LostBBoyBear

Thank you all for the wonderful comments! It's great to be done with the story and now actively working on the next one! There is a third installment in this series that will wrap up a lot of plots from the last two stories (like the fate of Ashley) as well as some threads from the next story as well. I hinted at it a little bit in this story, and in retrospect, I probably should have listed the third installment as an option in the poll just so everyone was fresh from this story. Oh well. It will come again though... maybe with the next poll or the one after that just to wrap it up.

Hey everyone! Starting off here, I think for future polls, at least for a little bit, I might ease up on the Diaper Dimension stories. I am absolutely thrilled that this story was chosen and that I finally got to write it after three years but considering that I’ve written 17 stories including this one and 14 have been set in that universe, I think easing off in terms of poll choices might be the better move. Also, I just counted, and as of today, I have 29 possible stories not set in the diaper dimension, so… there’s definitely plenty more to tell. I’ll still go by the polls, but I just might not load them up with the DD stories as much anymore… just have to see though. Speaking of polls… the results are now in. Counting personal messages, any listed on here, and the ones from the poll… winning 55.81% of votes, the winner is ‘Sissification and Babification Government Study’ (Title TBD)! So, with what I previously noted, I will carry over the ‘Bethany’ story into the next poll as the DD story, but I will retire The CONtinuance on polls for now. It won’t go away forever, but it’s been at the bottom for a little while now and I think other stories of mine should be given their due. Also, I think I’m going to stick to the two possible votes for future polls. I think it gives everyone a chance to narrow down what they want, and looking at the results… there was a clear first and second place this go around. Looking ahead, this next story is a bit of a task to write. There’s lots of nuances I need to be careful of in that story with some of the topics involved and there’s a number system involved that makes my head itch in making sure it all works still. That all being said, I’m going to take a tiny break once again and I will post the first chapter of that story on 01 August. This should give me time to air out my own head, relax a smidge, ensure the plot is still good for the story, update all the DD materials, and take a crack at the first few chapters of the story at least. Also, I just want to give a big thank you to all who have read this story and to anyone who commented on it or engaged with it. It may not be my most popular story ever, but with that you all have been saying, I have no reason to be saddened over that. My goal is to always improve with these stories and provide a little outlet for you all to enjoy on here. From what you all have said, I think I have achieved that goal, so again, thank you. Now, last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this final chapter! Chapter 28: Delivering the Scoop Day 140 – 5:42 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The trio now staring back at Pete seemed only moments away from either fainting or fighting. For his own part however, Pete blinked back as if he was about to ask if they had heard him. For Ashley, it had to be seen as yet another seeming loss in this horrible dimension. Seeing Pete there and him telling her a big fat ‘no’ to leaving… from her facial expression and sudden lack of life in her body, it was almost like a little of her soul seemed to have died. “Pete…” Betty began, almost stumbling over her words as she tried to explain what was happening. “I…” “Not now, Betty,” Pete said adamantly though curiously and likely thankfully not hatefully. “We need to discuss other things at the moment. Our conversation about all this secrecy can wait, but… seriously, did you all not hear me? Ashley can’t leave as far as I can tell.” Seemingly snapping out of his previous stupor, Brother popped in next. “And just what the heck does that mean?” he asked, stepping back up to the countertop and placing his hand firmly on top to emphasize his point. “Betty and I have a vested interest in getting Ashley back home. You, however… you work for the people actively trying to keep her here. You betrayed her and…” “Woah, woah… settle down there. I can tell feelings might be a little flared, so before you go and challenge me to pistols at dawn, can I at least explain myself here? I mean… you all are assuming the worst of me,” Pete noted hastily… almost like he was trying to defend himself against an angry mob about to descend on him. “I mean… have you even dealt with the chip in Ashley yet?” Everyone’s eyes bulged and Ashley even began to search her body for the sign of a chip. “Chip?” Brother questioned, the seeming skeptic of the group now. “What chip?” Pete sighed and then turned slightly to show off better when he pointed to the back of his own neck. “Here…” He then turned back around to face the trio again. “When Ashley broke into the facility and was caught, our esteemed mayor had a real bone to pick with her. He was going to obliterate her on the spot! And by that, I mean… near absolute brain death. She would be a newborn at best… it was a ‘no chances of recovery’ sort of policy with him after what she managed to pull off.” “No…” Betty looked like she was going to cry or faint any second now. “He wouldn’t… couldn’t…” “Well, he didn’t because I stopped it, Bee… I got the phone call and got there just in time to stop things,” he explained. “Vasiliou was threatening everything he could at us. He had the evidence with him and everything, so he had the means and the temperament to throw us down and destroy us. Right then, we had no chance. We were going down…” He then trailed off for a moment before looking back up and sticking one finger out. “But I knew there was something even he couldn’t pass up or say no to… FOY.” No one said a word for a few seconds after that. “FOY?” Ashley questioned, seemingly the most perplexed and yet intrigued about it. “I’ve heard about that before, but…” “Pete…” Betty now seemed horrified as she interrupted Ashley… almost like she had just realized something terrible in implication. “You didn’t… please tell me you didn’t.” Pete sighed. “I wish I could tell you that I didn’t, Bee. I really do, but… we were going to lose Ashley and then we had a 90% chance of going to jail ourselves. I weighed the options and chose the second choice of amnesty. I had to agree that she would be regressed in certain ways, a chip would be planted inside her spine to keep her grounded, and… I would finish the FOY compound for them… but nothing else for us. It was a deal I knew I would never get again...” “And what the heck is FOY?” Ashley asked, nearly stomping her foot, her patience seemingly wearing thin now over her previous question having gone unanswered. “It’s death to any mature Little,” Brother explained with clear disdain in his voice, most of it now appearing to be directed squarely at Pete. “There’s a street version that’s been out for at least a decade now… maybe more, but it essentially causes Littles to regress in a massive way… permanently.” “That’s right,” Pete confirmed with a heaviness in his words that indicated he knew exactly the lengths of negativity that he was now unleashing on the world of Littles. “I hated it, but at the time, I felt I had no other choice. My family that I loved or a population of Littles… I hate myself for it even now, but I gave Vasiliou and the general the new compound. More stable… less bugs than the street drug, but more importantly for those two… a way they could affect every Little across the board without exception…” He then winced quickly. “And certain wayward Bigs as well…” “Wait… I thought that was just a myth!” Brother seemed horrified over the possibilities of such a powerful drug. “Are you telling me…?” “It was… but now that I’ve altered the drug, it can be used against Bigs… Middles… Littles… everyone! For the sake of my family… I sacrificed everyone else. I will regret that the rest of my life, but… now, we need to focus on the future. What we can do now. I have a plan, but we need to refocus on Ashley first.” The trio, though still horrified and shocked over that revelation, nodded in agreement. Pete then turned to Ashley. “So… back to what I was saying about the chip…” He looked deep into her eyes with a sense of sympathy and regret. “Sweetie… that chip can’t be removed. And, in all likelihood, it would kill you if you left this dimension.” Ashley’s eyes instantly watered over the clear implication. “No… please… tell me no!” Seeing her Little in distress, Betty quickly ran over and comforted her, but it seemed even her presence combined with Bunty wasn’t helping the now shaking Little. In desperation, Betty looked back towards her husband. “Isn’t there anything you can do, Pete?” she asked her eyes full of hope… even if it might have only been false at this point. Pete sighed. “Maybe… but not right now. Right now… we need to focus on that camera in her eye… and critically, what’s stored on it.” He pointed right at Ashley. “That is our best shot of getting back at these people and maybe our solution for getting out of this mess.” Ashley sniffed and seemed to break through her dashed hopes… if only for a moment. “You know about the eye?” Pete nodded. “Yes… and you really being an investigative journalist.” He sighed and then pulled out a file from his nearby briefcase labeled ‘Ashley Cutters.’ “I’ve known about your identity for months now…” He opened the file up. “I’ve known some personal trainers in my time, and frankly… you never struck me as one.” Ashley winced through her tears. ‘Crud… I knew that cover wasn’t good enough!’ “At first, I just waved it off as personal trainers being different on Earth, but then… you started asking me questions. Littles are inquisitive, so again, I didn’t think anything of it… but then you broke into my office.” Pete blinked back at Ashley as if he was waiting for an explanation. For her part, Ashley could only stare back at Pete for a moment before wiping her nose and sniffling a little. “You… you knew about that?” Pete nodded. “I did, but I didn’t raise a fuss about it. If anything, it made me even more curious about you… so I pushed harder with some of my more anonymous contacts in portal travel, and… well, your file of ‘Ashley Jones’ was good. Definitely professional… just not good enough for us and our methods of deep analysis and detection. But since you were a Little coming over voluntarily… no one really cared at the office when they found out at first. To be honest, I think most of them just thought you were going to be captured and regressed. Which, frankly, was a good guess… at least usually.” “And you didn’t tell me?” Betty asked, now finding out all this herself now as well. “I didn’t want to burden you, Bee,” Pete said in earnest. “When I found out about all that, you had just been told about your slim chances to conceive, and I had never seen you so passionate about taking care of a Little. So,” he then turned back to Ashley, “I stowed your file and kept an eye on you.” “And that’s it?” Ashley questioned, wiping a few more tears away. While she was clearly still deeply saddened over the chip and what that meant to her, the investigative journalist in her always looking for the truth seemed to be coming out fully now. “Well, no…” Pete sighed. “See, when you broke into the facility, that set off a lot of things. First off, they discovered your identity as well, but like the portal agency, by then, they didn’t care since they had caught you and only thought you had the physical copies of the files. Secondly, though, in the whole investigation that was launched, one of the more loyal guards to me, and not Vasiliou or the general, handed me this file.” From inside the thick manila folder, Pete pulled out a familiar looking small one. “Wait…” Ashley pulled the file closer. “My memory is fuzzy, but is this…?” Pete nodded. “The one that was hidden from me in my own files. You had taken it and from what I can tell, you were going to show it to Betty and me. I knew about your eye camera by then, so there wasn’t a more rational explanation of why you would take something so cumbersome with you. So, more than a little curious and suspicious of the company, I looked inside and…” Pete sighed and pulled the file over to Betty. “This brings me to my last point. When I saw what was in there, I knew Diamond Technologies was dirty, but I had always felt that they were an ‘ends to justifying the means’ kind of company. Seeing this file to better show how to manipulate me and my wife… and then later when they started to threaten all three of us…” Pete’s knuckles cracked, and he stood up and took some deep breaths. Meanwhile, Betty’s expression turned to horror, shock, and despair as she looked over her file… particularly the spots regarding getting closer to Ashley because she couldn’t have kids and Ashley would make a great substitute… and way to manipulate the Big. Pete then turned around. “So… time to lay out my cards…” Pete took in a huge breath of air. “When I saw all that… something in me clicked and I knew something needed to change. So, as part of that, I need all three of you for this to work, but bottom line… I’m planning on going against Diamond Technologies with what we all know.” The room sat unmercifully still and silent for at least a minute. Pete looked relieved to have finally gotten it all off his chest. Brother looked suspicious but as if he was already scheming as well. Betty looked stunned but maybe relieved as well… probably owing to the fact that Pete had not betrayed them and seemed to actually be currently helping them instead. For Ashley, her face was still full of sorrow, but maybe a little confusion and more than plenty of concern. “I… I’m stuck here. It’s… it’s terrible, and I want to help with my camera,” she noted with sincerity as she pointed directly to her eye housing the camera. “And it might be important, but it’s just one thing and I can’t access it. Also… I’m leaving without any way of helping you all. I just… I want to help, but… I just don’t see how you all can go against this place and come out on the other side.” Betty sighed. “I have to agree, honey. Ashley may be a huge part of this, and it’s great she wants to help, but… what about us? She gets to go home, but… we’re still here, right? Between the general, Vasiliou, and even Beakerman, all this just seems like suicide… or at least a one-way trip to being regressed ourselves with your own new formula. So… tell me. Am I missing something here?” “Yes and no,” Pete admitted after a heavy sigh. “It’s one of the reasons I’m just telling you all this now. I wasn’t sure about a few details, and I’m still not, but… I needed LRGs help in this, and I didn’t know about Brother until the other day when I arrived home a little earlier than usual and saw the man that we suspected to be codename, ‘Brother’ exited the driveway. Naturally, I was curious, so, I came home early today to listen in… and I did.” “Okay… fine,” Brother said with a clear impatience now… seemingly still trying to figure out if all this was a trap or not. “You need LRG, and I can get that for you, but… how does it all connect? How does Ashley, me, and even Betty work into you screwing over this place?” Pete smirked and sighed. “Well, I have a plan. I just… I need some time to put it all in motion. I’ll explain everything, but… can you all wait to enact your own previous plan?” It was an obvious risk, and from everyone’s facial expressions, they knew it as well. Ashley ran the risk of staying here longer, now that Brother had shown his face, he was running a risk, and Betty waited on all this in her own yet unannounced role. Plus, all this was hinging on the trust of one of the top scientists and personnel in Peirama. Still, after a moment, all nodded. With the addition of Ashley’s chip, whatever Pete had planned now had to be better than simply sneaking Ashley out of town and risking her life just getting home. * * * Day 152 – 10:16 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Wait. Listen out and wait… those were the instructions that Pete had ultimately passed to the trio on that fateful Monday. He had laid his plan out in its entirety, and while it was strong and had a high chance of both hurting Diamond Technologies and freeing Ashley, it still needed time. And in Peirama, with everything exposed now, it was a large risk. Still, everyone was motivated in both of their tasks now and vigilance seemed to be the key while Pete gathered up what he needed in order to execute the plan properly. And in the meantime, each member had their own tasks. Brother needed to contact LRG to provide passes and transportation afterward to not only guarantee they could leave in something besides what turned out to be a company car if needed but also get Ashley away safely as well with her chip. Betty had to gather her own information on the plant that FOY was derived from coming from Tanassum. Knowing its components and makeup, nature sometimes had a counterbalance… or in this case, cure. Plus, her own research had touched on several projects in town, and she knew several of the Bigs and were on friendly terms with them, so, she had also been assigned to ask a few questions to add to the information being sent back about Peirama. Ashley, given her high visibility as a Little both around town and at daycare, and her apparent value to Beakerman, she had the unenviable task of simply laying low. Stay out of trouble. Not fights, no inciting riots, no risks whatsoever. For the Little that had been at the center of so many things, being pushed to the side to protect her own well-being and the safety of the information in her head was tough… but ultimately necessary. Fortunately, Ashley knew that and while she sighed and bitterly complained about it at first, she mostly went on as she had before when it was just her, Brother, and Betty making the plans. Simply put… she had to act like a true Little and blend in. The general and maybe even Vasiliou knew that something was happening at the facility each Wednesday for her, but the outcome was still very much left in the dark. Now that Pete had shown his hand, so to speak, it was obvious that it was done on purpose. So, time passed on. Naps, diaper changes, and Bunty were all mixed in with secret meetings, hushed discussions, and a plan coming together. If one wasn’t too wise, they might have thought that it was all just stalling, but soon, it seemed every activity in Peirama was now twinged with the prospect of the four’s ultimate plan. It was November. Halloween had passed with much fanfare and all the Littles had dressed up in their very best and had taken away a haul of candy. But with that passing and the days growing both colder and darker, the last of the fall festivals had descended on the town of Peirama. Ashley, not one to shy away from fun anymore and adopting her role of bestest Little ever, had readily joined in with her friends as they took part in the various activities located just outside of town… namely for the pumpkin chunkin held there. Given that it was Peirama though, the various contraptions used to throw old pumpkins away were far too dangerous for Littles, so Ashley and her friends readily enjoyed the other fall activities. “Alright, honey,” Betty guided as she sat down at the top of the hill where one of the slides had been set up, “I’ve got the burlap sack all situated. You just sit between my legs and hold on.” “And Bunty?” There was an edge of fear in her voice… one of the many things that still hadn’t abated after several Wednesday night sessions with Pete. Betty smiled. “She’ll go right between your legs. Keep them closed tight and Bunty will be with you the whole way… just like I will be.” “Yeah, Ash,” Olly actively encouraged from just behind them. “It’s just a slide. No big deal. I mean… if Marilyn and Simon could do it…” He looked down the large hill at the two Littles and their respective caregivers right behind them. Ashley nodded. “Right. Can’t have them showing off better than me, but… just in case…” Ashley sat down and stuffed Bunty instead inside the front part of her denim overalls. “There! Now she won’t be going anywhere!” Betty smiled and clung onto Ashley. “Very clever. Now… ready?” Ashley winced as she stared just beyond Betty’s feet and at the drop off coming in moments… but still nodded. “Alright! Here we go!” Betty took a breath and gripped the sides of the hay bales lining the track. “And… one. Two. Three!” With all her effort, she pushed off and the two rocketed downward. “Ahhh!” Ashley screamed bloody murder as they raced down the hill. Betty clung onto her as she clung onto her Big. There was definitely a sense that though Ashley was supposed to be pretending and had ‘matured’ in the past few weeks thanks to Pete, there was a legitimate sense of comfort and protection that she received from Betty. “Oh! Look at Daddy!” Betty called out, temporarily moving her hand from Ashley and pointing to Pete while also using his public name. In truth, she did know that Ashley no loner called him that, but for multiple reasons, Littles simply never went back to calling their Big by their first name once they started with ‘Mommy’ or ‘Daddy.’ So, it was decided as a group, even with Ashley’s approval, that Betty and Pete would still be called Mommy and Daddy, respectively, in public. Nearby and on the side of the track going down the hill, just a little way up from the bottom, Pete was standing and waving as he took a picture of the two women in his life. It was a classic family moment that no doubt millions had captured before them. It was almost too perfect. “There’s my girls!” he called out, racing over to them while snapping several photos once they reached the bottom. Ashley was laughing but it did take a moment for Betty to pry her hands off her pant legs once they had come to a stop. “It’s okay, Ash. We’re at the bottom now.” Ash let go quickly and jumped up. “Oh! I wasn’t scared. Just… safety is all…” Betty looked skeptical but Ron beat her to it. “Right… and that screaming Little coming down the slide was… someone else, right?” Ashley rolled her eyes and just turned in time to spot a hurdling Olly come down with his mommy as well. It seemed the tradition today… along with the face paint that most of the Littles had gotten or the petting zoo where all had chosen their favorite miniature animal… including Ashley. With all Littles and their Bigs now firmly on the ground, the group took off to wander around the fall festival once more. Pete gawked at the odd machinery and several stalls of tantalizing food, eventually succumbing and grabbing a slice of Milo pie. From her juice at the daycare, Ashley immediately seized on it as well. “Still can’t believe this tastes like apples…” she mused, getting her mouth slightly sticky from the filling inside the delicious treat. Betty smiled and pulled out a convenient baby wipe to clean her mouth off with. “Well, of course, sweetie. Milo is our version of what you call the apple. It’s the same thing.” She giggled slightly like it was the most obvious thing in the world… much to Ashley’s resultant blush. “Oh, don’t be too hard on her, Bee…” Pete said, swallowing yet another bite of the pie himself. “It took forever for you to learn that yourself in college during our Earth course together.” Betty sighed and nodded, and for a second… almost looked wistful, nostalgic, and yet sad as she looked around her. Ashley might have pressed more, but a microphone soon buzzed to life in the speakers overhead. “Attention! Attention! The mayoral speech will be beginning in approximately two minutes on the main stage.” Given the trio’s run-ins with the mayor lately, it likely wasn’t a shock to any of them as they all simultaneously groaned. Still, they continued to the main stage… likely to keep up appearances as supportive members of the community. On the way, however, they also bumped into Brother. Of course, here, he was simply the overall landscaper of the town. Ashley had seen him around before and had even caught him staring at her a few times when she first got here, but she had always shrugged it off as another odd Big. Now though, there was almost tension between the four of them as they passed each other. It wasn’t in an adversarial way. Just… more of a way that they all knew the other was carrying around a secret with them that could undo the rest in a second. Being seen together, knowing that they all knew each other’s secrets seemed dangerous in such a public setting. So, after a bit of a frozen and tense moment, Brother quickly departed from the family trio. Pete only brushed it off and continued toward the stage with Betty and Ashley following close behind hand in hand. “Good afternoon!” Mayor Vasiliou began, soon going on several tangents about the fall weather, corporate success, and all manner of things that sounded more like a would-be future CEO rather than a simple scientist or the mayor that he was. Still, it was pretty typical and even boring to anyone but the most loyalist company members… which didn’t include people like Pete or Betty. Then, he started talking about company loyalty. That got their attention. “We are all a family here. The disloyalty of one member… or even two, is never something we should take lightly. What one of us does affects us all. This can be both bad…” His focus now seemed to be directly hovering over Pete and Betty. “Or with loyalty and cooperation, a good thing!” He then walked to the left of the stage. “Soon, we will be judging the weights and sizes of our animals.” He gestured over to some of the fattest pigs known… all a result of specific genetic and specialized food manipulation. “Or… the event you all came for… our pumpkin chunkin competition!” He then turned to the general behind him on stage. “General? Will you do the honors of throwing the first pumpkin today?” The general stepped forward and smiled. “It would be my honor.” The man then stepped up, and in one motion, yanked the cord and activated the machine… sending the poor attached pumpkin hurdling far and away toward the distant mountains. Everyone cheered. A few bits of pomp and circumstance later, the speeches were over, and the crowd dispersed. Betty, Pete, and Ashley ambled around as they perused more treats, gadgets, and homemade items, but it didn’t take long for them to run right into a wandering general and mayor. “Betty… Ashley… Pete…” Vasiliou glared with hot hatred behind his eyes at the three of them. Knowing all she did about him now, Ashley clung to Bunty even tighter and backed up into Betty for some measure of comfort and safety. By the way she gripped her Little as well though, Betty seemed like she needed the added support from her as well. “General… Mayor…” Pete nearly growled at Vasiliou and while no punches were thrown, the hatred simmering between Pete and Vasiliou seemed boundless. Only the general seemed to be the mediator and the lynchpin which kept them from brawling on the spot. “So… any progress with my next formula?” he asked with a near twinkle in his eye. “Some…” Pete was clearly trying to be as vague and murky as possible. With his distaste for his work now and the eventual leak of information, more progress had been deemed ‘unwise’ in the planning stages previously. He would stay on and work, but only as a means to keep finding out more information. Actual progress would either be nearly stopped or at least slowed to a crawl. But the general didn’t know that. “I see…” the general sighed. “Seems to be going slow these days, but… I guess that’s just progress for you here. Waited for years for that special formula before, and then, bam! You got it in less than a month!” “Speaking of which,” Vasiliou jumped in and looking first at Pete and then towards Betty and Ashley. “I hope you all our minding yourselves. Wouldn’t want a repeat of what happened last time now, would we?” His words seemed to slide off his cruel tongue and worm their way around the family at present. “I can promise you this… there won’t be any third chances with some special deal by creating yet another drug for us…” His glared narrowed on Ashley and the Little let out a little squeak of fear. ‘Oh no! Does he know about us? Our plans? Is he just toying with us? Are we sunk yet again? And this time I’m going to be regressed, and Pete and Betty jailed or worse? And then I lose my mind, and the world goes to pieces and…’ Betty pulled in Ashley tighter and bent over slightly to hug her upper chest from behind. It wasn’t a full hug, but the Little’s thoughts slowed, and she took deep heaving breaths. “Well, thanks for that lovely image, mister mayor,” Pete nearly mocked. “We’re all fine and even… I have to say that we’ve never been happier. I’m sorry to say that your efforts have been in vain to hurt my family further. Sad really…” Vasiliou snarled and stepped closer, cracking his knuckles as he did so. Pete simply reached to his side and gently nudged Ashley and Betty behind him. Once again though, the general nearly hopped in the middle of it. “Now, look here you two! We cannot have our mayor and top scientist at odds with each other! I want this to end righ…” He then stopped and his right eye seemed to quiver before easing up in nearly an instant. “But that can wait for another day. Come, Mayor. You have other… mayoral duties to attend to. I’m sure the animal size contest needs an extra judge to break a tie…” Vasiliou sighed before glaring intensely at Pete and Ashley and Betty behind him. “No, those can wait. This employee is making a bad example, and I think Beakerman should be informed that As…” “Phillip!” The general grabbed the mayor by the shoulder and nearly shoved him to the ground from the sheer might of his single grip. “We will do this another day.” Mayor Vasiliou glared back at him for a moment before nearly shrinking away. “But I…” “Please…” the general emphasized. “They have a… matter to attend to.” When that didn’t seem to work though, the general shifted his eye movements in the direction of Ashley. “An important, Little matter.” Right then, Vasiliou seemed to finally understand the implication. “Oh… right…” Turning back, he glared at Pete before adopting a more neutral look. “Until next time, Pete. And you better have progress with that new formula.” Not giving Pete a second to speak, Vasiliou turned and walked away. The general, sighing, turned to Pete. “We really need to get you two talking again. It’s not good to have you two in this stalemate of bickering.” Pete nodded. “You have yourself a good festival, general.” Pete was blowing him off, but gratefully, the general was either too dense to understand that or too diplomatic to make any move against him. So, like Vasiliou, he nodded, thanked him for the formula again, and then left. Once gone, Pete turned to Ashley with a wide smile. “Oh! That was brilliant thinking, Ash! The general deals with Littles all the time, but he can never stand their actions… particularly some of the more squishy, sticky, or smelly aspects that come along with them! Using your diaper like that was a stroke of genius to get him to leave and end the conversation. 10 out of 10 for effort and execution!” Ashley looked like she was about to object but stopped cold and wiggled slightly. ‘I’m… mushy? I went… poopy? I… I didn’t know…’ She winced but still played it off. “Well, you know… anything to help. I don’t like either of them anyways…” Pete chuckled and Betty sighed before readjusting the strap of the diaper bag draped over her shoulder. “Come on, sweetie. Let’s get that mush tush of yours all nice and clean.” She held out her hand. Ashley quickly took and walked away with her now usual waddle. She didn’t say anything, but dread filled her expression completely… likely dread over her own future after all this was over. * * * Day 157 – 6:05 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley paced around the room nervously. “Where is he?” she asked for at least the seventh time in the past ten minutes. “He should’ve been here by now!” “Easy there, Ash,” Betty said trying to calm her Little down. “Brother said six and it’s only five minutes after.” “Right,” Pete agreed, stepping back from the front room where he had been on the lookout for any suspicious activity. “He needs to be careful. After today, all this could be done, and besides… talking to him, we need the codes he has to ensure this message gets sent out.” “Yeah. I just…” Ashley shook her head and kept pacing. Her stress wasn’t dissipating though, but it wasn’t too surprising given everything it had taken to get where they were right then. Codes, at least two dozen more interviews from Bigs and Littles alike about the various experiments going on here and a massive data copy from the facility’s main servers. All had been done in secrecy as much as possible, but they were all still committing a massive crime… both for the company and legally speaking as well. Also though, Ashley was now getting nervous about what came after all this. Get more information and then bundle it up and send it out. That was the plan, and it was darn simple, but there were elements that hadn’t been discussed… at least not with her. It wasn’t the worst thing ever, and per her continuing nightly logs, she knew being a Little and vulnerable to interrogation after being regressed if captured that she would be left out of some things… just not most of the plan. Further, while elements of the plan still seemed a mystery, her life afterward continually plagued her mind. Pete’s efforts were nearly miraculous given the scans of her brain that he had done before. He had literally reawakened part of her that might otherwise sleep forever until the end. So, that was great… but it still wasn’t enough. Simply put, Ashley wasn’t herself… or at least the self she was when she first came to this dimension back in June. Five months later, Ashley was a different Little. First off, she was a Little. Not regressed, but daily she would be reminded of her changes in likes, movements, abilities… it all was different. Various shades maybe, but when Betty still had to change her diapers or a life without Bunty seemed utterly horrifying to her, those shades seemed pointless. “Ash,” Betty said with a little more force. “Please… sit by me and take a breath. Please, honey.” Her words seemed to work and the Little stopped pacing and sat where instructed. “Good. Now some deep breaths for me and remember… don’t get too worked up over this. We take it one step at a time, and we don’t worry what we can’t control, right?” Ashley nodded and hugged Bunty tighter as she breathed harder in and out as instructed. Relief soon came to her. ‘I don’t want to stay, but… what am I going to do without Betty?’ The question had been asked before dozens of times… and even now, it still lingered. Soon though, hearing the designated knock, Pete went to the back door and let Brother in. “Sorry I’m late. I think you might have a spy checking in on you. Circled the block at least four times in the past hour. Not good, so I have to ask…” He then reached inside his bag and produced a flash drive. “Are you sure about this?” Pete looked over at Ashley and then back at Brother with a fierce set of determination. “Absolutely.” Brother nodded and handed the drive to Pete. Pete wasted no time and unlocked the door to his basement office. After the group arrived in the basement as well, Pete showed off the massive computer he had been tinkering with recently. “Okay… I’ve had a chance to look at the specs of Ashley’s eye. Combined with these codes, my information, and what Betty could pull as well, we now have a deep file on this place.” “And… we mail it to someone?” Ashley asked, almost innocent and Little-like in that one moment, only further emphasized by how close she was hugging Bunty still. Pete smiled but shook his head. “Not exactly. Based on the schematics I pulled, I can just wirelessly connect the feed from your camera into a file that I will then send out. Just to be sure, I’m going to send it through the portal transmission network to your paper’s branch on Earth, but just in case its monitored and intercepted before going through, I’m also sending it to a few areas around here… including several LRG locations.” He then pointed to the now inserted flash drive. “Hence the codes I needed.” Brother nodded. “Yep. All should be there. The locations I tagged… they’ll sit on the information as requested, but I have to say… once they act on it, you two,” he said pointing to Betty and Pete, “are going to be in some awfully hot water. You have to know that when you do this, Diamond Technologies will absolutely know that this data was pulled, and… you would be a prime suspect.” Ashley clinched to Bunty closer, even moving her up to caress her cheek tenderly. Pete nodded. “Yes, I thought of that, and I was very thorough covering my tracks. Helps to be one of the top scientists at the facility… gives me access to erase things.” He then took a deep breath. “But also… tomorrow morning, I am handing in my notice of resignation. I am leaving Peirama.” Brother’s mouth dropped open and Ashley gasped. Betty smiled and took Pete’s hand. “Actually… we both will be.” “You’re doing… what?” Ashley seemed flabbergasted over this new information. Pete and Betty were pillars of the community and the company here. ‘Holy… leaving here for them would be like if the Statue of Liberty suddenly up and left New York City!’ “We’re resigning and leaving Peirama, sweetie,” Betty reiterated before sighing. “Ash… we know you can’t leave this dimension, but if you stay here… you’ll never have a normal life again. Plus, we don’t care for the company or the town too much anyways. It’s a win-win.” As Ashley seemed to be mulling it all over, Pete then turned to Brother. “Also… I’ve anticipated them possibly finding out that a leak came from me. So, I am also sending this information to a secure server. There, I have to send a safety code to it every three days. If I don’t, a message will automatically be sent to every paper across the country about all the nasty deeds being done here. If Betty, Ashley, or I ever are captured or confronted about the leak, it will be our bargaining chip… or at least our revenge.” Ashley, clearly still thinking on the information, seemed to have only one outward thought though. “So… if you all are leaving… I’m assuming I’m coming with you all. So… am I just going to forever be your Little to be carted around the country forever now?” Pete almost said something, but Betty was faster and quickly took Ashley’s hands in hers. “We would never want that for you, honey. I know as a Big, I was never happier than when you called me Mommy… but that wasn’t you… or at least not the you that I wanted in my life.” She blinked a few times, the weighted emotion of it all clearly getting to her still. “I would be happy forever if you stayed with us as we wandered around the country, showing you all the sights, but… both of us have already found jobs at our alma mater in Cepalocum.” “And what’s there that’s so special?” Ashley asked, her satisfaction clearly not having been met yet. “There’s a lot there,” Pete then explained. “It’s actually where we first met each other, but also… the university there can advance our research into FOY and combatting it, and with Brother’s help, we’ve already been in contact with the LRG offices there where we can help out even more.” Brother nodded from his spot in the corner of the room. “But for you,” Pete continued, “they might have the equipment to help you and even remove the chip from in your neck.” “So, I then can go home?” This time, her desire for satisfaction seemed to be more replaced by hope. Betty sighed with a deep set of sadness but nodded. “If that is what you want, then yes.” There was silence for a moment afterward, but the computer then beeped. “Oh! It’s done. Link established!” Pete exclaimed. He then clicked on several buttons and a few more beeps sounded off before he turned around to Ashley. “Ash… since this is your story… your information… you paying the high cost of getting it all… I want you to do the honors and push the button.” ‘Execute’ flashed in green to the lower left of the screen. “That’s it?” Pete chuckled but nodded. “That’s it. Push that, and instantly, all will be transmitted out there.” Ashley looked at the button again, but instead of pushing it, went over and hugged both Pete and Betty. “Whatever happens next… I just want to thank you both. I… all this has changed me in ways I’m still not even fully sure about, but… if it wasn’t for you two… and even you Brother,” she noted, looking over in the corner to the for once happy looking red head, “I might have never succeeded. I would have just been another blip… another stat of a failed journalist over here or worse, a babbling and regressed Little. So... thank you.” “And you’re very welcome, sweetie,” Betty beamed, her Little’s thank seemingly warming her heart in a place that had been cold ever since Ashley had stopped calling her ‘Mommy.’ It still likely wasn’t perfect, but her bond with her was one without regrets. Pete smiled. “You’re also very welcome, honey. But now…” He then turned her over towards the screen once more. “Push the button and complete your story.” Looking back for a second, Ashley smiled and nodded before turning back the button. “And here we go…” With a sigh of relief of completion, the Little pushed down on the button. * * * * Recording Terminated – End of Line * * * * Vincent unhooked from the headset for what seemed like the final time. “Woah… all the data… it’s… it’s all the data from Diamond Technologies from Peirama. This is… this is huge. I…” He sighed and looked back at his screen. “I wondered what happened to them though…” Vincent pressed in on his screen and immediately began to transmit the final data package to ‘X’ and LRG headquarters. It would take months… likely even years to sort through it all, but it was there. “Now, let’s see where you three ended up and…” Vincent stopped and saw another blinking light in his mailbox. “Huh… wonder what that is.” Vincent clicked on the message. “Looks like it’s from ‘X’ about another file they found that seemed linked to Ashley’s? Oh, and here’s the link to the page with the files. Seems like it’s a Sgt. El…” His screen blacked out for a second and soon, another message popped on his screen that turned Vincent white. “They’re coming! Run! - X” Vincent briefly and visibly panicked and looked towards his monitors and other security devices. Seconds later, switching to another view from the perimeter, several vans showed up and were soon unloaded with at least a dozen soldiers. Vincent shot back and checked the status bar of the transmission of data. “Okay… almost done. The perimeter fence is at least a mile away from me and it’ll take them a second to bust in. Gives me a moment longer to ensure the next steps…” So, as he had practiced before when his safety was threatened previously, Vincent sent a message to LRG about a possible tracer bug on the file, a mystery code for further contact, and a coded transmission to prove it really was him. Then, he copied the files as well on to a removeable drive and stashed that in his bugout bag. “Okay… just need to…” The sound of an explosion ripped through his small cabin. “Well… crap. They made it through. Gotta go now!” Looking at his screen the information was sent, and again as practiced, Vincent ran over to a very specific box and pulled out two very powerful and specialized magnets. “Sorry my beauties, but… I can’t risk you all being read.” With a sigh of anguish, he then scanned all his devices… and erased them. Finally, he pulled all his paperwork in a specific and high-end incinerator and burned all the perishable files to a crisp. Dinging to show it was done, Vincent checked the monitors one last time before cratering them as well. “Sorry… but on to a new place I guess!” Vincent then grabbed his bug out bag, took one last look around and fled out the back door. About fifteen minutes later, the front door caved in, and the cabin was surrounded by armed military personnel. Moments later, they began to search everywhere and under every object. “All clear!” the leader announced about a minute later. Several of the armed personnel left, but then two very familiar figures walked in. “Did they find anything, captain?” the general asked as he scratched his head in seeming exhaustion. “Negative, sir. Appears the hacker wiped everything down,” he informed the general. “We’ll still take it all back with us to analyze. Could be something left or a manufacturer’s tag or something useful for us to track him down. And we could also analyze the house for any photos or receipts or…” “There’s not going to be any of that, you idiot!” Mayor Vasiliou exclaimed, looking nearly half-crazed at that point as he threw his hands up in the air. “He managed to avoid us and set several traps for us and is situated on a compound in the middle of fucking nowhere and…” “That will be all, captain,” the general noted quickly before Vasiliou could yell anymore. “Thank you, and good ideas all of them. But… will you give us just a minute here?” The captain nodded wordlessly and used some hand signals to get all his men out of the cabin as well. Now alone, the general glared back at Vasiliou. “May I remind you that in all likelihood, the reason that Pete and Betty left was because of your handling of the situation? Your hot temper cost them the original life of their Little. If you were any kind of decent father to Nancy, you would know that.” Vasiliou growled before turning away and kicking one of the discarded trash bins over. Meanwhile, another armed personnel came from the back. “Sir? Sorry to disturb you sir, but we found a trail out back. Can’t be too old, but… it leads off outside of the back perimeter here to some tire treads in the mud. Subject is probably gone, but we could follow to maybe see his next move and go from there.” The general nodded. “Good, good. Send a team to follow and have the rest come back here and begin taking this cabin apart for evidence.” The man nodded and nearly trotted away before the general stopped him. “Oh… and sergeant?” The sergeant stopped and walked back into the cabin after placing only a single foot outside the door. “Can you do me a favor and cut the power or disconnect that camera?” he said pointing to one of the few blinking cameras still in the corner of the room. “Could still be being watched by the hacker or whoever he works for. Don’t want to take that risk.” “Yes, sir!” The sergeant then walked over and stood on the couch before reaching up and grabbing one of the wires. “This… should do it.” He then gave the wire a hard yank. Everything turned black.

Hey everyone! Hope everyone had a great Fourth of July here in the states, and I hope everyone else just had a good last few days themselves. Personally, it was a little hot and buggy, but I still maintain that everyone turns into an eight-year-old when the fireworks start going off. I see it all the time, and I always wonder who out there could be reading stories like this one or any of the others… and how many would if they just gave them a try. Regardless, we’re moving on here with the second to last chapter. As I stated before, the last chapter will come out sometime on Monday, July 07. It’s already fleshed out and I just need to do a big edit on it as well as calculate the final tally for the next story. Speaking of which… just as a reminder, a new poll is up for you all to let me know which story you all would like to read next. Story options and the link can be found back in the beginning of chapters 2 and 14. As I mentioned before though, if you feel more comfortable leaving a comment here or as a private message to me, I will count these as well. So, just to reiterate, this poll will be shut down sometime on Monday before I post my next story, so if you haven’t voted yet… do it soon! Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this penultimate chapter! Chapter 27: Wait For It… Day 134 – 10:57 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 “Wha… what?” Ashley asked in disbelief. She couldn’t put a lot together lately with even basic things, but this played in her head like a remembrance of an old dream. ‘Okay… I need a minute, but… woah! A plan coming from Mo… Betty who wants to help me and Brother who was originally going to get me to escape? This oughta be good!’ She leaned in closer to hear the plan after looking behind her shoulder… just in case another Little or attendant had snuck up behind her. “A plan? What plan?” “Well, it’s simple, sweetie,” Betty noted. “I saw you acting very strange since you were taken by the facility. I thought it was just what those butchers did to you, but then the pink rock… I saw that and that you didn’t have any understanding of it. It was something I knew you knew about, but the way you were looking at it… it was like you were almost looking through it… like it wasn’t even there.” “I was?” Ashley bit her bottom lip and was clearly trying to puzzle it out, but that spot was still a blank. Betty nodded. “You were. It was too strange, but… I honestly thought that the you I had come to love was gone and in its place was a new version… someone who was my babygirl and called me Mommy.” She paused and took a breath… all this change and information clearly charged with emotion. “But then the other day you called me Betty again…” Ashley winced at that information. ‘Darn it! I knew that hurt her! I shouldn’t have said anything. I should have just passed it off as a mistake. I… Betty isn’t my mommy but… I don’t want to hurt her!’ “It’s okay, Ash. Really,” she emphasized before sighing, almost as if she could read Ashley’s fraught mind. “I have no right to keep you as my regressed Little if you aren’t already that. So, I made it my mission to figure out what was happening to you on my own. I knew that LRG had a presence in town… then add that with the pink rock and daycare telling me about a stranger possibly watching you the other week… I put it all together and...” “And found me,” Brother noted with no small amount of annoyance. “I couldn’t believe it! Three years in this town alone and one Little’s Big finds me in less than two days!” Betty smirked back at Brother. “Well, it wasn’t easy if it makes you feel any better…” She then turned back to Ashley. “Anyways, I found him, and we got to talking… Sweetie… Ashley… we need to get you out of here.” Her words were straightforward and there was no need to interpret them, but there was still seemingly a conflict within Ashley. “Wait… get out of here? As in…?” “As in go back home, Ash,” Brother finished for her after she paused for a moment, appearing like she was getting stuck on the concept now. “I know it might be more difficult than before for you, but we now have a Big on our side. That’s huge!” Betty nodded adamantly. “That’s right. I listened to his plan before and it might have worked, even with the enhanced security after this summer, but with my help… we can be sure to get you out of here now.” Ashley smiled and seemed to appreciate the gesture and plan of action from both Betty and Brother, but there was still a great deal of hesitation in her eyes… and it was hard to blame her. While her memory was still fuzzy in spots, as reported nightly, she was remembering vast sums of her life… and a healthy distrust of Bigs and shadowy figures were two shaky grounds to put any amount of trust in. ‘Crud… no doubt that hundreds… thousands of Littles have found themselves in my spot right now. They trusted who they thought they should and bam! They go further down in their regression and never resurface… sometimes literally!’ Ashley’s expression narrowed. “I appreciate it… but what kind of reassurance do I have here or at least…” She turned to Betty. “Why are you getting me out? I’ve seen your looks. If I had any money to bet with, I’d bet it all that you would want me to stay. How can I trust that this isn’t a trap now?” Betty sighed and nodded her head before even holding Brother back. It seemed she needed to get something off her chest before anything else. “You’re right… you’re absolutely right, Ashley. But also… that’s why you have to leave.” “Huh?” Ashley seemed struck dumb with pure confusion. Betty leaned into the gate and gestured behind Ashley. “You’re a Little and you just need to look at your friends to see what will happen to you one day if you stay in this town any longer… or even what happened to you before to know. Bigs are just too tempted and too crafty to be trusted with your well-being here as a Little.” She then looked down and it seemed her pained heart weighed a great deal today. “But… you are right as well. I want you to stay, but… sometimes caring for someone means doing what’s best for them… even if that means letting them go. Now that I’ve taken my own feelings out of this… I can see that Peirama is no longer a safe place for you. I may not be your mommy anymore, but… I would still be devastated if anything were to happen to you.” Ashley was about to speak, but she had apparently lingered behind the cluster of trees and bushes for too long now. “Ash! You get lost in there, or something?” Ron called out. “It’s just a ball! Come on, slow poke!” His youthened patience was clear and the pressure from others came through as well. For Ashley, it was a reminder, but for Brother and Betty, it sounded like a warning more than anything else. “Come on, Betty. We gotta go,” Brother insisted. “You don’t want an attendant catching us back here.” Betty nodded and turned to Ashley. “Okay, sweetie. We have to go.” Ashley nearly flung herself at the fence. “Wait! I…” “Ash?” Ron seemed more concerned than annoyed or impatient now. Knowing him, his imagination was likely conjuring up all manners of evil that had befallen her. Ashley winced and looked at Betty. “I gotta go, but… what’s next here?” Brother stepped back into the deep shadows once more. “We will meet next Monday at your house while Pete is at work to discuss the plans further. I will coordinate the details with Betty further.” Betty hopped in before disappearing as well. “Two last things… don’t mention this to Pete, but also… try to blend in and act normal… here and until Monday. Promise?” Ashley held up her hand like she was reciting an oath. “Promise.” The two then completely disappeared, Ashley retrieved the ball and ran back to join Ron… just as Miss Fiona was walking over. “Get lost, sweetie?” the attendant asked with an unusually stern and more than a little concerning suspicious glance. Ashley shook her head. “No. I just…” She held up the ball. “It got stuck and…” She wobbled her arms up and down like they were made of spaghetti. “Not long enough!” Miss Fiona sighed, but ultimately smiled and patted Ashley to rejoin Ron and Olly… seemingly none the wiser that Ashley had just met up with Brother and Betty… and was now planning to escape. * * * Day 138 – 10:39 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley looked around the locker room at the rec center that Betty had taken her to today. The days were getting shorter and colder even with Peirama’s weather device. It meant the community pool was now closed and all Littles who could, or were allowed to by their Bigs, were now headed to the rec center for their swimming test to determine their future as swimmers here. Safety was always a top concern, and the rec center was no different. Ashley blushed heavily as Betty slipped on the disposable swim diaper up her legs. “Just one moment, sweetie. Can’t have you going in the pool without one of these.” Ashley could only stand there and nod. Her one piece of solace afterward was that her swimsuit… though the bulge in the crotch and butt was very obvious of what she was wearing underneath, could have been worse. Her one piece dark purple and pink flamingo patterned swimsuit was childish… especially with the elastic so prominent around the leg holes, but looking around, it could have been much worse. Being the first of many swimming tests, many of her friends were here in similar attires… except those seemed to be designed to be as childish as possible. Hers at least had dignity, but for example, Marilyn’s was a floral pink and lime green one piece with a tutu-like dress around her midsection. Other of the female Littles had two pieces and would show off their scars, diapers, or would just plainly sport logos or cartoon characters any mature person would never be seen in. Of course, there were also the ones that had managed to run away and were now being chased by their Bigs… the Littles completely nude and not giving one care about that fact. “I don’t know if I can do this…” Ashley moaned as Betty pulled up the last of the straps over her shoulders. “It’s very, easy, Ash,” Betty replied, laying her hands gently on her Little’s shoulders. “You just hop in, swim a little back and forth, and then tread water. Easy peasy.” Ashley shook her head. “No… not that. I meant…” She leaned and whispered. “The blending in thing.” Betty pursed her lips and nodded in understanding. “Oh, I see. Well… you just do your best. No need to suck your thumb or cry all the time, but if others splash, then go for it. Play along with the others, don’t cause a fuss, and just try to have fun. Don’t overthink it.” Ashley sighed as she caught a Little being splayed out on one of the nearby benches getting their diaper changed, again, without a care in the world. “Easier said than done.” Betty sighed and nodded, giving Ashley one last little squeeze on her shoulders before standing up and removing her bathing suit cover. Underneath was a dark blue one piece that sported a few small golden anchors on the chest and one near each hip. “Wait… you’re swimming too?” Ashley looked up at her Big with her mouth nearly completely open in shock. Betty chuckled. “Well, yes! Remember, you’re in the toddler class for the swimming test for Littles. You might still be like a duck to water here, but others… hard to know what their skill level is anymore or what could freak them out at the drop of a hat.” “Oh…” It was obvious that Ashley hadn’t thought about any of that, and looking around at her friends, it was hard not to remember who they used to be. Ron had been so strong and proud, Olly had been a pain and studious, and even Marilyn or Simon had been independent and intelligent or even rebellious. Now, all were Littles. All were diapered. All were in a swimming class now meant for toddler Littles. Betty smiled tenderly and stretched out her hand. “Come on. I promise… it won’t be bad. You’ll see…” Ashley nodded and sighed. ‘Geesh. I know she means well, but… why do I feel like she’s acting the mother to me right now? I know its just who she is but…’ Ashley shook her head and took Betty’s hand. ‘No, no. Just do this and make it until Monday. Take a breath and… oh!’ Ashley grimaced as she started to walk and caught her reflection in the mirror. She may have been the most mature Little there, but in the image reflected back at her, the swimsuit and bulge of the diaper she knew about… but she definitely hadn’t realized that a little bit of the swim diaper was also going to stick out prominently from her leg holes. As she exited the door, she tried in vain to cover herself up. * * * Day 138 – 10:56 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Entering the main pool area, the area was surprisingly large for the smaller town of Peirama. Apparently, water experiments may have been conducted in the vicinity at one point, but now, the large area was essentially split into three parts. The first was the 20-foot-deep end for the diving boards perched above it. The second was the play area and contained a lazy river, multiple slides, fountains, and splash pads. Lastly, the final was divided into two sections most of the time, with a deep cordoned off into lap lanes and the second being shallower in one end and slightly deeper in the other. This is where Betty guided Ashley. Listening in to other Littles, it only took seconds for Ashley to realize that it was all about swimming lessons. “Awww! Come on… do I have to?” Betty sighed and pushed her closer to the main instruction group… all full of Littles. “Yes, you do. It’s getting colder and soon, even around here with our climate controlled, all the pools will close, and we will come here. Any Little coming here… no matter their mental age, is required to take this course. So, please…” She then lowered the volume of her voice into a near whisper. “Like we discussed, at least for appearances-sake, just play along.” Betty sighed heavily but nodded and sat down with the other Littles in front of a large whiteboard. A whistle then blew loudly and out walked Miss Pearl… much to most of the Little’s clear confusion. “Hello, everyone! It’s so nice to see you outside of daycare!” “Miss Pearl?” Ron questioned with a funny look on his face. “Are you our instructor? Aren’t you our daycare teacher instead?” Miss Pearl laughed light-heartedly. “Why, yes, Ron. I am your daycare teacher but I’m also an instructor here on my time off. I was part of the Libertalia Olympic swim team a few years ago in fact. Now though, with my skills from daycare, I usually make the perfect instructor for all you Littles to make sure you’re okay with coming here to swim.” “Including those of us who can already swim?” Olly asked annoyedly. From her look, it seemed like Ashley exhibited the same level of annoyance. Miss Pearl nodded her head. “Of course, Olly. While we trust you to have the skills maybe from even a month ago, we also know that many of you have changed since your first came to Peirama.” She paused and looked a little devious for a moment. “Do me a favor… can anyone who’s felt they changed physically since they first came here, please raise your hand?” While her words seemed more for adults, her question about loss of something seemed to resonate with nearly everyone. Every Little, including Olly, raised their hand. With Miss Fiona’s point well-made, he soon shirked away “Now then, let’s get you all to dip a toe into the shallow end of the pool.” Her attention then directed to the Bigs behind the Littles. “Bigs? Guide your Little into the water. Regression can have odd effects on Littles. Some of them may be scared of the water now, and it’s up to you to support them in this transition period.” Following along as well, Betty soon got behind Ashley as they waded into the shallow end… first a few inches and then up about two feet of water. “Still okay?” Betty asked with more than a little hope and caution. Ashley sighed. “Yes. I’m fine.” She almost gave a bad attitude towards Betty but was stopped looking over at another Little who was already in another daycare. ‘Woah… I thought that guy loved the water. Now…’ Much to Ashley’s evident horror, the Little was thrashing all about in the water. Their self-proclaimed mommy tried everything, but the Little soon went into a near-meltdown. Fortunately, they were the only ones to freak out, so after a little consoling and special instruction for them, Miss Pearl stood in the water in front of everyone else and continued. “Perfect! You’ve just taken your first test to pass to come here as much as you want. Now…” She pointed to the whiteboard that another worker had brought to the edge. Since I’ve got you all in the pool, we can now talk about the rules.” She pointed out and explained several of them, and there were several that were typical like no running around the pool or diving in the shallow ends. Looking further though, there was one section that seemed different. “Okay,” Miss Pearl continued, “with those done, we need to talk about access for you Littles.” She looked around and shook her head. “Since none of you are or have independent Littles, all of these will apply. So… six inches of water… any Little is free to play. No Big supervision is required.” She paused and went to the next. “One foot of water… a Big needs to be within 15 feet of their Little. From this point onward, all of you will need to pass the swimming test at the end of this class. Regardless… two feet… and a Big will need to be within five feet or still 15 feet if you use floaties.” Several Littles, including Ashley, looked at their Bigs. For some, like Olly and Ron, looked at their Bigs with determination that they would definitely be using floaties to get the extra space with more humiliation… which they probably didn’t care about. For Ashely though, based on her near snarl at the prospect of the use of floaties, it was a look that they would do anything but floaties here. Miss Pearl chuckled a little. “Well… I guess for those of you who want them but moving on.” She then gestured to the last two lines. “Three feet or higher… a Big will need to be holding onto the Little or be within five feet of their Little. Four feet or higher though… and Littles are completely banned or the use of floaties are absolutely required. Now… any questions?” Ashley blinked at the board and then around the pool. Despite being ‘Little friendly,’ seeing the signs posted in the three areas, it was obvious that no floaties meant a lack of access to at least a third… if not more, of the pool. ‘Hmmm I wonder if that’s on purpose to divide the Littles and the Bigs… or if this really just is a safety thing?’ With Miss Pearl continuing to talk though, Ashley quickly concentrated on the lesson once more. * * * Day 138 – 12:19 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Miss Pearl was a firm, but fair and cautious daycare attendant, and that readily transferred over into her abilities as a swimming instructor of the Littles. After a quick instruction, lunch, and then break, while belittling in many cases, she made sure to go through the steps with caution… ensuring every Little could progress together. It was curious when the initial sign-up paperwork had questioned the mental and physical abilities of the Little in question, but now it was obvious. For those older or less regressed the lesson would have been boring and they likely would have goofed off, disrupted the others and gotten into trouble… or just simply derail the entire lesson. For example, if an adult has had their mind regressed to something of a pre-teen, they could get into all kinds of mischief and even potentially hurt those with toddler mindsets. On the flipside, Littles registering as ‘newborns’ could be subjected to too hard of tests and potentially harm themselves. After all, as per their design… accidental or otherwise, body movements could be spastic and muscle tone weak at best. They needed constant support and while ‘newborn’ for Littles could sometimes be applied to any Little with the mental or physical abilities under four months, a pool environment could be downright deadly if not cared for properly. Being blunt, the pamphlet for the rec center described their lessons as more ‘how to float’ or ‘how to automatically go to the edge of the pool.’ Which, for them at least, translated into more of… delay as much as possible until an adult can rescue you easier. So, for Ashley’s group, the margins were fairly wide for whoever was accepted. Simon, who still consistently drooled and sported a wide and unfocused look most of the time, was on the younger end of the spectrum and required more input from his mommy, Sharon. On the other end though, Ashley could almost be classified into the higher spectrum of Littles… but her cover from previously still had to be maintained, so she mainly just used betty’s support as something of a comfort… rather than a necessity in her lessons. Per the swimming instructions, once the Littles were acclimated to the water, including submerging and getting splashed, they were taught getting in and out with practice entering and exiting the pool using the ramp, steps, and sides of the pool, with a particular emphasis on their safety. Like the younger class, they also practiced holding onto the side of the pool, but for them, this also involved using a floating device. For some, it was to build their confidence in the water again, but for Ashley, it was a chance to practice her other skills and mostly just relax. “You know, you’re really good at this,” Betty praised, almost seemingly forgetting that Ashley wasn’t a ‘true Little’ anymore. Ashley still smiled though. “Thanks… I always loved to swim and it’s just never something I forgot. Even before…” She looked around as she floated on the boogie board. “Well… you know.” Betty’s face clearly then just remembered that Ashley was ‘pretending’ now outwardly. She didn’t say anything about it… but there was almost a little sadness as well. If it wasn’t obvious before, Ashley leaving was still tough on Betty. “So… any thoughts on after?” Ashley practiced her flutter kicks… the next lesson that several of the more toddling Littles were having a problem with. “No… I… I want to continue with what I did before and…” She trailed off for a moment. ‘Shoot. Almost blew my cover there. Betty knows that I want to escape and is helping me, but… I don’t think she knows I’m Ashley Cutters… only Jones… the personal trainer.’ Ashley cleared her throat for a moment. “But… I might take time off work for a while… government assistance programs back home can help me a lot to regain…” She shifted and her swim diaper shifted as well… a current reminder that yes, she was going to have to do some reacclimating to the world when she got back to Earth. She then shook her head. “But… explore. Definitely explore like Europe or something.” “Oh?” Betty seemed surprised, but not in a way that she didn’t know what or where Europe was… only that she was shocked of her destination. “I’ve heard its very nice there. Very similar to our own Europa… even more than Libertalia is to the U.S.” Ashley only managed to nod before Miss Pearl called everyone back in. “Okay everyone! Now, we need to practice some of the skills you all will be using for your practice swim test. Then, you all will take it, and we’ll see where we are. Anyone who manages to pass it will be free to either practice more or I have some games you can play to help your skills more. For those who don’t pass, you’ll stay with me, and we can work harder on the skills you need to pass.” Everyone nodded at her instruction, but it was clear that some Littles were much more apprehensive than others about the prospect of a swim test so soon. * * * Day 138 – 12:57 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The practice and swim test were easy… or at least they were easy for Ashley. First up was jumping into a pool and then immediately going to the side to cling on. Second, was to tread water for about a minute, and then third was to swim just one length of the pool. Ashley had a little trouble with swimming the length of the pool, but she managed it without the offered floaties. Not that the test was designed to fail Littles, but there was a certain expectation of struggle… one that Ashley hadn’t exhibited in any real sense, other than maybe being slightly out of shape or just not used to swimming for so long. Plus, doing it all without any floaties, per her choice, was another item that some gave her the side eye over. No one really cared, but when most of the Littles were floundering by the forty second mark at best in treading water or had trouble making it halfway without the floaties on their first attempt… Ashley stood out. Regardless though, she passed. So, her name was recorded down in the rec center’s records, and she and Betty were able to leave and enjoy the rest of the pool. Using the floaties though, which was also marked down, Ron and Olly soon joined her… as the only other two Littles to pass in at least the first two attempts with or without the floaties. “Whew! Talk about a challenge, huh?” Olly asked, gliding over and into the knee-deep water around the mushroom fountains stretching high over their heads. “Yeah… I could barely tread the water for thirty seconds without the floaties on,” Ron commented, giving his still adorned floaties a light squeeze before looking questioningly at Ashley. “What gives, Ash? You some kind of super Little?” Ashley squinted and shook her head. “No… what are you talking about? It’s just a swim test… we did all that stuff earlier in the summer… remember?” Ron scratched his head while Olly nodded. “Yeah, Ash. I remember, but… that was a long time ago. None of us were in swim diapers and… well, a lot has happened since then.” “Oh…” It was right then that it was clear that Ashley had realized her mistake. Again, there were no alarms or sirens going off in her success, but it still was an awkward pause that Ashley was different. ‘Crud. This secrecy thing is going to be harder than I thought! Totally didn’t think about that. Special or advanced is fine, but standing out when I’m going to try and leave? Not good…’ Ashley twirled her wet hair and stepped closer to Ron and Olly like she had a secret. “Well… aliens kidnapped me, and they wanted me to become their queen. I said no and they gave me super-secret powers.” She held her finger up to her lips as she recalled a small story her friend had made up when they were kids. “Shhh! Kingda Korona might return, and they can’t know about me!” “Oh…” Ron’s eyes widened, and he nodded before at first silently promising with a few gestures to not reveal her secret. “Won’t tell nobody, Ash… Shhh…” Olly didn’t comment at all, but he had a knowing look on his face. He was regressed… having experienced a lesser version of the white cream which had so affected so many others, but he wasn’t as severe. Definitely not an adult status and he had been in diapers for longer than Ash… but there was an awareness there… likely one that could see through the act that Ashley had just put on. But… he was also a good friend to Ashley still and before they went back to splashing around without a care in the word, in a solemn gesture, he simply pinched his fingers and made a gesture to seal his lips. He knew, but his silence would remain firm. Ashley couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief after… only covered up by the loud roar of the tall fountain mushrooms all around them. * * * Day 138 – 1:49 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Splashing around and going down the slides. That was what made up the next hour of Ashley’s life. There was a simplicity to it that the journalist had to find appealing… at least from the peals of laughter coming from her. She was ‘mature’ again, but there was something almost of a release in her since her capture… whether she knew it or not. Before, she was all business. Everything in her life was for her story back on Earth. Playtimes? Just a means to get with other Littles. Dressing up how Betty suggested or even requested sometimes? A necessity to blend in better and to ease what she could when she could in order to better acclimate and interview other Littles. It was all designed for her story. Now, though, the line between the adult journalist and the regressed Little seemed to blur. Not so much that black and white were mixed in a new gray color, but just enough where if one was to not notice some of the subtle hints of non-regression, Ashley might have just seemed like any other Little. What distinguished her though, something that not even Betty was going to take away from her… were her thoughts. While unbeknownst to the world at large, at times, they were powerful and all telling… like when some of the Littles left for a nap or at least paused for a feed… like Ron. Nearly alone, Ashley placated herself by getting on an innertube and floating through the center’s lazy river. Of course, rules being rules, Betty wasn’t far behind. She would occasionally speak up, but there was a reservation about her now that seemed to check all her actions. Whereas before, she would simply do something, there was now a pause. Likely, in the case of joining her directly in a double innertube on the lazy river, she paused and gave the ‘mature’ Little her space. Without the others, while she didn’t show any changes outwardly, Ashley was readily thinking about home… and what that meant. ‘My job… responsibilities… it all sounds so nice and yet so distant still. Here I am on a lazy river in swim diaper that is on me for a reason. I can’t simply push past that and think that I get on the other side of the portal and everything will be okay. Maybe a month ago, I could have believed that, but now? It seems more like a fantasy… How do I go back and live the life I once did?’ The thoughts that swirled around in her mind could to some be misconstrued as poisonous to someone ‘undercover’ and drown them in sorrow or confusion, but for Ashley, her thoughts were her saving grace. Being in deep for so long now, she was about to pass the point where others would come looking for her… but her thoughts were also natural for someone away from their previous life so long. While Betty was no jailer and her treatment here for the most part could almost seem luxurious, doubts about going back plagued her mind like they sometimes did for prisoners of war. The desire to go back was there, but the execution of doing so now seemed in doubt. ‘Could I even live on my own anymore? And… is there every really a true going back to how things were?’ Floating along though, her thoughts were soon interrupted by Ron, Olly, and a few of the other Littles joining her once more now that more had passed. Others though, like Kyle, were still lagging behind with Miss Pearl. “Hey, Ash! We were just talking about Halloween! What are you going as?” Ron asked. “We all had bets on what it is you’d be.” “Simon’s a dog, Ron’s a cowboy, Marilyn’s a princess, and I’m an astronaut,” Olly clarified, only to have Simon clear his throat that was somehow also mixed with a whine. “Sorry… Simon is going as a doggy.” Ashley stared back at her current group of friends… all of whom had just come from their quick nap, feed, or diaper change. In truth, she hadn’t given the matter much thought. In the urgency of Brother and Betty, leaving Peirama seemed to be something to happen within the week, and given that it was Saturday and Halloween was all the way next Friday… she had only one passing thought. It was the reason for her being here… the reason for Peirama in the first place… the reason why she had changed… and the reason her story was now going to have weight behind it. So, she blinked a few times and said her answer plainly. “Scientist.” * * * Day 139 – 3:35 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley sat in her room and bounced Bunty over to the plastic doll that one of Ron’s coworkers had gotten her a few weeks ago while she was still regressed. Despite her faculties coming back… at least mostly, the doll held a special place in her heart. It was a constant source of embarrassment, but ‘Cindy’ was loyal and had been there for her when she was needed. She was the type that kindergarteners might like with her fake features, flow hair, and several clothes… something of which Ashley had almost once liked. While Marilyn had tried to get Ashley to bring her back to daycare, Ashley had so far refused. Cindy was now a private doll to play with Bunty… and Bunty was a whole different matter. Bunty was a shield… a shoulder to cry on when no one else was around… and a friend that never judged her no matter what. Besides Betty and even Pete… no one else had more loyalty towards Ashley. Yes, the Little now knew she was just a stuffed animal, but Bunty was still almost always with Ashley wherever she went these days. Even yesterday at the pool, Bunty was in the car. Ashley sighed and bounced Bunty towards Cindy. “Well, Cindy… I wonder how much longer we’ll be together. I like you but… I don’t know how it would look like if I brought two toys back with me.” Ashley shuddered and hugged Bunty tight. “One… well, I just can’t give Bunty up.” More and more now… Ashley was thinking of her future… of escape. “Tomorrow…” she sighed wistfully. “I just have to wait until tomorr…” “Blast it, Pete!” a voice yelled from downstairs… one that was now all too familiar to Ashley. ‘Oh no… not again…’ Ashley propped up Cindy and grabbed Bunty tight before creeping over to the top the stairs once more. Sitting down on the top step, Ashley whispered to Bunty. “Betty’s out on some errands and Da… Pete is talking to the general again…” “I said no, general,” Pete noted firmly. “But you two are doing nothing with her!” the general shot back. “She’s one of the more unique Littles around here in a long time between what you all did for her and what Mr. Vasiliou subjected her to. Plus, I know her mind is more malleable now than ever… or did you think I didn’t know about your little late-night visits to the facility?” “I didn’t hide anything, and you know it,” Pete defended himself and his actions. “I merely didn’t inform you and… she’s mine and Betty’s Little! Our treatment of her… unless we use a facility drug… is no one else’s concern.” “But Beakerman wants a new Little!” The general now seemed to be getting more than a little irate. “You know her and how her mother was… they want something, and they’ll do most anything to get it… including your Little.” Several heavy footsteps could be heard before the door creaked open. “You can see yourself out, general. Your visit was… well, it’s always good to see you, but I think you have my answer. I doubt you would have even a second of luck with my wife. Best use a cup if you go talking to her about this…” There were a few grumbles before even heavier pacing could be heard then growing fainter. “You may come to regret this, Pete. You were her favorite, and now? I just don’t know…” “Well, consider me put off, general. I’ve done a lot for her, but this? If she was even half the Big she claims to be, Ms. Beakerman would never ask this of another Little. And… I’ll add this…” Considering the subject, Pete was doing an excellent job of not losing his temper. “If she wants Ashley… she better be prepared to go to court over this, and we both know if she does that… she will lose.” Without another word, the front screen door slammed shut and a heavy sigh could be heard afterward, followed by the simple click of the main door. With the general clearly having departed, Ashley held Bunty close and began to descend the stairs. Peeking out and seeing Pete in one of the single cushion armchairs with his head in his hands, the Little’s face grew concerned. “Pete?” Pete looked up toward his descending Little. “Ash… I… did you just hear all that?” Ashley nodded and toddled over to Pete with a disheartened expression. “Could I really be taken away from you and Betty?” While she might be leaving Peirama and even this dimension soon, there was still something frightening about Ms. Beakerman. Being the head of Diamond Technology, she had all the factors on her side in order to rip Ashley away within a single night. True, per Carer+, Ashley was legally under the protection of Betty and Pete, but there always seemed to be some sort of twist or rock to stumble on in this dimension when it came to Littles and Bigs. That fact appeared to weigh heavily on both Big and Little now. Ashley then took a deep breath and while she looked in pain to do so, there was a question that was clearly on the tip of her tongue that she had to ask. “Could she… I mean, could she really take me away from you two?” Pete looked hurt over such a straightforward question, but his expression also seemingly answered it as well. “I… I can’t lie to you, Ash. She… if she really wanted to… she could. Betty and I would fight for you, but yes… she could take you away.” Pete then stood and walked over to Ashley before crouching down and taking her by the hands while also being careful to keep Bunty stuck firm into the crook of her elbow still. “But right now… let me tell you this… you’re not going anywhere with her.” It was just a statement, but there was something firm and reassuring just by the way Pete had looked while making that pledge to his Little. For Ashley, her relief was evident, and she quickly hugged Pete. ‘You’re not always the best out there Pete, but when you want… you can be a real lifesaver.’ Ashley smiled and hugged Pete tighter. ‘But also… why did you emphasize those last two words. It almost… well, it almost sounded like you knew something more than you were letting on. Kind of like… I might still be going somewhere… just not with her.’ Ashley frowned in contemplation over those two little words, but after a moment, only squeezed Pete tighter. Considering that tomorrow was the meeting with Betty and Brother… remaining moments like these may be few. * * * Day 140 – 5:24 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Daycare was as smooth as ever now that Ashley found herself in between two worlds. Her bout with the facility had given her the freedom of a Little, but now, thanks to Pete’s machinations each Wednesday night, she had the mind to remember and execute the rules of the daycare properly. Also… if needed, she knew how to execute a plan to get away with seemingly nearly everything. She didn’t take advantage of that often, but when she did, there was usually an extra cookie involved for all her friends. Needless to say, her popularity had never been higher. Still, the whole day, she couldn’t get her mind off the business of what was to happen after daycare. It was such a small thing with just her, Brother, and Betty, but it was hard to get around the fact that potentially, after this afternoon, she might have a near guaranteed plan of going home. With Betty’s help as well, everything seemed perfectly in line for her to leave Peirama… forever. There were things to like here, though, and as Betty pulled into the driveway and left Ashley in the main dining room to go signal out back from Brother to come inside, her saddened expression was notable. ‘I can’t believe this actually happening now. Before… it might have been a fool’s dream to escape, but with Betty… how can I not go home? How can this plan fail? And… I would never admit this out loud, and I definitely want to leave, but… I kind of feel sad to know that I’ll be leaving Betty and Pete and all my friends so soon…’ The sliding back door opened, and Brother walked in, and for the first time, he removed his hat and other concealment garments to reveal a messy mop of red hair and freckles all over his face. “Hey, Ash. I guess there’s not much point in hiding my identity in here anymore…” Ashley was clearly stunned for a moment, but in the end, stuck out her hand to shake his. “Hey… Brother?” Brother smiled and shook her hand back. “Yeah… let’s just stick to that name for now. That can cause a lot of issues later but faces… Bigs still haven’t cracked the technology for mental images yet.” “But they have for names?” Ashley questioned with a slight shudder. Betty scoffed. “Yeah… cracked that a while ago. Near potent truth serum essentially. 99% effective and combine that with a neural analyzer and enhancer… even the most regressed Little could be temporarily unregressed and spill tons of verbal secrets. Tough nut to weave around I’m sure for you LRG folks.” Brother nodded. “You wouldn’t believe, but…” He leaned forward over the countertop. “Let’s get to why we’re here. No telling if Pete could be home any moment now. So… Ashley. Your information… how…?” “Do I get it out?” she questioned followed by a confirmation nod from Brother and Betty. “Well… it should be uploaded automatically when I go back, but until then… I was given a series of commands for it to extract the information.” “Wow…” Betty gawked. “That’s a lot of tech for a Little. How does a personal trainer get that kind of gear back on Earth. It’s out of date here now, but on Earth? That had to be quite the challenge to even get a hold of that…” Betty looked over to Brother questioningly. ‘Wait… he knows who I am, but Betty… I thought he would have told her by now… especially since she found him and even coordinated all this about me.’ Brother seemed to be able to read her expression. “Nope. I didn’t say one word to her, Ash, about any of your background.” “Yeah,” Betty confirmed, “and I grilled him pretty hard about it too. Asked him at least thirty times about it, but… he just wouldn’t talk about that stuff with you.” Her gaze then narrowed on her Little. “So… how about it, Ash? We’re doing all the sharing today… so you go now. How’d you get the eye?” “Because she’s an investigative journalist,” a horribly familiar voice said from the shadows. The three schemers turned towards the hallway and saw Pete walk in. Each seemed seconds from fainting in shock. “And there’s more…” he continued. “The way I see it now… Ashley won’t be leaving Peirama.” He blinked a few times and stepped forward before leaning over the countertop himself now that Brother had recoiled in shock. “So… I guess we need to talk then, huh?” Ashley gulped and looked at Pete with horror in her eyes.

Hey all! I just wanted to put a quick update out there about the next chapter. I normally wouldn't do this, but since we're getting so close to the end, I thought you all deserved an update. So, a few things came up today that were unavoidable and pushed my writing and fleshing out of the next chapter. Unfortunately, I already have plans for tomorrow for most of the afternoon and the next day is the Fourth of July... both are busy and will take me away from writing all this completely out. I can write a little between now and then... but not a whole chapter and then edit it properly. As such, the penultimate chapter will likely be posted on here sometime on Saturday. I will try and push hard to get it up by Friday night, but at this point, I just can't guarantee that. So, until then, I wish you all the best and hope you all are having a good week.

