FatherFish

(An older story, originally written for Valentine's Day.) ----------------------------------------- Buzz trekked through the dungeon; his wits were as sharp as the claws he sheathed, and twice as tough. The brave Luxray was stalwart, not letting his guard down for a moment. He knew that what awaited him on the final floor would be a treasure of the ages. After an arduous journey, he finally found a stairwell leading down to the next level. Soon his adventure would be over, and Buzz would be rewarded handsomely. He could hardly wait. As he came to the bottom of the stairwell, Buzz immediately realized he was in the lair of his greatest challenge yet. Scenic candles decorated the walls around him. The lights were low, perfectly capturing the atmosphere. There, at the edge of her bedchambers, sat the master of this domain. “BWAHAHAHA!” cackled Queen Venus. The Serperior before him was as wicked as she was beautiful. Her eyes were keenly locked on the daring intruder. “Welcome, intrepid adventurer. I see you have bested my dungeon.” The serpent villainess flicked her tail with a thunderous crack. “But your efforts will be for naught. You have no hope of escaping from here!” The Luxray took a brave stance, sizing up the snake Pokémon. “I beg to differ. Try to mystify me if you must, but I, Buzz the Luxray, will best you in combat and leave this dungeon.” Venus let out another thunderous cackle. “Ha! I see you are as confident as you are cute.” Twin vines sprouted from Venus’s back, her gaze sharpening. “But such lavish words won’t work on me. I am a lady of action. And you…” Within an instant, one of the vines snared around Buzz’s hindlegs. Venus pulled the vine back, quickly confounding the Luxray, sending Buzz falling onto his back. “…You are out of your league, little one!” Buzz cried out in protest. “Curses! You fiend! How could I be defeated so easily?” The queen didn’t answer his question. She instead chose to bat her eyelashes, feeling cocky. “Now you know what happens to those who challenge Queen Venus.” The queen rubbed a vine around the edges of Buzz’s cheeks. “But worry not. I will not let a specimen as dashing as you go to waste. Every story deserves a happy ending, after all. As a reward for being the cutest warrior to brave my dungeon…” From behind, the villain pulled out a package of the most unthinkable, most devilish, the cruelest item imaginable. The cursed items would no doubt be used to seal the adventurer’s fate for all of time. Buzz gasped loudly, dumbfounded by the package before him. “You can’t possibly mean!?” “You, precious adventurer, get to be my baby for all time!” She bellowed, tearing open a fresh package of extra thick diapers. “Prepare for your padded prison!” “Wow,” Buzz thought to himself, Venus is really getting into this. I was worried she was going to freeze up, but it looks like she’s really enjoying herself.” Buzz was laid splayed out, at the mercy of his captor. He brought his paws up in a desperate attempt to shield himself from this wicked villainess. “Noooooo! What a cruel twist of fate! It appears that even an adventurer of my caliber is no match for the majesty of the radiant Queen Venus.” Venus blinked, a blush rising on her cheeks. “I, um…” Her voice squeaked, Buzz’s words pulling her out of character. If she was an evil mastermind, she would have already been swooned by this dashing Pokémon ten times over. “Focus, Venus!” she thought to herself “It’s only part of the game. You know how much Buzz loves to flirt.” Venus shook her head, and she was back to her evil ways, “That’s right. Now you know the fate of those who cross me.” With that, Venus’s vines got to work. One shot out and swiftly coiled around Buzz, keeping him nice and snug. With another, Venus ripped open the package of diapers. She pulled one out, revealing its adorable design. The diaper was white with pink accents around the edges. Spread around the diaper, there were designs of ribbons and lollipops. The size was marvelous. The diaper was big enough to fit a Charizard, let alone a Luxray. His prideful stride would soon be reduced to an adorable waddle. The queen had spared no expense for him. “I hope you’re ready, little one. See this cushy pamper? It’s about to take permanent residence on your hindquarters.” Venus lifted Buzz’s legs, setting them back down directly onto the surface of an open diaper. “That’s right. Lie back, powerless to stop me.” The other vine fished behind the bed, revealing another item, another foul tool of torment. A full shaker of baby powder! “No! You can’t!” The adventurer whined, “Those flowery scents will clash with my heroic aroma.” Buzz put up a struggle—not faking, most certainly using all his might—and try to break free. Venus hugged him tight, not daring to let go of her precious little hero. Buzz soon gave up on his struggle for freedom. There was nothing he could do, except sit back and wait. “The only aroma you’ll have is that of a helpless cub.” The villain knew no mercy. Venus turned the shaker open, and soon the former hero was engulfed in a smokescreen of lavender and chamomile scents. After she had felt he was sufficiently powdered, Venus discarded the shaker, and began to work the vines on the diaper tapes. Buzz’s heartrate was rising, his body hot with anticipation. “No, please! Anything but that. I don’t want to be a baby!” Venus had no time for protests. “It’s too late for that now. I believe, in time, you will learn to love being my precious little one.” There was a pause from the villain, still working on Buzz’s impending diapered fate. “Now accept this—wait, no. Maybe like this…? Dang it.” “…Venus?” “Ugh! Stun seed!” Venus cried out in frustration. “I call stun seed!” Stun seed was the safe word the two had agreed