of time to admire the former as she approached. And admire she did. Riley was so different from the other girls; she oozed maturity and a sort of effortless cool. Riley was confident, sure of herself, in a world that pressured her to be anything but that. Rei couldn’t explain it, but she found herself craving Riley’s approval. Rei found herself getting nervous as she approached; she was self-conscious of her light pink blouse and black maxi skirt, worried that Riley would find it childish or immature or just…not cool. That’s what it came down to: Rei desperately wanted Riley to think she was cool. “Uh, hey,” Rei said, off to a great start. Riley turned towards the girl and grinned, “hey, Rei, what’s up?” She slid down from table to sit on the bench itself, albeit backwards, and gestured for Rei to sit next to her. “I see you went for the chicken tenders today too,” Riley said lightheartedly, gesturing to a half-eaten plate of the same on her tray. Rei laughed, a little nervously, “yeah,” she said, and immediately had nothing else to say as she slid on to the bench next to Riley. “You okay?” Riley asked, sensing some tension in the other girl. “I don’t know, are we?” Riley sucked her teeth. “You worried about what happened with Melanie and Josie?” Rei nodded. “They are solid; they won’t give up any names.” “Are you sure?” “Yeah,” Riley said without hesitation. “Look,” she added a beat later, “I know it’s scary, but…we all knew what we were getting into, yeah? Melanie and Josie certainly did, and they were ready to accept those consequences. They aren’t going to give up any information that might hurt any of us or the group, okay?” Riley was only mostly certain of what she was saying, but she needed to sound confident to put Rei at ease. Rei getting worked up and worrying wouldn’t help anyone, and, besides, Riley felt a sort of instinct to protect the younger girl. Riley was, after all, the apparent leader of the group. “Thanks, Riley,” Rei said after she had digested the other girl’s words for a moment. “That makes me feel a little better.” “And, hey, look, if you ever feel like you are in over your head, no one will judge you if you want out, you know that, right?” Riley wanted Rei to stay with the group, it gave Riley a reason to keep talking to her, but it was important to her that Rei knew no one was forcing her to stay. Riley was already in to deep, but it wasn’t too late for Rei. Rei took a bite of one of her chicken tenders and chewed slowly. She was scared, of course she was scared, but she was just as scared of what would happen to the world if girls like her and groups like Rebel stopped fighting back. And then there was the simple fact that she didn’t want to let Riley down. She didn’t want to let any of her fellow Rebels down, for that matter. “So,” Rei said after a long moment, “what’s the next job going to be anyway?” Riley snorted laughter. “I don’t know yet,” she said when her laughter died down, “but…probably something smaller. We need to lay low for a bit, I think.” Rei nodded, embarrassed by how relieved she felt to hear that. “I don’t know,” Riley continued, “just check your burner every Friday, like usual; we’ll probably announce the next meeting soon.” The two sat in silence for a long moment after that, Rei picking at her food while Riley stared off across the lake behind their campus. It wasn’t an awkward silence, but it wasn’t, exactly, a comfortable silence either. Rei was desperately searching her brain for something to say the whole time, but it was Riley who finally broke the silence. “So, how are things with your mom?” And it was the topic Rei least wanted to talk about. She shrugged, “She hasn’t really mentioned what happened, but she did pull me out of that class.” A second shrug, “I guess I’m just lucky she let me stay in college at all.” “You really think she might put you in one of those extended high school programs?” “I don’t know,” Rei replied honestly, “I wouldn’t have thought so at one point, but…then Monday night happened, and…” she trailed off. “And now everything seems topsy turvy?” Riley picked up the thought, and Rei nodded in agreement. “You don’t think she’d…do…ya know, anything else, do you?” Rei blushed at even the thought of what Riley might be referring to. “God, no, mom thinks all that stuff is like…kinda weird.” “More than kinda,” Riley interjected. “So, I don’t think she’d ever go that far, thankfully.” “Well, hey, you know, if you do get sent off to one of those extended high school programs, I mean…you know, you’ve got my number, so we can still be friends.” Riley was trying desperately to sound nonchalant, like it didn’t matter that much to her, but she was terrified her new friend would one day disappear without warning and she wanted, no, needed the other girl to know she could still reach out. “Yeah?” Rei asked, trying to hide how excited she was that Riley had said they were friends, and more so at the implication that Riley wanted to continue being friends even if Rei could no longer attend college. “I’d…really like that.” “Sure, of course,” Riley smiled. “Besides, you can brag to all your new high school friends that you have a friend in college.” Rei couldn’t help but laugh; it was exactly the kind of thing the popular girls at her high school would have bragged about. It was probably an even bigger brag these days. “What kind of classes do they teach in those programs anyway?” Riley asked. “I mean, I know it’s basically housewife training, but is that it?” Rei shrugged; she hadn’t really looked into it much. “I think it’s like…cooking classes and stuff like that. Probably a whole semester on how to get stains out of different fabrics. Probably child raising classes, as if I would ever want to have children.” Riley pulled out her phone while Rei was still talking about began tapping furiously on the screen. “Well, I don’t know about a whole semester on getting stains out, but you’re partially right; it’s a lot of like home ec kind of classes. But they do also have continuing education in the core subjects like Math, English, History, and Science, and other electives.” “Wait, really?” Rei was surprised. She had genuinely thought it was just to get you ready to be a housewife. “Yeah, this website says ‘extended high school programs are designed to give your daughter a high-quality, college-level education free from the radical leftist bias prevalent in so many colleges and universities’” she read off the screen of her phone, then added, “Kinda creepy, if you ask me.” “Why creepy?” “Like, they act like colleges and universities are brainwashing us to be leftist radicals, but can you honestly tell me this isn’t its own form of brainwashing? Raising girls who can’t and won’t question their own infantilization, oppression, and marginalization? That’s all these schools do. ‘High-quality, college-level’ my ass. I’ll tell you what it is,” Riley shifted on the bench to face Rei directly, “it’s just a reflection of the anti-intellectualism this whole bullshit movement has been built on, ya know? They have their whole “facts over feelings” mantra, but it’s a façade, because in reality, in truth, the facts don’t back up what they say, so they change the facts, change the narrative, and say anything that says otherwise is biased. It’s fucked up. It’s downright sinister, ya know?” “You’re right,” Rei agreed enthusiastically, “God, I wish I could get my mom to understand that. She thinks the education I want to get is political, but you’re right, it’s only political because people who don’t like the conclusions it teaches have made it political!” “Damn right, girl,” Riley encouraged the younger girl. “I just…” Rei sighed, losing her momentum, “I just wish she could see that.” “I wish a lot of people could see that,” Riley responded, faint frustrating in her voice. “You wanna get out of here?” She asked suddenly. “Wait, what do you mean?” “I mean, let’s blow off afternoon classes, go do something fun.” Rei laughed nervously; was Riley joking? “I…I can’t skip class.” “Why not? It won’t hurt to miss a class. Besides, this time next week you could be at an extended high school program, so who cares?” Rei internally flinched at Riley’s jab or joke or whatever it was. She had a point, but it was a point Rei didn’t like having pointed out. “Sorry,” Riley said, picking up on the girl’s lackluster reaction. “It’s just…I don’t know, I feel restless, I guess.” And I want to spend more time with you, Riley thought but didn’t say. Rei chewed her bottom lip, tempted to go, but certain her mother would somehow find out. Wait, that was a good question, did colleges report when you were absent like high schools did? Once upon a time, she would have assumed not, but now it was anyone’s guess, especially for students who were still minors. “I…really don’t want to miss class…” Rei said at least, more than a little regretful. “Look, if you’re worried about your mom finding out,” Riley said, as if she could read the other girl’s mind, “then just go to class, excuse yourself to the restroom after attendance, and, poof, you’re gone.” “Won’t they notice me taking all my stuff to the restroom?” Riley shrugged, “leave your stuff with me.” Rei’s stomach was full of butterflies. She had never skipped class, not even in high school. But here was Riley, who she desperately wanted to think she was cool, inviting her to skip class and go hang out. Rei glanced at her phone screen; her afternoon class started in thirty minutes, she had to decide soon. “Come on,” Riley coaxed, “it’ll be fun.” “What would we even do?” Riley shrugged, “hang out, chill, maybe go to the mall? I don’t know, anything is better than being here today, if you ask me.” Rei took a deep breath, then laughed nervously. “Okay,” she said, “let’s do it.” “Yeah?” “Yeah.” “Come on then,” without a