Hey everyone! We’re getting into some of the last chapters here, so there’s going to be a lot to cover to get us to the end. Also, from this and just how I feel some of these chapters should go by touching on the heavy points, the timeline is going to be spaced out a little more now. I could talk for several chapters about Ashley playing in the sandbox or her rejecting pureed carrots for the seventh time at daycare from Mrs. Jenkins, but that doesn’t really move the plot forward. So, just be a little more vigilant about those timestamps. Next, just as a reminder, a new poll is up for you all to let me know which story you all would like to read next. Story options and the link can be found back in the beginning of chapters 2 and 14. As I mentioned before though, if you feel more comfortable leaving a comment here or as a private message to me, I will count these as well. Additionally, like before, this poll will be shut down right before I post my final chapter on here, which now will be next Monday (07 July). Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 26: Finding What Is Important Day 119 – 11:03 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley seemed to be wandering around in life without much direction… or at least not as much direction as she had prior to her break-in at the facility. One might have said she could have been lying low since then, but any casual observer of her would notice several changes that showed it was something more. Simply put, Ashley was different… even younger seeming than ever before. Some differences were small… like an attachment to Bunty, a nearly ever-present object that she carried around with her in her life. It was juvenile, but according to Ashley’s own nightly words, Bunty provided a closeness and sense of security that any Little in this dimension would likely appreciate. Speaking of which, Ashley still kept up her nightly logs, but instead of status reports with official words and concise language, they came across more like personal diaries of what her days were about… gossip, complaints, about the ‘adults,’ and even reporting’s on the latest juvenile embarrassment… though not all were even labeled that way to her anymore either. Other things… were much bigger in retrospect. Diaper usage was frequent and often uncontrollable or to the state where Ashley didn’t even register it… or didn’t care if she did realize the recent swell of her diaper, front or back. Betty and Pete both flashed concern each time they checked and found she needed a change, but all her friends had similar states in life, so Ashley barely batted an eye anymore whenever they checked her diaper and announced its state publicly. Most damming though, was her lack of memory. At first, she believed it just to be a gap like one trying to remember what they had for lunch five weeks ago. Missing or fuzzy, but not a big deal usually that she couldn’t remember it. As she continued to live her new life though, other items began to show in her life that she felt like she should absolutely remember but didn’t. Like the pink rock. Betty had found three more since the first she had plucked, but each time Ashley looked at the rock, she would then shrug with indifference before adding it to her collection on her bedroom windowsill… just like all the other curiosities she found in the park or on the sidewalk… meaningless and just interesting to the Little’s wide eyes. Betty raised more than a few eyebrows and her suspicions seemed raised about the pink rocks… but ultimately remained silent. Then, there was the thing that Ashley was concerned about, but strangely didn’t do anything about. It seemed to be happening each day at daycare now, and needless to say, if she ever caught it, she was downright scared. The only problem though… no one else seemed to see it. Like today… “Come on, Ash!” Ron complained at the first floor of the playground equipment. “You peein’ or something?” Ashley flashed a dirty look back at Ron. “Am not! Or…” Her flash of anger turned to confusion, then from a prodding seemed to switch to one of uncaring and a simple shrug. Lately, her once rocky emotions had seemingly bloomed into something entirely different. Falls resulted in crying fits, being told ‘no’ could be a meltdown, and being fed something like peas was always a tight rope to walk for either one of the attendants or her Bigs back home. They all navigated around her pretty well, but it was yet another pronounced change from before. “Alright! Alright! I’ll go.” Ashley huffed and turned to the tall expanse before her. ‘Oh… that’s really, really high. Maybe I should turn around and get Bunty and…’ Ashley gave a little shake to her head. ‘No, no. Don’t do that. Just go, you big baby. It’s over in a second…’ Frequently a war seemed to be raging in the Little’s head… between her old and new mind. Fortunately for Ron’s patience today, her old mind won out. “Whee!” she yelled in glee as she rocketed down the slide and to the bottom. “Very good, Ashley!” Miss Fiona praised, something the attendant had been doing more lately now that the Little was firmly in her class and needed some extra ‘encouragement.’ “Thanks, Miss Fiona!” Ashley popped off the slide and nearly bounced away like her whole day had been made just by that one compliment. Grabbing Bunty, she hugged the stuffy as tight as she could. “I made it Bunty! But… never again without you!” The Little seemed to be happy and carefree and started to walk away. Until she froze. Ron was regressed and from his file or just any casual observer however, they would know the extent of that regression, but also that he wasn’t like Melissa or Nancy. He had a general understanding of the world still… just in a reduced capacity with some of the physical aspects of a regressed Little. Also, and more critically, logic, reasoning, and critical listening skills seemed intact still. So, as he hopped off the slide, his face quickly contorted into one of concern as he saw his scared friend. “Ash? You okay?” Ashley nearly trembled in fear and then slightly nodded her head over toward the far fence. “There’s a man staring at me,” she whispered. “I’ve seen him before… he wants to take me away…” Ron’s eyes widened and slowly looked over to the figure that Ashley was referring to. “Oh! I see him,” Ron whispered back. Unlike Ashley though, his dependency on others was far more engrained. “Miss Fiona! Miss Fiona!” Miss Fiona ran over in a panic. “What is it, Ron? Ashley? Are you two okay?” Her fingers and eyes quickly frittered about the two Littles. Ron shrank away though and shook his head adamantly. “No, no! Over there!” His finger pointed toward the fence… now completely devoid of life. “But… there was a man!” “A man?” Miss Fiona narrowed her gaze and crouched down before looking deeply at both. “What did this man look like. Think really hard for me now.” Both Littles strained and scratched their heads. Ron just seemed to wince, but Ashley had looked longer. “I… I don’t know. He was in shadows… tall maybe. I… don’t know. I don’t think he was a Big, but… he looked familiar.” Ashley winced herself and squeezed Bunty even tighter than she had been before. “Why’d he look familiar, Miss Fiona?” “I don’t know. I wish I did though…” Miss Fiona sighed and then gave her classic concerned and lighter but still present smile. “I wouldn’t worry though… I’ll talk to Mrs. Jenkins. See what she has to say. For now, though… come with me and maybe play with some chalk where I can see you both.” Ron readily agreed and Ashley eventually agreed as well, but it was clear that even as she sat down in a defeated huff, her eyes never wandered too far away from the fence still. ‘Why did he look so… familiar? Like family maybe? Ugh! Why does my head get all… confusey about these things now?’ Ashley grimaced but Miss Fiona quickly broke her thoughts. “Ashley? Sweetie?” The Big came over and faced her directly. “Let me check your diaper, honey. Your mommy told me you’ve been having a few leaks lately. Just need to check really quick, okay?” Ashley only shrugged. ‘Just go quick, please. Ron’s already starting the chalk without me!’ Experienced and gentle as ever, Miss Fiona crept her hand into Ashley’s pink shortalls today, popped the snaps, and then went through the crotch of her onesie to feel the diaper underneath. “Hmmm… not too bad right now. I think you can wait until after recess…” She removed her hand and stood back. “Okay then… you join Ron now and I’ll grab you for a change afterward.” “Okay, Miss Fiona!” Ashley said enthusiastically before rushing off without a second thought to join Ron and the bucket of chalk he had next to him. * * * Day 121 – 8:01 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 “Daddy… where are we going?” Ashley asked as they drove in the car at night along the long and twisty road under the pale moonlight. “And… where’s Mommy?” Pete kept looking right ahead instead of back at his questioning Little in the back seat sitting in her booster seat. “A special place, sweetie. Mommy will meet us back at home, but this is… we need to do together. We need to go to a place where she can’t go.” “But I can?” Ashley paused for the briefest of moments. “Am I special Little, Daddy?” This time Pete looked into his rearview mirror and smiled. “Of course you are, baby. You always have been. Tonight though… I need to see just how special you really are. So, when we get in there tonight… I need you to be on your bestest behavior, okay?” Ashley looked a little nervous, but lately, Pete’s words seemed only out to help her… even if they were sometimes confusing or restrictive. “Okay, Daddy. I promise.” The car ambled up the curvy and dimly lit pathways before stopping at several gates. If Ashley hadn’t been ‘modified,’ she might have recognized them right away… or heard the guard checking Pete’s ID badge. Still, her face looked out the window once they were through, and her eyes squinted at the building in front of her now. ‘Weird… it looks so strange but so… familiar. Is this another gap?’ It seemed to be like a word one had before but just couldn’t recall. Finally, Ashley spoke up. “Daddy? Have I ever been here before?” Pete sighed as he parked and turned off the car. “Yes, honey. You have a few times. It has a fancy name but we call this place the facility.” “The facility… facility…” Ashley rolled the word around on her tongue as Pete unbuckled and then helped her out of the car, slinging her diaper bag over his shoulder. Before the night was over, she was likely going to need what was stored inside… Pete’s increased skill in that department almost shining as a testament to that fact now. Holding her hand tightly, Pete quickly shuffled Ashley inside the facility. Several of the security guards and staff in general seemed to know him and were quite friendly, but there was also a fair percentage of everyone the pair encountered that looked at them with increasing suspicion with each security checkpoint they passed. The continued stares were not lost on Ashley. ‘Wow! Daddy must be really famous… or are they staring at me?’ No sooner than she asked that question then when one burly security guard about fifteen minutes later answered it. “Good evening, sir. Late night business again?” he asked, his hands neutral but still inches away from a gun that looked about the size of Ashley’s head. “Oh, this and that really.” He then pulled the dumbfounded or at least full of wonder Ashley forward. “Need to check out this little one. You know how things are…” The guard, now seeing Ashley, flinched toward his gun. Pete nearly looked like he was about to faint, but when the guard looked at him questioningly, he shook his head. “Easy there, Davis. She’s no threat to you anymore.” The tension didn’t falter, so Pete sighed and turned to his Little. “Ashley… can you tell me where we are or the state of your diaper right now?” His words were blunt, and Ashley could easily follow them… if not quickly answer them in her own way at least. “Where we are?” She looked around and genuinely looked confused. “Are we… in a candy factory?” The guard seemed to ease up right away, but Pete also looked determined to never want to have to do this type of check again. “And your diaper, sweetie?” “My diaper?” Ashley questioned before Pete’s nodded confirmation. “I, uh…” She wiggled around a little and squinted as if she was trying to solve a complex problem in her head. “I…” Suddenly, inspiration seemed to hit, and her hands shot directly to the hem of her skirtalls. “I dunno, but let me lookie here and…” Just as the underside of her onesie could be seen, the pink of the background surrounding the unicorns emblazoned on it standing out very well, Pete lunged in and smiled before yanking her skirt back down. “No, no. That’s okay. Just wanted to answer a question of Davis here.” With her skirtalls now settled back down, Pete stood up and turned back to Davis. “Satisfied?” Now, it was already heavily and quite well-known to most Bigs that some Littles feigned regression in order to sneak into facilities these days. After all, when the cures for half of your world’s problems could just simply be accessed by wearing a diaper and just giggling, that opportunity is one that most wouldn’t pass up. Fakes used to be entirely common, but now… not so much. But even with that seeming fear in the back of his mind, as Davis looked over the innocent Little, his face slackened considerably, and his itchy trigger fingers moved away from his gun. Ashley was a good investigative journalist and undercover mole when she needed to be, but now… that type of pretend was no longer necessary… or maybe even possible. Davis sighed and looked apologetically at Pete. “Sorry, sir. Just… the last time she came in here, I thought she was harmless, and I didn’t stop her when I was checking the cameras. Next thing I know and she’s stolen files and…” Davis winced at the memory. “I understand,” Pete said calmly, flashing a sympathetic smile toward Davis. “You were just doing your job, but now that you see how she is now… can you let us through?” “Oh!” Davis quickly slid to the side and unlocked the door in front of them with a swipe of his own ID badge. “Sorry. Right this way.” “Thank you,” Pete said with a genuine warmth that was likely meant to ease the officer of the guilt still plastered all over his face. He then turned to Ashley and took her hand. “Come on, Sweetie. We need to get you checked out.” Ashley took Pete’s hand without a fuss and as they passed by Davis, with the hand holding tight onto Bunty, she waved the stuffy at him and grinned simply at the Big. “Bye Davis!” The guard chuckled and waved goodbye, and while neither Ashley nor Pete saw, as the door closed, he sighed and shook his head… muttering something about “there goes another one…” Back in the main lab though, there were several monitors, computers, a few cabinets of supplies, and even a few tubes of oddly colored liquid. ‘I wonder what those taste like…’ Ashley stared in wonder at it all, but her eyes quickly drew to the largest object station directly in the middle of the room. “What’s that, Daddy?” Pete sighed and guided her over to it before reaching under her armpits and setting her on the tray-like device that faced the large hole in the center of the almost doughnut-looking device. “This device… machine helps me see in your head,” he explained before starting to attach electrodes over his Little. “You probably have something like this back on Earth, but this one is a little more… extensive.” Ashley frowned and started to pick at the electrodes being attached to her chest, arms, and head. “Exten…?” “Extensive,” Pete confirmed. “Yes, but, honey…” His hands quickly batted her own away. “You need to keep those sensors own. If you don’t, I can’t get an accurate picture of what’s going on up here.” He pointed to his head and finished sticking the electrodes on to Ashley. “Now then… let’s get you lying down…” Pete then gently cradled his Little downward so that she was facing headfirst toward the opening in the machine. “Now, baby, I’m just going to attach a few straps to you, okay? I promise… nothing bad will happen to you, but… it might be a little scary, okay?” Ashley whimpered as the first reinforced cloth strap was quickly pulled over her waist. “Shh, shh…” Pete consoled his Little. “You hug Bunty there. Hug her tight and don’t let go. If you want… you can close your eyes but try not to move.” As Pete pulled over the final of four straps over Ashley, she looked utterly terrified. Bunty was about as close to her as she could get, but it didn’t seem to help much in the grad scheme of things… especially when Pete backed up and pushed a button that caused her to jerk backwards and into the machine. “Daddy!” “It’s okay, baby. Just breathe.” There was hesitation in Pete, but after a moment, his legs finally willed themselves to step into the other room with a simple window display of the large machine. The monitors blinking, and several images of Ashley soon popped up. “Okay, sweetie. Here we go… In 3… 2… 1.” Pete flicked the switch. All at once, a loud hum roared to life and the machine began to shake. Moments later, bright and flashing white lights began to bathe Ashley in a heavenly but terrifying glow. Moments after, Ashley clinging to Bunty as if her life depended on it, the noise turned to a clicking and then a banging sound. Ashley screamed. “Daddy!” she cried. “Get me out of here!” She clung to Bunty, almost disfiguring the poor stuffy on the spot and threatening to pop it in two. Only Big engineering and skill in its creation seemed to keep it together. “Almost there, honey…” Pete said, pain etched all over his face. There was clearly conflict going through his head, but he still seemed as determined as ever to finish the test. “One more switch!” In seconds, the machine crackled to life and little arcs of electricity began to light up all over Ashley. She screamed. The machine sounded like a thunderstorm going off and the whole thing buzzed and vibrated to the point where the world might have seemed like it had crumbled away from inside. Ashley’s diaper took a pounding… she screamed more and more. And then she blacked out. * * * Day 121 – 9:58 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Words seemed to drift around the peripheries of the blackness. Calming, soothing, and reassuring with every lyric spoken. It seemed so familiar and yet so distant, but soon, Ashley eyes began to creak open. Pete was cradling her close in the same room and was even singing to her. “I dreamed I held you in my arms. When I awoke, dear, I was mistaken. So… I hung my head and cried. You are m…” Pete stopped and looked down at Ashley with a relieved smile. “Oh, sweetie. You’re awake! Are you… are you okay?” The wrinkles of worry seemed more prominent right then than ever before. Ashley wiggled a little in his arms and Pete soon sat her back on the padded surface of the machine. “I... I think so, P… Daddy.” Her words seemed a little hesitant, but more from trying to find the right ones rather than forgetting them as sometimes happened to other Littles. “Wha… what happened? It was… so, so scary.” Pete nodded and rubbed her shoulder. “Yes, and I’m very sorry for that. The machine is very thorough, but that can mean it’s a little intense. I just…” He sighed. “I needed to be sure of something, and tonight’s results confirmed what I initially thought. And because of what I found… we might need to do this a few more times.” “What?” Ashley recoiled and gripped Bunty close to her like a shield against the monster machine to her left. “Please, no! That was really, really scary!” Pete’s expression turned sorrowful. “I know, baby. I know…” He then looked over and pulled up a single scan of her brain. “I wanted to check something, and… well, let me ask you this… do you feel like you’re maybe missing something from your brain? Like missing information or maybe even something you can’t quite describe but can feel the gap where it used to be?” Ashley’s eyes grew wide. “Yes! Ever since… well, I’m not sure… but yes! It feels so strange! It happened right before that old general and meanie Mr. Vasiliou came over.” Ashley was rageful but then blushed. “Wait… how’d you know about that?” Pete sighed and clicked on the screen to show different colors light up in her brain. “There’s no need to be embarrassed over something like that. I can see it all plainly here… I just wanted to confirm it with you just then. Now that you have… you see these darker areas?” Ashley nodded, and Pete clicked forward a few images. “Well, if you look closely, you can see some colors, and they’re dull, but… not black.” Ashley blinked back at the screen several times. The gap in her brain seemed to link up with what she was seeing, but the gap also seemed to be a bridge over the knowledge needed in order to put it all together. “Uh… so what does that mean?” Pete turned off the images. “Well, what it means is that I can help you with that gap if you want me to.” “Help me?” she questioned with both fear and intrigue. Pete nodded. “Yes, honey.” He then gestured to the machine again. “With this machine, while it can scan your brain, it can also redirect currents and stop or restart sections. Basically… if we do what we just did, I should be able to restore many of your memories. Probably not all of them, but definitely some… if you want.” Ashley flinched in her quick look at the machine. “But it’s so scary…” She clung to Bunty even closer now against her chest. “Yes, it can be,” Pete acknowledged, “and that’s okay for you to be scared of the machine. I can’t blame you there, but… don’t let your fear stop you if you want your memories back. In this case, it might only be a few weeks compared to years of memories in the future.” Ashley looked back at the machine once more and her diaper swelled a little as she trembled in its sheer presence. Pulling Bunty up to her face now, she sighed. Her emotions seemed to be at a tipping point but inside was at war as well. ‘He’s offering me the chance to fix this gap… Daddy can help me, but… I’m just so scared! Why does Daddy want to both hurt me and help me, but… why can’t it be both?’ Ashley seemed to debate the topic fiercely in her own mind and remained outward silent except for the occasional whimper and soft stroking sound as she petted Bunty gently. ‘I don’t want to, but another part of me does… if the gap wasn’t so big… if I wasn’t feeling like I was missing something huge… maybe I would do it. But… I am. I’m missing all that stuff and more. Daddy wants to help me, and maybe… maybe it’s like when he put that stinging cream on my owie the other day… hurt a lot, but he said it would help… I don’t want to do this, but…’ Ashley sighed and nodded her head. “Okay, Daddy. I agree, but on one condition…” Pete sat up and looked more intrigued than ever now. “And that is?” Ashley held Bunty up to present her to Pete. “I need to be able to bring Bunty along as well. Bunty can’t do everything for me, but… she’s definitely a big help for before and after…” Pete smiled and nodded. “Of course, baby.” He then came in for a hug and wrapped his arms tight around his Little. His face was awash with emotion and conflict and Ashley may have questioned him… if only she had seen it. Instead, as he backed away from the hug a few minutes later, both wore opposing expressions. While Pete was still clearly relieved, Ashley seemed in a pure state of panic. Pete noticed right away. “What’s wrong, sweetie? Headache? Upset stomach?” Ashley shook her head. “No, Daddy, but… what if you get in trouble with this? I didn’t hear much from meanie Vasiliou, but… he didn’t seem to like me very much, and I don’t think this would help… I don’t want you to leave Mommy or me! That would be awful!” Pete sighed but then smirked after he gave her a tiny hug. “I wouldn’t worry about any of that, honey. You let me worry about that. You… you just need to worry about bringing Bunty along next Wednesday with you, okay?” Ashley hesitated but still nodded. “Yes Daddy…” In moments, she had been helped off the table, but before they could leave, Pete was obviously directing her to the nearest restroom. Ashley wiggled a little. ‘Oopsie! I guess I need a change!’ Ultimately though, she only shrugged and took Pete’s hand as they left. * * * Day 125 – 3:48 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 As the days progressed, there was an odd sort of split with Ashley and her new life. While her memory still looked something like Swiss cheese, the gaps left behind a picture of what she was missing… and while she liked a lot of back then, she held a clear like for her time these days as well. In the nearly three weeks since the accident, the days had not only grown colder, but Betty and Pete seemed more determined than ever to spend time with Ashley. Little treats here and there, apple picking, baking pies, fixing the garden, and even coming back to the store during the day while Betty watched on vigilantly. It was a closeness that Ashley had been lacking for months now, and while the gap in her mind still seemed to concern her, there was a definitive happiness now as well. “Come on, Ash!” Pete encouraged as they hiked back into the main camp area on top of the mountain. Having just come from Hawk’s Nest once again, the trio huffed a little as they neared the cabins and campground in front of them. “Ranger program starts in just a few minutes!” “Coming!” Ashley yelled with some urgency. ‘Okay, Ranger Rick! Here I come, ready or not!’ Despite her exhaustion from the hike, Ashley made it just in time and quickly sat in the circle that had been formed around the ranger for the program. “Okay, you all! Has everyone got their booklets?” Many nodded or nearly screamed out “Yes!” but Ashley looked around in confusion. She then felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around. “Here you go, sweetie,” Betty said kindly as she handed the Little a stamp book of her own. Ashley took the booklet with glee. “Thank you, Mommy!” She then turned around and listened closely for the next instructions. Fortunately for the attention span of Littles, the ranger was quick, thorough, and above all, most entertaining. Ashley never broke eye contact once. “And what animal is this?” the ranger asked the class a little later. Ashley stared at the large sculpture in front of her. ‘Ooh! Ooh! I know! I know! It’s… crud! Another gap!’ Ashley strained and looked at the sculpture again. It had a large mane, tan fur, a tail, sharp teeth, and even a few leopard spots. Ashley squinted closer. “Uh… roar… roar… roar!” “Very good, Ashley!” the ranger complimented. “That’s probably what they sounded like, but I’m looking for a name. Any guesses?” Ashley tried to stammer out her answer… even if it might have been wrong. In truth, with her ‘roars’ and considering her embarrassment afterward, she was likely just thinking out loud… but the ranger didn’t know that, and unfortunately, along with her clue, another Little raised their hand and was called on. “The Liberalia Lion,” she stated proudly, looking at the group in a slightly superior manner, like that she was somehow better than the others. Ashley looked at her with envy and a slight pout. ‘Oh! I knew that! Mommy and I were here before and it was my favorite and…’ Ashley’s pout deepened, and she hugged Bunty closely. ‘Stupid Little… just because she isn’t wearing a diaper, doesn’t make her better than me… right?’ Ashley’s confidence had taken a hit in recent weeks. While much of her screamed that she was an adult, that concept seemed to be increasingly foreign to her. She had those memories still of driving and drinking and going on dates… but they were seeming more distant. New memories, like endless diaper changes, playing with Ron and Kyle at daycare, and loving things like Bunty were much fresher. Also, her enjoyment of certain activities seemed to cement her new status more as well. “For best effort and completion of the program,” the ranger announced as she went down the line a little later, “I present Ashley Jones with the bade of Little Ranger!” Several in the audience clapped, none more loudly than Betty and Pete… both looking more than a little prideful as the ranger pinned the badge onto Ashley’s shirt. Looking down, while the badge showed a cartoon version of Hawk’s Nest and an eagle overhead, Ashley showed a certain amount of pride herself. ‘I got it. I actually got it! Mommy and Daddy are going to be so happy with me, and…’ Ashley looked over and saw the other Little get an even shinier badge than her own. Ashley pouted a little more and just hugged Bunty tightly. ‘Stupid Little… I knew that answer. I was just… slow… But we’re not that different though, right?’ Ashley seemed like she was trying to convince herself of that fact, but the more she looked… the more that confidence appeared to fade. Then, as if to make matters all the more visible on the differences between the two, as soon as the crowd broke up, Betty came over and patted the Little’s rear and popped open the front of her shortalls to check her diaper. “Hmmm… looks like we’ve got a wet one here. Come on, baby. Let’s go get you changed.” Ashley could only continue to hug Bunty, take Betty’s newly offered hand, and waddle away to go get changed. ‘I’m still Big, right?’ * * * Day 128 – 9:34 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 A few days later Ashley was back at the facility, more determined than ever to show how much of a ‘big girl’ she really was. Lately, that was becoming increasingly difficult… Everywhere she seemed to go now, she was treated like any other Little. Maybe more pity or maybe some sympathy or respect that others didn’t seem to receive, but the end results were always the same. Despite her memory gap, per her nightly entries, she still had memories of being different than Ron. But now? Those differences were narrowing… and most of those were starting to come in the form of Betty’s care versus Joy’s for Ron. After all, Ashley still wasn’t breastfed. For some reason, that was one of the few things she seemed to remember from that mostly blank spot of the facility now. Regardless though, Ashley was determined to ‘fix’ that gap. So, armed with Bunty, she had reentered the machine at the facility under Pete’s close supervision. Once again, the machine shuddered, the sounds were nearly unbearable, and lights streaked everywhere… all followed by darkness. And again, Pete held her as she woke up. “…you. Please don't take my sunshine aw…” Pete stopped and looked down at his Little before tenderly easing a lock of Ashley’s hair out of her face and patting her bum in a supportive caring way. “There she is. There’s my girl…” Ashley smiled and while there looked like a hesitation to stay in Pete’s arms… safe and content, she ultimately wiggled away and wavered a bit as she then sat by herself. “Did… did it work, Daddy?” Pete looked a little disappointed but nodded. “I think so. Hard to know for sure, but I’ll keep an extra close eye on you to monitor your…” There was a loud thud at the door before it swung open completely, followed by an impatient general… the same that had been at the house after Ashley had woken up. ‘Uh, oh. Is he going to take my Daddy away from me?’ Ashley clung tight to Bunty. “General… what can I do for you tonight?” Pete asked, his calm and resolve seemingly untouched by the loud and intrusive invasion. “I see you’re taking the steps you talked about with your daughter,” he noted coldly as he observed Ashley for a moment, sending a chill through her body. “I assume that means you did what we asked for? No questions asked and a better formula than the last one?” Pete nodded with a great deal of hesitancy and regret. “I did. In fact, we should be moving onto testing soon of the second formula. One of my colleagues should be arriving soon with our first subject to establish as a baseline for comparison and…” Pete looked over the general’s shoulder and nodded and waved. “Oh! You two are here. Come on in. Just finishing up!” Brushing past the general, two Bigs appeared. The first was a woman decked head to toe in hospital scrubs with silly cartoon pictures all over them. The second was definitely a Big from her height… but that seemed about it that was remotely ‘mature’ on her. Sporting a light blue gingham romper complete with frills around the shoulders, the Big waddled in. It only took a second for even Ashley to smell the immense scent of lavender and baby powder coming off her… leaving little doubt as to what was under the massive bubble of material stationed between the Big’s thighs, butt, and waist. “Oh, you…” the general looked at the Big with a disdain that probably could have been seen from space. “Little Hilda seems like she’s coming along nicely, huh, Pete?” Pete sighed and then nodded begrudgingly. “Yes, she is. I was hoping to use my formula for another purpose, but…” His eyes glanced over toward Ashley. “It’s personal,” the general filled in. “I understand that. Probably weren’t thinking we would go to these extremes, but… we also had to set an example. Can’t think of a finer one to show the community what happens to even Bigs when they cross the lines of secrecy and tamper with other experiments. Isn’t that right, nurse?” The nurse nodded. “Very right, sir, but also… she goes by Hildy now. Hilda was the old version… the fully Big version of her. And as I’m sure you can agree on and that you can see… she’s very different now.” “As planned…” the general said smugly. There was almost a sadistic look in his eyes, but he soon turned back to Pete and patted him on the back. “Very good work here, Pete. Your trade will work wonders for us. Can’t wait to see the next iteration of your formula if Hilda… sorry, Hildy was the first batch.” Smiling, the general then left as quickly as he had entered. Once gone, Pete sighed. “Geesh, I can’t believe I’m working with him again. Feel like I’ve sold my soul.” “But very worth it I take it?” the nurse questioned. “Fine anything valuable tonight or fix anything?” Pete nodded. “Yes. The machine works great, but… still a long way to go…” As the two talked, Ashley stood there with Bunty and waited for her Daddy to finish up. ‘Come on, Daddy! I’m getting’ all sleepy an’… this big lady… baby? I don’t know… she’s making me uncomfortable… like I hate her… but I don’t know her, so that can’t be right… right?’ Ashley squirmed uncomfortably, but at the same time, the other ‘baby’ did as well. Hildy grimaced and scowled for a moment, before looking as near to being relieved as someone in her state likely could get. It didn’t take long for anyone in the room to figure out what had happened. “Oh dear…” The nurse waved her hand in front of her nose with a playful smile over her face. “Guess that feeding from earlier finally caught up to little Hildy here, huh? Isn’t that right, Sweetums?” she cooed down at the ‘Big’ before her. They looked about the same age, but now… that gap never looked larger… especially when Hildy only grinned back and chortled slightly. “Well… it might not all be her…” Pete noted, now glancing over to Ashley. “I thought I felt a little present from my Little as well earlier.” “Daddy!” Ashley yelled, hiding behind Bunty… her embarrassment over the state of her diaper being something that hadn’t happened in weeks now… something that Pete seemed to quickly take notice of. “Awww… someone’s a little shy about their diapers…” He beamed down at his Little… looking almost prideful. “Well,” the nurse said, taking Hildy to one side and laying her down with a toy, “I guess tonight was a bit of success after all, huh, Pete? Maybe the machine has an even better use now as well?” Pete shrugged. “Not sure… best not tell the general though… If his plans are right, we might need that secretive backup just in case…” The nurse nodded and Ashley took Pete’s hand right away and began to tug him away. At the same time though, she looked back at Hildy. ‘I don’t know why you look so familiar and yet I dislike you so much, but… whatever the reason, I definitely don’t care now. You’re a baby too!’ Ashley shook her head. ‘No, no. You know different, Ash. You’re an adult… remember that… remember that…’ Another yank from Ashley, and Pete made his excuses, and the pair left… right towards the nearest restroom. * * * Day 129 – 4:56 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley loved the pool and while she hadn’t been much this past summer, she still would remember the feeling of coming up for air after being underwater for an extended period of time. A breath of fresh air, the water cascading off her hair and face, and then maybe a slight breeze and the sun beating down on her face. When she got back home the previous night… that’s exactly what she described. Except in this case, it was with her mind. The gap was still there for sure and many of her abilities seemed diminished, like the messy diaper Pete changed before they left the facility, but any outside observer could see a change in Ashley. Not the person she was, but it seemed even at daycare today that she had traded regular oven mitts for ones with rubber grips. Still not great enough to play the piano, but marginally better… and in Peirama, that was a rarity. “Come on, sweetie,” Mrs. Jenkins beckoned towards Ashley, now sitting on the floor and playing with Bunty with Ron and Kyle. Ron was as giddy as ever while Kyle said rarely more than ten different words anymore. Smiling wide, Ashley hopped up and ran out the doorway to the main lobby, quickly nearly jumping into Betty’s awaiting arms. “Hello Mommy!” “Hey there, sweet pea! Have a good day today?” she asked, taking Ashley’s diaper bag from Mrs. Jenkins and mouthing ‘thank you’ to her. “Uh huh,” Ashley confirmed as Betty hoisted her up on her hip and walked out of the daycare. “I beat Ron at checkers! I double hopped him!” Betty smiled. “Oh? That sounds like quite the accomplishment. Maybe… something new?” Betty had left the question hanging, but as part of an answer to it, Ashley nodded, understanding her implication fully now. “Yep! I figured it out! Can you believe that, Betty?” Betty had been buckling Ashley in her booster seat in the back of her car but quickly stopped and looked at Ashley with wonder and shock. “Sweetie? Did you just call me… Betty?” Ashley smiled but almost looked confused before nodding. “Oh, wow! I did, didn’t I? I… Betty sounds wrong, but… I know it’s right! So strange! Must be the treatments that Pe… Daddy has been giving me.” There was a look of happiness all over Betty, but there was almost a sadness behind her eyes as well. “That’s wonderful, sweetie. I’m so proud of you.” She smiled as if she was worried about shattering her face if she smiled too hard before leaning over and giving Ashley a quick hug. It was all genuine, but there was a feeling of loss that Ashley picked up on. ‘Is Mo… Betty okay? Is she sad that I’m not calling her ‘Mommy’ anymore? It feels so right and yet so wrong now, but… I just don’t know what to do?’ So, it wasn’t a major shock when Ashley looked at Betty with concern. “Betty… are you okay?” Betty was distant and it seemed to take a moment for Ashley’s question to register. “I… I’m fine, sweetie. Just… a long day. Lots to think about…” She gave a deft smile once more and then closed the car door… no extra flourishes or playtime as she had been doing for a little while now. Ashley could only look onward as Betty sat in the car and started to backout to drive back home. If one looked close enough though, they might have noticed the loss written over her face as well… * * * Day 134 – 10:46 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 It was another day at daycare and the fall leaves scurried about in the faint breezes of the oncoming cold weather. Ashley was dressed in a pair of overalls with leaves and pumpkins embroidered on them to mark the occasion. Now, only ten days away from Halloween, all the Little were excited about their costumes and the candy they would receive. “I’m going as a clown!” Olly announced, his presence back in the daycare a welcome sign to most who knew him before. Only problem though… most of that crowd was now either regressed mildly or just plain too regressed. Fortunately, Ron and Ashley had more than taken on the slack over the lack of other relatable Littles. “Oh no!” Ron nearly screamed. “Not a clown! Clowns are scary!” “Are not,” Olly shot back, tossing the ball over to Ron with some effort. “Are so!” Ron shouted, nearly pegging the ball back at Olly. Olly grunted as he caught the ball and then groaned at the response before turning to Ashley as he tossed the ball over to her. “Hey Ash! Be the tiebreaker here!” “Huh?” Unfortunately, Ashley was too distracted by her own issues and had nearly completely tuned out their conversation… and didn’t see the ball until it sailed past her face and over to the fence. Holding Bunty didn’t hep matters either… “Drats!” Olly cursed. “Come on, Ash!” Ashley sighed and looked over where the ball had gone. “Sorry… I’ll go get it…” She then rustled off to go searching for it… a little fear still present as a result of seeing the previously present shadowy figure. Curiously, he hadn’t shown up in at least a week now. “Oh… where are you?” Ashley bent over and pulled back several branches to look underneath the fallen leaves of the bioengineered trees. It was Fall for sure, but… Utem wasn’t exactly flush with trees everywhere… except in Peirama, in no small part of thank to Betty’s efforts. A stick then cracked, and Ashley spun around in a panic, her eyes wide as she held a single stick up to defend herself. “Hey there, Ash,” the shadowy figure said, his closer appearance obvious to anyone paying the slightest bit of attention or with a good memory. Ashley, however, did not have that luxury and trembled like one of the fallen leaves around her feet. “I… I… you’re…” Ashley froze and then took a deep breath of air. “Hel…!” “Ashley!” Betty ran up behind the shadowy figure and clung to the fence. “It’s okay… it’s me. You can trust him.” “B… Betty?” Ashley still trembled and her knees wobbled precariously, but she edged closer to get a better look at her Big. Sure enough though, with a little more light and a little clearer view, it was definitely Betty. “Wha… what are you doing here? Wh… who is that with you?” Betty sighed. “Just breathe, Ash. We just want to talk to you and… well, that gets a little tough around here.” She then gestured over to the still shadowy figure. “Now… think. I know you and… Daddy have been helping your mind each Wednesday. Had a few now, so he should be clearer. Can you remember his name?” Ashley squinted at the shadowy figure, and while his near hidden appearance wasn’t helping, there was definitely a look of recognition on her face… followed by confusion. Betty picked up on it right away. “Sweetie? Everything okay?” she asked with her typical warm and genuine concern. “Can you not remember who he is?” Ashley shook her head but then tossed her hands up in seeming defeat. “Ugh! I… I wanna say yes, I know him, but… I just keep thinking of my family. Like… like he’s my cousin or… or… brother?” The shadowy figure chuckled. “You want to tell her, or do you want me to?” Betty shook her head as she looked behind her at the shadowy figure. “No, me… I’ll do it.” She then turned back to Ashley. “Baby? You are right. You met this man a while ago and because it’s secretive… you called him ‘Brother.’” It was like a light switch had suddenly been turned on her head and her eyes widened. “Oh! Oh! Brother! Yes! I…” She then trailed off. “I know more… but its all kinda fuzzy still. Still… you were going to help me… leave?” Brother nodded. “That’s right. Anything else?” Ashley strained a little, but in the end, she could only tearfully shake her head. Betty patted her hand through the fence. “That’s okay, honey. We’re all three here now and that’s what’s important. Well, beyond…” Brother placed his hand on her shoulder and stopped her dead. ‘What the…? Darn it! What was she going to tell me? I need to know! This is a gap in my memory, and I feel… I don’t know why I feel this way… but I wanna say that he’s connected to me escaping and that caused the gap!’ Ashley looked concerned and pressed closer to the fence. “Betty… what’s beyond? What’s more important?” Betty sighed, and before Brother could do anything more, she smiled. “Sweetie… we have a plan for this place, and more importantly… you.” Ashley nearly lost her breath.

Hey everyone! Wow… some of you are a little dark in your thinking out there. Definitely points for creativity, but this is a story with a different purpose as you all will eventually see. I absolutely have a few other stories that I think you all will love that go down some of the paths you all were taking, but spoilers… this isn’t it… mostly. Okay… now I will admit that I changed the plot after this a little bit from what I originally had. Ashley was originally going to get regressed heavily and then accept her fate in the end. Keep in mind that plot was thought up from at least four years ago now and was very basic in the stages where this story’s very rough outline was only about 12 chapters long at most. Then, re-reading it when I started this story back up again, I knew what I had was weak and didn’t fit with Ashley’s character development very well… at least not in the way I wanted it to. That being said, due to this being a sequel to Project Nurture, I couldn’t change it too radically in parts, but I knew deep down that my original plan just wouldn’t work very well. So, knowing that, starting a while ago and now finishing, I jumped ahead and fully fleshed out the rest of the chapters from here on out to get the plot that I wanted and which I felt fit with all this story better. This, more than anything else, is why this chapter is being posted later than usual. So as such, while the total still stands at 28 chapters and some of them will be long, the bottom line is that the plot has been corrected and completed. Now, I just need to put the finishing touches on each and edit them out. With all that in mind and the total number of chapters still at 28… I know this story will be done in the next two weeks. With this chapter being released today and factoring in some of my prior commitments and holiday events… my plan now is to release another two chapters next week and then a final chapter on the Monday afterward (07 July). This should give me enough time to flesh them out a little more and let any of you out there either vote or simply catch up on the story. Next, keeping that in mind, just as a reminder with the deadline just around the corner now, a new poll is up for you all to let me know which story you all would like to read next. Story options and the link can be found back in the beginning of chapters 2 and 14. As I mentioned before though, if you feel more comfortable leaving a comment here or as a private message to me, I will count these as well. Additionally, like before, this poll will be shut down right before I post my final chapter on here. Further announcements will be made regarding this when the time gets closer. Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 25: Missing Pieces Here and There Vincent removed the visor and stared back at his computer while taking deep breaths. “Holy crap! Darn it, Ashley! You just had to go in and get yourself caught!” He shook his head at seemingly yet another regressed Little to be lost to the system. And Vincent might not have given the program another thought and simply reported the whole situation back to LRG headquarters and moved on. But a little green light blinked still on his screen. “Huh?” Vincent leaned forward and clicked on it. “Just what are you little buddy?” The page was soon loaded, and Vincent’s eyes grew large. “Woah… wasn’t expecting that…” Before him, showed the loading screen to what was left on the file. Apparently, he had barely even scratched the surface. Exhaling, Vincent stretched backward in his chair and lifted his arms in confusion. “Okay… that had to be the end of Ashley? Right? So… maybe it’s another file? Or another Little and their story?” Vincent seemed to be able to come up with a dozen or more possibilities with why there was so much, but in the end, his conclusions all came back to the same point. “Well… there’s nothing to it. Gonna take my break and then jump back into…” Another light began to flash on his screen. “Oh great… what now?” Vincent muttered to himself before leaning in and clicking on it with a sigh. Reading only one line in, Vincent’s instincts were good enough apparently that his face immediately began to grow pale. “Vincent… Urgent! Our sources have now confirmed that a Big presence is definitely headed your way as of this morning. We at LRG will do everything we can to stop them, but officially, we recommend that you flush and wipe your system ASAP just in case we can’t redirect or completely stop them. As this is a possibility and their intentions seem hostile at this juncture, we suggest you conduct yourself with only one-hour sessions now regarding Ashley’s file and also limit your contact with the outside world. If our defenses or diversionary tactics do not work, we will inform you to confirm their approach and need to leave ASAP. Regardless, good luck. -X” Vincent sat back on his chair and looked at the clock versus the timestamp for when the message was sent. “Crap… this is already two hours old. For all I know, the Bigs… whoever they are, could be here any minute.” He sighed and looked over at his still prepared bugout bag and the heavy duty and custom magnetics safely stowed above it to wipe his computer in a hurry. Sighing again, he stood up and shook his head. “No… not yet… I’ve gotta keep going.” Eying his monitor closely, Vincent then fixed a little food and quickly returned to his chair. He briefly rubbed his sore and reddened temples before picking up the headset once more to go back in. “I’ve got to find these answers. I need to know what happened to Ash, but also… something is in here. I… I just don’t know what.” Once again, his eyes shifted to the clock, but after a moment, he shook his head. “No… no hour timer. I need to do this… power through it and find what I need. If I don’t, there’s no telling if these files will even be able to be transferred elsewhere…” Breathing in deep, Vincent placed the headset on his head for what could be the last time, adjusted it to fit properly, and then hit the still blinking ‘resume’ button. * * * Day 1#8 – #:#9 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 * Er#or. Error. Ple#se reboot and #ry again. * * Footage not found. * * * * Day 110 – 1#:3# #.M. MDT – Earth 2 Things were dark… fuzzy… unfocused. Sounds could be heard all around. A small alarm bell here and some yelling there. A faint form of Ashley’s vision began to take shape and the image for the first time in a while seemed to almost solely be coming from her eye camera instead of an external feed as well. Even then, though, static crackled through the scene and shapes only really moved in blurry grayish blobs. If one had to guess, it almost appeared as if the camera in Ashley’s eye had been damaged… or had some interference of some kind. But the images faded in an out continuously still. Blinking occurred at several points and the image would shift from maybe a triangular blob to one of a square or more of a rectangle. A faint whimpering could almost be heard, but the sound was so corrupted that it was hard to truly make out what was happening. Until it wasn’t anymore. Despite the darkness all around, objects became more focused. Railing, calming shapes overhead, and a dull light coming from what could only be described as across the room. It was peaceful, but unfamiliar. The views switched a few more times and Ashley blinked back at the world… but then soon retreated away from it. She then began to shake. ‘It’s just a dream… justa dweam…’ She shook her head like she knew what she was saying was wrong and could somehow will everything back to normalcy. ‘Caught… caught… bad man… good goal… right?’ Everything seemed frazzled, and maybe as a way to fight off all the scariness of purely unknowing where she was, Ashley closed her eyes once more. ‘Iss justa dweam… no… Just. A. Dream… not hard, but… real… much too real…’ Keeping her eyes closed, Ashley pulled a nearby blanket into a soft mound and hugged the inanimate object tightly. Not long after, she passed out and everything faded to black once more. * * * Day 111 – 3:17 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley’s eyes fluttered open. It was clear she was still groggy and maybe a little fuzzy as she clutched her hand and squinted at the lights just beyond where she had been sleeping. Before, while the shapes were blurry, Ashley had definitely known that she was in an unfamiliar place. Now, she was back home. Ashley rubbed more sleep out of her eyes and looked around. While everything was much as it had been, there was still something that was different. ‘Weird… there’s almost an odd glow to everything… wait… I can think normally… right? Does that extend to everything else?’ Ashley strained as she clutched the temples on her head. ‘Think! Think! Anything different? Come on, Ash! Don’t fail this! It’s important!’ So, she kept straining… much to her obvious failure though. ‘Darn it! I feel something’s missing… but what? It’s like I can see the outline of the thing I’m missing but not in the object itself. Is that… is that normal? Shouldn’t it be more? Or at least not… this? What is going on here?’ Still, despite her thoughts or maybe in spite of them, Ashley shook her head and sat up in bed. ‘Okay… hold on there, Ash. Go slow. Check your body and then speak… you need to know how bad this is… this missing piece that is… whatever it is…’ Ashley then looked down at her body. She stretched forward after pulling off her covers and started examining every little part of her body. ‘Okay… toes… feet… ankles… calves… knees… thighs… legs… so far so good…’ Her hands moved higher, but from her clothing, her exam couldn’t be as thorough. ‘Do I take my onesie and diaper off, or do I…?’ She shook her head. ‘No, no. Keep them on, Ash. Don’t do that. Don’t even entertain that thought…’ She then winced like a habit of something she should have repulsive… but didn’t. ‘Okay… I don’t feel any lumps or pains in my stomach… chest… neck? No… face? Still no… head?’ Ashley seemed most nervous about that one and winced only once. ‘Ouch… kinda feels like a bruise up there… strange. Not super painful but… maybe I fell?’ She winced again. ‘Ugh! Why can’t I remember? I came to the facility… I know that, and then… I got the files? I think?’ Ashley scratched her head like she was readying a generator to fire out her thoughts, but she only grunted in the end. ‘Darn it! It gets so, so fuzzy after! I just…’ Ashley frowned and quickly pulled her stuffed kangaroo close to her to hug. ‘Why can’t I remember? And… why do you feel so soft and fluffy all of a sudden? Why do you feel like the friend I’ve been looking for? Why…?’ Ashley shook her head. ‘No, no. Focus, Ash. Some oddities from a bruised head… maybe, but… what else? Why do I feel there’s something else?’ Ashley then set her stuffed kangaroo to her side, its soft body still slightly touching her… like a comforting hand still remaining on her shoulder. ‘Okay… here it goes. Speak, Ash. Speak…’ Ashley took a deep breath in. “Mary had a little lamb…” The relief was immediate over her face. ‘Oh, thank goodness! I can speak! I can speak!’ It seemed like a high victory, but Ashley quickly gathered herself up once more. “Okay… I can speak… still something missing though… something different. Let’s see…” She stroked her chin and then snapped her fingers. “I got it!” She took another breath. “Let’s see… Earth’s fuel ran out in 2038 after several military conflicts spurred on it’s demise quicker than most scientists expected which led to collapse and that led to the dark ti…” Ashley shook her head. “No… that’s fine… maybe…? Yes! Okay… start simple. One plus one… two. Two times two… four. Square root of 49… seven. Okay… not gonna test out any other math stuff… never my strong suit, but… something’s still missing. Maybe I need to go over facts about myself and the people here…” Ashley nodded at her own suggestion. “Okay… I’m Ashley Cutters… investigative journalist, but here, I’m going by Ashley Stevens. I’m investigating the town of Peirama, and I’ve been taken in by two Bigs called…” Her door then opened, and Betty stood there with a relieved smile over her face. “Oh! Someone’s finally up! I was so worried. How are you, sweetie?” she asked walking quickly over to Ashley’s bed and then resting her hands on the short railings on one side. “Feeling okay?” “Weird, but… yep!” Ashley confirmed. “I’m doin’ fine, Mommy!” Betty’s eyes widened in shock. If she was a Little, from that same state of panic and horror, she might have just dirtied her diaper on the spot. But Betty was a Big and her calm under situations like these came to the forefront. Her experience as a botanist and scientist in this crazy town likely also helped her as well. “Oh… I’m so glad to heart that…” She winced slightly, her outer calm cracking ever so slightly. “But sweetie… you called me… Mommy. I… well, I love that name, but… what’s my name?” Ashley looked confused for a moment. “That’s a strange question, Mommy, but… your name is B…” Ashley paused and while she looked supremely confident before, it now appeared as if there was almost what could be described as a misfire in her brain somewhere. “Your name is… Mommy!” Despite her questioning look previously, now, there seemed to be no doubt. Betty let out an exasperated sigh. “Yes… I… you…” She then shook her head and smiled as best as she seemed able to. “I guess that’s my name now…” She then removed her side toddler railing and held out her hands. “Come on, honey. Let’s change that diaper of yours. I can see the droop from here.” Ashley looked down in puzzlement at the thick padding around her, but this time with a curious expression of surprise and then soon to uncaring. ‘Mommy will take care of it. She always does, right? And Mommy seems to think I’m okay, so I must be fine too, right?’ Ashley just smiled and let herself be adjusted into the proper position to be changed. * * * Day 111 – 4:47 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley was left alone in her room, but today, that didn’t seem to matter as much when Betty told her to ‘stay put’ until she came back. Ashley had simply shrugged and sat on the rug in the middle of her bedroom floor and pulled out a coloring book after setting her stuffed kangaroo next to her. After finishing coloring in an outline of Adventure Sam, she sat up and pulled her stuffed kangaroo close. “Mommy was acting a little weird when she left. I wonder if she’s okay…” The kangaroo only looked back at her with its black and shiny unblinking eyes. It was lifeless, but whether she was meaning to or not, instead of just a sounding board as she used it sometimes before, there was a tone in Ashley’s voice that blurred the lines between pretending and having an actual conversation with the stuffy. Ashley sighed. “I hope its not because of me, but… why do I feel that it is because of me? Is it the gap in my head I still feel? But… if it was, wouldn’t she have said something? Taken me to the hospital?” Ashley didn’t get any response back, at least none out loud to any mature being, but that also didn’t seem to stop her. “Yeah… I wish I could figure out the gap in my head. Something feels wrong… but what?” Ashley gave a half smile to her kangaroo and held it up in front of her. “You know… you being this close to me and all, I feel I should give you a name. Maybe Hoppy?” She seemed to rattle the idea around in her head before shaking it. “No… not Hoppy. Maybe…?” “I don’t care that you were doing just what you felt was right!” someone yelled from downstairs. “Your feelings don’t matter in this case, Pete! Damn it! I thought you of all people would understand that with the work you do here! Or am I wrong?” Ashley stopped and looked toward her mostly closed door and then back to her kangaroo. “Sounds like someone’s yelling at Daddy. I can’t have that. Come on!” She pulled the kangaroo into her arms. “Let’s go check it out!” Ashley then steadily got to her feet and went to the door. Right before she touched the handle though, she stopped cold and then looked down at her kangaroo, tightly wrapped in her left arm by her side. “Wait… what about what Mommy said. She told me not to leave this room, and I don’t want to brea…” “That doesn’t matter, Pete! This is national security we’re talking about!” the unfamiliar voice sounded off again. In between though, another fainter voice that was too soft to make out fully through the doorway could also be heard fighting back angrily as well. “Oh, screw that!” another voice yelled, this one sounding more nasally and whiny. “She was caught directly trying to steal things away from us. I vote she should be put back in the machine and fried to a crisp. It’s too much of a risk otherwise!” The quieter voice seemed to spit back their own verbal thrashing immediately at that idea. Ashley looked at her kangaroo once more and then shook her head. “No. Mommy told me to stay, but she would want me to help with Daddy. I feel… I need to help him… or at least listen in and jump to help Daddy if he needs it. Also, though… why do I feel I should be listening to this? Why does it suddenly feel so important?” Her kangaroo didn’t respond, but with a small boost of confidence, Ashley nodded and then redoubled the effort within herself. So, with a deep breath, she then opened the door before heading out to the top of the stairs. “Yes, general,” Pete acknowledged. “I understand all that. I truly do, or else I wouldn’t be here, but… I just couldn’t stand back and watch those butchers tear into h…” “Shut it!” the now identified general and first voice thundered. “Don’t you get it? We’re up to our necks at Dark Cliff! That prison was formed over 13 years ago, and we have so many Littles locked up in there that the warden is afraid at least once a week of a prison riot… from Littles no less! It can’t continue!” “Yes, general. I’ve read the reports…” The general seemed to be getting to Pete, and his tone was far more reserved now… like a dog that had been whacked on the nose too many times with a newspaper. The general sighed. “Our adoption facilities aren’t doing much better either… mostly bursting with delinquents or just plain barebones now. We Bigs need what you all are working on here. It could change everything in our favor… and your Little was trying to undo all that!” Ashley leaned in closer but squinted and scratched her head like she wasn’t sure what they were talking about. ‘I’m so confused…’ She leaned forward. ‘But wait… is this the blank spot I’m feeling?’ “Your work here is critical and that earns you a lot of freedom from any of my staff from looking too closely at this whole mess. Be thankful for that.” The general sighed deeply. “Now, enough of all that. Give me something to tell the head of the committee when they ask me about all this mess when I return to New Columbia.” Pete sighed. “Yes, sir. We have several projects that are coming along now. Project Nurture is actually showing several positive results… more than we ever thought possible before. Plus… with our findings mostly concluded now, we are forming a final report to submit to the board and then to your committee based on those findings. Should be ready by next month… maybe the month after.” “Good, good. Very good.” The general seemed to huff for a minute as if he suddenly exerted a good amount of effort. “Would do you think Mr. Mayor?” Ashley leaned forward and stepped down a single step after glaring at the title and who it belonged to. Mr. Vasiliou sighed, his nasal voice almost grating the walls around him. “Well, you know my opinions on this matter, general. I think security is paramount around here and what happened is a major violation of that, but… we do need Pete and his expertise. I… at least I hope that this time, better control will be learned and more… drastic steps won’t be needed.” Ashley’s eyes seemed to be swirling with information and yet confusion about how it all fit together. ‘Crud! It’s like I’m hearing the left and right side of the street with traffic racing in the middle, but I just can’t find the wires to connect the two sides together in order to understand it all! Stupid brain gap! I know you’re there, but… I just don’t know what I’m missing!’ Eager to learn more, Ashley stepped down another stair, but this time… her footsteps creaked loudly. The trio of people talking suddenly stopped and before Ashley could move, three faces were looking right back at her from the bottom of the staircase. “It’s her! She heard everything!” Mr. Vasiliou yelled, his face quickly turning red. “Get her!” Pete jumped in to block his advance though. “Absolutely not! You’ve done enough already! I’m sure she didn’t mean anything, and besides… do you even know if she understands us anymore?” That last part was said quietly, but right after, all three faces looked back to Ashley. “Sweetie?” Pete asked carefully, walking up a few stairs to get closer to her. “Did you hear us talking downstairs?” Ashley looked back towards Pete. ‘Okay… I might be missing that big, big piece of whatever, but… I can at least tell when I need to be just a big dumb baby.’ Ashley grinned and nodded her head. “Of course, Daddy!” Pete’s face took on the same expression that Betty’s had previously in hearing their new title. This moment though, there was an obvious level of fear to all of it. “I heard shouting, and I wanted to come and see if you were okay,” she continued in pursuit of her half lie. “Look!” She held up her stuffed kangaroo like she was presenting a shield of protection or the most special prize on Earth to him. “I even brought back-up in case you needed it. Do you want my stuffy to help you, Daddy?” She seemingly made her eyes grow as wide and as innocent as possible. From the rear, the previously solemn general smiled and even snickered briefly before Mr. Vasiliou looked at him angrily. “Well… I think all is okay here. Just a Little and her ‘stuffy.’ Can’t be too mad about that now, can you, Phil? Seems like your work was quite thorough.” From her spot on the top couple of steps still, Ashley grinned ever so subtly. ‘Ha! Now I’ve got another way of fooling all these evil Bigs against Mommy and Daddy and Ron!’ Mr. Vasiliou nodded toward the general and his comments about his ‘work.’ As soon as the general turned away though, and Pete’s back was still towards him, Mr. Vasiliou glared mincingly at Ashley. “Yes… my modifications seem to have worked wonders. Pity I didn’t get to test…” “Bee!” Pete shouted, cutting Mr. Vasiliou from continuing to elaborate on his likely dastardly plans. “Can you come here for a moment?” A far door in the upper hallway opened and shuffled footsteps hurried up to the scene where Betty looked down at Pete first. “Yes? Is everything…?” She then stopped and looked further at everyone and at everything that was happening… including the still seated Ashley at her feet now. “Sweetie? What are you doing outside of your room? I thought I told you to stay in there?” Ashley looked up at Betty, and seemingly still improvising, pointed back down the stairs “I heard shouting and Daddy seemed upset, so I came to help.” She then held her stuffed kangaroo up. “Look! I even brought support, Mommy!” Betty sighed. “That’s very good, sweetie. Just hold there for one moment while I talk to Daddy…” She then looked back at Pete and the others. “Pete… did she… overhear something?” Pete shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. We just… can you take her away for now? We need to discuss a few more things before they leave.” Betty nodded and then leaned down to pick up Ashley. “Alright you. Come on. Let’s go see if you can draw me a really nice picture in your room.” Ashley nodded and only wrapped her arms around Betty to get closer with one hand still gripping her stuffed kangaroo. She seemed entirely content there as Betty pulled her up as she stood as well. She was seemingly too distracted to notice the worry written all over both Betty’s and Pete’s faces. * * * Day 112 – 3:12 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley hadn’t gone to daycare today. While she was a little pouty over that fact, she was absolutely entranced by both Pete and Betty staying home to watch over her. Curiously, every time she sneezed, coughed, or even tripped, both Bigs were on the scene in moments to check if she was okay and then quickly wrote something down in a little notebook that both had on them. Still, Ashley was a little lonely and while her stuffed kangaroo seemed to be a good companion for her, she only had one. “I wish I had more of you… still need to figure out a name. Maybe George? Or are you a girl kangaroo? Ooh! What about Roo?” Ashley shook her head. “No… not that. Familiar but strange… I’m not sure why…” It was another gap in her memory. Since she had woken up the previous day, she kept finding new spots that seemed to be missing. Large facts seemed to be there, but the smaller things… several of those seemed to be gone now. Ashley sighed and hugged her kangaroo. “If only I knew what I was missing. It just… I feel fine, but it seems so important. Maybe if I think really, really hard, I can remember.” Ashley strained for a moment but only seemed to let out a tiny toot. “Oopsie! Maybe not push so much… Besides, Mommy and Daddy seem just happy that I’m here and they’re here and that’s weird, but I don’t think I should protest that because…” “What did you people do to her?” Betty asked loudly in the kitchen. “Nothing! I swear, Bee! I didn’t do anything to her,” Pete defended. “As soon as I got the call about her and heard, I ran over and got her out. I promise that I didn’t do anything to her.” “But she’s different, Pete!” Betty seemed more emotional than usual. Despite her brain gap, Ashley definitely could still pick up that they were talking about her. ‘Not good. I thought they were fine, but… I think they’re talking about my stupid brain gap. I wanna know, so… let’s go.’ Now seemingly more curious than cautious, Ashley placed her kangaroo on her back and then crawled over to the door between the dining room and kitchen. Leaning up against the wall, she clutched her kangaroo tight and listened in more closely. “I mean… she had trouble reading today!” Betty fumed. “That was never like her before. Something obviously had to happen to her!” Ashley pouted a little. ‘It was just one of the bigger words… I thought it looked familiar, but… Mommy stopped me and helped me out before I could try again…’ “Again, Bee… not me,” Pete said sighing a little. “Still, I know what they and our ‘great mayor’ did to her before I got there. It’s only temporary in some areas. Plus… I didn’t have any choice but to accept this for her.” “Bull!” Betty seemed ready to fight in a second for Ashley. “Bee… you have to believe me. I…” Pete seemed he was just as crushed as Betty, but while hers was coming in the form of anger, his was in the form of sadness. “I had to accept it… if I didn’t and with what she did… we could all have been accused of treason. And you know the penalty know for something like that. You saw Hilda, remember?” Betty gasped at the memory of the woman who had spiked Ashley’s drink. “You don’t mean… she spiked our Little’s drink and several others, causing months of research for other projects to be set back! She even… what did she call it? ‘Commandeered’ the drugs she used? She stole, Pete! And we…” “Yes, Bee,” Pete sighed. “We would be subjected to a pre-selected time in diapers. If we even got a hard judge… we could be temporarily regressed mentally and have Ashley taken away from us… Permanently.” Ashley did her best not to whimper and only hugged her stuffed kangaroo more. “From the work we’ve done here,” Pete continued, “it actually might become the norm for punishing Bigs now. You heard the general… Dark Cliff is becoming too crowded. Soon, those type of facilities will only be for Littles while we Bigs might have to work off our debt society… or for the really bad cases, receive what is essentially Little treatment…” “My god… that’s terrible, but…” Betty seemed in disbelief but there was the very tiniest hint of a ray of positivity to this. “You know though… if that happens, people might see what its like to be a Little… could cause some reforms…” “Doubtful…” Pete said skeptically. “But anyways… yeah. I had to accept it all… or risk losing you both. I… I couldn’t do that.” A little shuffling could be heard, and curious as ever, Ashley took a quick peek at what was happening. Inside the kitchen with their eyes closed, the two Bigs had fully embraced each other and were seemingly offering comfort in the face of such adversity. ‘Awww… Mommy and Daddy still love each other! Yay!’ The two then broke off a minute later and Ashley was once again glued to the wall. “Well… I’m glad I know at least, but…” Betty paused and took a deep breath. “What the heck do we do now?” Pete walked around and a few taps could be heard. “I needed to do some thinking last night, but I have a plan. We just…” Pete then paused, and a few whispers could be heard. “Ash? Can you come out of hiding, sweetie?” ‘Shoot! Did he see me?’ Ashley didn’t move an inch. “Baby… I can see your foot and your stuffy’s tail,” Betty noted, clearly having tuned around from her original position with her back to the entrance where Ashley had been hiding. “Come on out. We promise… you’re not in trouble.” Like they were magic words, Betty stood up and moved around the corner. “Promise?” Betty smiled and nodded. “Promise, sweetie.” Pete then stepped forward. “So, I’m guessing like earlier yesterday… you heard at least some of that?” ‘Crud. He knows!’ Ashley seemed to panic but then ease a little. ‘But… this is Daddy… it can’t be a trap, right? Daddy wouldn’t hurt me…’ Ashley nodded. “Yes, Daddy. Sorry for lying…” Pete smirked. “No, that’s okay in this case. Thank you for apologizing and knowing we don’t lie in this house, but… for those men… I think your mommy and I can forgive it this one time.” Ashley quickly smiled and stepped closer without so much fear this time. “Now,” Pete continued, “I need to ask you a few questions. You can answer or just nod for me for them, okay?” As instructed, Ashley nodded to Pete’s question, eliciting a bigger smile from the Big now. “Good. Let’s see here…” Pete then proceeded to ask several questions… several that were near identical to the ones that Ashley had asked herself. Others… tended to veer into the more intimate nature… but Ashley either didn’t care or didn’t know about those… like the current state of her diaper for example. Despite those little hiccups though, often, the Little seemed to grow bored, but Pete was patient and Betty encouraged Ashley to continue on as much as she could. Still, despite their teamwork, at one point, Betty had to promise Ashley a single cookie for every five questions she answered. It worked… mostly. “Now… lastly, what month did you come here and what month is it now?” Pete asked after about 43 other questions. Ashley scratched her head. “Well… I think I came here about three months ago… so that’s…” She started counting on her fingers. “Yes! I came here in June. And now… it’s…” Ashley looked over toward the calendar. “Yes… that’s what I thought. It’s still September.” Pete turned around and smiled at seeing the calendar. “Well, I guess we should have hidden that, but it still shows me you have an awareness of your surroundings and at least most subjects.” “Is that good?” Ashley asked inquisitively, her gap still clearly bugging her… especially after she couldn’t answer some his previous questions… like those dealing with the internal layout of the facility. Pete nodded his head. “It’s not really those types of questions, but yes… you did very good. Answered all my questions as well as you could and that’s all I could really ask for.” Ashley beamed at the praise and then turned to Betty. “I think that’ll be six cookies then.” She even held her hand out. Betty shook her head and curled Ashley’s hand back toward her chest. “Not right now, sweetie. I’ll let you have one on our daily afternoon walk to the park, but until then… can you go upstairs and grab your sunglasses and hat for me? Remember, you set them on your desk last night…” Ashley nodded and ran upstairs right away. The park was obviously important to her and missing one second seemed to be completely out of the question now. So, grabbing both her tiny ballcap that Pete had gotten her showing off his hometown sports team, the Philadelphia Pegasi, and her sunglasses, she ran back downstairs… only to hear that Pete and Betty were talking once more. “I know, Bee… I know…” Pete said wearily. “I just liked her so much how she was,” Betty admitted sorrowfully. “I’ll love her no matter what, but… I loved her independent spirit and her uniqueness amongst the other Littles here. Now… I don’t know where she ends and Vasiliou’s tinkering begins.” Ashley crept over to the archway and looked in at Pete comforting Betty in the kitchen. “Well, right now she needs us, and I know we’ll both give her the love she needs.” Betty quickly nodded silently towards Pete’s vow. “Besides… as I said, I have a plan, and this might not be forever, but even if it is… is this really such a bad thing?” Betty recoiled and looked like she wanted to punch him in the face. Pete was quick to defend himself though. “Woah, woah… not what I meant. I just… I would never wish this on her in a million years. But think about if for a minute as well… combine our love of her no matter what and the notion of… well, us never having kids, and…” Betty sighed and her face relaxed and she nodded. “I was thinking about that as well… but I hated myself for it. She’s just…” “I know, Bee… I know…” Pete then hugged his wife closely… something it looked like she could probably use right then. “We just… we can’t have kids and while Ashley isn’t a kid per say… she’s a relatively high functioning Little who now definitely needs our help, and we can give that to her.” Betty nodded. “As long as she needs us… I’m in.” * * * Day 112 – 4:29 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 By the time the trio had prepared and arrived at the park together, the time was getting later, and many Littles had been let out of their respective daycares and ‘special facilities.’ Littles like Ron, Kyle, or even Olly, weren’t there today, but the playground equipment was teaming with activity. For Ashley, fresh-faced and full of wonder more than ever before, it was an open invitation to join in. Betty and Pete watched from the sidelines with the other Bigs with concern but relief as Ashley smiled wide as she played game after game. For Ashley, recent weeks had forced her hand to interact with Littles more like Ron and Kyle… but there was always a pause or a hesitation before, and there was almost a degree of acting in her play style. Granted, imagination is the key to many Little’s games, but her acting came into more the part of enjoying herself. True, she exhibited genuine joy some of the time… but never all the time. Now, she freely skirted from one activity to the next… pretty much wherever the most fun was and for whatever group of Littles would have her. Most often, those Littles were regressed though, so her activities were more juvenile in nature as well. What’s more… less than an hour into play and Ashley nearly seamlessly blended in with the rest of the Littles so well to the point where she nearly became lost in the mix. Betty and Pete seemed to struggle with finding her again… at least until she stood alone and watched a baseball game. Coming from Earth, the game had grown in popularity here, but it was still struggling to take off in Peirama. So, for today at least, a game was taking shape, but it was mostly just practice. Ashley, as smart as she still was… had lost some things… vigilance seemed to be one of them. So, when one of the Littles… uncoordinated and not knowing that fully yet, threw a ball… he missed his mark. Instead, the ball went sailing right into Ash… more specifically her kangaroo which she had used as a shield. “Holy smokes!” one of the Littles called out as the ball scurried along the ground. “Dang it, Jimmy! You almost clocked out the lights of this Little. Good thing for you that her stuffy bunted the ball away.” The Little, older and definitely newer to Peirama, nodded and jogged over to Ashley. “You okay there?” Ashley lowered her stuffed kangaroo and nodded. “Yeah… that was just really scary!” The Little laughed and stretched out his hand. “Must have been. Again… super sorry for my friend. He’s an idiot, but… my name’s Craig.” Ashley smiled and after shifting her stuffed kangaroo around a little, shook his hand back. “Ashley…” “Good to meet you, Ashley.” Craig then smiled, tipped his own ballcap, and jogged back to join his friends. Alone once again, Ashley viewed the field for a minute longer and then looked down at her stuffed kangaroo. “Well, thanks there. Definitely gonna have to call you by an actual name now. What was it they said?” Ashley paused and scratched her head just under where she was wearing the ball cap and a few inches forward of her ponytail sticking out the back. “Oh yeah! Bunted! They said you bunted the ball away, but… bunted s’not a good name. How about… Bunty?” Ashley held her stuffy out in front of her and smiled wide. “Yeah… Bunty is great! Hello Bunty!” She then pulled Bunty back in and gave it the biggest hug imaginable. Inevitably though, after so much fun and excitement, the sun in its late September way began to set behind the trees. Just as it was eclipsed by the tall canopies and the mountains beyond, Betty waved over at Ashley. “Ash! Come on, sweetie. We need to get back for dinner!” Ashley looked around, and while she could have whined to stay longer… her face briefly taking on a more mischievous look, she ultimately shook her head and ran back to join with both Pete and Betty. Being a park though, while there were many paved paths, Ashley didn’t follow them back. Instead, she took the gravel path… and didn’t see the divot one side of the path or the larger stone on the other. So, the divot caused her to stumble forward, and the large stone caused her to trip and fall right into the dirt. She didn’t stand a chance and began wailing in pain. “Oh, shi…!” Pete didn’t finish his words, much to the seeming relief of everyone around him, but he was quickly on the scene with Betty not far behind him. “Okay, baby. It’s okay, it’s okay. Show me where it hurts.” Tears streaming down her face and Bunty covered in dust, Ashley woefully pointed to her elbow and her knee. Neither were bleeding, but a few scrapes were definitely noticeable. “Oh, no. That just won’t do. Betty?” Betty nodded and as she circled around to support Ashley from behind, she also reached into the convenient diaper bag and pulled out a package of baby wipes. “Here, Pete. Take them and do your magic.” Pete nodded and diligently took the pack before pulling out a wipe and tending to Ashley’s injuries. Meanwhile, Betty had positioned Ashley right in her lap and was hugging her close with Bunty tightly woven into the mix as well. “Shhh, shhh… it’s okay, honey. We’ve got you. No more nasty scrapes. Pete’s going to fix all your owies.” Ashley sniffled as her cries subsided and she clung tightly to Betty, flinching every so often as Pete wiped her elbow and knee. ‘Darn it! Why am I so emotional, but why does it hurt so much! It’s just a scrape. I shouldn’t be crying this much, right?’ The confusion etched on her saddened face seemed to only make her cling to Bunty and Betty further. “There,” Pete said, finishing the last of his wiping. “All gone. All better, right?” Ashley looked at her knee and elbow and nodded, but almost randomly… if she hadn’t seen it a hundred other times with other Littles, she looked right at Pete. “Kiss ‘em, Daddy. Make ‘em feel better. Please?” Pete didn’t seem to know what to do with that request for a moment, but in the end, he smiled and kissed both spots tenderly like a loving father would of his daughter. For Ashley, relief spread quickly over her face. “There, baby. All better now.” Pete then repositioned himself closer and wiped a few tears away from her cheeks. “Sweetie… I…” Pete trailed off for a second before seemingly resolving himself a little more. “I want you to know… we’re not going to let anything else happen to you, okay? We want to make you better, and… we’ll be here for you for whatever and however long you need it. Also… well, before anything else happens…” Pete winced slightly before looking deeply at Ashley and then holding Betty’s hand tight. “I just want you to know that we love you very much.” “Forever and ever, honey,” Betty emphasized as she gave Ashley a squeeze from behind with her one free hand. Ashley’s bottom lip quivered for a moment, and it looked like she might cry… until she broke in a different way and pulled Pete closer and hugged him tight. ‘Yes… this is right… this feels good. Maybe this was part of the gap that I was missing? Dunno, but… this… this is good…’ Not wanting to be left out, Betty pulled in closer as well to hug her husband as well. Right then, the three, on that late fall day and in the middle of a gravel path at the park, hugged each other as tenderly and as tightly as they could. * * * Day 113 – 8:06 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 It was the next morning and Ashley rose as usual. No nightmares… no worries… no concerns about what just happened in last memory or the gaps that she had. Now, she had Bunty and Betty and Pete. And for today, that seemed like enough for her. Not long after, as usual, Betty came in to greet her happily, check her diaper, change her, and then run a bath. Of course, now, Betty had found out that Ashley had lost some independence and modesty in what happened to her, so the Big stayed to watch over her and lend a hand if needed. Ashley was smart, but… there was a Littleness about her now that was hard to quantify exactly while also being completely obvious at the same time. Maybe it was her uncaring attitude at being naked after her diaper was removed and she was wiped down from her nightly business. Possibly it was the fact that she happily splashed about in the tub with her toys or so seamlessly let and even seemed to want Betty to wash her while in there. It definitely could have also been her booming fit of giggles as Betty tickled Ashley’s foot in the tub or after when she was drying her off… or even when she had finished taping a new diaper on her and she blew raspberries directly onto her tummy. It wasn’t obvious with just one thing, but it was obvious with several smaller things… and led to one conclusion. Ashley was different. But while there was sadness in her eyes at the loss that Ashley didn’t even seem to care about today, from her overall expression, the Big didn’t completely hate the new version of her Little either. There was no burden in the Little. There were no brooding stares or shrieks about being modest… just shrieks of laughter whenever Betty applied some giddy force to her. While any rational and mature adult might have been horrified at the scene, Betty wasn’t and couldn’t necessarily be blamed for her actions now. With such strong reactions of glee from Ashley, Betty pushing the envelope more into Little territory not only seemed necessary at times… it seemed like the right thing to do as well. So, after Betty had snapped the last button on her skirtalls, Ashley found herself sitting on the newly added changing table to her room. Pete had ordered it specially last week after diaper seemed to be a more permanent fixture for the Little, but now… it almost fit right into everyone’s new lives in the house. As far as her room though… there was plenty of room to push over her bookshelf to one side. Nothing really had changed… except any observer could see that it had. This morning however, as Ashley drummed her heels into the side of the changing table and Bunty sat next to her diligently as they always did without fail now, Betty brought over a few needed supplies. “Okay, honey. Just stay still and let me fix your hair, okay?” Ashley nodded with an infectious smile. “Okay, mommy. Just don’t pull too hard. No knots!” Betty held her hand up and shook her head. “No pulling of the knots… Promise!” With that oath now taken, she went in and began to comb out her hair to divide it into a requested style of pigtails today. Just as she finished the left side though, Betty paused and looked over to her right before picking something else up that had nothing to do with hair. “Sweetie? Do you know how… this got on our front porch?” Betty opened her hand and Ashley looked inside. It was a pink rock. Ashley squinted at the rock carefully. ‘Gee… looks awfully familiar but…’ Ashley shook her head. “What is it, Mommy?” Betty squinted and looked at her Little closely. “Baby… this is a pink rock. You made them before… don’t you remember?” Again, Ashley squinted at the rock like her brain was quickly going into overdrive to decipher the riddle of the century… but again, she shook her head. Betty pulled the rock closer to her and looked at it carefully herself before sighing. “Ash…” she said with a more serious tone now, “you said you used to paint these. Do you not remember that? Or the others you did?” She then gestured over to her art table at the small basket of stones and paints that Ashley had collected for a while now. Ashley looked over at her art table and she nodded. “Oh! That’s what those are! I was kinda wondering, Mommy. I really didn’t know what they were!” Betty set the rock down and several thoughts seemed to be driving all around her head. She looked both concerned and confused… to the point where she looked like she might even throw her hands up in defeat or scream in frustration… but she didn’t. Instead, she just sighed and shook her head. “Yes, but… oh, never mind, baby… I’ll… I’ll have to check something about them myself. Maybe a new craft project… or something for us to do together…” Betty seemed to emphasize the ‘something’ a little more than usual. Still, she quickly went back to work, combing out Ashley’s hair to get her ready to go back to daycare again. Meanwhile, Ashley stared at the rock right beside her now. Even with the pulling at gathering of her hair, she seemed far more transfixed by the object that had just been presented to her… and not in a way that made it look like she was more interested in the pretty colors instead. ‘I… I feel I should remember this, but I don’t! Is this the gap, or something I should know or remember? I feel I should, but… oh!’ She grinned. ‘Mommy’s done! Daycare and friend time!’ Smiling, Ashley let herself be helped off the changing table, Bunty tight in one hand and Betty, her mommy’s, in the other.

Don't count her out just yet... No spoilers, but all isn't as it might seem. Ashley has a purpose... and she hasn't met it yet.

