Panther Cub

Yeah, the poor little guy just got the rug pulled out from under him. And yeah, he has a... well, he has those in his life who are more than happy to have him, care for him, and help him learn and grow! He'll find something, I'm sure.

Nice to have finished an update! :3 Yeah... I mean, I can see where it could be a problem for an employee to basically, physically (and maybe a little bit mentally), be a toddler in some positions. But still, this is gunna be devastating for so many little ones. And yeah, you just know a certain someone is gunna try and stick her bill into this business.

YAY! We're back in action, baby! I hope you're all doing fabulous! I'm super excited to bring you the latest chapter of winged kitten cuteness! Please consider leaving a comment or review, as those are just awesome! Thank you for reading! Back to Basics (Chapter 9) by Panther Cub "Okay, see the vehicle three cars back?" Tristan asked, not looking up from his screen. "Red pickup with the trailer attached?" Mia asked as she checked the screen with the camera feeds two feet away from Tristan. The inspection booth could be a little cramped at times with two inspection officers occupying it, but thanks to Tristan's size, he and Mia fit rather comfortably, even with Tristan's special "stool". Using the painted highchair's tray to set his notebook down, Tristan turned and gave Mia a smile. "Yup! Notice anything interesting about it?" Mia winked and gave a slight nod. "Sure did!" She pointed to a picture on the screen of the front of the truck, zoomed in on the license plate. "While that plate says Grountania at the top, the first three digits on the plate number itself are a T45. Grountania plates never have a T in the first three digits. If they're not just numbers, then they're going to be a Z or a Y. However, plates from Tulocca always start with the letter T like that!" "And what does that suggest?" "That that's a forged license plate! And not a good one at that!" Tristan practically bounced in his seat, not caring about the faint crinkling as he did so. Mia really had come a long way since first being hired. "So what do we do now?" Tristan asked as the truck pulled into their lane. "We flag them for the officers and collect their registration and license, and fill out a quick confiscation form!" "I guess that makes me a great teacher then, because you just got full marks!" Tristan puffed out his chest, typing out a quick code on the shared network to report the truck to be inspected. Mia handled opening the booth window to greet the driver when they pulled up. "Hi there!" Mia smiled at the goat as he put the pickup in park. He pulled down his shades and smirked while giving Mia a once over. "Well aren't you just the finest feline I've had the pleasure to meet." He gave a wink as Mia's smile became a little forced. His eyes roving about the booth, he quickly spotted the winged kitten in a miniature version of the larger feline's uniform. The same type of khaki slacks, sky blue button-up long-sleeved shirt, a little red necktie, and even a little ID badge pinned to the front of his shirt. "Aww, somebody getting to come with Mommy to work today, bud?" Tristan rolled his eyes and continued to type away at the computer. "Sir, I'm gunna need you to pull over to the inspection lane right over there," Mia said, pointing to where a pair of officers were already waiting. "Aw, c'mon now," the goat leaned out his window, taking full advantage of the gray muscle shirt he was wearing to flex his arms a bit, smirking the entire time to the unimpressed Mia. "How about instead I get your number, you let me through, and then later tonight, after you get a babysitter, we can have some fun together out on the town?" "She said pull off to the inspection lane, sir!" Tristan shouted, slamming his little paws on the highchair tray as he stood and turned to glare at the guy. His slacks shifted a bit, letting the waistband of his snuggies peek out a bit. "Looks like someone's probably missing naptime, huh?" The goat tried to joke, but his chuckles quickly died as he saw the unamused look on Mia's face. He opened his mouth to say something, when the two waiting officers strolled over, one on each side of the vehicle. "Sir," the large white wolf said, leaning over a bit to look at the guy over his sunglasses, both dark lenses reflecting the goat's confidence draining from his face. "You've been asked twice to pull off into the inspection lane. Trust me when I tell you that you won't like it when we have to ask a third time." The goat gulped and nodded, leaning back into his seat. He shifted gears and quickly pulled off, stepping out when prompted, all with a look of dread on his face. "What a jackass," Tristan huffed. "Language!" Mia said, affectionately rubbing his headfur, smiling at the sound of his purr. "We need to remain professional, after all." "Yeah, you're right," Tristan agreed, looking down, clearly embarrassed. Mia then knelt down to look him in the face, smiling happily at him. "But thank you. It makes me feel safe knowing you've got my back here," Mia said, to which Tristan blushed a bit beneath his fur. "Please. I'm the size of a football, and probably just as easily puntable too." Mia's response was to simply scoop him up into her arms and start rocking the moment she had the kitten in a cradled position. "It's true though. You know how to keep a calm head in an emergency, you remember the proper procedures to lock down the booth and shelter in place, and to hit the big red button. And you know the codes to say into the radio to let the officers and everyone else know exactly what's happening." Tristan let himself get comfortable and began to smile again. "Well... I guess you're right..." He winced a little as he shifted, feeling his diaper squish a bit. Mia saw his expression, her own softening even more. "I think it's time we took a little trip to the potty and freshened up. What do you say, sweetheart?" His blush returning, but still smiling as Mia continued to hold him, Tristan simply nodded. Thanks to the inspection, their booth was set to In-Use in the system, with a bright red light blinking at the top of the booth's roof, signaling to drivers that this lane was temporarily out of service. Mia simply had to lean down and grab the diaper bag, shut and lock the window, put the code into the computer that they were on a bathroom break, and ensure the door closed and locked behind them after they exited. Just before they got to the restroom, they were stopped by Lieutenant Haelga just after they entered the employee only section of the main red-brick building. The brown and white-spotted owl waved the two over. "Hey guys," Haelga was awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck as she looked away. "I saw that you're both entered in as taking a bathroom break." She looked down at the kitten and smiled, clearly knowing what was actually happening, but still looking a bit distraught. "When you're both done, can I please see you both in my office?" After nodding, Mia and Tristan shared a worried look as she carried him into the ladies' room, locking the door behind them. "So... that was unexpected," Mia said while opening up the wall-mounted changing table. Settling Tristan down on it, she gave a worried smile down to him that he was quick to return. "Yeah... but we shouldn't be too worried. Haelga usually only calls people into her office for employee evaluations, but those are usually done one at a time. She's probably gunna ask about our progress or something." As she unbuttoned and slid his pants off, Mia saw Tristan chewing on his thumb, looking pensive. She pulled out a blue and white pacifier from one of the pockets of the diaper bag. Mia gave a gentle tug of Tristan's arm, surprising him as his thumb left his mouth. He looked up at her confused, before noticing his wet thumb and then the binky being held out to him. With another blush, he accepted the rubber nipple, immediately relaxing and making a nuk-nuk-nuk sound. Mia then started to hum a cheerful tune as she pushed up the hem of Tristan's shirt and then began tearing open the tapes. Tristan tried not to think about it, but he couldn't help but reflect on how quick Mia was when it came to changing his diaper. That wasn't to say that Sally was a slouch, but Mia definitely had a system down and memorized. Already his old diaper was balled up with the fresh one underneath him. With the smell of baby powder and lavender from the rash cream wafting in the air, Tristan smiled. He even felt like kicking his legs all of a sudden, an urge he fought down. "There! All clean and powder fresh!" Mia giggled, cuddling Tristan close to her chest. He nestled in closer, still sucking his binky as they exited the restroom. Mia hesitated, causing Tristan to look up at her. Remembering that they needed to talk with Haelga, he tugged his binky out of his mouth and tucked it into his pocket. Mia rubbed his back in between his wings and carried him into the tiny bland beige office, shutting the door behind her at Haelga's request. There were two chairs present, opposite the desk the older owl was sitting at, but Mia elected to sit with Tristan in her lap, her leg starting to nervously bounce the kitten until she willfully made it stop. The Lieutenant looked at the kitten, a sad expression on her face as she let out a sigh. "So, as you probably are both aware, there's an upcoming vote about allowing regressees maintaining employment." Tristan scowled while Mia frowned. It had become quite the hot button topic, with many people believing it wasn't ethical or even healthy for what they claimed were basically children and babies to hold down jobs. While there was a lot of pushback from regressees and supporters for them, there were others still who voiced their concerns involving jobs where lives could be on the line being in the hands of someone who needed a scheduled naptime. "I-if this is about my performance," Tristan spoke up, silently grateful that Mary wasn't still bouncing him, "I'd like to point out that I've caught more fraudulent