moment of hesitation, Riley grabbed Rei’s wrist and ran off giggling, pulling the other girl behind her and leaving their discarded lunch trays behind. Chapter Thirteen Riley sipped on her lemonade and handed Rei the last bite of the pretzel they were splitting. “Aliens,” Riley said. Rei laughed and popped the last piece of pretzel in her mouth, chewing while she thought out her reply. “Probably real,” she said once she had swallowed, “well, almost certainly real, but only probably have visited Earth before.” “Probably isn’t the game,” Riley shot back, “do you personally think they have?” Rei took a sip of her own lemonade and pondered the question. “Mmm, yes, but I don’t think they’ve abducted people.” “You think they just like…observe?” “Yeah! Like scientists, ya know? Observing wildlife in its natural habitat.” “So that’s what we are to them?” “Probably!” Rei giggled at the thought. The mall food court was nearly empty on this weekday afternoon, but a few tables were occupied throughout the mass of them. Rei couldn’t help but keep looking over at a mother a few tables away spoon-feeding her daughter, who seemed to fall into helpless giggles every time her mother flew an airplane her way. Rei wasn’t sure, but she thought she might have gone to high school with the girl. “What do you think the aliens think of all that?” Riley said, noticing the trajectory of Rei’s distant stare. Rei didn’t answer immediately; she was considering the scene in front of her, trying to assess it like an alien who didn’t quite understand the cultural history that had led to this tableau. As Rei watched, the girl in the oversized highchair stopped giggling and scrunched up her face. For a moment, Rei wasn’t sure what she was watching, but it only took her a moment to figure it out: the girl was filling her diaper. Rei’s soul wretched a little, and she forced herself to turn away. “Um, how about ghosts?” she asked Riley, ignoring the other girl’s previous question. “Oh, definitely real,” Riley said, easily rolling with Rei’s change of subject. “But I don’t think most of them can, like, hurt or affect us. Hell, maybe none of them can.” Rei chuckled, “I thought I saw a ghost once when I was a kid.” “Tell me everything.” Rei felt her cheeks heat up; she normally didn’t tell anyone this story out of fear of being made fun of. She studied Riley’s face, trying to determine if Riley was baiting her into telling an embarrassing story or if she was genuinely interested. Riley seemed nothing but the latter. “Well,” she began, tentatively, “I mean, first of all, you have to understand, I was like seven at the time.” “Uh huh,” Riley nodded and gently encouraged Rei to continue. “And it was like shortly after my grandmother died.” “And then you saw her ghost?” Rei blushed but nodded. “I woke up one night in the middle of the night…something like two or three AM, and I think I went downstairs to get a glass of water or something. Like, I went downstairs, but I don’t remember what for.” Riley was nodding along as she listened. “And…sorry, this isn’t, like, an exciting story or anything.” “No, no, go on!” Riley urged. “Well, I went downstairs and…well, the first thing I noticed was the all the kitchen cabinets were just standing open.” “Oh, creepy,” Riley replied. “Yeah! And then like, I saw her just…sitting at the dining room table.” “You’re sure it was her?” “Definitely! I…” Rei blushed, “well, it scared me so bad I went running upstairs, crying the whole way, and jumped in bed with my parents.” “Wait, but how was that scary?” Riley asked incredulously. “I don’t know!” Rei laughed and threw up her hands, “I was like seven and I just saw a ghost! What about you, have you ever seen a ghost?” Riley smiled and shrugged, “nah. Some friends and I once tried to do a séance in a graveyard when I was in high school, had a Ouija board and everything, but all we saw was some cops that chased us off.” “Maybe you should try again one night.” “Oh yeah? What, you wanna join me?” “Maybe,” Rei said coyly. Riley grinned, “yeah, whatever, you’d probably scream and run away the moment we heard a noise or something.” “I was seven!” Rei cried in her defense. “I’d totally be brave enough now.” “I’m pretty sure I do still have that Ouija board…” “I’m serious! I’d totally do it.” “Alright,” Riley replied, sounding a bit smug, “but don’t complain when I drag you out to a graveyard one night to summon spirits.” “I can handle it,” Rei insisted. She took another sip of her lemonade, sucking up the last little bits, and leaned back in her chair, looking out over the food court again. The mother and her daughter had left; Rei could guess where they had gone off to easily enough. “Wanna go check out some stores?” Riley said after it was clear the conversation was in a lull. “What time do you need to be home by?” Rei looked at her phone, “not for another hour or so,” she replied. “Where’d you have in mind?” Riley looked at Rei for a moment, studying her face, before speaking, “you ever think about how good you’d like in eyeliner? We could go shopping for some make-up for you.” Rei let out a single sarcastic syllable of a laugh. “Yeah right, mom would kill me. She’s always been against me wearing make-up.” “So? She doesn’t have to know. Put it on in the school bathroom at the beginning of the day and take it off before you go home.” Rei chewed her lip a little embarrassedly, “and then there’s the fact that I have no idea how to put any kind of make-up on.” “Wait, really?” “Really! I told you, mom was always against it, she never taught me. Hell, she doesn’t really wear make-up either.” “Okay, well, we definitely need to fix that, okay?” Rei didn’t have time to respond; Riley jumped up from the table, grabbed their trash, and walked off with it, giving Rei the option of either staying behind or following. She caught up to Riley just as she was dumping their trash. “Come on,” she grabbed Rei’s hand and started leading her through the mall without needing to consult a map. A few moments later, the pair approached a store Rei had passed before, but had never entered: Sephora. The storefront was not huge, but it was bigger than Rei imagined was needed just to sell make-up, a thought that demonstrated just how clueless Rei was when it came to cosmetics. “Hold on there, girls,” a stern voice stopped the pair in their tracks as they approached the doorway. An older woman with crow’s feet creasing the pale ivory of her skin wearing a beige skirt suit with white high heels approached the pair, stopping directly in their path with her arms crossed over her chest. “Sorry, unattended children are not allowed in this store. You’ll have to come back with your parents.” Riley made a noise that was halfway between annoyed and disgusted as she fished her wallet out of her purse and flipped it open, “I’m emancipated, okay?” The woman raised her eyebrow at Riley, studied the ID being held out in front of her, and sighed. “Fine, but what about her?” “She’s with me,” Riley replied. “No unaccompanied children,” the woman shot back. “What the fuck?” Riley exclaimed, making the older woman visibly flinch at the profanity. “I’m an adult, so I’m accompanying her!” “Are you her parent?” The altercation was beginning to draw on-lookers and rubber-neckers. Rei could feel them staring at her, and, worse, she couldn’t tell if they were sympathetic or accusatory stares. “You just said she had to be accompanied; you didn’t say anything about a parent!” Riley loudly insisted. “Well, I am now,” more store employees were making their way to the front of the store now, flanking the older woman who Rei assumed was in a managerial position over the less formally dressed workers with nametags on their shirts. “And quite frankly, young lady, emancipated or not, I’m not so sure I want you in my store if this is the way you conduct yourself.” Rei was standing a foot behind Riley, blushing and holding back tears as Riley and this stranger debated over her like…well…like she was a child. Her reaction to it only made her feel more childish, but she couldn’t help how hot her cheeks were burning under the gaze of the audience and the judgement of this woman. “This is fucked up,” Riley growled, “just let us in, okay?” “Watch your language, young lady, or I’ll—” “You’ll what? Tell my mom? I told you, lady, I’m emancipated, bitch.” The older lady furrowed her brow hard, “I won’t ask you again. If you insist on being vulgar, I’ll call security and have them check just how authentic that emancipation card is.” Riley stared the woman down for a long moment, her jaw clenched and eyes on fire, “are you seriously accusing me of having a fake emancipation card?” The woman just smirked in response, “there’s a Forever 15 down that way,” the lady pointed the way they came, “and a Justice and a Claire’s that way,” she pointed in the opposite direction. “I’m sure you’ll find them better suited to…clientele such as yourself.” “Go ahead,” Riley planted her feet and crossed her arms in mimicry of the older woman, “call security. They’ll confirm my ID is real and you’ll have to let us shop here.” “Riley?” Rei managed to quietly croak out from her tightening throat. Neither woman seemed to notice her. “And what do you think is going to happen to your little friend, hm?” The lady responded smugly. “You may be emancipated, but she’s a minor; do you think her parents will be happy to pick her up from mall security?” That clearly caught Riley off guard, her anger dropping for just a second before it came roaring back in defense of her friend, “just…fuck you, okay?” It was just too bad all of that anger was impotent, and Riley knew it. “Come on, let’s go find some place to shop where the employees aren’t all fucking cunts.” Then Riley turned on her heel and stomped off. Rei gave the older lady, who was positively fuming, an