upon. Buzz was surprised to hear Venus say it first, especially when their night was going so well. “Venus, is something the matter?” Venus grumbled, her cheeks puffing up. “It’s these stupid tapes. They won’t stick.” Try as she might, Venus struggled to close the diaper properly. Her lack of experience was showing, as the grip of her vines continued to slide off the slick surface. “Hey, it’s okay.” Buzz held one of Venus’ vines in his paw. “You want me to do this part? I have a lot more experience with this stuff.” Taping a diaper onto oneself was not usually something to boast about, but Buzz felt the need to lighten the mood. Venus shook her head. “That’s not how the story goes. The wicked queen of the dungeon—that’s me—is supposed to trap the cocky explorer—that’s you—in diapers and baby you. But the story doesn’t work if she can’t even put the diaper on.” Buzz tapped his chin, trying to brainstorm a solution. Venus was nothing if not dedicated. She truly cared about not compromising her role. “Well, maybe the explorer diapers himself this time? Maybe the queen orders him to, and he complies out of fear.” Venus paused, updating the story details in her mind. Would that be true for her character? This roleplay needed a rewrite. “I guess,” She huffed, “Sorry. This is our first time together. I just want everything to be perfect.” “This isn’t our first time together.” “You know what I mean. This is our first time doing it,” She waved a vine, gesturing to the room at large. “Like this. The roleplaying, the acting…the diapers. I know how much this means to you.” It was true that this was a departure from their usual date nights. It took a long time for Buzz to open up about his particular taste. Still, there was no one else he would rather share this experience with than Venus. He could never have imagined they would be indulging in this fantasy together. He couldn’t have asked for a better partner. Buzz hopped onto the bed, looking his partner into her eyes. “First of all, you’re what is important to me. Nothing means more to me than your happiness.” “Buzz…” “Secondly, I don’t care if we get things wrong the first time. You have already done an amazing job so far. We have all the time in the world to get it right. I’m not going anywhere.” “Really?” The kind words filled Venus with relief. “Did you like my decorations? The ones in the living room?" “Of course, my darling. The dungeon was an excellent touch. I thought the sticky notes with the skull drawings were very intimidating. I was almost afraid to come downstairs.” Buzz said, smirking. Venus chuckled, “Okay, okay. But can you do something for me first?” “Yes?” “Can we take you off the bed? You’re going to get powder everywhere.” Buzz looked down at the mess he had made. Some of the powder sprinkled onto him had landed on the bedsheets. “I’ll shake this out later.” He answered bashfully. “First time mistakes, and all that, right?” “Hehe. This is why babies should stay in their diapers.” She lifted Buzz up by the armpits, setting him back down on the open diaper. “I know. How about you talk me through it, so I know what to do for next time?” Buzz nodded. He tried his best to inform his girlfriend of the proper technique for taping a diaper. It took a fair bit of trial and error, with the couple having to resort to starting over, using a new diaper. Eventually, with enough coaching and practice, the process was complete. Venus laid Buzz on his back, as he rested over the padding. She sprinkled a liberal amount of baby powder on, before rubbing it in. The tapes were pulled over, one by one, closing the diaper around her boyfriend’s waist. “Done!” Venus exclaimed! “How’s that for a diaper change?” Venus couldn’t help but feel accomplished. She was not going to let something as silly as a diaper ruin their evening. “There we go.” He pawed at the front and inspected his girlfriend’s handiwork. “Nice fit. It’s not loose or too tight. You did very well.” Buzz took a few cursory, waddling steps. He stretched his legs, sat up and down on his padded rear. According to his evaluation, the padding had no chance of coming off prematurely. Their playtime could continue without interruption. For Venus, seeing her boyfriend of so many years taped up in a diaper was a sight to behold. She had plenty of time to mentally prepare for tonight, to absorb the mindset. Venus wanted nothing more than to be supportive of her partner, knowing exactly how much this meant to him. Venus looked down at Buzz, still inspecting her handiwork, and smiled. The way his hindlegs splayed out to the side. The way his gait was spread out. She was happy Buzz decided to confide this secret with her. Because the end result was so unbelievably cute. Diapers or not, Buzz was still her love. To think that he had ended up with her. Her! A lion and a snake! She had found someone to love, in him, and it felt good. Amazing. She had been saving up a lifetime of love and could think of no one better to spend it on. No one but her Buzz. Her dashing, daring, caring Buzz. Handsome, stoic, brave and heroic. What a feeling, to be in love. She knew it was out there for her. She never stopped believing. She had finally found it and could not be happier. “Venus? You still there?” “Ah!” Venus yelped. She shook her head, having let her mind wander in such a dreamy direction. “Sorry, sorry! Ahem.” Venus straightened her posture back up. “I’m ready to return to the scene, if you are, honey.” “Please continue, my queen.” “Gosh, he is such a little smooth talker.” And so, the story continues. The queen sneered at the helpless hero, still wrapped in her vines. “Much better. Now, it’s time to put those claws of yours away. I would not want my precious cub to cut himself by accident.” The queen then