Hey everyone! As a heads up, I might need to delay the release of the next chapter. I’m pretty happy with the plot, but I need to flesh out a few things first in terms of how it relates to the final chapters afterward with some of the finer details. Also, my time is going to be limited over the next few days, but I will try and push as hard as I can to still get at least three chapters out this week. I don’t know exactly how doable that is, but I will give it my best shot. Next, just as a reminder, a new poll is up for you all to let me know which story you all would like to read next. Story options and the link can be found back in the beginning of chapters 2 and 14. As I mentioned before though, if you feel more comfortable leaving a comment here or as a private message to me, I will count these as well. Additionally, like before, this poll will be shut down right before I post my final chapter on here. Further announcements will be made regarding this when the time gets closer. Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 24: A Plan Is Executed Day 107 – 11:28 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley was nearly vibrating with excited energy as she was dropped off at daycare. She could barely sit through her latest demotion… the younger and regressed Little’s class, and while she was still sad about that particular fresh new humiliation, she also viewed it with an indifference seemingly reserved for regressing Littles who still had their minds. In her own thoughts at night, it was humiliating to be associated with the likes of the near-mute Kyle or the bratty Marilyn or the drooling Simon. Ron wasn’t much better, but now acting as almost a guide to her as she navigated this new terrible chapter in Peirama, Ashley was at least less bothered by some of the tasks and avoided the often-encountered pitfalls of her new level in daycare. But all that was secondary to her today. It was depressing and weighed on her mind, but Betty had shown her a pink rock from the front porch that morning and that only meant one thing… Brother wanted to talk to her. It was such a simple act, but at this point, unless something had gone terribly wrong, Ashley buzzed about because in all likelihood, she would be leaving soon. So, despite a coming acceptance of some oddities and embarrassments in her life now, they might all soon fade off into nothingness as she returned to Earth. So, despite waddling a bit to get out there, Ashley wore a perpetual smile as recess finally started. The cool breeze of the coming fall trickled in under the still hot September sun, but she soon made her way over to the fence and Brother’s usual meeting spot. Looking around, she took a deep breath. “The Littles are getting changed and I want to listen to a story…” “Good,” a voice quickly said, seemingly coming from nowhere until Brother and his usually shadowy self then emerged from beyond some nearby trees. “Glad you remembered the phrase I taught you. Can’t be too careful these days with having another Little be by you.” Ashley nodded. “I understand. Ron’s been helping me lately, but I made sure no one was following or watching me. I…” She then shook her head. “But never mind about all that! Do you have news?” She pressed herself against the fence, her emotions seemingly overriding her previous calm. Brother nodded. “Easy there, Ash, but yes…” He shifted into his jacket pocket and held up envelope of sorts. “I just got what we needed for both you and Ron to get out of here and back home to Earth through the portals. Is he still good with the plan?” Ashley nodded. “Yes… I floated the idea not too long ago to him… at least in a way, and he seemed fine with it. I don’t think he’s too far gone to leave yet. Getting there… but not yet.” “Good.” Brother stepped forward, the bottom of his chin getting cast into a little bit of the sunlight from overhead. “And how about you? Are you ready to blow this joint and get back home?” Ashley nodded eagerly. “Oh yes! Never been so sure to leave before I…” She then trailed off. Brother cocked his head slightly. “Before you…?” “I… it’s nothing,” Ashley stammered slightly. “I just…” She sighed. “I’m a little worried about the long-term effects of this place on us. I mean, Ron’s definitely going to have some issues, and me? I mean…” Her gaze drifted downward to what she was wearing… her snap-crotch skirtalls doing little to hide the bulk barely hidden underneath. A single breeze or even her just bending over would flash the entire world her shame. Needless to say, Betty had listened maybe a little too well with Ashley’s request for clothing to better accommodate a diaper change… “Oh… yeah… that…” Brother sighed. “To be honest though, I hear that all the time, and to be blunt, just put all that out of your mind. I know it’s hard to do, but in the end, you’ll be glad you did. Not going to lie and say life after this place and back on Earth will be easy, but I can link you up with some resources to help. Plus… I would highly suggest getting into contact with the LARP agency.” Ashley blinked back as if she was waiting for the punchline. “Wait… LARP? Are you serious?” Despite the shadows heavily set over his face still, it was obvious that Brother smiled. “Yeah, I know. No idea who came up with the acronym, but its legit and stands for Littles Assistance and Rehabilitation Program. Basically, they get you back on your feet after being a Little here. They deem what they can do, provide assistance if needed, debrief you on your time over here and what to say to others if you’re worried about that, and provide support for dealing with any… challenges afterward. I’ve heard they even have a staff dedicated to checking in for daily needs and facilities to help those with stronger disabilities.” “Oh…” Ashley winced at several points with his carefully selected wording. ‘Holy… I can’t even imagine what it would be like on Earth after what some of these Littles here go through. Like… how would someone like Simon even cope? He can’t even stop drooling, let alone drive a car or pay bills!’ She sighed and nodded. “Well, I guess that’s something…” “Right. Just… don’t let it all get you down,” Brother reemphasized before taking in a deep breath. “But now… details. We’re going tomorrow night. Be ready by then and I will contact you tomorrow for further details and confirmation. In the meantime, do what you have to and just be ready with your end of all this, okay?” Ashley nodded and soon after Brother departed. Walking back, Ashley breathed a sigh of relief before her gaze became focused once more. ‘Okay… here goes nothing… Just, maybe a few things to do beforehand…’ She then joined Ron and Kyle as they played about in the sandcastle, her movements seemingly almost lighter than they had been in weeks now. * * * Day 107 – 3:41 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley carried her excited energy throughout the day… even going so far as to not be so tired during quiet time. While Miss Fiona had warned her about taking a nap if she saw her tired, per Betty’s instructions this morning, Ashley avoided that with ease. She did dip for a moment, but the movie on during quiet time was really boring and she switched to a book instead soon after. Still, once naptime was over and the rest of the Littles joined the main daycare again, Ashley waddled over to Ron and sat down. She was already armed with a stuffed animal to mask her presence and entice him to focus on her with a front of playtime once again, but this time, she had a different goal in mind. “Ron… do you mind if we talk for a minute?” “Isn’t that what we’re doing now?” he asked, grinning a little as he strung Louie, his stuffed monkey around a nearby fort of foam bricks he had recently crafted. Ashley smiled as if to humor him. “Right. Good catch there, but… well I was wondering… would you be willing to go on a trip with me soon?” She took a quick breath, and her face turned hesitant. “Maybe without your… mommy?” Ashley winced with saying that but also knew full well from this morning that it was simply what Ron called Joy now. For her, it was just another confirmation that Ron had to get out of here. Ron stopped playing with Louie and looked back at her with wide eyes. “Without mommy? I…” He then took a breath and sighed. “With you, then… yeah! Why not?” A wave of relief quickly washed over Ashley. “Great! I’ll let you get back to playing with Louie. That fort isn’t going to destroy itself!” She smiled and turned around. Before she could step though, Ron reached out and grabbed her by the hand. “Wait!” Ashley stopped and turned back to her friend. “Something wrong?” Ron shook his head and then reached into the front pocket on the bib of his shortalls. He struggled a little but finally plucked out some sort of colorful object. “Here!” he nearly shouted while thrusting the object into Ashley’s hand. “I made this for you…” “For me?” Ashley opened her hand and saw what he had put there… a friendship bracelet. “You’re my friend, Ash,” he said with a speck of happiness and pride. “I wanted you to have this…” Ashley surveyed the simplistic bracelet with only a few beads and his name on the other side of it. She smiled and quickly put it on her wrist where her maturity bracelet had once been. “Thank you, Ron. I…” “You’re welcome!” He smiled and quickly took off with Louie to go meet with Kyle and wreck another piece of construction they had made before naptime. Ashley sighed as she saw him toddle off. ‘He’s regressing, but… he’s still in there. Good speech and…’ Her gaze went back to the bracelet. ‘I don’t think Nancy or Melissa could have made something like this for me…’ She then shook her head and shut her eyes. ‘Definitely need to stop all this from happening… and that means my story…’ She reopened her eyes. ‘And that means more evidence… and that means going to the facility… tonight.’ Her face with full of resolve… any maybe a little fear as well. Given what she was now desiring though… more fear might have been more appropriate. * * * Day 107 – 10:51 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley took a breath as she stood in front of the door to leave the quiet comfort of the home she had known now for nearly three months straight. Brother wasn’t ready to go… yet, but she still needed more evidence. She needed the redacted files… she needed the facility. Fortunately, through her plannings and the thoroughness of Brother, the first part of her escape plan almost didn’t need his help at this point. Of course, tonight, getting into the facility only… as if the word ‘only’ wasn’t such a mask for the gargantuan task now before her, half the plan could be ditched and reserved until tomorrow night. That being said, she still had to perform a few tasks in order to make tonight at least more assured of success. First, before she even went to sleep, she had to request to forgo the medication and the sleepy drink she had the night before. Betty and Pete both expressed their concern, but Ashley was adamant and even promised to pull the kangaroo closer to her tonight if it made them feel better. As Betty left, there was still a fair amount of trepidation on the Big’s face, but she shut off the lights and left the room regardless. Second, Ashley needed a keycard to get inside the main facility. Using the side entrance, security was minimal and the door there was an easy in. Several testers used it when they wanted to walk to work instead of driving and Ashley had seen it personally now at least twice. But Betty being Betty though, personal security wasn’t her top concern… at least from ‘family’ members she was supposed to trust. So, looking up only a little on the coat rack downstairs, Ashley managed to snag it from her purse. Third, having stemmed from a previous cover story for daycare which then bloomed into something a little more, Ashley grabbed one object that was both humiliating and useful to her… a camera. It was obviously designed for Littles in mind with its thick buttons and peach coloring, but ultimately, having physical evidence from actual film like that just seemed good practice at this point. Fourth, and likely critical to ensure she could come back without Betty or Pete knowing she had even gone in the first place, she had to stuff her clothing in the bed to create a mound that was supposed to be her. It wouldn’t hold up under intense scrutiny, but it was just enough to create the illusion of her falling asleep soundly. Also, considering her nightmares previously, Ashley was relying on purely the notion of them both leaving her alone in order to maximize her chances of a good night’s sleep. She even placed the stuffed kangaroo near the lump to sell the fake more… paying extra close attention not to accidentally activate it. Last, but certainly not least, Ashley needed the plans for the facility itself… at least to help her with a direction to go. This required a little more planning on her part, but she knew the code for Ron’s office and just had to wait for him to start getting ready for bed himself. When he finally started, it was just a matter of creeping downstairs, getting into his office, and taking his plans. Ron, having been none the wiser, ensured a smooth trip and in minutes, Ashley was out. So, now, Ashley looked up at the door. ‘Well… here goes nothing!’ Standing on her toes, she looked at the keypad and typed in the code. It stuck briefly and Ashey bit her bottom lip, but with a crunch and sliding sound, the door unlocked. ‘Whew! What a relief, but… focus, Ash… focus… This is it.’ Ashley righted her recently redressed skirtalls… being the easiest thing she could get back on herself, took a breath, and then walked out the front door. * * * Day 107 – 11:23 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 ‘I’m an idiot… I’m an idiot…’ Ashley continued to curse herself as she made her way through the neighborhood and up to the side gate to the facility. More than once, a car had come seemingly within seconds of discovering her hidden form in the bushes or behind a tree… but they always pulled away. It warmed Ashley’s diaper pretty well, but she had made it beyond the neighborhoods and through the darkened path to the side entrance. When she finally got to the door though, her relieved look was immediate. ‘Thank holy heck for this!’ Breathing deeply, she reached into her front left pocket and pulled out Betty’s keycard. “Okay you… you better work…” Wincing a little, Ashley once again stood on her toes and reached up high to swipe the card. The light then clicked a little before turning green with an audible click. ‘Yes! I’m in!’ Ashley hurried through the gate and pushed through the rest of the path before cresting the top of the ridge overlooking the main facility. She had seen it before, but the view from above was something to behold. Stretching into the mountain range beyond the horizon, the three main buildings of glass, steel, and concrete shone out at night. The night sky had always been slightly blurred from the faint blue glow of the facility, but seeing it now was nearly awe inspiring. Tubes linked several of the buildings, wires crossed overhead, and pulses of light radiated from within. And beyond all the glitzy technology, were the security protocols… turrets, guards, barbed wire, and enough cameras to probably pick out a single fly if they needed to from a mass of thousands. It was enough for Ashley’s leg to shake a little. ‘Oh boy… Definitely on shaky grounds here now, Ash.’ She then gave a thumbs up to her eye containing the camera. ‘Well, all good on my end and… I need to get into the side entrance as well. Thank goodness for any of the staff still looking for a smoke break!’ Ashley looked left, right, and left again, but the area was nearly deserted at the time of night. So, with another deep sigh, she sprinted across the open field and right over to the side entrance. Briefly, she hid behind a barrel and looked over her shoulder. ‘Okay… the one security camera and… yes! It’s off! Thank you, Pete, for spilling the beans about the security glitch here! Doubt I would ever get that luck around here again!’ Ashley trotted over to the side door and looked up once more. ‘Alright… double checking and… yes. No blinking red, green, or yellow light. I needed all three to be off and they are. Stupid back-up systems…’ Perching on her toes once more, Ashley reached up and swiped Betty’s care once more. According to Pete’s plans it was technically the last time she could use the card in the facility… as everything else needed Pete’s pin to access… but it had served her purposes well enough… especially as card access light turned green and the door opened with a creak. Taking a deep breath once more, Ashley walked through the doorway and into the facility. * * * Day 107 – 11:37 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley pulled out the map from her front bib pocket and checked it once more as she came to an intersection after checking that the security camera in front of her was off as well. ‘Okay… not busted yet. Gotta keep that up, but… where from here?’ Looking up the signs ahead were large and impressive… but also wrong. According to her map, each was labeled in the exact opposite direction of where she wanted to go. The map could have also been wrong, as yet another security protocol like the signage, but from her time here yesterday for Dr. Falon, she knew which way she had to go… mostly. ‘Stupid security protocols… I wonder how many scientists have gotten lost themselves in this blasted maze…’ Ashley scoffed, folded the map back up, and continued to the left toward the Chemical Department… Pete’s section. As she moved through the corridors, everything was most pleasant but still surprisingly empty. As compared to yesterday, the facility was more like a ghost town. There were a few errant experiments running in some of the hallways, and Ashley made sure to avoid them at all costs, but for the most part, she was alone. At the same time, while she knew to stay away from certain sections, others called out to her. Ones listing departments that would make any Little shudder only made her thirstier for the truth. The camera in her eye would catch it all, but there was an inherent danger in most of them. ‘Crud! If only I had more time and more access here… I could pop into those labs and check them out. I mean, Surgery Department? I can’t imagine that’s anything even remotely good for Littles, but… no. I would get caught in a second and I don’t even know if Pete’s pass code would work for them… or set off an alarm… No, not now. Maybe give that information to the next person who comes after me. Maybe Brother… I’m sure LRG could use the boost with what they find in there.’ Ashley then looked down the hallway to the other enticing labs, shook her head, and kept moving. Betty and Pete were unaware, but time was still against her. Worse, she could already feel exhaustion slightly setting over her. ‘Gotta keep moving, Ash… keep moving…’ Fortunately, that internal drive seemed to be just enough to power her through more hallways and even into another main building. A single corridor connected them, so Ashley didn’t have to swipe Betty’s card yet again, but the single pathway definitely seemed to get her heart racing. ‘Shoot! Shoot! Shoot!’ she thought as she sprinted through the one hallway. ‘Move your butt! Move it, Ash!’ To her clear relief, she cleared it without problems and continued on… right over to corridor with the sign she had seen yesterday, ‘Chemical Department.’ It was nearly its own entire building and there were several labs and offices inside. ‘Geesh! No wonder Pete is a big deal around here! If he’s in charge of this place, his funding must be at least twice of the other departments and he’s almost in charge of half of this facility!’ And sure enough, as Ashley turned the corner, she saw a single wall full of people’s pictures of the department and their corresponding title… all arranged by hierarchy of positions. ‘Dr. Pete Jones… Head of Chemical Department… yeah… figured that one…’ Ashley’s eyes scanned downward and while many of the faces looked familiar, some of their positions seemed strange or unheard of. ‘Okay… Head of Non-Chemical Change… that’s strange…’ Finally, at the bottom, her eyes stopped on a very familiar face. ‘Woah… Joy Spelding… tester… I wonder if Ron knows…’ the information was probative, but ultimately, not why Ashley was here, so after taking one last look, Ashley moved on. Following the map closely, she was essentially taking her best guesses as to where to go specifically… but right at the end of the hallway was another office, ‘Dr. Pete Jones... Head of Chemical Department.’ ‘Yes! I found it!’ Ashley nearly skipped over to the doorway. Her smiled briefly fade as she saw a keycard access… but then looked immediately relieved when she saw the pin access as well right below it. ‘Okay… either access should be good.’ She closed her eyes and then input Pete’s code. The door clicked after a tiny green light and then opened. Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside and immediately saw several crates of documents… each labeled ‘Destroy.’ She rushed over and opened the first… finding a full file about something called ‘FOY’ and another about ‘Tabers milk.’ ‘Curious… but… I need the other stuff. I need the files on the projects I saw before…’ It took some searching, but Pete was many things… just not disorganized, so within a few minutes, Ashley eventually found the ones labeled ‘Projects.’ ‘Whew! Thank goodness he didn’t destroy these yet! That could have been bad, but… which one? Which one?’ Ashley’s fingers glided over the five different crates all full to the brim with the various files. Finally, she came to the one labeled ‘Project Nurture.’ It was an entire crate dedicate to just it, but each file was labeled very specifically… subject’s 90876A and 90876B, aka, Joy and Ron Spelding. Needless to say, Ashley tore them open and looked inside. At first, the two reports on the subjects seemed similar… heights, weights, personality tests, background, etc. A few files into her reading though… especially after the two were ‘matched,’ the reports began to differ. While it was clear that Joy was reporting on Ron from the very beginning, her maturity never wavered… only her feelings for him. It was a little damning of her reputation as being different than the other Bigs around here, but her increased feelings for Ron and the fact that she was going against protocols in some instances did hold in her favor. ‘Okay, Joy… I don’t trust you, but… at least you’re not trying to butcher Ron. That counts for something… I guess.’ But then there were Ron’s reports. They were made by some guy named ‘Dr. E. Thompson,’ but that wasn’t the shocking thing… it was more about Ron’s clear progress… or in this case, regression through the project. The first was more about his maturity and the others that followed were simple and stated things like, “Subject 90876B, Ron, continues to settle into the routine that subject 90876A has established. He is no longer showing outward signs of combativeness or aggression toward Joy and even complies with most of her requests.” Soon, though, they began to change, until she got to the final log entered from only yesterday. It was longer and the same tone, but the message was now clear with her friend. “As you can see, the original instance of breastfeeding continues to be no fluke. While Ron expressed shame and a deep embarrassment the next day, as predicted, the milk provided just enough of an initial impetus that he agreed to try it again. Based on the notes from this morning before the highlighted section of the recording I am about to watch, Ron’s protests have dwindled to perhaps only a second of hesitation now.” Ashley read each line like it was out of some horror novel. More details were included, and each sounded worse than the previous. Then, just when it seemed it couldn’t get worse, Ashley looked beyond Ron’s file and saw at least 40 others… and a list of about 150 spread out over other countries. ‘Shoot… this this is global and growing… what the heck is this?’ Ashley looked venomous, but as she tore out several of the files… seemingly looking for others, one file popped up that she most definitely was not expecting. “S. F. – Subject 90984” was the label on the front of the next file in front of her now. It probably wouldn’t have been as obvious to most, but maybe from years of editing her articles back home, Ashley quickly noticed the oddity of the only label on the front listed with initials instead of a full listed name. Intrigued, she probed inside the file further, until she saw the real name… “Ashley Jones (Stevens), Subject 90984.” Ashley’s eyes widened and for maybe the first time in months, she had one single adult thought. ‘Fuck…’ Her fingers trembled as she pushed through her apparent other files. There were others that she likely should have been looking over, but none of them seemed to matter anymore… just hers. ‘Why the heck am I in here as some stupid test subject? Why S.F.? But wait… surely Pete had to be against this… right? Or… did I get him completely wrong now and was right when I first met him? Is he really just that cold calculating scientist without any feelings?’ Ashley shook her head and looked back toward her file before opening the front page. At first, the file was pretty basic and entirely similar to Ron’s listing out several of her mental and physical qualities… though these seemed to be pulled from her Carer+ file rather than another intake form like Ron’s or Joy’s had been. Curiously, despite it being a main file, some of her background information was redacted. ‘What the…? Should I be flattered… or more concerned with why? I mean… is this not the original?’ Further and pushing her on though, one document stood between her main file and the logs behind it, labeled as ‘Form 182.6.’ Looking down and reading further, Ashley seemed even more confused. “Subject 90984, otherwise known as Ashley Stevens, now Ashley Jones, shall be referred to as either ‘she/her/etc.,’ ‘Subject 90984,’ or ‘Subject Ferenzetti.’ The identity of said subject is to remain a secret, and steps will be taken to redact or completely remove sections if they are found to have her specific identity labeled. Why is not important… only compliance. -J. Beakerman.” Ashley looked up and blinked multiple times in confusion and recollection. ‘Beakerman… Beakerman… Beakerman!’ Ashley snapped her fingers and lit up in remembrance. ‘The first Joy I met that night! Joy Beakerman! She’s the head of the company… or at least the board. Woah…’ The weight of what she had just read dawned on her. ‘Pete… does he even know about me? I know this file has my name in it, but… if I’m only listed as Subject Ferenzetti or S.F., would he even question it?’ It seemed too disturbing to say the least, but maybe it was from sheer morbid curiosity about just her own state of affairs, now, but Ashley pushed forward and read the next files. Each passage seemed to infuriate her more than the last. “S.F is now coming along nicely… could be used as a possible basis for future studies based on her interaction with other Littles. Despite new issues that have changed these original regression parameters, S.F. now displays many regressive tendencies… S.F.’s socialization, or lack thereof with other Littles could be used in in future for the impact on mental health in relation to heightening previously exposed Littles to new forms of regression… Several of S.F. friends were subjected to separate studies but all showed signs of eventual regression in part due to her actions…” Ashley seethed with anger. ‘Stupid scientists! If I could spit or hit them, I would tear them up and… ah!’ Her thoughts devolved quickly into internal screaming at what was noted about her. But her curiosity seemingly got the better of her and she read further… this time about something else new and troublesome. “Studies and observations have proven useful, and S.F. has now been included in Project Nurture as an addendum… S.F. has now been assigned a case number… Reports indicate her willingness to cooperate with regulations of town and daycare… S.F. Bigs are influential and adhere to laws, but new findings suggest they may not be as onboard as originally thought to be. Further study is needed…” Ashley scanned beyond a few more pages, and to her clear chagrin, mostly talking about her potty habits. “S.F. progressing even better after ‘accidental’ dosage in drink. Reprisals for the planted initiator have been severe per one of S.F.’s Bigs, and we will cover the cost of rehabilitation eventually. New findings, however, show Bigs to be highly irrational with S.F. and continued progress. While both are loyal, further steps may need to be taken to ensure their cooperation in next steps with S.F. progress… S.F. Big, noted as 90984.1, might be vulnerable (see file P.N. - S.F. 1.2 for more information)…” Ashley’s eyes widened. ‘Holy… is 90984.1 Betty or Pete? Could it be possible that Pete is just so busy with everything else that he just doesn’t know about all this? Does he know they’re questioning his loyalty?’ A new thought then seemed to seep into her mind. ‘Should I tell them? Warn them or…?’ Ashley shook her head. ‘No… I couldn’t… if I do at this point, they’ll know I’ll have escaped… tomorrow night with Brother would essentially be lost, but maybe… maybe I could help them out…’ Ashley’s eyes drifted over to the other files, and soon, she began to tear through them once more looking for file ‘P.N. - S.F. 1.2.’ It took a minute… probably longer than should have been taken considering that Ashley was in the middle of a highly classified facility with armed guards, barbed wires, security cameras that could start working at any moment, and access to the facility only accesses through a single card… which also could be reported stolen at any point tonight. Still, Ashley found the file she was looking for. ‘Ah! There you are! Now… let’s see what we’re dealing with…’ Ashley opened the file, and her eyes looked about five seconds away from swimming with tears. It was a detailed file about Betty… more specifically, her weaknesses and relationship with Ashley and how she could be manipulated into influencing the Little. Being on one end of the file as the one who was trying to be tricked by someone she cared about; it was all infuriating and maddening… but there was another aspect of the file. There was a lot of technical jargon that Ashley seemed to squint and ponder over, but there was a bottom line, particularly considered the section was bolded and under ‘Final Conclusions.’ Simply put… Betty couldn’t have children. Apparently, at least according to the file with real concrete evidence conducted here in Peirama, it was a problem stemming from Compound 36-A. ‘Wait… there it is again… just A instead of B like that was in my system…’ From reading the files more carefully, it showed that most women Bigs couldn’t conceive naturally. It listed that there were plans in place of a potential cure or fix, but it noted specifically that “Unless a cure or alternate treatment is found, placing S.F. in perilous situations that will cause her to be injured, will cause Subject 90984.1, Dr. Betty Jones, to be forced to choose between regression or the harm of her Little. Owing to Big genetics, she will likely choose regression every time and further our end goal.” From the horrified look on Ashley’s face, there were no words to describe what she was feeling right then. That being said, after a moment though, her previous resolve to not help Pete or Betty in all this seemed to have vanished and new words began to stew in her mind. ‘Screw this place. I’m taking these files with me and I’m showing them tonight! Knowing them and how they’ve been manipulated, they’ll probably even help me leave. Just gotta get them all out…’ So, minutes later, after taking several photos on her camera just in case her own eye camera was somehow corrupted, Ashley then piled several of the enlarged reports in her arms and began to waddle out of the office. She had placed all the other files back and then stacked the crates like she had found them. It was nearly like she had never even come, and with a satisfied smile, she walked out of the room and… The alarms started blaring as soon as she stepped out. Flashes of red and air raid sirens and honking noises could be heard through the facility. Overhead, a speaker came on. “Attention! Attention! We have an unauthorized removal of files from the Chemical Department! Attention! Attention!” Ashley panicked and looked down. Feeling around, she found a small bulge and flipping the files over and out of the folders, she found a small little black device on each of the folders. Small and easily concealed, it was clearly triggered to go off after leaving Pete’s office. ‘Shoot! I’m a goner now, but… I’ve gotta try!’ So, Ashley quickly sprinted off as much as her thick diaper would allow while also not dropping a single file. Footsteps could soon be heard all around her. * * * Day 107 – 12:28 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley ran down one corridor and through another. Each one seemed to be blocked by the approaching sound of oncoming heavy footsteps and shouts from gruff personnel. More projects passed her by and while there was a desire to stop and maybe hide in one of those wings, another hum or electrical blast of light resounded in each to show that they weren’t in fact empty. So, when Ashley found a dark room with only a slight hum and glow coming from it, she quickly entered. Inside, while it was hard to be sure what she had been expecting, her dropped jaw exhibited her complete surprise to see what was inside. While several pieces of lab equipment littered many desks inside and a large computer seemed to beep with regularity off to another side of the room, the biggest and strangest item was the test tube… more specifically, the test tube with a very alive individual floating around in the blue liquid. Silver haired and toned, they looked like the perfect specimen of unique Little that a Big might want for their disturbing collection. From nearby, vital signs showed they were in fact alive, but other than that, little or no movement could really be seen coming from them. The fact that there was a large tank of yellow liquid next to them with skull and crossbones on it wasn’t very encouraging of their situation either. ‘Holy… what the heck is happening here?’ Ashley pressed her face against the glass and looked inside at the Little floating about. ‘And just what did you do to wind up in there? I almost would prefer a life of diapers over being stuck inside…’ The lights flipped on. Panicking completely, Ashley nearly dove under one of the nearby desks for cover. To her relief, both Big scientists seemed too focused on the alarm, their science, and each other to really notice any of her previous movement. “Geesh! You think they would cut that alarm in certain places. Not good for our experiment, you know?” The woman scientist nodded as she waltzed over to several beakers on the desk right above Ashley. “Yes, but you heard the announcement. Someone has removed the files from the Chemical Department illegally. You’ve heard the morning briefings… no unauthorized removal of classified files until the security system is back up and running. Any number of people could want to steal what we have here. I mean… what do you think? Honshu? Yamatoa? Maybe Itali?” The other scientist shook his head as he looked more closely at the Little in the blue liquid. “Nah. Both of those countries are our allies. Besides, their technology almost rivals our own. Betcha it was Catalon. Ever since one of their islands sunk into the sea, they’ve had to step back their Little research. They have the means and motive… I put my money on Catalon.” He then made a few more notes and walked back over to the woman scientist. “So… any progress?” The women scientist sighed. “Well, I hope this latest batch will put Project Hera back on track. The impregnation of Littles into women Bigs is progressing but candidates are lacking oddly enough.” She sighed and shook her head. “It’s weird… us Bigs seem to want to do a lot to Littles to have a ‘kid of their own’ but they still aren’t willing to risk a little to give birth.” “Well… maybe we can find a way to make that process easier. Something to think about for another day I guess…” Sighing, he then jotted a few notes down in his terminal, shut it off, and then looked back to the women scientist. “Okay… that just about wraps it up for me. You almost done here? I bet you anything that its quieter outside.” The woman scientist stepped forward as she swirled and added a few more compounds together. Seeing her foot now merely inches away from her hiding position, Ashley looked up in terror as she clamped one hand over her mouth to keep from yelping. ‘Oh shoot! They’re gonna find me and then everyone is gonna get in trouble and…’ Ashley hyperventilated for a few seconds and looked like she was about to break and scream. “Okay,” the woman scientist said looking pleased with herself as she removed the disposable mask covering her mouth. “That should do it. Just need that to stew over night and we’ll see if this wakes the Little up.” Smiling she walked over to the guy scientist. “Now… what were you saying about it being quieter outside?” Both smiled and soon exited the room. Seeming faint, Ashley quietly crawled out from her hiding position under the table and looked up at the Little in the tank. ‘Sorry, friend. Definitely wouldn’t want to be you now…’ She grimaced a little and then immediately turned and ran as fast as she could with the files still in her arms. * * * Day 107 – 12:39 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley continued to run. Her legs must have felt like they were exploding, and she winced several times likely from the pain she was now experiencing. ‘Gotta push through! Gotta escape! Come on, Ash!’ She pushed and pushed and looped around at least three or four times. Unfortunately, every time she tried to look at the map, another group of security forces would sound off and she would know they were close. So, inevitably, Ashley became lost. And while her speed was impressive, especially with the files, she was no match for the security forces closing in. It didn’t take long for her to be surrounded on all sides. ‘Shoot! This is it… permanent regression… all this for nothing! No story! No me… I’m totally fudged!’ “Halt! Set the files down and back away with your hands raised!” one of the guards angrily and forcefully commanded. Ashley gulped and nodded, eyeing the security forces’ guns right away. Still, doing as she was told, she easily set the files down and backed away with her hands in the air. Nodding, the seemingly lead security guard lowered his weapon and then gestured with his hand. “Oka. Go in and get her. Make sure she doesn’t escape like the last one.” Ashley squinted in puzzlement at that, but soon, two guards surrounded her and gripped her arms tight before slapping a pair of polymer cuffs onto her wrists behind her back. “All secure, sir!” “Good,” head guard noted in approval. He then cocked his head over to his walkie talkie on his shoulder and clicked in. “All clear. I repeat… all clear. You can send him in now.” Ashley furrowed her brow and tried to get a better view, but soon she didn’t need one as she heard the ominous clack of hardened shoes along the corridor before her. “Well, we meet again little one,” Mr. Vasiliou said with a sickening smile. “You might have doomed my Nancy with your little subversive tactics… but no more!” He sneered and then turned to the head guard. “Is she secure? Your men vaccinated?” The head guard nodded slowly. “Yes, sir, but… sir. Vaccinated?” Mr. Vasiliou smiled and approached Ashley without answering his question. “Now then missy… we actually planned for this possibility for a while now. Took a second to counter for what you could pull, but now… I have to say that it’s nice to know all that prep work can actually be executed now… with one minor twist.” “Sir?” Again, the head guard seemed to be questioning Mr. Vasiliou’s actions. As Mr. Vasiliou turned back to face the head guard, Ashley looked down and looked like she was trying to solve the mystery of the universe on the spot. ‘They planned and knew about me? But how? How did they know? I didn’t even know until this morning I was coming… unless… do they know who I am? Who am I really, that is?’ Turning back to Ashley after a short conversation with the head guard, Mr. Vasiliou approached Ashley with his same old nauseating and shit-eating smile before removing a single vial of silver polished metal from his suitcoat pocket. “Shame they never fully approved of this… Fitting I suppose though…” “Wait, sir…” Another scientist had gathered behind to watch the commotion and quickly stepped forward on seeing the vial. “You can’t! Not with her at least. She’s… Dr. Jones’ Little. He’ll…” “Do what?” Mr. Vasiliou spat as he spun around to face the scientist who dared to question him. “I’m mayor of this town and I only report to the board! This is my prerogative, and if the great Dr. Jones has an issue with this, he can leave town for all I care!” “But the board might side with him!” the scientist rebutted. “You know how they are with him and all that he’s done around here.” That only seemed to intensify Mr. Vasiliou’s anger. “Oh, screw them! I’m mayor and they like me just as much!” He then straightened out his suit that had become ruffled in his recent burst of anger. “Besides… he can always complain to the board and reveal just how his Little knew about all this and then proceeded to infiltrate this place. Two guesses as to how…” His beady eyes glared back at the scientist and then snapped back at Ashley when no further comments were made. “Now… have a fun little trip… baby girl…” Without even a second’s hesitation, Mr. Vasiliou took the small silver can and sprayed it right into Ashley’s face. She coughed. She blinked a few times and then seemed to swirl around. ‘Oh… oh woah… what was in… that… can? It’s so… so… I’m sleepy…’ Ashley swayed a few more times as she was held up still by the two guards and then slouched over. Then, blackness.

Hey everyone! I just want to give everyone a heads up that this chapter corresponds to chapter 14 in the first installment in this planned trilogy, Project Nurture. I wouldn’t normally mention that, but I do here because in that story, there are only 15 chapters in total. Which means, other than elaboration of maybe four paragraphs, most information relayed in the next chapters will be entirely new. Next, just as a reminder, a new poll is up for you all to let me know which story you all would like to read next. Story options and the link can be found back in the beginning of chapters 2 and 14. As I mentioned before though, if you feel more comfortable leaving a comment here or as a private message to me, I will count these as well. Additionally, like before, this poll will be shut down right before I post my final chapter on here. Further announcements will be made regarding this when the time gets closer. Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 23: The Haunted Mind Day 106 – 8:02 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 As predicted, Ashley had another nightmare. They were now coming with a regularity that downright terrified Ashley, almost on an equal level to the nightmares themselves now. If they weren’t becoming so vivid, the fear that they might not go away, however irrational, might have been top. But the nightmares were getting worse. Ashley had shot up in bed and clutched her hand to her heart. Her bed was soaked… but this time it was from her terror in the night, and her chest heaved in and out trying to resume its normal rapidity. ‘Shoot! I can’t keep going like this!’ Ashley tried to ease up her breathing, but it didn’t seem to be working. ‘Crud! It’s not working today… stupid nightmares! I wanna stop, but… how do you stop a nightmare that has you kidnapped, go under the knife, and then wake up as a regressed Little right above the newborn abilities level. In the nightmare, I didn’t even know I had pooped until my diaper had blown out!’ Likely unconsciously, Ashley began to hug herself and rock slightly back and forth. Which is how Betty soon found her. “Ash… are you…?” Betty’s eyes opened wide as she rushed over to comfort her Little. “Pete! It happened again!” Distant sounds of thudding footsteps ascending the stairs could soon be heard as Betty sat beside Ashley and took her in her arms tightly. “Shhh… Shhh… take some deep breaths for me, sweetie. I’m here. It’s all going to be okay…” Pete soon appeared int the doorway, looking more worried than ever. “Another nightmare?” Betty nodded as she continued to soothe the frazzled Little now under her care. “If I’ve been keeping count, that’s five now.” She then looked down at Ashley. “Right, honey?” Ashley could only nod and bury herself deeper into Betty… her source as a stabilizing presence and comfort seemingly having grown more than ever in the past week. Pete banged on the doorframe with the palm of his closed fist. “Dang it!” “I’m so sorry, Ash,” he consoled looking at the Little, which garnered him a single head nod. Betty flashed to her husband with venom in her eyes. “Please tell me that Hilda got her due…” she queried coldly, her voice sharp and cruel toward the person that had wronged her Little. “Oh yes,” he confirmed with a little too much glee in the corners of his eyes. “She was punished severely. I’m sure she won’t be making that ‘mistake’ any time soon again. Of course… with what the board decided, she’s making an entirely other type of acc…” Betty quickly shook her head… like even with her revenge, she still didn’t want Ashley to hear what befallen her. Ashley seemed to notice the small gesture above her, but if she did, only mumbled two simple but heartbreaking phrases instead. “It doesn’t matter… the damage was done…” Betty looked like she was about to cry on the spot, but Pete sighed frustratedly and quickly seemed guilty… probably stemming from Hilda being one of his workers. He wasn’t responsible, but the guilt of that day still seemed to loom over his conscience heavily. Turning to his wife and not saying a word about what Ashley had just noted, he grimaced. “Any luck on getting an appointment today?” Betty shook her head. “No, I’m afraid not. The two in town that would even be remotely helpful were booked for another week… so I even reached out to the town on the other side of the mountain…” Pete seemed perplexed that she would do that, but there was also a certain admiration written across his face too. “And? Any luck there?” Sighing, Betty shook her head. “No. Nothing for at least a week. They said it could be shorter, so I put our name down, but… you know how they are…” Pete scratched his head and nodded. “Yeah… I do. But maybe…” He grimaced and then shook his head. “No… not that…” “What?” Betty asked insistently like that his apparent rumor now meant life or death. “If you have something… say it! I mean… look at her, Pete. She only just stopped shaking.” Pete did look at Ashley, and while the Little didn’t say anything, she looked at him with wide and desperate eyes. It was the simplest move in the whole world, but it seemed to do the trick, and Pete rolled his eyes before pulling out his phone. “Fine… I give, I give! Just… give me a second.” Pete then typed in several numbers, each eliciting a different tone, and then pressed the phone up to his ear. It took a second, but finally, he spoke up. “Jill! Hey, Pete here… Yes, yes, doing fine, or, well, maybe not… Oh no! Not me or Bee. It’s our Little… Yeah, that’s right, Ashley. So, yeah… That’s right, I was curious if the doctor was in today… Oh, she is? Do you think that maybe we could get in today then, or…?” He paused for a moment and smiled back at both Betty and Ashley. ‘Okay… who is he calling? And… how come all the other places were a week and this seems like it might be today Is this because of who Pete and Betty are? Or is this something more serious with me?’ Almost like she had made herself panic more, she pulled herself closer to Betty. Betty seemed surprised at first but quickly gave her a tiny squeeze of reassurance. “Oh, yes. I’m here,” Pete finally spoke again. “Yes, I think we can do that. 11 A.M today?” Looking over, he smiled in turn as he saw Betty smile and nod as well to confirm. “Yes. Bee says that’s great as well! We’ll both be there on the dot… Well, yes, I am coming… No, I haven’t told Mr. V yet… Well, he should be understanding after his little stunt… Yes, thank you for that thought… Yes, it was great to talk to you again as well, Jill… Yep. See you at 10, and Jill? Thank you… Yeah… Bye.” Pete then disconnected the call and smiled back toward Betty and Ashley, still cuddled together on the bed like disconnecting from each other would somehow end the world. “Alright, we’re good to go. First, a little daycare while Betty and I take care of some things and then 11 A.M. with Dr. Falon. Is that okay with you, Ash?” Ashley broke free a little bit from under Betty’s arms. She stayed close, almost like she was still radiating by her comforting presence alone now, but she ultimately nodded. “That’s fine…” After that, Pete stayed for a little longer to confirm a few things for the day, but the time ticking on and the three now having a definitive place to go, Betty soon got up and started preparing Ashley for the day. She could still do things herself, but some things needed a Big’s touch… or strength. Things like a diaper change or turning on the faucets for a nice warm bath. Still, Ashley was also left alone… a clear sign of her viewed maturity. Betty was always nearby and seemed poised and ready to swoop in if needed, per her own admittance a few weeks ago, but it was the most alone time that Ashley could ever hope for in this new path she seemed to be on in this world… at least until Brother came through… ‘Whenever that is.’ But it was alone time… and that meant alone time with her thoughts. Most of the time, they were simply about the dread of her day, but this morning, they shifted to something else. ‘Betty and Pete are both giving me comfort in ways that I could never have imagined when I first got here, but Hilda…’ Ashley shuddered at even the mere thought of her name. ‘She did this to me… and both Pete and Betty work for this place… they aren’t responsible, but… would I even be in this position if it wasn’t for them? I… I never would reject them or spit in their face or anything horrible like that, but… I have to keep that in mind if I ever feel guilty going forward. This world is rigged enough against me, so I won’t be upset or reject them, but until Brother comes through for me… they’re my best hope in surviving until then…’ Clearing her thoughts, Ashley laid back in the bath and rubbed her skin momentarily as she closed her eyes and luxuriated in the single moment of peace she was going to get today. * * * Day 106 – 11:34 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Getting into the facility was a strange process that seemed close to entering a whole other world. Yes, she had come to the facility before, first to the party and then on a daycare tour, but both listed her as a special guest. The party barely eclipsed past the atrium of the main building and the tour had Bigs surrounding them on all sides and as it had been preapproved, several areas were shuttered beforehand. Now, all this was at the very last minute and many panicked as soon as they saw her. Some even gave dirty looks to Ashley before they freaked out and ran away as soon as they saw Pete and Betty right behind her. Getting to the rear testing room, Ashley was soon subjected through multiple procedures before she even met anyone else. Fortunately, being housed in the facility, the lab testing facility had access to all the latest gadgets that made invasive or truly hurtful or time-consuming tests a thing of the past. She still had to give some blood, but Betty was right there holding her hand the whole time. Finally, the three were sequestered to a far room where they waited… and waited. “Ugh!” Ashley complained, still in a little bit of a mood since daycare. Both Pete and Betty had pushed to know what happened… but they were always met with silence… almost like she was embarrassed about something that had happened today. So, in the waiting room, her mood hadn’t improved much. “How much long are we going to have to be here? This thing isn’t that bad and…” Just as she started to hop off, Pete nearly jumped in front of her and stopped her cold, his patience seeming to break for a moment. “And just where do you think you’re going?” Before Ashley had a chance to respond, Pete sighed and continued, wincing slightly at his overreaction. “Sorry, Ash, but you just need to wait a little longer. Dr. Falon is one of the best doctors we have here and she’s even researching various sleep implements now. Pretty soon, her new device will be in every home in Libertalia with a Little.” There was more than a little pride in that last statement. ‘Just how many projects does Pete oversee here?’ Still, despite her own thoughts, Ashley had one question. “Really? Well, does she even have a name for it?” Pete chuckled. “Of course she does. It’s called the Lighthou…” The door to the exam room opened and a middle-aged woman came in as she rubbed her hands which elicited both an alcoholic and floral scent as she did so. “Pete! Great to see you again!” “Dr. Falon… likewise.” Pete then turned over and gestured to Betty and Ashley. “And I’m not sure if you two have had the chance to meet yet but this is my wife, Betty…” The two shook hands and nodded towards each other, both conveying a sense of mutual respect and professionalism towards the other. “And this,” Pete continued, “is my Little, As…” “Ashley!” Dr. Falon said jubilantly, quickly coming over and extending her hand while her hair streaked with gray bounced slightly in the rapid motion. “Yes, yes. I am very aware of who you’re Little is. Definitely a talk around town, but… that’s not why we’re here today, is it?” Her question seemed rhetorical. “Seems like someone has had some bad dreams lately, huh?” Ashley nodded. “Yeah… really bad.” Dr. Falon almost looked like she wanted to smile… not to be cruel, but more in response to just how Ashley had said that in all likelihood. Still, she seemed every bit the professional she was supposed to be. “I’m very sorry to hear that. Those types of dream can be the worst, but… after today, I’m hoping we can fix that… sound good to you?” Ashley didn’t say anything but from her smile and rapid nodding of the head, she didn’t need to in order for her feelings to be made known. “Excellent! Always glad to hear that. Now… your chart…” Dr. Falon flipped over a thick manilla folder and began to read, her facial expressions not giving anything away quite yet. Ashley squinted back and her outward joy soon turned to that of curiosity. ‘Hmmm… strange. For a place so full of technology, one would think…’ But then Ashley paused, and her eyes briefly lit up before fading like she didn’t want to give her silent revelation away. ‘The transfer… on Founder’s Day, Pete said that files were being transferred and that they were going by department. Plus, Pete had those redacted files, so… putting it all together… yes, these must be just like the files I was looking for in Pete’s office. It nearly confirms that the files I want are right here in this building. Now… just need to get them…’ Dr. Falon then looked up and towards Ashley. “Well… we performed a full range and battery of tests. Sorry about that… but the results show us a few things…” “Doc, please…” Pete begged, seeming more desperate than usual… almost like he was ardently hoping that something would be rejected in the results, and he would be cleared. “Yes, sorry…” Dr. Falon switched the page and then showed the trio the results plainly. “According to these… the drug from Founder’s Day is leaving her system. She has elevated levels of Compound 36-B, but most Littles do who stay here for more than a few days…” Ashley frowned. ‘Compound 36-B? What the heck is that? I mean, yay about the other drug, but… there’s something else in my system now?’ “So, honestly,” Dr. Falon continued, “I think what we’re dealing with is some loosened muscles from the ‘Founder’s Day drug’ and some classic anxiety-ridden problems. Good news… is that it’s likely not permanent.” She sighed as her previous smile dropped away. “Bad news… I can’t give you a fixative, Ashley… not even an experimental one.” The looks on everyone’s faces were grim and bordering on horrified. Ashley looked about ten seconds from crying, Betty seemed disheartened and continually squeezed a scooped-up Ashley in her arms, and Pete looked upset and desperate. Maybe it was because of all that which caused Pete to speak up first. “So, that’s it? There’s nothing you can do? I mean… you’re Dr. Falon! Surely there’s something… even if it’s small.” The trio all looked on towards the puzzled doctor as she seemed to waffle about various ideas she had. “Well…” she spoke finally, “we do have a few options here.” Dr. Falon moved over and sat down before leaning forward and looking at the trio closely. “I’ve seen this happen before. Littles get stressed out from a lack of control and that can lead to some pretty terrifying nightmares.” “So, this is just a phase?” Pete questioned. Dr. Falon shook her head. “It’s not that simple. With… what you two have chosen… there are pitfalls. This is one of them, and that’s fine, but we just need to attack it from a few angles. Some might work, but likely, not everything will work completely. And while that might sound disheartening, our main goal here is for Ashley to get some sleep… or at least far more than she’s getting now.” She then looked right at Ashley this time. “Tell me… how have you been during the day? Tired? Trouble concentrating sometimes or maybe feeling lower or sadder than usual?” Ashley nodded. “Yeah… a lot more recently. I thought… it was from all the other stuff…” Dr. Falon nodded. “It is, but it’s also due to a lack of sleep. Even the most mature Big would start to have problems completing even the simplest of problems without sleep. Some studies show that being tired can even be worse than certain levels of drunk driving sometimes.” Each of the trio sat back in wonderment over that fact. “So, the easiest stuff would be the usual…” She pulled out one list from another folder behind the folder with all the test data. “I can recommend hypnosis… drugs… sleep machines… even a surgery or two to relieve one or two of the symptoms.” Ashley was listening to every word, but from her position, she could see both Betty and Pete fairly clearly. While most of Dr. Falon’s words seem to align with their happy smiles, as soon as she started talking about options… both look horrified. ‘Okay… I get surgery, but why look so horrible over the others? Is there something I’m missing here?’ “We won’t be selecting any of those, Dr. Falon,” Pete said firmly. “We would like to explore other options for Ashley… ones that are less… problematic.” At the sound of that, Ashley looked at Pete as if she was about to ask what he meant by that, but Dr. Falon sighing stopped her. “Very well… I can’t fully recommend that, but I was prepared for that possibility from you two.” She then ruffled through the back manila folder once more before handing a packet of information to Betty. “They’ll be even less effective, but… I can respect your decisions…” Betty looked it over a few times, nodded to Pete, and then handed the packet to Ashley, which she quickly opened and began reading through herself. ‘Okay… definitely weird with all the talk of options for what I can only assume was me, but… yeah… these options look much better. Almost what we have back on Earth.’ Dr. Falon went over a few more things with the trio and offered them a place in her office if any of them ever needed to return. Just as everyone was leaving though, the doctor stopped Pete and Betty and handed them a single slip of paper. “I respect both of your choices, but… you might want to consider these options as well. Stick to the ones on here. Only the ones on here, but they can help better sometimes than the other items. Plus… just ask. You never know until you try…” Pete took the list and then handed it to Betty. “I don’t know, but… we’ll give them a try afterward.” Extending his hand, he and Dr. Falon soon shook. “Thank you, doc. We’ll let you know it all goes.” Everyone then left and Ashley could only stare at the paper in front of her. ‘Please, oh, please work. I’m so nervous that this all will now never go away, and… I can’t have that back home. Please don’t make this another thing I take back with me!’ Ashley winced but proceeded through the facility… her eyes sad but discerning as she looked down the long corridors she passed… including one marked ‘Chemical Department.’ * * * Day 106 – 12:57 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Peirama was a town full of shops and restaurants but specialty items of nearly any kind that weren’t shipped directly to the facility for research, there were few and far between. So, when Dr. Falon had listed several new courses of treatment to at least potentially help Ashley, the trio had to go over to the mall on the other side of the mountain. And each time she passed through the tunnel to get there, Ashley only had one thought; ‘Thank goodness I don’t have to go up and down that terrible mountain road anymore…’ Of course, this time, that thought was between two times she nearly nodded off. Finally stepping into the mall though, there was a familiarity about it… until they went to their immediate left. “Where are we going?” Ashley asked. “There’s nothing down this way. Just a glasses store and a greeting card place I think.” Betty nodded but was unusually quiet. “You’ll see…” Ashley walked between Betty and Pete and scanned the stores for any signs of where they could be heading, and just as she predicted, there was one glasses and one greeting card store… and even a cleaner’s store. She even took a breath in, likely to question where they were going again, but a new sight stopped her cold. “What? Why are we here?” It was a simple storefront but having seen it before when coming here with Nancy and Ron before, Ashley knew deep down that it wasn’t a store. Despite the plain and nearly nondescript front, her expression conveyed she exactly remembered what was inside. “A stroller? Are you kidding me?” Pete continued through after a single nod from Betty. Evidently, regardless of what Ashley thought, their plan was still in place. Betty then sighed and crouched down taking both Ashley’s hands. “Sweetie… I know you’re too old… mature, for a stroller. I know that. Pete knows that.” “But then why are we here?” Ashley looked back and the small information sign blared above a smaller sign of what was inside. First aid, general information, and even a small version of the security office of which the main location Ashley still dreaded. This time though, her eyes shot right to the tiny pictogram of a stroller. “I don’t need one! Please!” Betty sighed again and rubbed Ashley’s still gripped hands. “I know you don’t. I just… Pete and I saw you in the car, honey. You were nearly passing out. And that’s fine, but… remember what we always say?” Ashley let out a breath of defeated air. “I do… if you see a problem and there’s a solution to it; you take the solution…” Betty nodded. “Not exactly our words, but yes. So, when we see you nearly nodding off on the car ride over and even now you almost seem to be swaying like you’re about to pass out… I mean, did you even know that?” Ashley froze, now keenly aware of her unconscious exhausted movements, but from her silence, her answer was still clear that in fact, she didn’t know. “Right, well… this is just something to help you out here.” Betty sighed and looked over just as Pete soon exited the store with one of the more mature strollers that he likely could find. “Just please… only for today. I promise that as soon as your sleep problem goes away, I won’t push this issue again, okay?” It was a loaded response, and Ashley knew it. ‘I’ll do it for Betty’s and Pete’s sakes, but… all this is founded on the fact that I’ll eventually stop having nightmares. According to Dr. Falon, there’s a tiny possibility that could never happen…’ Ashley sighed and then turned around to see the stroller. It was a simple single seater jogger-type stroller and one with plenty of room in the back for extra bags or in so many Little’s cases… diaper bags. The blue color seemed to be something Ashley appreciated for its likely more mature look as she stroked the material to one side… before getting inside. “I’m doing this for you all… not me.” She pouted a little, and that seemed to stick a metaphorical needle in Betty’s soul, but her face seemed a little relieved as well. So, with that seemingly resolve and Pete pushing Ashley through the mall now, the trio made their way to the three stores that Dr. Falon had recommended. It was pretty simplistic, and on some level almost seemed like what Dr. Falon had first suggested… except just minor versions of them. For Ashley, she could only stare at each object as it was pulled from the shelf, explained to her, and then bundled away in a bag or two to be purchased before they left the store. ‘Please… please let this work…’ It was all thought in earnest and Pete and Betty seemed just as eager, but through it all, there seemed to be a lingering doubt on each of their faces. They continued, but there seemed to be something hanging over Pete and Betty in particular… * * * Day 106 – 2:53 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 A quick lunch later and the trio soon finished their purchases afterward… or at least that was what Ashley believed until Pete turned left to go deeper into the mall rather than right and back to their car. “Where are we going?” Ashley asked frowning and squirming around to glare at both her Bigs. Through the upper part of the stroller, Pete sighed. “Honey… we want to show you something, but…” “Oh, Pete…” Betty started wincing. “Let’s stop first and explain it. We don’t want to go there without telling her first…” Pete sighed but nodded before pulling the stroller over. “No, no. You’re right.” He then parked it by two benches and sat down with Betty after clicking on the brakes with the back wheels of the stroller. “Ash… Ashley… you know we both respect you, right? Like we give you what you need in this crazy world, but where we can give you independence and maturity, we do… you understand that, right?” Ashley narrowed her vision and squinted at both Betty and Pete. ‘Oh crud. I know those looks… I’ve seen them before and even on Earth. Either someone died, I’m about to lose something, be asked to do something bad, or the weekend plans aren’t cancelled… not good.’ Ashley seemed hesitant but still nodded. “Yes… why do you ask that? Did I do something wrong?” Betty shook her head quickly. “No! Not at all! We just…” She winced herself and momentarily looked away to a nearby group of Littles before looking back at Ashley. “See them?” Ashley looked over and nodded. “Well, they’re regressed, right?” The Littles were diapered, drooling, wore clothing that essentially covered their torsos and some not even their diapers and not much else. “I think we both can see they are… and those are just from looks, but if you look closer… it’s more than just what they’re wearing… it’s how they’re acting that makes the difference. Does that make sense?” Ashley looked over at the group of Littles and then back to Betty. “I guess, but… I still don’t understand.” Betty sighed. “Ash… we have a list that I’m sure you saw get handed to us by Dr. Falon.” “I did,” Ashley confirmed. “But… what’s on it?” Pete sighed and pulled it out of his pocket. “I won’t show you the list right now, but… we’re going to ask you this and whatever you say, we will respect. Just know that either way, we will still love and respect you, but, if your answer is no… we’ll just leave like all that never happened.” He took a deep breath, and his hand crinkled the paper slightly. “Just know that Betty looked these up in the car and…” “I found that a lot of these actually might work better than everything we just got for you,” Betty finished. “So… are you willing to take a look and give them a try out at least?” Betty then handed Ashley the paper from Pete’s unmoving hands. Ashley looked down at the list handed to her and then snapped right back up at Betty and Pete… horror plastered all over her face. * * * Day 106 – 3:08 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley was wheeled through the mall in her stroller, and while many Big, Middles, and Littles passed her by, she didn’t seem to notice any of them. ‘Oh my… what the heck did I agree to? I know I was willing to try almost everything, but… am I going too far here? Am I crossing a line I can never come back from?’ Ashley looked down at her clothing and sighed. It was subtle, but the eagle-eyed observer might have caught a glance at her brand new and recently arrived this morning shorts complete with a snapped crotch that she had changed into after daycare… like her previous skirt was a point of embarrassment or something. ‘These are humiliating, but… necessary. Is all that… that list… is it really necessary… or am I being tricked here?’ Regardless of her thoughts though, the stroller soon stopped at one of the far end points and apparently anchor stores of the mall. Betty walked up and leaned down. “We’re here! But… just remember that we can leave at any time.” Ashley nodded and Pete pushed her forward as she looked up and saw the giant sign overhead, ‘Littleworld.’ She had seen the signs before, but from her expression as they strolled in, knowing about something and then seeing it were two entirely separate things… even more so when the one looking is the intended main sources of why they are coming to the store in the first place. Expanding in three directions from the central entrance, colorful signs marked the different sections of the store… each one worse than the last. Some were simple like diapers or clothing… both needed for any Little. Some were mid-level, like nursing or Little food… both usually designed to make any Little more docile, weak, uncoordinated, or just plain unpotty-trained. Then, others were just straight sinister… like punishments and post-surgery. Both could have been simple, but any Little lasting here long enough knew that both were designed to subjugate Littles into submission… no matter the cost. Fortunately for Ashley, Pete and Betty seemed to eye the store with some disdain. Yes, Betty lingered on the clothing… particularly the cutesy pink or sparkly numbers, or Pete’s look closer at the activity section to do with your Little, but both continued to push onward. They seemed to have their desires, but both were clearly here for Ashley… a fact that she seemed to notice between her bouts of complete panic. ‘Holy…! Is that a brand? Is that a gag? Is that a… vibrator?’ Each new section seemed to contradict or fully exemplify what it meant to be a Little, while also seeming perfectly needed for whatever was next to it. For example, one of the situations that made Ashley shudder completely in her stroller were the diapers that were placed next to punishment laxatives. ‘Shoot… please Betty and Pete… please don’t make me go through that…’ Much to her clear relief, Pete and Betty finally turned down the aisle labeled, ‘Sleep Help.’ It was simple and long, but each of the implements on the shelves looked like everyday objects one would finds in millions of nurseries around the word… while others looked more like torture devices or implements designed to tick until they exploded everywhere… on purpose or not. “Okay… let’s see… first up…” Pete read through the list now back in his hands and then abruptly stopped. “Yes… first up, rails for the bed…” Ashley peered out of her temporary stroller and saw what Pete was talking about. ‘Well… at least they’re not crib railing…’ Ashley sighed as she looked at the half rails… perfect for any toddler’s bed. “According to this,” Pete continued, “Dr. Falon says these can ‘soothe the unconscious desire for safety’ and that this version in particularly can ‘provide a field that emits both white and pink noise.’ Interesting…” He then looked down and into the stroller to help Ashley out. “No need in you sitting in there while we look around for things for you, but now… what do you think?” Ashley looked at the various colors and designs available and even inspected the packaging itself where it listed extra features. ‘Well… there’s nothing weird here. Just… railing for my bed…’ Ashley sighed and nodded her head dismissively. “Yeah… just… do it.” In the next roughly forty minutes, the trio walked up and down the aisle and chose several more objects. At one point, Betty even had to go away and grab a cart while Pete and Ashley remained behind to check out the next object. Which is why, as they neared the last object, Betty looked back at the cart. The nightlight would emit brown noise and theta waves. The pajamas were extra soft and breathable. And even a milkshake formula was designed to help with sleep within an hour ‘guaranteed.’ Now, the trio looked up at the nearly full row of stuffed animals in front of them. “This is on the list as well?” Ashley asked with a little pain in her voice. Pete nodded. “It is, but…” He shuffled down and gestured to only about a three-foot-wide section of the entire aisle. “Just these though. The rest… well, Dr. Falon doesn’t elaborate, but considering some of the work back in Peirama, I would highly suggest you staying away from those.” Ashley didn’t question, but her glance over to the others seemed more than a little fearful of what potential horrors they were packed with. Still, her gaze then turned to the selections in front of her before pulling one of the labels and reading out loud. “Equipped with a heater, is made with the softest material and plush inside, and produces theta waves for enhanced sleep…” “Well, that sounds promising,” Betty said with an audible amount of hope in her voice. “Any one you’re leaning more towards?” Ashley sighed with reluctance, but her eyes soon scanned the whole of the particular section that had the specific stuffed animals for sleep aid. The selection was more limited, not really touch on the rarer species, like wooly mammoths or the dodo bird, but a lot of the basics were there… including an about at eyeline kangaroo. ‘Okay… I really don’t care about it here. Just need to choose, and… maybe look a little longer so Pete and Betty think I’m taking this seriously… and longer… and…’ Ashley took a breath and looked ahead. “This one,” she replied after a moment and pointing to the kangaroo in front of her. “That one?” Pete asked skeptically. “Any reason or…?” “No,” Ashley replied truthfully. “Just… I don’t know. Kind of calls out to me maybe. I’m not sure.” “Huh…” Pete and Betty both seemed perplexed, but ever caring about Ashley, Betty picked up the selected stuffed animal and looked at it for a minute before turning back to Ashley. “You know… I know all this is probably a lot. And we’re not expecting you to cuddle with this. It just needs to be in your room to work.” “Could even sit on the edge of your bed and far away from you, if you want,” Pete added. “Yeah… maybe I’ll do that. I just…” Ashley sighed. “I need sleep. If it means a soft and cuddly and warm and friendly and…” She shook her head, almost like something more was creeping in there that she hadn’t meant for. “I just… I need sleep.” Pete and Betty both looked at each other with some degree of concern but soon turned back and rolled away as Ashley sat back in her stroller. And maybe it was just from a long day or that fact that their errands were now complete, but whatever the case, by the time they even had entered the check-out line, Ashley had passed out. * * * Day 106 – 9:11 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 That night, Ashley, Pete, and Betty nearly underwent a complex military-like maneuver in all the preparation that each did in order for Ashley to assemble any kind of normalcy with her sleep. Pills, the sleep milkshake, music before bed, new pajamas and sheets, the railing, nightlight, and even the stuffed kangaroo was out. All assembled and all waiting for Ashley to slip into bed. Waiting by the door, Pete smiled. “Goodnight, Ash. Sleep tight.” He sighed and then left. Betty then took his place and placed her hand over the room’s light switch. “Just breathe easy, Ash. Let all the stuff do its work and try to relax. Just shut your eyes and all will be okay, but just in case… don’t worry if you call out in the night for help. I’ll hear you, okay?” Ashley nodded her head and snuggled more tightly into her covers. “Thank you, Betty. I…” She briefly winced. “Thank you…” Betty nodded. “You’re very welcome, but now… close your eyes and go to sleep. Just relax and… goodnight and sweet dreams, sweetie…” Betty then flicked off the lights and slowly closed her to door to the point where only a small crack was between it and the door frame. Ashley sighed and closed her eyes. ‘Okay… just relax… deep breaths…’ Like it was almost a trigger word or something, Ashley’s breathing quickly slowed, and her tight muscles began to unravel from their heavy load. ‘Woah… weird. I just… I felt this weird surge all of a sudden of… sleepiness.’ Outwardly, her body seemed to almost instantly relax. ‘I hate the Bigs technology, but sometimes… its really hard to truly hate it. In this one instance at least… I can be happy about this…’ Ashley then soon faded off and a smile slowly started to appear over her face. * * * Day 107 – 8:01 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley opened her eyes and stretched and yawned. ‘Oh man! That was a good sleep. That was…’ Ashley paused and looked around the room before even pinching herself. “Ow!” She smiled, and that might have seemed strange or even masochistic, but it wasn’t. She was smiling because this wasn’t a dream, and she didn’t have a nightmare. It was such a small thing to be jubilant over… especially considering the circumstances she now found herself under, but… it had worked. ‘Definitely need to refine that whole pattern in the future… figure out which did the trick. Was it the medicine? The railing? The jammies? Even… the stuffy?’ Ashley looked over at the kangaroo still perched on the corner of her bed. ‘Nah… couldn’t be, right?’ Ashley’s look of curiosity soon melted into one of joy and pure bliss as she collapsed back onto her bed. ‘Yes! It worked! I can’t believe it worked! No nightmares and…’ Ashley’s door then opened and both Betty and Pete were standing there. “Well?” Ashley sat up and smiled before shaking her head. “Nope! No nightmares!” “Oh, honey!” Betty practically ran into the room while Pete smiled broadly. “I’m so happy for you!” “Absolutely,” Pete agreed. “I’m very glad you’re okay. Now, if you two will excuse me… the facility security is having issues today… something about a virus…” He rolled his eyes and walked away. But his bad news didn’t seem to dampen Ashley’s or Betty’s in the slightest. In fact, both giggled and discussed all about Ashely’s success like he had never even made the announcement. Still, it was a weekday and Betty needed to get to her shop and Ashley to daycare. Hugging her once more, Betty got up to start Ashley’s morning bath. Getting to the door though, she stopped and turned back. “I’m very happy for you, Ash.” “Thank you,” Ashley responded, “but I really couldn’t have done it without you or Pete.” Betty nodded with a smile and then reached into her pocket. “It was nothing, but also… is this one of yours?” There, in her hand, was a pink rock. Ashley’s eyes widened. “O… oh! Yes! It is. Just… put it on my little bookshelf there. Thank you. Sorry I forgot it,” she lied well to Betty, watching her closely as she nodded and simply placed the rock down as instructed. Then, as soon as Betty left the room, Ashley bound over to the rock and picked it up. ‘Holy… this is it! It is has to be! Brother is ready!’ Ashley clutched her chest and smiled broadly. In 24 hours, she would likely be gone from Peirama forever.

Hey everyone! Apologies for the delay, but at least I can now say… Happy Juneteenth! As far as the delayed though, something dropped yesterday that I had to finish at work and that created a bit of a cascade problem that filtered to the rest of my day… and unfortunately, this story. I only needed to write one more paragraph and edit it to get it out yesterday, but if you’ve been paying attention at all, there have been several instances where late night editing isn’t always my best friend. So… I pushed it to today. Due to my schedule, I am going to try and put out another chapter tomorrow, but failing that, I’m hopeful to get another one out on Saturday. With at least six chapters to go, my hope is to finish up this story sometime during the first or second week of July. It gets a little busy around that time, but… that’s the goal at least. Next, just as a reminder, a new poll is up for you all to let me know which story you all would like to read next. Story options and the link can be found back in the beginning of chapters 2 and 14. As I mentioned before though, if you feel more comfortable leaving a comment here or as a private message to me, I will count these as well. Additionally, like before, this poll will be shut down right before I post my final chapter on here. Further announcements will be made regarding this when the time gets closer. Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 22: Dropping Things Most Unexpectedly Day 105 – 11:21 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley was more insistent than ever on leaving. She had made her mind up about it and every day… every hour she spent in Peirama seemed to make her mind up for her even more. Being belittled by some of the more conservative members of the town was just par for the course now. And her lack of potty training wasn’t stellar, or her emotional outbursts, or even a few clumsy incidents recently… all were frustrating… but ultimately, not the reason she wanted to leave so badly now. No, the fact was that secretly, something only her thoughts and her quickest log entries showed… she liked it here. It might have seemed contradictory, but she felt that her desire to stay here was the first sign of giving in… accepting this lot in life like so many others had before her… right before their fall from maturity. Like Kyle had absolutely done already and what Ron seemed to be rapidly swaying towards now as well. It was frightening… the possibility that one day, she might not even want to leave to go back home. Yes, there was a lot to like here… especially compared to back on Earth. When she was being rational, she had to admit at least that to herself, and once she did, seeing the good didn’t take much effort. Over a decade of squalor from war, famine, pollution, and other countless terrors of the ‘dark times’ had left Earth badly damaged in the first half of the century. It was healing now, but comparatively, this planet in this dimension was a near paradise. Cures for cancer, renewable energies, cures for most diseases, computers that were at least ten times more powerful, AI and robotics, medical advances in prosthetics and organ replacement, and so many others. It was hard to hate a place with so much good… but it also felt like a mask or a lure for unsuspecting prey in the wild. The Bigs enticed the Littles with candy-like implements and favors, and before they knew it, the trap would snap close. In Peirama, those types of things were limited, at least on the surface. So, with strictly black and white decision making, Peirama managed to land somewhere in the gray. Some of those advanced technological factors made it even harder, and lately, Ashley seemed to be struggling separating them with which was truly good from just another lure to later trap her or other Littles like her. Despite that ambiguity, as she thought about it more, one of those pull factors without any doubt for Ashley to even slightly considering staying was Betty. Betty was simply a good Big. There always seemed like there was something more to her, but when actions speak volumes… even more than speculation or the possibility of the genetic predisposition for Bigs to desire Littles here, it’s hard to argue with… at least now without seemingly totally and irrationally paranoid. Betty had never hypnotized her. Betty had never drugged her… or at least never had intentionally. Betty had never elected for surgeries to dull her mind or cut her down into a crawler. Betty was none of those things that countless other Bigs were… just kind, sweet, and above all… caring. So, the next day at daycare, when Betty took off work from her flower shop, Ashley shouldn’t have been surprised… but she was… pleasantly, that is. “Good day at daycare?” Betty asked inquisitively with an upbeat attitude that was hard to miss as she pulled out of the parking lot and headed for their little outing for the day. “Sure…” Ashley’s answer back was full of despair and longing for escape. After all, it was her first day back at daycare… and it hadn’t gone great. Betty had picked her up early in anticipation of that, but back at daycare, Ashley was now diapered and still in the more mature group. It set her apart from the others in the worst of ways… especially when Miss Fiona checked her diaper after snack time and found her wet. The kindly attendant had pulled her into one of the private bathrooms for the diaper change, but there was now a strong stigma around her in daycare amongst the newer and currently more mature Littles. Ashley might have only been dosed via drugs into diapers accidentally, but between her previous pull-up near-misses or full accidents before… for them it seemed, a diaper was a diaper. In their defense, for an adult just pulled into this crazy world, seeing another adult in diapers landed them squarely with the regressed Littles… regardless of circumstances. So, once again, Ashley had never felt more alone. Betty looked back at her Little and sighed. Just from her look alone, and the fact she wasn’t stupid or ignorant, she likely knew the pain and frustration Ashley was feeling… at least on some level. If she hadn’t, Betty also likely wouldn’t have taken Ashley out of daycare early today on her first day back. Anyone who knew Ashley at all could see that she could use a break from the stresses of her new status there and around town. Sadly, Peirama was limited in that capacity for Littles beyond a playground… except for maybe one area. Ashley kept shutting her eyes as the car drove up the mountainside. It wasn’t the worst drive, at least not compared to getting into and out of town before the tunnel, but heights were clearly still not her favorite thing. Betty might have seemed cruel therefore in bringing her up here, but up here also represented freedom away from any other Bigs. Up here, Ashley was only limited by her size and not some regulation… like forced highchair usage if the Little was diapered. It took some time, but finally, Betty parked at one of the parking lots right next to a ranger station. She had to cross to the other side of the mountains to get there… not an easy task, but there was a nice cut-through between two of the peaks that made it at least a little easier to access the national park that sat there. Smiling as she clicked the car into ‘park,’ she then turned around toward Ashley. “Alright. We’re here. Do you need help, or…?” But Ashley was already hard at work unclipping herself from her booster seat. There were some days when she let Betty do it, but some days… like today, she tried ten times as hard as a Big would have to in order for her to be released. Likely stemming from her diapers and daycare, Ashley was nearly turning red in the face from the sheer effort she had to wield in order to pop the buckle. “Stupid Littleproof cru… got it!” She looked up at Betty and smiled. “See? I got it. No help needed.” Betty smiled proudly at her Little. Other Bigs might have scolded their Little or even outright punished them for messing with a safety device, but not Betty. That just wasn’t who she was. For her, success over something difficult, even potentially dangerous in the future, was a success. “Very good, Ash. Now, let’s get out of this car and pop out that picnic basket I brought, huh?” Ashley smiled and wasted no time on getting out, this time with a little help from Betty in opening the door and then helping her down from the back seat. Ashley was still independent, but sometimes, physical limitations trump total independence. Besides, Betty never made a big deal out of it one way or another. In her nightly recordings, Ashley always wondered why more Bigs weren’t like her and adhered more to the notion of ‘catching more flies with honey than vinegar.’ Finding a nearby picnic table near one of the clearings, the gentle breeze filtered inward as the two sat down to eat. Betty, being as vigilant as ever, had made sure to pack nearly the same food for both of them. Of course, being a Big, hers tasted a little different for her unique palette as opposed to Littles, but outwardly at least, they were the same. It was simple equality in all the ways it could be, and that might not have seemed like a big deal, but one just had to peer around to see that most of the time, Bigs and Littles ate very different things. For Betty and Ashley, their differences were purely based on size or taste, but for others… Nearby, a Big was feeding her two Littles. Both were obviously in the midst of regression. They were diapered and wore elastic-banded shorts that clung tight to their diapers. Both Littles kept looking around in embarrassment, so they were likely new to the outfit and treatment, but their food… it was either cut up into little bits or was just straight-up something pureed or liquid. For the Big though, they seemed to eat like any adult with their full-sized and near mouthwatering selections. It was hard to blame the Littles for looking so jealous of her meal. Still, even as they ate their nearly equal meal, something seemed to be on Betty’s mind. It took her a second, but she finally cleared her throat. “You know,” Betty started up once she was finished with most of her thick and juicy sandwich, “you can tell me if something is wrong… I’m usually pretty open to hearing anything… even if it’s something negative with how I’ve been treating you…” Ashley stopped chewing her own food for a moment and then set her own sandwich down. Seemingly chewing slowly to keep from choking… and therefore proving like some Littles did that they were ‘too immature’ for solid food, Ashley took a second but shook her head hard. Once she swallowed, she looked earnestly back at Betty. “No, Betty. Never. You…” Ashley sighed. “I… It’s…” She seemed to struggle with the right words to use. “No, Betty… you’ve been treating me better than nearly every other Big to Little relationship that I know.” “Then… is it all the other stuff?” Betty asked with a genuine sense of concern and curiosity that was rare in most Bigs regarding their Little’s well-being, other than maybe needing to feed them or change their diaper. “If it is, maybe I can…” “I’m fine.” Ashley didn’t shout, but her words were short and backed with resentment. Betty didn’t retaliate, but her discerning eyes gave her thoughts away of wanting to know more… and seeing that something was definitely wrong. “Well, I don’t think you’re lying to me… but I don’t think you’re being truthful either… at least not to yourself.” Betty leaned in. “You can say you’re fine until you’re blue in the face, but… I feel I know you well enough to know something is wrong more than usual… and that something more is going on with you.” Ashley froze and her palms seemed to be getting sweaty with how she even had to wipe them on her shorts after a moment. ‘Shoot! Does she know about me talking to Brother? About my escape? Is this a setup? Is she laying a trap or… am I just being too paranoid?’ Ashley seemed to focus briefly on Betty more, but the Big didn’t seem to give anything away either. ‘Shoot! I don’t know!’ Panic eclipsed her eyes, but beyond an eye twitch, Ashley didn’t move a muscle. Betty sighed. She clearly wanted to know what was going on, but she was observant over Ashley… even more so in the past month with everything that had been happening to her. In seconds, however, it was obvious that while her own desire to know and to help was strong, her desire to comfort and ease her Little, and not push her into something she didn’t feel ready for, took precedent. “Okay… you don’t have to tell me, but… I want you to know that I’m always here and you can tell me anything. Whatever it is… I’m sure we can figure it out.” Ashley’s whole body instantly relaxed like that Betty had just said the exact words she had needed to hear. “I… thank you, Betty. I just… I want to tell you why I’m so sad, and I want you to know that I’m grateful, but I just… I… I…” “It’s okay,” Betty said with conviction, holding up her hand to stop her Little from spiraling once more with her more sensitive emotions. “I trust you to tell me when it’s something I need to know about. For right now, though, just finish your sandwich and we can head on out of here for our little hike.” Ashley nodded and resumed her lunch, which also gave her plenty of time to view the other Littles around them. She had seen them before, and while the onesies, bibs, or thick diapered bulges soon to be changed just plainly out on the grass or another picnic bench was telling, one clear distinction soon became apparent between her and them… something that she had been looking for with more vigor than before. Looking close, with most of the Littles drinking milk of some kind, each soon began to nod off. Being prepared as they were, most Bigs had already set up little tents for the Little to lie out in and rest for a while… aka, a nap. Ashley didn’t take naps, and that put her in a more mature category than the others. That being said though, from her poor sleep lately, she was exhausted… something Betty quickly picked up on as Ashley finished the last of her sandwich. “Okay, we can go now, but… do you maybe want to… rest first?” Ashley shook her head, a little worry over her face from seeing her fellow Littles napping clearly being a part of that. “No, no. I’m good. I… I slept a little coming up here. I’m fine. Promise…” Betty looked at her skeptically, likely recalling from her rearview mirror that Ashley hadn’t slept a wink coming up the mountain. She simply seemed too nervous to get any sleep then, but Betty was obviously trying to build bridges with Ashley and pushing a Little like she could have done right then to find out her real answer would have been in stark contrast to that. So, Betty nodded. “Okay. Just… you let me know if you need to stop at any point or… well, rest a bit.” Ashley seemed to not care for the insinuation, but apparently trying to build bridges with Betty herself, she didn’t explode like most Littles would. “Okay, but seriously… I’m fine.” She then looked at the trailhead just off the parking lot. “Better get going before it’s too late...” Nothing more was said between the two as they started their climb. Ashley seemed overly focused on putting one tired foot in front of the other and Betty seemed to be too focused on stepping around the proverbial minefield that was Ashley’s emotional state lately. Up ahead and in the distance, a few singular clouds seemed to swirl ominously. * * * Day 105 – 1:57 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The hike up the mountain to Hawk’s Nest, a rocky outcropping near the top of one of the mountains, was nearly silent. Ashley didn’t speak up once to stop and take a break… despite her near exhaustion at the first switchback. She grumbled and sighed a few times, but nothing more. Betty, still trying to evidently become closer to Ashley, kept up the conversation while she could, pointing at animals, plants, various breathtaking views… anything to get Ashley talking. Unfortunately, since Ashley was too stubborn or fragile to ask for a break, her breath was mostly used just to get up the next rock. So, the conversation continually died after something like “Oh, yeah… that’s interesting…” from Ashley. Meandering through the tall trees, they began to spread out as the elevation rose. It didn’t take long though for the trees to be interspersed with rocks and even boulders. Determined, Ashley pushed on, but she was starting to struggle badly as she maneuvered around them or was forced to hoist herself up one instead. Betty saw her Little’s struggles right away. “Ash… please… can I…?” “No! I can do this!” she shouted as she grunted getting over the next rock. “I can do this! I can do this!” She sounded like an exasperated locomotive trying to get up a steep incline with her continual chants… but they were starting to slow and become less effective in propelling her forward. “I can do this! I can… do… this!” “Ash…” Betty looked worriedly at Ashley and continually shot her hands up right behind the Little as she climbed up each rock… not close enough to touch her, but close enough if she started to fal… “Woah!” Like she had predicted, Betty’s arms had been placed just so and seamlessly caught Ashley as she slipped from one of the rocks by simply not paying attention or just not having enough strength now. “Easy there…” Betty sighed as she easily carted Ashley over to a rock and set her down. “Ash… please. Let me help. You don’t have to do this on your own.” Ashley’s lower lip trembled. “I… I can do this!” she repeated. She tried to stand but ended up just collapsing back onto the rock. “I… I can… I have to do this!” Betty frowned with curiosity and lowered herself to Ashley’s level. “Have to? What do you mean by that? You don’t have to do anything with what we’re doing. We came out here to relax or at least not worry about anything else… not stress ourselves out even more.” “But I do have to!” A few tears ran down her cheeks, definitely not something that Betty had wanted for her today. “I have to do this! I’m failing at everything else, and I… I can’t even keep a diaper clean anymore! How can I call myself a normal Little anymore? How can I call myself unregressed?” “But it’s just the medication,” Betty tried to rationalize quickly. “But is it?” Ashley looked up at Betty with wide and truly questioning eyes. “I just… I don’t know anymore. What if… what if I can’t go back? I don’t even mean to training pants… just pull-ups, but… are even those out now?” Betty sighed with the reluctance of someone long expecting this conversation to materialize beforehand. Any Little who could still rationalize and yet was regressing came to this same point at one time or another whether it was sleeping in a crib, or in this case, diapers. So, if nothing else, Betty wasn’t blindsided at least. “Okay, maybe you are right… but even if that was the case… and again, it’s just the medicine as far we 100% know for sure right now… your abilities don’t define you as a Little. I know for some Bigs, they tell you that, but not me. I don’t believe that for a single second and don’t you dare either.” Betty breathed in and scooted closer before taking Ashley’s hands, her patience being utilized to its fullest today. “I know it feels like everything is falling apart, and I know that has to be tough, but I want you to listen to me and memorize this one piece of advice… asking for help is not a weakness. In fact, it’s often a sign of strength. I know it’s hard to imagine that in your position, but don’t be afraid to ask me for help. I don’t mind, and if it helps you, I can almost guarantee that you’ll have a better time up here.” “But… won’t I be seen as helpless?” Her words were still strained, full of pain, and bordering on shaky. Betty though, shook her head. “No. Not at all. Maybe for others, but definitely not for me. Asking for help just means that you need a little extra assistance sometimes. And, with a trail like this, most Littles would have turned back at least a mile or two ago. You didn’t, so hold onto that accomplishment tight if you want to. But now…” She gestured ahead. “There’re sharp and steep, tall rocks. You could get hurt, and I… I don’t even want to picture that happening. I think it would wound my heart deeply to see you get even a little hurt.” Ashley seemed surprised at that revelation, but it was an argument that was hard to counter. Ashley was planning on leaving Betty still, but the Little thought of herself as a good person… or at least as much as one could be. So, now faced with the possibility of hurting one of the few kind Bigs to her here or just accepting her help after being reassured that it did not make her a regressed Little, the choice seemed obvious. “I… I didn’t even think about that.” Ashley then smiled slightly and squeezed Betty’s outstretched hands as she sniffled. “I’m sorry, but… can you please help me?” In a move that today that almost looked like it wouldn’t happen, Ashley seemingly dropped her armor of pride and had plainly asked for help. The Little’s voice desperate and even a little cute, Betty was clearly powerless and smiled back toward Ashley. “Nothing would make me happier…” Still smiling wide, Ashley soon propped herself to the side of Betty and the two walked up each trail. Whenever a boulder came along, the Little would stop, look up at Betty, and the Big would grab her by the arms or waist and pull her up the steep boulder before climbing up herself. So, without much further fanfare other than a newly renewed smile, it went like that for at least another hour and through one quick snack and water break. Finally, though, they cleared the last boulder and saw the outcrop of rocks at the end of the trail. “Hawk’s Nest…” Betty said with Ash only nodding as she panted heavily below her. “Come on! We’re so close. Stick by me and we’ll get out there in no time.” Ashley nodded and the two continued much as they had, but right at the start of the heavy stone the prominently jutted out, she stopped cold. Her clutched hand to the Little acting like an anchor holding her back, Betty stopped abruptly too. Curious, she looked back at Ashley. “Ashley? Is everything…” But when she looked back, there stood only a petrified Little, nearly trembling like a dry leaf in the Fall. Betty being Betty though, smiled and walked back to her. “It’s the height thing, isn’t it?” Ashley gulped and dropped Betty’s hand to start rubbing her own together like some sort of self-soothing practice. “Yeah… sorry. I thought I could do this but…” Betty smiled and nodded. “I understand.” She then stood all the way up and thrust her recently dropped hand out. “Go on… take it.” “Thanks, but it didn’t help. I… I was just holding it,” Ashley pointed out, staring at the offered appendage with some obvious skepticism. “Yes, you did,” Betty confirmed, “but in this case, you’re not just going to hold my hand lightly as I guide you through. No. You’re going to grip it tight and think of this as your safety line. As long as I’m up top, you will be too, okay? No tricks, no games… just one hand in the other. Plus… we can even take little steps together, never going faster or farther than you’re comfortable with, okay?” Ashley tilted her head over a little to see where she was about to step, gulped again, and then finally nodded her head. “Okay…” As instructed, she nearly thrust her hand out and smacked into Betty’s offered one. “Let’s do this.” Smiling like nearly always, and as good as her word, Betty guided Ashley slowly but surely out onto the rock… then to the base of the main stone… then to the part that wasn’t surrounded at all on either side… and then finally, to the part that stuck out completely with nothing underneath it. Ashley had been staring down at her feet the whole time, and now that they were stopped and made it only about a couple feet from the ledge, Betty squeezed the Little’s hand. “Go ahead, Ash. Take a look…” Shakily but slowly looking up, Ashley’s eyes soon met the horizon. “Woah…” Before her was the entire mountain range that stretched beyond and encircled Peirama. Being at the top of the ridgeline here, to her right side, Ashley could see Peirama and all the buildings, streets, and parks she had come to know so well since she first arrived nearly 90 days before. To her left side though, stretched the plains. They were marked by some ridge lines and peaks of hills… but it was mostly flat. Looking out a little, even the tiny and distant mall seemed to stand above some of those hills. So, it became abundantly clear just how much in the middle of nowhere Peirama really was. In terms of security, it was nearly perfect without it being a bunker or some fallout shelter inside of a mountain somewhere. Yes, it was true that the mall was supported by a small local city. They mostly supplied Peirama with a labor force, a babysitting and helper service, and as one of the few stops on the long highway that stretched from as far Ashley could see in the north of where she was to the southernmost spot far off. She had seen the maps, but up here… from her expression, it was certainly something else of the town nearly being in the middle of nowhere… which raised one question over and over in her mind as her eyes scanned the horizon as far as she could. ‘Brother springs me loose, yes, but… what comes after?’ She still had time to ask, plan, and figure things out, but her leaving Peirama… the oasis in the middle of all the sand and mountains here, now seemed shaky in terms of what came after. ‘I hate unknowns… definitely going to have to ask Brother about this…’ Still, pushing beyond all that, as Betty commented several times on the beauty of the view, as she turned her attention back over to the mountain range and the valley of Peirama below, she couldn’t help but smile at the relative peace up there. * * * Day 105 – 3:15 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Moving off the mountain top, coming back down was much easier… mostly due to the change in incline and effort, but definitely also in Ashley’s acceptance of Betty’s help. After a mile or so, Ashley didn’t even wince anymore when she asked to be lifted down off the most recent boulder. Rapidly, it seemed that asking for help was no longer her greatest fear. That now, especially as Betty suddenly stopped in front of one of the restrooms, was the state of her diaper. With the hike taking a little bit, many of the Littles were now up and about. Several were being taken to the restroom to be changed or were just simply being changed out in public. For most, they didn’t seem to have the brains left to care about anything, but for those with some brains left, if they did mind the violation of their privacy, even a little, a light spank usually quickly sent them whimpering into position without another struggle through their fully exposed diaper change. So, seeing all the others and what they were up to now, when Betty stopped Ashley, her next words were terrible but not entirely shocking. “Ash? How’s that diaper holding up? Do you need me to check or…?” “No!” Betty yelled out, quickly blushing as another Big eyed her from a nearby picnic bench. “I mean… no. I… I know I need one. Sorry…” Betty smiled sympathetically and placed her hand on her shoulder. “That’s okay. That’s what the diaper is there for. No need to be embarrassed, and besides, I know this is all new and new can be scary. But also… remember… definitely could still be the drugs you had.” Betty then swung her backpack down. “But okay then… with that out of the way, let’s go get you all nice and fresh.” Ashley nodded and mutely allowed herself to be led into the women’s restroom. Fortunately for her, the bathroom was clean and mostly empty... and just happened to be one of the ones with a changing stall in one of the restrooms. It was cheaply made plastic, but the stall around it also offered privacy. So, when Betty elected to use one of them instead of being changed in public fully, the relief on Ashley’s face was obvious. And, with that embarrassment out of the way, it was just the personal indignity of a diaper change, but being with Betty, the Big clearly made it her mission to make the next steps as painless as possible. And so, it was mercifully quick. Betty was gentle and efficient and in the world of Bigs and Littles, that was something massive. For Ashley, she knew it as well, but her thoughts were distant… even as they exited the bathroom once she was all fresh and ready to go again. Betty was saying something, but Ashley was distracted as she looked around at the other Littles. ‘Diapered… helpless… just like me. I’m not a regressed Little but… those parallels are shrinking. And… I need to tell Betty something, but I don’t want to. What if she thinks bad of me then? I know she’s supportive, but… I’m losing control. I don’t think it’s the meds, and if it isn’t… something needs to change…’ “Did you hear me, Ash?” Betty asked her Little as she guided her away from the restrooms to which Ashley could only shake her head shamefully. “That’s okay… I just wanted to tell you that I’m really proud of the way you handled yourself there. You didn’t fight me and helped where you could. I know it might seem like surrendering in a way, but acceptance is sometimes the more mature way to go.” Ashley nodded. “I’m getting that…” She looked off at the other Littles once more before turning back to Betty. “Which is why I think my clothing should change…” “Change?” Betty questioned. Before Ashley could respond, several Bigs all commented on her ‘cuteness’ or ‘how adorable’ she was. It lasted maybe a grand total of three minutes at most, but Ashley was heavily blushing and making little fists at her sides… clearly it all now bothering her. Once the last Big left though, Ashley didn’t hold her tongue any longer. “See what a Little has to deal with? And what’s more… I just have to take it or get punished now. For me, there’s a narrowing gap between me and the rest of the regressed Littles…” She sniffled. “And I think we both need to accept that in at least one way.” Betty seemed shocked, but being a good listener and adaptable, she nodded and gestured with her hand. “Go on…” “Well, as I was saying before… I think my clothing should change.” Ashley then pointed over to a group of Littles all sporting different outfits, ranging from simple onesies to mini-hiking suits complete with thick boots and what best could be described as a ranger hat. “I’m not saying all of that, but… my diapers aren’t going anywhere, and I want to stay in the restroom for the least amount of time as possible.” “Ah…” Betty nodded, and a lightbulb seemed to go off in her head. “You just want a change of clothing to make it easier during…” Ashley quickly nodded back. “Yes. During… diaper changes,” she confirmed. “I still want a little maturity in the designs, if possible, but… I mean… am I making sense here?” Betty still seemed shocked but smiled. “Yes. A little surprising, but I understand. Might be a little complicated to have both maturity and clothing for easier changes but I’ll see what I can do tonight. Overnight delivery might give you something for tomorrow to try out.” Ashley nodded and the two took back off to the main picnic site. Today, there was a ‘Little Ranger’ program going on and while Ashley seemed to definitely be the most mature in the group of Littles assembled, it was an activity that most in Peirama raved about if the Little liked the outdoors. While everyone was waiting though, Ashley walked away after promising Betty she would be right back. What she failed to mention was that she was going over to one of the guardrails separating the main pathway from a cliff face on the other side. It wasn’t the steepest or tallest in the area, but it was easy to get to and seemed to fit exactly what Ashley’s purpose was. So, once there, with a deep sigh, she slid off the independent Little bracelet she once held so dear. Doubt and hope can be powerful forces, but whereas hope can also be a force of good, doubt rarely sways that way. Making plans with Brother had given Ashley the burst of hope that she had needed to push through her loneliness and loss of her friends on at least the mental front. Now, fresh from her view of what was beyond Peirama up at the Hawk’s Nest, doubt seemed to be her far more dangerous enemy. Brother’s hope was still alive, but now, every day it seemed she was getting another shred of doubt that everything was just going to be okay after she escaped. Her addition of diapers hadn’t helped things, and maybe it was naïve of her to think so, but per her nightly entries, she had previously felt that once she had escaped Peirama, it would be smooth sailing back to Earth. Now, the doubt of that as well was swirling about her mind and her reality was creeping in on the edges… filling her with despair. So, looking at the once esteemed bracelet, she sighed. ‘I once thought you were the most precious thing to me out here… Now, no one has even commented on it for the past month. It doesn’t make any difference in Peirama anymore, especially being in diapers, and it won’t serve me any good once I leave. For today… it’s just a reminder of who I once was… Not any longer…’ Ashley held and looked at the object once more before letting it go and then watching it bounce down and then fall into the valley below. What she didn’t see was that Betty had been watching her the whole time. She had nearly lunged to bring back Ashley from the guardrail, but when the Little had taken off her bracelet… Betty seemed resigned at what was likely going to happen next. She had seen it before, and while part of her seemed relieved, there was another part that seemed saddened as well. Of course, when Ashley returned, she was all smiles once more. * * * Day 105 – 4:09 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The ranger program was soon underway and despite the variety of Little’s activities that seemed best suited for kindergarteners at best, Ashley soon found herself enamored with the ranger’s talks inside the station. She had a little booklet to stamp and try and draw the stuffed pelts of long-dead animals, but she was still utterly fascinated by all that lived here and not on Earth. “And, moving on from the Liberalia Bison, once so popular in these mountains, we come to the Liberalia Lion,” the ranger explained while pointing to a large near tan panther-like creature. “Can you say that three times fast everyone?” It was difficult for most and chaos soon erupted as a result. Seemingly used to it though, the ranger simply held his fingers to his forehead quickly. “Quiet coyote! Quiet coyote!” the ranger shouted out. Almost like a hypnotic trigger, nearly every Little joined with him and quickly quieted down. “Very good,” he praised. “Now… while both of these species went extinct in the Rocky Mountains before the first writing was ever produced, our scientists have been hard at work reintroducing them to ecosystem to combat one of the more aggressive pest species in the area.” The ranger then continued on and described several new processes that had been developed for this process. It was all very scientific, and that might have been odd to see at a ranger’s station, but looking closer one piece of equipment in the lab demonstration area was clearly labeled ‘Peirama’ on one side. Besides that, though, it was all amazing. For a moment, Ashley even seemed to look like her old cheerful self again… at least until the craft activity was brought up once more and the Littles had to use safety scissors, non-toxic markers, and construction paper and glue to make a copy of their favorite animal. She groaned briefly, but like most Littles, Ashley chose the Liberalia Lion, but unlike most of the Littles, by the end, hers looked halfway decent. Bigs always loved whatever their Little produced, but it wasn’t hard to spot a speck of pride in Betty’s face. Beyond that though, Betty had been patiently watching her Little and had started writing down notes as a keen observer of her Little’s actions. It didn’t take a genius to see that she was using logic and reasoning in some kind of attempt to ‘decode’ Ashley. Being the ever-vigilant scientist, it wasn’t out of character, but finally, she set her notebook aside and went to go over and sit by Ashley. “That’s quite a lion you got there, Ash.” “Yeah…” Ashley acknowledged, looking almost too closely at one of the finer details with the lion’s tail. “And you actually seem to be enjoying yourself…” Betty scooted closer once Ashley finally nodded to confirm that she was actually having a good time. Her face seemed pale and for once, she almost seemed nervous. “Ash… are you happy? I mean… I know things could be better, but if they were… would you be happy here?” Ashley stopped cutting the tuft of the tail and set her scissors down before looking at Betty intensely. “What? Why would you ask me something like that? Am I in trouble? Are you going away? Am I being taken away?” With such a seemingly random question, a Little’s mind was often turbulent with all the possibilities. After all, for most, being taken away suddenly against one’s own will wasn’t out of the question, and if that was a possibility, including all the hypnotics, drugs, and surgeries they could endure, their paranoia over any kind of new change in their lives was often justified. But Betty held her ground while also exuding her typical caring demeanor. “No, no. I just… I want to make you happy, and seeing you smile here and at the Hawk’s Nest earlier… I would like for that to happen more often…” Ashley sighed and set her nearly finished lion on the table. “Well… I guess things could be better, but honestly? I think I’m about as happy as I can be… here.” Betty pressed forward. “Meaning?” “Well…” Ashley paused and scratched her head like her manifestation of awkwardness was quickly taking physical form. “I just… I could be happier, but… I feel pretty strongly that for that to happen, I would need to change and regress… or not stay in Peirama.” It was a tiny notion that had been lingering about for a while now in their house in her nightly logs, but now… it was out in the open. Betty nodded, her face nearly stricken like she had just seen a ghost. “I see…” Betty didn’t speak anymore after that, only occasionally giving the tiniest glances over to Ashley to ensure she was safe and as near as happy as she could get. Meanwhile, Ashley had finished her lion and was listening to the ranger more, but she was looking back at Betty. ‘Shoot! I think I broke her? Crud! Maybe I broke her heart? Did I give too much away? Does she know that I want to leave now?’ Ashley winced. So, as soon as the ranger concluded his program, Ashley quickly sauntered back to Betty. “Betty? Are you… are you okay?” Betty nodded and sighed. “I am. I just… I’m a little sad about something…” Ashley froze in panic, her eyes going wide once more. ‘Crud! It is me! I hurt her! Shoot!’ Ashley stepped closer like she was walking on glass or doing her best to avoid it. “Is it… is it me?” Betty looked up and shook her head quickly. “Of course not! You… you make me happier than I think I’ve almost ever been in my life. I just… I was thinking back to something I lost… something I swore I never would again…” She then shook her head and stood up before extending her hand to Ashley. “But never mind all that. Come on. We still have a ride down the mountain to get to.” Ashley nodded and took Betty’s hand, but as they walked back to their car, the crafted and colored paper lion in her hand, her thoughts came back to one thing over and over. It was a half-smudged article sent over a few years after the Bigs arrived on Earth, but the message of the article was clear… Bigs had trouble getting pregnant. It was dismissed as a nasty rumor and it abated for years afterward, but now… Ashley looked back at Betty every few minutes, seemingly looking for any signs of cracks where she could wiggle in and get more information, but at the same time, her words just now… that note from so long ago that made her sad… the article… ‘Wait… can Betty not have kids?’ If so, it would explain so much, but as Ashley was helped into her booster seat, for now, she just had to remember it as purely a rumor and nothing more. * * * Day 105 – 9:43 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 That night, fed but curious over the day, Ashley tossed and turned for the better part of an hour in her bed. Taking a nap on the way home, Ashley wasn’t as tired as she normally was. There was a thought that kept running through her head that she should go to sleep… or else risk another nightmare, but she dismissed that continually as a bad idea. So, tired but not too tired and thirsty, Ashley got up and made her way downstairs. Technically, she wasn’t supposed to leave her room after bedtime, but in an effort to not use her diaper as much as possible, Ashley was now more than a little dehydrated. Plus, if Brother came through on his end, it was possible that within the next week she would need to leave her room anyways. Tonight, would be a good test for her, and to her elated pleasant surprise, even when she reached the bottom of the stairs and touched the door just to see… there were no alarms, Betty, or Pete. It was all silence… all nothing in the late hours of the day. Smiling to herself, she went to the kitchen, pulled a chair over slowly to not make noise, and then grabbed one of her plastic cups… just in case she just happened to be clumsy. Spills were one thing… broken glass was another. Getting some cold refreshing water from the refrigerator after putting the chair back, she tipped the glass back and the water hit her tongue. From the way her eyes rolled back a little, she seemed to be in utter bliss. It almost lasted… “I don’t care what they say, Dylan!” Pete thundered from the basement. Ashley turned and looked at the far door leading downstairs. She knew the code and she knew Pete’s voice. He was pissed and yelling at someone likely from the main facility. He was now home earlier and that was great for Ashley in getting to know him better and for the trio to eat as a family. Sadly, it meant him brining his work home with him more often than not… and that led to more than a few raised voices from downstairs. ‘Ooh… sorry, Pete, but if I just pull one of those items that you’re talking about… I might be able to use it in my story and help millions of future Littles. I…’ The temptation seemed far too enticing. ‘I have to try… and eavesdrop in on him. Sorry, Pete…’ Looking around, Ashley wandered over to the door, set her glass of water down beside her, and pressed her ear against the thick surface. Pete’s voice was quieter now… almost like he was finally using those breathing techniques that Betty was trying to get him to use. Whatever the case though, Ashley could only make out a few news words and phrases being said. “You know j…t how important this is for… es, I know. I should know and… she can’t know about it. She’s too precious and… well, you know why. It’s becau… Yes, I agree. Changes… e made and… yes. I moved… files to the main… ast week. Can’t be too careful but… yes, I agree. Somethin… happening we didn’t think possible.” It was hard to know exactly what Pete was talking about, but one thing was clear… the files were stored in the facility. True, that part was a little hard to make out completely as well, but it didn’t seem like it could be really anything else. Still, despite that excellent bit of news, Pete thundered once more. Now too nervous to go on in case her suddenly stormed up the stairs, Ashley turned and grabbed her glass and then went back upstairs and… “Betty!” Ashley looked in terror towards her Big standing right in front of her now. Betty seemed just as surprised to see Ashley down here at night… but just suspicious as well. “Ash… what are you doing out of bed? What are you…?” Her eyes wandered questioningly over to Pete’s door. “And… what are you doing here in front of Pete’s office door to the basement exactly?” Ashley quickly held her glass of water up. ‘Anything to do with Pete is the truth, but if I get knocked off my game and Betty is sharp, something could slip through. So, remember… honesty is usually the best policy… or at least a form of it. Nothing fancy…’ “I was thirsty…” she said plainly. Betty looked at the glass, and while she didn’t seem entirely convinced, her next question seemed to speak just the opposite. “Oh really? Thirsty, huh?” “Honest,” Ashley noted strongly with her half-truth. Betty didn’t seem to like that comment through her pierced glare toward the Little. Despite that though, as quickly as her face came into one of distrust and frustration before, it strangely but welcomingly turned back to plain sympathy. “Oh… I think I know what I’m seeing…” Ashley’s eyes widened as her mind seemed to scramble over the possibilities. ‘Shoot! Does she know something now? Did I just give up the game? Does she know about my story?’ Ashley briefly bit her bottom lip. “Y… you do?” Betty nodded and smiled in her sympathetic, nearly self-patented way. “Yes. You had a nightmare, didn’t you?” It was subtle, but the tension in Ashley seemed to leave immediately. ‘Yes! An out! I could deny it… go with something else and maybe save some dignity here instead of being talked to later like a child over a bad dream, but… it is something of the truth. My sleep hasn’t been great, and Betty did offer help earlier which wasn’t too bad… could be good for this as well. Could be bad, but… this is a way out…’ Ashley nodded as she dropped her guard on one thing that had actually been bothering her. “I did. I… I’ve been having them for a few nights now and… I had another…” She seemed more than willing to fully lean into this current lie. Part of that might have been over the fact that if patterns were to continue tonight, by morning, she wouldn’t be a liar anymore if asked later about it. Betty sighed and nodded. “I figured…” She then came over and rubbed Ashley’s back briefly. “I’ve noticed a few signs of distress from your room in the morning and sometimes at night. In fact, you were calling out in your sleep a few nights ago.” “I was?” This time, Ashley didn’t need to fake her emotions. As Betty had never mentioned calling out in her sleep before, likely to give her some space to deal with how she wanted, it was news to her now. Betty smiled and patted her back. “Yes, you did, but don’t worry. I can help you with this. Let me make a few calls and see what we can do. A lack of sleep in any Little can have big real-time consequences. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of your… potty habits took a hit from a lack of sleep.” What had started off as a half-truth had now turned into a ray of hope for Ashley. She flashed a smile toward Betty. “Thank you. I… I thought they would just go away, but… I guess I could use the extra help.” Betty rubbed Ashley’s back once more. “Well, that’s what I’m here for.” Betty then pushed her forward a little and toward the archway from the kitchen to the main hall and staircase. “Now, off you go. Try to get some good sleep, but don’t worry. I’m sure we’ll find you some answers soon so you can get a full good night's sleep.” Her words were soft, gentle, and genuine. There was no judgement or punishment for Ashley leaving her bed… only the promise of help and a possible better tomorrow. As Ashley smiled and started ascending the stairs to actually go back to bed now, there was a lingering part of her that hated her lot in life. Diapers, condescension, and threats from half the Bigs in town to regress her further. But mixed in all that was Pete and Betty. In their own ways, they were making her more comfortable and safer here, and while her heart appeared burdened with the knowledge she would soon leave, her smile of relief as she entered her bedroom seemed to reflect a feeling more of hope that because of them, she would in fact make it out of here.