and incomplete documents as well as violations in the past month compared to everyone else!" "Yes... yes you have." Haelga looked away, her feather ruffling. "However, it's not about performance..." Tristan felt his insides freeze over, remaining silent as his paw disappeared into his pocket. "Lieutenant? What's going on?" Mia asked. "As of this morning, an email was sent out regarding all state agencies, ours included. Regardless of the outcome of the vote, the governor feels that simply having regressee employees physically under the age of eighteen opens us up to potential lawsuits. Effective immediately, all regressee employees under that physical age range are hereby dismissed from their positions. I'm sorry." Tristan felt as though the world had dropped out from underneath him. His mind churned, wondering if this wasn't just some bad dream. "Tristan, I'm going to have to ask you for your keycard and keys back. Also, I am to inform you that all of your accumulated sick leave and vacation leave will be paid out on your final paycheck. And the money deposited into your pension fund will also be returned. Mia, I know that you're Tristan's primary caretaker, and if you'd like to leave early to take him home..." The rest of the words spoken trailed off for the kitten as he numbly set the keycard with his picture on it and the keys to the facilities onto Haelga's desk. He felt Mia's grip on him tighten protectively. He turned and buried his face into her chest, curling up and shutting the world out, internally feeling his emotions roiling impotently. He wasn't sure when he slipped his binky back in, but the soother was doing its job well. He kept his head buried, not wanting his coworkers seeing him on his final day with a binky in his mouth, or to see the pity in any of their eyes. Mia rubbed his back as he felt her carry him, occasionally picking up on voices saying goodbye. It was only when he was sure that they were in the car, oddly enough still being held by Mia instead of being buckled into his carseat in the back, that he let the white hot tears building in his eyes spill over. He sobbed. He wailed. He cried there in Mia's arms, with the older feline rubbing and rocking him, whispering how it's all going to be okay. But in that moment, deep in his heart, Tristan felt that things were never going to be okay. * * * Tristan slowly awoke to the song of a soft lullaby drifting down from above. Prying his eyes open, he looked around to see that he was in his room at Mia and Sally's house, safe and sound in the crib. He kicked off the soft warm blue blanket to reveal he was wearing a green footed onesie. Looking above he could see the mobile above slowly spinning, the music coming from it. Spotting a familiar purple plush shark to his right, Tristan pulled Spot in for a hug. He felt so at peace in that moment, and he just wanted it to last. But, as the memory of losing his job trickled in from the back of his mind, so did the ache. He heard the door to his... to the nursery softly open, and felt relieved at the distraction. In walked Sally as she carefully stepped up to the crib, clearly not trying to wake him if he was still asleep. Seeing his eyes wide open and looking right at her startled the eagle lady for just a moment. "OH!" Sally chuckled while leaning on the rail and gazing down at him. "You startled me there for a second, honeypie!" "Sorry," Tristan mumbled around his binky. "Think nothing of it, sugarplum! Now, do you think you've slept enough? Or do you maybe wanna go back to sleep?" Tristan mulled it over, softly nursing his pacifier. With a heavy sigh, he reached up and started to make the grabby paws. Sally smiled and reached down with her feather fingers and scooped the kitten up into her arms. After a quick diaper check, Tristan found himself being carried out into the living room, where Mia was sitting with Amy in her lap. Tristan still held Spot in his arms as Sally sat down, setting him down next to her. "Oh, Tristy!" Amy, wearing a pink sparkling rhinestone unicorn t-shirt and a denim skirt that barely hid her own diaper, scooted closer to the winged kitten. She pulled him into a tight hug and patted his back. "I'm sorry that your bosses were meanie-butts! If my Ninja/Unicorn Cowboy idea gets successful, you'll always have a position there!" Tristan felt a pang at the reminder of what happened earlier today... but the 'actual' kitten's earnestness both in her declaration and her hug brought a small smile to his face. Mia and Sally watched the pair, Sally with a smile that was slightly wider than her wife's. "That's very sweet, Amy. I'm sure you'd both make wonderful Ninjas and Unicorn Wranglers," Mia said, taking a sip of her mug of tea. "YEAH! We'll have to work on your ninjutsu and your lasso work though, Tristy!" "No lassoing or smoke bombs in the house," Sally said, wagging a feathery finger. "'Kay, auntie, Sally!" Tristan couldn't help himself and began to giggle at the absurdity of it all. Amy was quick to join in, followed by Sally and Mia, the two reaching down to embrace the two kittens and each other. Tristan still felt the sting of losing his job, but in that moment, he also felt a warmth and a sense of safety that he could scarcely remember feeling. "I think that we could all use an ice cream sundae!" Sally announced after they broke apart. Amy and Tristan's eyes both lit up. "With hot fudge?" Amy asked. "And caramel?" Tristan added. "And whipped cream?" Amy continued. "And sprinkles?" Tristan queried. "And cherries on top?" Amy jumped up and down. Sally chuckled and nodded, letting Amy scramble up onto her back for a piggyback ride. Tristan started to do the same, when he felt Mia's paw come to rest on his shoulder. "Tristan? Can we please have a word?" He turned to look up at Mia, seeing the sadness in her eyes. It brought the sensation of dread back to the forefront of his mind. He nodded, sucking harder on his binky as he did so. Sally nodded to the two and carried the oblivious Amy into the kitchen. Mia looked down at her lap and the mug of tea clutched in both of her paws. She let out a sniff and set it down onto the coffee table. "Tristan... I'm so sorry..." Mia's voice cracked, and suddenly Tristan started to panic. His thoughts began to run wild with ideas of Mia and Sally handing him off to child services, causing him to let out a whimper. The panthress looked over to him and wiped her teary eyes. "I know it wouldn't have changed anything... but I should've spoken up in that meeting today!" "Huh?" "There you were, having all this dumped onto you just out of the blue, and I just sat there, silent, when I could have done or said something!" "Mia." "I'll understand if you're angry with me." She turned to look back down into her mug, tears starting to run down her cheeks. "Mia!" "I'll also understand if... you'd prefer it if maybe I g-gave you some space..." "MIA!!!" The older feline was startled and turned to look at the kitten now standing on the couch in his footie pajamas, paws on his hips, his little wings fluffed out, his binky now spit out and dangling from blue lanyard clipped to said pajama. The image of him right then and there with the stern expression on his face was almost enough to bring a smile to Mia's face, despite her deep sense of guilt. "There wasn't anything you could have done other than get yourself suspended or even fired for insubordination!" "But--" "Mia, no. I've worked that job for many years now, and I know that when something comes down from on high, then that's it. Heck, I don't even blame Haelga! You were still there for me, ready to pick me up and make me feel better! All you did was keep a cool head and be a good mommy!" Tristand and Mia both froze, looking into each other's eyes. The kitten broke eye contact and looked down, blushing as he started to play with his paws. "Oh, Tristan," Mia scooted over and picked up the kitten, pulling him into a hug. "I-I..." Tristan tried to think of what to say, but instead simply continued to blush as Mia settled him so that his chin was resting on her shoulder. It was then that the doorbell rang, prompting Mia, still cuddling the blushing little feline, to get up and answer it. Tristan turned to see who it was just as the door opened. Standing there, holding three pizza boxes was a rather tall male crow wearing a red muscle shirt showing off a feather-too of a dream catcher visible on his right bicep, and a pair of well-worn jeans. The boxes he was holding had a cartoon sloth on the top with a caption reading 'If you want pizza done right, come to Lazlo's. If you want it done fast, go somewhere else!' "Lazlo's Pizza..." Tristan mumbled in awe. Lazlo's was practically legendary in the area, but the perfectionist sloth owner and operator, Lazlo, was a known perfectionist when it came to each paw-crafted pizza. Also, he was a sloth. So the wait was also practically legendary. His tummy letting out a rumble, Tristan suddenly became aware of a lull in the conversation between Mia and the stranger. "O-oh, uh, s-sorry?" Tristan's ears splayed flat in embarrassment. Mia and the stranger chuckled. "Tristan, I'd like you to meet my favorite, and only, brother-in-law, Be--" "UNCLE BENJI!!!" Amy shrieked in pure delight. The little panthress sprinted and jumped to wrap her arms around the crow's legs. "WOAH! There's my little chaos gremlin!" Benjamin laughed, making sure his grip on the pizzas was secure before leaning down to ruffle Amy's headfur. "Uncle Benji! Have you met my new baby brother, Tristan? He's really cute and super silly! And he giggles a whole lot if you tickle his little feet!" "AMY!" Tristan called out, blushing beneath his fur. "Oh yeah, I've heard all about the little guy who's been keeping an eye over my favorite sister and sister-in-law. Plus all the pictures..." "What pictures?" Tristan asked indignantly. "Just some rather... sweet pictures..." Now Mia was looking a little embarrassed. Tristan immediately honed in on how that meant cute. "Come on in, Benji! It's been too long!" And there it is, folks! I really do hope you enjoyed the new chapter!