unveiled her next item of doom. A set of pastel blue booties, with white paw prints on the bottoms, perfectly sized for the paws of a Luxray. One by one, four booties were pulled down and tied tight. The fallen hero gasped at his new attire. The cushy diaper taped onto his hindquarters. His paws trapped in a covering of fleece and wool. Everything spelled babyish doom for the explorer. The thought made his heart race. Buzz gulped, the scene being almost too much to bear. He had to retain his composure. “Y-you will not get away with this, Queen!” “Oh, but I already have, my mewling little kitten. And I do believe you have lost the right to call me by that title. From this day forth, you shall only refer to me by one name and one name alone. Mama!” Simply hearing Venus say such a thing caused a shudder to wring out through Buzz’s body. Venus’ words cut through his armor faster than any blade ever could. “This is really happening.” The diaper-clad lion Pokémon thought to himself. “I…I will do no such thing!” The queen remained ruthless. “How adorable. My cute little kitty thinks he has a choice in the matter. Do you still not understand? You have lost. This is my domain, and my word is law. If I decide to keep you as my cub, then that is how it shall stay. Understood?” Buzz was quivering in Venus’ grasp. “Please.” Buzz begged through sharp intakes of air. “I want to hear you say it. Call me by that name and seal your fate as my baby. You haven’t a choice. Say. It.” Buzz let out an unsteady purr. His face was drawing up a furrow and a zig-zag lip. He had never felt this way before. Buzz yelled out the first thing that came to mind. “Stun seed!” Venus blinked. “What?” Her demeanor flicked like a switch, returning to her regular self. She loosened the grip of her vines, setting Buzz back to ground level. “Oh. Oh, honey, did I get something wrong? I was only going with the flow.” Buzz shook his head. “No! No, my darling, you were amazing!” Buzz fell to his side. Flush in the face, he took sharp inhales and exhales. “I needed to catch my breath for a moment. It turns out that the real deal is much more intimate than I expected. It is no cause for concern.” Buzz sat up, his demeanor improving. “I must say, you play this role very well.” “Well, you knew I was an actress when you met me.” Venus smiled, feeling faltered. “I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t loving this role.” Buzz nodded. “I can see that. I need to try and keep pace with you. Admittedly, I was fumbling my lines back there. My apologies. I hope this isn’t ruining the night.” “Oh, hon, of course not. All that matters is that we get to have fun together. Really, all I need you to do is be your adorable self.” Venus pressed her tail against Buzz’s diaper, sending off a few crinkly, powdery pats. “And you pass that test with flying colors.” When Buzz finally calmed down, and reflected on the scene, he realized how wonderful tonight truly was. His Venus, whom he loved with all his heart. She had opened her heart to him, given him her everything. There was no struggle, no hardship. Where these things were once commonplace, all dashed away by her. She made the foreign concept a natural reaction. Loving was as easy for her to give as the time of day. Her love was never a luxury, but it was absolutely priceless. “Are you ready, Buzz?” she asked lovingly. “I’m ready, Venus” he answered truthfully. “That’s Mama to you, cutie.” And so, the story continues once more. Queen Venus still had the heroic Buzz in her clutches. Was this truly the fate of our hero? Doomed to be donned in diapers for all eternity? “Say it.” The queen demanded once more. “I will not stand for any disobedience in my domain. Especially not from a hapless cub. Go on now. Call me Mama.” Buzz sighed. “A warrior knows when he is beaten. I concede. You have bested me in combat swiftly and thoroughly. I failed to receive the treasure. You win, Mama.” “Buzz is going to love this” Venus thought to herself, grinning wide. “My, my. It seems that my little one still has much he does not understand. You speak of treasure, yet fail to see the mighty boon before you.” “I beg pardon?” Buzz asked, his voice uncertain. He could feel the heat rising in his chest once more. Venus smiled tenderly. She set her kitten down, only to make her next move easier. She slithered around the lion, before coiling him snugly. Not tightly, as to constrict. Rather, securely, as to hug. “I have bestowed upon you a gift with no price. The gift that countless souls have fought over, and will continue to fight over, for all of time.” “What gift is that, Mama?” The coil of a hug helped him feel less tense. The touch all around him. It gave him a sense of calm and ease he had never known before. “I gift you, my lovely Buzz,” Venus smooched Buzz on the forehead. “The gift of acceptance.” “What?” Buzz was left shocked by the answer. Stunned, in the truest form. He had a hunch about what she meant. What she understood. Yet, that promise sounded too good to be true. “I accept you,” Venus continued. “As my baby, for all of time. I accept the needs that you have. To be loved and cherished and cared for, like the most precious of jewels. I accept the feelings you have. Your fears, your joys, your doubts. Your Mama will always be there to comfort you in those times. And, more than anything, I accept your love. The sweet and innocent love that only a baby can show to his Mama. This is a wonderful treasure. Wouldn’t you agree, Buzz?” Buzz’s eyes became puffy, absorbing the full weight of Venus’ speech. His hunch was right on the money. “But.” His voice began to crack. “I am a warrior. I must be strong. I must fight.” “My baby does not have to do anything he does not want to.” Venus’ answer was quick