I have some special plans lined up. Should align with the first story and where I wanted to take Ashley. Thanks for your vote as well! With some of the things I've been seeing recently, it seems sequels are having issues lately on here. No big deal, but it's something I might factor in going forward with these votes...

Hey everyone! So… I decided to flesh out more of these next chapters and slow them down in a way that I think will benefit the story. Things will speed up after a certain point, but for now, these next few days in Ashley’s life will be a turning point of sorts. I probably could have summarized some items, but… it just didn’t seem the same, so I decided not to and actually show some moments first-hand. Next, just as a reminder, a new poll is up for you all to let me know which story you all would like to read next. Story options and the link can be found back in the beginning of chapters 2 and 14. As I mentioned before though, if you feel more comfortable leaving a comment here or as a private message to me, I will count these as well. Additionally, like before, this poll will be shut down right before I post my final chapter on here. Further announcements will be made regarding this when the time gets closer. Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 21: Panic and Resignation Seems in Order Now Day 103 – 10:47 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley yawned as she walked over to Ron and Kyle at the park. Her dreams last night, as reported into the mirror and later Betty and Pete this morning, were full of small terrors over her new life. Both Betty and Pete had been accommodating and calm about it, even offering her something to help her sleep at night, but Ashley turned them down, quoting ‘I’ve had enough of drugs recently.’ What she didn’t tell them is that the nightmares had started the night before and were at least partly of her becoming as regressed as Melissa, Nancy, and so many others…. Speaking of which… between her sporadic yawns, her stance was still widened and clearly unused to walking in diapers. It had been a tough time since Founder’s Day but even tougher as she was changed from one diaper to the next… the box of pull-ups in her bedroom almost seemingly being shoved aside for what she wore now. It was sobering to her soul, and her pensive and resigned stare was quickly noticed by the contrasting jubilance of both Kyle and Ron. As opposed to Ashley, they just had fun at the fair and had only left for naptime… only to return afterwards. “We missed you at the fair, Ash… and then yesterday at daycare. You sick?” Ron asked while looking concerned for his friend. Ashley shook her head. “No. I just… at the fair I got dosed… and…” “Is that why you’re wearing diapies?” Kyle questioned boldly. “Kyle!” Ron shot back to his other friend. “We don’t lie about that stuff. Ashley’s not wearing diapers… right, Ash? That’s a…” But Ron’s eyes betrayed his faith in his saddened friend as they drifted downward and right toward her rear. To her shame, Ashley had noticed what he was looking at as well this morning. While her diapers weren’t so bad to be noticeable in the front of her shorts… the rear was a different matter. She had even searched for a shirt to cover it up… but to no luck. So, now, she winced. “Woah… you’re in diapers now, Ash?” Ron asked, seemingly in disbelief. “I would have sworn without a doubt that you of all Littles here never would have!” Ashley sighed. “Well… now I am, but… it’s only temporary!” she defended. Despite her clear position on the matter though, it was clear that she could see the doubtful and almost amused looks on both Ron’s and Kyle’s face… like they were both saying, ‘we’ve heard that before!’ Ashley’s eye twitched and she stepped closer to the pair. “Listen… at the celebration, my drink got dosed. Pete says it’s temporary and I trust him. It was just a bad drink, okay? Nothing more.” Ron and Kyle both seemed skeptical, but also at least willing to play along. “Special drink,” he mused before his face lit up. “Oh… you mean like soap? Like those minty green and cherry red bars Miss Fiona was handing out? You know those aren’t edible, right? I mean… Miss Fiona was very clear about that when I tried… you sure you’re not becoming just like us, Ash?” Kyle spoke up before Ashley could deny it. “Oh! Oh!” He hopped a little as he even raised his hand. “Is it… is it like what my mommy drinks. Her… special juice?” “No!” Ashley shouted a little, trying to assert herself before any more insinuations or accusations could be leveled against her. “No to the soap and no to the… special juice…” Ashley briefly looked over at Kyle’s newly proclaimed ‘mommy’ and the Little shook her head. ‘Yeah… special juice… I know what that means…’ Shaking her head still for a moment, she turned back to Ron and Kyle. “No… I was drugged, but that’s also what I wanted to talk to you about…” She sighed. “What?” Ron asked with seemingly genuine curiosity. The Little now had good days and bad days. So far, today seemed like a good day… or at least a less regressed day. Ashley was about to start but then looked around… her eyes clearly landing on the nearby Bigs interacting with some of the more regressed Littles. “Wait… not here.” Kyle looked like he was about to question it, but Ashley’s yank of his and Ron’s arms quickly silenced any protests. Once they still within view of the Bigs, likely accounting for lost Littles only going to raise alarms or suspicions, Ashley at least got out of earshot… especially considering the laughter or crying of the Littles between them and any of the responsible and vigilant Bigs. “Okay… here it is…” She took a deep breath. “I… well, I got into Pete’s files,” she admitted, lowering her voice a little… just to be doubly sure. “Oh? That was really naughty of you, Ash,” Kyle said, looking a little fearful now as to the direction this conversation was going. “My mommy would punish me so bad if I did that.” Ron gulped but remained silent. Ashley nodded. “Maybe… if Pete ever found out that is. But I don’t think he will. Didn’t mention anything, and besides, I didn’t steal anything… just read about the stuff, and guys…” She bent in closer with wide and serious eyes. “They’re experimenting on us.” It was a mic drop type of truth to be confirmed so blatantly… but both Littles just stared back at her. Ashley scrunched her eyebrows. “That’s it? No sign of woah or whatever? I mean, come on! This is big news! I found out for a fact that Littles are being experimented on! I found your two files!” Kyle remained mute, apparently still looking a little fearful over how Ashley had come about this knowledge. Ron though, shrugged. “Yeah, well… not really news. Every Little has to know it on some level. I mean… look.” His gesture over to a nearby group of Littles that was clearly color coordinated and acting wildly different in their regression could only come from a series of Bigs all with OCD and color-coordinating… or an experiment. Ashley groaned. “Fine. Okay, obvious, but… they are testing out things on us!” She looked at both Littles and frowned. ‘Darn it! They’re still not getting it! Maybe their minds are too mushy for all this, but… I have to try. Maybe… yeah… get on their level or something.’ Ashley stroked her chin for a moment to think, but Kyle was already starting to get antsy. “Aha! Yes…” She looked back at both Littles. “Okay… Littles are forced to eat vegetables, right?” The horrified looks of Ron and Kyle only put a smile on her face. “Exactly. You know it because Bigs do it, but do you all fuss when you’re fed vegetables?” “Ewww!” Kyle complained. “Mushy and green! They’re gross! ‘Specially broccoli!” “Yeah… I hate peaks, okay,” Ron admitted, “but… what’s your point here?” “Well,” Ashley continued ramping up to her point, “what if you were fed them without you knowing… or that a Big was trying to convince you that you were eating ice cream… until another Little told you that you were actually eating broccoli… or peas. How would you feel then?” Both Littles nearly gagged outright at the idea. Ashley smiled. ‘Good. Maybe no I have them on my side.’ Ashley then pulled both from their near-hurling positions. “Okay… well, what I’m telling you now is that Bigs are always blaming us for regressing. What I found… shows that it’s not our faults! The Bigs are causing us to regress!” It was a major embellishment of what she had found, but Ashley was clever… or at least not regressed. She saw the matches, the kindling, even some gas, and she later saw the smoke… it didn’t take a genius to believe the smoke was from the supplies she saw earlier. She didn’t see the fire, but she knew it had to be there. “Oh… holy smokes!” Ron clutched his head and widened his eyes. “I… I…” He looked distraught and nearly on the verge of tears. Kyle though… looked mortified, but in only a few minutes, turned to more of passive acceptance. “Well… that’s not great, but… I love my mommy.” Ashley’s mouth nearly hung open. She looked towards Ron and while he had a similar horrified expression as before, he seemed to be getting it all under control now. “So… you’re okay with it?” Kyle shook his head. “No, but… what can I do about it now? I can’t really go back, and… why would I even want to? My mommy loves me, and I need her. So… why be upset over how I got here? I’m okay with where I’m at… as long as my mommy stays with me…” Ron still seemed upset over the notion but also shook his head. “I… I don’t know what to think, and I might always be sad or upset or angry, or… I don’t know, but… Kyle has a point.” There was a deathly silence afterward. “He can’t go back… I can’t go back… or, maybe I’d be too scared to. Maybe I needed a push out of this place, but… I think I’m stuck here. No way out, so… why fight something I can’t change?” His words were like a poison seeming to Ashley’s heart. Fear and sadness swam in her eyes and face. She looked seconds from crying herself, but one thing seemed to stop her as well. ‘He said he needed a push. He’s trapped and resigning to that. Not that he doesn’t want to leave… just that he doesn’t know how to. There’s still a chance for us to leave together, but… a small one. I’m going to have to find out more…’ Ashley sighed. “So, what if you did have a way out? Would you leave then?” Unfortunately, between Kyle’s acceptance of this place as his life now and Ron’s resignation… Ashley’s discovery was now a thing of the past. It wasn’t completely irrelevant to Ron, but as he noted, right now he couldn’t do anything about it. So, being the Little he now was, joined Kyle in playing with sticks… which soon enough pulled them away from Ashley after Ron gave a single shrug to her question. All that soon evolved into coloring on the nearby pavement with colorful chalk after being warned to stop playing with the sticks. Left out of the loop, Ashley could only look on as her hopes of a Little revolution here fell apart. She could have argued the point… an adult might have done that… but they would have just ended up blue in the face and nothing more with regressed Littles. Ashley still seemed to hold herself as an adult, or at least as much as an adult that a Little could here while wearing a diaper and being stuck in a daycare for the day, but she also had acceptance or a resignation from being here as long as she had. Arguing or convincing them would have been a waste of effort and time. So, faced once more between loneliness or acceptance, Ashley sighed and made her choice. Moments later, despite being armed with new knowledge that could blow Peirama apart in one news article… or at least start an investigation to this place, she sat down on her crinkled rump and began coloring with her newly obtained colored chalk. Such seemed to be the fate or lot of even the most well-informed Little in this world… particularly in Peirama. * * * Day 103 – 1:56 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The day progressed at the park, but soon, many of the Littles started to leave due to the afternoon naptime. Getting a little tired herself from the poor sleep she had the night before… and the night before that, Ashley was dragging a little. Being a Little in a place meant for those nearly twice your size could be tiring enough, but combined with her sleep issue, less than an hour later, she nearly had to drag herself over to the bench where Betty was sitting. “You okay, sweetie?” she asked, her voice seemingly full of concern and curiosity over to her Little’s new look of exhaustion. “Yeah… just not a lot of sleep.” Unlike most days at the park when it was just the two of them, Ashley hopped up on the bench and rested against its back. “Can I just… sit here for a moment?” “Absolutely, but…” Betty paused and shifted so she was more looking at the sleepy Little, “do you maybe want to go home instead? Maybe relax on the back porch or something? Pete just messaged me and said he can get off early tonight, so he was thinking of going out. How does that sound?” Ashley only listlessly nodded before getting to her feet. Before the two took off though, Betty stopped Ashley. “Sweetie… I didn’t want to ask earlier… at least with not so many others around to respect your privacy, but… how’s your diaper holding up?” As a testament to just how tired she was now in the afternoon, Ashley only nodded and wiggled about a little. “I… I think I’m good?” Betty seemed a little skeptical. “Hmmm… well, mind if I check just to be sure? The meds you ingested are a little tricky. Pete hopes they’ll be gone from your system but… you don’t want to leak on the way back home, right?” Ashley just shook her head and dropped her hands to her side, seemingly too tired to care. Betty smiled at the response and looked around for a moment, but considering there was no one around anymore, she directed her attention back to her Little’s shorts and bent over slightly. Like Ashley had seen hundreds if not thousands of times before, Betty snaked her hand up Ashley’s shorts and probed the front of her diaper before sneaking two fingers into the crotch of her diaper. A tiny motion later, and Betty withdrew her hand. “Well… a little wet, but I think you can wait. Is that okay with you?” Ashley only nodded, her eyes already closing. Betty smiled and without warning, took Ashley’s hand. “Come on, sweetie. Let’s go relax back at home.” She then pulled the nearly passed out Little along. “Also… with you only being damp, it’s possible the meds might be leaving your system already. Isn’t that great?” Betty was likely looking for more of a response, but Ashley only smiled as she put one foot in front of the other. * * * Day 103 – 6:17 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The lounge on the back porch turned out better than either could have anticipated. Within minutes of returning, Ashley almost immediately drifted off to sleep under the soft sun of the mid-September day and the gentle breezes of the oncoming fall surrounding her. Her small form was easily cradled in the papasan seat, the cushions deftly holding her exhausted body in place. When she woke up, she once again felt well-rested but was surprised to find two things. First, just from the angle of the sun alone, she had been asleep for at least two hours. Second, she had cuddled firmly into one of the chair cushions… from another chair. In her post-nap haze, all she could think was ‘curious…’ Still, well-rested now, she got up and after a quick diaper change from Betty, went to go read until Pete got home. Once he did, all three almost immediately went out to a local restaurant. “Blue Apollan?” Ashley questioned as she saw the blue exterior of the building and the cartoon bird greeting them overhead on the large sign. “What is this place?” Betty smiled as she unbuckled Ashley. “It just opened up out here. It’s a chain all around Libertalia, but we haven’t been in what… six years now? Since Cepalocum, right?” “Seven,” Pete corrected. “It was seven.” “Right… seven.” Betty then pulled Ashley out and to the ground, smoothing out the Little’s clothing before guiding her away and then shutting the rear door closed, diaper bag firmly around her shoulder. Like a brand, its appearance could have just been a large purse, but any Big’s mind would have filled in the gaps as to its true purpose. “Still,” Betty continued, “it’s just a nice casual family restaurant. Pretty decent food and some interesting theming. Nothing fancy but decently solid.” Ashley didn’t say anything as her eyes remained fixed on the blue cartoon bird on the sign above her as the trio walked in. Inside, the theming was light but strangely prominent. Like diner locations from back on Earth, there was a heavy emphasis around burgers couple with a near whimsical and fun atmosphere. Quirky art lined the walls and even a carousel horse prominently stood not far away. Being seated rather quickly, the interior of the restaurant buzzed with activity and smelled of fried foods and grease in that classic way most burger places did. Nearby, towers of onion rings and large cuts of fries littered trays at tables. Unfortunately, Ashley was much too distracted by all the newness of everything until she was picked up and deposited in a highchair. “Hey! What gives?” “Shhh,” Pete warned, put his finger to his lips. “Sorry, Ash, but they have a policy with all Littles here.” He then lowered his voice even more. “Any Little who is diapered automatically is seated in a highchair. No exceptions.” Ashley widened her eyes. “But she didn’t even ask!” Her nostrils flared and she seemed ready to fight… until she glanced over at Betty… and her setting the diaper bag down. “Crud… it’s obvious, isn’t it?” “Well… I… uh…” Pete stammered out. “I… uh… Betty?” Betty scooted forward to the other side of Ashley and looked at her silently but with a saddened and resigned expression. “It is obvious… isn’t it?” she asked again as her lower lip trembled. “Shhh… shhh…” Betty stroked Ashley’s outstretched arm in a clear attempt to calm her. “It’s okay. It’s just a tiny chair and no one will care around here. I promise, okay?” Ashley nodded her head with a sniffle. “Okay…” “Now… how about we look at the menu… maybe we even get you a chocolate milkshake to feel better? I know I’m getting one.” She looked up at her husband. “What about you, Pete? Milkshake for you?” Pete scoffed. “Please… like you even have to ask that. You remember when we first started coming here… I think I gained at least a few pounds from all those milkshakes even back then.” Betty laughed and pulled the menu closer to Ashley to show her all the options. Before she looked down though, Ashley sighed and quickly mumbled. “I guess this is what being a Little is like…” “Oh?” Pete asked with seemingly genuine curiosity. “What do you mean by that?” Ashley grimaced and gestured toward the other tables with Littles. “Look… I’m probably the most mature Little here. Everyone else is near toddler or even baby levels. It’s just the path of being a Little in this world…” Ashley slumped a little in resignation. “But even then, a regressed Little is probably how anyone will look at me anymore now…” Betty and Pete looked at each other with sadness… but there looked like something more there. Ashley was too busy staring off at another Little being spoon-fed to notice though. Betty sighed. “I’m so sorry, Ash. We’ll work on it together, but if it helps at all… well, Pete and I still think you’re mature.” It was a tiny thing, but the sentiment at least made Ashley smile, and that in turn made both Pete and Betty smile as well. Then, refocusing on the task before them, Betty pointed down to the menu. “Now… let’s see what they have here beside this amazing chocolate shake.” Betty’s finger prominently pointing at the large chocolate milkshake shown on the menu elicited a smile… but also seemingly distracted Ashley enough that she didn’t notice two things. The first was that the menu was different than either Pete’s or Betty’s. It was paper and came with a tiny box of crayons… a kid’s menu. Second though, Ashley definitely didn’t notice the quick shake of Betty’s head when Pete held up the bib that also came as a package deal with the highchair. Rules were less stringent about bibs, but both Bigs knew Ashley well enough at this point to likely feel that never showing her another babyish treatment around was probably for the best. * * * Day 104 – 7:31 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 The night before was both a step back and a step forward. Ashley was treated like a regressed Little throughout the night by the waitress. It wasn’t so obvious, but it was just enough that Ashley continually burned with shame… not helped by the fact that she had wet her diaper at least three separate times during their time there. That being said though, Betty and Pete were proving kinder and more understanding than ever before. Their support, the helping of a giant chocolate milkshake capped off with a cherry, sprinkles, and whipped cream, and an excellent juicy burger were highlights though. It could have been a terrible night, but it soon turned around by the end. Waking up this morning though, those previous feelings of contentment and hope seemed to be trashed in an instant. While everything was the same, there was something different she couldn’t quite place. ‘Okay… bed, check. Pajamas, bedding, posters on the wall… all check.’ Ashley squirmed a little, her diaper bulking around her hips. ‘Sadly, diaper… check, but wait…’ Ashley wiggled more and stopped cold. Yes, she had her sheets, diapers, and pajamas on, but there was now a distinct wet feeling all around. Her eyes flung open wide in horror at the realization of the mess she was in now. “Oh no!” She tore off her sheets… first the main cover… only to discover the wet mess underneath already. Wincing, she had to peel the sheet off her underneath… the wetness centered around her pelvic area and leading to only one conclusion, confirmed when she saw what was underneath. ‘I leaked! I actually leaked in my diaper!’ Ashley sniffed as her bottom lip trembled once again for at least the fifteenth time in the past few days. “No! Darn it… no…” Her door flung open, and Betty nearly ran in. “Ashley? Ashley? What’s going…?” But she didn’t finish her thought. Her eyes quickly shot to the sodden Little lying out on her bed. Her room was a picture of what went for a mature Little these days… but soaked pajamas, even with a diaper, seemed to scream something else. Considering the look that both Ashley and Betty then gave each other after, both knew it too. “Oh, honey…” Her voice was mournful but at least contained her usual warmth. Coming over to Ashley, she attempted to smile, but her eyes kept going down to the large wet spot. “That must feel awful. Did you have a big accident during the night? Can I check if…” “I leaked!” Ashley wailed. “I actually leaked… from a diaper!” Betty sighed. “Yes, you did. And that must feel awful, but… I need to know if you leaked from a busted tape, or maybe a faulty diaper, or…” “Go on… say it.” Ashley looked up at her Big with pure despair in her eyes. “I leaked because my bladder is giving out because I’m a Little and I need my diapers because I’m a big baby and I…” Betty immediately dropped to the bed and gave Ashley a massive hug from the side. “Shhh… shhh… it’s okay, sweetie. You can cry if you want to, but I’m here. You’re safe here AS they continued to hug, heavy footsteps could be heard running up the stairs. A second later Pete popped in. “Hey,” he said a little winded. “I heard some commotion from up here. Is everything okay? Is…” Like Betty had done, his eyes were drawn to the large wet spot that both Bett and Ashley were now trying to actively avoid as much as possible. It was impossible for Ashley, but her efforts seemed more focused on keeping Betty away from it now. “Oh… I see…” His eyes narrowed and he sighed. “I guess the drug is still working its way through your system. It should be gone soon though!” His voice was full of hope and that had to count for something… even if it did nothing to help with the current problem. Pete seemed to catch onto that fact. “You know what? Something just popped up at work, so I have to go in today, but… I can at least make us all some yummy breakfast. Might lift some spirits, huh?” Ashley clung to Betty but nodded her head. Pete smiled and nodded to Betty as Ashle reburied herself into Betty’s hugged form. “Well then… I’ll go get right on that. I’ll start the hash first… hit the pancakes after a wash maybe…” Betty nodded. “You go do that, Pete. I’ll let you know when you can put the eggs on.” As Pete gave a thumbs up and disappeared, Betty turned back down to Ashley and slowly pried her form away from her body. “Ash… I know you probably feel crummy right now, but… a good warm bath might just be the ticket… What do you say? You up for a nice bath this morning?” “But… the sheets?” Her eyes sorrowfully drifted back over to the soaked mass below her. Betty shook her head. “Don’t you worry about those. I’ll take care of it all. You just focus on getting clean and taking a second to breath and relax before the day, okay?” Ashley clung to her more tightly for a moment but then slackened and nodded. “Very good.” She then stood up and pulled all the covers full back and away from them. “Now, let’s get you in that bath, shall we?” * * * Day 104 – 11:33 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley had cause to be happy and upset… a common trait with most Littles living in this dimension for any length of time. This morning had been terrible, but through Betty’s prepared bath and Pete’s scrumptious meal, things were looking better… until the rediapered Ashley was there to witness a new package of diapers for Littles come in via delivery to the front door. The package was large, but instead of accommodating one’s size, the enormity of the package was for its longevity of use. It seemed this morning wasn’t the final domino… just reinforcement for how both Bigs now seemed to view Ashley’s predicament. Logical maybe, but it only reinforced what Ashley had done last night. Fearing the worst after her past few days, Ashley had come to the decision last night to place a pink rock on her windowsill for Brother to find. It wasn’t an emergency, and she didn’t need extraction, so only one was acceptable to her. Still… she needed to meet with him. Part of her nightmares recently were about being treated as a baby… but also Brother rejecting her because she was too regressed like Ron was. Brother was already hesitant about him, and it was clear that only by Ashley pleading and being firm in wanting to come along was he actually still a part of the plan. Now, diapered and subject to who know what until he was actually ready, doubts about coming back home and being fine were forming. Fear of being rejected outright by Brother though… that was gaining momentum. Her massive leak this morning wasn’t helping her own internal despair either. In fact, as it hit 11:30 by the tiny chimes of a small church bell, Nancy began to panic ash she found herself alone at the park. ‘Oh, shoot! Shoot! Shoot! He’s already rejected me!’ She began to pace around, muttering to herself, her breathing rapidly increasing, and all previous signs of being calm seemingly vanishing in an instant. ‘It’s already happened! I’m going to be stuck here forever and I’m going to regress! I’ll be like every other Little out there! Nancy and Melissa will seem like adults compared to me! I’ll poo in my diapers and drink from Betty’s breasts and be sung to every night and lose my grip on reality and…’ “Ashley?” a deep but concerned voice spoke from the darkness once more. “Are you okay?” Ashley frowned and clung to the park gate with frustration. “Am I okay?” she spat. “Am I okay? What kind of question is that? You were late and I… what if I had been taken? What if someone had found out? What if you were taken? Would I even know? What if someone found out about us and you had turned me in and now the authorities were coming to take me away and this was a setup and…” “Woah!” Brother quickly stepped forward, but he wore a hoodie, and his face was still mostly shrouded in darkness except for a small amount of red hair sticking out from underneath. “Easy there. I’m here. Take a breath and try to calm down.” He then proceeded to use his hands like he was conducting an orchestra to dictate the pace at which Ashley needed to breathe. It took a second, but color finally returned to her face. “There… much better,” he said with relief and a calm of a person who was once massively worried. “I saw your message, and… I’m going out on a limb here, but… something tells me what just happened and why you placed the rock are linked, right? And if I’m right, tell me how.” Ashley glumly nodded. “Yes, they’re linked, but… why were you late?” Brother sighed. “Cop put up a roadblock on Main Street. Apparently, some genius decided that today would be a good day to test his new booster engine for the hover car he’s building.” It was well-camouflaged, but Brother rolled his eyes. “It didn’t work… but I also see what you did there. Now, nice avoidance, but answer my question… fully, please… why are your pink rock message and your freaking-out just now linked?” “Oh… you caught that…” Ashley sighed. “Well… I freaked out because… because… I’m…” She winced. “I’m wearing diapers.” “And?” Brother looked like it didn’t faze him at all. “You… you mean it doesn’t matter? Or… wait…” Ashley’s eyes narrowed down to her strange contact through all this. “How did you know? Your tone… yeah, you totally knew, didn’t you?” Now, it was Brother’s time to sigh. “Yes… yes, I knew.” Ashley became rigid and Brother likely realized that he needed to fix one problem first. “Remember… I see more than you know. If I had a problem with your new position, I would tell you. You would deserve that much at least…” He then righted himself up like nothing more needed to be said on the matter. “But also… I might know a guy outside of town that might have a drug to reverse your condition. No guarantees, but…” “Oh, thank you!” Ashley leaned toward the fence, seemingly not caring who saw and looked with admiration toward Brother. “Yes, yes… no need to thank me.” Brother cleared his throat. “Now, then… task at hand while I’m here… ah yes!” Brother soon pulled out a small notebook. “Have you at least told Ron about all this yet?” Ashley nodded. “I did the other day. I informed him that we were going on a trip, which of course, he loved. I explained it more carefully and he still seemed happy about it.” Brother looked uneasy. “So... you still want to bring him along… even though he’s heavily regressed now most days? I mean, did you know that Joy is now even starting to brea…” “Yes, I do know!” Ashley shot back, clearly interrupting him. “But I haven’t given up on him yet, and… neither should you!” Her face then darkened, and her vigor appeared to wane. “But also… I just… I have to with him!” “But why?” Brother pressed again. “Because…” Ashley winced. “Because I don’t want to feel guilty! I…” Ashley shook her head. “With all the crud in this town and all the Littles that have been lost, Ron might be the one saving that makes me feel better about myself. Is that so hard to believe?” Brother almost looked like he was about to confirm Ashley’s suspicion but then shook his head and looked at her deeply. “You know… please don’t take this the wrong way, but you are a Little here and you are leaving…” Her then half-smiled back at her. “Have you ever thought that maybe you are now the one good thing to come out of this?” It was clear that she hadn’t as she remained mute and contemplative. Finally, she looked back up from her own busy thoughts. “You know… I never thought about it that way, but…” She grimaced and looked over her shoulder towards Ron’s direction, “Ron is also something to make me feel better about all this… it’s personal now. Brother looked questioningly at her. Ashley cleared her throat and narrowed her version. “See, I came here for a story for my own personal reasons… sell papers and get famous… or rich… or both!” She looked like it was still a goal of hers, but now… it seemed twinged with shame as well. “You know… I know there’s a lot of crud here, but self-interest isn’t a reason to be punished…” He paused briefly. “And then go off seeking redemption in the saving of another Little.” Ashley nodded. “I know that, but I feel guilt all the time whenever I see other Littles here. Whenever I see someone that didn’t have to end up here… I know that a lot of them are happy now, but… I feel that I could have…” She shook her head. “Should have done more from the inside here.” She then looked at Brother deeply, or as deeply as she could with his face still shrouded. “Like you…” Brother shook his head. “that’s admirable, and maybe even a little flattering, but… my life isn’t enviable. I’ve made sacrifices and a lot of those times… it would have only made you feel worse… not better.” He sighed. “So... don’t beat yourself up for not choosing to help others. It’s a lonely road, and often, a morally gray one as well.” He then shifted about over on his side of the wall. “You know I know who you are, but… I also know what you’re doing here…” Like he had done more research on her since they first met, he then tapped the skin around his eye knowingly. “When you get back home and your story breaks… you could help others that way. In fact, you probably could help more than way than you would ever have here. Sometimes… you have to find your own way in the world, and here, there’s more than one way to help Littles.” Ashley seemed like she needed to hear those words… particularly from someone like Brother and not just Betty or Ron. Both were amazing but carried a slight bias or filtered view of the world just because of who they were and what side they were on in Peirama. For Brother, he was on the front lines of all this, and his perspective was unique, caring, and realistic. He could have been brutal about his assessment and recommendations to her… but he wasn’t. Still, his words hit her in a different and unexpected way. ‘He’s right… I get home and publish this story… it could dictate policy as a one Little tell-all story breaks. Politicians and advertisers couldn’t ignore it. It could change portal travel and stop millions of Littles… humans from crossing over in the future.’ Ashley kicked a pebble at her feet. ‘But… if that really is the case, I need my evidence to be solid… thorough. I… I need more information…’ She then looked back up at Brother. “So… maybe I need more information then… to help my story, you know?” Brother nodded but he also didn’t seem as supportive of this plan. “Find your information, Ashley, but we have a deadline. Being a journalist… you know all about those. So, this time, don’t blow it because of trying to support your story. It’s important, but your ticket out of here is more important. Please… remember that.” “I won’t,” she said sincerely. “I promise…” Brother nodded and with Ashley’s fears squashed for now, she waved goodbye, and a plan started to reform in her head. ‘The redacted files in Pete’s office… if I found those with the projects on them at least… that might just be what I need…’ Ashley then shifted her position in the park… one on a hill and looking right at one building far off in the distance… the facility. ‘Yeah… they have to be in there… the originals and non-redacted ones.’ Her rationale seemed sound, but her plan still needed work. ‘Only a few days left before I leave potentially… Gotta go fast… Gotta find those files…’ Seemingly assured in her plan, Ashley nodded and went off to join the others for a little bit of afternoon fun. Soon, moments like these would simply be a thing of the past.

Hey everyone! Another weekend is here, and I do hope everyone remains safe. Lots going on and let me tell you… I’m very happy to use this as a distraction against it all. Hopefully, you all can enjoy this story in the fullest of ways and maybe even relax a little. So, from the bottom of my heart… thank you for tuning in again. Also, sorry for the later posting than usual. I tried very, very hard last night to finish this chapter and edit it… but after it took me about 40 minutes to just write two paragraphs… editing this would have been just plain bad from how tired I was (I think I passed out maybe three or four times… oops). I’ve done that before and pushed through, and well, I’m pretty sure you all have seen the results (why did I keep mixing up Nancy’s and Ashley’s names?). Plus, I really wanted to nail this chapter down. It’s not the biggest, but with maybe only eight to ten chapters left… we’re getting into the last third of this story and that at least needs to be factored in for the final outcome. So, apologies, but it’s at least out now, and I at least have to be happy with that at this point. Next, just as a reminder, a new poll is up for you all to let me know which story you all would like to read next. Story options and the link can be found back in the beginning of chapters 2 and 14. As I mentioned before though, if you feel more comfortable leaving a comment here or as a private message to me, I will count these as well. Additionally, like before, this poll will be shut down right before I post my final chapter on here. Further announcements will be made regarding this when the time gets closer. Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 20: Spikes and Discoveries Day 101 – 10:12 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Brother was still doing what he could to speed things along, but between their little meetings while she was at daycare to discuss progress and extra tasks to maybe speed things along with escaping Peirama, that left Ashley stuck for now in town still. Per her nightly reports, it was tough going to see Ron and watch him become even better and closer friends with someone like Kyle… particularly when Ashley had to lower herself more than a few times to join in on their fun. Her two consolations in the whole mess were that first, her time here was now limited. Second, she was still more mature than they were… and according to her at least, that had to count for something. Still, even she had to admit that sometimes, life wasn’t all bad here. It was a frightening thought occasionally, like a weight at her ankles holding her back, but the last thing she wanted was to be self-delusional… even if that meant admitting that Peirama wasn’t all bad. Pete was still busy, and Betty still seemed fragile somehow, but today was Founder’s Day, and considering everyone’s outfit, it definitely seemed like a special occasion that lifted nearly everyone’s spirits. “Okay… explain to me why I have to wear this outfit again?” Ashley asked for at least the third time in the past two days since she had first seen the outfit she was to wear. Betty smiled as she fussed around with her high-top ponytail and pink scrunchy once more. “It’s all about the founders, sweetie,” she explained once more patiently. “We celebrate those who first thought of this town and actually started moving the dirt to live here with a little celebration every year.” Ashley looked down at herself and then back towards Pete and Betty. “And that’s why we’re dressing up like it’s the 1990’s?” she questioned, her own outfit consisting of jeans shorts pulled up high with her white and printed t-shirt tucked in and floral vest adorning the outside, all capped off by a black headband pushing her hair back. ‘Sheesh! I look like something out of one of my old family albums back home of my grandmother… even great grandmother!’ Betty seemed puzzled but Pete smirked. “Right… always forget that on your Earth, this style was really prominent in the 1990’s.” His denim washed jeans and green and dark blue striped rugby shirt were on full display now. “Here though, we were a little later with those similar trends. A few differences… like we had what you might call smartphones at the time, but by your year count, it was the 2010s for us… which was when Peirama was founded… hence the clothing.” Betty stopped fidgeting with her hair and walked over. “Is that still okay, Ash?” Her concern seemed genuine and that seemed to even be helped by her simple pink slip-on dress and jean jacket. “We can always change back if you want. Not everyone dresses up and we certainly don’t want you to feel uncomfortable today.” Ashley sighed and looked down at her clothing. ‘I look like I belong in a museum, but… there’s no point fighting this. Could be worse around here… could definitely be worse…’ She looked back up at her two awaiting Bigs and shook her head. “No… I’m good. Just… a little weird is all.” Pete nodded. “It’s a tradition around here that most need to warm up to, but besides… you do look great in that outfit. Perfect for Founder’s Day.” It was such a simple compliment but as Ashley adjusted an errant strand of hair out of her face, her subsequent smile became apparent. * * * Day 101 – 10:52 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Walking into town, two things were immediately obvious. First, out of the at least hundreds of people that now swarmed the main street and town square, maybe only 20 or 30 in total weren’t dressed up in this dimension’s ‘2010s’ fashion. Washed denim, overalls and shortalls, oversized clothing for men and tight clothing for women, flannel, tartan miniskirts, crop tops, and tracksuits all could be seen. It was like the past was leaking out into the present. Second, though, as Pete had promised, ‘excitement was everywhere.’ Setting up booths all along the main street, vendors sold their wares and new gadgets. Every few stands, an activity or exhibition also stood. Some were as simple as face painting, while others showed technology that seemed both old and yet futuristic… at least to anyone from Earth. “Oh! Easy there little lady!” one of the scientists called out to Ashley as she started leaning in close to machine with a large disc-shaped screen that seemed to glow when she got close. “It might be old, but it’s definitely still active.” “Active?” Ashley took a step back. “As in… dangerous?” “Well…” The Big shook his hand and gave off a distinct vibe that he wasn’t so sure. “I guess it’s all a little relative, and… oh! Dr. Jones!” The Big stepped back himself this time. “I didn’t see you there. Is this… oh yes! This is your Little!” Pete chuckled. “Relax, Kiefer,” he said with an ease and yet dominance toward the fellow Big that seemed like they were both friends and definitely boss and employee. “You talked to me and Dr. Gitau before about your machine being put out here. Being the head of the hypnosis department, I trust his judgement when he said this relic is only about a tenth as powerful as anything we have today.” Pete smiled and took only a step away from the booth before turning back. “But you did switch the plates like I asked, right? The chicken clucking program and not the pacifier dependence one, right?” Kiefer looked wide like he had forgotten, but then quickly nodded his head. “Oh, yes! Totally remembered that! How could I forget that?” Pete smirked and nodded his head. “Well, I’m glad to hear that.” He then placed his hand on Ashley’s shoulder and guided her away. “Come on, Ash. Let’s go find where Betty ran off to.” Both then walked away, but if either had turned back right then, they might have seen Kiefer quickly switch out the programs and then look around to see if anyone had seen. Moving on a little, Pete and Ashley soon found Betty with a bag of caramelized popcorn and looking in wonder over what almost looked like an animal shelter… at least until getting closer, it showed many of the animals… were actually just robots. “See something you like?” Pete asked playfully coming up and hugging from her behind. Betty hunched forward and managed to free herself of his hug before turning around with a handful of popcorn just being shoved into her mouth, her face looking a little guilty. “No, I just…” She smiled and put her hands up as best she could in surrender to being caught without dropping the popcorn. “I just found they had brought these little beauties back out. Did you ever get a robot pet when you were younger, Pete?” Pete shook his head. “No. only the real thing for my parents. These were… a little outside of our price range.” Ashley stepped forward and looked intently at the robot dog before her… looking like something closely resembling a pug. “Robot dogs? Isn’t it a little… gimmicky?” A new Big then stepped up before either Betty or Pete could answer. “Nonsense! These here represent the latest and greatest in AI technology… at least when Peirama was first founded.” He then took a breath, but maybe not hearing the applause he seemed to desire, flipped one of the dogs upside-down and clicked a switch.” Almost immediately, it came to life. It was missing the covering to its ear and front leg, giving it a semi-terminator feel to it… one that seemed to unnerve Ashley a little as she scooted back closer to Betty. “Still works I see,” Pete noted. “Fascinating field. Hard to believe that these then turned into toys for Littles.” “Oh yes!” the Big exclaimed. “Been working on a new project for years now. Have a whole line-up prepared too! Just need approval to launch the franchise!” he then turned around hurriedly and began shuffling with some papers. “I even have some of the concept art here. I kind of want it to be a squad of dogs to help fight crime and their leader would be called Da…” “Thank you,” Pete said, holding up his hand to stop the excited Big, “but I think we just wanted to look for today. How about you send the specs to me tomorrow at the office and I can look them over. Might be good to get at least one stamp of approval before sending it to HQ, right?” The Big looked like he would explode from tears of joy or from peels of pure untamed excitement. “Oh yes, oh yes, sir! Thank you, sir! You have no idea how much this means to me!” Without batting an eye, the Big came over and forcibly shook Pete’s hand. Pete winced slightly and slowly took his hand back. “Yeah… just send the specs.” Once again placing his hand on Ashley’s back, he directed her and Betty away… the Big left behind and still nearly squealing with delight. Several booths later, Ashley was starting to slow down and her face turned pensive until finally, she turned to Pete once they stopped at the main town square. “So… this is an exhibit on all things old… and new, but… where’s all the portal technology? I don’t know a whole lot about the company, but… didn’t the company basically invent portal travel? I think that would be a bigger deal to be shown at least once.” Pete paused and looked at her with a nearly shocked expression. “Oh… yeah. That.” He sighed. “That is us, but that took place in another facility. We needed a larger power source to get those experiments up and running… which is why our headquarters is still over there in upstate New Eboracum. It’s a good testing facility, but… it’s no Peirama…” Ashley nodded and then looked around. “So… they still conduct portal experiments there, or…?” Pete shook his head. “No. Not really anymore. Their initial experiments were groundbreaking, but without them using the soft spots that we initially used in our experiments here before switching the project over there, they started to tear a hole in the reality between our dimensions. Caused a lot of burning experiments and more than a few smoking random Littles getting dropped over here by accident.” “They did?” There was a discernable amount of fear in Ashley’s voice and her eyes… only accentuated by her fingers rubbing together nervously. Pete nodded, but Betty spoke up instead. “They did,” she confirmed. “So, they shut the project down. You know… sometimes, we discover we’ve gone too far or just far enough… and stop.” There was something about the way she said that narrowed Ashley’s eyes… almost like she was trying to imply something rather than just outright say it to Pete. For his part, Pete reluctantly nodded. “Yes… you’re right. But that’s also why that facility now focuses more on domestic products. We learned our lesson and took the corrective actions since then.” Betty seemed ready to snap back, but Ashley questioned her first. “Wait… domestics?” Betty’s pensive look then gave way to her usual smile… almost like Ashley was a tiny bright spot in her life recently. “Yes, sweetie. Domestic products, like… household cleaners or food, clothing… really anything that you find around the home… rather than something that should always be left in a lab.” She paused and took a breath. “We now control things like that here at this facility… for better or worse…” Ashley was clearly just about to ask more questions, but a bump from behind by a hurried Big sent the trio all stumbling forward. Pete dusted himself off first and made sure that both Ashley and Betty were okay. “Alright… I guess we need to take that as a sign to move.” He then directed his hand toward the other booths and stalls. “Shall we?” Ashley and Betty dusted themselves off a little more and then both nodded at the same time. * * * Day 101 – 1:11 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The fair was just about as exciting as can be and often, the trio semi-family walked along together and even smiled. It was a rare quality in Pete, but now, he seemed to be opening up more… and stopped being nasty and grumpy all the time from his job. Betty just seemed happy being outside with her husband and her Little. For Ashley though… she was nearly overwhelmed with the sheer number of things to do here that the trio soon walked up to. A good lunch of burgers, hotdogs, watermelon, beans, chips and dip, and almost every other party food one could have during the summer was at their fingertips. Admitting only to herself a bit, Ashley was a little bored, but it didn’t take long for the trio to get right back at it after they pitched their trash. They started slowly to aid in digestion, but by the end of the line of tents and stalls, they had both seen and done so much in such a short period. Experiments still seemed to hover in the back of each of their minds… all having appeared like they were from the past and future and ranged from everything that included genetically enhanced food to hover bikes or an ounce of fuel being able to take a car halfway across the country. Even for the Bigs in their more advanced society and exposed to new wonders all the time in town, they seemed genuinely in awe for what they kept seeing. For Ashley though, all that was good, but any observer would see that her face was far more lit up with the rides being offered than the technology being displayed. It gave her excitement, but comparing a device to make hair grow faster to all the other amusements was just an unequal comparison for someone needing to unwind a little. Looking ahead, there was one large Ferris wheel, a merry-go-round, a tiny bumper car building, and even a mini rollercoaster set up in a now empty parking lot. Pulling Pete or Betty along with her, it didn’t take long for her to have done every single one of them. So, by the time she got the bouncy house and bounced for at least twenty minutes straight, there was almost a little relief on her face when Betty finally pulled her out. “Come on, Ash. Put your shoes on,” she commanded. “You have to be at least a little exhausted by now, and besides… the mayor is about to give his big speech. Pete’s gone ahead to get us some spots.” “Mayor?” Ashley asked, getting one shoe on her foot first as her body tiredly swayed slightly. “Peirama has a… mayor?” Betty chuckled and then handed Ashley her second shoe. “Yep! They stick mostly to the main facility, but yes. We have a mayor. So, come on and hurry up! We don’t want to miss what he has to say! A few years ago, it allowed for adoption parameters to open up. If he hadn’t done that, you wouldn’t even be here right now.” It was all very curious toward the journalist Little, but hurrying away, just as Betty had noted, Pete had saved them some great spots… which included a large bench that Ashley could easily stand on while not being in anyone’s view and still have a good view of the stage that had been set up in front of town hall. Which is why when the music started up, it didn’t take long at all for Ashley to soon get a good view of the mayor… much to her dismay. “Wait… Mr. Vasiliou? He’s mayor?” Ashley’s eyes widened. ‘Wow! No wonder he had that house and all those photos. And Nancy… I wonder if I’ll see her…’ Pete only nodded his head and pressed his pointer finger to his lips to quiet her shock down. Seemingly full of more pomp and circumstance than any mayoral quality at first, for the moment, though, Mayor Vasiliou just smiled and waved towards the cameras. Finally, though, he spoke to the crowd into the array of microphones set up before him on the podium. “Greetings my fellow townspeople! It is my honor to officially declare the 59th anniversary of this place, and frankly, I couldn’t be staring and be honored by a better crowd.” Some awed over him while others seemed more skeptical… “Now, as far as our accomplishments… well, they’re up and better than ever! I would just love to go over the details now, but time is limited today. I mean, who wants to bake out in this heat, right?” A few people laughed at that. Mayor Vasiliou smiled and almost seemed to be ready to wrap up, but he then held one hand out to silence the crowd. “Hold on though… before we break out the snow cones, I want to praise one of them at least.” He then gestured over to their group. “Most recently, we took our hardworking team, led by our own Dr. Peter Jones…” Many of the audience clapped before the mayor could even finish. Mayor Vasiliou smiled, though this time seemed a little more crooked… envious even. “Yes, yes. Excellent news! A complete success in nearly every category of potential improvement. And… I can even say that things have never been better, but…” He paused and gestured toward offstage. “There’s just too many who helped to name…” One by one, each of the more hidden leaders came up It was all good and a point of pride for the company in a big way lately, and even Pete was included in all the one’s being cheered for… but Ashley hardly paid attention to them… or even Mayor Vasiliou. She was trying to find Nancy, and while it took her awhile, she finally spotted her… Problem was… she was on her carer’s lap… not her Bigs. While that might have been a positive concept… that she didn’t need her Big that badly, her spastic movements indicated anything but good with her. Frankly, Ashley looked on in a little disgust as she eyed her old friend, now looking like the epitome of toddler cuteness. ‘Shoot! I really just want to run up there and give her a big hug for me seeing her again, but…’ She looked back up at the stage and right then, Nancy only giggled and drooled a little at some joke Mayor Vasiliou had just made. Worse, as Mayor Vasiliou next droned on about their newest drug, the timing of Nancy coming out like that on stage seemed too perfect to be a mere coincidence. The notion that the mayor would display his own Little like that to show off a drugs potential… Ashley doubled over for a moment and held her mouth. ‘Shoot, I think I’m going to be sick…’ It took a moment, but as the mayor was ending his speech, Ashley was finally able to take a breath and color soon returned to her cheeks. Now, looking back at Nancy… there seemed to be a little flicker in her eye as Nancy rolled her eye. It was small, but still… Ashley had hope for her. ‘Okay… regressed but… maybe I can work with what I’m seeing there. Maybe the other stuff is nothing permanent and her cheeky side is her real side… maybe it’s…’ Ashley looked back up on stage and placed her hand over her heart as if she was about to take a solemn pledge for her friend. ‘Okay… yes… I need to help her. I need to check on you…’ Ashley then took a giant breath of air. ‘Okay… here we go. I swear it now, Nancy… I’ll find you and help you.’’ * * * Day 101 – 2:26 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley seemed frantic after the speech. Mr. Vasiliou could have talked about all sorts of things that the company was doing here that Ashley had witnessed firsthand, but he didn’t. One of the scientists had even launched a rocket around the moon a few weeks ago and another was getting close to perfecting a new form of fireproof clothing. All that could have been announced… but he didn’t. Instead, he focused on a regression formula and then almost seemed to show off the direct result of that… his Little, Nancy. Based on her shaky looks, it was clearly still bothering Ashley. Now, and likely part of that drive, Ashley pushed through the crowd. At first, she appeared collected… a little distressed, yes, but not prone to her now unfortunately more usual emotion outbursts. As she passed each booth though, her lower lip trembling, she seemed to be losing that fight once again… at least until she came to the petting zoo. Even then, many Bigs looked at her with skepticism and even Ashley seemed hesitant to enter, but that was for one simple reason… In Little culture, there are different tiers of regression. Age becomes just a number, particularly when there seems to be little difference between a 20-year-old pooping their diaper versus a 40-year-old. So, the likes or abilities of a Little came into play much more prominently… and places like the petting zoo were usually a hallmark of either animal lovers or regressed Littles. Stepping through the gate, Ashley clearly wasn’t either one, so it was only natural for Betty and Pete to stop her before another Big could. “Ash, wait!” Betty called out, pulling her close in with one arm while Pete pulled her in from his side with one of his. “Talk to us. Why… why are you going in there?” Both Bigs seemed to look at the animal enclosure like it was some sort of hidden trap… or like there was some lurking gross aspect of the place that Ashley didn’t know about. If Ashley noticed, she didn’t give any indication as such now. “I…” Ashley had become quicker on her feet having to come up with so many white lies or fabrications of the truth, but being so focused on Nancy, she apparently had forgot to think of one. So, falling back to an old tactic, she scrunched her brow. “Wait… do I really need a reason? I mean, it’s an open enclosure and just look around! There’s cuteness everywhere! Isn’t it just possible that I might need a dose of innocence and cuteness in my life today?” Both Bigs seemed stunned. “Well, no, but… I… I mean…” Betty was unusually tripping over her words. As opposed to any other time in the past three months, her confidence in dealing with Ashley right then seemed to be non-existent. From his self-assured look, that wasn’t the case for Pete though. So, patting his wife on the shoulder and allowing her to quit while she was ahead, he shook his head toward Ashley. “No, of course, not, Ash. We just wanted to make sure that you were okay. I know you saw Nancy and…” “I’m fine!” Ashley nearly spat, though from her look afterward, her outburst seemed entirely accidental. Seeming like he might have understood that was just an accident, Pete only nodded at first and simply moved on without raising his voice. “Well… then that’s okay. Betty and I are just going to sit on the bench and talk a little bit with the other Bigs while you have fun and…” “Dr. Jones!” A slightly shorter and scrawny, and clearly out of breath Big in a lab coat came running over. “Bad news! Bad news!” Stopping in front of Pete, he had to take a second to take in some air, but when the color finally returned to his face, the young scientist looked back at Pete. “The transfer… it’s… it’s doing what you predicted, sir…” Pete sighed heavily and stroked his temples. “Shoot… I…” He grimaced and then turned to Ashley and Betty. “I’m so sorry you two, but… work calls. We’re transferring all of our files from paper to digital form and… the stupid server has been acting up. Should have taken a week… but that was almost three weeks ago now…” His bitterness of the project was clear. “Oh… that’s okay,” Betty conceded. “You go and fix what needs fixing. Ashley and I will stay here and wait for you to get back. Just… hurry.” Pete sighed and nodded before giving Betty a quick hug and kiss goodbye and Ashley a tiny little wave. Like Betty had done at first, there looked like a desire to do more with his Little… like a hug or kiss, but the Little held himself back and then quickly ran off. For Ashley, with Betty now sitting, she took the moment to head off herself into the crowded pen. Goats, sheep, ponies, and even a few animals that had long gone extinct on Earth were all present and some were even miniaturized for the clearly intended mentally younger audience. As Ashley sniffed the air, her right eye twitched a little. ‘Oof! Can’t tell if that smell is the animals or the Littles!’ Still, she ventured on… passing animal after animal in trying to find her old friend… whom she had last seen taking off in this direction. Due the size needs of the pen, there wasn’t much else over in this direction… not unless Nancy and her new apparently self-titled ‘governess’ had wanted to go to the barber shop or laundromat instead. Finally, pushing past the piglets, Ashley found Nancy… seemingly entranced by a litter of puppies. Creeping up to her, Ashley made sure to look around. ‘If that governess sees me… I’m a dead Little. She made it very clear that I could never see Nancy again and… Mr. Vasiliou even made sure she was transferred to a private nursery up at the main facility to ensure that after… well, after Tish…’ The Middle hadn’t been seen since, and Ashley had occasionally wondered about how she could just ‘disappear.’ After seeing that Mr. Vasiliou was mayor though… the mystery of how at least now seemed solved. “Nance?” Ashley questioned hesitantly while trying to position herself behind a larger but stationary Little to keep mostly hidden from the governess. “Nancy? Can you… can you understand me?” She stepped around the Little, still entranced with the puppies all around her, and snapped a few lengths of straw on the ground all the while maintaining her cover. Nancy seemed to have heard and looked up and smiled widely back at Ashley. “Nancy! Howww wuu dooo?” her words were slow… dulled… slurred… like her eyes. The flame of intelligence that Ashley had once been so enamored with was now gone. “Hey, Nance… I…” Ashley clearly gave an effort to smile for her friend, but from the tiny facial tics all over her face, it was apparently a near impossible task. Somone might have thought she was judgmental, but looking at Nancy, her pacifier clipped to her almost form-fitting pink shortalls with little white polka dots on them, or the large bow holding back her now undyed hair, or her jutted and shaky movements as she tried something as simple as to pet a puppy, or maybe it was even her diaper bulge smelling of all sorts of things… but it was hard to blame Ashley for her stare. “Ashy? Wha's wongy-wong?” she asked in a sing-song voice, her eyes slightly sad but still as big an as innocent as ever. “I… I…” Ashley shook her head. Close inspection showed a tear falling down her cheek. The Little was fighting back her emotions in seeing her friend like this after all this time… and was obviously failing. Nancy might have been regressed mentally and her skills certainly lacking, but her emotional intelligence still seemed more or less intact. The worried Little probably saw the tear fall and reacted quickly. In one motion, she set the puppy down and then lunged into Ashley. “Oh, Ashy! No teewies! Bee happee! Bee happee wike me. Bee wike me!” The words seemed to make Ashley’s skin crawl, but she didn’t rip away from the hug from her old friend either. ‘She’s gone… Nancy is gone. I knew that before, but… I always held out hope. Now… a month into this madness… she’s gone forever. Her brain’s shrunk permanently, and her muscular control has deteriorated all over. Definitely in terms of…’ Ashley coughed. ‘Potty training…’ Ashley then broke the hug and shook her head. “No, Nance. I can’t join you.” This time, it was Nancy’s turn for her bottom lip to wobble. “Buh why? You saddy waddy now buh you can be wike me! You can get fwiixed an’ be aww happy wike me! Don’ you wanna pway too?” Ashley could only shake her head at first. Her plans of coming in so strong and forceful… maybe even to save Nancy and save her like she was doing with Ron were now going up in flames. She swallowed hard and shook her head. “No, Nance. I’m sure it’s… fun, but… I’m a… big girl…” Ashley winced at those words, but she was experienced with Littles enough now to know that mentally regressed Littles only saw Bigs as adults. For whatever reason, anyone saying something different was just wrong to them. “Oh…” Nancy looked sad and down at the mulch for a moment, but like any toddler-brained Little, it didn’t last long. In every book, if there was ever an author trying to find a silver lining… that was it. Nothing lasted forever, and while that hurt some things… pain leaving quickly wasn’t one of them. “Den how 'bout we pway wif da puppers? Dey're aww so funnies an’ cuddly-wuddly an’ soooft...” Nancy wasted no time and brought up a puppy to rub against her cheek. She held that puppy for a moment and then turned back to Nancy. “Dey wike wittle stuffies! Hewe!” She shoved the puppy previously held against her cheek right toward Ashley. “Twy one!” But almost acting like it was a snake coming for her, Ashley jumped up and back and shook her head. “No, no, Nance. I can’t. I have to…” She winced and just continued to shake her head. With her emotions in such flux lately, any observer of Ashley could see that she was about to burst into tears at any moment. “I have to go. I think I hear Betty calling, okay?” “Oh…” The Little pulled the puppy back and cradled it in her arms. “Dat's otay! Jus’ come back tomowwow! Mebbe den we can pway wif my new stuffies an’ Dadee can take us out for ice cweam!” Ashley seemed to muster all her strength and nod. “Yeah… that sounds great, Nance. I’ll… I’ll see you then.” With that, Ashley took off away from her friend… now seemingly so stuck in the moment that all concept of time had eroded from her mind. ‘She’s so far gone now… I don’t even think she’s aware that she hasn’t seen me in a month now… darn it… stupid town…’ The tears welled in her eyes. She swallowed several times as she exited the petting zoo pen and kept walking… even blowing past Betty by accident. For her, everything else didn’t seem to matter… only getting away from the devastation seen in her old friend seemed to matter. “Ash! Ash! Ash!” As Ashley finally stopped, her name being called out kept getting louder and louder, until finally, Betty caught up with the bereaved Little. “Ash… didn’t you hear me calling your name?” She seemed like she was looking for an answer and an apology, but the Big then paused and frowned. “Ash? Is everything okay? Did something happen in the petting z…?” But Ashley didn’t let her finish her question… only collapsing right into her arms by that side stone bench just off Main Street. Some other Bigs looked on… some Littles judged… but it seemed like Ashley didn’t care… especially when she burst out into tears. Betty seemed horrified at first, but her usual sweet and warm smile took over. Her experience knew just what to do as she hugged the Little back and stroked her finger through her hair with one hand as her other hand stroked her back. “Shhh… shhh… it’s going to be okay, sweetie. You just let it out. I’m here… I’m not going anywhere…” Ashley could only nod and cry more. Her nerves were bad enough but with Nancy… Ashley’s resistance to the hardships of this place seemed to be eroding. For the moment though, the saddened Little didn’t seem to care. Right then, only the hug and comfort of the Big in front of her looked like it mattered. * * * Day 101 – 3:43 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Betty was kind, smart, and sweet towards Ashley… something that still seemed to puzzle most other Bigs and observers of the relationship. What’s more, without either maybe even realizing it, their bond had transcended another boundary… going from more of friends and maybe a medical or comforting caregiver type of relationship… to one much more resembling that of mother and daughter. In a roundabout way, they had achieved what millions of Bigs forced onto Littes and spent untold amounts of money on each year. Pete seemed to notice, but he never said a word. But through their relationship-dynamic these days, there appeared to almost be an obligation for Betty to make things right however she could with Ashley. Considering the Little’s propensity to keep her mind mostly intact in a town full of such experimental procedures… that task tended to happen a lot. For Betty, the comfort towards Ashley after her meeting with Nancy, though still unknown to the Big, was a little more intense, but she soon plied her little fixes to get the Little to smile once again. Fortunately, the fair was still going strong, and while several other Bigs offered several intrusive practices to get her to smile once more, Betty kept Ashley close and utilized the fair as much as she could. More snacks, games, entertainment, and then finally the bouncy house… but all still failed to raise her spirits. In fact, as the tired-out Little exited the bouncy house, she just looked hot. “Whew! Can we not do that again? Please? I just… I need to rest for a second.” Betty sighed but nodded. “That’s fine. I just… I wanted to make you feel better, and...” A little bell then sounded out. Both Ashley and Betty looked toward the noise and saw another stand along the street, but instead of fudge or art or crystal or little keepsakes and ornaments, this was a drink stand. Large, colorful, but most importantly… advertising fresh, delicious, and frozen drinks. Neither needed to say a word toward the other to immediately go over and embrace the stand on the hot September day. “Two drinks, please,” Betty requested. “Uh, one… yeah. One cherry and the other…?” She looked down at Ashley. “Watermelon, please,” Ashley said while trying to fan herself under the blazing afternoon sun now. The Big nodded and went right to work as Betty paid. Soon, the Big returned and cheerfully presented the two drinks, both glistening from the condensation forming on the outside of the cold beverages. Slipping away after thanking her, both Ashley and Betty finally seemed to get a little relief as they sucked down their own drinks respectively. For Ashley, fresh from bouncing in the bouncy house and maybe even a little dehydrated from her tears earlier, her drink went down much faster than Betty’s. There were even times she got a brain freeze… like just now. “Ooh. Looks like a bad one,” Betty cooed. “Trying breathing up hot air or rub your throat. It will pass, but… maybe slow down and drink it easily. I know it’s hot, but that’s what…? Your third in the past few minutes?” “Fourth,” Ashley confirmed, still wincing a little. “Right.” Betty rubbed her shoulder tenderly. “Just remember to take your time and maybe actually enjoy it. I know it’s hot, but we’re not in a race.” “Speak for yourself!” Pete noted as he came over and scoffed a bit. Both Ashley and Betty looked to his return with glee in their eyes. Betty quickly got up and hugged her husband. “Babe! You made it out! Is everything…?” “Done?” Pete guessed, eliciting a small nod from Betty. “Sadly, no, but I think the patch should hold for now with my files at least. Definitely going to be a headache next week when I hand it off to the next manager and head of department. Can’t say I’m looking forward to that, but…” Pete then paused and looked closely at the two cups in his two favorite women’s hands… with both fear and suspicion. “Where did you get those?”” “These?” Betty asked after taking another sip and then holding her cup up, now about 1 third of the way empty. “Yes,” Pete confirmed irately, almost like he was in a hurry now. “Those.” Betty seemed to grow concerned and even frowned but then pointed over to the tent that she and Ashley had just come from and bought the two drinks. “Over there…” Her stared narrowed. “But… is there a problem, Pete?” Pete angrily nodded and quickly marched over to the stand, Betty and Ashley quickly following behind. “Hilda!” he stormed. “What the heck? We talked about this several times last weekend. I told you that you could not put your stand out here after you pitched your idea of what to show off!” The Big glared back at Pete. “But it’s a great idea and what’s more… you know it!” She stepped forward and looked like she wanted to spit in his face. “You know… before they came along, you would have done anything to advance a goal. Now, you’re all soft because of…” “That’s enough,” Pete shot back. “You will shut this stand down now and pack up and leave, or so help me…” His fists cracked under the strain of his gripped appendages. If one was to have looked closely, they might have seen his nails digging into his palms. “Just shut it down. I’ll be back in ten minutes with the police if you aren’t at least headed back at the main facility… capiche?” Hilda almost snarled back but then nodded her head. “Yes… sir.” Pete then led his group away, but Ashley and Betty followed after him once more. Enduring the silence no longer when they finally were mostly alone off to the side of the vendors… seemingly on purpose with everyone who had been staring at them afterward, Betty spoke up and slightly shoved him in the shoulder. “Okay, Pete. What was that? What is going on? Is there a problem? Did we drink…?” “No, no,” Pete confirmed, still looking a little salty. “I promise. Nothing bad in your drink or poisonous, but…” His eyes then floated over to Ashley… more specifically, her nearly finished drink. “But Ashley…” He sighed and looked mournfully at the Little. Clutching her stomach, Ashley set her drink aside like it was poison, as she clutched her stomach… her nerves likely playing up once more. “See… Hilda is part of my department… more specifically though, she’s part of the group designing various methods for…” He then lowered his voice. “Discreet methods of Little regression. Not in terms of loss of mental or physical forms though… more that it increases the chances for a Little to be caught and then regressed.” Ashley blinked back for a moment and then, with her voice cracking a little, she asked one simple question. “So… what does it do exactly?” “Well…” Pete sighed and subbed his face. “More specifically, it targets your muscles. So, for the next few days at least… though it depends on the dosage, you’ll be more uncoordinated, and…” A faint trickle could be heard. Pete’s and Betty’s faces dropped and looked horrified towards Ashley. “Including your muscles below… like those responsible for potty training…” Ashley frowned at the news but then she tilted her head slightly. ‘Why are they staring at me, and what was that sound? And… what is that… wet… sensation?’ Her eyes widened and her gaze slowly lowered… stopping right at the perfect view of a large wet patch now having grown over her entire crotch… her pull-up not only leaking but seemingly failing completely. “Oh no! How…?” Ashley looked up in complete despair. Betty immediately rushed over and threw her drink away before getting in front of the Little. “Easy there. Easy there, Ash. This isn’t your fault…” “No,” Pete said coldly. “It isn’t…” He then marched closer to them. “I promise… Hilda will pay for this. She…” It then looked like he remembered something more and whispered it into Betty’s open ear. Ashley apparently didn’t like that. “Stop keeping secrets! This is me! Tell me! Please! I… I can take it. I wanna know! I… I need to know!” Pete sighed and nodded. “Very well… I just… I remembered that this won’t be the major accident you’ll have from the drink. I said it would last only a little bit hopefully, but… it also acts as a bit of a diuretic… so big accidents are going to happen.” He winced. “So, your pull-ups… won’t be enough…” Ashley frowned. ‘I really don’t like the sound of this, but… no, no, Ash. Confirm first. Don’t let your fears take over. Get him to tell you. No secrets… no secrets…’ Ashley took a deep breath in. “Tell me plainly…” She sniffled, a bout of new tears seemingly coming soon. “What does that mean?” Pete seemed more at a loss for words now, so, Betty stepped in instead. “Ash… what that means is… you’ll have less control and bigger accidents. Your pull-up just won’t be able to cope.” She sighed and seemingly looked back at Ashley with all the hope, warmth, and care she could muster right then. “So… what we’re saying is… you’ll need to wear a diaper now.” * * * Day 101 – 4:18 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 It was a bit of a minor miracle that Ashley didn’t snap or break down right on the spot when she was told that she was going to be diapered. Thoughts of her excursion to the mall seemed to haunt her horribly still and she shook terribly after the realization sunk in over what was going to happen to her next. As a result, Pete bought a blanket to wrap her up in and Betty then carried her toward a changing facility. “Shhh, shhh,” Betty hushed Ashley as they walked by crowds of people. “We’re almost there. Just keep your eyes closed and let me do the walking for you.” Behind her, Pete walked diligently with what was now going to be Ashley’s official diaper bag, it’s colorful floral décor still shining out in the bright sun of the day. Finally, the trio arrived at a far restroom. “Okay, we’re here.” She then reached out and Pete handed her the diaper bag. “Okay. We’re going to go inside. Maybe you go and get a treat for us afterward while you wait?” Pete nodded. “I’m on it.” He then sighed, briefly looked at Ashley and almost like he was going to speak up and give her some glimpse of comfort but then shook his head and took off. “I swear… one day that man will open up…” Betty sighed and pushed forward into the restroom, soon locking the door behind her. “Sorry that took so long to get over here, but I figured you might want some privacy, and this is one of the few restrooms that can accommodate that here today.” Ashley nodded, but likely due to her emotional state and growing numbness to everything, she remained quiet and pliable under Betty’s ministrations as she set her down on a solid countertop that housed a long, padded surface and a single buckle half placed to either side. Looking at Ashley, Betty seemed distressed but soon put a priority on what she had to do here. Utilizing the ample surface of the changing surface, she prepared everything that she would need… wipes, powder, cream, and even a little ointment… just in case. Finally, she turned back to Ashley. “Okay. I’m all ready except for one thing…” She then wordlessly gestured over to a vending machine of sorts built into the wall containing only one type of item… diapers. Of course, there were several different types to choose from, and while patterns couldn’t be selected, sizes, features, and thicknesses could all be sorted and selected. “Now,” Betty continued, “which do you want?” “I don’t care,” Ashley said resignedly. “You choose…” Betty’s cheerful expression faded, but with a little reluctance, she still hit a few numbers and pulled out a single diaper from the dispensary chute at the bottom. “Okay… here we go. It’s a little thicker than a starter diaper might be, but with the medicine… I don’t think you want to leak again. Plus, it even has some gels that can help prevent chaffing or rashes. Not bad, right?” Ashley didn’t respond and only looked at the object before her with a sense of complete dread. Likely sensing the defeat in her Little, Betty sighed and set the diaper down. “Okay… I guess we just need to get this over with… and you out of those clothes…” Without saying another word, Betty then pulled the Little to her feet, and with only minimal assistance from Ashley, she was soon stripped of her jean shorts and tucked-in t-shirt. Due to the nature of her outfit, everything now had to be replaced. Easing her down, Betty smiled about as warmly and gently as she ever could. “Okay, sweetie. I’ll go about as quick as I can. I’ll keep this about as strictly professional as I can, okay? I promise… no babytalk but I will make sure to use as many gentle touches as I can…” Like her absent thoughts, Ashley didn’t respond. “Ash… I know this is hard,” Betty conceded. “But please… just give me a thumbs up or a nod or even a grunt will do. I know this isn’t your fault and you’re definitely not in trouble. We just… we need to make sure you don’t leak again. I really do wish we could keep you in pull-ups but…” “I understand…” Ashley responded shakily, like any minute she could bubble over with emotions once more today. “I just…” She shut her eyes like all this would go faster somehow but then reopened them and focused on the ceiling high above… seemingly doing everything in her power to ignore the nearby mirror showing her newfound vulnerability. “Please… just do this fast. I don’t know how long I can last in this position without breaking down today…” Betty nodded. “Promise…” So, as good as her word, Betty remained silent throughout the whole process. Stripping the Little, her fingers guided along gently… even when that meant leaving Ashley in only her Little’s camisole. Ashley shuddered under the cold and whimpered in mortification at now being totally exposed to Betty. Yes, her nightly accidents and daily pull-ups had shown off more skin than the Little ever would have wanted, but lying there… it seemed to be a whole new concept for her to wrap her mind on. Considering her silent tears, she looked like she was doing about as best as she could. For Betty, her eyes screamed sympathy and a desire to do something more… say something more even, but she had made a promise, and despite her own struggle, if there was a way to push beyond what she wanted, she would do it. Instead, she just focused on her main task… even if every move she made seemed to elicit a pitiful whimper from the Little now lying before her. It was difficult, but the application of wipes and powder went quickly. Betty, from her years of experience in the neighborhood with other Littles, knew just how many wipes to pull or how much powder to sprinkle without causing a giant cloud to form. They were subtle skills, but her mastery was clear… despite this being the first diaper she had ever actually put on Ashley. Before, with the mall incident, she had only taken the diaper’s tapes off and left the rest to Ashley all alone before a shower. Now, the bond between the two seemed shaky but strengthening at the same time. Still, as soon as it had begun, Ashley had been wiped and powdered and even some cream had been applied as a ‘just in case’ measure. Then, the diaper was laid out under her fully, spread out and then pulled up between her legs. Based on Ashley’s look, almost anything else might have been better than that one moment. But still… even as Betty taped the sides of the diaper inward, there was a clear resignation from Ashley… but almost a sigh of relief as well. Being a privileged Little in Peirama, she was one of the few that had last so long without diapers. Plus, the incident at the mall was brutal, demoralizing, and above all, rough. ‘Betty… I didn’t want to be diapered ever, but if it had to be someone… you helped me like no one else could. No babytalk, no cooing… only gentleness and kindness. I will forever hate this fate of mine, but… you made it at least tolerable…’ Betty then pulled the Little to her feet and quickly dressed her in a simplistic onesie… though the pattern was plain and non-babyish, and a pair of shortalls. It was toddler-chic for sure but compared to nearly every other outfit out and about today, Ashley still maintained a slim portion of dignity and maturity. “Alrighty then…” Betty began after a while of silence and her placing all the items back into her now diaper bag. “I need to use the restroom myself, so… can I trust you to just stay up here for a minute? I don’t want you wandering around quite yet. These diapers can take a second to get used to and I don’t want you falling down and hurting yourself, okay?” “Okay…” Ashley said with a sound of defeat. Betty sighed, rubbed her cheek tenderly and then entered the nearby stall. While she waited though, Ashley took a deep breath and finally looked in the mirror. ‘Okay… honestly, not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Definitely could have been worse, and… this diaper…’ Ashley’s hand slid alongside the back of her shortalls. Even through the material, she could feel the slight crackle of her new undergarment and in the mirror, worse yet, she could see a bulge now… one much bigger than she ever could have gotten with her previously simple pull-up. Simply put, everyone would know of her new lowly status. ‘That’s not good… What the heck will Brother say? Will he reject me now? Have I crossed a line here? Is this an emergency or… shoot. Definitely not good no matter what and…’ Ashley shook her head. ‘No… take a breath and calm down. This is… a setback, but Pete did say temporary… right?’ Ashley didn’t seem sure what he said about the longevity of this, but even the possibility of this not being forever temporarily put a smile on her face… one that only seemingly grew as she looked back at her reflection and wiggled a little. She had put up an emotional wall… but that seemingly only did so much. Letting out a small crinkle and feeling the voluminous but smooth diaper on her skin… Ashley couldn’t help but let out a little giggle at her new sensations over her terrible new paradigm. ‘Some connection between tragedy and comedy, right?’ “Is someone being naughty out there?” Betty asked from inside the stall, her tone both playful and yet a little stern with a mild warning to it. “No!” Ashley replied quickly, her cheeks turning about three shades at least of red. ‘Shoot! That was too close to actually… enjoying this stupid stuff! Crud! Am I losing it here already? Is this how I slip? How I go?’ Ashley winced at the notion but ultimately shook her head and stood about as still as she could until Betty finally flushed and left the stall. * * * Day 102 – 4:56 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The next day, Ashley had been given the choice of returning to daycare or not. After she had been diapered during the Founder’s Day Fair, she had been dour and quiet. Betty and Pete had tried their best to lift her spirits, but after an hour of trying and failing, they all decided it was best to just go home. For the rest of the afternoon and into the night, Ashley tried to prove she was a self-described ‘big girl,’ but never could quite make it to the potty on time. So, for today, Betty and Pete had given her a choice. The drug that had been slipped into her drink wasn’t going away… her three wet diapers since the fair yesterday were sadly evidence to that, so, she could either go to daycare where the attendants would change her on her very first day of being diapered, or she could stay at home and try to get used to them and hope the drug would be out of her system by Monday of next week. Without hesitation, Ashley had chosen the second option. As both Betty and Pete had jobs though, they had promised to alternate in making sure that Ashley was okay. Pete went first, followed by Betty, and now, once more, it was Pete. He had changed her once already, and while that wasn’t ever going to be Ashley’s highlight for staying at home, he was at least competent, but now… he had gone upstairs to check a few things and take a quick shower. Ashley was trusted enough not to burn the house down while he did so. But Ashley now had a plan. As part of a secondary reasoning for staying home… Ashley had learned of the passcode to get into Pete’s basement office last week. Since she had found out though, she never had a moment to herself… until now. “Okay… here we go…” Ashley took a deep breath and walked to the number pad just above the handle. ‘Okay… 12142031… Geesh, Pete… you just had to pick Betty’s birthdate. Cute, but… it only took me three tries to get in here.’ Fortunately, Ashley realized that a single incorrect code wouldn’t cause a problem after Pete had slipped a few weeks ago and entered the wrong code. No guns… no lasers… just an annoying error message. So, Ashley had simply gone through all the obvious passwords… one each day until she found the right one. So, now, pushing the checkmark button, the door clicked and then opened by itself. Ashley could only look down with bated breath. ‘Whew… here we go…’ With shaky knees, Ashley took her first step and descended downward. Fortunately, after a small confirmation from Pete, she knew there weren’t any traps once someone had entered the code, so once she was down and observing the major lab that took up the bottom portion of the house… she was in. Her jaw nearly fell to the floor. Equipment of all kinds was stacked everywhere. Beakers were all categorized by size and some in a nearby refrigerator glowed or oozed with a regularity that unnerved Ashley a little bit… especially after seeing a nuclear warning sign outside one of the vials. ‘Holy… what are you working on in here, Pete?’ But the Little shook her head and pushed onward. It had taken the mist starting to take away her emotional control and potty training for Ashley to develop a deep respect for the hazards of Pete’s experiments and his lab now. Push the wrong button or tip the wrong jar and… it wasn’t even worth thinking about because it had the potential to be so horrible. Pete was a good guy… Ash knew that now, but his science… ‘Why couldn’t I get the Big creating new dog breeds designed to be cute?’ Ashley shook her head and pushed onward to the far side of the lab, where a nearly out of place wooden desk was positioned in the corner of the room… surrounded by wood flooring and forest green walls. ‘Is this what the basement looked like before?’ Ashley seemed hesitant to approach, but as she pulled out a now all too familiar list out of her back pocket… her mission was clear. “Okay… I need information to get out of here and maybe even gate security if I can…” Walking over, it turned out that none of the file cabinets were locked. ‘Darn, Pete. Not that I’m complaining but…’ She paused and looked at the folder in her hands. ‘Yeah… a project designed to shoot spacecraft from out of the sky when being used as spy planes… you think you would actually use the lock on these things…’ But the tossed aside lock was nearby and didn’t even come close to protecting his secrets. So, minutes later, Ashley was in and started to look through all what was there. Unfortunately, the information proved less than useful. “What the…?” Ashley stared at a stack of files within a folder… and then another… and then another. ‘Shoot! They’re all redacted!’ Only a handful of words could be seen on any of the documents now in her hands. What the heck is Project Red Moon? Open Sessame? Swan, and… Nurture?’ Each project looked more severe and more barbaric than the last from what she could make out. Signs of portal travel, gender reassignment, genetic manipulation, and about a dozen or so other fields of study and experimentation were being done… but then she got to the personnel section for each thick folder. Some were blurred out from almost seemingly purposeful smudges or were simply wholesale redacted… put under one of the files, Ashley saw Kyle’s name… and under Project Nurture, she saw Ron’s name… as well as a few others. ‘Holy… I’m going to have to write this down…’ Ashley scrambled to find a single sheet of paper and write down as much as she could. Strangely, her handwriting was atrocious, but she still just pushed on and wrote as much as she could… even items in other files more personal… like the keycode to the house’s security system. ‘This is exactly what I need. Pete’s trust in his one lock upstairs is classic! Now, I might just be able to…’ Ashley froze as she heard a creak from the stairs coming downstairs. Panicking, she slammed everything back where she found it, pocketed her notes, and then ran upstairs as fast as her little legs and waddle could take her. Just as Pete entered the room, Ashley had just managed to close the door and then acted like she had just come from some other place. Pete looked at her suspiciously. “Ash… what are you doing by my door?” This time, Ashely had already prepared an excuse. “Oh, I’m sorry. I just… I was looking for a snack. Can you help me?” She then put on her biggest and saddest puppy dog eyes. “Oh, I see…” He seemed a little unconvinced but smiled and shook his head. “Not right now, honey, but Betty is stopping off and getting us all some salads from that place just off Vulcan Avenue downtown.” “Oh!” Betty seemed actually excited. “That’s sounds great. I can definitely wait then!” Without even taking a break, she bounded off and up the stairs to her room. Pete could only blink back in wonder at the disappearing Little. * * * Day 102 – 8:32 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 That night, Ashley kept reading and re-reading her notes from Pete’s basement files. ‘Should I tell anyone? Everyone? Is this the story of Peirama? I mean I didn’t find much but… woah. I never woul…’ “Knock, knock,” Betty said happily, knocking on Ashley’s door before stepping in. For Ashley, her heartbeat probably increased at least twice over and she shut her eyes to calm herself down. Taking a few breaths, she turned around and then opened them as she soon waved to Betty. “You doing okay?” Betty asked, her eyes briefly dipping down… revealing just what she was asking about in her usually general question. Ashley shifted and a small crinkle could be heard. “Fine… Just… fine.” She sighed. “Could be better… you know?” Of course, being a Big, Betty couldn’t know… at least not exactly, but she had empathy and sympathy enough to spare. “Not directly, but I think I can guess…” She then trailed off for a moment. “Maybe though… you’d be interested in a playdate at the park tomorrow with Kyle and Ron? Might be nice to have an escape from all this and just have fun.” She stepped forward and looked at Ashley intensely. “Right?” Ashley hesitated and pushed her paper from downstairs with her back further into the underside of her little desk. ‘Playdate… not the best term to use and hear coming from Betty, but… maybe she picked it up from another Big and it’s nothing permanent.’ So, Ashley nodded. “That sounds nice.” “Perfect.” Betty smiled but that expression wore down a little as she started to approach Ashley. “Now… do you need a change before bed?” It was the simplest of thing to know… but Ashley hadn’t given it any thought… or the fact that she had now been asked the same question in the past day more than she would have ever desired back home. ‘Geesh, Betty! How about a little faith I tell you on my own, huh?’ Still, Ashley knew what she had done on accident a little already since her last change and nodded her head… just like she would be doing for the next few days constantly in this new reality for her. Frankly, seeing her expression, it was enough to pull on the heartstrings of any halfway decent observer. She had less than a week to go before her escape with both Brother and Ron, and like before, the same question popped up in her head and made her sweat over the possibilities: ‘Can I make it until then?’ Simple enough but no matter what happened, either way, Ashley knew deep down that the question would be answered soon.