apologetic look, not because she felt bad about what Riley had said, but just…well, she wasn’t sure why. Then she hurried to follow after Riley. “I can’t believe that bitch,” Riley muttered when Rei had caught up to her. “We’ll find another store, okay?” “Hey, Riley?” “There’s like three other make-up stores in this mall, okay? Not all of them will be staffed by conservative old bitches.” “Yeah, but…” “I can’t believe she threatened to call security, what a bitch move.” “Hey, Riley, stop,” Rei reached out and grabbed Riley’s upper arm to get her attention. “Please, can we just go?” Riley turned to face Rei, and all the anger immediately went out of her. Rei was close to trembling, and her eyes were glassy with unshed tears. “Shit,” Riley said quietly, pulling Rei into a hug. “I’m sorry; I didn’t even think about how that affected you.” “It’s okay,” Rei hugged Riley back, burying her face in the soft fabric of Riley’s cardigan. “But…please, I just want to go home, okay?” “Yeah,” Riley said softly, “we’ll get you home.” Chapter Fourteen “So, is this your mom’s car?” Rei asked as they cruised down the street, wind whipping in through the open windows. Rei’s hair was put up in a messy bun to keep it from tangling; meanwhile, Riley’s hair whipped haphazardly around her face. “Nah,” Riley answered, “it’s mine.” “Oh, that’s really cool,” Rei couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. She didn’t even have her driver’s license anymore; under the Hayes Act, minor girls couldn’t have licenses. It was just one of the many perks of being emancipated. “Yeah, well, you know the grandfather clause in the Hayes Act?” Rei nodded. In a true grandfather clause, everyone who had already reached the age of majority would have stayed an adult; Rei would have stayed an adult. But the grandfather clause of the Hayes Act was…well…not quite so comprehensive. Girls who were twenty-four or older at the time of passage got to remain an adult; likewise, any girls who owned property in value of at least fifteen-thousand dollars got to remain an adult. “Well, after the Hayes Act got passed and my mom emancipated me, she thought that me owning property might be a layer of protection if they ever tightened the laws or something, you know? So, it was really important to her that I own my own car.” Rei chuckled, “it’s still pretty cool.” “Yeah,” Riley laughed, “I guess I just…sometimes I feel bad. I’m really lucky to have a mom like mine; I’m really lucky to be emancipated and stuff, and it makes me feel…guilty that other people don’t have that,” she glanced over to Rei. “Does that make sense?” It did make sense. Rei would be lying if she said she wasn’t a little jealous of Riley. And, yes, in part she was jealous because Riley was pretty and confident and effortlessly cool; but she was also jealous that Riley didn’t have to worry about getting moved to an extended high school program. Riley didn’t have to worry about getting spanked. Riley didn’t have to worry about any of the things Rei had suddenly found herself worried about. But that wasn’t Riley’s fault. Rei shrugged, “I get it, but, like…you shouldn’t feel bad or guilty. Like, you of all people, you know? You are using those privileges to help girls that don’t have them. And don’t get me wrong, like, you shouldn’t feel bad or guilty no matter what, ‘cause it’s not your fault, but I’m saying especially because of what you do to try to help people who don’t have those privileges? It’s really impressive, you know? I kind of look up to you, if I’m being honest.” “It’s not that impressive,” Riley waved her hand dismissively, “And certainly nothing to be admired for. But…what you’re saying makes sense. It’s just…” Riley stared at the road for a long moment before continuing, “I don’t think it can be logicked away; I don’t think it’s based in logic. And maybe Rebel is all just my attempt at soothing my guilt over it all. And, then there’s…” Riley sighed. “Well, nevermind that.” “No, what? You can tell me.” There had been a shift in the atmosphere of the car. Rei no longer found herself looking at confident, effortlessly cool Riley, founder of Rebel, she was looking at vulnerable, honest Riley, a girl who was as scared as everyone else. The significance of Riley letting her in like this wasn’t lost on Rei. “We’re friends, right?” And then there’s the fact that Riley was terrified of facing the consequences of her actions with Rebel. That was what Riley was going to say. That Rebel was a lot more fun when it was just her and a few others committing acts of vandalism, theft, and destruction of property. And, to be honest, sneaking into a Target after hours and slashing gouges through every pack of diapers designed for girls her age felt like it did more direct and immediate good than blowing up a building. Riley knew you couldn’t build a revolution on such small acts of defiance but they should be leaving the big things to groups with more funding and strength. Or was that just Riley’s fear talking? “It’s nothing, really,” Riley forced a smile. Rei felt that momentary vulnerability close. She couldn’t help but feel a bit sad, but she was thankful Riley had opened up to her at all. More importantly, Rei respected the boundary Riley was setting. “Okay,” she said, “but, if you ever change your mind, I’m happy to listen.” “You know,” Riley said, “you’re pretty cool.” Rei blushed so hot she thought she was going to catch on fire.

I'm not sure what you mean by Preston! I'm unfamiliar with them/that. But I'm so glad you're enjoying it! I should have new chapters up tonight or tomorrow!

I absolutely intend to continue, just, yes, irl is being a bitch right now. I do apologize for the delay; I'll have some new chapters for yall soon!

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

Would love to! Can't figure out how! XD Nevermind! Figured it out!

Hi All! I was talking with some people about this story in a discord server and I thought, ya know what, let's give 'em some more, so here's a big update for you! Chapter Six Ms. Akiyama, Thank you for reaching out to me with your concerns. First of all, I can, in fact, confirm that your daughter, Rei Akiyama, was with me this past Wednesday evening. I was running a workshop for a number of students to give them a chance to work on their midterm essays under supervision. As to your second question, I understand a lot of parents have concerns about the curriculum their children are learning in college these days. Please, allow me to reassure you on this matter. While we do deal with political issues and current events in my classroom, my goal is to provide students with a balanced perspective of the issues and help them formulate their own thoughts on matters. This is a tough and confusing time for everyone your daughter’s age, but especially for girls, and I like to think of my classroom as a place where they can work through their thoughts on these matters in a safe and educational environment. Of course, my first and utmost priority is to make sure your daughter receives a high-quality education, and I only include politics as much as I think is appropriate for this course. On a more personal note, I would like to add that your daughter is an exemplary student, and it has been my pleasure to teach her thus far this semester. I can tell that she is very passionate about her studies, and I very much look forward to continuing to work with her through the semester. You should be very proud of her. I hope that my answers have allayed some of your concerns; if you have any other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Sincerely, Professor Natalie Lewis, PhD She/Her/Hers Associate Professor Gender Studies Department Greenham Community College Chapter Seven Rei slipped through the front door of her house as quietly as she could and slipped off her shoes. She stopped for a moment and just listened, trying to see if she could tell where her mother was. Hearing nothing, she carefully peered into the living room, expecting to perhaps see her reading on the couch. Nothing. On tiptoes, Rei made her way to the kitchen and looked through to the dining room beyond. Nothing. The downstairs bathroom was empty too. The car had been in the driveway, though, so Rei knew her mother was home. Maybe she had gone to bed early? Feeling uneasy, Rei crept up the stairs. She didn’t even know for sure that she had anything to fear from her mother; maybe Professor Lewis had managed to quell her fears without revealing that Rei was taking exactly the kind of class her mother had told her not to. The kind that put ideas in your head, according to her mother. Relieved to see the second-floor hallway clear of her mother, Rei breathed a sigh of relief and opened the door to her room. A gasp caught in Rei’s throat as she registered she was unexpectedly not alone in her bedroom. Then her eyes caught up to her panicked brain and that panic faded and sunk into dread. Her mother was sitting on the edge of her bed; sitting on the bed beside her were some of Rei’s school books—specifically the kind that taught feminist theory. The two looked at each other in silence as the moment stretched on forever for Rei. “Mom…what…?” Rei finally managed to force out a few strangled words. “How was class today, Rei?” “Uhm, okay, how was your day?” She replied, trying to redirect. “Tell me again, what classes did you have today?” “Uh…” Rei chewed on her bottom lip nervously, knowing she was caught and unsure how best to minimize the damage. “Stop chewing your lip, Rei, and answer the question.” “I had class with Professor Lewis and Professor Slater today,” evasion, she had decided, was her best bet right now. “Uh huh, and what class, exactly, does Professor Lewis teach?” Damn, that didn’t work. “Rei! I’m tired of telling you, stop chewing your lip