Thanks! I'm really excited for it!

Heyo folks! Sorry for a bit of an absence... I could just blame work, but while that was definitely a factor, this time it was for another reason. This one-off story right here! Or, well, that and the idea behind it. See, I came up with an idea for... a game! Basically, I'd been thinking about dating sims lately, and suddenly an idea popped into my head. Basically, what if one were to take the elements of a dating sim, but instead apply them in a different way... In this case, I'm calling it a Found-Family-Sim, and I'm gonna try to make it a point-and-click visual novel with plenty of choices! The player character, who can choose from several backstories as well as pick their gender and species, finds themselves in the beautiful and mysterious town of Cherry Lake. As they explore the town and get to know the townspeople and potential adoptive parents/families and begin uncovering secrets, they may notice that they seem to be... getting younger?! Players will find that their choices and actions have consequences, some small, others quite large, and that there are multiple outcomes to be found! It's an ambitious project for someone who has never programmed anything ever, and knows next to nothing about coding, but it's still something I'm gunna try nonetheless! Anyways, this little one-off is to introduce you to some of the characters to be found in Cherry Lake as well as a little bit of the town, and to highlight some choices to be made. Okay, rambling over, and I hope that you all enjoy it! Welcome to Cherry Lake by Panther Cub "Maybe I should pull over," Tyler mumbled to himself while he squinted to peer out his windshield. The windshield wipers were going as fast as they could to wipe away the torrential rain coming down, but it was only barely enough. As far as he could tell, the black winged cat was still on the road. His headlights illuminated the dark trees on either side of the road and lit up the dotted white lines in the center. He took a quick second to check his GPS, and huffed as it read No Signal still. Then, the sky briefly lit up, and there was a crack of thunder that sounded like a gunshot. "Holy crap! That sounded close!" Tyler fidgeted a little, wondering again if he should pull over. But looking again at the sides of the road, there really wasn't much of an 'over' to pull off to. Then, he rounded a bend and his heart leapt. Lights! The twinkling lights of a town, hopefully his destination, lay just a few miles ahead. As he drew closer and closer to the town, the rain started to taper off, quickly becoming just a light drizzle, and then dispersing entirely. Looking up a little, he could see some stars and even the bright full moon starting to come out from the cloud cover. The glow of the moon lit up the drenched surrounding area a bit, just in time for his headlights to shine on a big wooden sign on the side of the road. "Welcome to Cherry Lake," Tyler read aloud, his green eyes now wide open, "the hidden gem we're all looking for." He felt that that was a bit of a strange slogan, but just shrugged. It was at least painted in beautiful paw-crafted calligraphy in a bright green on the white backing. Passing by it filled Tyler with a sudden sense of giddiness, so much so that he let out a happy giggle. He quickly got himself back under control, figuring that it was just relief at not only being out of the storm, but finally making it to his destination. And hopefully, the place he could finally get a fresh start on life. The streets were still soaked as Tyler entered town, his tires splashing through the occasional puddle. He stopped at a red light and pulled out his notepad with the directions written down on the first page. He noticed a sheriff car pass by and briefly felt worried that maybe this small town might not be so welcoming of him. But he quickly shook that thought away as he looked again at the directions to Mr. and Mrs. Marble's house. With his dwindling savings, he couldn't believe he'd found a room to rent at such a low price. And calling up the couple to see if it was still available... something about how they spoke just put Tyler at ease, which had not been an easy feat considering how badly he was doom-spiraling at the time. Driving around a little more, he spotted a street named Joy Avenue, and quickly turned down it. Slowing down a little to read the house numbers, he came to a stop in mild disbelief. It was a white two-story Colonial-style, with large bay windows, large white pillars, an impressively manicured front lawn and squarely trimmed hedges with a gravel driveway leading to a two-car garage. Thankfully, despite it being nearly eleven at night, there were plenty of lights on inside. With a nervous gulp, Tyler turned into the driveway and put his car in park, hesitating before killing the engine. He reached over to the passenger seat where his two suitcases and laptop in its carrying bag were stacked, and started grabbing them. After shutting and locking the car door, he looked back up at the impressive house and steeled himself. Worst case scenario, he'd have to leave and park somewhere to sleep in his car for the night. Tyler was halfway up the front steps when the front door opened, and he was bathed in a soft yellow light. "Ah, there he is!" A smiling brown-furred rabbit wearing a blue polo shirt and khaki slacks stood in the open doorway, his blue eyes twinkling. "Glad you made it here in one piece, son!" "Is that Tyler?" A soft feminine voice asked, belonging to a light gray rabbit in a bright blue dress, a frilly pink apron tied around it. Her brown eyes lit up with excitement as they beheld the winged cat. "Oh my goodness! Look how big you are!" "Uh..." Tyler stood there, stunned at the friendly voices he quickly recognized, being just as warm and welcoming as they had sounded over the phone. "Mr. and Mrs. Marble? It's, uh, n-nice to meet you!" He set down one of his suitcases and held his paw out to shake. Mr. Marble shook his paw and chuckled some more, startling Tyler as he pulled him into a hug. "We're huggers around here, son," Mr. Marble said, letting Tyler go and giving his headfur a ruffle. Tyler could feel his cheeks reddening beneath his black fur. "Harold, help the boy out of the cold! And sweetie, you look like you're absolutely famished. Please, let me make something nice and warm for you." "Uh, th-thanks, b-but I can carry it--" "Now, now, son. It doesn't hurt to let someone lend a helping paw once in a while," Harlod said, grabbing the suitcase with a grunt and herding the feline into the house. Tyler looked around, spotting a large family portrait. Mr. and Mrs. Marble were sitting under a tree on a bright sunny day, sitting in their laps were three young kits, two boys and a girl. Everyone was wearing their Sunday best and clearly in the middle of laughing. Seeing the picture brought back memories, bittersweet ones that he'd been trying to forget. "We took that picture last Easter," Mr. Marble said, causing Tyler to jump. "It was right before the big Egg Hunt!" "O-oh?" Tyler remembers scrounging around bushes and looking under rocks in search of colorfully dyed eggs to put in his basket, excited for each and every one he did find. "Yup! Here in Cherry Lake, it's actually a pretty big festival! And it's not too far off if you think you'd be interested