and resolute. “As long as you are in my care, I shall shelve all your battles for you. I promise. All you need to do is accept me as your Mama, your protector. Your one and only.” “I…I…” The former warrior was driven to tears. All he could do was nod his head in response. The truth was that a lifetime of battle had left him worn and weary. He wanted a better life. An easier life. A life filled with love and compassion. If Venus offered him that, why would he refuse? “There, there, my precious little one. You need not cry. But, if crying is what you want, I will be here to dry those tears.” Venus held her blubbering baby in a tender cradle. She reclined, still holding Buzz, now partially with her vines. Venus’ tools were not those of destruction. They were those of healing, misunderstood. With that in mind, her methods were easy to understand. With her vines, she pulled out the next tool. Sloshing with cool milk, there was no miscommunication. “Would my baby like his bottle now? I know he has worked up an appetite, playing the hero for so long.” “Yes,” Buzz threw his hesitation to the wayside. He had already agreed to his Mama’s demands. There was no reason to falter now. He took the spirit of a warrior he honed over the years and aimed it towards this new path! “Yes, Mama!” He eagerly pawed for the large baby bottle, like a hungry newborn kitten. Mama answered his pleas, guiding the bottle into his mouth. The lair was soon filled with the sounds of cutesy, satisfied suckling. “Adorable. My baby is such a fast learner.” Venus smiled down as she fed Buzz. The lost kitten greedily sucked up the sweet cream like it was the greatest feast in history. Despite its size, the bottle was soon empty, and the former hero was left sucking up milk flavored air. “Ah-ah. No use drinking from an empty bottle.” The motherly snake pulled out the bottle, leaving the overgrown lion cub waiting in anticipation. “Here you go. This is much better than an empty baba. It even comes with a special flavor, just for my little one.” Venus pulled out a suitable replacement for the bottle; a pink pacifier, with the emblem of a berry on the shield. The queen’s kitten eagerly took to the pacifier, and all the sweetness that came with it. “Did you enjoy your baba, my dear?” she asked, idly brushing her baby’s fur. “Yush, Mama!” Buzz uttered between carefree suckles. The sweet flavors of Mago berries filled him with bliss. “Fank you, Mama!” “You are welcome, my precious buzzy bottoms. But there is something else you need to know about your mama.” The mother was not finished with her kitten yet. With her tail, she held a colorful noisemaker, the sight of which filled her child’s heart with glee. “She is also a rattle snake!” A game was played between the two. The queen snake dangled the rattle overhead, shaking it with a musical rhythm. She continued to play, because she loved her cub. She loved sharing this feeling. This warmth buried underneath a cold outer front. The lion cub laid on his back, pawing high up to the rattle just out of his reach. A pacifier in mouth. Cozy booties on his paws. A soft, crinkly diaper on his bottom. The lion felt more safe and secure than ever before. It was pure happiness. The kind of happiness the warrior lion did not have the privilege of knowing during childhood. Eventually the rattle was dropped to his level, the little lion playing with it to his heart’s content. He shook the rattle with his bootie-clad paws. He treated the rattle like it was the most interesting thing in the world, not letting it out of sight. He was like a predator batting around his prey. After some time, Buzz put his playing on pause. His face scrunched up in a look of concern. “I know that face. My little buzzy bottoms needs to go potty, doesn’t he?” Venus interjected, rubbing Buzz on his back. Buzz nodded shyly. “Yush, Mama.” He could feel the twinges in his bladder growing more demanding. He knew the terms of his agreement, yet still hesitated. “What did I say before? I accept you as my baby, all the way. If you use your diapers, believe that I will always be right there to change you. Mama isn’t going anywhere. I promise.” It was all the reassurance Buzz needed. He relaxed his bladder, and the bedroom filled with the sound of soft hissing. Buzz’s diaper warmed at the front, taking on a yellow hue. It was all a natural process. No judgement. No rejection. The large kitten still found himself tearing up. “Shhh. Everything is okay, my dear. You’ve done nothing wrong. Only as a baby should. Now, let Mama change you for naptime.” The next diaper change went over much smoother than the first. The soggy wet padding was discarded with no issue. After Buzz was wiped clean, a new diaper was pulled out to replace the first. Buzz’s bum was lifted and rested. Powder was applied, and tapes were pulled soundly together, leaving Venus satisfied with herself. The change did not end there. For naptime, Venus had prepared a onesie, which perfectly matched her baby’s booties. The cozy garb was pulled over his head, the soft blue onesie buttoned over his thick diaper. Buzz kicked his legs gleefully, happy to have a crisp and fresh diaper. “Well, don’t you look adorable? Are you ready for Mama to tuck you in?” The kitten shook his head. “No. Wanna stay with Mama.” He wrapped himself around part of her long body, holding her tight. Venus looked shocked by the sudden burst of affection. “Oh. You want to cuddle up with me tonight?” Buzz nodded. He held his mama tight, sharing with her his own warmth. “You really are a sweetheart.” Venus wrapped loosely around Buzz, until they were both comfortable. She laid back with Buzz, a tender position she had not shared with anyone else. “No one ever wants to cuddle with a snake. They run