and answer the question.” “English.” Ms. Akiyama clicked her tongue and shook her head; she had hoped her daughter would come clean, but instead she had lied through her teeth right to her own mother’s face. Who was her daughter becoming? Whoever it was, Ms. Akiyama didn’t like it, and she wasn’t going to let her daughter go down a bad path. “So, you are reading,” Ms. Akiyama picked up one of the books on the bed next to her, “The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir for English?” Rei nodded; she was committed now, and the only way out was through. “I see,” Ms. Akiyama set the book down and picked up the next, “Gender Trouble by Judith Butler?” Rei nodded, her eyes wide, glossy discs. “And A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: with Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects by Mary Wollstonecraft?” Rei kept lying, but there was no light at the end of the tunnel yet. Ms. Akiyama sighed and set the books down. “Well, don’t you worry; you won’t be needing these books anymore. I called the school today and withdrew you from that English class.” “What? Mom! That’s not fair!” Rei was trying to keep her voice calm, but she couldn’t help but let it crank up a few decibels. Her heart was suddenly beating way too fast, and she felt vaguely beside herself with frustration and anger. “Life isn’t fair, Rei,” Ms. Akiyama spat back. “And you don’t just get to do whatever you want without consequences. When I agreed to let you continue going to college, you promised me wouldn’t be taking courses like that. You don’t need to be filling your head with the kind of dreck these classes teach! It is bad enough that you took that class after I had expressly forbidden you from taking any such classes, but then you sat there and lied to my face about it. You abused my trust, Rei; you have to learn there will be consequences to this kind of behavior.” “I wouldn’t have had to lie about the class if you would have just let me take it in the first place!” Rei shot back impotently. Tears were threatening to run down her face, and her hands were balled into fists at her side. “Excuse me, young lady? Are you saying it’s my fault you lied?” “No, that’s not what I meant!” As upset as she was, even Rei had the sense to know when to back pedal. “It’s just…” her mouth worked for words her brain wasn’t providing. “Just what? What do you have to say for yourself to justify this behavior?” “Just…ugh! Why can’t I just take the stupid class? You don’t even know what we learn in there!” “I have a good enough idea, young lady. And I’ve already told you, I don’t want that school filling your head with all sorts of ideas about what the world could or should be; the world is what it is, and you have to accept that! You have to live in reality, Rei; don’t you understand I just want what’s best for you?” “You don’t know what’s best for me!” Rei saw the look in her mother’s eyes and immediately knew she had said the wrong thing. It all happened so quickly that Rei’s brain had to race to keep up with her body. Ms. Akiyama’s hand shot out, catching Rei’s wrist in an iron grip, and tugging the small girl forward and across her mother’s lap. On Ms. Akiyama’s end, the motion was surprisingly instinctive despite it having been the better part of two decades since she had needed to perform it. “Mom!” Rei protested as she realized what was about to happen. “I’m sorry!” But her pleas fell on indifferent ears. Ms. Akiyama flipped her daughter’s skirt up, yanked down her cotton panties, reared back, and smacked her daughter hard enough to fill the room with a thunderous clap that nearly swallowed Rei’s pained yelp. Then she did it again. And again. And again. By the fifth hit, Rei had started kicking her feet, desperately trying to get away, but Ms. Akiyama held her firmly in place. By the fifteenth, Rei’s yelps had turned to cries, quickly approaching sobs. By the thirtieth, all the fight had gone out of the girl, and she lay limply across her mother’s lap, tears cascading freely down her face, praying it would end soon. By the fiftieth, Ms. Akiyama had to help her shuddering daughter get up off of her lap and stand on her own feet. “I am your mother, Rei, I will always know what is best for you,” Ms. Akiyama held her daughter by her shaking shoulders as she looked into her tear-filled eyes. “You, Rei, are a child and do not understand how the world works. You do not have the experience, knowledge, or maturity to make these kinds of decisions. I had thought that maybe, just maybe, you were ready for that responsibility, but this whole fiasco demonstrates very clearly that you do not. So, from now on until you grow up and can make important decisions yourself, I will be making them for you. I will make your decisions because I know what is best for you. And what is best for you is that you never go to that class again. Do you understand?” Rei nodded weakly. “Say the words, Rei. Do you understand?” “Yes, Mom, I understand.” “Now, I think you should thank me for allowing you to continue going to all your other classes, don’t you?” A fresh round of sobs racked Rei’s body, but she nodded, “t-thank you,” she managed to get out. “You’re welcome.” Ms. Akiyama let go of her daughter’s shoulders, and the girl crumpled to the ground. Without another word, she gathered up the now confiscated feminist texts and walked out of the room, closing the door gently behind her. Rei lay on the floor for a long moment after that, but eventually crawled over to her discarded backpack. She grabbed her cell phone from the front pocket and opened her texting app. Chapter Eight Ms. Akiyama quietly closed the door behind her, cutting off the worst of Rei’s sobs. Clutching the confiscated books to her chest, she resisted the urge to run to her bedroom at the end of the hallway and instead forced herself to make her there in slow, measured steps. Stay calm, she told herself, just stay calm. But when the bedroom door closed behind her, Ms. Akiyama could no longer keep her composure. She slumped against the closed door and let out a little sympathetic sob; she couldn’t believe what she had done. She had just lost her cool. She hadn’t spanked Rei since she was a toddler, but now she had done it without even thinking about it. She just wanted what was best for Rei; she wanted her daughter to be happy and safe. Rei needed to understand that; her daughter needed to understand that she wasn’t as smart as she thinks she is, nor was Ms. Akiyama as clueless as her daughter believed her. Maybe…maybe it was for the best, maybe Rei needed a good spanking to get the lesson through her head, but…but Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but feel terrible for what she had done. Wiping her eyes, Ms. Akiyama sat down on her bed. She’d always thought of herself as a good mother, but now…now she wasn’t so sure. Things were so different than when she was a kid. The parenting she’d learned no longer seemed to apply; she felt like she was starting over as a new mother, as clueless and rudderless as she was when Rei was first born. But on the other hand, maybe she wasn’t giving Rei enough credit for how hard this must be for her. It was no wonder Rei was being so rebellious; the world had changed a lot since she was a kid, too, and she was having to relearn the ways of the world just when she was at an age when she was starting to figure things out. In as much as Ms. Akiyama was, in many ways, a new mother, Rei was…well, a child. Huh…wait…that was an interesting thought. Could it really…? Could she…? She wouldn’t know where to begin. And after all, when she thought of it like that, there was a certain sense to what some mothers were doing to their daughters. Ms. Akiyama had been stunned to find that some of Rei’s friends from high school had begun to go through this kind of treatment; she had been baffled to know that women Ms. Akiyama had worked with in the PTA were doing this to their daughters. She hadn’t gotten it then; she hadn’t understood why someone would do that to their young adult daughter, but, suddenly, she could see the sense in it. And then there was…well…Ms. Akiyama couldn’t help but think back to a few months ago when she had been shopping with Rei when the pair had run into one of Rei’s best friends from high school and her mother: Megan and Heather Eckridge. Ms. Akiyama had been shocked, to say the least, to see the former being pushed in a stroller sized for a young adult. Megan had been like Rei in high school: bright and ambitious. But for all appearances, Megan had looked happy. It had been the first, but certainly not the last, time Ms. Akiyama had seen someone so close to her and Rei regressed so far, and Ms. Akiyama still remembered the sort of surreal feeling she had. She was cognizant of how horrified she might have been to see a girl she had known to be as driven and mature as Rei sucking on a pacifier with what was obviously a very soaked diaper pressing against the snaps of her onesies, but Megan had seemed so…happy. And that happiness had diffused the horror of the situation, leaving only an uncanny echo. And all Ms. Akiyama really wanted for Rei was to be happy. But Rei would never go for it. No, Ms. Akiyama knew what was best; if she thought this was what was best for her daughter, her daughter would do it. She wouldn’t have a choice in the matter. Rei might hate it at first, that was true, but Ms. Akiyama was sure she would come to find happiness in it. More happiness than she was bound to find if she kept filling her head with all sorts of dreck and detritus. And it wasn’t even like Ms. Akiyama was thinking of going as all in as Heather Eckridge had; she was only considering going deep enough to put Rei back in her place and keep her in line, make sure she grew up to have a nice, happy life