in it." Mr. Marble gently clapped Tyler on the back. "Wait, do you mean helping set up and hide the eggs?" "Well, yes, we certainly can always use a helping paw when we're setting up for a festival around here," Mr. Marble chuckled while herding the winged cat down the hall and towards the kitchen. "But I also meant to join in on the fun! There's an Egg Hunt for the kits, and then one for adults." "Really?" Tyler felt the faint embers of excitement at the idea that he might get to be able to play the game again, after all these years. "Yup! First prize for adults is usually a gift certificate or voucher from one of the shops here in town. The kids basically compete for baskets of candy and toys, though the winner gets a really big one." "Oh, Harold, I know how excited you are for community projects, but Tyler just got here. Let's let him decompress after such a big trip and then get some shuteye. Then you can start trying to recruit him into helping out his new community!" "Yes, Clara," the bunny man chuckled and gave Tyler a mischievous wink before setting the suitcase down next to a pulled-out chair at the table. Tyler sniffed and winced as his stomach audibly growled. Mrs. Marble giggled as she stirred a pot on the stove, using her free paw to flip something over in a skillet. "Sounds to me like you could use a nice warm meal before bed, young man. Go ahead and take a seat, I'm almost done." "You don't need to fuss over me, Mrs. Marble, honest," Tyler said, feeling his cheeks flush at the sound of further giggling. "Oh hush now. I love cooking and we're not gunna let our special guest who'd just been out in the cold and the rain go to bed without something warm and tasty in their belly." Not wanting to be rude, Tyler sat down. A few seconds later, a bowl of steamy tomato soup and a plate with a golden brown grilled cheese sandwich, cut into triangles, as set before him. "Dig in, honey!" His tail giving a happy swish, Tyler picked up one of the triangles, feeling a little giddy at the sight of the stringy cheese, before dipping it into the soup. After letting it soak up all that tasty tomato goodness, he raised it to his mouth and took a bite. Tyler actually had to fight back tears, as the flavor washed all over him. Memories of being small and home sick, with a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich always helping to make him feel better. "Oh my goodness! It's just so wonderful to know that it's not just my family that likes my homemade tomato soup!" Clara Marble said, clasping her paws together. "This is homemade?" Tyler asked in amazement, dipping some more of the grilled cheese into the red steamy liquid. "It sure is, hun!" Clara looked like she was about to say more, but froze, her ears twitching. Her smile never wavered, even as she started to put on a stern-looking face, her paws on her hips. Tyler briefly worried he had done something to offend the kind rabbit lady. "Alright you three! It's rude to spy on our special guest. Come on out now." Tyler looked confused until he heard some snickers coming from around the doorway. In trotted the three children from the earlier family photo, now all wearing pj's. "Everyone, this is Tyler. I expect you all to be on your best behavior and make him feel welcome in our home." The trio nodded, all gazing curiously at him. Admittedly, it made the winged cat feel a little nervous. Almost like they knew something he didn't. Clara then gestured to the tallest of the bunnies, a girl with mostly white fir with a few caramel splotches. "This is Claire, our oldest at age eight." "Nice to meet you, Tyler!" She said with a giggle. Next to her was a gray-furred bunny boy, wearing a bright red cape attached to his deep blue pajama shirt. "Here is Jonny. He can be a bit of a ball of energy, but what six-year-old isn't?" Finally, the smallest of the trio stepped forward. He had all-black fur, was hugging a purple teddy bear that matched the color of his footed sleeper, and he had a bright blue pacifier in his muzzle. "And this is our littlest, Colin. He's a bit shy, which can be pretty normal for a two-year-old. He's also just the most inquisitive little guy you're ever gunna meet!" There was a lull in the conversation, and Tyler quickly realized that everyone was looking at him expectantly. Feeling his anxiety start to rise a little, he tried to think of what to say... "Yo, wassup l'il homies!" He internally shook his head at that, figuring that would just result in them pointing and laughing at him. H-hi there, guys! Tyler winced a little at just imagining how awkward he felt he was going to sound. "How's it goin', ya weird little munchkins!" He frowned, thinking that one sounded a little too mean. Deciding on the second option, Tyler smiled, doing his best to sound more confident than he did in his head. "H-hi there, guys!" He winced again, feeling even more awkward than he had been expecting it to feel. The children giggled, with the littlest bunny boy smiling up at him before walking up and wrapping his little arms around Tyler's leg in a hug. There were some coos from the parents and Claire at the sight. Blushing a bit, Tyler reached down and ruffled the little kit's headfur, not knowing what else to do. Colin beamed up at him with bright blue eyes. "Alright you three. It's time to head back to bed now that you've all introduced yourselves." Colin reluctantly detached himself from Tyler's leg and gave a wave, one which the feline was quick to return. Tyler then froze when Mrs. Marble turned towards him. "And don't think I've forgotten about you, young man. As soon as you've finished your meal, you'll be needing some shuteye, alright?" Tyler was quick to nod, his face heating up a little. He jumped a bit when he felt a paw clap his shoulder. "As soon as you're all finished, I'll show you your new room," Harold said with a twinkle in his eye. Tyler nodded and sat back down. Reflecting on the interactions was quite the surprise. Having spoken to Harold and Clara over the phone when he'd found the advertised room for rent, they had both been pleasant and polite, but he hadn't been expecting something as... warm and inviting as this. Thinking back to his own childhood household... yeah, on second thought, probably best not to go there. Soon enough, the soup and remaining grilled cheese is all gone. Making sure to rinse off the dishes in the sink before heading up. Only now did he notice the soft eggshell blue of the wallpaper, offset by the earthy chestnut brown hardwood flooring. The staircase leading up had a white bannister, with photos of the children at different events and stages of life lining the wall up to the next story. "Thanks for rinsing off your dishes, Tyler." Harold praised, making the winged cat jump and his fur stick out in surprise. "Uh... n-not a problem, Mr. Marble." Tyler blushed at his mumbling. The gentle pat on the back made him look up at the bunny man. "Now, now, please, call me Harold!" "... O-okay, Harold." Harold's eyes twinkled again in amusement. "Now let's get you to your room! It's the one at the end of the hall." As Harold led the way, Tyler followed behind, his wings gently flapping a little. The first door they passed was open, showing a bathroom, with two little colorful stools sitting next to the sink, presumably for the boys. Next door was closed, with Claire