in fear and judge me without ever speaking a word to me. Yet, you chose to stay, despite my appearance. Rather, you chose to embrace me, like no other. You treasure me in the same way that I treasure you.” The pair stared into each other’s eyes, sharing this sweet, pure love together. “I love you, Mama Venus.” “And I love you, my sweet baby Buzz.” *** “Hey, settle down. You know I don’t really care about that stuff.” The couple was exiting the station after another successful mission. A troupe of Pokémon had been causing trouble, stealing goods from the market. Buzz and Venus managed to track them down, besting them in battle with ease. After the dust had cleared, and the criminals were apprehended, they had many choice words for the couple. Many of which were directed towards the snake Pokémon. Many of which were very crass in nature. “It bothers me, is all. They had no right to say such horrible things.” When the troupe was brought to the authorities, they were delivered extra chard, still buzzing from tampering with high levels of voltage. “So? Let them talk. I’ve been called every name in the book by now. I don’t need the approval from a couple of goons, anyway. Besides, those thugs are probably just salty that they ended up getting caught, and having their tails whooped.” “I suppose you are right. Sorry for getting so worked up over it, my darling.” “Hehe, you’re fine, honey. I’m always happy to have a big, strong, warrior come to my side.” “You say that like you’re a damsel in distress. Back in the dungeon, you were much crueler to those criminals than I was.” “Those creeps were trying to sneak attack my Buzz! It was like they were asking to get spanked! They can enjoy a set of sore backsides along with their jailtime.” “I knew they were coming either way… Still, I am blessed to have a loving partner watching my back. Especially one as beautiful and strong as you.” He turned, shooting Venus a wink and a smile. “Oh, stop it, you little charmer.” Venus cooed, kissing Buzz on the cheek. “Feeling good today? You’ve been acting much livelier recently.” “I suppose so. I’ve been feeling very relieved as of late. I have you to thank for that. You have changed as well. You’re being spritelier. More yourself.” “Well, what is the use of putting on airs? I don’t need to prove anything to anyone. And, of course, I have the love of my precious buzzy bot—” “Venus. Not right now.” “Aww, c’mon! I was only teasing. You don’t have to give me the scary face. Okay. I get the picture. Not while we are still out and about.” Buzz nodded. “The sun will be setting soon. We still need to run some errands. Pick up groceries. Review our missions for the week. However, if we still have time left after dinner, and we aren’t too tired…” “Playtime?” “If the queen is feeling up to it.” “Oho ho! But of course! The queen always has time to play with her favorite hero.” “Wonderful. I can’t wait to see what she has in store for him tonight.” The couple continued their day. They did their work. They enjoyed the time spent together. They were courteous to all they had met. However, when night fell, a familiar tale would play out in their home. A tale of a hero searching for treasure. A tale of a queen with a wonderful bounty. A tale of healing the wounds that life had scarred them with. A tale of love. A tale of acceptance. A tale of uncoiled affection.

(Inspired by works of alteredstates14, with permission. https://www.deviantart.com/alteredstates14) “How much longer are we going to stand for this injustice!? I’ll tell you how long—not one more day! We are not little girls! We are not toddlers! We are grown women! And not even our mothers can take that away from us!” The women’s resistance group had all rallied behind Eri’s speech. Why shouldn’t they? Their country’s legislation was getting completely out of hand. Every day, it seemed like there was a new law being passed, all for the sole purpose of putting them down. No drinking, or smoking. There was even a nationwide curfew for women under a certain age. It was like a prohibition on their adulthood. But that was only the tip of the iceberg. Projected on the screen behind Eri was a newspaper article, showing one of their country’s young women dressed to look like an oversized toddler. Some of the audience recognized the young woman in the photo as one of their former members, who had been noticeably absent during their recent meetings. The article itself was nothing short of slander. It reports woman under a certain age will be mandated in the future to have their maturity officially tested. From doctor’s offices to government buildings, no place would be safe for them. The group knew they needed to mobilize their protest soon before more people got caught up in this ridiculousness. Eri banged her fist on the podium. “We are eighteen years old, not eighteen months! Pampers and playdates are parts of our past, not our future! I refuse to let these ridiculous laws turn that around!” The crowd of young women cheered, echoing Eri’s sentiments. They agreed to take their protest to the streets soon. In these trying and political times, the resistance meetings had become a beacon of hope for those attending. As today’s meeting came to a close, one young woman in attendance was feeling especially inspired. She had approached the group leader, Eri, at her podium while she was busy packing up. “That was an amazing speech you gave today,” said Hana. At her petite frame and short stature, Hana was the perfect target for the country’s propaganda. By the judging eyes of many, Hana didn’t look at all old enough to take care of herself. It was an unfortunate notion she found herself being reminded of frequently. “It needed to be said. I’m not going to let some new BS laws rule