No worries about the last chapter. I think that just sort of happens on this site sometimes. As far as Project Nurture is concerned, I knew that would be a risk with how I was doing this story. It's one of the big reasons this story went from 10 chapters to now at least 28. I might even add another chapter or two, but for comparison, this next chapter takes place between Project Nurture's chapters 13 and 14... when there's only 16 chapters total (and the last is technically only a briefing session). So, in other words, that plot is going to be wrapped up soon for how it interesects... therefore, new information is definitely coming. Also... no spoilers here, but what a Big sees and what a Little feels can be two separate things... I'm not saying the other story is wrong, but this story might still throw in a few surprises coming up here. Bigs are superior in many ways... but they aren't infalable in their observations or prejudices against Littles.

Hey everyone! I just wanted to give a big shoutout to all of you who are reading this story. It’s always interesting to me to see which story does well on here and which does just okay. So, for a story like this, I can’t tell you all how much each view and read of this means to me. It’s a bonus validation for the time I put into these, and so again, I just want to thank you all so much! Next, just as a reminder, a new poll is up for you all to let me know which story you all would like to read next. Story options and the link can be found back in the beginning of chapters 2 and 14. As I mentioned before though, if you feel more comfortable leaving a comment here or as a private message to me, I will count these as well. Additionally, like before, this poll will be shut down right before I post my final chapter on here. Further announcements will be made regarding this when the time gets closer. Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 19: Brother Is Watching Your Regret “Wow…” Vincent noted as he removed the headset once more. “I can understand why LRG might be so interested in these files now, but I have to ask… why don’t they know more?” Vincent looked at the remaining time on the files and saw that he still had some time left. “I guess even if Ashley gets contacted right away, she’s not just going to get out of there… or maybe something went terribly wrong… or…” Vincent paused and shook his head. “No, Vincent. No. Don’t get ahead of yourself.” He then stood up and retreated to the bathroom. “Take care of yourself first right now… then worry about the Little that you’ve actually never met in person.” As Vincent finished up in the bathroom, while his temples were still a little red, the medical healing cream had worked wonders as was intended. “Great technology, just… steep price to pay when you’re not careful.” Vincent then applied a little more cream and went back to fix some food. Just as he came back and started to slurp up his ready-made soup, he sighed. “Hard to believe all this. If it wasn’t all so secretive, I thought all this would be a publicity stunt of some kind maybe, but… I also know the lengths Bigs will go to when it comes to their Littles. I mean, if a Middle like me still can get harassed, what chance does a Little have at avoiding all this?” As he finished his soup, he turned on the news for a little bit. More Little disturbances and rebellions throughout the world, the independent Little nations trying to maintain their sovereignty, new advances in fuel technology that should lead to total energy independence and removal of fossil fuels in the next year, expansion of life expectancy this year now over 130, peace talks between nations, even a new fertilizer to increase the food output of all crops without taxing the soil… the usual. This world was turning into a near paradise… unless you were a Little. His computer then dinged. Setting his now empty soup bowl away, Vincent leaned in towards his monitor and clicked on the new email… marked “Urgent.” Vincent sighed and read on. “Vincent… the Bigs may have planted a tracker on that bundle of recordings you found. We can’t be sure, but we do know between that possibility and your other work for us… the Bigs are trying to find you. I repeat… you are being tracked. We are creating several false leads and attempting to keep them back, but you should be prepared to move. If there is an Alpha Level alert, we will contact you directly and provide you with coordinates on your LRG personal device only. If you receive any other coordinates, ignore these immediately and delete the message. Good luck. -X” Vincent fell back in his chair and let out a deep breath. “Holy smokes… this is getting serious now. If the Bigs bugged this feed… what the heck did you find, Ashley?” His eyes then glanced over to a large bag… one that had seen some wear over the years… his bugout bag. “Hopefully I don’t need you little buddy, but…” Vincent shook his head and turned back toward his computer before picking up the headset once more. Checking his phone was on vibrate and the loudest notification possible… just in case, Vincent then lowered the headset over his head once more. “Here we go again…” Vincent sighed and then hit the still blinking ‘resume’ button once more. * * * Day 91 – 5:47 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley paced her room hurriedly and with a pensive stare all over her face. ‘Two days. Shoot! Two days… really, LRG? No note? No anything?’ The weight and burden of no letter had been weighing heavily on her mind with each nightly report since she had placed the blue stone on her front porch. Thoughts of doubt seemed to continually swirl about the Little’s overstressed mind, and while the weekend had done her some good… especially with the rescheduled picnic up in the mountains with both Betty and Pete, today wasn’t much better. ‘Darn it, Ron! I just need you to hold on for me. I know it’s gotta be tough, but… is just a little more control too much to ask for?’ Ashley sighed and her mind had clearly bounced to the events of today. Usual and almost boring… except Ron still wasn’t any better. He wasn’t much worse either, but even without being fed an apparently highly sugary cereal on Saturday before daycare, the Little was still falling deep into regression. Diapers were just a part of his life now and at one point Ashley could have sworn she saw her friend touch the rear of his diaper and act shocked that it was messy. ‘No, no, Ash. It was just your imagination, and besides… Simon got in your way when he tried to show you his newest stuffy. Can’t blame the kid, but darn! What horrible timing!’ Ashley shuffled off the thought and continued to pace about, but this time, she frequently returned to her little desk and scribbled out numerous lists and plans. ‘If LRG won’t come through for me, then maybe I need to take matters into my own hands!’ Ashley winced. ‘Just… how do I get past the perimeter of the town without getting caught? For that matter… how do I even get out of the house?’ It was a lot to think about… maybe too much now for the stressed Little still living on a far away planet… not even in the same dimension. Her internal struggle was plainly evident. ‘Maybe if I just had a sign or something? Anything would be better than…’ “Ashley!” Betty called from downstairs. “Mail for you! I don’t recognize it, but it looks interesting.” Ashley’s eyes narrowed. “Mail? For me, and… here?” Ashley’s confusion continued as she walked down the stairs where Betty was waiting for her with the small envelope. “Littles Reclamation Growth?” the Big questioned. “Is this some kind of hippy green thing from daycare or something?” Ashley stared at the envelope in Betty’s hands. ‘Littles Reclamation Growth… I don’t… wait… L…R…G… LRG!’ Almost like she had just received a little shock, Ashley’s eyes popped open, and she faltered for a moment. “Yes, yes! That’s mine. Saving the planet and all. I mean… we learned about renewable energy the other day after all. Why not make this world better, right?” “Right…” Betty didn’t seem as convinced but still handed off the envelope to Ashley. Wasting no time, Ashley took the letter and ran back upstairs. “Thank you!” She didn’t bother looking back toward Betty or even closing the door once she was upstairs and in her room. Betty was pretty insistent on her not doing that lately. It had bothered Ashley at first, but now… she just made sure to be a little more vigilant… especially now as her eyes looked ravenously at the envelope in her hands. Unfortunately, Ashley was still subject to being both a Little and a being a Little under the watchful eye and rules of a pair of Bigs. Neither was terrible, but some policies could really be annoying… like not allowing her any large sharp objects. Even safety scissors were kept downstairs. ‘Darn it! I’ll have to go back down and…’ “Ashley!” Betty called out once more. “Come down and set the table. Pete should be home any moment and I want us to eat together before it’s dark out for once!” Ashley sighed. “Yes, coming!” She could have argued… even for another minute… but that would have led to questions… questions she couldn’t always fake… or remember. So, with clear reluctance, Ashley set the envelope back down. ‘Okay… after dinner…’ * * * Day 91 – 7:59 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley stared at the opened envelope once more after dinner. Pete had talked about several things in town that might be changing, but he at least ended with a positive note over announcing that something called ‘Founder’s Day’ would still occur next Thursday. He didn’t say much that perked Ashley’s attention… except the words ‘exciting’ and ‘no daycare’ that is. Both were good enough to bring a smile to her face. But now, back in her room once again, her attention was fully directed toward the now open envelope. She set the safety scissors down, took a breath, and then pulled out the piece of paper inside. Once again though, it was just a flyer. This time, it announced several initiatives to stay green in the neighborhood and tips and tricks for how each Big, Middle, or Little could help clean-up and keep everything green. It was all wonderous in truth… Earth back home still recovering from decades of pollution, waste, and subsequent wars in the ‘dark times.’ Still, Ashley was much more fascinated by the border… more specifically, the tiny writing etched into the bottom. Grabbing the magnifying glass that she had never returned to Betty, not that the Big minded, Ashley peered down at the writing. “Fellow Little-Greetings and I hope you are well and safe. I will monitor your house tonight and place out a pink stone if you are in danger and need immediate extraction. Otherwise, meet me tomorrow at 11:30 at your daycare’s playground by the far fence to discuss your needs further. Stay safe! -B” Ashley blinked numbly to the contents for a moment and leaned back in her chair after reading the small lines at least three more times. ‘B… who the heck is ‘B?’ Could be a trap, but… it’s daycare. Small writing, LRG… feels less like a trap now and more like an overly cautious Little.’ Still, her eyes then drifted back over to the few pebbles she had collected and the paints she stored below. ‘Is this an emergency?’ Ashley paused but then shook her head. ‘No… not an emergency… or at least not one that needs to be resolved tonight. If I was Ron… maybe, but for me meeting them tomorrow already… my needs aren’t that pressing. No sense in causing a panic… yet.’ * * * Day 92 – 11:28 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Snack time was running over, and Ashlye anxiously watched the clock. One minute and then the next, the attendants at daycare today weren’t letting anyone outside until everyone had completed their snack. It had started after this past weekend unexpectedly, and it was massively frustrating… especially when dealing with Littles regressed so badly that aiming even a bottle into their mouth had to be an assisted task. “Alright,” Mrs. Jenkins announced finally, “looks like little Pierre is all finished with his bottle. Miss Fiona? You can now let everyone outside.” The doors opened, the rush of Littles poured outside, and Ashley immediately dashed to the far side of the fence… desperately hoping she still wasn’t too late. “Shoot! Did I miss him? Did I miss B?” she asked to herself panickily. Her breathing was fast and shallow, and she continually rubbed her palms likely from the sweat building up on them. “If anyone else was around, you would have. I work in secret, but you’re alone, so… here I am,” a shadowy figure soon noted from the other side of the fence. Then, a man stepped from hiding underneath one of the massive pine trees and waved. “Ashley Cutters. I’m B… but you can call me Brother if that helps.” ‘Oh, shoot. He knows my name! He’s not blackmailing me or anything, but… definitely need to go slow here. Reflect. Redirect. Anything but you.’ Ashley took a breath and refocused on the presence of the shadowy figure beyond the fence. “Brother?” she questioned with a raised eyebrow as her thoughts raced internally. “That’s your name? Brother? Not like Ben or John or…” “No,” Brother said coldly and poignantly. “B or Brother is all you will know me by. Being here in town is risky enough. Talking to a journalist is worse… and a journalist under the two Dr. Jones’ care would be pure insanity for most others in my position. I almost didn’t reply back to you, but I did, so, no. B or Brother, thank you.” “Oh…” Ashley turned her back toward the fence. “Uh, well I guess if this is secret and all… I think I should pretend that I’m just sitting and minding my own business or something like that by the fence.” “Good,” Brother praised. “A Little talking to themselves around here probably isn’t a big deal. Plus, with what I’ve observed at least, you’re kind of alone around here with your friends lately around this time. If an attendant was to look at you, that might just pass you off talking to yourself as a way to cope.” “So, going crazy is better than talking to a stranger?” Brother’s logic was apparently sound, but Ashley still seemed skeptical over his apparent advice. “Absolutely,” Brother confirmed. “Going crazy for a Little is just another word for them regressing. Different method, but the outcome is the same. You snap in here and you’ll be sucking your toes before you know it. Something to think about if I were you, but for our purposes today and just as a cover and not you really talking to yourself… it’s perfect.” Ashley slightly cocked her head back and saw the blonde-headed but shadowy figure sit behind her on the other side of the fence. Clearing his throat, Brother started up. “Now… details. I’ve been observing you for some time now. LRG had their eye on the Jones’ for a while and then you showed up… we did a background investigation immediately.” “So, that’s how you know my name, but wait…” Ashley nearly turned all the way around but then resettled back, Mrs. Jenkins still looming large over the playground today. “If you knew who I was… my real name and not my cover story… why not contact me?” Brother chuckled. “Yeah… I can see your confusion there, but frankly… we didn’t know we could trust you. Being under the household of the Jones’… that made you an amazing asset, but more likely… a liability. To be blunt… I’m surprised you’re not drooling on the carpet by now. You must have something special… or at least hold a place high in their hearts for you to have made it mentally intact at this point.” His words were true and struck a chord within Ashley that she had often wondered about herself. Yes, the mist had hurt her from Pete’s lab, but that was it… or at least that was the conclusion she came back to time and time again during her nightly briefings. ‘But what do I have for them that makes me special? They have this whole fierce and terrifying presence around town… but they’re just Pete and Betty to me. Are they holding back for some reason?’ Brother shuffled. “Don’t think too hard on it. For now, just maybe think on it in your free time. The answer might give you leverage… or at least pull with them if you need it in the future.” He paused briefly. “Now then… back to business. You called with the typical contact method, but no emergency… is that right?” Ashley nodded but after receiving no response, she lightly smacked her forehead. ‘Idiot. If he’s facing away from you to be hidden further from the attendants, he can’t see you just nodding, Ash.’ Ashley sighed. “That’s right. I need to leave Peirama. Can you help me?” Brother sighed. “Yes. I figured that was the case, so I started forming a plan already. First though… let me just confirm a few things… ready?” Ashley nodded out of habit. “Yes. Ask away.” “Good.” Brother then moved about and slips of paper could soon be heard being shuffled about. “First… does your Big’s house have a biometric lock or a traditional pin, barrel, or bolt lock?” The questions went on like that for a while after. They ranged from everything about house security to nightly checks and even to her physical well-being. Often, they seemed far too intrusive, but Brother always ended his explanation with “even the smallest of details can mean the difference between success or failure with these.” So, Ashley complied and answered each question in turn. “Okay… that should just about do it,” Brother said finally. “Just a few things more… and so let’s see…” He made a few breathy noises and mumbled out a few more. “Yes… with the addition of no animal in the house but you being on the second floor with no tree or trellis outside your window… yes. Based on this information, I can get you out of here in five days.” “Five days?” Ashley questioned, part of her seeming surprised while the other seemed more horrified that it would take so long. “Good thing it’s not an emergency…” Brother grunted. “Yeah… well, if it was an emergency, that calls for a different level of prep work. That can be done in an hour, but after… I burn through contacts, I have to leave here as well, and every Big gets put on notice for at least three hundred miles around the town. There’s usually a manhunt and leaving this dimension entirely is usually the next step. It’s fast, but it’s very messy.” “Oh…” Ashley said, a little regret in her voice. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to impl…” “Don’t worry about it,” Brother noted like he had heard that type of reaction dozens of times before. “For the moment, let me prep things on my end, but one final question… are you willing to help in this process, or do you feel that you are either physically incapable or that you are in a situation where your Bigs make your assistance either impossible, dangerous, or likely to blow the whole operation?” Ashley remained quiet for a moment. Her thoughts were quiet but if her hand wringing was any indication, it was clearly not an easy answer. “Yes… I think… yes, I can help.” “Good.” Brother then moved about from the crunch of the dirt underneath him on his side. “Drop your left hand and take what I put in it.” Ashley did as she was told and seconds later, she found a small scroll of paper placed into the palm of her hand. Taking it fully and then discretely looking at it opened on her knee; the list was lengthy and hard to accomplish but also listed on what was a priority. “Do I have to do all of these?” Brother chuckled. “Yeah… I know it’s a lot for any Little on the inside of things, but each one you do means one less step for me and one less item to go wrong… and for everything to go wrong. Take a look at it and once you have thoroughly gone through it, place a pink stone in your windowsill. I will see it from the ground and contact you the next day at this same time at recess… or at the park. Always 11:30. Two pink stones, and you get out of your house to talk either in your front or back yard as an emergency. Three pink stones and I pull you out within 30 minutes, but again... emergency only. Understood?” Ashley hesitated but after a moment of counting on her fingers, it seemed to stick. “Yes. One pink stone for a meeting the next day at 11:30. Two for a meeting at the house within the hour and three for an extraction within 30 minutes… both emergencies only.” “Correct.” This time there almost seemed to be a relief and joy in his voice… like he was used to dealing with regressed Littles where colors other than red, yellow, blue, green, black, and white were considered at the higher end of their remembered functioning mentalities. “Now, before I go… recess is almost over… is there anything else I need to know?” Ashley didn’t speak for a moment, but her hands started wringing once more. ‘Shoot. This is it. I probably should have mentioned him earlier, but… Ron. I can’t just leave Ron behind.’ Ashley sighed. “Yes… I… another Little needs to come with us.” “Another…” Brother sighed annoyedly but then took out a sheet of paper based on the sounds coming from his direction now. “Fine. Tell me his name… Big… any information like that.” “Okay…” Ashley looked over at the Little… currently going down a slide by himself and looking as happy as ever. Nearby, Miss Fiona watched occasionally… like Ron couldn’t be trusted to do that fully by himself anymore. “Ron… uh, Ronald Spelding… uh, Plim…” “Wait,” Brother interrupted. “Please don’t tell me you’re about to say Ronald Plimpton.” “Uh, yeah…” Ashley confirmed hesitantly. “Why? Is that a problem?” “Is that…?” Brother seemed beside himself in frustration now. “Yes, that is a problem. He’s already regressing. He’s probably on the fast track now to go full-on toddler mentality. He’s… shit… he’s a liability.” “He’s coming. If you take money, I can pay you when we get out of here,” she tried to bargain for her friend’s safe passage out of this terrible place. “I have some back home and…” “No, no…” Brother said resignedly. “Keep your money. It’s just… shit.” More paper turning and some scribbling could be heard. “Yeah… scoped his place out and… need to do that… and that, and… yeah. We’ll need an alternate route out of here and the timetable is going to need to be moved back.” Ashley winced. “By how much? He’s already rough now.” “Yeah,” Brother confirmed. “I’m aware, but…” He sighed. “Before I go further… are you sure about him? I mean… you, I can get you out no problem, or at least relatively speaking… but Ron? He’s a liability and he’s likely to get us both caught. You should know… I don’t stick around for messes. Something goes wrong and I’m gone. I’m sorry, but… I can’t put one or two lives above the potentially hundreds of other Littles I could save. Do you understand?” It was cold, hard, and calculated logic… but logic, nonetheless. Ashley sighed as she looked over to her friend, still as happy as ever. ‘I could leave him here, but… no. I would feel guilty about it the rest of my life. I can’t do that. I won’t let Peirama change me like that.’ “I understand, but… he’s coming with us.” “Very well… just know that if he comes, our timetable will need to be pushed. You… we could take the mountain pass, the valley pass, or even the tunnel,” he explained. “With Ron… only the tunnel road or the mountain road will do now. Security will be crawling… so that will take time. Now, with him and his state… two weeks. Two weeks minimum, understand?” Ashley wined for a moment but then shook her head and stared straight out with an air of confidence in her chest now. “I understand… I made a vow though, and now, I’m sticking to it,” she said with conviction. “Very well… I admire your loyalty. It’s a good quality to have.” Brother then began to shift. “I just hope it doesn’t come back to bite you.” Ashley turned to see him getting up, and as he did so, she joined him, quickly dusting the dirt off her shorts. She was a Little and no attendant would bat an eye over why or how she got dirty. “Oh, and one other thing…” Brother said right before he disappeared back into the trees, his face shrouded in shadows once more. “The longer you stay here, the worse your odds. Remember, I’ve been watching you. I know what’s happening, and… well, it’s a slippery slope if you start to fall down it…” His words were vague, but his insinuation, coupled with his shadowy eyes briefly looking down to her pelvis, all implied one thing… he knew she was in pull-ups. He probably knew about her accidents… and their increase in her life lately. Still, Ashley nodded. “Yes… I… I might regret this decision one day, but not today.” * * * Day 93 – 12:02 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley was hard at work figuring out what she could do around the house to help herself escape according to Brother’s list. It was extensive and challenging, but several of the items were doable… just time-consuming to figure out all of them. For example, she could easily get to the control panel for the security of the house, but she didn’t know the password. It was possible it was around the house or in Betty’s or Pete’s office, but she just didn’t know right away. So, until then, and with the addition of Ron to their party now, Ashley could only do what she could and wait. Wait for more answers… wait for more bits of her story to unfold and more interviews if she could… wait for time to pass by until she could get out of here. For the moment, that meant waiting on Ron yet again after his more regressed group once again went toward the back to watch one of their little films. Today, walking back with a temporarily and now rare unregressed Kyle, Ron was wearing his cute Velcro sneakers with Adventure Sam on them, a safari-themed onesie tucked nicely into his denim shortalls, and all of which could only barely cover his still discernable and ever-present diapers. As Ashley stared at her friend, the fact that he clung so tightly to his now almost always present monkey stuffy, Louie, just seemed to reinforce her look of concern. “Hey Ash!” Ron said excitedly upon seeing his still more mature friend. “Hey Ron… Kyle…” There was still a little tension as Kyle nodded his head toward Ashley. The two had been here for a while together but had never really seemed to get along, particularly after Kyle had insisted on carrying his teddy bear, Billy, nearly everywhere with him. It wasn’t long after that that he stopped talking after the creamy substance snack time, so, seeing Ron with Louie… she eyed the new stuffy with more than a little suspicion. Seemingly bored and looking to pass the time anyway she could, Ashley had reluctantly included Kyle into her and Ron’s play earlier outside before group time. Being closer mentally it seemed now, the two had taken an interest in each other right away… only seemingly reinforced during group time and their venture into the back of the daycare. Before, when Kyle first joined them, he seemed like the third wheel of the group, but now, Ashley was quickly taking over that role from him. Seemingly determined to hold onto one of the few friends she had made here, and maybe even trying to prevent him from picking up any new regressed habits from Kyle, Ashley looked desperate to hold onto her friend still. “How about we work on a puzzle?” she suggested, pulling back on activity that Ron usually liked to do with her. “I don’t know…” Kyle said hesitantly. “Oh, come on, man! It will be fun. You’ll see!” Ron encouraged much to Ashley’s obvious amusement and gratitude. It was going to be a simpler puzzle than usual, but Ron still seemed to on Ashley’s side in this trio of new friends in daycare. Not long after they began though, much to Ashley’s dismay, signs of Ron’s and Kyle’s further regression became immediately apparent. A slight hiss could be heard as Kyle just tried to fit two pieces together, and Ron’s thumb quietly sneaked its way into his mouth as he concentrated on a corner of the puzzle himself, a new habit that he had picked up just the other day. Ashley saw right away. ‘Crud. That’s definitely not a good sign. Self-soothing is one thing, but sucking one’s thumb without any sign of distress, and over such a simple puzzle? Shoot!’ Kyle then sighed heavily as his fifth attempt to fit the exact same piece together with another failed. “You okay, Kyle?” Ashley asked. It was clear that for Ron’s sake at least, she was trying to warm up to him once and to still feel included in their newly reformed group. Since Ron’s plummet into diapers, her loneliness hadn’t abated. “Yeah, but… no… This puzzle is kinda hard. Pieces just won’t fit.” He tried a sixth attempt, in reality just a repeat of his second attempt, and so failed once again. Kyle wasn’t as badly mentally regressed today, but his Big, Tiffany, had loudly boasted the other day at the park with the other Bigs that she had begun to breastfeed him ahead of schedule of some of the others. While not effective mentally on a permanent basis at least, the mental fog afterward was apparently another matter entirely. If nothing else, it likely didn’t help his frequent mental regression bouts, so likely for him, the puzzle seemed impossible at this point. Ashley winced and turned to her friend. “And you, Ron? How’s the puzzle going for you? Having fun?” she asked, seemingly hopeful that her closer friend would at least be having more luck. “Yeah… I got a piece together, but… couldn’t you have picked something…?” Ron seemed to know what he wanted to say but at the same time didn’t want to acknowledge the word he was looking for. “Easier?” Ashley said with more than a little reluctance. “No… just… I don’t know… Kyle?” Ron said, now looking at his other friend for help in trying to describe his feelings. The irony that he was asking a Little that sometimes went mute when mentally regressed didn’t seem to be lost on Ashley. “Bigger pictures,” Kyle said, now attempting his seventh try and then sighing more prominently when he failed once again. “Yeah,” Ron agreed. “Maybe even bigger pieces.” It was readily apparent, as he held up one of the pieces, that his fingers shook slightly after only a few seconds of trying to grip the piece on the small end. Ashley looked down at the puzzle they were working on with the overall picture of a few kittens playing with yarn. The puzzle already had bigger pieces than the ones that she and Ron had originally worked on together, and Ron and Kyle likely knew that, hence the hesitation, but their difficulty was still evident. ‘Shoot. I don’t want to give up on this and go even lower, but… I can’t lose Ron either. As much as he’s attaching himself to Kyle and even other more regressed Littles, he’s my only friend now.’ Likely with that realization, she sighed in her own acceptance that Ron was no longer the person she had first met and that she had only two choices; go lower in difficulty or activity or maybe lose a friend. Still, from the look of determination in her eyes, it was clear that losing a friend just wasn’t in the cards for her today. She still had the choice, and although reluctant, the choice was made. “Well, maybe then… you all should decide,” she conceded. Ron and Kyle looked at each other with pure joy and maybe a little relief and then nodded in unison. “Stuffys,” they both said with confidence and at the same time. ‘Shoot. Didn’t expect that, but… Billy and Louie… maybe I should have?’ Ashley looked back at the puzzle and sighed. ‘Again, I have the choice here, but… if I care at all about my friend… and not being lonely for the sake of my own mental well-being here… I can’t say no.’ Ashley grimaced but nodded. “Stuffys it is…” Ron and Kyle needed no further prompting and quickly went over to the playmat and began to play with Louie and Bill respectively. Ashley could only look on her two friends with a look of something that could only be described as resignation. Simply put, when dealing with Ron, reality was closing in around her. ‘Two weeks… Brother said two weeks. I just have to hold out until then. It’s going to be tough, but… I just know that days like this are going to become the norm around here. So… I guess I need to put my dignity to the side for a moment and choose friendship.’ With yet another sigh, she put away the puzzle by herself and then with nearly trembling hands, grabbed a stuffed cat from nearby and sat with the two to join in on their make-believe world. Ashley seemed too distressed and resigned with her stuffy cat to notice both Miss Pearl and Mrs. Jenkins looking on surprised but cheerfully. The day progressing as it did, the three didn’t even play for long, but it was definitely a dose of reality and humble pie for the still mostly mature and unaffected Little. Often, she found herself questioning the logic of it all and how chickens could survive in space, but… that was just a regressed Little’s imagination and immaturity at play. It could have been a disaster but maybe fearing so badly about ending up alone and cracking that way, Ashley seemed to put her best foot forward with their playtime. In fact, as the trio split back up for a later group session to close out the time before quiet time, Ashley seemed wistful and sad. Ron and Kyle quickly started singing along with Miss Fiona and all the other Littles in the group sang along too. It was another sign of Ron giving in, but he seemed happy. Even Simon and Marilyn stopped bickering long enough to actually clap along as well. Then further, when that group went away to go for a nap, Ashley remained behind. ‘Okay, Ash. Knock it off… maybe make a friend. Try something… anything… stuffys was great but… two weeks of that could be bad… really bad.’ Finding her target, the Little was taller and more mature and had been here now for only a few weeks. “Excuse me… I was wondering if you wanted to watch…?” “What are you doing?” the taller Little scorned down to Ashley. “Go away and play with your little dolls with the other babies. We don’t associate with your kind of Little.” Her words were sharp and clear. No interpretation was needed and Ashley quickly hurried off to go sulk in a corner. ‘I’m tainted! I’ve been here too long and I’m too mature for the other group and not enough for anyone new here! I’m all alone… again! Darn it!’ Ashley’s bottom lip trembled, and her sleeve quickly wiped her eyes. In her moment of sadness and loneliness, she seemingly couldn’t help but look over in the direction of the nap room… where all her friends currently were. “Ashley?” Miss Fiona came swooping in and quickly rubbed the Little’s back. “You okay, sweetie? Did you fall or…?” She then paused and seemingly caught onto where the Little was looking. “Oh… you miss your friends, don’t you?” Ashley shook her head. ‘No, no. I can’t let her catch on! What if she takes it wrong and signs me up to be regressed?’ It was a terrifying thought, but Miss Fiona didn’t budge and looked at the Little with clear skepticism towards her answer… causing Ashley to reevaluate things. ‘She knows! Crud! Maybe… well, maybe it’s Miss Fiona… she’s always nice, so maybe…’ Ashley sighed and nodded her head. “I do miss them… I… I don’t want to, but I do. I just… all my friends keep taking naps now…” Miss Fiona smiled warmly and with an understanding face that only came from years of working with Littles. “Oh, I understand that. It’s tough losing people in your life… doubly so here. But you know…” Her smile then seemed to curve slightly for it to go from inviting… to almost like she had just thought of some sinister plot in a B movie. “You could always join them during this time and take a nap yourself. I don’t think that would be the worst thing ever, right?” Ashley quickly shook her head at the mere mention of the idea. Miss Fiona chuckled and stood back up. “Well, I understand that you might feel that way today. So you know… you wouldn’t have to sleep in a crib or anything, but I understand… I just want to see you happy again. For now, though… maybe another day…” She then smiled once more and left to go check on another Little… leaving Ashley stunned and seemingly a little mortified. * * * Day 95 – 10:36 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 * Footage not found. * * * * Day 100 – 1:32 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Time ticked on by as Ashley continued to wait. As predicted, she had to spend more days with Kyle, Ron, and many of the other regressed Littles to keep from feeling lonely… or to let Ron drift too far into the sway of the more regressed habits around him now. Marilyn had her bratty behavior. Simon had his vacant stare and drool. Kyle had his muteness, and at least six other Littles still at the daycare had one malady or another. Any one of them was most undesirable to any mature being… Ashley included. It was tough playing with her new stuffy of the day, but in the playtime, she began to find out that make believe isn’t the worst thing ever… especially as a distraction from everything else. She made sure to harden herself against possible signs of regression happening to her from the others, and part of that just happened to be her distraction with Brother. 100 days in, everything felt like it had simply been going on for too long. Now in September, she still had a month to go before being extracted… if everything went wrong. So, she had ensured she had completed Brother’s list as soon as she could. Meeting him again yesterday, he had asked her again if she wanted to still take Ron, but she only confirmed that she did. Being six days away still, Ashley had directed her attention towards finishing her story. With Mrs. Jenkins lurking all about, she had to employ more stealthy tactics… camouflaged in a way. As such, that was how she found herself having a tea party with Marilyn, Ringo, and Aretha. Ashley looked back over to Ringo and Aretha… a bunny and kangaroo stuffy respectively and then back toward Marilyn. “So, Marilyn… any reason why those names specifically?” “Uh… I’m not sure… I just kinda… well, I thought of them one day,” she explained, her thought process seeming scattered and almost like she either could barely remember it or if something was blocking her. “I liked the names, and they seemed familiar, so… I chose them!” “Well, that’s a good of a notion as any,” Ashley responded, her tact coming to the surface once more with these interviews. She could have said what she was thinking and gone down a whole rabbit hole of questioning why she was regressed and making her feel bad. That happened with Simon the other day and it took four days to talk to him again. “But let me ask you this… when did you notice your… change?” “I… how do you know I changed?” she asked leaning forward a little. Ashley smiled. “Well, I’ve known you for a little bit now. I have a pretty good memory, you know?” She even tapped the side of her temple as if to emphasize her point, something only then that looked like it got to the regressed Little. “Oh, well… that makes sense.” She then tapped her chin a few times and seemed almost to strain to recall the answer. “I… I don’t know. Maybe I…” Marilyn then stopped dead as a new song came on overhead. Many of the Littles started singing and dancing haphazardly. Most, with their coordination issues, looked like wet spaghetti or noodles flopping in the wind. Despite all that though, Marilyn looked over longingly at everyone else dancing. Ashley sighed. ‘She clearly wants to join them… I guess we can just start this up again tomorrow… or maybe the next day…’ She then patted Marilyn’s knee and smiled. “Marilyn… thank you so much. I have more to ask you, but… we can be done for the day.” “Yay!” Marilyn wasted no time hopping out of her chair and going to join in dancing with the others as the music chimed along still overhead. It was thick, childish, and playful… everything a regressed Little seemed to gravitate toward. It was almost like a mark or brand on them for dancing along… only regressed Littles were doing it. Ashley looked over toward them. Her interviews were slow and tough to push through. ‘A break would be great. The other Littles look like they’re having a break and having fun. They seem so at ease… so relaxed… so happy. I wish I could be as happy as they are. Too bad…’ Ashley’s thought shut down like someone had just pulled the power on them. Her eyes opened wide in terror, and she nearly snapped her body away from looking at the regressed dancers. ‘No, Ash! No! You will not… envy those regressed Littles!’ Her body shuddered a little at the notion. Ashley grimaced. ‘Oh no… 100 days in and I’m cracking. I almost asked to be regressed down to one of them just then… Shoot! What is wrong with me? I’m trying to get out of this place… not stay here forever! No! I just… I need a break after this. Maybe a vacation to France? Maybe Japan? Just… something on Earth… forever again.’ Ashley winced and snatched her pad of paper from the tea table and ran to go shove it in her backpack. ‘Sooner I’m gone from this place the better!’ Once everything was secure, she finally managed to turn around and see everyone… including Ron. Heavily regressed today, he seemed totally in the moment… not even caring about his drooping diaper bulge against his striped onesie. ‘Shoot… did I make the wrong decision to stay here? Could I have gone back to Earth already? I mean, it’s already been a week, and…’ Ashley grimaced and shook her head… choosing instead to walk away. She had the fear, but now, it looked like she would try anything to stop her from thinking too hard about her actions and decisions with Brother. Regret, though small, just a tiny twinge could just be made out in the corner of her eyes.

Hey everyone! So… another added chapter. I’m starting to dive really deep into the later chapters now with their more detailed outlines, and while they could still be subject to change, I knew I needed to slow things down for just a second and capture a few elements more plainly, while also ramping up to an end goal more poignantly with a few decision notes I needed to include. I also wanted to show a few of the changes on-going in this story in a setting that isn’t always seen but they the characters have been to before. Next, just as a reminder, a new poll is up for you all to let me know which story you all would like to read next. Story options and the link can be found back in the beginning of chapter 2 and 14. As I mentioned before though, if you feel more comfortable leaving a comment here or as a private message to me, I will count these as well. Additionally, like before, this poll will be shut down right before I post my final chapter on here. Further announcements will be made regarding this when the time gets closer. Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 18: Malls Are Great, Right? Day 89 – 10:36 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 The decision to place a pebble on the front porch and get ahold of LRG weighed heavily on Ashley per her nightly reports. It was such a small gesture, but one with grave consequences if she was wrong. For three nights in a row now, she had verbally sparred with herself over the notion of whether to trust her gut or not. Yes, the paper could have been a trap, but the flipside was intriguing, and after nearly three months exactly of staying in Peirama, she still had no exit plan. If LRG was legitimate, it would serve as a major step forward for her going home. Still, it wasn’t like she hadn’t thought about an exit strategy before… just more that she still didn’t have a viable plan before. It was something that had been grating on her ever since her first trip up and down the mountains surrounding Peirama. The area was a nearly perfect bowl, and Ashley had frequently wondered if this area was a natural formation or had been greatly expanded to accommodate the town’s needs. Either way, back then, the walls of the mountainside proved to be quite a challenge for her to come up with a plan around to escape back home. Then, the tunnel opened, but security had increased in both the town and the entrance and exit to the tunnel. Even the high school volunteers she was currently looking at in the daycare this morning had to be issued special passes, and according to their frequent complaints, the process wasn’t as seamless as they would prefer. For now, though, she, Ron, and a few of the more regressed Littles needing extra care that their Bigs couldn’t always provide when their job demands increased, were the only Littles at the daycare… mostly because it was a Saturday morning. Ron had mumbled something about Betty needing to talk to someone and Ashley had pried further but only got a shrug for her troubles. Now, the regressing Little before her seemed perfectly content to just lie on one of the floor mats in his onesie and elastic shorts while he read one of the more juvenile books in the daycare’s collection… without being a picture book that is. Ashley was reading as well herself, just to pass the time, but she frequently looked over at Ron. ‘His contentment… his ease in his position… I would call it disturbing if it was as common as breathing around here. Probably one of the reasons for the town in testing regression methods… but that’s still just a theory. No confirmation… yet…’ Just as Ashley flipped the page of her latest science fiction story, the door the daycare opened and both Joy and Betty were there. Naturally, both went to their own Little first. “Heya, Ash. Sorry about that,” Betty apologized. “The head of the facility came in this weekend and demanded a review of all on-going projects. Pete got me an early appointment though so you wouldn’t be by yourself all of today.” Ashley nodded and set her book down. “Thank you. It’s… it’s not so bad in here. Kind of peaceful actually.” “Oh, well… Joy and I had an idea…” Betty then smirked as if she had some larger plan brewing. “If you’d still be interested in getting out of here, that is…” Ashley’s silent but rapid nodding made the Big chuckle a little. “Well,” Joy took over, “we got to talking before up at the main facility and thought that maybe a day to the mall wouldn’t be so bad for both of you.” The Bigs looked at both Ron and Ashley. Ashley didn’t say a word, but Ron… “Oh yeah!” He jumped to his feet, albeit a little unsteadily. “Let’s go! We have so much we can do and get and maybe a treat and…” “Easy, baby,” Joy said, her hands holding him by the shoulders gently and then moving an errant piece of his curly black hair out of his face with a tenderness only reserved in this place for Bigs falling deep for their Littles. “We have to drive first. So, come on. We’ll take my car. Both seats are already set up in the back.” Without warning, her hand then snaked towards Ron’s crotch. He briefly seemed uncomfortable but just stayed still as she checked his diaper. “Okay. Not too bad. You can wait. If you two are good, we’ve already checked them out, so, I think we’re all set now.” Betty nodded. “I think we’re all good too, that is if…” Ashley quickly nodded at the unspoken look she was now receiving from Betty. ‘Potty. Yes, Betty. I went potty. Now, please. Move on.’ Betty cracked a smile and then turned to Joy. “Yep. We’re all good. Let’s get going.” Joy and Ron quickly nodded and followed Betty away. For her part, Ashley only nodded when Betty briefly looked back at her… likely to ensure that she would follow them. ‘Can’t say I’m opposed to a trip to the mall, but… maybe I use today to see if Ron could even come along with me when I leave. I want to take him… it’s his only shot at any semblance of a normal life now, but… if he’s too far gone…’ Ashley shook her head of the thoughts and followed the other three out of the daycare. * * * Day 89 – 11:18 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 The tunnel was so much better than climbing up and then nearly hurdling down the other side of the mountain. It came with its own obstacles, but Ashley’s nails weren’t digging into her booster seat on the way to the mall either. ‘So much better this way. More security, but no heights or sudden drops because of a stupid pothole in the road. I do wonder how LRG will help me though…’ Ashley didn’t have long to contemplate all those angles though as the car soon came to a halt outside the western entrance of the gigantic mal… at least by Little’s standards. Minutes after that, the four members of the group were inside and looking at a map of where to go first. “Okay…” Joy began. “We need clothing, food, maybe some books, and…” “Toys!” Ron blurted out. “We need…” “Ron,” Joy said sternly toward the Little. “We were just here, and I got you toys then. Take a breath, and maybe… just maybe, if you’re good, I can consider getting you another, okay?” Ron pouted but then only nodded to Joy’s proposal. “Uh, how about books first?” Betty suggested. “It’s right around the corner and the food court isn’t much further beyond that. It would be just in time for lunchtime.” “Sounds perfect,” Joy said with a clear amount of relief that Betty was taking over. Regressed Littles were all the rage of this world, but Bigs taking care of Littles and Ron’s stage often could find themselves depleted of energy and patience all too quickly. Betty making the choices just worked better for everyone at this point. So, the group checked out the bookstore first. It wasn’t anything fancy by any means, just another generic stop filled to the brim with all the classics and latest releases, but it was thorough and easily accessible. Joy and Ron quickly shunted over to the Little’s section while Betty and Ashley remained around the science fiction, fantasy, and mystery sections. After a second, Ashley sighed. “Do you really think Ron is into the more… childish books now?” Betty looked at her Little with sad but resigned eyes. “I do. I think he might still enjoy the books he used to, but I know that he’s part of pr…” Betty then froze and shook her head. “Never mind. It’s not important, but… yes. I think Ron does actually enjoy the more ‘childish’ books now. Soon, I’d wager that even Joy might start reading them to him…” Without missing a beat, Betty then immediately buried herself into the book she was currently holding. For her part, Ashley could only blink back at her Big and then return to her own book. ‘Once she shuts something down like that, I know she knows more, but… it would be like scaling the cliffs of insanity. I’m not going to push the one person who actually seems to be telling me the truth around here. Still… would love to know what she was going to say originally…’ The two didn’t talk further about it, and in the end, found the handful of books they seemed to be craving. Ashley picked up a traditional swords and sandals type action adventure and one more of dystopian science fiction. Betty picked up one more geared to space adventures, but she also got a detective romance novel as well. As for Joy and Ron… his needs seemed to take precedence, and they came away with two simple books about animals learning some lesson… and one picture book. ‘Not a good look for Ron right now…’ * * * Day 89 – 11:57 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 The four ended up stopping at another higher-end shop, though after not finding anything after a few minutes left and decided to just head to the food court instead… especially after Ron started hopping around and then even fussing briefly. His needs, or at least the prevention of triggering his more emotional state, seemed to take priority today. Still, the food court presented options… which meant that everyone could choose their own meal. ‘Okay… I’m getting what I would call Mexican food, but… they call it Metzlian food instead… weird place…’ Joy and Ron opted for Italian food while Betty went for something from Yamatoa. ‘Okay… I know from the world map I found at daycare that it’s supposed to be Chinese food, but… why is it slimy… and purple?’ Apparently, even when the worlds matched up, there were still some definite differences. Ashley occasionally glanced over Ron, her opinion of him still fluctuating. ‘Geesh, Ron… ever heard of a napkin before?’ The chosen Italian food was exactly like back home and the thick spaghetti sauce was apparently both delicious… and just as messy. Ron, never a huge one for table manners before, now sat in his dedicated highchair and used the fork that Joy had provided him with. It was a minor miracle he didn’t stab himself with it… but his coordination had clearly still taken a hit. At one point, Joy even commented, “Maybe I should have given you a bib?” Ron seemed to panic about that for a moment, but then just smiled and took only a second to briefly wipe his mouth. It was a small action, but it seemed to indicate that there was something of the old Ron still within this new version of him. ‘Shoot… can’t live with myself knowing I left something of the old Ron back here…’ Not long after, just around the time Ashley was finishing up, Ron was let out of his highchair to roam around nearby. She was too focused on finishing her own burrito to see what happened next, but soon, a foul aroma began to eclipse where they were sitting. Just as Ashley seemed ready to question it, Joy pulled a returning and solemn Ron closer to her. “Come here you,” she commanded playfully. Then, when Ron was within snatching distance of her, she pulled him in close, spun him around, and then pulled out the back of his shorts. His onesie still remained, but it wasn’t fully a surprise to hear what she had to say next. “Oh, yeah. Someone’s got a lumpy bum, huh?” Ron blushed and as Joy released his shorts, he turned slowly and sheepishly nodded. “Couldn’t help it… sorry…” There was a resignation in his voice that hurt the soul to listen to. It was the same tone so many Littles had adopted before… one of giving up with something totally out of their control. ‘He was hiding to do that business before. Now, I didn’t see it, but he almost seems resigned to the fact that he’ll just mess himself helpless, but that Joy will soon help him out… Not good to take someone like that along.’ And, sure enough, Joy took Ron’s hand and took off toward the restrooms. Seemingly determined to assert her own maturity, Ashley got up with a pointed sigh and pulled her tray over to the trashcan nearby. It was maybe less than 40 feet away from the table. Ashley even managed to stand on her tiptoes and throw her trash leftover from lunch away. But, when she turned, another Little wasn’t looking where they were going… And dumped their entire still full glass of milk all over her. “Ah!” Ashley recoiled and tried to shake her clothing of the milk, but it was thick… almost like a milkshake. It splattered all over her, but because it was a Little, the glass was pointed more downward… and right towards her stomach. Almost instantly, she could feel the cold wetness spread all around her lower half. “No, no, no!” The Little that had bumped into her almost immediately began to tear up. “I’m so sowwwy!” Based on his clothing alone, he was already in the midst of regression… worse than Ron and maybe somewhere around Simon’s level. Tears soon flooded his eyes, and he ran off to go cry to his mommy. Nearby, a sighing worker came to clean up the spill. Looking towards Ashley, he shook his head. “Whoops. Looks like he got my floor and you. You gonna be okay?” Ashley was still a little stunned… and seemingly more than a little mortified. She could only manage to scrape out a simple head nod and then amble her way back to the table. Getting there though, Betty was already waiting for her with her bag already set to go. “Oh, sweetie. I’m so sorry, but come on…” She held out her hand and the Little only took it silently. “Let’s go get you cleaned up. No need to be just standing around all wet, right?” Ashley only shook her head and followed after Betty. ‘This wasn’t even my fault and still I’m getting dinged around here. Stupid Little… what if that’s Ron by the time we leave Peirama? Uncoorduanted and prone to crying fits at the drop of a hat? Not good…’ As they walked, Ashley’s clothing stuck to her horribly and slowed her down considerably. To make matters worse, by the time Betty and Ashley had arrived at the bathrooms, Ron and Joy were just finishing up. Joy didn’t make any comment, but Ron just pointed and smiled. “Look! You’re just like me from last week when I leaked!” Ashley’s face contorted, but Betty was a little too quick for her aggression and pulled Ashley after her into the bathrooms. In all likelihood, the seasoned Little sitter for Peirama knew that at Ron’s current mental age, what he said was well-meaning and innocent… but unfiltered as well. She probably also heard Ashley’s tiny grunt of frustration afterward and pulled her away before any conflict could arise. Simply put, the spill wasn’t her fault and Ron’s new lack of filter wasn’t his either. * * * Day 89 – 1:13 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 “Yeah, she was completely soaked,” Betty recounted for Joy as they continued to search for new sets of clothing for their Littles. “And I mean… all the way through.” “Betty!” Ashley hissed, her new outfit prominently on display with its more vivid colors. ‘Darn it, Betty! They didn’t need to know that the stupid drink spilled all the way through and soaked my pull-up. Come on!’ Joy chuckled and Betty held up her hands defensively. “Sorry, sorry. Just… not everyday does a Big have to switch out their Little’s pull-up because of something another Little did. Totally not on you and Joy knows that, right?” There was a little desperation in her last question. “Right!” Joy said quickly, likely picking up the tension and not wanting to be responsible for making Ashley feel worse. Ashley grumbled a little and redoubled her efforts to find a new outfit for herself. Especially as Ron started to blurt out what he wanted and began to drag Joy around, it was hard for the Little not to make connections. ‘This feels exactly like with Melissa. I mean, she wasn’t regressing at the time, but… I guess she just was a little immature about her clothing. Now Ron… oh, Ron…’ Ashley looked over and Ron was enchanted by the several outfits that Joy was now showing to him. In truth, there was nothing overtly sinister about the moment. Joy was simply showing her Little all the trappings of comfortable clothing and fashion for Littles… just regressed ones. But that was the rub. Ron was a former businessman from Earth. Occasionally cranky and sometimes unsure of himself and nervous about this world, but an adult. Now, as Ashley gazed over to her friend, his wide-eyed fascination with various onesies, footed pajamas, and shortalls seemed in direct opposition to that. He still looked like Ron, but this version of Ron seemed to be burying the adult version of him every day now. For her part, Betty seemed to notice the situation as well. At first, her eyes almost seemed wistful. Not jealous, but maybe just with a tiny lingering bit of the Big biology in her that longed for a Little. Ashley was great and was a Little, but was certainly not the typical Little. And maybe it was checking with her, but Betty’s face soon dropped and took on a look more of concern as she eyed Ashley looking on to the scene unfolding before her. She might not have had the distinct advantage of accessing the device which recorded her thoughts so easily, but after knowing Ashley for almost 70 days now, she likely knew what the face she was giving meant. “Ashley? You mind coming over here and checking these… pajamas out with me?” Betty questioned, her quick excuse to pull the Little away from gawking at Ron and Joy seemingly going over the Little’s head. As Ashley then joined her, Betty then pulled her body over to block the view of Ron and Joy. “Now… what do you think of these?” For the next twenty or so minutes, Ashley and Betty viewed dozens of outfits. Ashley was even inclined to try a few on, and while the colorful attire she was now selecting seemed vastly different than the more ‘adult’ clothing she once wore on Earth and when she first came to Peirama, she seemed decades older than Ron… now admiring yet another piece to feature the image from the show, Lyle the Giraffe, on it. Adventure Sam seemed to be coming in a close second for the Little as well though… all of which Ashley eyed with an increasing unease. “Joy?” Betty questioned the other Big who was now putting yet another outfit in her shopping cart. “I think Ash and I need to go upstairs and check on some things. I think you also had a few items you wanted to check out… some more… private things?” Joy snapped her fingers and nodded. “Oh, yes. You are so right, Betty. Thank you for reminding me!” her eyes then scanned the nearby aisles of the store where Ron had wandered off to… again. “I swear with… Ron!” The innocent looking Little turned around from staring at a large stuffed animal on display with one of the mannequins and fingering a nearby textured baby blanket. Joy sighed and promptly marched over to him before taking his hand. “I swear… I need to put a bell on you… or at least keep a closer eye on you. Just never know with Littles out here in the real world…” The somewhat frustrated Big then waved goodbye and almost as if he was mimicking her, Ron waved goodbye as well. Once they were out of sight, Betty turned down towards Ashley. “Now then… how about we go check out the more mature clothing section, huh?” “Yes… please…” Ashley seemed almost desperate to get away from that particular section now… being so close to the more regressed aisle. ‘I don’t know, Ron… I want to take you, but… can I trust a Little now who’s so… little?’ * * * Day 89 – 1:57 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Finishing up with the store, Betty and Ashley walked out with pride and confidence of a successful shopping trip. Betty still had a few errands to run herself, but the main reason they had come was now behind them. “Perfect trip. Three outfits, two new sets of pajamas, and even a new swimsuit.” “Yeah… still not sure about that one though…” Ashley winced a little… almost too much for just the notion of the swimsuit. “Oh, it’s not so bad,” Betty tried to say to boost her Little’s confidence about the new outfit. “I mean, yeah… the seahorses aren’t the most mature thing to ever jump in a pool, but it could be a lot worse.” Ashley winced again. “Yeah, but…” She then paused and her eyes widened. “Ooh… uh, I need to hit the restroom before we go further.” “Oh,” Betty quickly started looking around for the nearest location. “Let’s see…” “Oh, I can just go to the ones we went to before. I know the way,” she said with confidence, “and it’s by the next spot that you talked about in the car ride over.” “Wait… you mean… by yourself?” Betty questioned, a look of horror now eclipsing her face. “Yes, and I…” Ashley winced again. “No time to debate. See you! Bye!” Without even a second of hesitation, the Little took off and headed right for the stalls. In truth, they weren’t that far away, and Ashley quickly got to them… but she was all alone and going to a bathroom designed for Bigs. If she had maybe let Betty speak for a single moment, she might have seen the flaw in that logic… and avoided what was next. “You!” a security guard called out to Ashley just as her hand hit the bathroom door. The Little froze, crossed her legs, and then turned to the guard… just like Betty had instructed her to do. Law enforcement was always testy with Littles… especially in the world, and taking risks was always unadvisable. “Yes, sir? Is there a problem?” “Oh, you bet there is,” he said with an air of superiority while pulling up on his pants via his thick guard’s belt. “An unaccompanied Little going to the bathroom by themselves. And…” His eyes narrowed. “Is that a pull-up you’re wearing young lady?” Ashley looked down and sure enough, her new clothing she had changed into earlier after the unfortunate spill was designed like most of her others… but held to her body just a little more… and showed a slight bulge around her pelvis in the worst of ways… especially for a Little… especially for a Little now all alone and trying to access a bathroom in the middle of a mall. “Yes,” she admitted, “but…” “But nothing!” The officer nearly leapt over to her and quickly took her by the hand before leading her away. “Come with me right now! A lost Little has no business being all alone in this mall and it’s my job to make sure that you and all the other adults here are safe from what you might be doing.” “But you don’t understand, I’m just under the guardianship of a Big and she’s right behind me. She can explain everything, I promise.” Ashley tried explaining, “If you just wait for her for a moment and…” The guard, almost as if he was expecting her to act up or was just used to other Littles doing so by now, quickly popped a pacifier in her mouth and inflated it… silencing her instantly. “There. Now, come with me and let’s see if we can find your mommy, you naughty little thing. You’re either a runaway or your mommy is highly neglectful. Can’t have either in my mall. No, siree!” He then pulled her along, likely with a small pull from his point of view, but one that looked like a hard jerk forward for Ashley. She winced in pain and with her free hand, tried to remove the pacifier. Being Little proof though, her efforts were futile, and her desperate eyes searched the mall for any sign of Betty. ‘Where are you, Betty? Come on! I couldn’t have run that far, right?’ But the mall was busier now than it had been and several Bigs were all scurrying about. Some had Littles and some were single, but through it all, Ashley didn’t see Betty anywhere… * * * Day 89 – 2:24 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The security office was both out of the way and yet clearly highly funded as an important part of the mall. It was just off to the side in the middle of the mall and was split into two sections. The first, where Ashley was shoved into in the beginning was full of wood paneling and even had a small cell with plexiglass and steel reinforcement on a small window looking in. Looking around as she was documented by the guard, it also looked like it had enough firepower to take down nearly any small invading force that came upon the mall. Still, once all that was done, the guard pulled Ashley over to the other side, which stood in high contrast. Bunnies pranced around brightly colored walls and chicks ambled about… thickly and cartoonishly diapered… and all surrounding a whole host of nursery furniture and equipment. Other Littles were there, but a bony but smiling woman greeted Ashley first right instead. “Oh? Another one, Earl?” The guard nodded his head. “Yeah, I think so. She made all types of excuses, but we’ve seen her type before. Neglectful Big or she’s an escapee. Either way… keep her until something happens. Orphanage by the end of the day otherwise.” Ashley tried to gurgle out something but the inflatable pacifier in her mouth kept her as quiet as good as if she was muted… as intended. After Earl left though, the attendant looked over Ashley with a gleam in her eye that would have unnerved anyone… even more so a person who couldn’t speak and was being held against their will. “So… I guess I have a new Little in my collection, huh?” She paused almost as if she could interpret Ashley’s gurgles. “Hmmm… I didn’t quite catch your name. No matter! Doubt it will matter very soon anyways!” She then yanked Ashley’s arm and hauled over to a playpen and dumped her inside. Left inside, Ashley immediately turned and tried to find a way out… only to see over three-foot-tall walls. It wasn’t the most impenetrable playpen ever, but for Ashley, it might as well have been 20 feet. ‘Shoot! I’ll never get out of here and… oh!’ Ashley bent over and crossed her legs rapidly… the original reason she left Betty rearing its ugly head once more. Her ability to hold back, something that seemed hit or miss lately, was keeping at bay for the moment, but Ashley was still muted. So, she first tried to pull the pacifier out of her mouth once more. Sadly, no luck there. ‘Shoot! Shoot! Shoot!’ Ashley stared around her and only saw two other Littles, but both were clearly regressed. One was just dressed in a onesie, and if the faded scars were any indication, had been regressed as she was for a while. The other looked positively drugged and also had an inflatable pacifier in their mouth, but their clothing… it screamed someone who had been mature only maybe hours before. Now though, the slight drool coming from their mouth and deadened eyes seemed to fly in the face of anything going on upstairs. Either way… both Littles wouldn’t be a help to Ashley. So, she turned around and gripped both sides of the playpen about as well as she could. ‘Shoot! Debase yourself now and cause a ruckus. Bad now to prevent bad later. Not good, but… anything but…’ Ashley shook her head and began to rapidly shake the playpen, rattling it severely and causing the loud noise she wanted. Seconds later, the attendant came back… as mad as could be. “Stop that this once! You keep that up and you’ll be joining your fellow Little faster than you can mumble out sorry. Do I make myself clear?” Ashley winced and momentarily looked back at the hapless and now definitely drugged Little. It wasn’t a good sign, but Ashley jerked forward and crossed her legs tighter. With her new pangs of needing to pee, she screamed about as loud and as well as she could behind the pacifier and then tried desperately to point to her crotch. “Oh? You need to go pee-pee?” the attendant sickeningly and mockingly asked. Ashley quickly nodded her head. ‘Yes! Finally! I got through. Now let me out, you stupid Big! I don’t know how much longer I can hold this back!’ “Well, honey, according to your file, you are padded, so, just go ahead and use it. I’ll be back to change you soon.” Like a hummingbird there and gone in an instant, she fritted her fingers toward the desperate Little, smiled wickedly, and left. ‘No, no, no!’ Ashley wailed behind her pacifier, but it did no good. The attendant simply wasn’t returning. Now, Ashley’s desperation started to rise as she had to face a terrible decision… wet herself or likely suffer the same fate as the Little behind her. Turning around once more, the Little stared out blankly at the world… nor recognition or feeling or thought at all behind those eyes. For a split second, they laughed and smiled, and a faint hissing could be heard over the quiet of the room. Ashley snapped back and shook her head as she shut her eyes… clearly trying to block out what she had just witnessed as a possible fate for her. ‘No, no, and definitely not!! Shoot! I’m screwed here for sure, but… in a choice between what I just saw or one wet pull-up…’ Ashley shuddered but her mind was clearly made up now. In a choice between two terrible things, the one with the least number of consequences had to be the way to go. So, Ashley waited. Giving in just didn’t seem to be an option. ‘Come on, Betty! Where are you? Find me already!’ But Betty still didn’t come, and so Ashley tried just about everything she could. Sitting, standing, crossing her legs tighter in one way and then another. All tried… all failed. Until finally… she began to hiss quietly in the playpen as well. ‘Darn it… darn it…’ Ashley sniffled under the act that she had just committed, and while she had no choice and that should have been some comfort, it simply wasn’t. Worse… she seemed to have to go more than usual and had thoroughly soaked her pull-up… and leaked. Her clothing, once so mature and vibrant, now held the shame of small streaks around the diaper’s leg bands underneath in both the front and back of her shorts. “Oh! Looks like a little someone had maybe too much of an accident,” the attendant cooed and mocked toward the Little as she soon arrived back… almost like she had been watching the whole thing and had chosen her moment to reenter. “Guess you’ll be wanting a change, huh?” Ashley tearfully nodded. “Well… I will, but… I think pull-ups just aren’t your speed anymore, sweetie…” She stepped closer and looked down at the Little. “So… I think we’re going to be trying diapers instead. Stupid really… a Little in pull-ups… like that would ever last.” The attendant shook her head disapprovingly. “Still… I know how you Littles can get in these situations, so, I’ll give you a choice. Accept being changed by me and wear a diaper like a good Little, or…” She then procured a rather large needle from behind her back. “You can get the same treatment as your friend over there…” Ashley didn’t need to look again. If the other Little had any acknowledgement over being referenced, they didn’t make a sound to indicate as such. So, faced with wet pants, a shot with massively unknown properties, or a change into a… diaper, it shouldn’t have come as a shock to anyone that Ashley nodded toward the changing station. Her eyes were full of despair… but she wasn’t broken… just battered in this place for now. And still, even when the attendant plucked her out of the playpen and strapped her to the changing table before stripping her completely, Ashley still seemed to have hope. ‘Please, Betty. Please, oh, please, come. I swear… I don’t know how, but… I won’t ever take off again. Just please… rescue me…’ It was a solemn oath, and Ashley did her best to remain as still as possible, but the attendant was neither deft nor gentle in her movements. Thoroughness might have been the best quality to ascribe to her… but even that was a stretch. For Ashley, she tried to make as few sounds as possible and shake as little as she could. Both proved a challenge when the wipes began… Moments later, though, she was powdered and diapered. Being the thinker she was, Ashley had always at least one thought when it came to being diapered herself. Seeing her friends go through the process after failing their own potty training before, it seemed impossible not to talk about at least a few times in her nightly briefings that she still made. So, naturally, she had an expectation if this terrible thing should ever happen to her. This wasn’t it. Simply put, it was an unceremonious affair filled with no love or affection. There was no guidance and no whispers that everything was going to be okay. The two most likely people to be performing the deed for her would have been Betty or Miss Fiona. Both were experienced and both wore their hearts on their sleeves. They would have been good and kind to her… this nameless attendant wasn’t. Still, part of Ashley looked relieved when she was finally unstrapped from the changing table and helped sit up. The bulk of the diaper obvious made an impact on how she sat… her legs wide, but Ashley was seemingly unfeeling toward any of it. Even when the attendant pulled a dress over her head, Ashley remained neutral. “There,” the attendant finally said with no small amount of glee laced into her voice. “Perfect look for a Little. Maybe there’s hope for you after all.” The attendant then turned around after checking her watch and went to the refrigerator to get three bottles… all filled with a creamy substance. Not like what Nancy had been consuming… but not entirely dissimilar either. In moments, all three Littles had a bottle. “There you go my little darlings. Drink up and be good Littles!” Before Ashley could lodge a complaint, she was gone. For the moment, Ashley could only stare at the bottle now in her hands. ‘Shoot. Dress, diaper, playpen, and now a bottle? This can’t get any worse, right?’ But as Ashley looked up and caught sight of a list of rules, “Always finish your snack,” was rule six. At the bottom, refusal of any of the rules would be grounds for punishment. Ashley stared down at the bottle once more. ‘Oh no. Betty? Where are you, Betty? Please come! Please! I don’t want to drink this, but I don’t want to be punished. Please, I don’t want to be a baby! I want to go home and be safe and in my own bed and wear my old clothes and…’ “I don’t care what your readout says!” an awfully familiar voice rang out from the other room. ‘Betty!’ Seconds later, the Big marched into the room… Earl trying to block her the whole way and the attendant coming in hot right before him. “Ma’am! You can’t just…!” “Ashley!” Betty exclaimed, relief all over her face… though quickly replaced by rage. “Just what in the fu…” Betty stopped and glared at the two Bigs before her. “Remove the pacifier and get her out of the playpen. Now.” The coldness in her voice seemed to grow around her and she showed a nasty side that seemed unfathomable coming from her only an hour ago. The guard didn’t budge, but the attendant quickly rushed over to Ashley and twisted the pacifier in such a way that the suction was released. She then removed it entirely, Ashley gasping for air after, and then plucked the Little from the playpen. “Betty!” Ashley ran over to Betty, tears in her eyes accompanied with clear relief… the bottle left behind and nearly entirely forgotten. “It’ll be okay, sweetie. I’m getting you out of here. Just hold onto me.” She smiled, ran her hand through Ashley’s hair, and then glared back at the two Bigs. “I should have been closer to her and it’s for that reason, and that reason only, that I’m not pressing charges against you two today. This could have been so much worse, and you may not know me from just another Big here today, but if this went further, I promise you would have.” Not standing still for even a moment, Betty then pulled Ashley away and out of the guard office for good. Once they were clear, Betty stopped and pulled Ashley up to a bench and began to examine her. “Okay… are you okay? Any bruises? Injections? Formulas? Hypnosis? Bots?” She rattled at least five other things that Ashley had never heard of, but rubbing her jaw a little, she shook her head. “No, Betty. Nothing like that. The attendant threatened it, but… I did what she said, which is why…” Ashley looked down, and for the first time, saw that the little dress she had been put in… was entirely too short to cover up her large diaper. “Eep!” Ashley yanked her dress down as far as it would go, but it didn’t do much to solve the issue. “It’s okay,” Betty consoled, rubbing Ashley’s back for a moment and smoothing her dress down as much as possible. “You’re safe now. That’s all that matters.” Ashley stared at her Big for a moment. ‘Oh wow… she looks terrible… almost sick. She must have been so scared… I feel awful.’ Ashley sighed. “Betty… I… I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have run off like that. I had to go, but… that’s no excuse. I…” Betty then waved her hand. “No, no. You were addressing your needs, and I should have understood that.” “But I shouldn’t have run off like that!” Ashley trembled a little. “I could have been… I… I…” The heaviness of what had just happened to her, and likely what would have happened to her if Betty hadn’t shown up when she did, seemed to cascade into the Little all at once. “I… I’ll never leave your side again. I promise!” Her weakness and vulnerability, likely combined with the sight of her in a diaper, tears streaming down her cheeks, and only recently released from a pacifier, seemed to trigger something in Betty. Maybe it was a rush from the day’s events catching up with her as well, or maybe it was something more primal. Either way, just as Ashley started to dissolve into a pile of tears, Betty shed a few herself and then hugged the Little with all that she could. For a moment, it appeared as if the Big was trying to squeeze out all the bad thoughts… all her insecurities of what just happened… all the bad that could have been. Finally, though, she eased up a little and began to tenderly stroke the quaking Little’s hair. “It’ll be okay, Ash. I’ve got you now. We’ll go home soon…” She then paused and breathed deeply. “But Ash? I’m never leaving your side again… out here or in Peirama.” * * * Day 89 – 3:21 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The hug lasted for a while after that, but soon, the two broke it off… which also just happened to be not long before a rushing Joy and Ron soon reconnected with them. “Oh, Ash! We were so worried about you!” Joy exclaimed as Ron slammed right into Ashley, causing her to lose her breath for a moment in the tight embrace of the regressed Little. “When you went missing, Betty called me, and I went to the police and…” She took a breath and seemed to pull Ron in closer to her… almost like the incident with Ashley and Betty had made her fearful of losing Ron as well now. She then seemed to center herself and then smiled back at Ashley… now mostly enveloped by a clearly formerly worried Ron. “I’m just glad you’re okay… for your sake and Betty’s. You should have seen her! Total wreck. Like a tornado going all over this mall. Surprised security didn’t get involved. Might have had an answer soon if they had. But…I’m just glad you’re safe now. I don’t think Betty could deal with losing an…” “That’s enough, Joy!” Betty barked out at her friend, silencing her completely. There was a tinge of annoyance, but a hefty dose of pain and anguish there as well. ‘Betty… what the heck happened to you? What am I missing? What does everyone else seem to know that I don’t?’ “Sorry, Betty,” Joy apologized. “Just…” She shook her head. “Never mind. Everyone ready to get out of this place and go back home?” “More than!” Ron shouted out, his arm still hung over Ashley’s shoulder. “Got another figure for my collection!” “Right!” Joy agreed. “Some jammies and some great play clothes as well. You two get what you need? At least… before the whole… incident thing?” Betty nodded. “We did. I managed to stop by the store really quickly while I thought Ash was still in the bathroom. Took less than 40 seconds, and…” There looked like a little guilt washing over Betty, but her firm resolve stuck with her. “Yes… I think we got what we came for.” Ashley only nodded and was just relieved in her horrified stupor as the group then set out for the cars. Getting there though, Ashley’s eyes shifted about as several Bigs looked at her more intently than ever. A few Littles even giggled, and probably just from the sheer event of what had happened today, it took her until they got back to the car to realize what they were staring at. “Oh! Wait! Go back! I need my old clothes, or… new clothes. Just… not these!” Betty sighed and then shook her head. “Sorry, Ash. Might hit traffic going home and… well, I don’t want you to leak from a pull-up on the way. It’s a risk, and plus… those centers sometimes pump crud in the air that you might have inhaled. Could’ve hurt your control as well. It’s… well, it’s just a risk we shouldn’t take. When we get back home though… promise… first thing, I’ll get you changed back into one, okay?” The news clearly wasn’t what Ashley wanted to hear, but… she was also still outside and other strangers were still staring at her. More debate meant more time outside, so, with an obvious amount of reluctance, she nodded her head. “Fine. Just… help me to my seat. I… this thing is kind of awkward.” For a moment, Ron looked like he wanted to giggle, but Joy was too quick for her Little and snatched him to the side to get him to help her unload their numerous bags into the back. If Ashley noticed, she didn’t say a thing. Still, minutes later, with everything secured inside, the car roared to life and the four passengers took off. Ron, being the unfiltered Little that he seemed to be quickly becoming though, couldn’t stop staring at Ashley. Right after they exited onto the main road to lead to the mountain tunnel, he finally cracked. “You know… we’re kinda alike now.” Ashley turned to yell at him, but right as she turned, she paused, and her face softened. ‘Shoot! I wanna be mad, but… his face. Like Joy said… just pure innocence. He didn’t mean a single mean thing about it. Just… he made an observation. Not the best for me, but… his point’s well-taken.’ They were two different genders and Ashley was at least a decade or two more advanced mentally than Ron seemed to be lately, but their appearance in clothing… it was eerily too similar. ‘Shoot. Terrible point, but it still is one. Maybe… just maybe, I’ve been too hard on Ron? Maybe… I give him a shot with LRG? I mean… if we’re so similar in this way, how can I leave him behind and not feel guilty and a hypocrite… shoot.’ * * * Day 89 – 8:36 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Getting back home, Betty was a woman of her word and Ashley was quickly changed out of her diaper and into a new pull-up. Gratefully, at least by the look on Ashley’s face, the Big had the good grace not to mention that the diaper wasn’t exactly dry. Still, back home, it was mostly all business as usual. Pete didn’t get home as late as he usually did, but there was a look of exhaustion written all over him. Upon hearing the news of what happened at the mall, he was serious, then happy, and then even chuckled before apologizing to Ashley. For her, that chuckle was almost like the seal of destiny. She didn’t say anything to him… just excused herself from the table and ran up to her room. A new case of pull-ups in the corner only strengthened her resolve as she sat down at her table and pulled out her paints to look for the exact right shade. “Okay… blue… blue… ah! Here you are!” Having plucked a single pebble from outside yesterday, Ashley went to work and painted the tiny stone just about as thoroughly as she could. It wasn’t perfect, but the ‘ocean blue’ stood out prominently. ‘No way that LRG will miss this!’ Then, bounding down the stairs, Ashley called out that she just wanted to “Sit on the front stoop for a moment. Clear my head and all.” Pete and Betty giving their approval, Ashley walked out and placed the stone. She made sure it was obvious but not too obvious. Backing up, she checked the street and sighed. ‘Okay, LRG? Where are you? Come and get me and Ron and take us far, far away from this place. Sorry Betty, but… I can’t stay…’ Ashley looked briefly upset at the notion of leaving her, but one quick shake of her head retuned her face to its more resolute form. Standing there and looking up at the moon, she seemed ready to take on the world… or at least leave this place for good. Now, she just had to wait for a response back.