despite the new twists and turns the world had thrown at her. But…was this best? Rei was mostly a good kid; she was just too curious for her own good. Maybe she could handle this in a more conventional way. Rei would see reason if Ms. Akiyama talked to her. But, then again, Rei hadn’t seen sense yet, despite Ms. Akiyama trying to talk to her. In fact, she usually got pouty and sullen when Ms. Akiyama tried to talk to her about these things. In fact, Rei acted like a child who didn’t get her way; maybe, if Rei was going to behave like a child… There was a time Ms. Akiyama would have found this suggestion ridiculous, laughably so. Indeed, that had been her initial reaction a few years ago when this thing first started becoming popular enough to gain national attention. And yet, perhaps for the first time, she saw the sense in it. But one thing was for certain: Rei would fight tooth and nail every inch of the way. Luckily, one thing was the same today as it was when Rei was a child: Ms. Akiyama was not too proud to admit she didn’t know what she was doing and seek help. When she was pregnant with Rei, she had devoured parenting books and blogs and guides of any format. And certainly, they had been helpful, but, once Rei was born, Ms. Akiyama quickly found that the best source of wisdom was the other women down in the trenches of motherhood with her. So, Ms. Akiyama did the one thing she could think of: she picked up her phone, opened her contacts, and navigated to Heather Eckridge. Chapter Nine (Author's Note: My apologies if there are any formatting issues in this chapter. This chapter contains a text message conversation between two characters; in the original Word document, I took the time to put the messages in colored boxes like in a messaging app, but, unsurprisingly, this didn't translate. I think everything should be fine, but just in case, my apologies!) Rei’s thumb hesitated over the send button. She barely knew the girl; should she really be texting her about…this? Somehow, though, she was the only person Rei wanted to talk to about it. Somehow, Rei knew she’d understand how awful Rei felt right now. Somehow, she would know what to do. Rei took a deep breath and hit send. “Hey, riley, it’s rei” Rei immediately regretted hitting send. She stared at the screen of her phone, desperately wishing there was an unsend button. She even long-pressed the text box to make sure there wasn’t. After a few more long moments spent looking at that unchanging screen, Rei put her phone to sleep and set it on the floor next to her. It was stupid, Riley was probably busy, and, besides, it was dumb to even bring this up with her. But, who else could Rei talk to? Megan Eckridge had been Rei’s best friend throughout both middle and high school; the two had been inseparable for six years and had planned to go to the same university. But the last time Rei had seen Megan had been a few months ago when she ran into Megan and her mother in Target; the latter had been pushing the former in a stroller. The look on Megan’s face had been embarrassed and slightly apologetic, but she had simply sucked her pacifier and let her mother do the catching up. Rei had met Brian Redburn during their freshman year of high school; they were lab partners in biology and entered the science fair together, taking home third place. The two had stayed close after that, even though Rei always suspected Brian was aiming for more than friendship. In senior year, Brian started to be very vocal about his support for groups like Mothers for America that lobbied for the kind of social policy change that would eventually lead to the passage of The Hayes Act. That had been the end of their friendship. Sally Walker had been her partner in the debate team; they’d always had a bit of a frenemy vibe going. No, that wasn’t quite right, they were never enemies, but frequent rivals, challenging the other to get better grades and perform better in their debates. They were fast friends when it mattered though. Sally’s mother had emancipated her when The Hayes Act was passed, and Sally went off to the kind of fancy university Rei herself would have gone to if not for…well, everything. They had lost touch. Maybe Rei could have reached out and tried to rekindle that friendship, but…no, Sally could never even begin to understand what Rei was feeling. But, for that matter, could Riley? Riley had been emancipated too, but…there was something about her. She wasn’t fighting this fight for herself, but she was still down in the trenches fighting for girls like Megan. Girls like, it seemed, Rei. Rei dived on her phone like a live grenade as it vibrated. “Hey girl good to hear from you, hows it going?” Rei let out a sigh of relief; part of her had been worried that Riley had only given Rei her number to be nice and didn’t expect Rei to use it. Rei’s fingers danced across her screen. “Tbh it has been a weird night. I was…kinda hoping i could talk to you about it, if that’s okay” Rei was relieved to see the three bouncing dots that told her Riley was typing back appear almost immediately. “Yeah of course, sounds serious, everything okay?” Rei’s fingers remained motionless as she thought through how to respond to that question. Everything was definitely not okay, but…how to explain what had happened? Rei started typing, her fingers flying, as she narrated the events of the evening, starting with coming home. Wait, no, hold on. Rei held down the delete button until what she had just written disappeared. She had to explain the lead up to today, or else Riley wouldn’t really get how things had led up to this point. Rei started typing again, then started deleting before she had finished a sentence. Okay, she thought to herself, just keep it simple. She typed out for words, let her thumb linger over send for a long moment, then let it drop. “My mom spanked me” “Shit. You okay? What happened? And so, for the second time, Rei launched into her retelling of the events of the day. Riley remained silent on her end until Rei finally reached the end of her story. Rei pressed send on her final message and set her phone down to wait for Riley’s response. The burning, stinging sensation on her ass was finally beginning to fade, but the deep muscle ache was still very present. Rei couldn’t help but wonder if her butt would bruise. Riley did not keep Rei waiting for long. “Shit. That’s so fucked up, im so sorry rei. What can I do to help? Do you need me to come get you? You can stay at my place for the night if you need to. We will figure out how to get your re-enrolled in that class, okay? So don’t worry about that.” “No, no, that’s okay…I just needed someone to talk to about it, and tbh I didn’t know who else I could talk to about this. Anyway, there’s no way my mom would let me leave the house tonight and I don’t want to think about what she might do if she caught me sneaking out tonight. As for the class..idk, maybe it’s better I just obey my mom on this one.” “Okay, if youre really sure…” “I’m sure. I just…really needed to tell someone about this that I knew would be on my side, if that makes sense” “Yeah, it does. And rei? Never doubt that I’m on your side.” “Thanks riley. Thanks a lot” Rei smiled weakly and put her phone down. Riley hadn’t been able to make anything tangibly better, but Rei hadn’t expected her to either. Just sharing what had happened and having Riley affirm that it was, indeed, fucked up was enough. That was all Rei had really needed. Well, that was all Rei needed that she was going to get right then. The two continued texting throughout the night, but conversation quickly turned on to other matters. When Rei finally went to bed that night, she fell asleep with her face bathed in the light of her phone screen as her eyes danced amongst those three bouncing dots. When five minutes passed without a response from Rei, Riley started to think the girl had fallen asleep. She had, after all, said she was lying down in bed; it was the obvious assumption for Rei’s sudden silence. When another ten passed and Riley’s phone remained silent, she was quite sure of it. Riley got out of her own bed and, leaving her phone behind, wandered downstairs to find a snack. As she made her way down the stairs, she could hear the murmur of the TV coming from the living room and see the flickering light illuminating the hallway. Riley’s socked feet moved silently over the hardwood floor as she crossed the hallway and entered the living room, where she found her mother sitting in an otherwise dark room with a bowl of popcorn watching what appeared to be some old sitcom. She looked up at her daughter as Riley came into the room and paused the TV. “Hey,” Anne, Riley’s mother, said, “you’re still up. I thought you went to bed a while ago.” “Nah,” Riley said, plopping down on the couch next to her mother, “I’ve just been in my room, texting a friend.” Her mother extended the popcorn bowl towards Riley, who grabbed a handful. “Everything okay?” She couldn’t quite place it, but her daughter had an odd tone in her voice. “Yeah,” Riley crunched down on a piece of popcorn and chewed thoughtfully. “Yeah,” she repeated once she had swallowed, “my friend is just going through some things.” “Sorry to hear that,” Anne replied. “Is this a friend of yours I know?” Riley shook her head, “nah, I just met her recently. She goes to school with me.” When it became clear that Riley wasn’t going to continue, Anne picked the TV remote back up and pressed play, and the two sat in silence watching the TV and munching on popcorn for a long moment. As they watched the show in silence, Riley’s mind drifted back to the whole reason Rei had texted her. Truthfully, Riley had been excited to see Rei’s text; their meeting had been brief, but she felt a connection with the other girl. If she was being