my life. These types of things don’t change unless someone speaks out against them. I refuse to have my voice be pacified by some pompous lawmaker.” Eri spoke with complete confidence. That was not a hint of doubt in her voice. Eri fully believed she was on the right side of history. It was that same sense of righteousness that struck Hana so deeply. Hana didn’t simply admire Eri. Her words were beacons of hope in these changing and confusing times. It was reassuring to hear someone echo her thoughts so brazenly. “To be honest, I was starting to have doubts myself.” Hana couldn’t muster up much courage and didn’t consider her turn of phrase nearly as compelling as Eri’s, so she decided to cut to the chase. “When I told my mother I wanted to study abroad, she nearly popped a gasket. All she would talk about is how I’m still too immature, or that I don’t know anything about the outside world.” Hana shuttered at the possibility of incurring her mother’s wrath. The thought alone made her uneasy. She shook her head, lifting herself back up. “But you’re right, Eri! I am an adult! I don’t need anyone’s permission to go out and see the world. This semester, I’m traveling overseas, whether she approves or not!” Just saying it aloud was like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She only wished would be around to join her friends when the protests took the streets. Eri nodded. “Hell yeah. That’s what I like to hear. That’s real progress at work. None of that baby propaganda they spout all day. You go for it, show your mama just how wrong she was about you.” Young women were finally gaining their independence back. And the mothers of this country would not be having it. It was clear a change had to be made. It was not clear how they found out about the meetings. Perhaps one of the young women had tattled to their mothers. Perhaps one of them had their clothing chipped the night before. Whatever the case, the parent soon formed together their meeting, to stop their children from plotting under their noses. One way or another, the resistance would fall. All the mothers in attendance promised to make sure of that. *** “Jun, could you come downstairs? There is something important I need to discuss with you.” Jun yawned and stretched, making a groggy descent downstairs. A year, and some change, of unemployment had made her used to waking and sleeping at odd hours of the day. She tried to be more organized, and more mature, like her friends had preached. The change proved a challenge to her, all the same. Deal with it tomorrow, she said. There was always tomorrow… “Yeah, mom? Did you need something?” As Jun climbed down the stairs, she could hear the voice of a familiar radio hostess entering through a clear signal. “…Yes, well that’s a great question. Thank you for calling us. I think oftentimes we, as parents, second guess our judgment the older our kids get. We’d like to think that their judgment improves with age, but that sometimes isn’t the case. To answer your question; no, you are not a monster. No, you are not out of line. No, there is nothing wrong with wanting to put your daughter back—” *CLICK* Her mother turned off the radio. A look of deep contemplation was etched on her face. She let out an exhausted sigh and resumed her work. She was folding laundry in the kitchen, nothing even turning or pausing to face her daughter. “Do I need something?” Mother’s tone was stiff. The casual question was shot back like a lethal round. “There isn’t anything you want to tell me?” “No…?” Jun’s voice trailed off thoughtfully. She tried to remember anything she had done recently to warrant such a reaction. Whatever she did, or did not do, she started feeling guilty. Mother was not budging. If anything, she looked more agitated, like her daughter was trying to hide something in plain sight. “You know how much I value honesty, Jun. I put up with your habits because I trust you will eventually grow out of them. And, that you will always be honest with me. I am going to give you one last chance. If there is anything you have been hiding from—anything—tell me now.” There was one thing she could think of, but that was… “Mother, please. I’m not hiding anything.” Mother didn’t respond. Not with words, at least. Instead, Mother decided to drop her retort on the kitchen table between them both. A laundry basket was overturned, and out spilled Jun’s discarded bedsheets. Mother slammed an open plan on the kitchen table. “So, you were never going to tell me about this? About how you’ve been hiding your wet sheets from me? You don’t even do your laundry, for goodness’ sake. I was going to find out soon enough.” Jun was floored. She was caught red-handed, sheet-soaked. She had gotten lazy, in this case, with her hiding, and was now paying the price for it. “I…ahh…” Jun wanted to say something, but the stained sheet said everything for her. Her voice failed her, delivering only weak gasps instead of clever lies. But before Jun could even fester up a retort, Mother sharply snapped back. “Don’t even try to lie your way out of this one. I know what bed-wetting looks like. This isn’t my first rodeo. At least when you were little, this sort of thing was expected. But now… Well, what matters now is we make changes for tonight.” Mother said, dropping a package on the table. The soft teal and white package featured a grinning young woman, who couldn’t have been any older than twenty, lifting her shirt, and flashing her underwear. Except, calling them underwear was giving them too much credit. The product she was promoting guaranteed easy checks, wetness indicators, and overnight protection. It was a package of Snuggles brand pull-ups. “These are what you will be wearing for the next few nights. I already have