posted on it in bright pink and glittery wooden letters. Catty corner to her room was John's door, as his had the same wooden letters sticking to it, in red and blue. Next to John's bedroom door was little Colin's. His was halfway open, green and orange letters spelling out his name. Inside, Clara was sitting in a rocking chair next to a solid oak crib, the little kit in her lap, hugging a blue plush dragon and sucking on his binky. She was quietly reading him a bedtime story, the entire scene just tugging at Tyler's heartstrings. "Here we are, Tyler," Harold said, pushing open a soft white door. Tyler smiled, the room painted a deep forest green, which went well with the hardwood as well. There was a desk resting under a window with a matching green curtain covering it. Tyler's luggage was set on top of an old-fashioned steamer trunk set at the foot of the queen-sized bed. Off to the side was a door that opened to a private bathroom, with an indoor closet close to it as well. Above was a ceiling fan with lights and a small lamp on the bedside table. "Now I know that it's a bit spartan, but I'm sure we can make it much more comfortable for you as you get all settled in." "N-no! It's fine as it is!" Tyler said, meaning it. "Are you sure? I mean, before, it had been decorated by Claire for a little sleepover she had with some of her friends... and we figured that you might not appreciate all the bows and ruffles and lace and glitter." Tyler tried to repress a shudder at the thought of him sleeping in such a room. "If you'd prefer a change, don't be afraid to let us know... even if you'd like us to put it back to its pretty princess theme." Tyler rolled his eyes, and shook his head. "Uhm... thanks, but yeah, I think I like this best." "Okay, Bud! Now if you need anything, feel free to come and get us, we're just upstairs." "Will do, Harold." Tyler smiled. "Goodnight, Tyler," Harold said, heading to the door. "Goodnight." Finally left to his own devices, Tyler went to his suitcase and unzipped it, unfolding his clothes and hanging them up in the closet. He stopped and looked at his dark blue suit, considering wearing it to his upcoming interview. It was his best suit, one of the last gifts his father ever gave him... and yet his eyes were immediately drawn to some tears down the right lapel, stitched together the best he could, but noticeable nonetheless. His frown deepened as he took in the left side, in the midsection, where there was a large slice also stitched closed. Despite the dark blue, he could still see some of the bloodstain. His paws started to shake and his breath became more rapid as looking upon the suit brought him right back to that terrible night... NO! He won't think about it tonight. Getting it on a hanger, he hung it up in the closet. Next to it was a bright green polo shirt that would go well with a pair of khaki slacks. While a suit and tie were typically considered more professional for a job interview, the shabby state of his only one did not sit well for Tyler, On the other paw, the green polo and khakis was a look that also seemed professional, and the fact that these were new and devoid of any cuts or blood stains... The winged cat took a moment to consider it, and decided to lay out the polo and khakis for the interview. He let out a yawn and changed into his favorite pj's, a simple gray tank top and matching shorts, Tyler went into his new bathroom and brushed his teeth before slipping into bed and turning out the light. He had just closed his eyes, when he heard a quiet creak from the bedroom door opening. Cracking open his eyes, he saw Colin try to tiptoe into the room, his arms behind his back. "Colin?" Tyler said in a quiet voice, sitting up. Startled at being caught, the little black bunny jumped a bit before looking down at his feet, covered in his purple footed sleeper. Still sucking on his binky, the bunny approached Tyler and pulled his purple teddy bear out from behind his back. He pushed the plush towards the grown cat, eyes wide and hopeful. Tyler thought about his options. His first option would be to gently refuse the toy, but he got the feeling that it would make Colin upset. He could accept the plush friend and worried about anyone finding him with it. Would the Marbles' assume he'd just taken it from the baby of the family? Or would they find it weird that he'd sleep with a stuffed animal? Looking back down at Colin, Tyler sighed and smiled, taking the teddy-bear from him. "Th-thanks, little dude. I'll hold onto him for a little while, okay?" Colin happily nodded and practically ran back out the room, letting out an excited giggle. Tyler felt good about making the little guy so happy, but then looked down at the purple teddy bear. It had black button eyes, a bright pink nose, and a small smile stitched onto its muzzle. Something about the plushie just felt so... familiar. Getting back under the covers, he turned the bear over, that familiar feeling really starting to bug the feline in the back of his mind. Just as he was about to set it on the bedside table, Tyler let out a large yawn, and curled up, unaware that he was hugging the bear to his chest now, and drifted off to sleep. The Next Day... Golden sunlight shone down, causing the dewdrops to twinkle as Tyler slowly drove by. After a quick, yet delicious, breakfast of oatmeal with some fresh raspberries added in, Harold and Clara wished him a good day just as they started to get their kits ready for school, and in Colin's case, a playdate. The more he observed the Marble family, the more Tyler felt a pang of hurt. Pushing those feelings aside and concentrating on the directions that Harold had given him to get to his interview. After leaving the quaint neighborhoods behind, Tyler stopped the car at an intersection, his breath catching in his throat. Houses and buildings gave way to the sight of the lake that the town took its name from. It was massive with crystal clear waters lapping against a nearby dock. Practically ringing the body of water were cherry blossoms, in full bloom. Reluctantly, as he felt he could just stare at the picturesque scene for hours, he turned right and headed up the main street. It was actually pretty quaint seeing all the little businesses he was passing by. He spotted a surprisingly large raccoon man in a green apron sweeping the sidewalk in front of a bakery. He spotted Tyler and smiled, giving a hearty wave, which the feline returned. As he drove on, in the direction of his upcoming interview, he once more couldn't believe his sudden stroke of luck. Having been looking down the barrel of homelessness, now here he was, in this idyllic little town, renting a room with the last of his dwindled savings, about to give his all to land a job at said town's local candy factory. Cresting a hill, he could see it, a large building built right next to the water, a giant water wheel turning in a river feeding into the lake. The building seemed to be made of brick, and was painted a bright cherry red. "Here goes nothing," Tyler muttered to himself, briefly checking to make sure his fur still looked brushed and presentable, and that his polo shirt and khakis were wrinkle free. Giving his reflection a nod, he continued on towards the unknown, feeling a burst of confidence bloom in his chest. Let me know what you guys think of the idea so far!