honest, she had been slightly sad that Rei was coming to her because she had a problem. It was silly, but she wanted Rei to…well…genuinely want to talk to her. Would Rei had ever texted Riley if this hadn’t happened? Riley knew, however, that this thought was unfair and ungenerous to her new friend. Furthermore, it downplayed the significance of the fact that Rei had trusted Riley enough to come to her with this. Riley was sure the other girl had plenty of other friends she could have gone to. All of this was, of course, overshadowed by Riley’s concern over the implications of Rei’s mother’s actions. Riley knew she was lucky to have a mother like hers; one that respected not only Riley’s adulthood but her personhood as well. The sad truth was, what had started as something practiced by only the most conservative families had become rather mainstream, and most girls had parents who had supported The Hayes Act to some degree or another. There was a reason The Hayes Act had soared through both houses of congress with the most bipartisan support of any bill in recent memory. Of course, not every family went so far as to completely regress their adult daughters to giant infants. This extreme of the spectrum was still, technically, in the minority but large enough that it was considered perfectly normal. Large enough that adult sized baby products and clothes had become big business. Large enough that that they still outnumbered the families on the other extreme of the spectrum who had emancipated their daughters. The majority of families fell in sort of a middle ground that included varying degrees of regression: some families stopped short of fully regressing their adult daughters to babyhood, instead merely regressing them to toddlerhood; some treated them more like elementary age girls; some merely extended their teen years; and, of course, there were those who combined elements from ages to their liking. The fact was that it was estimated that 82.7% of girls ages 18 to 28 wore pull ups or diapers. The fact was that only 8.5% of girls age 18 to 28 were emancipated. The fact was the companies like Kimberly-Clarke and Proctor & Gamble, companies that produced brands like Pampers, Luvs, and Huggies, were raking in record profits. The fact was that their profits had been having exponential growth over the last five years as this movement started gaining traction. The fact was that those rising profits had been reinvested in propaganda and lobbyists. And that’s not even to mention the role of the pharmaceutical companies and private education institutes. The fact was that Riley was well aware of all of these facts; they were ingrained in her memory, and just thinking about them was enough to make her furious. She forced herself to unclench her jaw, then took a deep breath. She willed herself to calm down. It kind of worked. Rei had told her today that her mother was a bit on the fence, but this was a sign that she was picking a side. This was a pretty drastic and pretty sudden declaration. How far would Rei’s mom take it? Were diapers in Rei’s future? Pre-school? Elementary? Maybe Rei would get lucky and her mom would just send her to an extended high school program. Riley hoped that’s all it would be, for the sake of her new friend. But either way, in in the best case for Rei, Riley would lose her. Even if Rei went the way of Jennifer Duffy, being regressed to infancy in some ways while still allowed to attend college, it was only a matter of time before the two couldn’t be friends anymore. Rei was far from the first friend Riley would lose to this trend, and once their parents started dragging them down, it was only a matter of time before they stopped being friends. Sometimes, it was because their mother forbade them from hanging out with Riley, citing her as a bad influence. Sometimes, it was because the other girl couldn’t handle being friends with Riley, either out of embarrassment or jealousy or some other complication. And sometimes, it was because the other girl started drinking the kool-aid and decided Riley was a bad influence on their own. That was how it had been with Jennifer Duffy. Riley didn’t want to lose another friend, especially not one she had just made. “You know,” Anne spoke up suddenly, startling Riley out of her thoughts, “I loved this show when I was a kid. I saw it was on streaming now and decided to rewatch it.” “And?” Riley prompted. “How is it holding up?” Anne chuckled, “not well. I remember it being a lot funnier; but maybe I was just easier to amuse back then. Either way, the show didn’t age well.” Riley snorted a short laugh. “Yeah, well, some things are better left in the past.” Anne looked at her daughter thoughtfully, wondering what was going on in her head. Something seemed to be weighing on her. Of course, it didn’t take a genius to see that Riley wasn’t thinking about TV shows when she had said that. Anne frowned, uncertain what to do for her daughter. Riley was smart and mature and passionate; Anne was proud of all that. She had given her daughter every opportunity she could give her to be independent and seek out her goals, but Anne could only do so much, and the world was against both of them. It couldn’t help that Riley was one of only a select few amongst her peers whose mother gave them such freedom. “Your friend,” Anne said after a long silence, “is she…are her parents…” Anne gestured vaguely, uncertain how to put this euphemistically. “No,” Riley responded, getting the gist of what her mother was trying to say, “at least, not yet. I don’t know. I hope not.” Anne frowned deeper. She knew how many friends Riley had watched have their adulthoods stripped from them. She knew how furious the whole thing made Riley. “You know you can’t interfere, right?” Riley reached over and grabbed a small handful of popcorn. She shoved it in her mouth and chewed silently, staring at the TV. “Right?” Anne said again, louder this time. Riley swallowed pointedly and gave her mother a withering look, “it’s rude to talk with your mouthful.” Anne sighed, “but seriously, okay? Right?” Riley flopped back on the couch, “right, whatever.” “I know it’s hard, Riley. I’m really sorry.” “It’s fucking dumb is what it is.” “That doesn’t make it any less real.” “I know, mom.” “I just worry you are going to get yourself in trouble. Even I can’t protect you if you get in trouble.” “I’m not gonna get in trouble.” “Uh huh, sure, you’re not, little miss Rebel.” Riley rolled her eyes but said nothing. She hadn’t wanted her mother to know she was member of Rebel, much less figure out that she was its founder and leader; she would very much have preferred if that had stayed a secret. But Riley’s mother wasn’t stupid. “I’m serious, Riley,” her mother continued a moment later, her tone dropping to reflect the gravity she intended for her words, “you know I’m proud of what you are doing, but I want you to scale it down, okay? That was dangerous and risky.” Riley just sighed. Her mother hadn’t said anything about the bombing yet, but of course Riley knew her mother knew Riley was behind it. Of course, Riley knew she wasn’t going to stay silent about it forever (how could one stay silent if they knew their child had masterminded an explosive act of domestic terrorism, after all, and Riley was, quite frankly, shocked it had taken her this long), but Riley really wasn’t in the mood to talk about it tonight. “Hey, you listening to me?” Anne pressed. “This is the only way we are going to effect change, mom,” Riley replied calmly. “You are not fighting this fight alone, Riley; let the larger groups with more resources do stuff like that. Stick to vandalism and anti-propaganda, okay? That’s what you are good at anyway.” “We had to do something big, mom!” “No, you didn’t. I told you, if I thought this was getting out of hand, I would revoke your emancipation. It would kill me to do it, but I’d rather you hate me than see you in prison…or worse.” “It’s not getting out of hand.” “You could have killed someone, Riley!” Her mother was trying to keep her voice level, but that one tested her. “We made sure we wouldn’t. We did our research, made sure no one was in the building.” “What if someone had stayed late?” “Well, no one did!” “But, what if?” Anne huffed angrily. Fighting was going to get nowhere. And the truth was, it really wasn’t like Anne disapproved of what her daughter had done, she just didn’t want to see her daughter get in trouble. “Look, I don’t want to fight, okay? But you know what could happen if they catch you, right?” “Yeah, mom, I do.” Best case scenario? Prison. Worst case scenario? Fostered with a family that would send her to some place like Brighter Days Academy where they’d force the kool-aid down her throat. “Are you really willing to risk that?” Kill me if I ever become like that. Those were the words Riley had spoken to Rei just that day. Riley wanted to say yes, that this fight was important enough to her that she’d risk the ego death of complete regression, and maybe there was some part of her that truly was dedicated enough to the ideal to risk it. But the truth was, the bombing hadn’t even been her idea, and she had been against it at first—not out of principle, but out of fear. But it was safer that her mother think it had been Riley’s idea—safer that Anne not know who truly led Rebel. Finally, Riley sighed and gave her mom a half smile, “can we go back to doing robberies?” She was making a joke only she would get; she had been against that too. Anne sighed in exasperation, “You know I didn’t like it when you did that either, but I’d prefer that to this. But I’d really prefer you stick with vandalism and anti-Hayes propaganda.” “Yeah, okay,” Riley agreed, genuinely hoping she could keep her end of that agreement but also genuinely worried she might not be allowed to.