everything planned out, and I don’t want to hear another word. Snuggles brand has an entire regiment on their website for this sort of thing. I’ve been keeping up with the news, but I never would have thought that it would all be true.” Mother shook her head “Young women from this country are regressing, that much is true. I just never imagined it would happen under my roof. What is wrong with this generation? No matter. If this is what it takes for you to start acting right, then so be it.” Jun could feel tears welling up. Becoming like one of those diaper-clad girls on the street and the news was just what she was trying to avoid. Now she was being sent down the same slippery slope as them. “Shhh. It’s okay.” Mother came around the table, comforting her with a hug. “I know it feels like I’m being harsh, but this is for your benefit. I only want to protect you. Please trust me on this.” Trust or not, Jun did not have much of a choice. Her fate fell in the hands of her mother, like so many other women in their country. All the girl could hope was that this would end soon. “…Jun. Did you wet the bed this morning?” All the girl could do was sniffle and nod her head. After her daughter was dismissed and returned upstairs, Mother went back to her chores, her pace slowing. She still wasn’t sure if she had done the right thing. It was true that her daughter was one of the few reported to be attending the resistance meetings. It was hard to think of Jun as passionate about anything or having the motivation to start a great change. Whatever the case, she knew she had to keep her daughter safe. She wished she hadn’t had to resort to such tactics, like drugging her daughter’s dinners to jump-start the nighttime accidents. She was only doing it to keep her Jun safe. Just being caught going to one of those meetings was a serious crime punishable with jail time. If a few accidents were what it took, then so be it. When Jun realized the limits of her maturity, she would hopefully give up these resistance dreams. *** “…Baby? Are you up yet?” Mother creaked the door open ever so slightly, enough to hear a possible response. Still snoozing and snoring. Go figure. Her baby always was a heavy sleeper anyway. Still, the day had to start eventually. Mother tiptoed to her daughter’s bedside, illuminated only by the glow of the smiling night light. She pulled back the blanket and pulled up the waistband of the pink unicorn pajama bottoms. She stuck two curious fingers into the back of her girl’s nighttime underwear, giving Mother all the confirmation that she needed. Her baby was always a heavy wetter, too. A change could not wait, definitely not. Mother shook her daughter on the shoulder, whispering into her ear. “Wake up, dearie. It’s time to start the day.” And when that failed to raise her, Mother leaned in closer and said, “Come on, now. I know you’ll feel much better once we get you into some dry undies.” The persuasion must have worked. Not even a moment later, the daughter’s eyes popped open, and she was face to face with her grinning mother. “M-mother?!” “Rina!” “Mother!” Rina scurried back to the head of her bed frame, pulling her covers close. “P-please, stop doing that!” “Oh, calm down, Rina. You act like this is the first time I’ve woken you up for a diaper change. It’s not even the first one this week.” “M-mother! I asked you not to call them that!” Mother didn’t see anything wrong with her word choice. Diapers are what they were, after all. They were designed to catch accidents of those not mature enough to prevent them themselves. However, her girl was still insistent on pretending they were something else. It was cute. Even at her age, her daughter still got wrapped up in games of pretend. “Oh, pardon me. Your ‘protective undergarments’ need a change this morning. Now, I don’t suppose you plan on keeping them soggy all day, do you?” “No,” Rina replied with under grumble. Rina didn’t have the strength to argue this morning. She instead chose to lie back in her usual position, on top of her bed covers, while Mother got to work. “Pe-yew!” Mother said, pinching her nose and fanning the air. “When was the last time my girl bathed herself? Before we do anything today, we need to take a trip to the tubby-tub.” “Oh, come on now.” Rina wanted to scream into her pillow. She knew that needed protection during the night, which put her on the same level as a younger class. But did her mom need to make everything sound so infantile? “I’ll go take a shower myself, okay? Just leave me alone already…” “Rina.” “Like it or not, I am still your mother. Like it or not, you still live under my house, under my rules. And one of those rules is no back sass. Now, if that’s too much for you, I can exercise my right as your parent, and check you into a certain facility that excels at giving mouthy little girls an attitude adjustment. Is that what you want?” “That’s my girl.” “Now then. Starting today, Mother is going to bathe you, and I won’t hear another word about it. After all, how can I expect you to keep your little tushy clean if you can’t even walk it to the bathroom at night?” “Aww, don’t pout, sweetie. Mother will have you squeaky clean in no time.” For Rina, the words were no comfort. Neither was the act of being scrubbed down as a grown woman while sitting in a bath of lukewarm water. Still, that was what happened. “We’re going out today.” Mother confirmed. “It is fair too nice for you to stay cooped up inside all afternoon. Trust me, we’ll have a great time. Now, lift your arms sweet pea. There we go!” Her daughter sufficiently seen as squeaky clean, she was toweled off, and the pair returned to Rina’s bedroom. However, Rina soon found herself pushed back on top of her bedspread.” “Ah, ah, ah. We aren’t done