PFFT!

GAH! I've got so many to get back to!

I LOOOOOVE creepy stuff like that (and horror in general). Gotta get back to this one!

It could have a subconscious trigger!

This was a fun one for me too! It's fun to explore the backstories of others in the same boat as Tristan. It certainly helps put some things into perspective. And I think it will help him to relax some and let them shower him with some much needed tender loving care.

This one was lotsa fun to write!

Hello, readers! I am super-DUPER excited to bring to you the latest chapter! Tristan's story has become one that is just so close to my heart! GAH! I love the little grumpy winged little guy so much! I really hope that you like the latest chapter here! Please let me know what you think! Back to Basics (Chapter 8 ) by Panther Cub "... and we went back the next day. It turns out that a tree had fallen over and punched a hole through the roof. So I've been staying with Mia and Sally. I... uh... actually have been needing a little extra... help, and they've been really nice to not only let me stay with them, but also to give me that extra h-help." Tristan looked around at the adults-turned babies, several nodding with looks of understanding and sympathy. After Bill had introduced him and then offered Tristan the opportunity to tell his story, the winged kitten had felt nervous. He'd never actually put into words what all had happened, as he realized before opening his mouth. But then, with only the briefest of hesitation, it all came spilling out. Why he'd gotten the serum, the surprise regression, fighting to keep his job, trying desperately to be taken seriously, having to deal with Child Protective Services, meeting Mia, to coming to live with her and her wife. And as he spoke, it felt as though a weight had been lifted off his chest. "Sometimes... I get scared, though. That I might be enjoying all the attention and... care, a bit too much. I mean, I know physically, I'm a baby. But I'm still my adult self up here," he tapped his head, "so I want to be taken seriously, and maintain my autonomy. I guess I'm scared that if I just... enjoy being babied too much, I'll become one in mind as well as in body. Uh... thanks for listening..." Tristan jumped a little as everyone politely clapped. "Thank you for sharing, Tristan," Bill said with a warm smile. "And that is a very common concern for regressees like us. But I want you to know that there is nothing wrong with the way you feel. I know that it can be hard to accept, but it's true. It's not easy, no siree. It's definitely something I would recommend having a frank and open discussion with Mia and Sally about. I think that you'll find that letting go and letting yourself be vulnerable around those that care about you can be an emotionally fulfilling experience." Tristan seemed to mull the words over in his head as he thought this over. Bill looked around the room. "Would anyone like to go next?" Tristan let out an OOF as he suddenly felt a weight on his shoulders pushing him down. Looking a little to his left, he saw that Terra was standing on the top of her chair, leaning over onto his shoulders for stability, her little paw waving in the air as she grunted. "Okay, I think Terra wants to go!" Bill chuckled as the bunny girl cheered and hopped back down into her seat. "You all know me, Terra Burrower! Three time recipient of the Realtor of the Year Award, and fairy princess extraordinaire! I had been hitting a bit of a slump, both in sales and in my marriage. So when the serum came out, I was just so darn excited! A youthful and pretty face always helps in sales, and I thought I could surprise my dear Thomas with a 'younger woman'... not that he actually noticed. Always going out on business trips." Terra began to play with the hem of her tutu. "So it had been a good month of being back in my twenties, and I was showing off a particularly frustrating house to sell. It was a nice property, just a bit on the cozy side, if you catch my drift. Anyways, I was showing it off to this sweet expecting couple when I started to... regress past my selected age of twenty-two. I remember trying not to lose my composure as my blazer and blouse started to feel a bit loose on my person. Heh... I actually remember chalking it up to a new diet and exercise routine I'd started, wanting to keep my body as young looking and healthy as possible. I led them all the way to the kitchen before I fell over in a pile of my clothes." Terra's thumb snuck its way into her muzzle and she began to suck on it, visibly becoming more calm compared to her previous bouncing self. "Mr. and Mrs. Cooper were both very helpful and not only called an ambulance, but even left a message both at my office and at my home. I remember feeling pretty surprised that Tom, my husband, hadn't picked up, as he was usually home around that time. But then I kinda... wet my expensive blouse and started crying. Mrs. Cooper had her husband run out to the car to get some of the supplies they had gotten and, well, she cleaned me up... and then put me in a diaper..." Terra crossed her arms and huffed. "I had half a mind to tell her off right then and there, but she then picked me up and rocked me while humming a lullaby and, well, I guess I musta needed a little bit of a power nap. 'Cause next thing I know, Miles is there, and I'm in his arms, still wearing nothing but a diaper!" Terra let out a growl at that. "Miles... my most hated rival! He had the gall to be a newbie as a real estate agent and show me up twice! Both with listings that sold for more than ones I had sold at the time! GAH! He thought he could try and come after MY award? Nu-uh! And he was always so underpawed about it! Every day at the office he would have that friendly smile on his muzzle and ask me how things were going, acting like he was genuinely curious! But I knew that he was a cunning hunter putting on a facade! Trying to get in my head and psych me out!" - - - Out in the parent group, Miles was showing off some more pictures of Terra and Caroline, these ones clearly taken at a playground. "I always thought she was pretty cute, even before she regressed. Back when I started at the firm, I always got the feeling that she couldn't wait to see me each day. She was always staring straight at my desk first thing when she'd enter. And she always made a point of saying hi to me first. There wasn't anything romantic about it, considering how much her husband Tom meant to her. Still, I just got the impression that she could really use a friend, so I always went out of my way to try and be a friend for her. So when I played the message left at the office, I rushed right on down." - - - "After I woke up in his arms, I went right back into Real Estate Mode, and sold the house right then and there to the Coopers! HA!" Terra then started to blush and turned to look away. "Of course, with that done and the ink dried on the papers, that still left me to deal with the fact that I was a baby again... and only wearing a diaper. Miles... I didn't know he had any experience with children or that he even had a carseat set up in his minivan. He offered to give me a ride home and even checked a diaperbag he'd forgotten was in the back seat for something for me to wear. All he found was a pink t-shirt that only covered my diaper a little. So yeah, that was a humiliating drive over to my home. I had to put up with him chatting me up and checking on me in the rearview mirror all the way there. He'd even offered me some toys to play with in case I was bored! Can you believe the nerve of him?!" Terra was standing on her seat now and stomped her foot in frustration. "So, anyway, I tried calling Tommy a few more times, and it just kept going to voicemail, so I figured he'd let his phone battery die or something. We pulled up, and despite me saying I can walk just fine, Miles carried me up in his big strong arms! He even checked my diaper to see if I needed a change! Ugh! So, yeah, we got to the front door and as Miles rang the bell, I started to notice that there were a few boxes sitting out on the lawn next to a You-Move-It truck. There were also some pieces of furniture, stuff I remembered picking out for us over the years, like my vanity, and one of the boxes was open to reveal some of my clothes tucked away inside. I thought this was strange, but when Tom opened the door, shirtless and with his fur all mussed up, and next to him was a... another bunny gal... someone who looked half my... half my as of then previous age." Terra wiped at her eyes and looked down. Tristan felt a pang of