Huh! That's an interesting thing to point out, and I think it says something interesting about how cultural norms would shift in this alternate history. I didn't even think to mention whether Rei was in panties, pull-ups, etc., because, in our world, panties is the default, thus it's assumed that if I don't mention it, that's what she's wearing! But that might not be the default assumption in this world! To clarify, yes, Rei wears panties! In retrospect, I wish I had added a scene of her getting ready so we could clarify that--maybe if I ever do a revised edition XD Thanks for pointing that out; it's an interesting thought!

Most of the world building credit goes to Altered States! The narrative and characters are completely mine, and I'm filling in some holes or putting my own twist on some details here and there, but I really am trying to stay as close to his vision for this world as I can, and I do want to make sure he gets that credit. But thank you for your continued interest!

Not by accident! XD When I was talking to some friends about my initial ideas for the story, I pitched it as "the handmaid's tale but ABDL" No firm release schedule! I'm going to try to post at least two to four chapters a week, but especially with the new semester starting soon, I can't guarantee anything! To be honest, I usually write in first person, so this whole narrative, and especially the prologue, is kind of experimental for me. BUT! Fascination and confusion was what I was going for in the prologue, so it sounds like I nailed it! XD Thanks everyone who commented, I really appreciate hearing your thoughts, and I really hope you continue to share them! And now, I give you the next three chapters of You Know What They Do to Girls Like Us in Brighter Days? Chapter Three The Greenham Post Friday, October 6th Radical Leftist Terrorist Group Rebel Responsible for Attack on Greenham City Hall Late Thursday evening, during a joint press conference held by the Greenham Police Department and Homeland Security, Police Chief Geoff Holden announced that Rebel, a radical leftist feminist terrorist organization, has taken responsibility for the bombing of the Greenham City Hall on Wednesday, October 6th. Though many already speculated the involvement of this terrorist group, this officially confirms those theories. Law enforcement did not share any statement made by the group, if there was one, but did confirm that the attack was politically motivated by recent social policy legislation regarding the rights of women under twenty-eight. This is not the first such attack committed by Rebel. Early this past August, they claimed responsibility for a series of robberies against pharmacies in and around the nation’s capital, during which they focused on stealing products such as muscle relaxants, benzodiazepines, others sedatives, and newly FDA approved therapy drug diuranuretine. They have also left their signature at the site of countless acts of vandalism, theft, and property damage. Clearly, however, this newest attack marks a stark escalation of their tactics. Rebel is believed to be one of the newest splinter groups of The Vantez Collective, a seemingly national organization whose stated purpose is “radical Marxist action through feminist solidarity.” These splinter groups, which are widely believed to be originating out of institutes of higher education and likely led by students who have been radicalized by leftist propaganda in the classroom, have been appearing around the country at an increasing rate over the past 18 months. At this time, it is believed that there are likely over two dozen chapters of The Vantez Collection who, collectively, have been connected to 67 acts of terrorism across the country over the past year. However, despite its rising membership, there have only been four arrests of known members for crimes in conjunction with the group’s terrorist acts. An inside source suggests that this trend is unlikely to change, despite Police Chief Geoff Holden’s insistence at the press conference that they were “aggressively following several leads [he] believes will lead to multiple arrests and convictions.” Our anonymous insider tells a different story, however, claiming that, at this time, all leads have gone cold. … CON’T PG 18. Chapter Four The two walked on eggshells around each other for the rest of the day. They were snowed in, and the house wasn’t particularly large; try as they might, they couldn’t quite escape each other. Their snow day extended into Friday, and with new snowfall early Saturday morning, the roads remained impassable until late on Sunday. Tensions mounted, but thankfully never broke. By Monday, Rei couldn’t wait to leave for school. Rei had school every day, Monday from Friday. Unlike many college students who tried to cram their classes into the same days to reduce the number of days they had classes, Rei liked to spread hers out. Her mom allowed her to take four classes. So, she had one class that met on Mondays and Wednesdays in the mornings and a second that afternoon, and her third and fourth mirrored that on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but her second class also had a lab period that met on Friday. This way, Rei could arrive on campus early in the morning, and spend the whole day there and away from her house. To add to Rei’s excitement to get to school that morning, her Monday morning class was her favorite: Introduction to Gender Politics and Feminist Theory with Professor Natalie Lewis. So, Rei was slightly surprised that Monday morning to find that her mind kept wondering. Try as hard as she could, she couldn’t pay attention to a word Professor Lewis was saying. Her mom wanted her to trade college for an extended high school program, where she’d learn to be a housewife and stay at home mom. Rei’s soul retched at the thought. Rei’s mother had never exactly been progressive, but Rei still couldn’t believe she seemed to be buying into this Hayes Act bullshit. But Rei knew she was lucky. Rei knew things could be so much worse. Last year, before The Hayes Act, Rei had gotten used to her classes being pretty evenly split in regard to gender, but now Rei sat in the back right corner in a group of the only six girls amongst nearly twenty boys. In front of her was Jennifer Duffy; from behind, Rei could easily see the crinkled waistband of her diaper sticking out above her skirt. To Jennifer’s left was Melanie Wright; Rei could see a spare pull-up sticking out of her purse. Behind Melanie, directly to Rei’s left, was Becca Thompson, who crinkled every time she shifted in her seat—of course, she had already been in pull-ups when Rei took a class with her last year, so that was hardly surprising. Rei knew things could be so much worse. “Rei?” Hearing her voice shook her out of her thoughts and she suddenly realized everyone around her was getting up. She must have missed Professor Lewis dismissing the class. “Rei?” The voice repeated, “May I see you?” It was Professor Lewis. Rei nodded in response and slowly began to collect her things, waiting for everyone to filter out. When the last person left, Professor Lewis closed the door behind them and walked over to Rei, saying nothing until she was sitting in the desk Melanie Wright had only recently vacated. “Everything okay at home?” She said at last. Rei nodded, “I mean, I guess, why?” “I checked my email this morning to find an email from your mom asking me to confirm you were with me Wednesday night.” “She doesn’t suspect anything,” Rei responded after a beat. “You sure?” “Yeah, she’s just…worried college is putting crazy ideas in my head,” Rei snickered. “Wouldn’t that be terrible,” Professor Lewis replied wryly. “Well, I’ll confirm the story, of course.” “Anything else?” Rei asked, sensing that there was, well, something else. Professor Lewis sighed, “she asked me how much I teach about politics in my class.” “Fuck.” “I take it you don’t tell your mom much about this class?” Rei grimaced, “She thinks it’s an English class.” “Ouch,” Professor Lewis flinched. “What did you tell her?” “I haven’t replied yet, but…legally, you’re a child, I can’t keep my lesson plans away from your mother if she asks for them.” “I know.” “I’ll try to downplay it and hope she doesn’t press it, okay? I just wanted you to have the heads up.” “Thanks, Professor.” “Yeah,” she sighed and frowned. “How bad is this going to be for you?” “I don’t know,” Rei replied. She genuinely didn’t know. She had been a little surprised by how complacent her mother had been about The Hayes Act. She knew her mother didn’t think going to college was a good choice, but she never would have imagined that her mother would try to push her into an extended high school program. But, then again, she never imagined there would be extended high school programs until there were. The room was filled with silence for a few moments before it was finally broken by a middle-aged man barging through the door. “Oh!” He exclaimed as he saw the pair, “Natalie, I’m sorry, are you still using the room? I have class in here shortly.” “Oh, yes, sorry, Professor Winston, we were just wrapping up, please go ahead.” The two professors exchanged a few more pleasantries as Professor Lewis packed away her class materials into her purse and passed off the desk to Professor Winston. Rei waited for her and walked with her out the door when she did. “I’ll do the best I can,” Professor Lewis said once they were in the hall, “but…” “I understand,” Rei replied. “Have a good day, Professor Lewis, and thank you for the heads up.” Chapter Five It was early afternoon, and the campus cafeteria was a bustle of activity. But Rei was oblivious to it all, sitting alone in one of the booths with her forehead against the floor to ceiling windows that took up the whole wall on one side of the cafeteria. She stared out at what was usually an outdoor seating area for students to enjoy their lunch in the