Thank you. I was a little concerned that I had waited so long between these stories, but I think that might help keep this story a little fresher with people forgetting some details from the first. I think I was on Chapter 3 of Project Nurture when I realized that Ron was missing an active voice. It was all framed as something that had already happened and with how I wrote it, Ron has a lot of things done to him (which I think people liked at the time), but he doesn't do much himself in terms of moving the plot forward. I think Ashley is a stronger person and I personally think that makes for better writing and reading when that type of person has agency in the story but then falters a little still in the end. Plus... I think my writing has improved at least a little bit since I wrote that one, and that probably doesn't hurt either.

Hey everyone! Okay… so in the method of full disclosure here… I didn’t use an actual calendar while I was writing Project Nurture. I didn’t really think it was a big deal at the time, and no one seemed to question it, but now that I’m actually putting in dates with this story, I’ve had to make some minor changes to the plot. It’s nothing too big so far, but I thought I would just point that out here. Also, if anyone is following alone with Project Nurture, or have recently read it, we’re already up to Chapter 8 by this point in the story. Because of how I was writing that story at the time, this story will expand on several of the events listed and will go much further than that story did. So, yes, while this story started off as a prequel, it will turn into a sequel in the next few chapters. Next, just as a reminder, a new poll is up for you all to let me know which story you all would like to read next. Story options and the link can be found back in the beginning of chapter 2 and 14. As I mentioned before though, if you feel more comfortable leaving a comment here or as a private message to me, I will count these as well. Additionally, like before, this poll will be shut down right before I post my final chapter on here. Further announcements will be made regarding this when the time gets closer. Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 17: Spiraling Until a Post Day 83 – 8:07 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 “I don’t understand!” Ashley complained, pouting a little in her booster seat over the recently announced news. “What meeting? Why does every scientist have to go up to the main building? And on a Sunday! We were supposed to go up the mountain for a picnic lunch today!” Pete sighed and rubbed his temples. “Please calm down, Ashley. We don’t have a choice about this. I’m sorry that killed our plans for today, but I’m sure you’ll like daycare as well. The attendants are rarely boring there from what I’ve been told.” Ashley furrowed her brow and crossed her arms in a pouted glance. “It’s not the same…” Betty meanwhile came over with her morning oatmeal and rubbed her on the back for a moment. “Here you go, sweetie. Eat up and I’ll drop you off before Pete and I head up to the main facility. I promise… we’ll make it up to you.” Pete looked bewildered at first but then nodded after Betty looked back at him. “Oh, yeah. Definitely make it up to you,” he rapidly agreed with his wife. Pete was complicated, but as Ashley was coming to understand recently, he wasn’t necessarily a bad guy when it came to her… just absent. That wasn’t great for their relationship, but the little cracks she had started to see into what he actually did for his job, and the pressure involved in all that, had rounded his sharper edges out. Betty then pulled around and supported her seated husband. “Yes. In fact…” She paused for a moment, clearly making something up on the spot. “How about we go out tonight? Maybe some burgers and… ice cream?” Ashley wasn’t above a little bribery… something both her Bigs had taken note of recently, particularly after her encounter with the mist. The price for that was a few books added to her collection and a movie poster from back on Earth with one of her favorite movies… The Princess Bride. Ashley was nearly giddy when she came home to see it. Now, her arched eyebrows and curious eyes showed she was ready to deal again. “And I can get one with sprinkles and whip cream and… a cherry?” Betty smiled and Pete chuckled. “Well… only if you eat all the fruit that comes with the meal, okay?” Pete’s bargaining prowess had come in handy recently, and if one didn’t know any better, he almost seemed to enjoy those little games with Ashley now. Ashley squinted her eyes, as if to contemplate the deal, but then nodded her head. “Very well. Shake on it?” She then only smiled broadly when both her Bigs came up to her and shook her head. The deal had been struck. * * * Day 83 – 8:43 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 It had been strange and a little disjointing to Ashley as she stepped out of the car with Pete doing the driving today instead of Betty. It didn’t help either that they were 20 minutes early or that there was even a line of cars all there to drop their Littles off… clearly those who had to go up to the main building as well. Needless to say, while some Littles were unaffected and hadn’t shown up, those that did seemed more than a little moody. As Ashley walked into the main part of the daycare, sounds of complaints echoed all around. Still, all that didn’t matter when she found Pete. Bonding together, the two quickly ran outside to the playground equipment and began to use all of it fully… or at least everything but the baby swings and the sandbox. As labeled, those were for babies, and despite her pull-ups and his diapers, both were insistent they were ‘only Littles.’ Both also seemed to ensure the other knew just how mature each other was… daring feats of strength, skill, balance, and endurance. It was almost a race. A mere few minutes in though, peels of laughter resounded off the back fenced-in area as both Littles were having the time of their life once the race between them was almost dropped entirely. Both seemed to have their own reasons. For Ron, it was a break from his reality of spiraling downward… and maybe something scarier and less mature, but that wasn’t spoken of… ever. For Ashley though, it was turning into a break from everything else. No Bigs. No regressions. No story. No failure. It was pure and simple. ‘Yeah… this is what I needed. Laughter, a little exercise… some thrills even. I mean, who knew that swings going up high could be so fun?’ She only smiled and they continued. Of course, there was a small moment where their reality was broken when Ron had denied that he had just wet his diaper, but Miss Pearl broke the conversation up before Ashley could get too deep into it. “Come on! Recess is early today. They think a storm is coming!” The two Littles looked up, and sure enough, clouds were already swirling around… again. “Aww man!” Ron kicked a bit of mulch from under his foot. Ashley sighed as well. “Oh well,” she shrugged. “Maybe time for it later. Daycare hasn’t even technically started yet. This is only pre-start recess. Not the real thing, right?” Ron only shrugged his shoulders and put his hands in his jean shorts pockets before Ashley directed him inside. ‘Such a sourpuss sometimes… Geesh.’ Reentering the daycare Miss Fiona greeted and halted both before they joined their respective ‘mature’ group together once more. “There you are,” she directed toward Ron. “Seems like you’ve been spending a lot of time with the same people, and you’ve been selected to be part of our rotating initiative.” “Rotating initiative?” both Ron and Ashley asked in unison. Ashley’s face was a mix of confusion and concern right away. “Yes,” the friendly attendant confirmed. “We do it every so often just to make sure that everyone gets to know each other. More friends and all!” Her smile was infectious, but her shifting eyes told a different story… like she knew the truth but was also trying to do her best to be a good Big under the ever-watchful eye of Mrs. Jenkins. For their part, Ashley and Ron looked anything but thrilled, but Ashley especially looked skeptical now. “So where are we going?” she asked insistently. Miss Fiona’s usually cheery face slightly dropped but her professionalism here seemed to carry her through her own mom. “Oh, sorry Ashley. It’s actually just Ron switching around today.” Again, it looked like she was trying to cover up the fact that she knew more than she was letting on. From her good and kind-hearted nature, if she had been a robot, she probably would have been glitching at that point. Still, she remained firmly entrenched in her stance and insistence that Ron would now join a different group. “Aww man!” Ashley said, stomping her foot on the ground at the clear realization that she would be separated from her friend now. ‘Shoot! Not good for Ron, and…’ Ashley could almost be seen twisting inside of her own mind. ‘No, Ash. Take a breath. Take it easy. This is just what the Bigs would want you to do. Freak out, get a bunch of strikes, and then go to the backroom.’ She momentarily shuddered once more. ‘Stupid backroom…’ Ron sighed. “I guess I don’t have a choice in this, right?” he asked dejectedly, seemingly almost resigned to his fate now. From Ashley’s expression over his most recent comment, it was yet another bad sign. Miss Fiona sighed and shook her head. “Not really, but we can take it into consideration when we all switch again. How does that sound? Is that acceptable to the two of you?” Ashley still visibly fretted over the split up, but Ron only shrugged his shoulders. “Nothing I can do, so… fine I guess?” He then turned back to Ashley. “Sorry, Ash. We can still see each other after though…” Ashley’s self-monitoring of her emotions and her demeanor leveled out a little more now. “Yeah… but just stay strong, Ron,” Ashley gestured with her posed fist and giving a weak smile at the same time… a likely fruitless gesture in this world to a condemned Little. Ron then walked away without a fuss, and for Ashley, that seemed to hurt her more than anything. ‘Shoot! He’s definitely going down the tubes now! If Ron isn’t careful, this change certainly won’t be his last. Shoot! We gotta get out of here.’ Her thoughts chaotically swirled, but for the moment, she just seemed resigned to the fact that she would need to go through another group session with her fellow ‘mature Littles…’ now sadly devoid of Ron. * * * Day 83 – 9:45 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley occasionally looked over to Ron… now sitting surrounded by her old friends, all devoid of most scraps of their former maturity. Kyle wasn’t speaking once again… a growing majority of his days but not all of them… yet. Marilyn and Simon were once again bickering and Miss Fiona… she was pulling out her guitar and trying to pull in the chaos swirling around her. If she hadn’t known that it was Sunday, Ashley’s view over to the other group might have been just any other day around here. Things, however, changed when it came to music time. Normally, the two groups would merge into one and everyone would either enjoy or endure the session that followed, something that Miss Fiona took no small amount of pride in with her guitar and singing skills. In fact, her talent even impressed Ashley… almost to the point of her actually looking forward to the time most days, but today… maybe being a Sunday, but it was different. “Come on and gather in,” one of the high school volunteers announced to the group. “I’ve got a special presentation for you all to see about… renewable energy. Ooh…” Some of the Littles gathered into the models she had brought for everyone to look at, but Ashley wasn’t one of them. Instead, she was looking back at Ron. Right then, it just so happened that he was staring back at her longingly as well. Both seemingly sensing each other’s desire to join the other group, they gave a little wave towards the other. “Ashley, Ashley? Look back at the models, dear,” Miss Pearl guided in a low whisper to the distracted Little. “Let the other Littles in that group have their time together. Today though, you can learn all about our renewable energy sources here.” Ashley nodded and listened in. “Okay… now, next we have our wave energy generating machines. Oooh…” She smiled in and pointed to the model where there were a series of paddles and machines underneath a transparent blue lining… clearly representing the ocean. “The natural tides and undercurrents generated by the waves and the lunar pull creates a motion underneath the water. Using the latest in coastal mapping, our scientists have been able to find pockets where disturbances to marine life are near zero. So, we then secure these to the sea floor, and poof! One hands-free energy generator!” Some of the Littles clapped. Ashley looked interested but stayed at the back… while also keeping a discreet but near continual vigilant watch over Ron. Just as the Little seemed about to break at the fifth childish song though, the group got up and left… Ron seemingly too focused on where they were going to look back towards Ashley. Ashley, however, saw it all. ‘Oh no! They’re going towards the back movie room. It’s not the back… yeah… that room, but it’s just as bad! Nancy went back there and changed that very day! Shoot!’ Fortunately for her, another high school volunteer needed a second to set up the next presentation. Seeing her move, Ashley ran toward the back door. ‘I have to try!’ Before she got to within five feet of the door though, Miss Pearl nearly jumped right in front of her. Gratefully, her expression was more curiosity and concern than anger. “And just where do you think you’re going?” “I… I…” Ashley stumbled about her words but then instead lifted a single finger toward the back area where Ron and the others had disappeared off to. “Ro… they went back there and… I… I wanted to join them!” She wasn’t perfect, but her white lies and fabrications had gotten much better sense she had first arrived. Still, the Big swished their mouth around… almost like they were about to consider letting Ashley go with them. After a moment though, she shook her head. If Ashley had been more aware, she might have noticed Mrs. Jenkins looking on at the two from nearby. “Sorry, Ash, but no can do. It’s for their group only. Maybe if you were… different, you could, but not today.” Ashley furrowed her brow and even took a step forward. “But why?” Miss Pearl sighed and shook her head. “I… I can’t tell you that, honey. Bigs and staff only. Just… go back to your group and enjoy the next presentation.” Ashley almost seemingly tried again, but Miss Pearl’s finger pointed away from the door and back to her group only seemingly quelled any thought of her disobeying. So, with a deep sigh and a heavy dose of resignation, Ashley wandered back to her own group. * * * Day 83 – 10:55 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley had been pacing for the better part of an hour now. Miss Pearl and Miss Fiona had tried to distract her and pull her away from watching the door that Ron had disappeared behind, but her stubbornness was on full display now. Just as she lapped to the furthest part of her arc away from the door though, it opened. Ashley ran over to greet her friends, but her heart sank. Like she had predicted, they now all looked different. No gender swaps, hair coloring, fat distribution, or any of the other horrible rumors that she had heard about while here, but there was a change. Each Little fumbled their steps… more specifically as each began to interact with the world, their coordination had dropped… dramatically. Unfortunately, as he stumbled out, Ron was no exception. Ashley clutched her chest, the pain in her eyes evident as she took slow and deep breaths. ‘No, no, no. He’s… he changed. Darn it! Those monsters!’ Her eyes were full of sorrow, but venom as well… especially as she briefly looked toward a seemingly satisfied Mrs. Jenkins. ‘Shoot and double shoot! I let him slip right through my fingers, and…’ Ashley shook her head subtly. ‘No. No, Ash. Don’t focus on that. Deep breaths and all smiles for your friend. Be his rock. Be the person he can count on. Don’t give in to your stress. Don’t let the Bigs win. Go over and put a smile on his face again.’ Going over, Ashley was quick with a smile toward Ron… now seemingly trying to walk in even a straight line. After the third attempt though, Ashley swooped in. “Hey, there! It’s drizzling out today now, so… you know what that means! Puzzles!” Purely based off her thoughts, her joy was artificial, but even for the briefest of moments, it seemed to have the intended effect on Ron as he cracked a smile and nodded. But most everyone knows at least one quote about plans and their efficacy once put into motion… Ashley’s weren’t immune, and soon enough, the activity that was supposed to de-stress Ron only flared his frustration. Her eyes wandered across the table to her friend and his clear struggle with putting the pieces together. ‘Oh! Not this too! Drats! I even picked an easier puzzle today! Not good… definitely not good.’ Still, Ron at least found one piece… though it was in the same amount of time that Ashley had found seven. It wasn’t a competition, but maybe a little of her scientist Bigs was rubbing off on her now. ‘Okay… he could do this type of puzzle yesterday, and now… he’s barely put anything together… Not hard to figure out what the change was since then… Maybe I should ask just to be sure?’ Ashley sighed. “You okay, Ron?” Ashley finally asked, her eyes catching his struggle to even grip another piece and put it in place. “Yeah… maybe…? Just this stupid piece won’t go in! I think I’m just overstressing or something…” Ron’s nostrils flared, and his patience seemed wafer thin. Seeing it happen before, he looked moments away from simply pounding the piece into the puzzle with his fist. Ashley winced briefly, but then rapidly smacked a smile over her face before moving closer to Ron. “Here… you show me where, and I can help you out. Stress is a killer around here…” Ashley was clearly trying to address the problems she could and just ignore the others. ‘Whatever is happening back there… whatever changed Nancy and now everyone else… I can’t change that, but I can at least help out this way.’ Ron mutely smiled at the offer from his friend and gave her the piece before pointing out where it went. With Ashley now essentially doing two of their jobs in one, the puzzle’s progress slowed, but by the time their lunch rolled around, it was now mostly complete. Yesterday, it likely would have only taken thirty minutes though… At lunch, Ron and Ashley sat together and spotted their lunch of a few vegetables and a large heap of mac n’ cheese. The steam vapors came off it, and like a whirlwind of breathing, nearly every Little placed their faces over the golden mixture and inhaled deeply… including Ashley. ‘Take the good where you can get it here…’ “Ah…” Ron said, his eyes practically rolling in the back of his head. “That’s good.” “Yep!” Ashley agreed, a look of contentment rolling over her expression. “Now quit staring and get to eatin…” “No! No! I refuse to eat this!” Marilyn screamed out from just down the table, her fist slamming a forkful of veggies previously in front of her. “Marilyn! That’s strike three!” Mrs. Jenkins yelled, immediately standing up from her crouched position where she had obviously been trying to convince the girl to eat her veggies. ‘Oh, Marilyn… why’d you have to go and do a stupid thing like that?’ Everyone could see as the Little immediately went pale and then began to thrash about. “No, no, no! I’ll be good! No strike three! Please!” She and every other Little knew what it meant with strike three… the backroom. “Nope,” Mrs. Jenkins declared, now easily hoisting the squirming Little away. “Strike three… and you know what that means.” “Nooo…!” Marilyn’s wails echoed through the door to the backroom and then down the hallway she was carried off to. Soon, only the tiny patter of utensils going back to eating could be heard. “Right… food…” Ashley, Ron, and everyone else it seemed just focused back on their food. Punishments were limited around here, but still routine… especially with Mrs. Jenkins. There was an unspoken mourning for Mairlyn, but no one dared act up and stop eating for her sake. One Little getting strike three today was bad enough. As Ashley continued to eat, it was hard not to be observant of the settings around her… particularly when they were so noisy. While the two Littles ate the same food and had the same exact utensil, Ron usually had to take two bites for every one of Ashley’s. Both would shovel the mac n’ cheese on their fork in the same way, but by the time it got to their mouths, Ron had dropped nearly half his load. Undeterred, he just continued and eventually finished his two heaps of food. Each time though, Ashley winced. ‘Shoot. Strike another thing on the list going… soon, he’ll be in the highchairs…’ Still, Ashley could do nothing about his state today, and soon, both were then given a glass of milk and told to go back to the main play area. Getting back to their puzzle table, the same thing happened as before when they opened a new one up. This time though, that included the consumption of a beverage. Ashley would take large sips all at once and Ron would take slower, smaller sips. Seconds, later, he showed why as he nearly spilled his entire drink over himself when he tried to match her pace. “Easy there, Ron. No need for a bath,” Miss Pearl tutted as she passed behind them. “Yeah… will do, Miss Pearl.” He then resigned himself back to taking smaller sips before looking at Ashley. “Ugh. Just weird all over. Stress. It’s gotta be stress,” he tried to rationalize. Ashley looked at him with a familiar growing dismay. ‘Melissa… Nancy… and now Ron. It’s not stress. It’s this town… whatever experiment you’re a part of. I won’t embarrass you and contradict that, but… it’s definitely not stress…’ Not long after, Mrs. Jenkins returned to the room with a now quiet Marilyn. After her ‘treatment,’ the Little was quiet and only calmly nursed on her pacifier… a large contrast to the former academic. True, most Littles seeing it before, knew that the effects would wear off in a few hours, but for now, the previously bratty Little was just content to lay back on a playmat and aimlessly bat at the tiny toys dangling above her. As Ashley looked closer, it was obvious that her eyes remained unfocused, and she clearly did not care that her diapered rear was fully on display to everyone who sympathetically and fearfully looked on. ‘Shoot. As if I didn’t have enough to fear about that backroom… Now this?’ In that moment, and then the next… if Ashley hadn’t been as distracted… first by Marilyn’s sudden but brief regression, and then by the puzzle after knocking several out in a row, she might have noticed that Ron was growing more frustrated with the puzzle himself. The resentment from his failures earlier were clearly building, and in all likelihood, he wanted to win at something… even if that was as easy as drinking his glass of milk. Inevitably, disaster struck. Ashley just managed to look up as Ron began hastily chugging the milk down, his burdened mind clearly not seeing the ridiculousness of his plan. This time though, instead of merely spilling a little on his outfit as he had almost done before, the glass upended and spilled right all over the frustrated Little. Now, already primed from the puzzle’s frustrations, Ron’s emotions got the better of him and he tossed the now empty plastic glass on the floor. “Stupid glass! Stupid hands! I just… I… I…” His emotions quickly turned from frustration into sadness and tears began to fall rapidly from the Little. Looking over, it was a sad state that Ashley could relate to. She could handle her glass fine, but the outburst of emotions so suddenly… that was all too familiar, and her look of horror and sympathy showed just that. ‘Shoot! Definitely going fast. Whatever happened just sped thing along today, but… I can’t believe that this is the same Little that I only met a little over a week ago. Not good at all…’ The shock faded though, and her sorrow and empathy shone out instead. Seemingly rubbing away her initial freeze and coming to her senses, Ashley scooted closer and tried to console her now sobbing friend. “Ron. Hey there. Listen to me, Ron.” Ron shakily looked back at his friend, his eyes stricken with anger and despair. “It’s just some milk and some plastic glass,” she tried to rationalize to her friend. “It’s okay. Promise. Just breathe…” Ron nodded and was clearly trying to get ahold of his emotions but like most Littles at this juncture, with so much building up against them, he didn’t seem to be making much progress. Almost like she was prepared for it, or maybe just a good and vigilant daycare attendant, Miss Fiona soon walked over to the pair of them. Likely seeing the distressed Little was just a bit beyond words at the moment, she directed her attention to Ashley. “Everything okay here, Ashley?” Ashley paused and even winced as she looked down at her friend. His needs were obvious, and her likely look of potential betrayal subsided. “Ron was trying to do the puzzle and drink milk, but… I think it might have been a bit too much. Spilled the milk and all. I’ve tried to calm him down, but…” Ashley gestured subtly towards her sniffling friend, still all covered in milk from the mouth on down. “Right,” Miss Fiona said with the confidence of someone who had seen this same scene unfold at least a dozen or so times before. “Thank you for your help, Ashley, but I think I can take it from here.” Ashley nodded in recognition of handing over the responsibility of the distressed Little as Miss Fiona quickly went to one of the nearby cabinets and pulled out a roll of super absorbent paper towels. In moments, most of the mess was cleaned up and the kind-hearted attendant waved over to Mildred to come and finish the job of making sure everything was completely clean and not just dry. Now turning to Ron, she bent down and began to slowly dab the milk away from his skin and clothing. “Oh, Ron… I think this is going to require a bit more effort. Come with me.” Ron hesitated but soon got up from his chair and walked sorrowfully away with Miss Fiona. Both he and Ashley looked like they wanted to say something to one another, but both just remained eerily quiet… at least until Ron soldiered on and away from the scene of the accident. Ashley watched as her friend headed right over to the changing tables… something he had done before, but now… her pain witnessing it all was evident. Just as Miss Fiona began to strip Ron’s damp clothing, Mildred arrived with a few rags and a bottle of disinfectant cleaning solution. “Thank the scientists here for creating this stuff!” she exclaimed with more than a little enthusiasm. “Normally, this could stain everything for at least a week solid… especially the darker fabrics,” she said as her hand gestured to a nearby darkly colored blanket that had a few drops of the milk over it. “I swear… just never know where these things are going to fly off to.” Ashley nodded her head but was far more focused on her friend… now reclining back onto the changing table. Ashley’s eyes grew wide. ‘No, no. Come on, Ron. Fight it! Fight it!’ While Ron had been consigned to diapers for over a week now at least, the attendants had always whisked him away to the more private changing tables in the bathrooms and elsewhere in the building. Now, though, he was subjected to the convenient but very public changing tables just off to the side of the main play space. Only regressed Littles got changed there… And unfortunately, while Ron seemed a little distressed, he didn’t fight it… not even when he was stripped bare to be changed. At one point, Ashley simply had to turn away and focus on the puzzle instead of her friend. Her face was saddened, and she sighed continually. ‘I want to help him still. I want to keep an eye on him, but… I just can’t do it right now. He’s slipping. I know he knows it, but… I just can’t watch him get his diaper changed like some little… baby!’ Ashley squeezed her eyes tight for a moment. She didn’t open them until she heard a few laughs and whispers from nearby. Now, in a daycare, laughs and whispers can be a foolish thing… or a dangerous one. Regressed Littles can whisper and laugh about anything. Their emotions and self-control leave much to be desired, so it could be as simple as whispering about the designs on their diapers. On the flip side though, unregressed Littles could be nasty or actually be carrying a dirty rumor. They had the consciousness to bring a thought forward and the cleverness to hurt, but they also had the fragile ego that could get them to lash out doubly and make everything worse. So, when Ashley cracked her eyes open, her hesitancy could be seen right away. This time though, she quickly could see many of the Littles looking at something behind her… not at her. Turning around though, she then saw what they were looking at. It was Ron. Or more notably, his clothing… a onesie and shortalls. Or maybe it was the fact that his diaper bulge was clear to anyone who wasn’t blind. Or that it was the fact that he was now drinking a sippy cup of milk and it wasn’t just because the limited number of normal glasses had run out. Or… it was simply the fact that he seemed content… even if he was more on the side of the daycare that catered more toward the more mentally regressed Littles. To put it mildly, the blow exhibited all over Ashley didn’t need any interpreter or machine to read her thoughts. She was devasted. It was Melissa and Nancy all over again. ‘Shoot! He was my responsibility! Mine! And I failed him… again!’ Ashley seemingly tried to shake those thoughts away, but like a wave smashing against the rocks, they just kept coming. ‘No, no, no! Not again. I won’t let it! I… I… shoot! I don’t know what to do!’ After that, Ashley stayed away from Ron for the rest of the day. She kept an eye on him… watching him go through several books while perched on the floor. Part of it was a good sign; he was reading after all, but the books were for a younger audience. And, like fate wanted to drive the needle further into Ashley’s heart, today, Ron was then escorted away to take a nap during her ‘quiet time.’ True, he touted that he didn’t need a crib… but that victory was a hollow one… one that seemingly weighed heavily on Ashley as she sat back and tried to watch the movie. But it was hard. Her thoughts persisted in failure and speculation of how to fix it. By the end, she was no closer, but a new realization was creeping up on her once more. Again, with Olly intermittently gone now and her other friends regressed or regressing like Ron, she was alone. There were new Littles, but they weren’t friendly. Ashley had simply been here too long, and she was considered too much a native by them… at least until they wet their pants. But by then, it was likely too late. So, Ashley sat back and closed her eyes instead. ‘Happy thoughts, Ash. Don’t think about the other stuff. Not over Ron’s regression. Not that you can’t get out of here even if you wanted to. Not that your story still lacks actual evidence. Not that… you’re all alone.’ Ashley sniffed and wiped her eyes. Things just weren’t getting better today… * * * Day 85 – 4:39 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Two days later, Ashley wasn’t any better off. Her mind had screamed while at daycare… while in the car… while at home… during song time and nearly every hour at the very least since she had seen her friend go off to naptime. When he got back, he was so happy that he didn’t have to sleep in a crib… it only disheartened Ashley more. Betty and Pete were no fools though and they weren’t blind. Ashley was always a little moody around town some days, and they had seemingly only come to accept it as a quirk of their Little. Betty always tried to cheer her up with little acts of kindness, but now… Betty was pushing harder than ever to get her Little to smile again. So, today, she had even closed the shop up early to pick Ashley up and go around downtown for a little shopping and to get a treat for then and then later that night for dessert. Ashley appreciated the gesture, but her thoughts were still far away. “Well, maybe we could go to the mall again?” betty suggested, pulling out yet another suggestion to cheer Ashley up… something that didn’t seem to be working either. Betty sighed. “Come on, Ash. Isn’t there anything you want that I can do for you to help you feel better?” Ashley sighed herself and shook her head. “No. I… you’re doing so much for me, and that’s so nice of you, but… sometimes people are just sad. Extra now, since… well, you know…” Betty nodded solemnly and then kept walking forward. The mist that Pete had accidentally unleashed on Ashley was still affecting her. Not as bad as at first, but her emotions were still raw and prone to mood swings. Plus, her nighttime control was near disastrous… her daytime control slowly seeming to be catching up with that same description. While walking down the street, Betty kept throwing out ideas. Notions of waterparks, theme parks… even trips to other states were thrown out. ‘Thanks Betty, but… if we leave here, my problems will just as equally remain when we get back and Ron will be even worse than he is now. Plus, half the destinations you’re suggesting are in the South. I don’t know everything about Libertalia, but I do know the South is one of the worst places for Little’s rights. We go there and I might end up disappearing into the back of a van when someone catches wind that I’m not mentally regressed already…’ There mere thought sent a shiver up her back. Still, Ashley didn’t budge to any of the suggestions. She seemed like nothing would move her away. She would be a sad and lonely Little, doomed to spend the rest of her life here as an outcast or doomed to failure and regression. It was a bitter pill to swallow… but her eyes then moved to a nearby lamp post. It was the type that was wooden and while technically against the town charter, no one had ever paid any attention to that section and had posted their flyers whenever and now after some time, wherever they could. Announcements of new bands, lost animals, services for babysitters and lawnmowers, and even the occasional town announcement about a bus to the mall on the other side of the tunneled mountain range. But what stood out to Ashley was the flyer stuck low on the pole. It was seemingly unassuming, but something she had discovered long ago, while Earth was a major influence on Big culture on this planet now, even going so far as to influence their holidays like Christmas or Halloween, but it still wasn’t Earth. It was like any of the Mexican restaurants she grew up with back home. Even the ones that contained passed-down recipes from first generation Americans… still lacked that tiny bit of authenticity here and there. Not big differences, but still noticeable if one were to look. So, when she saw this flyer, she only had one thought. ‘This is from Earth!’ It was like seeing an old friend after so long. She looked like she wanted to smell, touch, or even hug it to bits, but after a cracked hand at the stopped sidewalk crossing, her calm took over. ‘Okay… easy does it, Ash. Go over and check the flyer out. Walk… don’t run.’ Ashley tip toed over to the lamp post, Betty still far too focused on rattling off half a dozen or so ideas for how to cheer her up. Little did she know that a simple piece of paper would do the trick. Just as the light turned and the walk sign popped on, Ashley managed to snag the flyer… something that turned out to have multiple copies underneath. Still, Ashley looked at the flyer in her hands as if it was made of gold. ‘Okay… breathe easy, Ash. You know this is something, but… hold on…’ Ashley pulled the flyer closer to her face, and while it was too small to really see, there was writing in a border all around the edge of the flyer. The flyer itself was advertising some Little’s activities in town next Wednesday, but the border… it was something else. Before Ashley could look closer, however, Betty then noticed the flyer in her hands. “Oh? You got something there?” She leaned down a little bit to get a better view. “Hmmm… Littles classes, huh? Sounds… different for you, Ash.” Ashley barely seemed to hear her but then quickly nodded in confirmation over the larger but seemingly less important writing. “Yeah, but… you never know… maybe something will change for me soon after all…” * * * Day 85 – 8:46 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 “Magnifying glass… magnifying glass…” Ashley kept muttering to herself as she frantically rifled through the table near the entrance. Betty kept all sorts of things in there, just in case for delivery people or greeting or at least thirty other things she had rattled off when Ashley first came to the house. Being almost three months ago now, Ashley couldn’t recall… but she did remember the magnifying glass. ‘Oh… come on! Where are you?’ “Ashley?” Pete questioned, coming up behind her and the Little not even turning to say hello back. “What are you doing there, honey?” “Looking for… looking for… aha!” Ashley then shoved her hand as far as she could reach inside the desk. “Almost got it… almost got it…” If Ashley could have seen Pete’s patient but puzzled face, she would have likely explained herself, but now… she was simply too preoccupied by retrieving the magnifying glass. “Aha! Gotcha!” Ashley held the object up in her hands like it was some prized jewel she had just plucked from the bowels of the Earth. “A magnifying glass?” Pete questioned, squinting at the object, almost now looking comically too big in Ashley’s small and dainty hands. “What do you need…?” “Thanks for the offer, Pete, but I…” Ashley shrugged and gestured to her newfound prize. “Well, I already got what I need. See ya!” She then darted back upstairs before Pete could utter a single word further. In her bedroom, Ashley nearly sprang over to the small desk she had recently added. Puzzles or drawings usually adorned the surface, but now… like some prized manuscript, the flyer lay bare and under the spotlight of a nearby lamp. Flittering with glee, Ashley sprinted past her now colorful room and plopped down in her chair before leaning in with the magnifying glass… ready for anything. It took a second, but the tiny writing was genius. ‘Whoever put this in here had to know that Bigs have a lot of skills, but eyesight into the finer details of things… well, it just isn’t one of them. Plus, the design is so generic. Any Big looking at this and the event would probably be put off in seconds. Clever…’ Ashley then peered a little closer and finally raised her eyebrows in shock. “Woah…” The words were tiny but repeated themselves in one glorious message… especially for a capable but still trapped Little. “We are LRG. We are here to help any Littles who can still read this message. We will have a point of contact at the Little’s class next Wednesday, but for those of you who read this but can’t attend, place a blue pebble on your front porch out of the way of the main pathway and we will contact you personally. Good luck!” Ashley slumped back in her chair. “Holy smokes…” The wording was simple, and the message was clear. LRG, otherwise known as the freaking ‘Little Rights Group,’ had a presence in town first, but second and more importantly, might be able to help her. The shock mixed well with the sheer excitement on her face. She wiggled like she was too excited and could fall apart if she actually moved like she wanted to. But then, all at once, she jumped up and smiled as she pumped her fist into the air. “Yes!” But, like someone had suddenly opened the vacuum into space, all the life drained out of her in an instance. ‘Shoot… what if this is a trap?’ It likely all sounded too good to the inquisitive Little, and she paced for several minutes afterward. There was a twitch in her fingers like she wanted to celebrate again, but she shook her head. “No… I can’t take that risk. Not now. Not yet…” * * * Day 86 – 8:52 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Despite the fact that Ashley had ‘moved on’ from the flyer, her body movements and her difficulty getting to sleep last night… until she simply passed out, indicated she hadn’t. It was a longshot and likely a trap, but it was also hope toward the Little. It was escape… the idea of possibly feeling the soil of Earth back under her feet. Still, being dropped off at daycare once more, she appeared to have larger concerns. Mrs. Jenkins was in a foul mood this morning and had already given out two strikes… even before group time. Granted, one was for stealing a snack from the kitchen, but the other was simply because they had raised their voice to be heard over the chaos. Simply put, it was a bad morning for Little Haven Daycare Center. So, when Ron finally arrived, Ashley wasted no time in pulling him close… to protect him. “Easy, easy, Ash,” he said, his voice a little strangled from the tight grip and semi-hug that Ashley was giving him now. “Hard… to… breathe…” “Wha…?” Ashley turned to her regressing friend and clearly saw the problem and let go. “Oh! Sorry. Just… Mrs. Jenkins is on the war path this morning. I swear she has it out for every Little.” “Oh…” He absent-mindedly played the straps on his outfit. “Thanks then…” He looked fearfully over at Mrs. Jenkins and only went faster teasing the buckles of his outfit. More than a few times, it almost looked like he would have struggled to undo the clips. For her part, Ashley nodded but then stared at her friend’s outfit. True, Joy had frustratingly been placing him in increasingly juvenile clothing lately. The other day, his Jasper and Jinx shirt couldn’t be missed, but strangely… it almost seemed to match Ron somehow that day. Then, he had spilled his milk over himself. Miss Fiona was great… but she had then proceeded to dress him in a puppy dog themed onesie underneath his snap-crotch shortalls. It was toddler clothing at best, but Ashley had initially dismissed it as a one-time thing. Today though, he now wore a pair of striped shortalls with a train-themed shirt underneath. Plus, with the way it stretched over his body, the theme, and the fact that it plunged into his shortalls rather than hang loose, odds were good that it was a onesie. “What… what are you wearing?” Ashley asked in disbelief over his outfit. “What?” Ron shrugged defensively. “Bad theme? Do I have a spill of something on me?” His eyes even briefly glanced down to check himself for one… even panicking as he examined his onesie for any signs. Ashley shook her head and gestured to his outfit. “it’s just… you’re… you’re wearing shortalls… and… is that a onesie underneath?” This time, Ron shrugged like he legitimately didn’t care. “Yeah. I mean… Joy likes them and besides…” He then leaned closely and whispered. “They’re not so bad. I mean… no Little really wants to stay in a poopy diaper all day long, right?” Ashley shook her head, but if her wide eyes were any indication, she was purely mortified. She had the good sense not to say anything, probably worried that she might say something rash, but her thoughts raged. ‘No, no! he doesn’t even care about his outfit. Joy wanted it and she got it. Not good, and then? He makes a joke about poopy diapers?’ Ashley winced outwardly at the thought. ‘So not good.’ Ron only smiled back and started talking about a new show he had found… something about Leon or Lyle and he was a giraffe, but really, Ashley wasn’t listening. Instead, she sighed. ‘Shoot… if I want any chance of saving one Little at least here… we need to go soon… yesterday even. I… shoot! I’m going to have to risk it and contact LRG. May not leave this week, but… I have to try…’ Ashley smiled and nodded outwardly, her sense of lying to herself and to the world about her feelings getting seemingly better every day in this town. Inside though, it seemed the plan to escape was already running.

Hey everyone! Nothing new to announce this round, but just as a reminder, a new poll is up for you all to let me know which story you all would like to read next. Story options and the link can be found back in the beginning of chapter 2 and 14. As I mentioned before though, if you feel more comfortable leaving a comment here or as a private message to me, I will count these as well. Additionally, like before, this poll will be shut down right before I post my final chapter on here. Further announcements will be made regarding this when the time gets closer. Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 16: A Balance Between One’s Job and One’s Duty Day 76 – 1:16 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 A promise and maintaining balance in a world set against one, if it wasn’t obvious to Ashley before, was difficult to say the least and was now as clear as ever to her. Ron didn’t come to the daycare everyday… something she felt was going to be changing soon, especially as she got closer to him, but now, outside of daycare, his downward path was becoming even more obvious. Betty and Joy were having a nice chat nearby, but Ron was off in his own little world. Ashley looked over to her new friend, twiddling his thumbs and trying not to look around at the others on the playground. ‘I know I shouldn’t get attached to someone already slipping, but… I feel responsible for him now. Plus, he kind of gets me. Maybe not as much as Nancy did, but… he’s also fresh from Earth. He knows about modern things… he’s not so entrenched into this place that he feels like a native. Nancy was great, but her mood swings between pessimism and acceptance of this place weren’t always the best. Still…’ Ashley saw Ron continually looking at some of the other play groups at the park. It was a good sign to see that he was looking at the more mature ones, but… there was also a hesitation there. ‘Definitely one of the more reserved Littles around here. Cautious but… maybe shy as well?’ Ashley sighed and stood up, brushing the metaphorical dirt off her shorts. ‘Well… if I’m going to hold onto him… maybe prevent another friend from tumbling down the regression rabbit hole, I need to get him out of his own head.’ With a deep breath, Ashley walked over to the lonely Little. “Hey, Ash,” he remarked gloomily on seeing her. “Hey, Ron. Mind if I sit?” she questioned as neutrally and gracefully as she seemed capable of. Ron only nodded solemnly and gestured to the open spot on the bench he was sitting on. Ashley smiled and sat down. The two sat for a minute and Ashley occasionally looked over at the mostly silent Little… still staring off longingly at the others. “So… you wanna have some… fun?” Ashley was clearly flexing her tone to have her question seem more like a secret to be revealed. No threats… just a pure getting the Little out of his shell. ‘Need to do this carefully. Test him out. See if he’s shy… or simply far too wound up in here.’ Ron hesitated but nodded. Ashley needed no further prompting and immediately took his wrist before yanking him away. She almost dragged him over to the play groups, but she subtly shook her head. ‘No… either way he’s feeling, he’s not ready for them. He goes over now, and he might snap if some Little runs into him or sees one of the more regressed blatantly wet their diaper. No… for now, we need to do this together. Ease him in… figure out what’s up.’ Ashley quickly made her way over to the one of two playground sets. The one in front of them was more intricate, taller, and fascinating to look at than the other… one decidedly made for the younger mindset Littles. This playset, simply put, would have either killed any mentally regressed Little or at least made them wet themselves in fear. Nothing too bad, but… nearby Bigs were ever vigilant of who could climb this playset… and who couldn’t. “Alright… up we go.” Ron stared at the tall rope ladder up to the second floor and then third floor and the painted tower careening over top it all. Being sized for Littles in a Big world, each floor was at least ten feet tall and the third floor of the tallest tower, set slightly higher than the rest, easily stretched upwards of 35 feet into the air. “Up there?” he asked with no small amount of fear. “Yes,” Ashley confirmed. “What? You afraid of heights or something?” Ron frowned and shook his head before quickly grumbling and ambling over to the rope ladder. ‘Hmmm… pride seems to be one of his levers right now. Could use that to see what’s up with him… maybe warn him of potential obstacles.’ Ashley shook her head off the thought and quickly joined her friend. “Oh woah,” she mocked playfully about a minute later. “Someone’s a little slow, huh?” Lightly attacking his ego seemed to be doing the trick and his eyes weren’t full of hate as he climbed, so Ashley continued her taunting tactics. “Slow?” Ron took the baited insult and started to climb faster. “I’ll show you slow!” Ashley smirked and climbed faster herself. “Hmmm… still not fast enough!” Ron grumbled but smiled as well and increased his pace further. Not long after, both easily passed the second floor. “I’m gonna beat you!” he yelled, placing his hand just on the run above where Ashley’s was. “Maybe…” Ashley smiled and redoubled her efforts. Now being a neck and neck race, the two Littles clambered up to the third floor together. Finally, though, Ron could claim the ultimate victory. “Ha!” he said hopping up onto the third floor. “I beat you! I did it! I did it!” His actions were almost a little childish, but Ashley just chuckled and soon joined him. ‘Figured he had some life in him. Always interesting to see repression just melt away around here…’ “Yes, you did. Congrats, and now look…” She gestured before them. “Quite a view, huh?” Ron stopped boasting and looked out over the view before them. Being only two floors with storage spaces up top, the surrounding buildings didn’t stand in the way of their view in the slightest. From up on the third floor of the playground set, while some buildings downtown and surrounding trees blocked their view, it was quite easy to see a chunk of the whole town… including the main facility just beyond. Seeing that, Ron looked a little sad. “Thinking of Joy leaving you again during the day this week?” Ashley pressed gently. Ron blushed slight and nodded. “Yeah. Weird, right? I mean, I’ve only been here for… 12 days I think? You wouldn’t think that would be enough time to get to know someone and miss them… especially a Big.” Ashley shrugged. “I don’t know, but Joy… your Big… she’s one of the good ones. At least… well, I at least think she is. Hard to keep track of all that really around here, but she’s at least nice.” Ashley then turned toward Ron a little further. “Around here with so much… for lack of better terms, weird and bad, nice will get you far. Probably doesn’t hurt with coping with being a Little though, right?” Ron only shook his head, looking strangely a little embarrassed, and Ashley decided not to push the matter further. Instead, she resolved it in herself to lighten his mood once more. “How about this? Race you to the bottom! And… go!” Giving him no time, Ashley took off and Ron ran after her towards the slides. “Hey! No fair!” But his muted laughter revealed moments later that his resentment toward the unfairness of advantage was really just all in fun. So, for the next hour, the two talked and played just about as much as any Little could at daycare. For the attendants, watching the pair use the slides, swings, and various other pieces of equipment, they likely only saw two Littles having fun at recess. For Ashley and Ron though, and any Little with their head still on their shoulders, their laughs were more the sounds of freedom… lashing out against a world with pure abandonment while they still could in this strange town. “Oh man… you need to stop, Ash!” Ron breathed out, laughing at yet another inside joke against the Bigs after they slid down the slides one more time… his previous worries seemingly vanished altogether now. “Sorry… sorry. Just…” Ashley gestured over to one of the known stricter Bigs, watching them over like a hawk. “You have to admit… from a certain angle… she kind of looks like one of those Easter Island statues.” Ron peeled into another round of laughter. The joke wasn’t even that good, but after an hour of several other jokes, he was like a raw nerve… likely willing and able to laugh at the literal drop of a hat now. But… he then stopped. His eyes widened. His stance hunched over, and his hands shot to his pelvis, his breath heavy with horror and fear. “Oh! I… I…” Ashley wasn’t a fool, and she had been here long enough to recognize the signs. “Oops! Guess you laughed a little too hard there, huh?” Ashley laughed for a brief second as Ron desperately nodded his head in panic. “Well, shoo! Go get your Big to get you to the potty! Scram!” Ron didn’t need to be told twice and ran off to go find Joy. Ashley smiled as she watched him go and shook her head. ‘Well… I got him out of his shell. Hopefully that holds, but…’ Ron raised his voice loud enough to break her thoughts, and she looked over to see Joy hurriedly rush him inside. ‘Not much progress on that front though… not the best of signs. Almost like two steps forward and one or two steps back. Definitely going to have to keep my eye on him… or at least as much as I can…’ Ashley sighed and took a seat on the nearest swing, seemingly content to forget all her worries for at least a brief moment. * * * Day 76 – 8:16 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 “Ashey… why are you talking to Ron so much?” Pete asked, a slight panic and anger rising in his voice. “He’s part of a different group than you are and…” He stopped… almost like he had just revealed too much. Ashley furrowed her brow, but didn’t focus on that part of his accusation. “Well… uh, Miss Spelding… she’s been talking to me, and she heard that I was a good Little… so she just asked me to watch over him. Seemed like he needed some help here… so I gave it to him.” Ashley shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. Pete’s anger though seemed to imply otherwise. “But that’s…!” Betty stepped forward and had creaked the floor. Pete’s mood softened quickly. “I just…” He sighed. “There’s a lot going on right now. Ron is… Ron is special… or at least one of the special ones. Just… don’t influence him too much, okay? Things could get…” Pete stopped and then shook his head. “Just... never mind…” He then turned away as soon as he had previously entered the room and retreated back downstairs. Betty stepped closer and shook her head as she sighed. “Don’t… don’t mind him. He’s under a lot of stress and there’s things he’s juggling right now that have gotten more complicated around here.” She then worriedly looked at the now shut door to the basement. “Still… I’m going to have to tell Joy about this… she needs to know about all this. Could get complicated, but…” She then shook her head as well and smiled back at Ashley. “Nothing for you to worry about. Silly Peirama things is all…” ‘But that’s what I want to know about!’ Ashley’s brow slightly creased, but her outward emotions consisted of only a nod. ‘Can’t say that though… can’t have them get suspicious of me… not at this point.’ Betty then sat down on the couch nearby and patted the cushion next to her. Once Ashley, as had become tradition, ambled over and sat down, the Big looked at her closely. “Just out of curiosity though… you know I trust you… or I at least I hope you know that, but… what’s your relationship with Ron? Are you his savior? Friend? Something… more?” Ashley shook her head. “No, no. Just a friend. I just… this all started out as a favor to Miss Spelding. Nothing more, but now…” Ashey sighed. “I won’t lie. I… I want to protect Ron against this town. I don’t want him chugging down something like that creamy stuff.” Betty’s face drew long and heavy, but she shook her head. “I see. Well, that’s very noble of you, but so you know, that… creamy stuff… that experiment is over… at least for now. Now… there’s other things going on.” It was clear from her expression that Ashley wanted to know more, but for tonight at least, she didn’t press her luck further. Betty then sighed and turned to Ashley with sad but determined eyes before placing her large hand on the Little’s shoulder. “And for the record here… be friends with him, sweetie. I want you to be happy here, and if that means sticking with Ron, then go for it. Just… have a heart with him, but… don’t fall too deep… not again in a place like this, okay?” Her words seemingly entered Ashley, and from the hand she placed over her stomach, likely put her on edge. “I… I understand…” Given her day though, that promise felt tenuous at best. * * * Day 77 – 11:06 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Betty’s words stuck to Ashley all through the night and well into the next morning. Ron was her friend, but there was something about him that she just seemingly could get over. A vow of helping had turned seamlessly into one of protection. Still though, back at daycare, Ron was gone once more… so despite her previous thoughts, Ashley was back at figuring out her story. Through group sharing and song time… her thoughts were distant and on pretty much everything else besides the task at hand… at least until their activity of the day. The weather was splendid outside and with a little more of free time that afternoon than normal, the group was directed toward art activities. “You think they would have learned from last time not to trust a bunch of Littles with paint,” Olly said, back again for today at least. Ashley nodded. “Yeah… it took them the better part of the afternoon to clean up after the regressed ones and until we all started getting picked up to get it off the walls.” Olly smirked at the memory but then gestured over to Mildred tacking up some large sheets of plastic over one of the more delicate walls with rules and photos on them. “I guess they did learn… at least a little bit.” His eyes then shot over to Simon of all people… already smocked, but now dipping his fingers in the pain… and smearing it over his exposed arms. Ashley only sighed and rolled her eyes before dipping her brush into the paint before her. ‘I might be a Little still in pull-ups with some emotional and nighttime control issues… but I’m definitely one of the regressed ones. No need to act like it when I’m painting…’ While it was never explicitly said, being here for two months now, Ashley had seen how the art projects were often used to determine a Little’s mental and social state. It had always been painful for her to watch Nancy slips from painting something decent… to abstract… to finger painting… to just blobs on the paper unless helped out specifically. For her though, art time was a chance to unwind… and think. ‘I need to continue with my story and then somehow… get out of here. No idea about that yet, but first step today… I need to start talking to Littles here. I think I’ve been here for long enough that they won’t just run away screaming or try to pull my hair… like the first day I tried…’ Ashley sighed as she clearly recalled that more painful day but then lit up again once she saw Olly. “Olly… you’ve been here a while, right?” Trying to paint what looked like a fire breathing dragon, he looked back over and nodded. “Yeah… a little longer than you… at least, I think. Stopped counting the days a while back now.” ‘Hmmm… better start to these things than nothing. Could be a problem though with his memory. Still… need to interview him before too much longer. He keeps leaving and… don’t want to take a chance that he winds up slipping for whatever reason during one of those times.’ Ashley then took a deep breath. “So… Olly, would you mind answering a few questions for me?” Olly looked over with a puzzled expression toward Ashley but ultimately nodded. “I mean… sure? Not sure what I could tell you that you don’t already know. Not like my Big Cynthia is head of R&D for chemical compounds at the main building or anything.” Ashley shrugged and nodded. “True, but… you never know.” She continued to pain… likely just in case Mrs. Jenkins was watching but then cleared her throat. “Okay… you’ve said you’ve changed since you’ve been here. When exactly did that start?” The two Littles kept talking… even long after art time was over… moving right into lunch time and then quiet time. Fortunately, both were still immune from naps, so Ashley was able to gleam several new bits of information or least confirm old ones as they continued to talk. “Yeah… I mean… you are way more mellow, helpful, and accommodating than you used to be.” She winced. “No offense…” Olly chuckled. ‘Oh, none taken. I probably seemed like that guy with a perpetual stick up my butt, right?” Ashley smirked. “Well, I didn’t say it, but… yeah. Just… shame you couldn’t have been like that when we first met. Might have been a lot closer now, you know?” Olly reluctantly nodded. “Yeah, but… I don’t think that would have been possible…” “Oh?” Ashley leaned forward, her intrigue clearly having caught. “Yeah…” He sighed and looked more than a little regretful. “Before… well, before whatever happened, I had a lot of ego in my way… blocked a lot of the old niceties in me.” “But that changed?” Ashley knew that it had, but both had still struggled with the exact timing of it all when they first had started off and so had just moved on to other questions. Now, though, it looked like Olly had an answer. “Oh yeah!” He almost laughed at that, but there was quick succession of seriousness that soon followed after. “I mean… I hate to admit it, but after being diapered, that ego doesn’t have much to stand on.” As if to emphasize his point, he shifted and slightly crinkled and winced at the sound. “I can only imagine," she said with a sigh. “Hopefully, that’ll never be me.” Olly only blinked at her intently for a moment, his skepticism more than a little shining through. “Yeah… you’ll definitely be that Little who beats the odds…” Mrs. Jenkins passed nearby, so Ashley directed her attention down to her book… at least until she had passed, but if she hadn’t, she might have caught the subtle but still present eyeroll from her friend. * * * Day 78 – 10:06 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 It was a late August rain… killing most plans for the moment concerning the outside as was sometimes typical after song time. So, like they had become accustomed to during periods of downtime, Ashley and Ron were back at one of the tables and quickly putting together yet another puzzle. Soon, it seemed at least they were going to start having to repeat which ones they put together… unless the daycare went out and got some more. Instead of his usual enthusiasm and bright-eyed wonder though, Ron was a little more downcast today… something Ashley quickly picked up on. “Hey… everything okay there, Ron?” Unlike the other day, where he just seemed shy, today was far more reserved… depressed even. Ron looked up and merely shook his head. As he did though, a faint but distinct crinkling could be heard. At first, Ashley narrowed her eyes and almost shook her head… as if she was still in disbelief over something so common around here for a Little. Then her eyes rolled back a little bit. ‘Wait… come on, Ash. Don’t doubt yourself now. A crinkle… a depressed Little… a slight further puffiness in his pants… and even a more pronounced waddle when he came in… Yeah. Ron is diapered.’ The blow to her was evident. Ron was going fast. As his designated protector, mentor, guide… whatever she needed to be, part of that no doubt felt like a failure on her part… but he needed help, so she gingerly smiled toward her friend. “You know… I know it might suck taking a step back around here, but… whenever that happens, it’s best not to focus on it.” Ron looked up, a little panic quivering in his left eye. Ashley only smiled back and didn’t press what exactly she was talking about. Implication was enough for the disheartened Little. “Come on. Don’t think about anything else and come help me.” “With what?” There was almost a spark of hope, but a sense of doubt as well… likely that whatever she was offering, wouldn’t be enough to wash away his notion of being diapered now. Ashley stood up and took his hand. “Come on. I’m interviewing people and I need a notetaker. I can memorize all this… basically but writing it down will be a big help. So, what do you say?” Ron hesitated but ultimately nodded. “Okay… I’m in.” For the next thirty minutes, the duo went around several of the Littles and asked all sorts of questions. Today was dealing with some of the more regressed, which wasn’t a part of Ashley’s plan at first, but now… it just seemed right. ‘If he sees Littles who have truly fallen down the regression hole, something like diapers won’t seem as bad… at least I hope.’ Fortunately, her instincts paid off. As Ashley passed around Barkley, Pierre, and Ophelia, his notetaking became more intense… focused. Simply put, he was getting distracted, to the point whereby the interview with Edwina, he didn’t seem sad at all. “So… you’re in diapers fulltime, yes?” Ashley pushed, her face twitching as she tried not to show her smile towards another Little’s misfortune. ‘Oh, have the tables have turned, Edwina… you made fun of me the other week for wetting my pants… and now, looks like you can barely stay dry for more than thirty minutes at a time…’ It was a cruel joke… and one she might have never cracked for others, but… feeling good about oneself and your own progress could never truly be undervalued here. “Yes, Ashley,” she confirmed, a giant blush appearing over her cheeks. “All the time, and yes, before you ask… for everything.” She said that last part quietly, which is why when she yelled next, several other Littles looked over. “But that’s a just in case thing!” “Okay, okay,” Ashley said, trying to ease the Little down. “I’m sorry for all the questions, but… I’m trying to figure out a pattern here. You were doing really well around here and now…” Her glance toward the thick bulge under her shortalls today couldn’t be missed. “Yeah… I… I just don’t know…” Her emotions bubbled up and her bottom lipped quivered. “M… mommy put in a weird looking light in my room. Almost… almost looks like a lighthouse…” “Lighthouse, huh?” Ashley looked back at Ron and made sure he took down that as well. They had heard another story like that from Pierre, but between his slurring and deep regression already, his account of the ‘lighthouse that made him a baby,’ though not so eloquently or coherently put together, just seemed like a made-up story. Now, it seemed to hold more weight. Ashley sighed and patted the distressed Little on the back before handing her a stuffed animal. It was a childish action, but one Edwina seized immediately. “We’ll leave you alone now. But… just deep and slow breaths for me, okay? I’m sure you’ll feel better in no time.” Edwina didn’t make a sound but just rocked with her seemingly new favorite stuffy along with Ashley’s words. With the weather now clearing up, the two meandered outside to discuss their results along with the majority of the class. Most started to participate in a game of kickball… one that Ashley didn’t take long to notice that Ron was interested in. “You know… you can go over and play with them,” Ashley said, gesturing over to the game and Miss Pearl refereeing between the two teams. “It’s not really childish. Just… physical activity.” Ron, previously staring at the game going on, snapped back to Ashley with an embarrassed look over his face. “What? No! I committed to you and these notes and that’s what I’m going to do.” Ashley stared back at her friend. ‘Wow… could almost picture him stomping his foot and pouting at that one. He’s clearly still repressing what he wants down. Not a good thing if he wants to last.’ She then folded the notes up and tucked them away. “Come on. Let’s take a break and join in, okay? Maybe later we can get back to the notes.” Ron didn’t seem too satisfied with the compromise but just nodded his head and followed Ashley over to the game. With many of the Littles regressing all around, two players that could at least throw a ball were instantly welcomed in. Ashley stuck more to the cheering aspects of the game while she asked a few more impromptu questions to her team, but Ron… minutes in and he was already deeply engrossed in the game. By the time the team got back from their turn to kick the ball, Ron was all smiles and giggles. * * * Day 80 – 2:26 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The days passed and while Ashley’s continued questions toward her fellow Littles were going great, Ron seemed to be fairing less well. Yesterday, he had stayed with Joy, and both had apparently gone to one of the larger parks. Being invited beforehand, Betty took Ashley immediately over after daycare. By the time they got there though, Ron was in tears and was apparently being taken home by Joy. It turned out that Ron had also met Olly, still there and observing everything, and when she questioned, his only response was “just let it go, Ash. Just let it go…” Now, today, back at daycare, she was more determined than ever to interview more Littles. Quickly, she was making her way through the entire daycare but today was special… today she was going to interview the attendants. Marilyn and Simon were still left to do, but the attendants… Ashley took a deep breath as she stared out over the floor of the daycare and to the four attendants who were on today. A few school volunteers had also joined the ranks recently, but being new to all this, Ashley had her eye on the main group here. ‘Okay, Ash… Deep breaths. Finish these interviews with at least Miss Pearl or Miss Fiona and you’ll be only days away from being able to get out of here. Just a little longer…’ So, gathering her strength, she immediately went up to Mildred. Young and somewhat naive sometimes, at least for a Big, she seemed perfect to start off with. “Mildred? Uh… Miss Mildred?” she asked, her sucking up skills coming in handy and likely hardly ever hurting to start off a conversation. The soon-to-be college-bound Big turned down and smiled at Ashley. “Yes, Ashley? Is everything okay? Do you need something, or… oh! Do you need to go potty, sweetie?” “I…” Ashley was about to flat out refuse, but there was a hesitation in her voice that stopped her cold for a moment… a growing trend whenever she was asked that question. Her nighttime control wasn’t stellar, but her daytime control… it was still intact… longer than any other Little by now apparently, but that still wasn’t saying much. “No…” She firmly shook her head. “I’m good… thank you.” “Oh…” The Big seemed perplexed. “Then… can I help you with something else?” Ashley sighed in relief and nodded. “Yes. I’ve actually been asking around lately. Betty wants me to write a paper on Peirama,” she lied. A few of the volunteer Bigs had been asking her some questions about what she was doing lately, and the excuse, something very close to the truth, had just popped out of her mouth. It had worked for them, and now, it looked like it was working on Mildred. “So… I just wanted to know a few things… like, how long have you worked here?” It was a simple question, but when Mildred smiled back and nodded, seemingly willing to cooperate, Ashley knew she had her foot in the proverbial door now. Ten minutes later, Ashley had her answers. Minimal, but they were still there. More confirmation than anything, but it was a step in the right direction… especially with her confidence. So, Miss Fiona was next. Kind, caring, open… a good Big by all accounts. “Miss Fiona?” Ashley questioned, now positioned near the Big, fresh from changing yet another diaper today. She looked down with her wide-eyed curiosity and warmth. “Oh, Ashley. I didn’t see you there. Is everything okay? Do you need…?” She let the question hover in the air. No assumptions. No judgment. Just an open invitation for anything the Little might need. Ashley shook her head. “No, nothing immediate, but… I was wondering. Could I maybe ask you a few questions? I’m doing a paper for Betty and Peirama and I’m asking everyone about their experiences here.” “Oh, are you now?” Mrs. Jenkins questioned, standing behind Ashley like an oncoming missile bent on destroying everything. Ashley turned around and stared up at the stern Big that was the discipline and fear of this daycare. Even now, Ashley still associated her with the backroom and the fear that induced… still unknown though as to why specifically. Mrs. Jenkins glared at the Little for a moment and then looked up at Miss Fiona. “You can go now. We’ll be talking later about this little incident…” Her words were cold and unfeeling… quickly sending her fellow attendant and underling scurrying away to go attend to another Little. With the pair now alone, Ashley felt every bit the loneliness and solitude that she had felt before. Today, there was no Olly… no Ron. Just her. “Mrs. Jenkins, I was just saying that…” “A lie,” the Big nearly hissed back. “I bet more than anything that Betty never even once asked you for that assignment. No Big… no matter how… liberal, would ask their Little for a report on the town.” Her eyes seemed like two hot coals burning as they homed in on the Little below her. “Make no mistake… I will be telling your Bigs about this… including your daddy, Dr. Jones.” Pete was not Ashley’s daddy… just like Betty wasn’t her mommy, but the way that Mrs. Jenkins had put it… there was almost a threat there that tonight, Pete would be her daddy. No longer her friend or even caregiver… but the strong hand of discipline and punishment expected from ‘daddy’s’ here for misbehaving Littles. Needless to say, even as Mrs. Jenkins turned away, Ashley was nearly shaking on the spot. * * * Day 80 – 7:07 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 “Dang it, Ash!” Pete roared as he got home, late for dinner once again. Betty and Ashley had eaten without him once more and the oncoming Big stared at his Little with sheer disappointment and frustration. “What did I tell you about Ron? I told you not to push or get close to him. Then what do you do? You go and ask half the town about things you shouldn’t be asking about and then… you ask the staff at your daycare!” Ashley shrank under the verbal lashing she was now getting. Pete was relatively harmless, but his disappointment combined with his imposing stature, frightening and secretive reputation, and deep voice already started to make Ashley shudder. “But I…” “No, Ashley,” Betty commanded unusually. “This time… you need to let Pete finish. You… you’re inquisitive and that’s fine, but… you’re poking in all the wrong places.” “Exactly!” Pete agreed. “You’re asking about all this secretive research. I mean, did you know that the government has classified most of what you’re asking about? If they knew that you were looking into all this… they could shut us down! Imprison you… maybe even Betty and me! Is that what you want?” The words seemed like an anvil falling right on top of Ashley’s head. She had clearly never considered the town of Peirama to be more than a company testing area, but now… she had first thought of Peirama like Los Alamos. They weren’t researching the nuclear bomb here, but the research now seemed to be just as dangerous… and classified. ‘Big retribution is one thing, but government fallout? I’ve gone against corrupt and sketchy governments before and that just never ends well. There, Sgt. Elias and his team got me out just in the nick of time. Here… it’s not even September yet. I get captured and transferred to a blacktops site for checking this stuff so blatantly by the government… I might never come out again… or knowing these Bigs… never come out again as an adult.’ “I… I’m sorry,” Ashley mourned, her emotions in flux and her lower lip quivering. “I… I didn’t know. I just… I wanted answers.” Pete’s frown, something that lately seemed to almost be permanently etched into his face, relaxed a little. There was still a firmness, but now, there seemed to at least be somewhat of a heart behind it all. “I… I wish it was that simple, Ash. I’m sorry for yelling, but… I don’t think you have any idea about what we’re facing here. If any of the government agencies we work with found out about your little story… you could be gone forever by the next morning.” Betty seemed disheartened herself and rubbed her husband’s back. “He’s right, sweetie. We want you to be inquisitive… to show the smarts, wit, and even sass that we fell in love with when we first met you, but… you just can’t go around and poke everything like you’ve been doing.” Her emotions then seemed to overwhelm her, and she had to stop. This time, Pete smiled at his wife, patted her hand on his shoulder still, and then looked back at Ashley. “Please, Ashley. I think I can speak for both Betty and myself tonight, when I say that we just want you to be safe. Please… promise us now… you won’t ask anymore questions. Please, honey. Please promise that at least.” Ashley’s eyes darted about between her two Bigs. ‘Shoot! I promise them now and then go back on that and I’ll have broken all trust. If I stop though… I really don’t know if I have the full story here. Just a bunch of Littles and their tiny stories. No facts… just anecdotes. Powerful… but not enough. If I want the audience back home to actually read my story and not just dismiss it as gossip like all the others… I need more.’ Ashley grimaced. ‘Darn it! Sorry Betty and Pete. I’ll make the promise, but… I’ll just have to ask more carefully now. Sneaky and all.’ So, lying through every pore in her body, Ashley nodded. “I promise…” * * * Day 81 – 2:19 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 That night and into the next day, Ashley kept thinking back to what she had ‘promised’ to do… or in this case, not do anymore. Sure enough, as soon as she walked into the daycare the morning after, Mrs. Jenkins was already watching her like a hawk. While no one, not even a Big could be completely vigilant, it was looking ever more likely that for the time being Ashley’s prospects for more interviews at daycare, even the more covert ones like she had planned, had to be put on hold. Ashley hemmed and hawed several times that morning, trying to think of any way she could get away with more interviews… or least some way to find out a new clue to wrap up her story, but by lunch time, she was still no closer. It might have upset her more, but Ron was back. In the days before, seeing Ron brought her nothing but joy. Their conversations were of adult topics and of back home. Ron wasn’t the most well-informed Earther ever, but talking to him was almost seemingly like touching a little bit of home for Ashley. Today though… whatever seemingly happened at the park yesterday seemed to be weighing heavily on the Little’s mind. Worse though, he seemed to be slipping even further. Lunch was fine and Ashley got him to smile a little bit, but she also noticed the way he sat in the plastic seating… it almost seemed uncomfortable to him… or unfamiliar. She didn’t make a comment, but then the way he organized his vegetables… she would have sworn he had a touch of OCD… until he didn’t eat his strategically placed and separated peas. Still, by the time it was quiet time, Ron started showing worse signs. “Ron… Ron… Ron!” Ashley raised her voice to wake the beleaguered Little. He quickly stirred back to consciousness. “Huh? What?” He shook his head. “What is it? I’m awake, okay?” His previously closed eyes seemed to indicate otherwise though. Ashley sighed. “Ron… are you okay? Is everything going okay back at home with your Big? I mean, you seem exhausted. No sleep or what?” Already, Ron’s eyes had started to shutter closed, but he shook his head. “No, no. Just…” He let out a big yawn. “I guess tired is all. Not much sleep or something. I don’t know. Just… the lights and the movie is kinda boring and…” He was already drifting off once more. Looking at her soon-to-be dozing friend, Ashley let out a deep breath and shook her head. ‘Well… I could be that type of friend and wake him, but… I know personally I’m always way crankier without my sleep. If I wake him now… he could get in trouble just by lashing out. Mrs. Jenkins has seemed particularly testy lately…’ As if to prove her point, minutes later, the stern Big walked over, saw the sleeping form of Ron and shook her head before scoffing. She then crept over to Miss Fiona and whispered into her ear. Ashley could only hear a little bit, but the news hurt her heart. “Yeah… I saw that as well,” Miss Fiona confirmed. “Poor little tyke. Must be exhausted.” “Yes,” Mrs. Jenkins said a little too enthusiastically. “And you know what that means… little Ron-Ron is on a one-way trip over to napping land with the others.” Ashley wanted to debate them right there on the spot. Her friend was mature. Her friend was an adult. Her friend was… Ashley looked over and saw her friend with his thumb encircling his mouth. Not inside and sucking… just on the outside, but it was enough to make her sigh deeply. ‘Definitely not good. Just… keep it together, Ron. Just a little more. Please keep it together for me until I can get out of here… and take you with me…’ Meanwhile, Miss Fiona looked over at Ron and shook her head. “Yeah… you’re right. I just… who would have ever thought that Project Nurture would be so successful? Definitely not me.” Mrs. Jenkins glared and then pressed her finger to her lips. “Shhh! Keep your voice down! We don’t want… certain Littles to hear you out on that. Who know what kind of damage they could do if they found out.” Ashley quickly leaned back and out of sight of the two… her eyes wide and in shock. ‘Shoot! Ron’s getting demoted, but… wait… what the heck is Project Nurture?’ Ashley made a quick note of it but then turned her attention back to the movie. If nothing else, it was at least a good time to think and plan her next moves… especially now that she’d be getting both herself and Ron out of this crazy town. * * * Day 81 – 3:46 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Naptime was almost over. A few of the lighter sleeping Littles had already started to stir, and for once fresh smelling, had been guided back into the main daycare area from their own separate napping room. A few slept outside of the dedicated room, on account of there simply being too many Littles here than this daycare was originally built for, but most were separate. Ron stirred a few times in his sleep, and Ashley made sure he was never in a uncomfortable position, but there was only so much she could do. Even she had to admit to herself that no matter what she did… it was all a losing battle… unless she could get him out of here. The thought hung heavy on her mind… until another more pressing issue came to ahead. Right before the lights began to turn up and before Ron even peaked out from his slumber, Ashley squirmed suddenly, and her face turned to panic. ‘Oh! That came on suddenly!’ She pushed away her now empty sippy cup of Pioneos juice and got up before running over to Miss Fiona. “Miss Fiona… potty… please!” Miss Fiona nodded and guided her over to the bathroom, the pathway over still crowded with several laying out Littles and the light still too dim to see much of anything… especially if one was a panicked Little. Mrs. Jenkins might have sent Ashely off on her own, but Miss Fiona was different. A guiding hand meant no tripping… and that meant to spur of the moment accidents. “Alright,” Miss Fiona announced at last, standing in front of the door. “Here we are.” She then opened the door and switched on the far set of lights only. More lights would have been better for Ashley, but Miss Fiona was clearly trying to accommodate everyone… like those still resting nearby. Seeing the path clear, Ashley wasted no time in bolting for the potty. It was a squat teal color and even had a separate drainage system attached to the plumbing, but it was still a training potty. Ashley had nearly blushed to death, if that was even possible, when she first sat on it, but now… she didn’t even wait for Miss Fiona to close the door before attacking her clothing. Today, it was very simple. Jean shorts and a T-shirt. It definitely wasn’t the fashion she wore back on Earth or when she first got here, but there was still a sense of maturity in it. That was fine and all, even a point of pride for Ashley compared to other clothing with infantile images or snaps along the crotch, but today… her clothing was proving difficult. Her fingers simply couldn’t budge the top button undone. Turning around, just as Miss Fiona was closing the door, Ashley cried out in desperation, seemingly not caring in the slightest who could hear her beyond the door. “Miss Fiona! Hurry! I can’t get these off!” Seeing the dilemma, Miss Fiona sprang into action and quickly crouched down to attend to the panicked Little and her stiff button. “Okay, okay. Move your hands, sweetie. Let me get in there and help.” Ashley did as she was told, but her urge was clearly getting worse as evidenced by her almost fully crossing her legs together at that point. “Hurry Miss Fiona! Hurry!” Miss Fiona grimaced as her fingers worked quickly. Likely, it was just the damp of late August humidity causing the denim to stick, but reasons mattered little to either party so close to the potty. Finally, Miss Fiona grinned as the button popped open. Helping further, she unzipped the Little’s shorts and went to pull them down, but she looked up first. Instead of a relieved Little though, Ashley’s face only screamed mortification… embarrassment… shame… Miss Fiona wasn’t the most seasoned of all Bigs when it came to Littles, but she knew enough. Ashley wasn’t crying or anything, so it wasn’t the number two variety, but she still had an accident herself. Miss Fiona sighed at the clear realization. “Oh honey…” Ashley’s lower lip trembled again. Her eyes swam with tears and darted over to the small but prominent potty chart hanging near the training potty. Most names never lasted long… some not even long enough to get demoted to pull-ups and then diapers to get put up on the list. Ashley though, had been there for a while now, and her success stars reigned supreme and nearly flawless… at least recently… until today that is. Ashley looked back and saw the concerned but welcoming Big in front of her. Miss Fiona was simple for a Big, but her understanding and caring ways simply couldn’t be beat… especially it seemed for Littles who had less than perfect potty-training records. So, when her arms opened even a little, exhausted and spent from the past week, Ashley collapsed quickly into her arms. Miss Fiona, expecting it or not, responded in kind and patted her on the back. “There, there. Shhh. It’s okay, sweetie. No ones upset. You just let it out and then we’ll get you all cleaned up.” Her words were simple… but damning. They were the same words she spoke to hundreds of Littles before, and Ashley knew them well. Melissa had been told them. Olly had been told them. Nancy, Simon, Kyle, Marilyn, Edwina, Ron, and so many others had been told them. And now… she was getting the same wording. Ashley blinked back the tears and cried softly into the Big’s welcoming embrace. She shuddered at what was happening to her, and soon, a prevalent and horrible thought began to take over. ‘If I’m not careful… I might just become the story myself…’ A fresh new batch of tears erupted, and the Little squeezed her eyes tight, almost like she was trying to will away her worst fears that now, she seemed to be joining on the same path every other Little here had taken before her.