sympathy for the little bunny... before he felt a sudden weight on his lap that caused him to let out and OOMPH! He looked down to see Caroline leaning over him to pull Terra into a hug. "So it was quite the surprising shouting match right there out on the lawn. Tom had been wanting to get all my things packed up onto the truck when he and his new fiance decided to... have a little fun. Then I show up as a baby, screaming and trying to claw his face. Miles looked really shocked about it all, which was when the bimbo let out an ear-piercing SQUEA and snatched me from his arms." Terra looked like she had just bit into a lemon. "She honestly suggested that this was the best possible outcome. This way, I wouldn't have to move, and she and Tommy could get started on that family he'd promised her they'd start having. She then held me up and asked me what I thought about her becoming my new Mommy..." Tristan's jaw was hanging open at the thought of someone being that dense. - - - "Not only does she have a set of lungs on her for a toddler, but apparently a mean right hook!" Miles exclaimed to the stunned Mia and Sally. Neither one could believe someone could possibly be that dense. "I actually had to catch Terra because the lady dropped her as her eyes rolled back in her head!" Miles then frowned. "That's when her husband started yelling at her. I mean, intellectually, I know she's an adult in a baby body, but at that moment, seeing this dirtbag actually scream at her, making Terra start to curl up in my arms in fear... I'm not proud of what I did, but no one treats either of my little girls like that." - - - "Miles loomed over Tom, who immediately shut up. I guess he must've thought I was scared by that jackass yelling at me about the prenup I signed and how I was no longer the girl he married, and now I'm a pants-filling baby... Terra was smiling a little now, still being embraced by Caroline who was still practically laying on top of Tristan to do so. "And he very calmly and quietly told Tom to shut it and to expect to hear from my lawyer. Tom actually tripped over his new floozy running back inside!" Terra resumed frowning and let out a sigh. "So yeah, here I was, tiny and in need of a lot of help, now effectively homeless, sitting in Miles' arms in his car, totally not crying my eyes out as he hugged me and rubbed my back. He then started asking me about any family or friends I could stay with, and unfortunately, I didn't have anyone. So he offered to let me stay with him and his sister Caroline. I... reluctantly agreed, and after a bit of an adjustment period, I decided to take Miles, my former rival and still newbie Real Estate Agent under my wing as my protege. I still work on commission at my firm with him as my assistant, mainly diaper changer, and I've been using my newfound adorableness to help in both sales and haggling." "Thanks for sharing, Terra," Bill said with a chuckle, starting a clap that the rest of the group followed suit with. "Now would anyone else like to share their own stories before we move on to new business?" The little rhino looked around the room, spotting Meggy handing out bottles and binkies while holding up a hoof-hand in excitement. Chuckling and not seeing anyone else raising a paw, he nodded to the sheep girl. "Alright, Meggy! It's been awhile since you told your own story!" "Thank you, Billy," Meggy said, continuing going about the group and seeing to their needs. "I had just celebrated my ninety-sixth birthday the month prior to my taking the regression serum." Tristan was startled by that. While curious about the sheep's story, her or anyone here being that old never once crossed his mind. "I had a lovely birthday party with my oldest granddaughter, Leslie, whom I'm now currently staying with." - - - "Heh, so yeah, I'm now looking after my grandma who's ninety-six going on eleven-ish," Leslie said. Mia had thought that the sheep woman had looked a bit young. She had estimated the girl was somewhere in her mid-twenties. She was currently wearing a black tank-stop that contrasted with her stark white wool, and a pair of short jean shorts. "A bit of a shock for the whole family... and I'll admit, it wasn't the thought that had crossed my mind when my phone started ringing in the middle of the night from my brother, calling about Gam-Gam. But this is far from the first time she's shocked us. Heck, for her birthday she went skydiving... and told us via a video that she filmed just as she was jumping out of the plane!" Leslie chuckled at that, though Sally caught the wistful smile on the girl's lips. "She'd always said things had been so... difficult for her growing up, that she wanted to take any and every opportunity while she still had the chance to really live. That's... actually something I've always loved and respected about her. So yeah, even though I'm in college, thankfully I got me a full-ride scholarship; I wanted to be there for her during this... I guess we can call it a new phase of life. It's not always easy, because while she's not as little as the rest of her friends in the group... there are still some things she can't do, at least not yet! Not until she gets a bit bigger." Mia and Sally shared a knowing look, both being reminded of some difficult conversations that they knew they were going to have to have with a certain little winged kitten. They both looked over to where Amy was entranced by the Growlaga game she was playing right next to them, a stack of tickets next to her almost as big as she was, courtesy of the skii-ball game. - - - "Growing up, my mother was always obsessed with out family's public image, and making sure that I grew up as a prim and proper young lady. Now, as most of the girls in the group here can attest, I do enjoy the occasional tea party and wearing pretty dresses and the like. But you have to understand that it was stifling. A proper young lady does not raise her voice or shriek in excitement. She does not run around jumping in leaves or mud puddles or both. She does not work with her hands unless it's to knit or make a needlepoint or to cook or... well, you get the picture." Tristan listened and watched how Meggy's ears drooped as she spoke, her demeanor becoming more subdued as she recalled clearly difficult memories. "All around me, the world was changing, but I felt like I was removed from it, stuck... no, trapped, in a place and time my mother seemed desperate to preserve at all costs. It wasn't until I was sixteen that I had finally had enough. My mother and I had a terrible fight, and we both said some very harsh words. But as much as it stung, I pushed forward, and finally broke free. In the middle of the night, I snuck out with what few belongings I had, and left. It was hard at first... and even downright terrifying, especially sleeping out at night without a tent. But as scared and alone as I felt, I still remember seeing the stars, and I do mean REALLY seeing them, right above me on that moonless night. Goodness, I could've caught pneumonia, but I didn't care... because I was finally free." Meggy did a twirl causing her cream-colored blouse's hem to raise a little, and Tristan's eyes went a little wide as he saw what was clearly the waistband of a diaper, possibly Pawpers. Having seen it, only now was Tristan able to spot the telltale diaper bulge around Meggy's waist. "I moved from place to place, apprenticing and learning different skills along the way. One of my favorites was working in an auto garage. The owner, a rather crotchety old warthog, hadn't been too happy about me answering his want-ad, but seeing as he had no other takers, he took me on as an apprentice and taught me how to be a mechanic. There's nothing quite like fixing up an old rust-bucket and hearing that engine purr like a kitten." She reached over with a hoof and began to rub Tristan's headfur, causing him to let out a purr. "It was when I was working at a butcher shop, however, that I met the man who would become the love of my life, Sven! Mother would never have approved of me dating anyone she hadn't personally vetted, specifically for status, and in no way would she have ever let me near a wolf. Yet there we were, two young fools. I know it sounds cliche, but the moment our eyes met, it was love at first sight. And to think, there I was splattered with blood on my apron, and there was Sven, all dashing even with the large black eye and his fur still smouldering a little... oh dear, I'm so sorry dearies, I seem to have gotten a bit sidetracked!" Meggy gave a nervous bleat and rubbed the back of her neck while blushing. Bill