open air but was now just a lumpy expanse of brilliant white. She anticipated a text from her mother at any moment, perhaps demanding that Rei come home at once for immediate transferal to an extended high school program, perhaps worse. But it hadn’t come yet. “Hey.” School, and specifically college, was the only thing that made Rei feel like an adult anymore, and it was a feeling she was clinging to desperately. She knew a few years ago when the first state enacted their own version of The Hayes Act that things were getting bad, but she never imagined she’d see that kind of legislation passed on a federal level. She never imagined she’d have her adulthood and maybe her entire future ripped away from her so officiously. “Uhm, hello?” When Rei was a kid, people still told young girls they could be anything they wanted when they grew up. Now, Rei’s options were dwindling even as she sat there. “Hey, excuse me?” Rei practically jumped out of her skin at the voice that suddenly cut through her thoughts and jarred her back to reality. “Sorry, didn’t mean to startle you, but you seemed kind of lost in thought there.” Rei looked up at the girl talking to her. She wore black Doc Martens, black skinny jeans, and a ribbed black tank top under a too large flannel shirt. Sharp black eyeliner and matching lipstick made a strong contrast to her pale skin. Blue hair spilled out in curls from under a black beanie. The girl had a book tucked under one arm and was holding a lunch tray in her opposite hand. “Mind if I…?” The girl gestured to the bench across the booth from Rei. “Uhm, yeah, sure, sorry,” Rei stumbled over her words as she tried to clear the wreckage of her crashed train of thought. “You’re Rei, right?” The girl said as she sat down. “Yeah, um, how…?” Wait, suddenly the girl’s face clicked in Rei’s memory. She remembered seeing her in all the meetings leading up to Wednesday night. No, that wasn’t right, she had been leading those meetings. The girl smiled knowingly and nodded her head, recognizing the look of revelation on Rei’s face. “Yeah, mutual friends, you know?” Rei nodded; she did know. “Sorry if I scared you,” the girl repeated as she settled into her seat. “I just saw you over here by yourself and…well, there aren’t exactly a lot of empty seats,” she gestured towards the crowded cafeteria around them. “Hope you don’t mind.” “No,” Rei smiled weakly and shook her head. She was digging desperately through her memory to find this girl’s name, “I don’t mind at all.” “Everything okay?” The girl popped a french fry into her mouth. “You seemed pretty deep in thought when I came up.” “Yeah, I’m okay, just…a lot on my mind, you know?” It seemed rude to have to ask her name when she clearly knew Rei’s. “Yeah? You doing okay after…last week?” Rei noticed the girl’s fingernails were painted black as well as she watched the girl fumble to open a packet of BBQ sauce. “Yeah, I mean, I don’t know, it’s okay I guess.” The girl squirted out a puddle of BBQ sauce, dipped another fry in it, and crunched down on it. “Sounds less than ideal, if you ask me. Wanna talk about it?” Rei fidgeted in her seat. She knew she could trust this girl—she knew she could trust any girl that had been involved with Wednesday night—but it felt weird to unburden herself on someone who was still, for all intents and purposes, a stranger. She didn’t even know her name, for god’s sake. So, instead, she just shook her head and said nothing. “Are you a freshman?” The girl asked after a few moments of awkward silence. “Sophomore,” Rei corrected, “you?” The blue-haired girl shrugged, “I don’t know anymore, I just keep taking classes, but this is my fourth year here.” “You don’t want to transfer to a four-year university?” The girl chuckled, “yeah, I mean, that would be ideal, but in this economy?” Both girls laughed at that, but there was an undercurrent of nervousness in both of their laughs. “Seriously though, I feel like I can do more good staying here, you know? Helping freshmen and sophomores…get involved, you know?” “Have you been…involved for long?” “Founding member,” her black lips stretched out in a proud smile. “Of course, we didn’t know how far things would go when we started, but…well, a lot has changed since I was a freshmen.” “No kidding.” Neither girl knew quite where to take the conversation from there, so an awkward silence slowly began to form. Rei turned her attention to the crowd filling the cafeteria. Just like her classroom demographic, what was pretty evenly split last year was now dominated by boys. Perhaps more importantly, there was very little inter-mingling. The boys in this school were all over eighteen, legal adults, whereas most of the girls were under twenty-eight, legal children. They occupied different worlds. As Rei watched, Jennifer Duffy walked by the table Rei was sharing with the blue-haired girl. Rei wouldn’t exactly call Jennifer a friend, but they had done a group project together, so they weren’t exactly strangers either. Jennifer smiled behind her pacifier when she saw Rei and gave her a small wave before crinkling past them, her diaper sagging below the hemline of her pleated skirt. “Ugh,” the blue-haired girl said when Jennifer was out of ear shot, “kill me if I ever become like that, okay?” “I don’t know,” Rei shrugged, “she seems happy. Isn’t that what feminism is supposed to be about? Giving people the freedom to pursue the life that makes them happy?” “Yeah, of course, but do you think she would have chosen that if she hadn’t been coerced by her parents and the media and all the other brainwashing, metaphorical and literal, out there? She’s happy because she doesn’t know better; she’s assimilated into the hegemonic order.” Rei chewed on that for a moment. “Mom always tells me she just wants me to be happy,” Rei said, surprising herself with her sudden openness, “but she doesn’t seem to like…I don’t know, she says she wants me to happy, and I say school makes me happy, and she says, like, ‘no, not that way,’ ya know?” The girl nodded sympathetically throughout Rei’s mini tirade. “Like she wants you to be happy but thinks she knows what will make you happy better than you do?” “Yes, exactly!” “I’ve talked to a lot of girls in that situation,” the girl said, dragging a fry through her BBQ puddle absently. “I think their mothers genuinely mean well most of the time. I think a lot of them are just afraid for us and, frankly, afraid to stand up for us. So, we have to stand up for ourselves and each other, and that’s what we are doing.” Rei nodded, there was some sense to that. There was a lot of sense to that. “What about your parents?” Rei asked. “Well, my father is a misogynistic piece of shit,” she replied with no small amount of disdain in her voice. “My mother left him a few years ago when all this started to happen and he made it clear he thought this whole movement was the best for everyone. If he had his way, I’d probably be sitting in one of those pre-schools for young adult girls right now, but, thankfully, Mom ditched his ass.” “So, your mom doesn’t buy into any of this?” “Nu uh,” the girl shook her head, “she’s pretty progressive; signed the emancipation paperwork and everything.” “Oh, you’re emancipated?” Rei felt a pang of jealousy. Emancipation didn’t protect girls their age entirely from the new laws; it could be revoked by the state for various infractions and by your parents at any time for any reason. But it meant not needing parental permission to attend college; it meant getting some of your adult privileges back. “Yeah, thankfully.” The girl wiped her fingers on a paper napkin and laid it gently over the remains of her lunch. “What about your parents? You said your mom isn’t happy about you being in college, but you’re here, so they can’t be that bad, right?” “For now,” Rei responded sourly. “What do you mean?” “I mean I barely got my mom to agree to let me keep attending college after they passed The Hayes Act. Now, she wants me to think about going to one of those extended high school programs.” The girl scoffed, “housewife classes.” “Yes, exactly!” “What about your dad?” “Oh, he, uh, passed away.” “Oh,” the girl seemed taken aback, “I’m sorry to hear that.” “It’s okay; it happened when I was a kid. Cancer.” “That sucks; I’m sorry.” “Thanks, but it really is okay. I don’t know what he would have thought of all this, to be honest; maybe I’m lucky he’s not around.” It was not the first time Rei had considered what her father’s stance would have been on the events that had transpired since his death, but she was ten years old when he passed, she didn’t exactly know his political views. “Well,” the girl replied after a beat, “at least your mom sounds pretty reasonable. I mean, housewife classes would suck for sure, but it could be worse.” Rei thought back to Jennifer Duffy. “Yeah, I don’t think my mom would ever go that far, thankfully.” “Well, look,” the girl said as she picked up her phone and checked the time, “I’ve gotta run to my next class, but it was really fun talking to you, Rei.” “Yeah, you too, thanks for the company,” and Rei meant it. Her discussion with this girl hadn’t fixed anything, but it had distracted her from her impending doom and inexplicably made her feel better. “We should do this again,” the girl said as she gathered up her stuff, “or…maybe you might want to text me?” It was the first time the girl had sounded anything less than 100% confident. “Yeah? I, uh, think I’d like that,” Rei replied. “Awesome,” the girl smiled and pulled out a binder and a purple pen from her bag, scribbled something on the corner of a piece of paper, tore it off, and passed it across the table to Rei. “Don’t be shy, okay?” And then she was rushing off. Rei smiled as she watched the girl go, then looked down at this piece of paper. The girl’s ten-digit phone number was written out in impeccable handwriting. Underneath that was one word written in flowing cursive script: Riley.