Hey everyone! Finally getting to the point where the two stories are going to start to merge. Most of the time, the two sections will be separate, and I will just casually mention the plot of the other story for some more background information. Still, if you haven’t at least read part of the story Project Nurture, I would recommend it. Also, time might start to slow down a bit again. Probably not by much, but if you know the plot of the other story, you know the timeline isn’t the longest. Next, just as a reminder, a new poll is up for you all to let me know which story you all would like to read next. Story options and the link can be found back in the beginning of chapter 2 and 14. As I mentioned before though, if you feel more comfortable leaving a comment here or as a private message to me, I will count these as well. Additionally, like before, this poll will be shut down right before I post my final chapter on here. Further announcements will be made regarding this when the time gets closer. Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 15: Friends Are Like Tissue Paper in the Rain Here Day 67 – 11:19 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 For most Littles, change came rapidly and harshly. Depending on what pit the Little found themselves in they could go from a successful banker, lawyers, doctor… anything like that to a toddler or even baby Little in less than three days. Most of the time, those changes were permanent, and the Little would be a shell of their former selves… ready to be filled with whatever new role their Big mommy and/or daddy deemed was right for them. For Ashley, she waited for the changes to be brought down on her head like an anvil falling from a skyscraper… but they never came. As hours turned into days, Ashley found herself clearing up from the fog that had once so encapsulated her mind and given her three strikes at daycare. Further, the lifting fog and pure fear that never seemed to abate about going to the backroom kept her vigilant over her emotions. Now, at daycare fulltime, she would constantly find herself doing deep breathing techniques and trying to focus on something else other than her rage or despair that could cause her to act out once more. A Little tossed something right at her head… no reaction. A Little cursed her out for something innocent that she did but was perceived as an insult… nothing. Stubbed toes, bruised arms, and lumps on her head… it didn’t matter. Only deep breaths and avoiding that backroom mattered. One could say she was being too compliant with the system, but for Ashley, if it meant not going to that backroom, she was going to be the best Little one could be. Of course, not everything returned to normal… “You know… most never stay in pull-ups for very long, right?” Olly questioned that Friday as Ashley adjusted her pants to doubly ensure her purple pull-ups weren’t sticking out to be noticed by anyone around here. “It’s almost always diapers in a few days at best.” “Maybe…” Ashley was determined to not fall further. Part of it was not going to the backroom again, but part of it was vigilance over the potty. “I feel a need… I’m dashing to the potty. I don’t care if that means bulldozing 20 people to do so. I’d rather a single strike than a used pull-up.” Olly sighed and seemed doubtful of her plan but still nodded. “Fair enough. Can’t blame you for not wanting diapers. Definitely not the best.” He shifted and crinkled slightly over his own undergarments. “Still… could you at least cool it with the snack time stuff?” Ashley furrowed her brow. “And what’s that supposed to mean?” Olly gestured to her sippy cup of juice. “That… you asked six questions and refused anything other than that and some carrot sticks at snack time today. Are you really that paranoid here now? Please tell me you’re not going to be one of those Littles.” Ashley looked down at her Pioneos juice. ‘No risks, Ashley. No risks. Remember what Betty told you so long ago at the mall… so many things are spiked for Littles. Being in pull-ups now… you just can’t take that risk.’ She grimaced and looked back at Olly. “So what if I am that Little? Do you even realize what you’re putting into your body? I mean, what if they slip some of that cream stuff into your food or drink without you knowing it?” Olly looked wide-eyed back at Ashley and then down at his own container of applesauce today. He gave it a few swirls but still ultimately took a bite of it. “I guess… well, there’s only so much we can do. I highly doubt that if a Big wanted me regressed regress, I would have any option to truly avoid that fate.” It was the classic conundrum that every rebellious Little faced. In the face of sheer overwhelming numbers here, technological prowess, sneakiness, the laws against Littles, and about a dozen or so other factors, most Littles were screwed. For the early Littles that came to this dimension actually wanting all this, they were easy prey. For everyone else, their efforts to prevent regression almost always ended in failure. So, for the pessimistic observer, with so little difference between those two fates or outcomes, rebellion just seemed pointless. Lately for Ashley though, vigilance against that outcome was everything. Before Ashley could once again let Olly know just how much she wanted to defy the Bigs and stay an adult as much as possible, the other Littles, once so full of intelligence and maturity, came bounding over… each a little more dimmed from their most recent dose of the creamy substance. Marilyn headed right for the play castle and crowed herself as ‘princess of all.’ As had become usual now, the intellectual debates that had occurred between Simon and Marilyn had devolved into an almost sibling-like relationship. “No fair! I wanna be pwince today!” he whined. “Not uh!” Marilyn touted back, her nose sticking high up in the air in defiance. “My subjec’s are far more needin’ my rule as opposed to yours!” She then looked down below her at the Littles that had congregated at the base of the play castle. “Isn’t that right?” Her subjects though… weren’t very responsive. Kyle had been nonverbal for a long time now, and Nancy… Nancy seemed to be slipping from this reality every day now. Comparing her to Melissa before, Ashley had to admit a total failure on her part at keeping her friend even somewhat mature. And, as if to prove that point even further, Nancy simply laid back under the castle, giggled with a doll, and seemingly wet her already soaked diaper further. Marilyn, with her new personality set, took the giggles as a sign of her right to rule though. “See? She loves me. Betcha’ can‘t get the same, Simon!” Simon fumed and rushed down to greet Kyle, Nancy, or any of the other regressed Littles, but his efforts proved futile. Kyle whimpered and Nancy, having digested her bottle, let out a little gas… and likely a little more into the back of her diaper. As an observer, Ashley could only shake her head in distress at first. Minutes after Simon conceited defeat, she had to turn away and run to resolve her own issues. “Miss Fiona! Potty!” It was a humiliating ritual, but getting a Big to acknowledge one’s potty success and opening the door for her ensured that she would be counted among the better-behaved Littles, guarantee no more trips to the backroom, and keep her pants dry for another few hours. Such was life now at daycare. * * * Day 70 – 8:49 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley sighed as she surveyed the daycare. It was a routine that she had picked up to supplement her nightly reports about her days, and all was normal… at least as normal as it could get around here on a Monday in a town where flying cars being the subject of debate around the dinner table wasn’t out of the ordinary. Today though, there was one big difference noticeable above all the rest. Nancy was gone. More specifically, Nancy was gone along with at least a dozen or so other Littles. All had the creamy substances and all were highly regressed. Curiously, Kyle, Simon, and Marilyn were still here, but today, the daycare seemed very empty after the weekend. “But why so many? And why Nancy?” Ashley questioned to Miss Pearl. Mrs. Jenkins and Miss Fiona were available to answer questions as well, but Mrs. Jenkins was just plain scary to her these days and Miss Fiona seemed more interested in entertainment and helping with the emotional states of the Littles rather than policy updates around here. Miss Pearl gave her best sympathetic smile and crouched down before moving a strand of hair out of Ashley’s distressed eyes. “I’m very sorry, honey, but they needed more support than we could offer them here. Right now, at least, there’s only three of us working full-time here. Everyone who left, including Nancy, just needed more than we could give them. We want you Littles to be happy, and for the others… we couldn’t offer that.” “B… but… Nancy…” Ashley was clearly trying to keep her emotions level, but when it came to Nancy, yet another friend she had failed at keeping mature, those sturdy emotional barriers seemed more like paper against an oncoming flood. ‘Darn it! I was doing so well, but Nance… why her? Why was I such an idiot and screwed up with another friend?’ Tears bubbled in the corners of her eyes. “Oh, Ash…” Miss Pearl sighed and deftly rubbed a falling tear away from her cheek. “I’m so sorry. I wish we could have kept her here. She was different than she was before, but… I know she wanted to be close to you. We just… she needed more help. But… I think Mr. Vasiliou is keeping her at his house now rather than send her to another daycare… but I’m not sure. Maybe you should ask Betty when she picks you up later?” Ashley nodded, thanked Miss Pearl, and then simply walked away… now very much isolated and alone. Olly proved to be good company, but friend material just seemed out of their reach together. His previous uptight and snobbish mannerisms still occasionally played out with his new persona. For Ashley, if Olly was ever to truly be her friend, he would need to change more… something she didn’t want, or she would need to put in extra effort… something she didn’t have the heart to do today with how she was feeling. Over the past weekend, Betty and Pete had taken her to the movies and they had all gone to a picnic together. Betty had once again packed that now persistent floral bag, but Ashley had been very proud of herself that she didn’t need any of the spare pull-ups inside. Unfortunately, she was still having nighttime issues, but… considering the state of her friends now… that was at least somewhat of an accomplishment. Now, all that goodness seemed awash… particularly when Mrs. Jenkins then stood up in front of everyone remaining. “Okay class… we’ve got a bunch of new Littles coming here today,” she announced, cheerier than she had been in weeks. “I want you all to give them your biggest and warmest welcome ever! I’m sure many of you can remember your first day her and how terrifying that was.” A Little then raised her hand and somewhat seemingly reluctantly, Mrs. Jenkins pointed at her. “Yes, Ophelia?” Ophelia stood shakily, bit her lower lips, and then twirled in her dress… which did little to hide her diapers. “Ummm… what’s terr... terri-fy-ing?” Her words were unsure and just to get a single word out more than a syllable long, she had to go extra slow. Mrs. Jenkins sighed as if she didn’t want to answer the question but knew as the head attendant, had to as well. “It’s just another way of saying scary, dear.” Ophelia only gravely nodded and sat back down before giving her stuffed rabbit a deep hug… something almost looking like it was haunting her right then from behind. With no other hands raised, Mrs. Jenkins smiled and went to open the doors. Seconds later, at least ten new Littles piled in… almost all wide-eyed, scared, and unsure of being here. A few seemed upset or even angry, but all of them looked like they wanted to be anywhere but here. Ashley sighed and shook her head. ‘Poor souls… don’t know what they’re getting into here. Bet in two or three weeks that most will be babified… What a waste…’ Ashley turned away and picked up a book… determined to bury herself in it as much as possible. ‘No more friends… I won’t get pulled into that… I need to get my story and leave this place… no one else… no one else…’ * * * Day 70 – 5:09 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The day had ticked by slowly… even more so than usual. With the absence of Nancy, the regression of Simon, Marilyn, and Kyle, and the emotionally absent Olly, Ashley had found herself quite alone and jaded… especially when all the new routines were explained to the fresh batch of Littles. Each one familiar… each one seemingly just as likely to trap the Little once again. So, when Betty pulled up to pick Ashley up, the worries of the day had piled onto hard. Betty took notice. “Sweetie? Everything go okay today?” she asked innocently. Other Bigs often asked the same question to Ashley, particularly being one of the few that had been here now for over two months without still being regressed. For them, it felt like a trap of its own or them simply going through the emotions. With Betty though, the question carried a weight of legitimacy. Something that quickly brought a smile to Ashley’s face. “I… I just don’t know, Betty. There were all the new Littles today, and I… I can’t help but feel that each of them is walking into their doom once again. I… I don’t know if I can watch that all again…” Betty pulled out of the parking lot to return home, but her face was full of sorrow after hearing the woes of her Little. “I’m sorry to hear that, but you have to stay strong in there, Ash. Don’t let seeing all of them get to you like this. I know it’s hard, but don’t give in. Please…” There was desperation in her voice that usually came around whenever she was speaking to Ashley about her being regressed or losing herself here. ‘I wish I knew why she cared so much about me. It’s just so… unusual in a Big to be like this. I feel like she’s compensating… pulling me more into her own kind of trap… or just a good person. Shoot, do I hate this place where I can’t tell which it is!’ Ashley nodded. “I’ll try, but…” Ashley trailed off. Betty looked over at her as they stopped at the traffic light. “Sweetie? What is it? I can tell there’s something you want to ask me… so just go ahead and ask. I promise I won’t be mad or disappointed no matter what it is.” It was about as much cart blanche as Ashley would likely ever get and there were clearly many things swirling about in the back of her mind… but the weight of the day seemed to win out. “Nancy… I want to see her.” The request was simple, but from the look on Betty’s face and the pause she gave, the request was anything but simple. Finally, though, she sighed. “I… I can’t promise you anything with her, Ash. I wish I could, but Mr. Vasiliou pulled her from daycare and put her in a special facility.” Ashley had been living in Peirama long enough to know that ‘special’ was never a good thing. ‘Oh no… Nancy…’ Tears seemed to threaten to burst from the Little at any second again. ‘Darn it! Not again. Please… just keep it together, Ash. Push Betty… just a little…’ Armed with her new swirl of emotions, the previously almost exhausted and distant Ashley turned squarely to Betty and leaned forward as much as she could in her booster seat. “Betty… please. Let me see her.” Betty grimaced over the request but nodded. “Let me call up Tish at least and see if we can see her tomorrow. No promises, but… if it makes you even a little happier, I’m willing to push.” Ashley sniffled and wiped her eyes. “Thank you, Betty. I…” Ashley sniffled again, and from her expression, it looked like pushing this topic anymore would just result in more tears. So, instead, she just repeated her simple few words. “Thank you…” Betty looked into her rearview mirror and smiled. “You’re welcome, sweetie. You know I would try anything to make you happy once again…” * * * Day 71 – 5:49 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The next day, true to her word, Betty was able to get ahold of Tish and arrange what she labeled as a ‘playdate’ between Ashley and Nancy. Consider Mrs. Vasiliou’s removal of Nancy from daycare entirely, it was likely the best cover story for the two to reunite once more. For Ashley, her relief as they pulled up to Old Bloom Boulevard was evident. Her day at daycare hadn’t gone much better than the day before, so now, seeing the familiar mansion appear once more looked like just the relief she needed to power through her troubles. Getting to the door, Betty rang the doorbell but then turned gravely toward Ashley. “Remember… Nancy isn’t the same Little you remember. Go easy with her and try not to upset her. Be strong… be brave and remember… always mind your manners.” Ashley nodded as Betty rang the doorbell once more. Inside, the chimes echoed deeply like a foreboding clang of doom approaching. Tish, however, responded with a warm smile and invited both in. She looked a little more disheveled than she had before, but the Middle’s cheerfulness at seeing Ashley hadn’t diminished in the slightest. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re here!” she exclaimed as the trio sat down in the living room on the large couch placed in there. “Nancy’s such a happy Little normally, but… I think she misses her friends. I’m hoping she can make more at her new… facility, but at her age… that does become a little hard.” While Betty exchanged the usual pleasantries between two caregivers of Littles, Ashley looked like she was about to faint… especially after seeing what could only be described as a baby monitor perched right next to Tish on the couch. ‘Facility? Her age making friends difficult? What did they do to her?’ Ashley hadn’t seen Betty since Friday, and while it was only Tuesday, the creamy substance worked too well sometimes. Four days could mean a big difference in a Little’s mentality. After all, last week Nancy had been running on Monday, stumbling Tuesday, and toddling by Wednesday. Friday, she had almost been too blissed out to do much more than crawl… her ability to do much more seriously in question though. ‘What have they done to you, Nance?’ Ashley’s fears and panic about her friend soon ended abruptly though. “So,” Tish began, staring right at Ashley now, “ready to go up and see her?” Ashley could only stare back and nod solemnly, her eyes still mostly fixed to the ever-present baby monitor stationed nearby. Walking up the stairs, the trio moved slowly and quietly. ‘Oh… I’m not ready for this…’ Ashley clutched her stomach like she was cramping, but any observer of Ashley’s behavior and habits for any length of time, knew that it was her nerves acting up again. ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this… why did I agree to this? If she’s as bad off as I’m thinking… especially with us approaching her like some wild animal, why do I feel this more like closure for me than a reunification of our friendship?’ Ashley winced but kept at the pace going up the stairs as best she could. Finally, they reached a door, marked prominently as ‘Nancy’s Nursery.’ Before they walked in, smells of baby powder and other more unsavory scents wafted toward them. “Love the sign,” Betty remarked, gesturing to the purple princess-themed motif stenciled next to her name. Tish turned back and smiled. “Thanks. It was a little of my idea and Mr. Vasiliou’s. Nancy just seemed delighted when we first showed it to her last Thursday.” It was another bad sign of what they were about to see, and Ashley gripped her stomach once more. ‘She didn’t even choose the sign herself… definitely not good. If she’s past the point of choosing things like that, will she even recognize who I am anymore?’ Regardless of her worries though, Tish pushed open the door and the three walked in. The nursery… formerly just Nancy’s room had changed radically. Melissa was always a bit of a princess and lover of pink. Her transition to Little babyhood was subtle and not as noticeable. For Nancy though, she always held a bit of a rebellious and dark streak about her. Despite them being removed when she came to Peirama, she had at one time pierced ears and dyed hair. Her room before, reflected the moodier woman’s tastes… coming into effect with darker curtains, posters of bands, and a shelf of dour and even sometimes spicy romance novels. It was quite the oddity for a Little to have… even a more independent one, and it wasn’t to Ashley’s tastes, but the maturity was something to be admired if nothing else. Now, all that had changed. While the difference between Melissa and Nancy’s nursery rooms was apparent, it was almost like asking what the differences between shamrock and Kelly green were. Posters still lined her walls but now were all baby rock themed or from her favorite shows… all known to be heavily laced with hypnotics and catering solely to regressed Littles. A crib, a bouncer, a toy chest, and changing table were all standard fare, and the shelf of books remained, but were now filled with either thick picture books… immune to drool or spillage, or were decidedly of the more infantile variety… definitely meant to be read to Nancy rather than her reading them herself. Of course, in the center of it all, giggling about and playing with a unicorn plush and a princess in a purple gown, was Nancy. Likely hearing the door open, the regressed Little turned back to the trio and grinned goofily… not a shred of intelligence anywhere behind her eyes. “Hi, Nancy!” Tish warmly greeted, swooping in close to the Little. She then pointed back at both Betty and Ashely. “Look who’s here to see you!” Nancy slightly tilted her head and saw the two staring back at her… both more than a little shocked. Of course, being a native to this world and more likely to be more used to seeing ‘adults’ regressed to Littles, Betty broke from her stupor first. “Hi there, Nancy! Tish says you’ve been a good girl. Have you been a good girl for her?” Her words were thick and sugary towards the Little. It was hard to know if Nancy understood every word being spoken to her, but she giggled and clapped her hands at the close-up Big now. “Beh-Beh!” “Oh! She knows my name!” Betty praised. Ashley, still stuck where she was, only blinked back at the scene unraveling before her. ‘Oh no! It’s worse than I thought! ‘Beh-Beh’ isn’t even close to Betty, but she is still loving the babytalk and all the meaningless praise! I failed! I’m a big fat failure and I let my friend down!’ Outwardly, Ashley whimpered slightly. Betty might have heard or not, but either way, she turned back to Ashley and waved her forward. “Come on, Ashley. Say hello to your friend.” There was a look of sympathy and pain in her eyes, something she made very obvious to shield away from both Tish and Nancy. She was a Big and she played her role, but her unease with just how far Nancy had been regressed was palpable as well. Ashley hesitated, her own unease just as obvious, but eventually, she stepped forward. It was almost like she was approaching a scared animal where one wrong move would have them scurry away. It was awkward and slow, but after a few moments, Ashley kneeled before her friend and waved. “Hey, Nance…” The regressed Little stared back at her for a moment but then smiled lackadaisically and then launched with a hug right into her good friend. Immediately, Ashley was overwhelmed, and her face was a mix of shock and despair. From her twitching nose, she likely smelled the used diaper about her friend’s hips… obvious from it’s prominent display from underneath her too short dress and the discoloration both back and front. Still… Ashley mournfully hugged her friend back. Tish and Betty immediately cooed at the sight, but after a moment, both got up to give the two some space. It took some time, but with both Tish and Betty on the other side of the rather large room now, Ashley stared back at her friend. ‘I… I can’t believe this is still you, Nance. Or… is it?’ The internal conflict over that question seemed to linger over her friend, but with a sigh, the investigative journalist side to Ashley leapt forward once more. Melissa had been taken away too rapidly, and Antiope had shunted her away from all her old life a little too well. Seeing Nancy here at least… she might prove to be the final link in Ashley’s story before she could leave… so, she pressed. “Okay, Nance,” she started with a whisper. “Can you nod for me for ‘yes?’” Nancy took a second, but grinned and nodded. All at once, Ashley was both relieved and horrified. ‘I don’t know if I really wanted her to respond just then. If she nodded… then that means she’s still in there in some form… subject to all this baby stuff…’ It was a haunting thought… one that made Ashley shudder but then shake it off like snow from her shoulders in the winter after coming in from inside and then looked more determined than ever to find the truth. “Okay… nice and easy,” Ashley continued, still opting for an easier pace… just in case. “Are you… are you okay?” A single nod was accompanied by a wide smile. ‘Okay… not sure how much I believe that from the old Nance, but I guess current Nance is at least happy. That’s something… I guess.’ Ashley sighed. “Okay… that’s good. Do you… do you know what happened to you? Why you changed?” This time, Nancy nodded but it was followed by discomfort instead of a smile. It seemed to hurt Ashley to see her friend like that, but she pushed on. “How about… I’ll tell you a few ways of how and you nod which one? Pills, formula, Mr. Vasiliou, shots, hypnosis, Tish…” Nancy nodded to several… with more emphasis on formula, Mr. Vasiliou, and Tish. Ashley’s eyes widened and her fists cracked. “Shoot… I’m sorry, Nance. I… I’m so sorry.” Ashley began welling up once more. ‘Darn it, Ash. Keep it together.’ Ashley’s mind went over several other questions and even asked a few out loud… all seemingly more pressing than the last, but finally, she settled on one that she had to know before it was too late… particularly once Nancy seemed perfectly satisfied sucking on her thumb as a faint hiss could be heard. “Do you… do you care about any of this?” Ashley could only look helplessly as Nancy shook her head. The defeat on Ashley’s face was evident. Her friend was still her friend, but all her questions pointed to one fact… the friend she had met… the one she cared about and would climb mountains for to save… that friend was gone. Nancy the regressed Little, the one without a seeming care in the world, was now all that was left. Needless to say, it didn’t take long for despair to turn to anger… to the one factor of Nancy’s regression that she could actually confront. “What did you do to her?” Ashley thundered toward Tish. “Why? Why? What did she ever do to you except simply be a Little?” Ashley’s rage was evident. Betty seemed too stunned or maybe even impressed for a moment to stop her Little. Tish nearly looked offended. “But I had my orders. Please try to understand that Mr. Vasiliou wanted a specific type of Little and while he loved Nancy as she was… he wanted the genuine article. I only did what I was told, and the daycare did the…” “No!” Ashley shouted. “That’s just passing the buck! You’re a Middle. You’re maybe a foot or two away from the same fate! Don’t you care? Won’t you do something for Nancy? Help her out? Anything?” This time, Betty stepped in. “Ashley… it’s not Tish’s fault. As a Middle, their rights for some Bigs only extend a little further than a Littles. Angering Mr. Vasiliou or defying his orders… that might have just ended up with her…” “Thank you, Betty” Tish interceded, “but Ashley’s right. I could have helped, but I chose not to. Maybe I deserve your hate… maybe I don’t. I just know that now, I will give Nancy the best care that I can. No matter what that means, I will…” She paused and her eyes widened at something behind Ashley. “Nancy! No! Put that down!” Ashley and Betty immediately turned to the source of Tish’s fear… and saw something simple, but horrible for those in the know. Tish had brought up her purse with her… the baby monitor tucked inside, probably to carry more easily. Now, Nancy had gotten into it… more specifically, had dumped the contents and was now holding a single object. A spray cannister of some kind. It took a second to realize what it was, but a flash to an earlier memory unlocked it for Ashley. “Holy… is that the regressive spray?” Betty, maybe overly paranoid or not, immediately hiked up her shirt over her nose and mouth. “Shit, Tish! Please tell me that Ash is wrong!” Tish grimaced and looked instantly at least ten times more fearful. “Uh… I can’t do that, Betty. One of the scientists up at the main facility gave it to me the other day for protection once Nancy transferred out of daycare… or at least that’s what they said.” Betty bolted up and stared horrified at the canister. “Nancy… Nancy? Please put down the can, baby.” Ashley backed away slowly. In fact, now the only person getting closer to the can of the trio was Tish. Her hands held wide, she approached Nancy cautiously. “Nancy… sweetie… be a good girl for me and hand me the can. Please, honey. Just give me the can and…” Like a bolt of fate echoing from the heavens, Nancy laughed… and pressed down on the nozzle. In a flash, protective as ever, betty wasted no time in grabbing Ashley by the waist and hauling it out of the room, slamming the door shut. Inside, a series of sputters and coughing could be heard. Shocked at what had just taken place, Ashley turned to Betty in horror. “What did you do? Tish is still in there with that can! She’s having trouble breathing! We have to help her! We have to…” “No,” Betty said abruptly, cutting off Ashley completely. “I’m sorry, Ash, but no. The can was sprayed, and I know enough about it that it will soon be neutralized, but Tish… we can’t do anything for Tish. At least… at least not right now.” Ashley might have protested further, but once again, the sympathy and sadness all over Betty’s face showed that her heart was breaking for Tish and what had just happened, but her iron grip over the door handles also showed that her logic was fully intact… and immovable. Right then, all they could do was wait. Minutes later, the gasping, coughing, wheezing, and pretty much every other sound with breathing finally stopped. Once they heard a tiny sobbing noise, Betty nodded her head and looked down at Ashley. “Okay… we’re going inside now. It might be a little shocking, but I need you to focus. Likely, I’m going to need you to call for help and then come back and help me with Nancy. She’s going to be scared, but I need you to be brave for her, okay?” Ashley could only nod her head before Betty opened the door. Inside was very much as they had left it… except that now Nancy was accompanied by a highly distressed Middle… in wet pants. Like she had been trained for this very scenario, Betty rushed in and began to examine Tish. After a second, she turned back to Ashley. “Okay… go get the phone. Type in 4357. Listen to the operator and tell them code 685, understand? Code 685.” Ashley nodded and did as she was told. Before she even hung up the phone, sirens could be heard. Rushing back, Tish was crying but Nancy… Nancy almost seemed pleased with herself. It was an odd scene, but as she had promised, Betty raced over to comfort Nancy. The door then burst open downstairs, Tish could only wail louder and wet herself more. * * * Day 72 – 8:49 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 As Ashley waited in the car once more, the scene on Old Bloom Boulevard was very different than when she and Betty had left last night. Police were everywhere and the two were questioned for at least an hour. Panic instantly spread throughout the neighborhood… even more so when a crying Tish was hauled away. Panic soon turned to fear when finally, Mr. Vasiliou had shown up and began barking orders at everyone. From his tone and the way that he ordered everyone around, it was clear that he was in a position of power and that he was used to getting his way. He almost looked like he was about to kill someone on the spot when Betty intervened, calmed him down, and explained everything happened. His distaste for Tish left a bad taste and fear for her safety on everyone who heard his tirade afterward. Still, the cops pressed, and there were even whispers of forcibly regressing Ashley against her will for her part in the whole mess… Littles once again taking the blame and all the punishment. But again, thanks to Betty, no charges were filed against either her or Ashley. The fear over the spray and Tish’s possession of it anywhere near a regressed Little seemed to be the sole focus of the investigation by the time Betty took Ashley home. Now, Ashley had pressed Betty to at least check in on Nancy and see how everything was going. Nancy almost seemed happy through it all, but Ashley was still worried for her friend, so, when Betty pushed the doorbell, the Little was clutching her stomach once more. The door opened, but a stern, elderly, and sharp woman answered instead. “Yes? Can I help you?” “Oh.” Even Betty seemed surprised. “We were here last night, and well, my Little is a friend of Nancy, and she just wanted to check on her to see if she was okay and…” “I know who she is,” the woman said with a sneer. “I have been informed by Mr. Vasiliou that all ties are to be cut off now between our Nancy and your Ashley. She is deemed to be a poor influence, and considering the mentality of the two girls now… I very much doubt either has much in common anymore anyways.” “Oh… I see…” Betty now seemed very much resigned to the news. ‘Fight for me, Betty! Come on! Don’t leave Nancy under the care of this old uptight crone! Come on!’ But Betty only nodded. “Well, thank you for your time. I may talk to Mr. Vasiliou myself later, but… I will respect his wishes conveyed through you for now.” “It is most appreciated,” the stern older woman nodded. “Now, good morning.” And with that, the front door was closed… Nancy not even appearing once. Ashley was about to speak up, but Betty shook her head sternly and pulled Ashley back to their car instead. Once they were settled though, Betty turned around to face her. “I’m sorry for all that, Ashley, but… I can’t do anything against Mr. Vasiliou’s wishes right now. That’s Nanny Iverson. She doesn’t budge for anyone… even broke a scientist’s nose once because they wouldn’t leave the property of a Little they were once studying a few years back.” There was almost a fear in her voice… or at the very least, a respect to the older nanny… one that showed that for the moment, Betty wasn’t going to go against her. “Now, I will try to talk to Mr. Vasiliou, but… I can’t make any promises. And at this point… as much as I know she’s your friend; you would essentially just be her babysitter now more than anything.” The words were all a devastating blow to Ashley and a single tear rolled down her cheek… but she wasn’t dense or defiant either. “Thank you, but… I know you’re right. I want to be her friend, but… she’s gone. I couldn’t help her and now she’s basically just a baby…” Betty looked like she wanted to hug Ashley more than anything right then… or at least say something to ease her mind, but the two only sat in a reserved silence for a moment… almost like they were honoring Nancy in a way that made her seem dead. After a few minutes though, Betty smiled back at Ashley. “I know these last days have been tough on you, so how about this… after daycare today, how about you, me, and Pete all go out for some ice cream on the town. We can even get your favorite… vanilla ice cream with cherries and chocolates. Does that sound good?” It was evident that Betty was at least trying. It was small change compared to everything else that Ashley had been losing lately… her nighttime continence, her emotional stability, Nancy, and even the maturity of most of her other friends here. Still though, it was like a tiny ray of light in an otherwise dismal and dark cavern. Ashley looked up from her stupor and smiled back at her Big. “That sounds nice…” * * * Day 72 – 11:49 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 With the weight and incentive of ice cream looming over her day, Ashley had come to daycare with a tiny bit of hope and happiness. By group time, that happiness had started to fade. By the time the groups split up, she was upset, and by the event of snack time and then recess, she had seemingly lost all the spark she had started her day of daycare with. If she was able to view it all from an outside perspective, she might have seen that her emotions were still in a state of flux. More controlled now and her body wasn’t as under the sway of the mist, but its tendrils still coiled around her precipitously, nonetheless. Plus, hearing all the new Littles go one and on about their lives and how they were either going ‘beat the system’ or that they actually enjoyed it here… it just was a bitter pill for the experienced Little to swallow. What’s more, it didn’t help that Olly was now going to be in an out of the daycare much more often to assist his Big with some projects at the main facility. So, by the time she was finally left alone at recess, she was utterly rejected and in a sorry state of affairs. Swinging back and forth, it was like every creak of the swings sent a new wave of pain and despair through her body. ‘Everywhere I look… I see Melissa or Nancy, and I’m reminded by how I failed them. The swings where we talked about our futures… the slides where we stood up at the top and watched the mountains and reminisced about a trip we both had at one point to the mountains in Spain… even the sandbox where we were reminded of trips to the beach back on Earth after they were finally cleaned up. I just… I can’t stand this place any longer. I… I’m still here! They both left me! And now? Now… I don’t know what I’m going to do. I… I…’ The tears welled up in Ashley once more and she looked as if she wanted to hit herself for being such a cry baby yet again. ‘Darn it! No, no, no! Not again! Please! Just give me one day of peace. One day of…’ “Ashley?” a familiar voice called out and interrupted her thoughts completely. Ashley looked up at saw Joy, now walking up to her with a deeply concerned look on her face. “Mrs. Spelding? What are you doing here?” Joy came over and sat down on one of the swings next to Ashley. “Oh, well, I just wanted to check this daycare out. I got a Little myself the other day and Betty actually recommended this place in town to me. She said you liked it here, but… you don’t look very happy. Is everything okay?” Ashley shook her head. “No. I just… I keep losing all my friends to whatever regression is happening around here. I just… I don’t know what to do. I feel so alone now…” Joy looked back at the distressed Little, and while her face showed sympathy, there was almost a spark of enlightenment and even happiness as well. “Well… I’m so very sorry to hear that, but… maybe I have a solution that could help both of us out. Would you maybe be interested?” Ashley looked up, and for the first time since snack time, she didn’t seem like she was purely full of dread. “You do?” Joy smiled and nodded. “Yes, I think so. See… I need to go up to the main facility tomorrow… Actually, I need to go and see Pete… uh, Dr. Jones. A few things to go over now, but I’m sending my Little here for the day… maybe even start a regular habit of it. So first, naturally, I wanted to check this place out first myself today, and… I like it, but… I’m a little worried about how he might react. He’s still very new to all this.” “Oh?” There was curiosity and maybe even the slightest hint of hope in her voice. “Yes, but also…” She hesitated for a moment but then continued. “You see… I’ve known Betty for a few years now and we’ve got to talking about all sorts of things… but recently, namely you.” “You have?” Ashley questioned. “Yes. In fact, she always talks about how you are so trustworthy and are usually such a good influence on the Littles around you. So…” She paused for a moment, almost like she was teeing up a proposal to state to the now slightly blushing Little. “I was wondering… would you maybe be willing to watch over him tomorrow? Just… maybe to keep him out of trouble as much as possible at least?” It was a heavy ask… especially in a place like this daycare with someone like Mrs. Jenkins, but the proposal was sound, and Ashley didn’t seem outright offended. “Well… no guarantees, but sure. Why not?” There was an immediate look of relief over Joy’s face, and she quickly stood, now seemingly satisfied in her errand here for the day. “Thank you so much, Ashley. You have no idea how much that means to me. He’s even been struggling with his pull-ups lately and I think you might just be the fix he needs right now. An anchor of sorts…” Ashley blushed and her hand quickly rushed to her backside… where on closer inspection, one could make out the tiniest bit of skin… and her purple pull-up. She immediately blushed but likely seeing the Little as her solution to her own Little, Joy had the good sense not to mention it and further embarrass Ashley. “Well… I think I’ve seen all I need to here.” The Big nodded toward Ashley. “Again… thank you so much, Ashley. This is such a burden off my mind, and who knows? Maybe you two will even be friends.” Ashley simply nodded as the Big started to walk off after waving goodbye. ‘Another friend? Might help the loneliness… but no. No new friends. Just help him out and… wait.’ Ashley looked up and called out to the departing Big. “Wait! Mrs. Spelding! I didn’t get your Littles name!” Joy turned around and smiled broadly. “Oh yes… It’s Ronald, but… he goes by Ron.” * * * Day 73 – 10:06 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley honed her more covert investigative skills to a fine edge the next morning as she soon spotted the only new Little in class. He was kind of cute with his rounded features and curly black hair, but his surly attitude toward the other Littles was a hard edge that stuck out in the daycare. Worse, it was clear that he was uncomfortable being a Little and that he had little patience for any other Little. Ashley initially just let it go. Getting involved right away could be dangerous with the wrong type of Little here. Even if she was attached to Pete and Betty, the backroom loomed large in her mind still and getting a strike seemed to be just about as easy as breathing lately. So, for a Little with such a seemingly hair-trigger attitude, she kept to the periphery until she had to. Which just so happened during group time. One of the Littles from the previous group… still too mature to be shuffled down to the younger group still, though that line seemed to be getting very close lately, had pestered Ron in an easy and non-threatening way… but not to a newbie. He had gotten flustered and had already hit strike two. Ashley, likely remembering her promise to Joy, had interceded and was now dragging him away. ‘Geesh! This guy just can’t take a hint!’ She rolled her eyes and quickly pulled Ron into the room with the door labeled, ‘Quiet Room.’ She had never gone in there before, but Olly and Nancy had become well acquainted with it before whenever they started one of their tirades… at least before Nancy’s main motivation was a new bottle of the creamy stuff. Regardless though, inside of the room was outfitted with various implements to induce relaxation for all mental age groups. Blankets, stuffys, snacks, soothing music, singing bowls, light displays, and many other items crammed most available spaces along two of the walls. The rest of the space contained pillows, bean bags, and sleeping mats. Ashely quickly plopped on one bean bag and Ron followed suit with the other. “Geez, you’re dumb,” Ashley bluntly said after a moment of the two just sitting. “Excuse me?” Ron asked, seemingly bewildered already. “You heard me. Dumb,” Ashley plainly said. “I can spell it out for you if you’re not sure. For all I know you could be dumb in a few different ways around here. Are you one of them already?” “I’m not dumb,” Ron answered defensively, seemingly much to Ashley’s amusement briefly. “Fine. Maybe hard-headed, but it’s all the same here by the end.” She then rested back a bit in her bean bag. “Let me guess, been here, what, a few days maybe?” She knew all that before, but Ashley was also clearly trying to be clever and get more information out of this new Little other than what his Big had provided to her already. “This is my tenth in this… situation.” He was still clearly uneasy with all this world. Ashley sighed and nodded. “That explains a lot.” She then paused and gestured to herself. “Me? I’m on my 16th, but I think I’m pretty unique to not be drooling at this point.” She was lying to him a little, but he didn’t need to know her whole backstory… at least not yet. “Meaning?” he asked inquisitively. ‘Good. Not dumb then. Maybe he can actually learn and last more than a second here.’ “Meaning, I’m calling you stupid or dumb, because remember Barkley from back there? Dinosaur kid?” she asked, her patience already thin from all the days she had endured here already. Fortunately for her patience, Ron nodded. “Well, we came in at the same time, but he was like you. Unaccepting and rebellious here. Not long after he hit ‘three’ a few times, he got bumped into a different group and now the Little couldn’t count that high on a consistent basis if his life depended on it. You’re doing better than him overall, but not by much.” “That won’t be me by a long shot…” Definitely at odds with being a Little around here. “No, you’ll be worse eventually,” Ashley hit back, clearly trying to snap him out of his funk and get him to the point of acceptance but not surrender. “Already hit one on your first day and we haven’t even hit the halfway point of the day’s activities. Barkley hit one on his second day and he’s only worse than you right now because he’s come here more often. You need to chill and accept what’s going on if you’re going to make it and not follow in his and everyone else’s shoes. Those who protest all… this, never end well. There used to be more of us here…” “But how can you just accept… something like this?” Ron asked, now holding up one of the pacifiers that was stationed nearby. “Or that?” He then pointed to the music player with a song track listing nearby, many of them obviously catered to Littles, such as ‘Oh, How My Diaper Feels So Nice,’ or ‘The Bigs Love Me and I Love the Bigs.’ “Yeah…” Ashley admitted somberly, “it’s a tough path to tread my friend, but your survival as… well, you, depends on it. When I first got here, there was another Little that I think moved away or whatnot, but she said something important to me on my first day that I think you need to hear.” Again, she was merging and stretching the truth a little bit, but Nancy was still too fresh for the whole truth. Still, Ron gestured his hand for her to continue. “Faster to anger, faster to being a drooler,” Ashley stated proudly as she passed on the information that Nancy had passed on to her. “It’s nothing much I know, but it’s a good standby that has kept me from hitting the dreaded, ‘three.’ Well, beyond that one day that is...” Ron raised one of his eyebrows in curiosity. “It was a bad day, okay?” Ashley defended abruptly. “A Little hit me in the head with a block and I threw it back and hit Mrs. Jenkins, I cursed after a drink spilled on me, and I accidentally pegged one of the more regressed Littles in the head with a ball outside. All honest mistakes, but still.” The thought of the backroom was clearly present in her mind as the hair on her arm stood up a little. “But you were still punished?” Ron asked, a slight tone of disbelief in his voice. “Yep, so just try and not give them an excuse. Those strikes reset every day, but the workers can get a bit stricter if you keep hitting a ‘two’ every day.” Her eyes narrowed in distaste. “Workers like Mrs. Jenkins are just waiting for a reason to hand out strikes to us…” Ron nodded in recognition of the advice and the two then talked for the next little bit until one of the workers knocked calmly on the door and announced that it was now recess time. “Come one!” Ashley suddenly beckoned and pulled Ron out of the room. “Recess might be for the younger back on Earth, but here, it’s a means to escape the watchful eyes of the staff. We can’t miss it!” The two meandered outside and kept talking for a little bit as they muddled their way through half a dozen or so topics regarding their lives here and what they did before… plus any bits of advice Ashley could spare. Not trusting a new Little fully, she had also made sure to stick to her cover story, while Ron had confessed that he had something to do with sales. It wasn’t long until both began to wiggle about slightly. Recognizing what the other was doing, both quickly walked over to Miss Pearl. “Very well you two,” she noted after being apprised of their situation. “I know you’ve both been trying extra hard to be good, and you did ask, so just go right in.” Her voice and tone were a little sweet, but Ashley just pushed on and ignored it in lieu of more pressing concerns… only joining Ron in a quick thanks before bolting inside of the bathrooms nearby. Both were successful and coming back, accepted a nice glass of Pioneos juice together before a quick lunch and then right onto the quiet time for the day. ‘At least I now have someone I can talk to who isn’t taking a nap now.’ It was a pleasant way to pass the time, but it wasn’t long however, before many of the Littles began to fidget around. Ashley grimaced as a few almost seemingly went into a trance of sorts and then soon stopped their individual fidgeting. It didn’t take a genius to know what had just happened in their padded states. Looking over though, Ashley caught Ron squirming… his pride likely still being too present to ask for the potty right away. Not long after though, he bolted upward. “Ron. What’s…?” But the new Little was already dashing away and headed right into the restroom. “Oh… that can’t be good.” Minutes later, much to her dismay, Miss Pearl ambled over and soon checked in on the restroom when Ron hadn’t emerged back out after a few minutes. “Knock, knock.” She then pushed the door open and disappeared inside. Not long after that, Miss Pearl exited the restroom. ‘No Ron… definitely not a good sign…’ She then returned not long after with a bag already prepared. Ashley couldn’t be sure, but she was smart. ‘Definitely not a good sign. Shame too. I kinda liked the guy…’ More than a few minutes later, Ron then exited the bathroom first and tried to make as little of a scene as possible as he retook his seat beside Ashley. Ashley looked over and noticed Ron’s eyes were fixed on the TV and the ongoing show playing. ‘Darn… he’s not even looking at me. Embarrassment plus Miss Pearl with a bag in the restroom and him gone for so long… Yeah… definitely had an accident.’ After the show had finished, the more regressed Littles were beginning to wake up and the others, including Ashley and Ron, were allowed to roam about with some free time. Ron still remained quiet. ‘Okay, Ash. You promised to keep an eye on him for Joy. Give him something to hold onto. Something to show him that he’s not alone. It might not be much but give him something at least. Need to be bold but… accommodating and nonjudgemental.’ Ashley then maneuvered a little to give her new friend a little better eye contact. “You know accidents are like breathing around here. It’s honestly weirder if you don’t have one.” Ron’s eyes darted to her with a clear mix of fear and anger. “But… but… how… I…” He stumbled over his words as the shock of Ashley’s revelation hit him directly. “Oh, relax, Ron. You come to this place, and you’re almost guaranteed to have an accident.” Ashley then paused and sighed. ‘Shoot… I can’t believe I’m doing this. Still… if it helps…’ She then looked around but slowly slid the right-side hem of her jeans down and revealed the side of what could only be a purple pull-up. Ron blinked a few times in clear disbelief. “You… but I thought…” “What? That I was so mature?” she asked bluntly with a little stifle of a laugh in her voice. Ron nodded. She smirked at the extra bit of confidence and belief from her new potential friend. “Well, thanks for the ego boost, but maturity is all relative here. I don’t know if it’s the air, water, or just bad luck, but we Littles just don’t last long in normal underwear around here. I think I’ve lasted the longest wearing these puppies so far, but it’s best to just accept the fact that we’re all wearing padding around here. And, if you do… progress further,” she implied, “don’t feel bad about that either. We’ll all still accept you. Even big old mature me.” Ron smiled and Ashley felt a rush of accomplishment. She had settled Ron’s nerves and had found a potential new friend around here. Ron might never be Nancy, but he was something, and in a place like Peirama, something was better than nothing. As the day came to a close, Ashley once again felt a tiny little flicker of something so precious and yet so rare for her lately: hope. Whether that was false or real remained to be seen, but for now, it was something that Ashley could hold on tight to.

Unfortunately, not at the moment. I'm thinking of maybe branching out once this story is done, but for now, the most up to date chapters would be located on this website. If this changes, I will make an announcement on here

Hey everyone! Whew! What a trip! Walked over 115,000 steps in four days and road at least a hundred rides in total. Not always relaxing with the heat and crowds down in Florida but definitely came away with a smile on my face. Unfortunately, my flight did get delayed coming back, so this longer chapter got massively delayed from all the backup that resulted from that, but now I’m back and ready to push through with this story. I definitely have a few ideas to bolster this story up and I should be able to crank out several chapters coming up. Next, just as a reminder, a new poll is up for you all to let me know which story you all would like to read next. I was going to post this reminder sooner, but since this is about halfway through (instead of a third of the way through like I initially had planned), I think it still works. Story options can be found back in the beginning of chapter 2 or the link there and now down below. As I mentioned before though, if you feel more comfortable leaving a comment here or as a private message to me, I will count these as well. Additionally, like before, this poll will be shut down right before I post my final chapter on here. Further announcements will be made regarding this when the time gets closer. https://strawpoll.com/7rnzVOYz3nO Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 14: A Bad Day for Most Anywhere Day 65 – 8:43 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 The vehicle inched around the stoplight and then into the dedicated lane to exit for the daycare. Moving beyond the 15-foot-tall trees, the daycare soon came into view. The predicted rain for that afternoon, causing a swirl of darkened clouds overhead, didn’t help the foreboding look that the building seemed to take on today. Back in her booster seat, the pensive look Ashley gave toward the structure showed that she would likely want to be anywhere else other than here today. Still, the car crept forward and into the parking lot and toward… “Wait… where are you going?” Ashley asked, a slight hint of panic in her voice. Stopping momentarily to let another Big and her Little cross the parking lot, Betty turned around and smiled at Ashley. “Nothing to worry about, Ash. I just wanted to drop you off personally today. Need to talk to the attendants real quick is all. Not a big deal.” The way that Betty had framed it all and her smile and nodding and understanding face would indicate that everything was fine and not a big deal… just as she said, but as Betty turned around, facing forward again to pull into an open parking spot, the previously pensive look on Ashley’s face had only grown. ‘She says its all fine, but… why do I feel that everything is anything but fine?’ The question seemed to nag at Ashley… even as she was helped out of her booster seat and then walked by Betty up to the brick building. The colors of the sign overhead were still as vibrant as ever, but now the welcome sign seemed less inviting… more like a sign one would use to lure hapless victims inside before snapping the cage shut. Ashley momentarily shuddered. ‘Shoot… have I just been here too long, or are my eyes just opened up to the truth of this place now? But also… why do I feel those colors are kind of pretty and…?’ Ashley shook her head, and her strut increased with new determination… like a person walking headfirst into a pounding sleet and worse storm up ahead. Mildred, the youngest of the attendants, unmarried, no Littles, and looking only about a day or two out of high school, greeted Ashley first. “Good morning, Ashley! Ready to…?” She then stopped and her eyes traveled upward to Betty. “Oh! Mrs..... I mean, Dr. Jones! What an unexpected surprise!” “Good morning, Mildred,” Betty greeted like nothing was out of the ordinary… despite her presence being the unordinary. “Is Philomena in today yet?” Her pleasantness remained, but there was something about her direct question that almost looked like it stunned and stumped Mildred for a moment. After a second though, Mildred shook her head, like she was coming out of some sort of daze and nodded rapidly. “Yes, ma’am! I… I can call her right away if you need me to?” Betty nodded. “Yes, please do. I have some…” She looked down at Ashley briefly. “…matters to bring to her attention today.” Mildred nodded gravely, picked up the phone, and whispered something into the receiver, before setting it down and smiling back up at Betty. “She’ll just be a moment.” No sooner had Mildred finished noting that when Mrs. Jenkins exited the back doors to the main area. Noticing Betty, she smiled and the two quickly embraced. “Betty! What are you doing here today? Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing you, but… is something wrong with…?” Her glance then tilted down to Ashley. “Or…?” Her conflicted eyes seemed to be toying with what was actually happening… eerily almost mirroring both Ashley’s and Mildred’s expressions as well. Betty cocked her head to one side for a moment and smirked. “Well… you know Pete… he’s up to his old tricks again.” “Oh no…” From her expression, Pete had obviously experimented with chemicals in the house before… and clearly, consequences of some kind had occurred from said experiments before as well. Betty chuckled and nodded. “Oh yes… but this time, it wasn’t just the neighborhood cat growing a second tail or the stray newly neon pink pigeon that flew too close. It was…” She didn’t look down, but her implication to Ashley being affected was evident. “Oh… I see…” Mrs. Jenkins didn’t look down either, but like a kid in school trying to will themselves away from copying their friends test after not studying, there was a palpable struggle in her eyes. “Happens… all the time. Accidentally… or otherwise. Do you think that maybe…?” Betty quickly shook her head. “No. Pete’s a wonderful guy and I think he would do anything for…” She then paused and this time did look down at Ashley. The Little, seeming still in shock from everything going on around her and maybe still awash in her own thoughts, didn’t seem to pick up on anything being implied though. Ashley blinked once or twice but stayed mute. Betty shook head again, this time a little more forcefully. “No, no. That’s not his way. He’s a klutz when it comes to lab safety, but experimental protocols… those are almost sacred to him. If he was to do something, it would be obvious, and I would see him taking notes every six seconds.” She sighed. “So, no… I think this time was just him being careless about what he vents from his personal lab.” “Hmmm…” Mrs. Jenkins seemed less convinced, but also didn’t argue the point further. “If you say so, but… given those circumstances, I have to ask… are there any…?” Before she could finish though, Betty handed her a piece of paper. It wasn’t much bigger than her hand, but whatever it appeared serious enough that both Bigs stopped talking and looked at each other with wide expressions. After a moment, Mrs. Jenkins nodded. “I see… well, this happens more than you would think honestly. I know just what to do, Betty, but… let’s talk more about this in my office… maybe have a little… privacy?” Both Bigs looked down at Ashley and the Little seemed to shrink under the gentle scrutiny. Betty crouched down and smiled. “Sweetie… how about you go join your friends inside? I’m sure you’ll have much more fun in there today!” There was a sweetness about her voice that was different and unusual, but… not altogether unpleasant. Ashley nodded, and for a moment, Betty opened her arms ever so slightly. It wasn’t much, and most might have just been inclined to pass it off as the Big stretching or getting ready to stand up again. For Ashley though, it was an invitation to give Betty a goodbye hug… which she promptly did. Betty looked surprised in the hastened embrace, but after a quick second, hugged Ashley back and didn’t seem to mind at all before breaking free and giving her a little encouraging pat on the back to send her toward the others in the main part of the daycare. * * * Day 65 – 9:45 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Every daycare had rules. Whether it was on Earth or here in this messed-up dimension, rules governed everything and provided a base to ensure that absolute chaos wouldn’t reign. Of course, with regressed Littles and actual children, babies, toddlers, or any other young-minded occupants, rules were more of a way of protection and maintaining equality when emotions tended to rule supreme. For unregressed Littles, though, rules stood as an obstacle to follow in opposition to years of adherence to being mature and independent back on Earth. As the class settled in, the more mature group broke up briefly to set up for song time and Ashley couldn’t stop staring at the posted sign with all the rules on it. “Penny for your thoughts?” Olly asked, making his way over to one of the few he still socialized with in the group now that most of their friends were in the younger group. Ashley sighed and gestured to the sign. “Oh… you know. Just… I feel there’s something more to these rules. Like… I don’t know. Almost that they’re cursed… or rigged maybe?” “Saying please and thank you is rigged?” Olly questioned skeptically, a playful smirk over his lips rapidly setting in. Ashley frowned and shook her head at him. “Hardy-har-har. You know exactly what I mean. I just…” She pointed to rule 32 and quoted it verbatim. “All Littles are subject to undergarment inspection, regardless of whether the Little believes it is important or not. I mean… I get that for someone like… well, our friends now, but… what about me? I’m okay, right?” Olly sighed. “Yeah, but… you know how fast all that can change around here.” There was a momentary silence, almost like an implication of what everyone knew… Littles simply never lasted for long in an unpadded state. Ashley was beating the odds, yes, but the silence was still heavy… like it knew something neither Little didn’t. “Just… don’t cause trouble. You remember about the three strikes, right?” Ashley quickly nodded. “Yes. I remember, but… no one gets those. I’m fine… you’ve been fine… strike three is really rare.” Olly winced. “Maybe before, but now? I’ve seen it happen more lately than ever before. Just… watch yourself and don’t cause any trou…” “Alright everyone!” Miss Fiona announced. “Gather ‘round! Come close!” * * * Day 65 – 10:08 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Song time was normally a separate event for the two maturity level groups in the daycare but simply put… the mature group didn’t have many members anymore. Olly, Ashley, and two other Littles and that was it. Mrs. Jenkins had noted before that more would be coming soon, but for today… the tiny mature group and the much larger immature group merged as one to compensate for the lopsidedness of the two maturity sets. Ashley didn’t like being merged with Littles who couldn’t keep their pants dry. Friends, yes, but the same activities for both groups now were a step too far for her… seemingly even more today, like somehow, she was more sensitive to the issue than before. Seeing her friends clap clumsily about and giggle to nursery songs hadn’t exactly put Ashley in a good mood either. “Clap, Ash… Clap,” Olly tried to encourage her under his breath for at least the fourth time in the past six minutes. She had idly clapped to the first song but stopped about halfway through… and hadn’t started again. Mrs. Jenkins at least seemed to notice. “No.” There was a bitterness in her words and Olly looked away to rejoin the group instead. ‘Geesh, Olive… Olly. Give it a rest. I… I don’t want to clap. At first, I kind of liked it, and… well, that’s just bad… something I don’t want to be playing around with. Better to remove the temptation altogether.’ Two songs later and Miss Fiona had continued to play her guitar, much to the amusement of everyone… except for Ashley still. It didn’t seem to be a big deal… until Miss Fiona wanted everyone to split into small groups for individual learning times. It made sense, but with the two maturity levels groups merged, Nancy wasted no time in pulling her friend over to join the old friend group. Ashley pouted on her way over and Mrs. Jenkins saw right away. “Oh, come on, Ash! I’m sure you’ll just have the best of times if you let yourself!” Ashley gritted her teeth, but considering it was Nancy pulling her over, she didn’t stop it. Nancy was continually teetering between maturity and toddlerhood lately. With the creamy substances, she was gone, but now, even without the stuff, she wasn’t the same friend anymore… at least not really. Her unabashed short dress and cutesy pigtails were just the tip of the iceberg today, but still, Ashley didn’t audibly protest being pulled over. ‘Maybe if I stick closer to her, I can nudge her back to maturity?’ “Come on Ashy!” Nancy cheered as the group began to dance around in place, most of their sagging diapers bobbing back and forth visibly under their clothes. If any of the regressed Littles cared though, they didn’t show it… including Nancy. “Grab your stuffies, ev’yone!” Simon instructed, his own stuffed animal cat being cradled like his life depended on it. “Let’s get dem to sing an’ dance… like they’re in a band!” “Like the Beatles?” Marilyn questioned. “Uh… maybe?” Simon seemed sure one minute and questioning the next about his own answer. “They’re a band… right?” This time, it was Marilyn’s turn to seem both confused and yet so sure. “Oh… yeah! I… well, I think. I don’t know.” She paused briefly. “Doesn’t matter though, right? We just need to think of a band in our heads! Whatever works will be jus’ fine!” Ashley swallowed hard at the notion of Marilyn forgetting the details of a band like the Beatles. They were smackdab in the middle of what she concentrated on with her studies, but more and more, it seemed like the details of all that knowledge were slipping out bit by bit. Last week, she was quoting JFK. Now, she could barely remember what year the moon landing was. Regardless, a few Littles didn’t have dedicated stuffies with them yet. Around here, it looked like a privilege to have one’s very own dedicated stuffy… or maybe it was a reward. In her nightly logs, Ashley was never sure which it was, but for those Littles without today, a block or just any other toy seemed to do the trick. If any of the other Littles with stuffy’s cared about their differences though, they didn’t show it. All just seemed pleased to form what could be best described as the most uncoordinated and painful sounding version of a band ever conceived. For a moment, Ashley winced and almost thought of covering her ears. “Hey!” one of the Littles shouted, an air of disdain and dislike in their voice. “You’re not playing! You need to play so we can all be good for Mrs. Jenkins!” “Huh?” It took Ashley a second in the haunting and loud chaos erupting around her with the rest of the smaller groups, but the Little was clearly directing their accusation and frustration toward her. By the time she realized it though, the Little had already thrown a small stuffed fish right at her. Being weakened over time just playing, eating, and napping all day, the Little wasn’t very strong… or coordinated, so the tiny toy only hit her lightly on the arm. For Ashley though, it looked like it was the first strike. For other Littles though, it was an invitation to start throwing things as well. Soon, the room erupted into chaos and the attendants quickly moved in to quell the tossing of various toys. Ashley clutched her arm and then snapped back to the offending Little, their body soon slightly obscured by all the flying debris in the room. “You little…!” Snarling over something so minor, she frantically looked around for anything to lob back. ‘I’ll show them not to hit me again! They threw something at me! At me!’ Ashley nearly shook with fury until her fingers finally found a single alphabet block. It was large, clunky, heavy, dense, and fit perfectly in the palm of her hand. ‘Perfect.’ Ashley smiled and aimed for the Little across the way. Despite being regressed though, as evidenced by the slight spittle on their thumb, they seemed to recognize a threat to their safety when they saw it… like a large block being tossed up and down by a person looking at them with venom in their eyes. In a second, they hurried away. They were smiling, like it was a game, but their dodging efforts showed their emotions were something more. Ashley groaned but looked at the block in her hand. “Don’t fail me now…” Ashley breathed in, aimed, and lobbed the solid object across the chaotic group scene. It sailed over heads, right past a few torsos, and hit something. The room instantly went silent though. The object hit… Mrs. Jenkins. ‘Oh shoot.’ Ashley stared in terror at the senior attendant at the daycare. She was all kindness and sweeties… unless a little broke the rules. Rule 6… don’t throw things. Every Little that could throw something, had thrown something. So, that wasn’t really at stake, but Rule 9… don’t hit the attendants… no one could refute that one. Every Little knew it and Ashley knew it… now nearly shrinking under the hardened gaze of the approaching Mrs. Jenkins now. Her eyes were cold and calculating. Her bottom lip quivered, not from being about to cry like a Little… more like trying to formulate a response or a strike back that would be appropriate for such an action against her. Soon, her lips moved though, and she held up a single finger. “That’s one.” It was like a dagger cutting through the cold and still air. A few gasped… most ‘oohed’ and ‘awed’ as if Ashley was already a doomed soul. Mrs. Jenkins didn’t seem to have patience with them either though. “That’s enough!” Everyone went silent and she turned to Miss Fiona and Miss Pearl. “I’m going to get a broom. You two start the cleanup process… and remember today, no cookies for snack time.” A few of the Littles sighed or even outright complained, but a snapped look from Mrs. Jenkins at the offending Littles quickly quieted them down. Moments later, she was gone, but her presence loomed like a ghost haunting the nightmares of every Little in the room… including Ashley. ‘What have I done?’ * * * Day 65 – 10:58 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 The cleanup from group time took a little longer today than usual in light of cleaning up the mess that had been made previously. It was done with little fanfare and not much praise once it was done afterward. Silence seemed key… at least until snack time was announced. The first snack of the day always set most on edge, and maybe it was just the high contrast from the silence to at least two dozen Littles slobbering over their next dose of the cream, but most looked at least twice as regressed right then. For her part, Ashley backed away as the second wave of chaos today erupted with her new drink, something called Pioneos juice. Calm never seemed to last long in the daycare, but Ashley just sat back as she watched everything unfold before her… listening closely to Miss Pearl and Miss Fiona gossip briefly... her new juice delighting her endlessly. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take…” Miss Fiona whispered. “I came here to watch over Littles and entertain them. Hugs, little kisses here and there, a diaper change and feeding them carrots or mashed peas or whatever… that sort of thing with my guitar added to make everyone happy. Not… this.” Miss Pearl smirked. “I can’t blame you there. It always gets a little challenging at this stage.” “Stage?” Miss Fiona questioned, handing out yet another packet of pudding to an eager Little. “That’s right. You didn’t see this last time.” Miss Pearl shuffled deftly closer to Miss Fiona. “Well, so you know, it goes like this… they have waves here. Different experiments or whatever are always happening… like low tide and the trough between incoming waves only to be replaced by a peak or high tide. It gets a little overwhelming on our side when all the Littles are regressed. Lots of work, but then… it subsides as some transfer out and its right before the new batch come in. Plus, the next wave we’ll be getting some volunteers. With the tunnel in place, we’ll be able to get a few high school volunteers. Won’t help lesson plans, but an extra hand to help change a diaper or prepare lunch helps more than you would think.” “Oh, no. I completely understand that. Honestly… right about now, that just sounds amazing,” Miss Fiona responded with clear relief. “I’ve heard the next batch of Littles will be even more…” “Oof!” a Little, too engrossed with the pudding smacked right into Ashley, sending both flying and the pudding sprawling over the floor in a clustered glob of cream. A little got onto Ashley’s clothes. “Hey watch it, you stupid butt head!” Ashley’s wide eye look indicated that she hadn’t meant to say it… but it was too late. The Little, stunned from the hit, spilling their pudding, and the brief but loud and forceful verbal lashing, all sent them scurrying away crying… right into the arms of Mrs. Jenkins. No words were spoken but the Little’s actions spoke volumes themselves. “Ashley!” Mrs. Jenkins thundered once again as she cuddled the Little closely. “We do not name call around here. That is rule 4!” Ashley glanced over at the rule chart and saw it as plain as day. ‘Why did I curse like that? It was just a little bump, and yeah, my hip hurts a little bit, and my shirt could use a wet paper towel or something, but… it wasn’t a big deal.’ Ashley winced. “Sorry, Mrs. Jenkins…” “No, no, Ashley,” Mrs. Jenkins said shaking her head. “Apologize to Pierre here.” Ashley glanced down at the Little that had bumped into her. ‘Wait… he bumped into me! It’s not fair! I shouldn’t have to apologize to the person who started this whole thing! He’s such a meanie and it’s so unfair and…’ Mrs. Jenkins audibly cleared her throat and scowled back at Ashley. Ashley almost squeaked at the veiled threat. “Sorry Pierre!” she let out pathetically, almost a full octave higher than her usual voice. With Mrs. Jenkins stroking his back, Pierre nodded back at her. It seemed good enough for the stern attendant Big. “Very well, Ashley. Thank you for apologizing, but… that was breaking a rule. So…” She then extended two digits up in the air. “That’s two.” Ashley could only gulp and scurry away after she nodded. Briefly looking back, Pierre was getting a lecture apparently as well, but now, she was on strike two… of three. It wasn’t a good sign. * * * Day 65 – 11:42 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 There was still a little time to go before lunch and most of the more regressed Littles were either lounging back inside under the watch of Mrs. Jenkins or were outside sluggishly wandering around under the watchful eye of Miss Pearl. Miss Fiona was simply walking around and trying to keep order where she could with those either not under the effects of the creamy substances or had the lightest doses of it instead. Considering that those under the influence were at best smashing toy cars together and mostly drooling at best today, the difference in the two groups appeared to be growing. For Ashley, outside time was a moment of freedom now. It was a time to clear her head and not focus on the present. Nancy, Marilyn, Simon, Kyle, and even Olly were all changing. She had felt an odd sort of change in herself as well since yesterday still hovering about just under the surface, but the others seemed more prominent… at least outwardly. So, Ashley ran. Between the small amount of independence that she still had and the sheer effort it took to keep up with Bigs in this world had kept her mildly active. Plus, with Nancy and the rest usually napping during this time, Ashley had previously elected for recess to become her workout time. It wasn’t much, but running seemed to be the best way to cool her motions. Considering she was on strike two already though, Ashley pushed even harder than usual today. So, she blew past the playground. She ran through the grove of trees at eh far edge of the fence in the back area. She leapt over the mud puddle that had formed with the recent storm activity, and she nearly flew past the building and the regressed Littles hazily wandering around. Marilyn was outside today and seemed more interested in chasing a butterfly than reading a book like she used to. It was just enough of a scene that, despite the heat of the August day, Ashley pushed harder… and harder… and harder… and… “Oof!” This time, it was Ashley falling back and splattering into the ground right back on her butt. It was a pretty big wipeout and looking up, it wasn’t hard to see why. Before her was a Little, but they were probably a native Little… coming at just shade over 6’5”. Middle categorization typically started right above that, but it was murky. Standing at just about a foot under post-portal shrinkage, Ashley didn’t stand a chance at knocking the Little before her over… hence her sprawled out form. “Hey you!” the taller Little scorned down at Ashley. “Watch where you’re… oh my god!” Their face lit up in glee, then fascination, then horror, but then right to amusement. “Look everyone!” Stunned a bit, Ashley looked confused as to what the Little was now pointing at. Being so much higher up, his point looked like it could have been gesturing toward anywhere. ‘I don’t get it. Did something land on me? Did…?’ Ashley then felt a strange damp feeling growing. ‘Wait… did something spill on me? Was the Little holding a water, or did I fall in a puddle, or…?’ Ashley’s thoughts froze. ‘Oh no…’ In a scene counted and familiarized and repeated thousands of times all over the world, Ashley looked downward to where exactly the Little was pointing and laughing at. Again, it was hard… but a lower point and a damp sensation… ‘Oh, please oh please, no…’ But her eyes confirmed what her heart had begged more than anything against. Her eyes settling downward toward between her legs, her shorts darkened. She had wet herself. Her emotions already being volatile, tears began to form in less than a second. The gathering and laughter of the other mature Littles did little to help her out either. Most Littles would have just curled up into a ball and waited for their fate to unfold… their life to change in a second… but today, that wasn’t Ashley… not Ashley Cutters, the journalist. Not Ashley Cutters, the woman who defended the embassy when it was overrun a few years back. No, Ashley Cutters wasn’t just any Little. For her, this was her moment. It seemed to take everything she had, but right there in the back of the daycare, she stood in defiance… wet pants and all. “Shut up!” she yelled, her hot tears still streaming down her face. She was clearly trying to show resolve, but her wet pants were a dent in her armor that was hard to overcome… or for anyone to view and then take her seriously. Sniffling and trying to keep her cool, Ashley doubled down and chose one of the snickering Littles she recognized. “You! Edwina! Didn’t you wet yourself as well? Why… why would you be making fun of me? You’re no better, you stupid little pants wetter.” Like a cork popped from a bottle shook too much, Ashley briefly snapped under the stress. “We’re all screwed! You are, I am! Why don’t you damn Littles understand that?” She was nearly hyperventilating now, and the snickers and laugh had died. Instead, everyone was looking at her in shock… and remorse. “What are you all staring at?” Ashley was fuming at this point, and logic and reason seemed to have escaped her. She was running solely on emotion right then… which is why when she looked down at her foot and saw a ball… she picked it up… and hurled it at one of the Littles still snickering in the back. Right in their face. “Ashley Jones!” Miss Pearl yelled out. Ashley froze and then looked down as she stared at her hand, almost like it was a part of her yet… not a part of her. Like it had acted on its own… like her emotions seemed to do as well today. Looking up though with fear and confusion, she saw the usually mild-mannered Big storming over to her. The Little swallowed hard at the notion now before her: she had screwed up. Before Ashley could even make an excuse though, the Little she had hit was sobbing and Miss Fiona was comforting them with about all the care in the world that one Big could muster. It was almost exaggerated at this point, but for her, Miss Pearl was just as over the top with her rage toward the Little. So, in seconds, the Big had snatched her wrist and was leading her away. This time, every Little knew she was in trouble. This was going to be her dreaded strike three. Instead of jeering at her, every Little only looked on with sympathy and horror laced within their eyes. Strike three was a thing around here. It wasn’t unheard of entirely, but it was rare… at least until recently. Olly wasn’t right about everything, but that… he was right about that at least. Coming inside, Miss Pearl pulled Ashley right over to the feet of Mrs. Jenkins. “Ma’am… I can take over for in here, but we have a problem.” Mrs. Jenkins tilted over in her chair to get a better look at Ashley. “Yes… I think I can see that.” Miss Pearl nodded. “Yes, ma’am. She wet herself after falling back after running into another Little. He laughed and the others laughed as well, and… well, I guess she snapped a bit. Cursed them out and then threw one of the plastic balls at another Little’s head. Miss Fiona’s got them, but… I figured you would want to deal with this personally…” Mrs. Jenkins, previously cool and collected in her rocking chair as she watched over the Littles, had stopped rocking. Her gestures, previously relaxed and mellow, turned hard and stiff. Her eyes, once full of contentment and understanding, evolved into something more akin to disappointment. For Ashley, seeing the head attendant change so quickly over something that she had done wasn’t the fire of damnation, but it didn’t seem to help her emotional state either. ‘Shoot, shoot, shoot. I’m dead. I’m lost. I just wanted a story and now, I’m going to be in diapers by tonight and blissed out of my mind. I’ll be surprised if I can walk by tomorrow morning!’ Needless to say, the Little nearly shook like a leaf as the Big stood up. Her hand then shot out forcefully. “Take my hand and come with me.” Ashley hesitated. “Now!” the Big stormed, her voice almost loud enough to wake the nearby Littles. Ashley complied, and wasting no time, Mrs. Jenkins nearly yanked her out of her shoes as she pulled her along and right to the backroom. The door closed behind them with a slam, echoing in the open room. Ashley let out a tiny squeak. * * * Day 65 – 11:59 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Through a sterile room looking awfully like any school clinic, and then down a hallway, two lefts, and one right later, Mrs. Jenkins stopped, typed a code, and opened a heavy door. “Inside,” she said coldly, not a scrap of sympathy or warmth left in her demeanor. Still shaking, Ashley nodded and walked slowly in as if a fire breathing dragon was waiting to snatch her up on the other side. Mrs. Jenkins then flipped on the lights and the room looked and smelled sterile. Along the walls were only one large screen opposite the door, some cabinets, and a sink. In the middle of the room, there appeared to be some sort of highchair. ‘It looks strange, but… I’m not sure why…’ “Sit in the chair,” Mrs. Jenkins commanded, closing the door behind her with an audible hiss… almost like they were being sealed inside. Swallowing her fear hard, Ashley nodded and walked over to the chair. With its tall dimensions, she had to grunt and hop several times to get up into the padded seat, but she eventually did. Her shorts, still unchanged and wet, clung to her grossly, but Ashley appeared too scared at this point to bring that topic up. Considering their pale blue color originally, the dark spot flowing down her inner thighs was hard to miss. ‘She can’t just leave me like this, right?’ Seemingly satisfied, Mrs. Jenkins nodded and came over with a tray of sorts. “Hands up.” Ashley, clearly not wanting this to get any worse, meekly obeyed and lifted them above her head. “Good girl,” Mrs. Jenkins commented. “You can put your hands down.” Ashley obeyed as Mrs. Jenkins looked on approvingly. “Very good. Just there and… yes. Good.” She then held up a car remote-looking device and pressed one of the buttons. Instantly, cuffs appeared from almost out of nowhere around Ashley’s wrists and ankles. “Hey!” she yelled. “Let me out of here!” She struggled and grunted in her seat, trying to wrench herself loose. “Ugh! Betty is going to hear about this.” But looking over at Mrs. Jenkins, she seemed less than impressed. “Fine then! I’ll tell Pete about this!” His name seemed to command a little more of a flicker and twitch in the Big’s cheeks. Her eyes glared back at the Little and she slowly walked up to her, like a cheetah stalking a bird for their soon-to-be dinner. “Oh? Pete, huh? Well, the great Dr. Peter and Elizabeth Jones forgot to look so carefully into the forms they signed.” Ashley’s eyes widened. “They did?” Mrs. Jenkins smiled. “Oh, they signed and read the forms, but I think they missed the fine print. The one where it lists what we can do to you in the future if something changes. Unless they specifically forbid it, our punishment methods can vary within the new latitudes. For you, we can’t do much of the harsher stuff… no creamy deliciousness for you, but… that leaves so many other things on the table.” She practically licked her lips in anticipation. She then walked over to the cabinet and sighed though. “Still… this is your first offense. I think… yes. I’m a little limited, but I think this will do quite nicely!” She seemed defeated for only a brief moment, before her glee returned in full form as she walked back over after a few clicking noises could be heard. “Now… I’ll be curious how much this affects you. Littles vary a little with our undrugged methods around here,” she confessed. “Personally, I think the paddle works quite well. Some Littles just need to see the thing after a while and yelp and comply. But… I think this first method should be a good first step for you… especially considering your pants.” She then walked away once again. ‘So, she does know!’ Ashley squirmed in the chair, the cold getting to her wet pants and causing them to become itchy and uncomfortable. ‘Shoot! I hate begging but… maybe it will work. I mean, what’s worse than whatever the heck all this is? Being cuffed and locked down just can’t be good…’ Ashley sighed. “Mrs. Jenkins… please. Let me out. I… I don’t know why I’ve been so… so…” “Emotional, dear,” Mrs. Jenkins clarified for the Little. “You’ve been emotional. I can’t say I’m surprised, and I know why, and I think you do as well, but… none of that matters now. You need to face the consequences around here. The other Littles need to see that as well. It might not be completely fair and some of your strikes were more severe than others, but… you’re a Little and sometimes fair just isn’t in the cards.” With that, the lights flicked off and the door closed with a slam, all out of sight of Ashley… still trapped in the chair. In the dark, desperate to escape, Ashley tried to struggle free once more. ‘Shoot! Gotta get out of here! There’s no telling what this madhouse is going to do to me! And I don’t care how easy this first step or whatever is going to be. Trusting a Big like Mrs. Jenkins is a one-way street to…’ The screen stretched out against the far wall popped on. The colors nearly blinded Ashley, and she shut her eyes for a moment, but the sounds were enticing and… innocent. This wasn’t something like MK Ultra or whatever… this felt decidedly easy… neutral. So, with a little courage, Ashley opened one eye to see what was happening in front of her. Before her very eyes was a whole array of scenes pulled seemingly straight out of a fairytale. A princess, a knight, a dragon in the distance. It was all very basic, and the plot was easy and simple enough too, but… oddly enough, as soon as Ashley opened her eyes, the sound increased. Instead of just pleasant musical notes or birds chirping, voices soon began to mix in as well. It was quick, but a dreamy state began to take over Ashley. Her eyes widened. Her jaw slackened. Her pants became warmer… but she didn’t care. Whatever it was, it was powerful and yet so easy and relaxing for the Little based off the look of contentment on her face. There seemed to be no frying of brain cells… just peace and calm for her brain… like a warm blanket wrapping it up gently and singing it off to sleep. Everything was good. Everything was nice. Everything was easy… and compliant. So, when the plot progressed and the knight failed his epic quest the first time, the lesson became clear: follow the rules or you get burned and fail. Chastising the knight back at the palace, the princess suddenly turned toward what would be presumably the camera… if it wasn’t animated. “So, we all need to follow instructions, right?” Numbly, Ashley nodded. “Follow instructions…” Her lips and tongue seemed to move on their own now. The princess smiled and soon, the whole court descended to the screen and looked right back at Ashley. “Repeat after me like the good Little I know you are…” Ashley smiled and nodded. The plot continued and that smile stuck. Even as more sayings were added, none of it seemed to matter to Ashley. She just wanted to be good… and so she was. Not long after, her stream of consciousness began to fade off. * * * Day 65 – 2:53 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley blinked her eyes, and her body felt both stiff and clunky. The light returned to her world and things became less blurry and more focused… once again, back in the main part of the daycare. She was simply leaning against one wall… her shorts now a faded purple… and dry. Being later in the day, most other Littles were still down for their afternoon nap, but some remained… some even saw Ashley stir. “Oh… hey. You’re awake,” Olly warmly greeted. “Wha… what happened?” Ashley asked, still groggy and more than a little clearly confused slightly. “How… long was I… was I out?” Olly looked back over his shoulder, and for a moment, he squinted at the clock… almost like he couldn’t read the numbers or even couldn’t see it but then turned back toward Ashley. “Since you went away? I mean, you just got brough back here. One of the first after nap time. Most of others are still waking up, so… I think… about three hours?” He looked back at the clock. “Yeah… three hours.” “Three hours?” The life seemed to flow quickly back into Ashley’s limbs as she then frantically checked herself for anything out of the ordinary. “What happened to me? Did you hear anything? Did I look different when I came back? Did I…?” “Wait… don’t you remember?” Olly asked, a little worry surprisingly laced into his question. “I…” Ashley was full of confusion and even a little rage, but all that quickly stopped, and she bit her lip for a moment. “I… I don’t remember. I remember going to the back and…” Ashley started to tremble, just like she had when she left… like the last thing she could remember. “Oh… yeah. That explains it,” Olly said with a sigh. “I thought you might have been immune… seeing who your Bigs were and all, but… I guess not.” “Explains what?” Ashley hunched over to her sometime friend and ally, looking as desperate for answers as ever. “What do you know?” Olly shook her off. “Easy there. I really don’t know anything. It’s just… well, anyone who goes to the ‘backroom’ always gets this weird fear of it.” Even then, a looming fear seemed to crouch over him suddenly. He looked to be able to power through it… but just barely. “Mention it, talk about it, or anything that happened… total memory block… and a new fear to do whatever you can to never go back there… no matter what.” Ashley winced. ‘Okay… test it out. Backroom… backroom… I went through the clinic and then…’ It was like a sudden chill enveloped her whole body. Looking closely enough, goosebumps even started to appear on her arms. Ashley collapsed back in her seated position against the wall once more. “Holy smokes…” “Yeah… it’s a trip the first few times, huh?” Olly patted her on the back and then scooted and leaned back up against the wall next to her. “Don’t worry. The sensation passes. Just… don’t go back there. The feeling of dread seems to get worse every time. Most… well, most also start to lose a little more of themselves each time as well. Happened to Melissa more than a few times.” Ashley could only nod in horror over that revelation. ‘Shoot. Definitely can’t go back there again. I… I need to follow the instructions. I have to. I… I need to…’ Ashley sighed and leaned back more casually into the wall. ‘Ugh! Too bad I can’t watch the footage from my eye camera in real-time. I’ll have to make a note of this and come back to it. Hopefully, it didn’t get erased or anything. Probably prove useful for any future investigations. For now, though… I guess I just need to follow the instructions and not go back there… no matter what.’ Just as the two sighed in unison, the naptime Littles sprang forth from their chamber of slumbers. Each was well-rested and eager to greet the day once more… albeit through the lens of seemingly toddlers now. Marilyn wasn’t as bad and Simon drooled a bit, but his eyes still sparked with intelligence. Nancy and Kyle… there was almost an emptiness to both of them. Ashley had seen it before, but today… today felt different. Especially as the regressed Little began to pull her arm. “Pway, Ashy! Pway!” It was like a toddler asking their babysitter to play a game with them. Again, it wasn’t unusual recently, but this was far more pronounced. Simply put, Nancy was losing herself everyday now. Sighing with the weight of that notion, Ashley pried herself from the floor and followed her once brilliant and sharp-witted friend to go play with their stuffy’s. ‘I’m so sorry, Nance. I know I failed you. I think you’re past the point of no return. I’ll still be your friend but… I failed, and I just know that I’m going to lose another friend.’ Ashley blinked a few tears back as she was led to one of the farther corners stacked high with toys of all varieties. ‘Maybe it will at least be a tea party today and not house again… at least anything to take my mind off the backroom… or until my hands stop shaking from fear if nothing else…’ * * * Day 65 – 5:11 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The hours rolled on like shifting sands and Ashley did what she could to keep up with Nancy’s occasional babbling and broken trains of thoughts, but it was difficult. More and more, her friend seemed only to be a shell of her former self. Wet diapers were nothing to her. Lisps and broken English sentences were common occurrences. And stuffy’s… well, they seemed more of a friend to her than Ashley by the end. They were a mirror of her after all, not a so-called ‘big girl.’ Ashley had grimaced at that but just tried to keep the flame of friendship alive between her and Nancy. It was a challenge, and like it or not, one that became increasingly clear that she would lose at some point. Not today… probably not tomorrow, but like Melissa, Ashley was going to lose another friend… either from a physical location or purely from a mental standpoint. So, when it was announced that Betty had arrived and Ashley went out to greet her, despite the stern look she seemed to share with Mrs. Jenkins, Ashley basically pole vaulted herself into the lower half of the Bigs body. It was childish, yes, but from the look of relief on the Little’s face, much needed as well. “Woah there!” Betty exclaimed, wobbling slightly at the sudden form now wrapped around her legs. “Easy there, sweetie. You have a good day, or… well, other than your strikes?” Ashley didn’t look up and instead just nodded. Betty chuckled, but it was evident that Mrs. Jenkins didn’t share her humor of the scene unfolding below them. “Well, I guess not every day can be exactly stellar here. At least you all used your best judgements on how to handle her. Removing cookie privileges was smart.” Those words seemed to dust the emotional cobwebs off around Ashley. Her hug stopped and she looked back up at Betty, clearly ready to defend herself that something else had definitely occurred other than a loss of cookie privileges. “The backroom and… and… something happened, Betty!” “The backroom?” Betty questioned. Instead of Ashley saying anything first to explain what had happened though, Mrs. Jenkins bent down and stared right into her eyes. “We just went to the backroom and calmed down for bit… right, Ashley?” Ashley stared back at the Big. ‘Darn it! I think she’s lying, but… I just can’t remember! Stupid memory! Why can’t I think properly? Why do I feel the urge to cry every time I hear the backroom and the… the… want to go back there to find out?’ Ashley sniffed. “Oh, woah… woah there sweetie.” Betty crouched down and wrapped her arms snugly around her Little. “Easy there. Just a long day is all. Maybe we just need a second to breathe?” “That sounds like a plan, Betty,” Mrs. Jenkins said, smiling a little as she stood back up. Betty stood up as well, but this time, she hadn’t let go of Ashley and cradled her in arms and against her chest. Maybe being too distressed to deal with anything else, Ashley remained a blank state and didn’t fight the motion even slightly. In fact, she instead just clung to Betty tighter. Betty chuckled a little and stroked the Little on the back. “Maybe I’ll ask her later about the backroom. Could just be her imagination, but… you know the oddities with Littles. Maybe there’s something more to it… maybe it’s some new code for wanting ice cream later or something…” Betty shrugged, thanked Mrs. Jenkins and walked right out to her car. * * * Day 65 – 5:48 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 “Just a little further, sweetie,” Betty called back gently to Ashley as their car climbed up one of the gentler but still inclined slopes up the west side of the mountainside that formed the valley where Peirama was located. Still afraid, and seemingly even more so today, Ashley squeezed her eyes shut and hung on for dear life to the two edges of her booster seat. ‘Almost over! Almost over!’ The car hit a bump and jostled her about as the vehicle swerved about to course correct. ‘Please be over! Please be over!’ Fortunately, being one of the more leveled and safer of the roadways up to one of the peaks nearby, the easy ride was soon over as Betty pulled into a parking space near the top of one of the ridgelines. “Come on, Ash. I want to show you something…” Ashley shakily nodded and allowed herself to be helped out of the car… something that seemed to be increasing with regularity at this point. “Where are we?” Betty smiled and held out her hand for Ashley to take. The Little didn’t object and the two walked over to a nearby picnic table with railing just on the other side. “Here… take a look.” Ashley, still holding Betty’s hand, walked close to the railing and looked over. Below, was the entire valley and the town of Peirama… including the rather large facility building just to the north of it. “Woah… it’s… it’s…” Betty chuckled. “It’s something else.” She then paused and it was evident that something was on her mind. I’ve come up here a lot myself… sometimes with Pete, but all in order to clear my head or just get away from all that down there. So today… I just wanted to tell you this… this place here has its upsides, but it also has its downsides. Today, I suspect you’ve been experiencing more of those particular downsides, huh?” Ashley looked like she had just bitten into a rather large onion. “Yeah… you could say that.” Betty sighed. “I’m very sorry about that, Ash. I know this place can be a lot to handle sometimes, but I also know that when the bad happens, having someone you can count on can make all the difference in your day or even of just your perception of the town. I know I’m a Big, but… I just want you to know that no matter what, I’ll be there for you. I can be that person you rely on.” Ashley looked back at Ashley and smiled. ‘Why am I feeling this way with that type of offer. I mean, she’s a Big! And… I’m a Little. Those two just never mix well here, but… why do I feel so much trust toward her? It’s strange, but… I can’t deny it’s a little pleasant as well.’ “Thank you, Betty. I… well, it means a lot to me for you to say that.” Ashley’s face clouded over for a moment. “It’s just that… well, Pete.” It was a one-word explanation, but it seemed like it was all that was needed. Betty heavily sighed and nodded. “Yes. I know most of today can be blamed on Pete’s stupidity, and he at least knows that now, but… it’s also just this town as well. It’s great and has given me a life I never would have dreamed of. Just for Littles though… things always tend to go wrong from their perspective. For you… that mist was a one in a million shot and…” “No, no,” Ashley interjected. “You were right before. It’s this town. Something… something is just… wrong here. I don’t know what, but… I can feel it. I look into a store, or I see a friend, and there… I see something that is wrong. It’s the town, Betty. I’m sure of it.” Betty shifted uncomfortably but nodded. “Yeah… you’re not wrong. I wish more than anything that you were, but… I can’t lie to you. This place is tough from all the angles, but… for now, there’s not much either of us can do about it. Right now, we just need to ride out the storm and play the cards that we’ve been dealt about as best we can.” Ashley was about to say something, but Betty rolled right along. “As part of that… I swore to protect you and give you a home when I signed the papers at Carer+. They weren’t very detailed documents that Pete and I signed, but those two things were highlighted. So… knowing this town like I do… I’ll make you a promise.” Ashley leaned forward and stared intently at Betty. “Whatever happens… I’ll watch your back. I will be your advocate,” she noted with a conviction that Betty just hadn’t seen of much lately. “I don’t know what’s next for us, but… you’ll need at least one Big advocate around here. No matter what, I can promise for that role to be filled by me.” She then righted herself on the picnic bench and leaned over with an open palm. “So, what do you say? Can you agree for me to be your strong point… your anchor in this town for you?” Ashley remained mute. ‘It’s likely more than I could have ever asked for. normally Protection… community… a prominent advocate… all work in my favor in some way or another.’ It seemed a heavy burden, but next and perched almost at the top of the mountain, and without any hesitation, Ashley reached out and the Big and Little shook on it. * * * Day 65 – 6:39 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 “Okay,” Betty finally said after a pure 30 minutes simply looking out toward the other mountains and the valley below. “I think we ought to be going now, hmmm? Pete’s likely going to be home soon and I think I can scrouge up something tasty for tonight. Still… probably should be headed back down the mountain before it gets too much darker, right?” “Right,” Ashley agreed. “Down the mountain…” A wave of fear washed over the Little and caused her to momentarily shake and pivot, even still firmly seat on one of the picnic bench seats. Betty smiled and got up before placing her hand over the Little’s shoulders. “We’ll go slow… easy… nothing fancy or dangerous, okay? Purely safety from here to the bottom.” Ashley slowly nodded. “Yeah… safety… bottom…” Betty chuckled. “Come on. Daylight’s burning. Let’s go home.” Ashley nodded once again and slowly got up while Betty hung behind her… guiding her movements like she was expecting her to fall… or at least to be there just in case. Looking from a far, she almost seemed like she knew something was going to happen… or was just being protective… like a mama bear might do for their struggling cub. Everything was going fine. The car wasn’t far, and the parking lot had been established years prior, so trees had grown all around the circular lot, providing obstructed but secure views through the trunks. Ashley even started to smile again, until her expression melted in a split second and she looked like she had just seen a ghost. Stopping mid-step back to the car, Betty noticed right away. “Ash? Everything okay?” “I… I…” The Little seemed to struggle to put into words what was happening to her, but then, she began to wiggle and cross her legs. “I… I have to pee!” “You… oh!” Betty’s momentary confusion evaporated, and her eyes scanned all around. Luckily, there was a sign. Unfortunately, though, this clearing just happened to be one of the few where the bathroom had been set off a little to be shared with another viewing spot just up the road further. So, instead of the bathroom being 20 yards away at most like most other clearings had, it was now at least 120 yards away. “Come on!” Wasting no time, Betty hurried the Little along. “Betty! Hurry!” Ashley practically squealed, her movements slowing as the two walked along the ridge line and the unstable rocks that had fallen since last fall and had yet to be picked up yet. Turning back, Betty saw her Little struggle. She sighed and walked back over to her. “I normally would ask, but…” She then hoisted Ashley up and began to run with her firmly attached to her side. Whether Ashley cared or not, she remained silent. Thankfully, due to her long strides and years of practice hiking around these mountains, Betty soon cleared the path and bound up the side of the mountain for the remaining 30 yards. Seeing the wood and brick outhouse, it looked a little more luxurious than most others. Outdoorsy and rustic, but well-constructed and maintained. Betty then set Ashley down on the ground… less than twenty feet away from the doorway. “Okay. We’re here. Go on inside and just holler for help if you need it.” Ashley nodded and toddled off. It might have normally ended there, but… this clearing wasn’t the most popular. Betty had chosen it for that reason for the peace it would bring, but now, as Ashley approached and yanked on the door… it wouldn’t budge. “Betty! Help! It’s stuck!” Betty’s ears perked up and she rushed over as fast as she could. “Oh… it’s stuck?” Betty nearly swooped in and used both hands to twist the knob and get it open. Smiling, she turned back to Ashley. “There. All good to go!” But Ashley wasn’t smiling. Ashley was looking down… at a growing wet patch right at the crotch of her shorts. “Oh, honey…” Betty was mournful of another accident today and another tally against Ashley this week. With the drug that everyone seemed to be screwing with, including Pete, these things were to be expected, but… the resolve Betty had once shown for the project seemed to be waning. Seeing her Little now suffer under even a fraction of the dose didn’t seem to be helping either. Still, Betty was a woman of her word and a natural comforter. So, in seconds, she went over and crouched down to Ashley to give her one great big hug. For her part, Ashley was visibly mortified and upset would have been an understatement. Right before Bety had hugged her, she started to hyperventilate. Tears welled up in her eyes and she wobbled briefly as waves of nausea threatened to overtake her, her hand sometimes seemingly being the only thing stopping her from letting loose right then. “Betty…” the pitiful Little let out. “I… I…” She struggled for any excuse… any reason as to what had just happened, but the best she could come up with in her mind was ‘It was an accident… I just couldn’t help it.’ “Shhh, shhh, sweetie. I’ve got you,” Betty comforted quickly, her once again assuming a more maternal and caring role to the scare and mortified Little. “Don’t worry about this. It’s just an accident. Nothing more. No reflection on you. Just that nasty mist Pete concocted, okay?” Ashley collapsed into Betty, and this time, the Big only took her up calmly and strongly. Her fingers quickly went to work rubbing and supporting her back while occasionally brushing through Ashley’s hair. It was getting unseasonably long and there almost seemed to be an idea behind Betty’s eyes for a moment with it, but she just smiled and gave Ashley a tight little hug of reassurance. For her part, Ashley smiled through her pain and torment. ‘Why? Why me? Why did I have to come here to pursue something as stupid as a story? What will happen to me now if I go back? Will I be labeled a freak as some of the others have? Will I be forced to wear diapers and lose all I have back on Earth now?’ Those thoughts seemed to terrify her even more than her wet shorts currently… something that Betty was careful to angle away from herself in their little moment and hug together. After a moment, when Ashley’s cries were only damp eyes, and her labored and shaky breaths were now only a series of cute little hiccups, Betty backed away and looked deeply at her, rubbing a few errant tears away from the Little’s emotionally drained cheeks. “There… that’s better, isn’t it?” Weak and seemingly at the mercy of the Big before her, Ashley could only nod, a little speckle of relief briefly blooming across her face. She had been affected by the mist… that much was certain, but she wasn’t dumb. Any other Little who had stumbled into this mess could kiss their adult life goodbye. With Betty though… things were less certain, and in this case, that could prove to be a good thing. Betty smiled but then sighed. “Honey… I’m not mad at you. I’m not even disappointed that you couldn’t make it to the potty on time. Up here can be a little difficult and I should have known that, so this accident is a little on both of us, but… I think we can’t just ignore it and wish it would go away.” She paused for a moment. “That wouldn’t be the mature thing to do, would it?” Ashley’s eyes seemed to scramble about as she thought of the right answer to say back. ‘Oh! Why do I feel like this is a trap for me? Why do I feel that no matter my answer, it’s going to be wrong or it’ll lead to somewhere bad?’ Ashley sighed and shook her head. Betty smiled back. “Good. I’m glad to see that you think that as well. And… well, I hope you know just how much I care about you. I try to give you your independence when I can and I want you to be purely yourself. A happier version of yourself, but still you and not the China doll so many other Bigs seem to want, but… I think we need to be practical. Just a temporary practicality, but… I need you to agree to deal with this problem. Is that something you can do for me?” Ashley visibly struggled with answering the question, especially as it seemed she kept looking down and staring at her soaked shorts, her lip biting reaching an all-time high. “Yes?” her words were fearful, hesitant, and tremendously passive. But it was a ‘yes.’ Betty smiled and stood up before extending her hand out to the beleaguered Little. “Come on, honey. I’m sure those shorts and your undies must just feel awful.” Betty didn’t even wait this time to see Ashley nod before taking off back down the trail to the car. It was an uncomfortable walk, and Ashley winced nearly the whole way back. Her steps were shorts and her free hand continually adjusted herself, seemingly searching for any kind of relief she could… but always coming up short and trying again a minute or so later. Finally, though, the two arrived at the car. Betty let go of Ashley’s hand, and while it wasn’t a simple drop and release… Ashley holding on for a second longer, she was soon free to go and rummage about in the trunk of the car after unlocking it. “Ah! Here it is!” Moving a few items aside, Betty pulled out a light blue backpack of sorts covered in designs of pink roses. It seemed to have several compartments and oddities that set it apart from other backpacks, but Betty lingered with the bag and stared back at Ashley. “Sweetie?” Ashley snapped out of her seeming stupor, her thoughts a jumbled chaos too fast and too messy to truly interpret. “Huh? Sorry, I just… what is that?” Betty gingerly stepped closer to Ashley. “This? Well…” The Big seemed to struggle to find the exact words, but almost like she knew what the right ones were and was simply too hesitant or scared to say them. “It’s just a bag. It… holds a bunch of things. Great for picnics and outings. I figured we could use it for any adventures we had… just the two of us.” Ashley smiled at the notion. ‘Outings with just Betty and me? Sounds so… nice. But… why do I feel there’s still something more to that bag? Why does it look so strange, yet… so familiar?’ “But… for today, I wasn’t sure how you would react further to the mist,” Betty confessed. “I mean, I hope everything goes away, but I guess my practical and prepared side just couldn’t be tucked away. So… I… well, remember when you agreed to be practical as well just a little bit ago?” Ashley winced. ‘Darn it, Ash! You fell into the trap. It’s a Betty trap, so I’m not about to be all drooly, but… I’m a Little and this is the world I’m in. Just… please, Betty… have some mercy…’ Still, despite her gnawing sensation of the trap slowly closing around her, she nodded. Betty smiled and nodded before unsnapping the top of the bag and reaching down inside of it. It was clearly less than half full and for a moment, one of Ashley’s more colorful shirts could be seen peak out the top, but Betty was also definitely looking for something else. Suddenly though, her hand stopped rummaging. She had found what she was looking for, and like a magician revealing their grand trick of pulling a rabbit out of a hat, Betty was just as equally hesitant and theatrical with the reveal. But, with the sadly familiar object removed, it wasn’t hard to see why she was being so hesitant. There was no direct mist this time… no nap involved. Just a pure and fresh pull-up waiting to be tried on… likely something for the daytime now it seemed. “Come on, sweetie,” Betty beckoned Ashley over to the backseat of the car. “Let’s get you out of those wet clothes and into something drier and a little more… protective.” Looking at her Big with fresh tears swimming about in her eyes, Ashley’s fears were confirmed. The mist had done its job… intentional or not was still to be determine, but the effects it had were being felt even the day after. As Ashley stepped closer to her fate, her shoes crackling under the dusty pavement, one thought prevailed. ‘Just how far will this next step down take me?’ For now, though, it didn’t matter. Only the awaiting pull-up for the frightened Little did.