smiled and waved a dismissing hand. "Don't worry about it, Meggy. Please continue." "Right, so anyways, after my most recent birthday, I started thinking about my life and all the wonderful things I've been able to see and do... and I came to a realization that... I still wanted to see and do so much more! But time has a funny way of running out on you, and I knew I didn't exactly have a good portion of it left. Then I heard about the regression serum, saw how it worked on those cute little singing tots, and it got me to thinking. I didn't want to be too greedy, so I figured going back about forty or so years, back into my fifties, would be a reasonable age. Of course, as you all experienced, I had myself a bit of an allergic reaction, and snapped back to being a young girl... with some additional complications." She blushed and pointed to her waist. "The doctors believe my lack of... control there is a result of, ironically, not regressing all the way back to babyhood. As it stands, the muscles in charge of controlling things there are... a tad stunted. But... be that as it may, I think that it's a small price to pay to get to be young again!" Tristan was a little surprised by the sudden enthusiasm. "For me, this is just one big do-over, just with the knowledge and experiences of my life up until now to go with it! Plus, I've got my loving family, friends, fun new styles to try out, games and the interwebs, and Leslie is even letting me run my own babysitting business, as most of you know." Meggy giggled while a number of regressee's faces blushed. "I've gotten to see so much already, I just can't wait to see what comes next!" She did another twirl and ended with a little bow, prompting the group to clap. Tristan found himself clapping along, amazed at the sheep's positive outlook. He continued to ponder this as the arctic vixen volunteered to go next, taking a moment to smooth out her dress. "Hello again. Sorry about missing last week's meeting, but you know how it is with photoshoots." She didn't seem to notice the number of blank looks and rolling eyes and continued on. "I'm Veronica Snow, and I've been a professional model for the last twenty years. I won't say what my actual age is, but let's go ahead and agree that it's not in the low single-digits." She chuckled at her own joke, clearly on a roll. "I've appeared in commercials for some of the finest perfumes, on billboards next to the most exotic and elegant of cars, and modeled all manner of outfits and designs." She frowned as her tail began to tuck itself between her legs. "Of course, everyone knows that every model, no matter how naturally gorgeous they are, has an expiration date. And, well, I'd reached mine. Job offers began trickling in when they should have been flooding in, shoots started getting delayed and even outright cancelled at the last minute, and in the ones I was able to work, it was always to help introduce some NEW talent, eugh!" Veronica sighed. "So yeah, I didn't take much convincing when the serum became available. You can never be too young or too thin... that's what they say. Well, after I had my own allergic reaction... I found out that half of that was a lie. At least when it comes to the jobs I used to do. Now I'm stuck doing... diaper commercials and my photoshoots are for ads for baby products... Still, my manager has been a pretty solid teammate, even letting me stay with her while I apartement-hunt, which is not easy when the rentor finds out that they're talking to a toddler, regressee with money or not. Of course, while I need some assistance, we've been maintaining a working relationship. - - - "And here she is, asleep in the laundry hamper!" The motherly she-wolf in the mom-jeans said with a heavy wag of her fluffy tail. Sally looked at the offered phone screen to see a little arctic vixen asleep in a hamper, only dressed in a diaper. "I've always thought of Veronica like a daughter, and now I get the chance to be an actual mommy to her! I know she still wishes she was big, but I plan on making this new childhood of hers a fun one filled with love and so many cuddles!" "Well, she certainly seems like a real cutie," Sally smiled, happily exchanging numbers for yet another potential playdate playmate. Mia had been so excited to show how many they'd gotten already. The parent... or rather, caretaker group had been so welcoming to her and her wife that everyone was in a rush to add them to their contacts and vice versa. She looked over to where Mia and Amy were. The cub was sitting on the older panthress' shoulders at the ticket exchange, excitedly pointing at one of the prizes to the amused teenaged jackal behind the counter. "I will say that Veronica certainly had herself a bit of an adjustment period to get through. Did your little guy go through one as well?" Sally was snapped back to her conversation and quickly nodded. "We and Tristan are kinda collectively going through an adjustment period still. I mean, I'm just so proud of how far he's come as it is. He's started opening up to us, let himself begin to relax and even let Mia and I start doing things for him. Of course, we still try to be as respectful of his wishes as we can. It can really be a bit of a balancing act." The she-wolf, whom Sally had learned was named Heather, nodded emphatically. "Oh my goodness, yes! It broke my heart seeing Veronica struggle with basic everyday things, and I wanted to just jump in and start helping left and right, but I still tried my best to respect her decision to handle certain things herself. Unfortunately, that nasty rash she got, as well as the, uhm, well, no longer usable states of a couple of her favorite outfits was finally what it took to convince her to let me handle diaper changes and bathing." - - - "Thanks again, Veronica, for sharing!" Bill said to the slightly muted claps he got that the vixen was more than happy to bow to. "Would anyone else like to go today?" He looked around and saw that no one was raising a hand. If anything, everyone was starting to look fidgety in their seats. He smiled, a feeling of excitement growing in his belly. "Alright, it looks like we can move on to the next segment of today's meeting... having a blast in the arcade! Let's go!" There was a collective cheer of childish voices as all the tykes bolted from their seats, heading towards the door. Tristan found himself being dragged along by Caroline and Terra, who were each holding one of his paws. "W-wait! Caroline, I never got to hear your story!" He called out, causing the little tigress to look over as Meggy opened the baby gate blocking the doorway, letting the regressees spill out in little groups. much to the amusement of those at the caretaker section looking on. The tigress simply turned and gave him a wink. "I'll tell it to ya, sometime, Twinkletoes! Now c'mon! They have the wild west shooting gallery set up!" "Then after that we can try the Prance-Prance Evolution game, right?" Terra asked. The trio came to a sudden halt, which caused Tristan to stumble and bump into Caroline's back. He looked up, a little confused, to see Mia setting Amy down right next to him. Amy had her arms behind her back and a wide smile on her face. "Hi, Tristie! I got something super special for when you got done at your secret baby meeting!" Tristan sighed and got ready to explain, once again, he was not a baby, when he found a bright purple stuffed shark pushed into his face. Caroline and Terra let go of his paws just in time for him to wrap them around the stuffie. It had a large goofy smile with a tongue sticking out and was about as big as he was. It was also very, very soft. He knew that in places like this, prizes always tended to cost many more tickets the bigger they were. "You got him for me?" Tristan asked, touched as Amy pulled him into a tight hug. "Of course! You're the bestest baby brother I coulda ever asked for! Plus, as the big sister, it's my job to make sure you're having fun!" Caroline and Terra and Mia were all cooing at the sight, and Tristan's ears twitched at the sound he recognized as being when a phone was taking pictures. But he didn't care. His eyes watered and he quickly returned the hug, crushing the shark between himself and Amy. "You're a great big sister," he said. It was fun to explore some of the backstories of Tristan's new friend group! I might go ahead and make one-offs about each of them one day! Anyways, thanks for reading! Tune in next time for more cute winged kitten adventures!

Pfft!

Glad someone got the reference!

PFFT! I was wondering if anyone was gunna get the reference!