Hey everyone! First, massive apologies for the delay in getting this chapter out. Work sucks and there’s just no other way to put that. Plus, and I am grateful that my allergy time of the year will soon be over, but that hasn’t been easy either to work around. I curse pollen and last-minute job assignments, but there’s only so much one can do to fix either of those problems except grin and bear it… and take a lot of antihistamines so I can see properly again or stop sneezing every 30 seconds. Second though, I have to apologize for this as well, but this will be the only chapter posted this week and for at least the first half of next week. I mentioned it before, but yes, I will be going on a nice little trip over Memorial Day weekend starting the next day or so. It means less of this story right now, but it should be just the break I’m looking for. Unfortunately, due to when I’m getting back, the earliest the next chapter will post will be next Wednesday… but I can’t even guarantee that at this point. June should be better for writing this story, but… fingers crossed at this point. Also… I did have to split this chapter up into two sections, so we are now at 27 total. I was trying to fit it all into one single chapter, but when I actually started fleshing out the ideas and feelings that I wanted to convey here… both combined would have easily been over 20 pages (when most are around 8 to 13 on the platform that I use to write these stories). It was possible, but I didn’t want these next moments to feel like something too big was being swallowed that shouldn’t have been without chewing first. Next, just as a reminder, a new poll is up for you all to let me know which story you all would like to read next. Story options and the link can be found back in the beginning of chapter 2. As I mentioned before though, if you feel more comfortable leaving a comment here or as a private message to me, I will count these as well. Additionally, like before, this poll will be shut down right before I post my final chapter on here. Further announcements will be made regarding this when the time gets closer. Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 13: A Bad Feeling All Around “Ugh… my head…” Vincent winced as he removed the device that had been attached to his head now for the better part of the second half of the day. He briefly rubbed his temples but then recalled his hand immediately with a look of pain. “Shit… did this stupid thing really…?” Vincent seemed disgusted and even shoved the device onto his computer desk with a little disdain. It didn’t break, but his dislike of it was clear. Getting up from his computer desk with a huff, Vincent went over to the bathroom and sighed as he looked in the mirror… right squarely at the now two painful red marks on either side of his temple. “Damn it! Stupid old technology…” He then reached into his medicine cabinet and fumbled around for a bit before retrieving a tube of wound bond gel. It was the quickest way to heal burns these days… particularly when it came to first- or second-degree burns. His was maybe a severe first degree, but having used the technology previously, if he didn’t apply the cream now, the burns would only get worse. It was one of the chief reasons the device was discontinued in most parts of the world now, but on Earth… the technology was still considered some of the best offered for covert video recording. Considering what Ashley had to work with and here state and where she was filming… a little pain seemed the sacrifice needed to be made on his part now. Still, Vincent glared back at the red areas now marking either side of his temples. Not to tone down his sacrifice though, applying the clear cream, both red spots almost instantly looked a little paler. Still red, but more like someone had been rubbing them for a long time than an outright severe sunburn. “I wonder what Earthers would give for a tube of this stuff… like in one of their ongoing little wars…” Vincent shrugged, almost like he had just found a new idea to exploit… but one that would come later and after all this was done… maybe as a retirement package… “Focus Vincent…” He winced a little as he applied a little more cream. “There… that should fix it for the moment and even help prevent it from getting even more serious. Could always tell in the old days who had been cramming with this tech the night before...” Smirking at the memory, Vincent finished up and put the tube of ointment back in the medicine cabinet. He then washed his face and made a quick trip to the bathroom. Once done, he made himself some quick soup, the microwave dining to signal it was done being reheated. He pulled out the bowl and meandered back over to his computer desk. It didn’t take Vincent long to see that in the few hours he had been under; several messages had cropped up on his system… most from LRG. About halfway through reading them all… mostly just about new locations and new plans of actions within the organization, Vincent finished with his soup, placed the bowl in the sink, and came back to finish with some of the more serious looking ones that required his full attention. Sitting down, though, his eyes quickly darted back to Ashley’s mysterious file and the blinking ‘resume’ button, its seeming importance looking like it was starting to weigh heavily on his mind once more. “Geesh. Feel kinda bad for all the Littles there. I’ve heard of Peirama, but… most stories from there end in dead ends or the headline, ‘another Little regresses,’ which to be honest, isn’t exactly breaking news here. They might as well print that the sky is blue or as Little, they should never walk down a dark alley.” As a Middle, Vincent never had to worry about something like that… but life still wasn’t fair for him either… hence his involvement in LRG. After hovering his mouse clicker over the ‘resume’ button for a minute, Vincent sighed and leaned back in his chair. There was seemingly a powerful urge for him to continue watching, but the priority felt a little lost compared to the rest of his messages… or sleep. So, with a sigh, he decided to end his session for the night. Before shutting everything down, he sent a message to HQ and vowed to resume Ashley’s file tomorrow when he had a little sleep first. Having crammed and watched old-fashioned holorecording’s all day, sleep came quickly for Vincent. The next morning though, despite having only left a few his emails unread, his inbox was full once again… this time with most coming from LRG HQ, which wasn’t exactly a rarity, but the 20 or so messages did raise at least one red flag. “What the…?” Looking closer, Vincent saw almost right away that most were from the same person, but just with repeated queries as to the update he had sent HQ last night. After skimming through a few, most said about the same thing and Vincent decided to stop and read one more thoroughly… “Vincent… we are monitoring a group of Bigs that seemed to have caught on your scent. We have dispatched teams to delay and confuse them, but moving your location may need to be considered… especially with the files you mentioned in your last update. We have looked into them further and this could be the break we are looking for. Several pieces seem to be missing still, so we urge you to continue with the files. We apologize for any pain this may cause you, but the outcome of the experiments in Peirama could very well be the change we have been observing in the Little community for the past few years. Further, if this is the breakthrough we believe, this could very well be a foundational block in our argument against some of the Little laws thought of being put in place now… as well as a ground element to our own approach to laws that could help all Littles in this country. Best of luck and we will keep you appraised for any further developments regarding your safety. –X” “Damn, Xander… be a little more cryptic why don’t you? I know LRG and I aren’t exactly doing the most legal of things in Libertalia these days, but… damn!” Vincent sighed and got up to walk around and blow off a little steam over the content of Xander’s message to him. After a moment though, Vincent sat back down in his computer chair with a plop. Staring up at the ceiling, the weight of it all seemed to be catching up to him. Minutes later, looking somewhat curiosity and guilty, he glanced back over at the device. Almost instantly, his hand went up to massage his temples, almost as if they were hurting him once more. “Stupid device…” It appeared that despite the ointment, the gravity of what he had found seemed to be extremely important for LRG and weighing on the hacker heavily. “Shit… guess I don’t really have a choice here…” Vincent grimaced and turned to his other monitor… his more personal use device and checked the security feeds. He had boosted them a few weeks ago around the full perimeter of the property, but finding nothing amiss and all systems in the green, he turned back to Ashley’s glaring file up on his screen once again. Sighing, he stretched momentarily and then readied himself for another session. “Okay… hopefully I’ll find what I’m looking for this time…” Vincent sighed again, shook his head in clear displeasure, placed the device over his head, adjusted it to fit properly, and then hit the still blinking ‘resume’ button. * * * Day 64 – 6:02 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The picture ebbed in and out for a minute, but even when things became bright once more, the image was fuzzy at best. Time seemed to slip by, and Ashley appeared as if she was stirring, but only faint moans were emitted… to the point where only two things could be gleamed. First, Ashley had been drugged in some form or fashion. There was a lot of leeway to that, especially considering the mist that had previously encircled her or that it was from one of Pete’s experiments, but the headstrong and vocal but stealthy journalist Little wasn’t the same. Second, and part of this, but Ashley was on the ground. More specifically, she was lying in a bed of Betty’s flowers. Gratefully the flowers weren’t the ones to sting, poison, or cut you if you touched them, but there was an odd motion with them too. Nothing sinister… just odd. Before anything else could be seen though, the picture faded in and out a few times before blacking out completely. * * * Day 64 – 6:18 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Fuzziness and darkness. An abyss of black and crackling stars at the edges. It all appeared like the static form of some ancient TV from the 90s… or like something was interfering with the feed. Then, multiple spots of light appeared. Small and sporadic at first, but they grew… and grew. Soon, the view took on a new definition to behold. The sky… bushes… plants… the house… still no people though. Distant voices could be heard but Ashley seemed to drift around all this without a single care in the world. ‘Woah… this is so… so… weird… but… nice… and relaxing…’ Ashley probably didn’t know herself, but from the small and blurry image of the Little coming in, she was smiling a little bit. To anyone familiar with Littles and the effects that unknown drugs had on them in this dimension… one could be pardoned for fearing the worst. Things didn’t help much though when the visual feed began to blacken and then crackled in and out. More sounds could be heard, but less than a minute later, the picture faded mostly back to black… now only covered with a thin layer of sporadic light beyond. * * * Day 64 – 6:29 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 “Pete! Pete!” Despite everything still mostly blackened or even the areas of light being fuzzy, Betty’s panicked voice was unmistakable… if not a little broken at times. “How many times do I have to tell you not to… could’ve been… know better… to…!” The scene started to become clearer, and a horrified Pete and Betty could just be made out… Betty kneeling over Ashley while Pete stood behind her with his hands on his head… clearly panicking himself. “I didn’t mean to!” he defended, his own words breaking up a little as well. “I was just… I need to experiment with… know what kind of pres… under.” He paced a little, his steps moving carefully to avoid the bulk of the gardened area. “A whole new batch just came in today and… need to know just… very important…” Betty’s face slightly softened back toward her husband, but turning back to Ashley, her look of concern more than made up for the switch. “I understand all about…. litics, here, Pete. I’m one of the… remember?” She snapped back towards him. “But all that doesn’t ma… her, I don’t care about any of… I mean, even if anyone ranging from Joy Spelding or to the president herself asked you, we… ot test around Ash!” For a brief moment, a wave of sorrow seemed to wash over Betty. “We… lose another…” Pete sighed and his hand crept over to Betty’s shoulder… like he wanted to comfort her but pulled it back in the end. “It’s not the same…” Betty scowled back at Pete, the scene and sounds seeming to mostly resolve now. “That’s a horrible thing to say.” Her words were cold and clear. “Understand this… right now, she is just as important. So, either… you get on board with that notion, or I will tell…” Ashley stirred in the garden bed. “Ashley?” Betty called out from above, completely phasing Pete out and placing her hand gently on her shoulder and rubbing it slightly. “Ashley? You in there, sweetie? Come on, honey… you need to wake up for me… Open those beautiful eyes a little more, sweetie… that’s it… that’s a good girl…” Ashley still seemed in a daze but also complied before squinting her eyes at the scene unraveling before her. “Wha… what happened? Why do I feel… so funny?” Like the words were some kind of trigger, Betty snapped back to Pete and looked at him with deadly venom in her eyes. “Pete was experimenting, and…” Betty then turned back to Ashley, this time though, her face was full of concern and affection towards the Little. “Well, you seemed to have got caught in the aftereffects. Which… is why…” Betty’s eyes traveled down her body. Ashley eye’s bugged out a little. ‘Oh no! The mist! Was it smoke? Did I catch fire?’ Ashley’s movements were jerky but slow as her hands traveled from her neck down. Everything seemed okay… ‘Okay… no pain… no scorch from what I can feel… nothing amiss and… wait… damp… why am I feeling damp?’ Ashley lifted her head to look down at her body… her face quivering in fear… until she saw what she had been touching. Her pants were wet. “Oh no! What, but I…? What happened?” Ashley, despite feeling woozy still, even wobbling as she got up, eventually managed to stand mostly straight… with the help of leaning on the still kneeling Betty. “I… I… I swear! I never… I…” Ashley’s glance went back to her soaked shorts. ‘I’m screwed! I’m dead! Sunk before I could even try and flee! It’s diapers and pacifiers and…!’ “Ashley!” Betty’s voice shattered Ashley’s downward spiral. Her hands were even placed over the Little’s shoulders… apparently none the wiser. “Relax, sweetie… I know all that. This isn’t your fault, but… I’m sure those clothes aren’t comfortable, right?” Ashley, now seemingly stunned, mutely nodded, looking about three seconds away from having a full breakdown right there in Betty’s plants. Betty smiled. “Good. Now, how about we go back into the house and get you all cleaned up and dried off? Maybe some nice soothing warm water to soak all your worries away as well?” Still not responding, letting her actions speak volumes, Ashley only fell into Betty and wrapped her arms around her… no prompt… no push… just pure emotion flowing from the Little, and a need for comfort right then from the one Big she could trust completely. “Shhh… shhh… it’s going to be okay, sweetie. Just you wait. Take some deep breaths and it will all be okay…” Her words were honey to the nearly shaking Little… as evidenced by her heightened breaths mellowing out, but Betty’s eyes were like two hot coals burning right back at Pete… there little conversation apparently still not resolved, or the matter forgiven. * * * Day 64 – 6:39 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The sound of the water flowing from the tap in the bath seemed to almost be a balm to Ashley’s worried mind. Her glance kept shooting downward… which was always followed by her hands covering up the wet spot between her legs… which was always followed by a blush. For her part, Betty only smiled occasionally and ran her fingers under the tap to check the temperature of the water. Once satisfied, she nodded and got back up to pull a thick and fluffy towel off the top of the storage rack high above the toilet… Ashley’s assistance device still attached to the seat. “Okay, Ash,” Betty stared up, setting the towel on the toilet lid after she closed it. “I’ve added a few bath salts, and your towel is right here. I’ll just step outside and…” Betty seemed to hover and slow down in her words… almost like she was half-expecting for Ashley to quickly stop her… but she never did. “I’ll just be right outside the door. If you need anything, and I mean anything, just yell for me. Don’t be embarrassed and get hurt, okay? Everyone needs a little help now and then… okay?” Her words were insistent… to the point, where Ashley had to look up from her embarrassed stupor and nod. “Thank you, Betty. I’ll be… I’ll be fine…” Her words were less convincing than she would have probably liked, but they were out there. What’s more though, Betty seemed to listen to them and simply nodded before leaving the bathroom and then closing the door right behind her. Let alone now, Ashley grimaced and teared up as she began to strip out of her clothing. In contrast to before, her thoughts were silent… almost like she still wasn’t fully processing all that had just happened. Considering the smell of ammonia wafting up to her nose though, the moment couldn’t be denied… at least until she shoved her clothing out of the way and nearly dove into the Big-sized bathtub and tried to drown out the whole world outside of that tiled room. The effect of the bath… combined with the pleasant floral scents and the bath salts that Betty had provided seemed to have a near instantaneous effect on Ashley. The days worries appeared to melt off her and minutes passed without a single care in the world. There were a few moments when Ashley seemed confused… like when she was reaching for the labeled bottles of shampoo and conditioner. It might have just been a case of determining which to use, but the pause was noticeable… as was her shakiness of handling the heavy objects as well. Still, by the end, the fog that had seemed to previously settle around her brain… and the dourness she exhibited after realizing that she had wet her pants, now seemed to be more or less resolved. Feeling mostly refreshed, Ashley soon pulled the plug on the drain and stepped out onto the soft and squishy bathmat. ‘Hmmm… where did my clothes go? They were in here just a moment a…’ “Ashley?” Betty asked from the other side of the door. “You done in there, sweetie?” “Uh… yes!” Ashley stumbled a little over but quickly retrieved the towel that Betty had retrieved from her earlier. Maybe fearing that Betty was about to walk in at any moment, her movements to wrap it around herself were shaky and uncoordinated but moving cloth around oneself isn’t the most taxing of tasks… usually. But, in the end, Ashley managed it just fine and exited the bathroom. “Have a good bath?” Betty questioned just outside the bathroom. Ashley seemed a little surprised to see Betty right there but ultimately nodded her head like she was just coming out of a pleasant dream. “Yeah… it was… wonderful…” * * * Day 64 – 8:03 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley yawned… almost like the day had drained all her energy prematurely not long after dinner was over. Normally, even in a land where Littles had to expend more energy than most were used to on a daily basis, it was still far earlier to be yawning for her than had become normal. Seeing this though, Betty was quick to act. “Looks like it might be an early night, huh?” Ashley blushed but nodded. “Yeah… I just… I’m so tired all of a sudden…” “Maybe you should head in early… get a fresh start for tomorrow?” Pete suggested, his tone sounding like it was the most casual thing ever. Ashley nodded and already headed back upstairs… too soon to see the ire from Betty to Pete in that moment… like she knew something more than she was letting on. A washed face and brushed teeth later, Ashley was almost dragging herself to her bedroom. By the time she got there though, Betty was already waiting on her bed… patting the spot next to her. Ashley wrinkled her brow but didn’t refuse and calmly sat next to her. Pulling away slightly, Betty looked deeply down at the Little. One could see from her haunted eyes that there was something on her mind and on the tip of her tongue, but her face still remained as neutral as ever. “Ash… you know that Pete and I care about you, right?” Ashley nodded, but there was something bugging her as well. ‘Why do I feel she put more emphasis on the ‘I’ part of that statement?’ Betty smiled, looking clearly relieved. “That’s good. I never want you to forget that, but…” Her smile faded and her face became gravely serious. “But… sometimes that means we ask you to do things you might not be comfortable with or seem… childish. Like maybe not going to another part of this town… or the booster seats…” There seemed to be more she wanted to say, but Betty stopped and looked at Ashley. For her part, Ashley grimaced a little. ‘Oh crud… I’m getting that bad feeling in my stomach again… what’s she up to this time?’ Ashley braced for the worst. “Yes… I understand that…” Again, Betty sported another look of relief. “Good. It’s just that… well, to put it bluntly… Pete was playing around with something he shouldn’t have… or at least not in the way he should have as a good scientist… and ignoring more than one safety protocol we have in this town…” Her bitterness was palpable. “And… while the project he is working on is classified, I do know that it acts as a bit of a… diuretic with Littles…” Betty let her words hang in the air for a moment, and from Ashley’s widening eyes, it was clear that she wasn’t as confused as most other Littles might have been in the same situation. ‘Oh no…’ “Yes… I think you understand what that means…” Betty bit her lip and seemed to be wrestling with something internally, but… she then turned to her side, and slowly but surely, turned back… with something gripped between her fingers. It was mostly a pale lavender, but other streaks of purple ran throughout the length of it… particular around the sides… where the legs would go. Simply put… it was a pull-up. More specifically, a Little’s pull-up… the exact one that Betty used on other Littles when they came over. Needless to say, Ashley was more than a little upset. “Betty! No! Please!” The Little clung onto the Big’s arm like it was her only support to keep from drowning. Her begging eyes stared up desperately at Betty. From Betty’s own expression, she clearly felt guilt of some kind, but there was a resolution there as well… mixed with a little compassion, as evidenced by her gentle touch to Ashley’s gripped hands. “I’m sorry, Ashley, but… I just don’t think it’s safe to go to sleep without this… at least for now. The drug should leave your system, and we can go back to your normal training pants.” Ashley winced at the words. Despite their slight bulk and childish prints, she somehow always seemed to forget about them. Several of her nightly entries discussed how they had become almost normal now… until she fingered a new pair and commented on the bulk comparatively to any of her previous undergarments back on Earth. Now though, Betty just single-handedly slid Ashley’s clinging hands off her arm like they were nothing and then twisted herself to kneel right in front of the horrified Little. “Ash… it’s going to be okay. Remember… I’m not faulting you at all for any of this. We just… we need to take this one step at a time and ease forward with caution… that’s all, okay?” Ashley stared at the garment still in Betty’s right hand. It was thick and uncompromising… an almost sheen to the outer packing left little to the imagination over it’s ‘crinkle potential.’ But looking back at Betty though, there was nothing but care and determination in her eyes. “I… don’t want to, but… I don’t have a choice… do I?” The question seemed to stun Betty, but in the end she smiled. “Of course you have a choice, Ash. You always do.” She then paused and took a deep breath. “Just know though that I will be very disappointed in you if you end up wetting your bed without protection. We trust each other now, I hope, but that trust is a delicate thing. You understand that, don’t you?” ‘Aww man! Her words are truthful, but… why do I feel like I’m being tricked? I can’t get that out of my head, but… I want to say yes to her… almost like I want to make her happy? Is that weird? Is that normal? I just don’t know but… I don’t want to take away our mutual trust either! Shoot…’ Ashley sighed and sulked a little as she nodded her head. “Okay… I… just… help me?” There was a little quiver to her voice, and maybe it was that, or just her comforting nature to help others, but Betty smiled. “Of course, sweetie. Now, do you need help taking off your pants and undies?” Ashley blushed about ten shades of red right then. ‘Oh no… it’s already starting… am I falling into a trap now already?’ Still, Ashley shook her head, and slowly but surely, removed her shorts first… followed immediately by her underwear. Ashley blushed even harder but looked down at her billowing shirt. ‘At least I chose one that was a little longer than usual. I’m not totally exposed and that’s good, right?’ Betty only kept up her smile, but not one of mocking or malice. This one was a gentle façade that beckoned trust toward her. In fact, even as she fluffed out the padded garment, her only words or gestures of any kind back to Ashley was a simple command as she lowered herself toward the Little’s feet. “Step in, sweetie.” Ashley only nodded and stepped right into the bulk garment now positioned at her feet. In seconds, Betty pulled them up and they surrounded Ashleys midsection completely. She even had bow her legs a little to accommodate the new and crinkling bulk. Ashley looked like she wanted to leap out the nearest window… “Come on, sweetie…” Betty pulled the Little into a small hug and then pulled away to gesture back to her bed. “You’ve had a long day… just don’t even think about them and try to get some rest, okay?” Ashley only nodded, seemingly now too tired to question anything… not even the look of contentment on Betty’s face. It was subtle but it was there. Instead, Ashley seemed, and rightly so, more focused on the bulky garment now invading between her legs. The training pants were one thing, but a pull-up… it almost felt like a step too far. But likely from the exhaustion of the day, and maybe something lingering from that gaseous mist before, Ashley made no comment. Instead, her face twitched with each step she took as she turned around to get into her bed for the night. Minutes later, she was curled up, dreading life, but too tired to do anything about it. Her eyes were closed before Betty had even turned off the lights. * * * Day 65 – 7:28 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Waking up, Ashley felt restricted. She felt trapped. She felt like she was being strangled within an inch of her life. ‘Ah! I’m being attacked!’ On edge already from the previous day’s events, her life seemed to be held in the balance as the very threads of fate and doom seemed to wrap around her body like snakes cutting off the oxygen from her poor tiny body… ready for the kill. ‘Oh no! This is it! This is how I die. This is…’ Like a crackling and pop almost occurring in her brain, there was a sudden realization of what was happening. The look of mortification quickly overwhelmed her face as she looked down and saw that all that was strangling her… were her sheets. It was irrational and hauntingly embarrassing that something so simple had frightened her so dearly. But in that moment of humiliation, especially if anyone was to suddenly walk in right then or had seen the incident that had just occurred, there was also a moment of clarity for Ashley. As she sat up and then pried the tight sheets off her small and delicate frame, she saw that the sheets clung to her body in a way that made it seem like they were somehow closer to her than ever before. ‘Was I tucked in? Did I cuddle with the sheets? Did I use them for comfort because I was scared?’ Her mind rattled off several possible scenarios, each one more terrifying in its implications than the one before. Maybe in saving grace to keep her from spiraling out of control in the possibilities her mind was generating, her bedroom door opened after a small knock. “Sweetie?” Betty stuck her head in slowly, but with a warm smile that set her apart from just the average intruder. Ashley might have been offended that Betty hadn’t asked to come in, and maybe it was just the events of yesterday or the fact that, irrationally or not, her life had just felt like it had hung in the balance, but seeing Betty seemed to put a renewed smile on her own face. ‘Oh… it’s just Betty… I’ll be okay now…’ It was a strange sort of odd thought that hadn’t ever truly percolated in her mind before, but Betty’s oncoming form snapped those thoughts away as quickly as they had come. “You okay, Ash? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost!” Betty inched closer. “Bad dream?” Ashley momentarily looked down at the mass of sheets that had now gathered around her waist. For a moment, it looked like she might have revealed the truth, but instead, she nodded. “Yeah… bad dream. Nothing an early morning shower can’t fix though.” Despite it being her suggestion, Betty didn’t exactly seem convinced, but didn’t pry further either. “Okay. Well, I’m sorry to hear that, but remember… if you ever want to talk about it, I’m right here.” “Thank you…” Ashley remembered her manners, but her mind also seemed very far away right then. Betty stepped closer and then crouched down a little to look at Ashley directly. “Well, daycare is soon, so, let’s get you out of bed and ready for the day.” Ashley nodded and swung her legs out from the heavy but breathable sheets that had been her enemy only moments prior. Betty took a deep breath, and her eyes seemed to drift downward over her waking Little. “So…” There was an uncommon awkwardness with Betty right then, but like it was just another obstacle to overcome, she shook her head. “I’ll just be direct about this, and I’m sorry for that, but… how’s your pull-up doing, sweetie?” Maybe it was the training pants… or maybe it was something else, but by the way that Ashley blushed and that her hands had quickly shot down to her waist… as if to check it was actually there, but she seemed uncertain. “I… think I’m good? I’m not really sure. The sheets were kind of… hot this morning.” Thrashing about, as if her life had depended on it, had produced a little heat. That coupled with her tiredness seemed to form a blank spot in her knowledge about the state of the pull-up. “Oh, well that’s understandable.” Betty then motioned with her fingers in an upward manner. “Alright. Just stand right up and we can check together.” The action seemed so simple, but as often seemed to be the case, even the smallest of moves can have large impacts… like this morning with Ashley. At first, hopping up seemed to be normal and an everyday occurrence for her now. True, this morning, sleeping in just her sleep shirt and undergarment was unusual since she had come to live with Betty and Pete, but everything else seemed okay… at least until Ashley’s eyes glanced down as Betty moved her long shirt up and out of the way by a few inches. It wasn’t even that far either, but in that tiny movement, everything seemed to shatter. There, as clearly as can be, was a wet pull-up. It was the second in less than a day, and while the first was from being under the influence of an apparently highly experimental drug… possibly one with diuretic qualities, the first wasn’t so bad. The second though, if Ashley’s wide and horrified face was any indication, was another situation entirely… at least in her mind. Betty, being the seasoned carer that she was of Littles, though she seemed to have the good grace this morning not to point that out, remained calm. “Well… that’s okay, Ash!” Her voice nearly sang out the reassurance. For Ashely, it appeared like there was no hole that would have been too deep to swallow her up and hide her in that single moment. Betty sighed and smiled warmly at Ashley before taking both her hands and yanking a little to get the Little to look back at her. “Ashley… it’s okay. I promise… I’m not mad. I was honestly almost expecting this. I think we both would have been absolutely relieved if this hadn’t happened, but it did. That’s okay, but now… like before we just need to deal with it, right?” Ashley made no sounds and instead just nodded like she had just been handed a terrible diagnosis at the doctors. This time, Betty gave Ashley’s hands a light squeeze of reassurance, and then silently got up to head over to the bathroom. Seconds later, water could be heard flowing once more… again, the second time of an occurrence to regarding a wet pull-up. * * * Day 65 – 8:13 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 To put it mildly, breakfast was tense. Between the three family figures at the table, neither said a word except for maybe “Thank you” or the occasional grunt or scoff. Ashley seemed far too preoccupied by her most recent accident and kept shifting around in her seat… almost as if to confirm that she had actually managed to avoid being placed in yet another pull-up. Pete seemed far too focused on his tablet once again, but this time, there seemed to be a linger sadness or at least awareness of the something he had done wrong yesterday. As if to confirm this, he occasionally glanced up at Ashley… only to shoot his gaze back to his tablet once he caught the ire of Betty. Betty was the forgiving type… except it seemed when it came to Ashley. There was a clear connection there by now, but Betty appeared to be taking it even further lately. Minor steps, yes, but hugs unprompted or even lasted longer than the quick ones that one might give to a friend. There was a bond, but the bond seemed almost tighter than it had ever been before. Again, Ashley might have caught the occasional concerned glance her way by Betty… but she was too preoccupied. Finally, after the last of Ashley’s eggs had been consumed, it looked like it was the exact opportunity that Pete had been waiting for. “Ashley… I just wanted to explain about yesterday and…” “No, Pete!” Betty scolded her husband. “I can tell you’re about to have one of your long-winded explanations for what stupid thing you did yesterday. It might work with the board because of what you do, but not us. We deserve more. Ashley deserves more.” Pete’s look of ease and gentility seemed to vanish in a puff of smoke… soon to be replaced by regret and shame. Betty seemed pleased with that, but the sadness in his eyes also couldn’t be missed. “No... no… you’re right, Bee. I wasn’t thinking. I was… I was stupid.” It seemed to be a hard thing for Pete to admit to. Considering his position and research within the town, it wasn’t so surprising though. “I thought no one would be by the mist and I thought it had a half life outside some formulas for it to be safe once airborne… I was wrong.” Ashley hadn’t set her fork down once she had finished her eggs. At first, it was purely because Pete had quickly started talking once she wolfed down the last of her breakfast. Now though, it looked more like the fork was providing an easy distraction or fidget device against what was happening around her now. Not hearing an answer though, Pete likely took her silence as rejection. “You have every right to be upset at me. The effects of the drug mist should wear off soon, but I don’t think I will ever truly forgive myself for my ignorance and stupidity yesterday… especially since it affected you in the one place you should feel the safest in this town.” Ashley could only nod back. She had heard Pete, but her thoughts were buzzing with all sorts of things now. ‘Pete seems to actually be sorry. It counts for something, but… this morning… the pull-up… the wet pull-up.’ Ashley seemed to externally flinch at that particular thought. ‘Was it just the drug? Am I finally simply losing the battle here? Have I been here simply for too long? I mean… when was the last time I actually cursed out loud? I never swore like a sailor before, but now… I can’t remember the last time. Minor, but…’ Ashley looked over to the sorrowful Pete. ‘He does look awfully sad. Maybe I should forgive him… do the whole forgive but not forget bit? It’s a little underhanded, but… I really don’t want to be the main focus of my story on how Little’s are regressed in this world.’ Again, Ashley seemed to shudder at that notion. Still, Ashley sighed and looked back at Pete. She looked like she was about to tear up at any moment like she did yesterday, but this time, even with that emotion, there looked to be a resoluteness that wasn’t there when she first woke up after the mist. It could have just been the lack of mental fog… but it might have just as easily been a resolve not to end up like Melissa… or Nancy… or one of a dozen or so other Littles she had met since arriving in this strange town. “Thank you, Pete. I… I don’t know what all this means and I’m… I’m a little scared, but…” She sighed. “Your apology does mean a lot to me.” She then paused, and if past looks were anything to go by… she definitely had something else to say. Likely seeing the same sort of look and recognizing it themselves, Pete and Betty remained silent and ever watchful of their Little’s next move. “Pete… I…” Ashley bit her bottom lip, her nerves seemingly vibrating and acting up once again. “I know you can’t tell me much, but…” Ashley paused. ‘I don’t want to press my luck, but… I need to push past my own feelings right now. I’m vulnerable, and that’s because of Pete. I feel terrible and like the axe is right over my neck now, but… maybe I should press my advantage with Pete’s guilt while I still can…’ Ashley took a deep breath in. “Can you at least tell me what was? What did this to me?” Pete looked stunned and he remained motionless… almost to the point where after a minute or so, Ashley or Betty looked like they wanted to shake him and check for signs of a stroke. Instead, he let out a deep breath of air. “You’re right, Ash. I can’t tell you everything…” Ash sank back in her chair… looking as defeated as ever. “But…” Pete scratched the back of his head and then leaned forward slightly over the table. “I can tell you that I’m working on a new drug for the company, and what’s more… it could affect the lives of millions to come. If our results are anything to go by so far, it could change everything.” Pete then paused and smiled at both Ashley and Betty. “Plus… if it does work, I’ll make sure to treat you both to something very nice come bonus time. Maybe even… a trip to Europa?” Betty smiled, and Ashley did as well, but there was definitely something forced about the Little’s reaction as opposed to the more delighted one of Betty. For Ashley, it was simple… his answers were vague and worse, they almost sounded like he was the father promising their kid an ice cream cone on the weekend because they were so good and sat still and didn’t scream at the movies or something. Still, playing nice with the man who had access to such power in the town and terror in chemicals just under their feet seemed the wisest. “That sounds nice…” Ashley gritted her teeth though. ‘Geesh, Pete! It’s almost like you’re trying to buy Betty and I off with pretty little baubles… like a stupid bribe will make me forget!’ Betty got up and began to put the dishes away while Pete cleared the table. As the two began talking about the future though… there were two simultaneous emotions that Ashley started to feel. ‘I’m dreading everything about all this. I feel like I’m perched on the edge of a cliff… just waiting to see if I’m knocked off or if someone comes along and actually helps me out.’ As Betty and Pete kissed briefly, seemingly more resolved now with the promise of a trip and a genuine apology, another thought began to creep into Ashleys mind though. ‘But what’s so bad about a trip with them. I mean… they really care about me and I’m their Little and nothing will happen to me and Betty loves me and I feel safe when I’m around her and…’ Ashley stopped and seemed to pick up on the rabbit hole she was starting to go down. Shuddering briefly, she got out of her booster seat and simply marched away to retrieve her backpack and get ready for yet another day at daycare.

Hey everyone! So… bit of a glitch with the last posting. I guess I was too tired or maybe my computer messed up… either is just as equally possible, but the final paragraph was left out. I fixed it yesterday, but I didn’t realize that it was a problem until much later than I would have liked. Only so much you can do when that happens, but for anyone who missed it, I do apologize. Considering that it’s only one paragraph though, I would suggest anyone thinking that the line ‘A sudden burst of obnoxious and viral laughter broke out’ was the last, to simply go back and check out the actual final line before reading this chapter. It’s minor, but I just wanted to put it out there… just in case any of you were completionists. Next, just as a reminder, a new poll is up for you all to let me know which story you all would like to read next. Story options and the link can be found back in the beginning of chapter 2. As I mentioned before though, if you feel more comfortable leaving a comment here or as a private message to me, I will count these as well. Additionally, like before, this poll will be shut down right before I post my final chapter on here. Further announcements will be made regarding this when the time gets closer. Last but not least and as usual, I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter! Chapter 12: You Know What They Say About Curiosity and The Cat, Right? Day 60 – 8:21 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Nancy was a problem… more specifically, she had a problem herself that Ashley now seemed dead set on fixing herself. Reflecting back on Melissa and where she had gone wrong, there were several factors she had to consider. When Melissa had started regressing, Ashley didn’t know much about this area. She was still relatively new in Peirama and hadn’t even been here for a week when she first met her. Now, Ashley had learned a great deal more about the town and the nefarious experiments that often occurred with the Littles living here. She didn’t have her smoking gun for her story yet, but her knowledge was certainly better than when Melissa had regressed. Lastly though, Melissa and Ashley simply weren’t as close as she was with Nancy now. It was no shame on Melissa or their friendship, but some relationships are simply stronger than others. It wasn’t a full advantage going for her this time, but it provided her the one thing that could potentially mean her success this time more than before… her motivation. As Ashley stared into her mirror in the morning once more, her adopted mantra since her resolution to save her friend rang over and over again. “No matter what… I will succeed. I will succeed no matter what it costs me. I will not lose another friend here.” “Ashley! Breakfast!” Betty called out from downstairs once again. “Come on, sweetie! Don’t want to be late today!” Already Ashley could smell the bacon cooking on the stove, and she let out a little smile. “Right! Coming!” She then took a deep breath and looked back into the mirror. “Okay, Ash… no matter what. You will save your friend this time. No matter what…” * * * Day 60 – 11:02 A.M. MDT – Earth 2 Daycare life had taken on a sinister edge of sorts. It was almost jarring in contrast to the overly saccharine attitudes of the attendants, but there seemed to be two sides to the Little Haven Daycare Center. One, the most visible was a padded paradise for all Littles concerned, even, as much as Ashley hated to admit it, for the more mature Littles as well. There was no work, no taxes, no thoughts of exercise or appearances, or anything like that from back on Earth. Humanity had evolved and embraced the new world of technology flooding in from this dimension, but there was still work. Here, though, if one wanted to, everything could be taken care of for them. Aside from the aesthetics, it was near enough to living in a palace with overly tall servants adhering to a strict but pleasant schedule. The food was amazing and if one was so inclined, they could easily think of craft time or the songs as times to unwind and relieve stress. Yes, that was being a little liberal with the view here, but in times of hardship, seeing the silver lining wasn’t the most difficult in a place like the daycare. The other, however, was a shady underbelly representing the worst of Big kind. Dominance of height took priority and all Littles seemed to be no more than lab rats in some elaborate scheme of one kind or another. It didn’t take long, when Ashley actually started to look deeper, that every Little here seemed to be involved in something underhanded. Yes, the puddings and milkshakes around here were the predominant evil force affecting so many Littles now, but the Littles that seemed far more susceptible to cartoons like Naomi and Oliver and Jasper and Jinx were just as obvious. While someone like Simon could be drooling for up to 30 minutes after a good and hard dose of the show, those more affected by the other programs could seemingly be under its spell for hours. But that’s not where Ashley’s focus was today. Receiving constant doses every day from the yellowish-whitish substance, in either pudding or milkshake form, was taking a toll on several of the Littles. Kyle was almost completely mute now, but if his smile was any indication, he didn’t care one bit. Simon occasionally drifted but his stubborn attitude, especially when arguing with Marilyn seemed to keep him mostly afloat. For Oliver, the effects seemed to be minimal, but he had a hard edge to him… one that appeared to be smoothing out now. ‘Darn it!’ Ashley muddled to herself in the corner after yet another round of milkshakes today. As compared to the pudding, the effects were far worse and nearly everyone who had imbibed the apparently sweet beverage was either passed out already or would be in the next few minutes. ‘I can’t believe this! I’m in some kind of experiment, and I’m totally helpless!’ Ashley stared at her friend, one of the Littles that had already passed out. From her short skirt today, despite it’s plaid and overall dark tones giving her the look of an angsty teen, the thick diaper underneath showed in bright contrast. Worse… it was already wet. ‘Not good… not good at all…’ Ashley tried to focus elsewhere, but her thoughts kept coming back to Nancy and the experiment before her. She had initially willed it within herself to work on her story here, and maybe it was seeing that wet diaper… or that Nancy appeared as if she wanted to cuddle with someone… or even something small, but her resolve was faltering. ‘No… no… I need to put my story down and help my friend. I lose her, and… I’m all alone…’ Ashley blinked a few times. No tears came, but it was evident that she was very emotional about that type of prospect. It took her a second afterward, but after a few breaths, she seemed more resolved now. ‘Okay… take it easy, Ash. Layout the facts and maybe it will help fix this…’ Ashley shifted and began to count on her fingers. ‘Okay… facts. Keep emotion out… or at least try to.’ Ashley bit her bottom lip briefly. ‘Okay… yes, yes. Let’s see… multiple subjects, which means something important. There are only so many Littles in Peirama, so when most of the daycare is getting hit, it’s big.’ Her eyes then drifted to Oliver and Simon. ‘Okay… both had the milkshake today, but Simon is drifting, and Oliver is only a little different. Same milkshake… different effects.’ Ashley strained and then shook her head. ‘No… not the same milkshake… the color was different with the puddings… more obvious with them than the milkshakes. Some were more yellow than the others.’ Ashley nodded with approval over her revelation. ‘Yes… in experiments you have a lot of constants and then change one variable for the best results. It must be the same substance affecting everyone, but dosages… yes, dosages are different. Maybe Oliver even has a placebo, but… hard to truly say though…’ Ashley then squinted like she had suddenly hit a mental bump. ‘All good there, but… why the change in the milkshake versus the pudding?’ If Ashley was standing, she would have no doubt been pacing around with her fingers behind her back. Sitting down though, she used various methods ranging from her fingers to her hands and to shaking her head either from the left to the right or just up and down. She didn’t seem to have much success with any method… until she looked left and directly into a reflective surface. Her eyes grew wide. ‘Me… I’m the reason. Or… at least someone like me. This place seems to be a hub of secrets. There’s gotta be any number of other companies in the world that would want any number of secrets this place has. I mean… places like New Orleans or LA back home would probably kill to have a weather manipulating machine!’ Ashley briefly smiled, but it was hard to tell if it more from the thought of either having a weather machine… or it was more of simple thought of home. ‘But yeah… if someone was investigating from the outside and saw two different deliveries, it could confuse them. Not for long, but maybe long enough to get caught or eventually give up from their pure lack of imagination. Can’t imagine the records for this place would be easy to get to either…’ Records were absolute gold for investigative journalists, but Ashley had sworn that avenue off in Peirama after her first week here, declaring the lab and record storage room to be almost tantamount to a suicide mission when she found some online maps of the facility from construction permits. ‘Plus, Littles aren’t exactly known for being the most adventurous of types when it comes to their food.’ Ashley looked over to the kitchen area and a faint hissing sound could be heard from that direction… likely at least one of the attendants washing the bibs or burp cloths from some of the messier Littles from their most recent snack. ‘Yeah… that has to be it, but… how can I stop something like this? What can I, a Little in this big old world filled with practical giants, do at all? I’m a great journalist, but what can I…?’ Kyle stirred noisily and his face grimaced… almost like he was in pain. It was an odd sight for sure that stuck out against the rest of the peaceful and sleeping Littles. Ashley might have gone over to help him out, but seconds later, it turned out that she didn’t need to. A small fart bloomed from his backside and his face quickly returned to one of peace. A millisecond later, and the back of his romper today began to balloon out. Even the staunchest and newest of arrivals to this world could recognize what was happening. For Kyle though, he just smiled and continued to sleep. ‘No! No! No!’ Ashley’s eyes showed fear, and her fists clenched in pure angst. ‘Kyle was only a little ahead of Nancy! If he’s doing that, then… no! Cruddy, crud, crud! I have to do something!’ Ashley’s brain outwardly looked like it was fritzing out, but she then let out a deep sigh… one that seemed decidedly defeated and upset… maybe only a decibel or two from an outright whine. ‘No! I can’t think of anything! What am I going to do?’ * * * Day 60 – 6:49 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 The day was hot, and Tish had hauled Nancy off before Ashley could even suggest a playdate afterward. Nancy had gotten better throughout the day after her nap, but continually every day now felt like she was taking three steps back and only two steps forward. ‘Eventually, there’s gonna be a point where…’ Ashley shook her head and focused back on the sidewalk ahead of her. ‘No, no, Ash. Don’t focus on what could happen. Know it’s there and use it as motivation, but whatever you do… don’t dwell on it.’ Her advice to herself was good, but it was just that and not a plan of action. So, sticking just to the neighborhood closest to her house, as agreed on by Betty and Pete to at least give her some freedom still, she walked for at least an hour after getting home trying to determine what to do. Betty was a little surprised when Ashley had shown up to shop alone but only pressed lightly about her day before taking her back home and then letting her wander around. An hour later though and Ashley still seemed no closer to figuring out what to do next. Ashley was strong… her time in war-torn countries still hammering it out from the last great war on Earth, ones who still refused any Big influence or technology, and even the times she had interviewed and stared down dictators in those places, showed her strength and courage in spades. But now, those qualities helped her endure for a while, but it also seemed with each passing day that while she had a big stick in order to keep this world at bay, here in Peirama, she was simply beating helplessly against a giant wall around the answers she sought… and getting nowhere. Her hopes waning and her friend regressing beyond her control, Ashley stopped and let out a defeated breath of air. Moping and dragging now, she found the nearest sidewalk curb, plopped down, and collapsed into her knees… with no hope and no plan forward. ‘I’m sorry, Nance!’ If any angle was better, it might have been more obvious of the evidence of tears other than her heaving body. ‘I’m failing you and soon, you’ll be just like Melissa! And dang it! If I’m not careful, I’ll be right alongsi…’ “Ashley?” a familiar voice asked from above. Ashley’s thoughts were shattered, and she looked up from her internalized pit of despair… only to see a cheery an wonderfully familiar face. “Miss Spelding? What are you doing here?” Joy smiled down at the Little and then gestured behind her. “Well, I live here, hon.” Ashley looked behind the Big and saw the nearly identical version where she lived herself with Betty and Pete. Of course, Betty had a much larger garden, but the rest was pretty close. If anything, the siding looked fresher… maybe a little bluer, but that was just about it. “Oh, I…” Ashley trailed off and blushed before resuming her defeated and pouting face. Joy crouched down and looked deeply into Ashley’s eyes. “Ash… are you okay? For a second there, you seemed kind of down, and then again just now.” There was a brief moment of silence. “You know… you can trust me, dear. I might not be the smartest around here, but I have been known to have a pretty good ear at least for other people’s problems.” Still more silence. “Besides, maybe even just talking about would help. I know it does for me most of the time.” Ashley sighed and looked back at the Big. ‘I can’t tell her everything but maybe she’s right. Maybe I just need to go slow and talk this thing out with another person. Would prefer a Little, but… Oliver is just a no and the rest… well, they’re kind of the issue…’ Ashley nodded. Joy almost looked relieved and quickly sat next to Ashley, being sure as to give the Little a tiny amount of space to breathe, but not so much where she might have felt like a Lepper. “Just take you time. No need to rush…” Ashley nodded again and took a breath. “I just… I have this problem at daycare. My friends are… changing.” Almost immediately, Joy went from almost maternal looking to nearly petrified. Looking ahead though, Ashley didn’t seem to notice. “I want to help them out, but I’m just not sure how or if it’s even possible. Maybe I need to talk to…” “Oh yes!” Joy interjected hastily. “Talk to someone! Your… uh, Pete! You should talk to Pete.” Joy almost looked desperate… maybe even partially relieved over her answer. “He knows a lot about this area, and he knows all the Bigs too. If something’s happening with a Little, it’s always best to go to their Big.” That last part didn’t seem to sit right with Ashley, with it almost sounding like Bigs were completely in charge of Littles in general here. Maybe on paper, yes, but most Bigs at least maintained a sense of equality… almost acting like landlords with hearts to their smaller tenants in some cases. Still, despite that tiny wrinkle, Pete’s name seemed to trigger something in Ashley. ‘Oh! Pete! Duh!’ If Ashley wasn’t in front of a Big right at that moment, she gave a look that almost made her look like she wanted to slap herself for being so dense. ‘Pete would know! Not because he knows other Bigs. I mean, that might be the case, but… the thing from Tanassum! There’s a new project and it’s changing all the Littles. Everyone made it seem like a massive deal, and if it’s affecting Littles this bad and I’m right… it just has to be!’ Ashley smiled and hopped up as she looked back at Joy. “Thank you! Oh, thank you for the advice, Miss Spelding! Talking to Pete’s a great idea!” “Oh…” Joy looked a little surprise over the sudden turnaround in the Little before her as she stood up herself as well. “I… well, I’m glad my advice was good… almost makes me feel better now that I’ve been approved to get a Little of my own. Actually… should be here any day now.” But if Ashley had heard that last bit, she didn’t seem to fully register it. “That’s great! I gotta get going now!” She turned away and almost ran back home. “Thanks, Miss S!” Being in such a hurry, Ashley didn’t look back at all to see Joy blinking a few times in bewilderment before darting right back into her house in a panic. * * * Day 61 – 6:43 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 ‘Okay… another night of Pete coming home late… and on a Saturday too!’ Ashley shook her head over his work schedule recently as she crept downstairs, soon turning around each corner in as much secrecy as she could muster. ‘Betty’s outside gardening right now and I’m supposed to be upstairs reading. If I’m quick, she’ll never know.’ Ashley then peaked around the final corner… just in case and then smiled. ‘Gotta say… love that I’m trusted so much now, but also… love the fact that you can hear a Big coming from a mile away.’ Ashley then crept over to the door to the basement. Betty’s office upstairs was easier to get to, and Ashley didn’t have to creep so low as to not be seen from the outside looking in, but most of Betty’s important and useful items were back at her shop or in her lab that she sometimes went to that was up at one of the main buildings. Ashley fiddled with the lock. ‘Come on, come on! Open darn you!’ She wasn’t the best lockpick ever, but she knew more than the average person… to the point where her tinkering did do something… just not what she was hoping. ‘Crud! Another lock, but this… it looks more like a fingerprint scanner. I never saw this before!’ Ashley panicked and looked around the room for anything that could be used to fake a fingerprint. She knew a few techniques, but with time against her, her desperation was clouding her mind. ‘Cruddy, crud, crud!’ Ashley dashed over to the coffee table nearby and then the junk drawer and then to the drawer underneath the phone that almost served as a secondary junk drawer and a tool depository to help with the small things around the house on a daily basis. ‘Darn it! Nothing!’ Ashley hurried back to the door. ‘Maybe if I breathe on it or…?’ Ashley heard the front door begin to creak open. ‘Shoot! I guess I’m not getting in today, dang it!’ Ashley nearly snarled at the heavily locked door still closed before her. ‘Maybe Pete will come home, and I can bug him tonight instead?’ Betty soon turned the corner right as Ashley nearly flung herself away from Pete’s door, wrinkling the carpet a little. “Ash? You in here?” Betty then saw Ashley standing by the back door to go outside. “Sweetie? What are you doing?” Ashley pointed at the door. “Oh. I was just… I was going to come and find you. I was… I was getting a little hungry and was wondering about dinner.” “Oh, I see.” Betty then looked down and smoothed the carpet runner out with her foot. “Well, Pete said he might be late tonight, so it’s probably jus the two of us.” Ashley nodded and smiled, but her eyes portrayed something else entirely. ‘Oh shoot! I hope he’s not too late! I don’t know how many more days Nancy can last at this rate!’ * * * Day 61 – 9:24 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 “Ashley! Come on!” Betty shouted from down the hall. “It’s lights out and quiet time now. You know this!” Ashley grimaced. “Yes. I just… I wanna talk to Pete first.” Betty seemed perturbed by the notion and walked over to Ashley with heavy footsteps. “At this hour? What’s so important that it can’t wait until morning?” Ashley hadn’t thought of that. ‘Crud! Gotta say something! Gotta change her mood and get her to agree to me talking to Pete still! Come on, Ash… think!’ The good thing about staying in Peirama though was that she was now getting better at thinking on her feet lately. “Well… because he’s never here or when he is, he’s… he’s always busy!” Her wording had the intended effect on Betty… just not exactly as planned. Betty’s previously stern face softened and even seemed sad. “Oh… yeah… he has been kind of… absent lately, hasn’t he?” Ashley quickly nodded, her silence likely doing far more than any words of hers could ever at this point. Betty sighed. “Very well… go and talk to him, but Ash? Make it quick. I want you back up here in less than ten minutes, okay?” Ashley grinned wide and nodded her head rapidly. “Okay! Thank you, Betty!” For a second, it almost looked like Ashley was going to hug Betty in further thanks, but she reigned in her body and flew down the stairs instead. ‘Hmmm… was I really thinking of offering her a hug freely without being asked?’ Ashley shook her head and continued to pass through the downstairs floor. With Betty staying upstairs and the clocks ticking by, the Little nearly raced through the rooms to find Pete and maybe get an answer. Finally, though, she found him watching sports… some kind of discus throw on display today. “Pete? Can I ask you something?” Pete looked over at her and nodded before turning the volume down to almost mute levels. “Sure, Ash. You can almost ask me anything.” Ashley blinked back at Pete for a moment. ‘Always with the same answer. It’s almost like he knows he’s either going to have to lie or not give an answer… not the best first sign.’ Ashley sighed. “I just… what is it you do again?” Pete smiled and set his beer down on the side table next to him. “I told you… I’m a scientist.” “Well… yeah, but do you influence things around here?” Ashley questioned. Pete leaned forward and squinted. “Influence?” Ashley nodded. “Yes, like… a project like the weather machine or… maybe something else?” Pete’s face grew more suspicious, almost yelling at Ashley in just looks alone that he didn’t trust this line of questioning. “No… not the weather machine. Something else…” “Okay…” Ashley groaned a little internally, her usual methods of underhand and suave never seeming to even remotely affect Pete before, so now, she was just stuck with periphery questions. “I just want to know more about what you do. I mean, if I’m going to stay here and…” “Ashley! Bedtime now!” Betty yelled, fresh from racing down the stairs. Ashley turned to the nearby clock. “But I still have…” “No!” Betty stopped her and shook her head. “No, Ashley. I’m sorry, but I need to put my foot down in this case. It’s way past the time I thought it was. I shouldn’t have looked at the clock more closely. Now, you can just say goodnight to Pete and march right on upstairs.” Ashley looked back at Pete, and while his eyes still squinted in skepticism, his mouth began to smile slyly. “This instant, Ashley!” Betty commanded. This time, her nostrils flared, and her arms crossed defiantly and menacingly before the Little. “You can just talk to Pete tomorrow. Now, hurry on up those stairs!” Ashley couldn’t help but squeak a little at the suddenness of it all. ‘Woah! I didn’t realize Betty could be this commanding! Definitely gotta keep on her good side and…’ “No dawdling!” Betty rang out once more, eliciting another little squeak from Ashley and her obedient and hurried pace out of the room and up the stairs. Another day was over, and another failure would have to be put in the books for the bad of the day. ‘Shoot! Betty keeps talking about tomorrow, but… with Nance, who knows how many tomorrows we have left?’ * * * Day 63 – 03:32 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Everyone was waking up from their afternoon nap. Simon, Kyle, and Nancy were all in the younger group now, and while each looked happy during group time, there also seemed to be a lingering sadness as well… at least with Nancy. Marilyn, likely receiving one of the weaker doses of whatever was from Tanassum was still in the older group but considering that she had dragged in a ‘dolly’ today, her time seemed limited in the group now. For Oliver though… he was different. Ashley surveyed the daycare and turned to one of the few current Littles that wasn’t just getting up from a nap. Being in the younger groups, the rest took naps while the more mature Little group had a ‘quiet time’ instead. It wasn’t horrible, but going from quiet time to naptime was essentially the proverbial ‘crossing the Rubicon’ lately. As if to prove that point, Marilyn now took a nap and didn’t get that reference when Ashley first brought it up to her yesterday. ‘More knowledge lost to her…’ She sighed and looked deeply at Oliver, likely hoping to maintain some shred of maturity around here. “Oliver… don’t you think that…?” “You can call me Olly now, Ash,” he said cheerfully, despite his interruption to Ashley’s question. Ashley looked at the Little like he had a caterpillar crawling across his nose. “What? It’s just a name and Cynthia likes calling me it, so… why not? Right?” His smile was as present as ever like when he told a joke. The only thing was though… that seemed to nearly be all the time now. His rough edges, the jerk of a personality he used to inhabit when Ashley first met him… all now seemed to be getting smoothed over. When some Little tried to argue with him, that old side came out, but… in truth, he almost seemed high by comparison now. “You’ve changed…” she noted bluntly. “I don’t know when it happened, but… there’s something different about you. Do you even realize that?” Oliver… Olly, smiled. “Of course I do. I was such a mean guy before. I’m so sorry you got the full impact of the old me. Can you forgive me?” It was such an odd question that Ashley didn’t respond for a moment. Slowly though, she nodded. “Well, yeah. I already kind of did. You know… this is place is tough, and I thought it was just that, but…” Ashley blinked in wonderment at Olly. “But… I mean, don’t you care you’re different?” Olly shook his head. “Nope! I feel better this way. So much more… I don’t know. I guess just… things don’t matter as much! Going with the flow and all now, you know?” He grinned and then turned toward another approaching and familiar Little. “Heya Nancy! Good nap?” Nancy slowly nodded, but her eyes seemed full of fear instead of innocence or wonder as they had recently. Maybe seeing that, Olly just shrugged and ran off to converse with Kyle or Simon… at least as much as he could these days. Seeing him gone, Nancy then turned to Ashley. “Ash… I…” She grimaced and looked a little embarrassed not long after. “Am I… am I… regressing? I mean… am I regressing badly?” There was a forced element behind her words. They were coming out clear enough, but there was almost a delicate nature to each of them… almost as if she was concentrating extra hard on making sure that they all came out without any slipups. Simon was already fumbling at anything longer than two syllables. Ashley sighed and moved closer to her friend before placing a hand on her shoulder as gingerly as she could. “Yes. I’m so sorry, Nancy, but yes.” Nancy’s eyes teared up almost immediately, and she seemed to notice… and hate herself for it. “Phooey! Not again!” She wiped her eyes at least six times, but as try as she might, her emotions didn’t seem to be able to simply be pushed away like that. “I just… I can’t seem to control anything anymore!” There was a heavy emphasis around the word ‘anything,’ something Ashley would have normally pressed on about, but considering that Nancy was both her friend and was diapered, some questions seemed better left alone. Instead, Ashley pulled Nancy closer to her. “It’s okay, Nance. You just focus on staying you. Can you do that for me?” Nancy paused and looked up from her support underneath Ashley. From that angle, and maybe it was in addition to her tears and her seemingly more juvenile outfit today, but there were few scenarios where Nancy could have looked more childish. Maybe not babyish, but definitely childish. “Am I not?” Her words were desperate and to a heartless person, even pathetic. To Ashley though, one could almost see the needle of her words stab her in the heart. ‘Crud! She’s going so fast! If I don’t do anything, by next week she’ll be gone!’ Ashley squeezed her friend to give her some reassurance. ‘Okay… bad thing to lie, but… maybe you need to stretch the truth… yeah, stretch the truth to her, Ash. She needs hope… not a reality check. Be her comfort… her support in all this. Do this for her and wrestle with your own morality later.’ Ashley smiled about as best she could at her teary-eyed friend nestled beneath her arm. In truth, if Betty was at all egotistical, she might have even thought that Ashley was doing her best job at an attempt to mimic her own expressions of compassion and understanding… one she freely imparted to all the Littles in Peirama… including Ashley herself. “Of course, you’re still you, but I need you to be as big and mature as possible.” Ashley gave her another little squeeze and began to rub her shoulder with the arm wrapped around her friend’s nearly shuddering body. “It’s going to be okay, Nance. I’ve got you. I’m working on fixing all this. Just you wait, okay? Just try and be a bi… as mature as you can be. Can you do that for me at least?” It took Nancy a second to think about, but she looked up and slowly nodded. “I… I’ll try, Ash. I just…” She shook her head and pursed her lips as if that was the one bit of defiance she could still freely muster without running into any problems now. “No… I will try… for you, Ash.” Ashley smiled. “That’s great to hear. You just hold on for me.” Nancy cuddled next to her friend and Ashley remained as steadfastly happy as she could, but internally… ‘Oh no! This is so not good. I have no plan other than to talk to Pete. I… I need something more. Pete’s a scientist… logic… no. He would see all that. A hug? No… too different for our relationship. Wait… force! I haven’t tried asking him pointblank about all this! I gotta do that tonight instead! That’ll work!’ Ashley smiled at her triumph of a plan for tonight. But her joy didn’t last. Nancy had shifted a bit and seemed uncomfortable… her hands even going as far to look like they were spasming as they moved below her waist but then back up again. Finally, she looked back up to her friend. “Ash?” Ashley looked down. “Yes, Nance?” “I’m tryin’ to be all mature an’ like, but…” She paused and her hand seemed to break through whatever barrier she had previously and touched her crotch… or more likely, what was underneath her skirt and just in that general vicinity. “I think I went potty.” “Oh…” Ashley tried to think of more words, but her mind almost seemed to be short-circuiting. “You… I… okay. That’s okay. We’re okay…” ‘Shoot! If I don’t come through soon, we’re so screwed!’ * * * Day 63 – 7:52 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 “Okay, seriously!” Ashley barged in on Pete as soon as he had taken his seat on the couch. “What do you do, and can you use whatever power you have to help me?” Pete, taken aback by the sudden barrage from his Little, seemed perplexed at first. But soon, his colder side seemed to immediately put up his defenses. “Now, just hold on a minute there. One question at a time, but watch your tone, Ash. I’m fair, but… we use niceties in this house, remember?” Ashley groaned a little but nodded. “Yes, fine. I just… can you help me or not?” Pete’s brow furrowed a little. “Easy there, but maybe I can.” He then spun in his recliner chair and set his feet firmly on the ground before leaning forward and clasping his hands together on his lap. “Now, tell me the problem and…” “I need to know what you do,” Ashley yelled. “I need to help where I can, and I think you’re my only shot at it. So, again, what do you do?” “I’ve already told you that,” Pete said back, this time with an ounce more annoyance in his voice. Ahsley huffed and placed her hands on her hips. “No, you gave me a generality and…” “I told you what I could!” Pete almost yelled, his face now contorting to anger and resentment over this line of questioning. Ashley saw it but seemed to just double down instead of exercising her usual amount of caution. To anyone that knew what she was facing with Nancy, a correlation between that stress and her anger here toward Pete was as clear as the nose on one’s face. “Fine, then what do you work with? Who do you work with? I need to know more about your job so I know if you can help me!” It was clear, at least from any outsider’s point of view, that Pete was doing his best to channel his emotional state down deep instead of having it lash out at Ashley. Her questions were valid, especially considering that Pete never really gave her a full answer in the nearly two months she had been here, but his patience seemed to be wafer-thin now. “Maybe if you just…” “No!” Ashley shouted. “Stop dodging the question and just answer me! It’s simple! What do you do, and can you help me at all? Why can’t you just…” “I said no, Ashley!” Pete thundered as he stood up and glared down menacingly at her, his patience obviously now vanished into the air. “When I say no, I mean it. Not… ask me a thousand questions more. There are just some things you shouldn’t or can’t know about what I do! Understand?” Like the giant had suddenly stuck a pin into her luster and drive, Ashley only meekly nodded back. “No,” Pete scolded. “I need to hear you say the words back to me. This isn’t something we play around with in this house or in this town. Now, tell me you understand.” “I… I understand,” Ashley responded as instructed. Her words were now small… frail. Maybe already nearby or maybe overhearing and worrying, but Betty soon rushed in. “Okay then. No more questions, right, sweetie?” Ashley could only mutely shake her head this time. “Okay then,” she said, a little relief coming through loud and clear in her tone and demeanor… almost like a giant weight had suddenly been lifted off her shoulders. “Why don’t you come with me outside and I can show you something that I’ve been working on. Maybe you can even help me name it?” Ashley looked back at the fuming Pete. Whatever chance that she had to get an answer of any kind now seemed to have totally disappeared. Likely too defeated, her thoughts were empty as she then turned back to Betty and nodded solemnly. For her part, Betty smiled back and gathered up the shaken and beaten Little. Despite being nearly snuggled into her body like a frightened toddler, Ashley made no move to distance herself. In fact, she almost seemed to lean into the Big’s strong and sturdy body as they moved out of the family room. As the two left, if Ashley had been paying attention, she might have seen Betty look back at Pete and give him two looks… one of anger and disappointment, but a smaller but still present one of happiness. * * * Day 64 – 5:47 P.M. MDT – Earth 2 Ashley picked sunflowers. Ashley picked snapdragons. Ashley picked the cherry tomatoes that had grown to the size of her fist. Ashley did all this because she felt helpless. Not being a Little helpless, but helpless in terms of not helping her one true friend here. Maybe she would find another one day, but Nancy… Nancy was her friend in the here and now, and Ashley had botched her one connection… her one chance at finding out more about the drug that was doing all this to her. No, after last night’s debacle, Ashley had screwed up. Ashley had failed. Her head had been heavy all day with the sadness of her plight against the town in an effort to help her friend. Her story was stalled without more resources, and now, she couldn’t even help someone who needed it. As she dug out a nearby weed, it was the one satisfaction she had today. ‘At least I can fix you…’ The garden wasn’t a person, and Ashley knew that, but… it still felt good to be able to do something about a problem. “Ashley? You okay sweetie?” Betty asked as she stood up from her own weeding and gardening. “Did something maybe happen at daycare today you dint tell me about?” Ashley looked over at Betty but didn’t answer. ‘How could I tell her? She’s asking, but… she doesn’t want to know. She doesn’t want to know that Nancy probably made a mess in her diaper today during naptime but that I was too far away to see, and she seemed too mortified afterward to talk about it. She doesn’t want to know about the tantrum Marilyn pulled. She doesn’t want to know about the fact that Kyle started sucking his thumb today. She’s my Big and I’m her Little… that’s all.’ Betty sighed and readjusted her basket of the fresh plants she had just picked, one a dazzling new fruit that shimmered with its purple skin but tasted like whipped cream and cherries. “Or… is it about what happened with Pete last night?” It wasn’t… at least not fully, but it was an easy out and at a partial truth if nothing else, so, Ashley nodded. “I see…” Betty sighed yet again and walked over to her saddened Little. “Well, for what it’s worth, I’m so sorry that happened. But also… you did bring up some good points. He doesn’t talk about his job, and I know that can be frustrating. He doesn’t even tell me everything, but… he does his best in this town… even if that comes with the burden of keeping secrets. I know it’s not ideal, and I’ll see if I can find out anything for you, okay?” It was the first good news that Ashley had heard in the past week. “You will?” Her words were laced with hope and optimism… something dangerous if Betty was to suddenly say no though. Fortunately, Betty nodded her head and smiled wide. “Of course. No promises, but you never know.” She then plucked a nearby weed growing just next to her right foot. “Just… in the meantime, can you ease up on him? Just a little maybe?” With the potential answers to questions now within reach, Ashley nodded eagerly, eliciting a small giggle from Betty. “Well, that’s the face I like to see.” She smiled again, readjust her basket, and then gestured inside. “Okay. I’m going to put these inside for a dessert I’m thinking of making tonight. You finish up back here and join me inside as soon as you can after, okay?” Once Ashley nodded, Betty disappeared from view. Ashley went immediately back to her work in the garden. She had never been a gardener, but here… it served two purposes. First, she got closer to Betty, which as just evidenced, had its own level of perks. Second though, as long as she imagined each weed as one of her real problems or any goodness she cultivated or plucked as a reward for a job well done, gardening almost became therapeutic for her. ‘Take that you little weed! That’ll teach you to come around here and mess with my Betty’s garden! Just wait until I get a hold of all your ugly little frien…’ A clanking noise came from inside the house… underneath the first floor. When Pete was in his room down there, any sounds were supposed to be ignored and forgotten about… or at least as much as possible. To Betty’s chagrin, Pete sometimes even cursed down there, and while that was always the excuse of why not to listen in, Ashle continually felt that was just a cover. Plus, it didn’t hurt that she still remembered that day when Pete was talking on the phone with that still mystery caller. ‘I really wonder who that was…’ And like then, today was no different… particularly with the bulk of the noises coming from that one lone vent of sorts. Further, Pete was fumbling around with something and seemed to be having a conversation with someone else… or was just talking to himself. “Take this down… I need five more vials of acetic acid. It seems to serve… yes, yes… and yes. It is necessary, or… yes, I understand. Well, I can provide a demonstration… you’d be interested?” There was a longer pause that time, but Pete soon started talking once more. “Okay… everyone can see me?” Ashley now knew that it wasn’t just one person today… there were at least a few, but more importantly… they were watching him perform something of some kind. ‘Darn it! I really wish I could see down there.’ “Okay… I’m adding some of compound A into compound B,” he started again. “By using this mixture, we have obtained half of the effect and for one third of the cost. Which means… we can provide a larger appeal to those looking for something more than just a wet sack of flour to dress up. This… this could mean a whole new market we could appeal to.” Pete seemed genuinely excited about the prospect, but pessimistic or not, Bigs rarely got excited for anything unless it had to do with something with Littles. Considering the urgency in his voice as well and the arrival from Tanassum… it wasn’t hard to put things together. Things were still a little fuzzy on the corners but putting it all together… Pete was absolutely the one in charge of whatever was happening to Nancy. ‘Darn it, Pete! I wanted to believe in a good Big. Maybe you still are, and this is just my head going haywire, but… darn it all!’ Ashley grumbled to herself a little bit, but her eyes then lit up. ‘Wait! Maybe if listen to what is being said at least on Pete’s end, I might be able to find a secret cure! And maybe I might…’ Pete didn’t finish his thought though… based on the account of one thing. There was smoke coming out directly from underneath her… from the vent. ‘Crud! Crud! Don’t breathe it in! Don’t!’ But the smoke was fast, and like it had a life of its own, the blue and red smoke snaked all around the Little before turning white with little swirls of gray. It was beautiful but ominous… particularly as it creeped all around Ashley. ‘I don’t know if I can…’ Ashley tried to fight it… with all her might, but just as her eyeballs seemed to bulge and nearly explode from the pressure she was under… it all seemed too much… right as the smoke began to wrap around her face. Seconds later, Ashley couldn’t take it any longer and sucked in a great helping of the mist. It poured over her tongue and down into her lungs like a heavy mist. “Yuck!” Ahsley spit out whatever had just entered her mouth, but it was too late. ‘That was nasty! Like the flavor of electronics burning, and… wait…. It’s changing!’ Ashley began to fumble backward and away from the vent. ‘It’s tasting like… like… oak chips and… and… lemon and… wait… now it’s blueberry!’ Ashley’s limbs began to shake as her thoughts drifted from one pointless feeling to the next. It was like getting drunk in 30 seconds or less. ‘Woah… this is so fast… but so, so… nice.’ Still, despite what her mind was saying, by the time her foot was inches away from the tulips, Ashley was stumbling like she was heavily inebriated… all the while smiling like she had just heard the best insider joke ever. ‘Oh! This is so weird, but… wonderful as well?’ Ashley giggled lightly to herself, but right then, her backing up foot caught on a rock, and she tumbled backward. The plants cushioned her fall, but like a tree being felled in the forest, Ashley didn’t get back up. ‘Funny… my legs feel all strange…’ Ashley flopped her legs around for a moment. ‘Maybe I’ll crawl instead?’ But as Ashley shifted her body… or at least tried to, she wouldn’t budge. Sighing but shrugging, Ashley stopped trying to move. ‘Maybe I’ll just lie down here… I don’t know what was in that smoke, but… it’s kinda funny and… and…’ Ashley’s eyes fluttered closed for a moment. ‘Oh… so sleepy… Why am I so sleepy? Why… why don’t I care?’ Ashley giggled again a little more. ‘I don’t know, but I don’t care… these flowers are comfy… I just hope that Betty doesn’t mind… Betty…’ Ashley smiled at that single word. ‘Betty’s nice… I like Betty… Maybe I can get a hug from her after my nap here… she gives the bestest of hugs… she’s… she’s…’ Ashley mumbled a few things first out loud and then in her head, but neither made much sense, but it didn’t matter much anyways. Seconds later, she was out cold… alone, tiny, but peaceful.

Honestly... that was my old job. One of the big reasons I was able to write so much faster. But, I'm a writer and creative... I could think on my feet pretty fast whenever I was asked.