yet. What kind of parent would I be if you didn’t replace your wet nappy with a fresh one?” It was at that point that Rina finally noticed her mother going for the package that now rested on her nightstand. The familiar pack of pull-ups was only meant to cover her nightly accidents. So why was her mother pulling out another one…? “But, you said I didn’t have to wear diapers during the day!” Rina yelled, sitting up in a panic. Mother’s hand came to her chest, pushing her back down. “Ah-ah. I’ve been paying attention to the news, young lady. New research shows that girls who wet the bed five nights or more in a row are twice as likely to have accidents during the day.” “That’s not fair! That stuff is all speculation! I haven’t even had an accident today!” Rina had to get her emotions under control. She knew these outbursts were not helping her case. How else was she supposed to put up a fight? “Well then, you should be more than happy to try and prove me wrong. I would be proud to have an outlier in her household. Until then, I am exercising my rights as your parent, and taking proper precautions.” Mother’s words were coated in sweetness, despite the sour look on her daughter’s face. Rina had no way to argue. Try as she might, she could not stop her mother from hiking the bulky pull-up legs. That also meant she had no way of stopping her mother from picking out her daytime outfit, a breezy sundress, and a pair of sandals. After all, why stop there? If she already decided how her daughter should bathe, she had enough sense to decide how her daughter should dress. And, after all, if she was in charge of bathing and dressing Rina, she should also be in charge of feeding her… “Mother, I told you can—urp!” Rina’s protest were being policed by spoonful after spoonful of plain oatmeal. She felt truly at her mother’s mercy during breakfast time. “Yes, yes. My big girl can do it all, I’m sure.” Mother replied, rolling her eyes. “But we don’t have time for you to wade through every single bite. I know how much you love your breakfast, but we have a schedule to adhere to.” Mother continued her feeding, smiling on the while. “Here you go, baby! Here comes the rest of your juicy-juice!” Mother shoved a sippy cup filled with amber liquid into her daughter’s mouth, not stopping until it began to drain. While breakfast was served, the radio was still on, filling in the family on the latest news story. A familiar radio hostess was live and laughing with her co-host, before returning to business. “In other news, COMFI has just previewed their latest line of summer wear for young women.” COMFI has been interviewing mothers across the country for notes and possible improvement. This year’s line promises better durability, more varieties of pastel colors, and adjustments to allow for easier diaper checks. These newest designs are the cutest! I know where I’m shopping for my niece’s birthday…” “Oh, that reminds me. We still need to seamstress soon. Those clothes I had mended should be ready now.” Mother thought aloud, the mention of easier checks lighting off mental fireworks. “We can swing by while we’re out today. Doesn’t that sound nice?” “Uhhh…bleh…” Rina was in no mood state right now. She was far too stuffed to put up a fight. She looked ready to fall straight to sleep in her car seat. All Mother could do was smile at her precious daughter. She simply couldn’t help herself! Sure, the circumstances that caused their relationship to shift so drastically were less than ideal. Resistance meetings were a big no-no in her household. She knew her Rina would never admit to such a secret. She knew just as well that she was so easy to read, and that she was more than ready to have another round of memories with her baby girl. This time, she was going you enjoy every second. “Tee-hee! I don’t even know why I bother asking.” Mother said ideally, whipping the food specks from her daughter’s mouth. It isn’t like you have a meeting to go to!” *** “Goodness, Mai. Will you stop fussing for one second?” Mai huffed and tugged her skirt down every few seconds. She had a hunch that her undergarments were peaking from under the skirt of her shortalls and did not want to give anyone a free show. Mother, please! You can’t be serious. You know I’m far too old the dress like this.” “How many times must I say this? There is nothing wrong with you having to wear a leash while we’re out. We already passed two other girls wearing them today. Besides, I can’t expect you not to wander off on your own.” Mother tugged the leash handle, causing her daughter to fumble forward. “Now stop dawdling. We’re losing daylight. You can grumble all you like, but it won’t change things.” Mother had no patience for Mai’s attitude. She was still steamed that her flesh and blood had been sneaking out to a resistance meeting, to plot heaven knows what. It was disgraceful. The face that was not willing to confess only boiled her more. Mai, on her end, was nearing her limits. She couldn’t wait for her friends to take to the streets and begin the protests. Soon enough, crap like this would be outlawed, and mothers like hers would be exposed for the tyrant they had become. The wait for that day was hell. Be she was strong enough to endure it. They finally stopped in front of a plain-looking storefront. Mother saw a nearby bench and decided to tie the handle of the baby leash to the bars, much to her daughter’s ire. “You wait here for a moment. Mother has to go inside and make a few reservations. Don’t go and try anything. Understand?” Mother commanded with a finger wag. She did not wait for her daughter to answer. She instead went to the store, leaving Mai alone with her thoughts. Tied to a park bench like a dog, Mai could only sit around and wait. She sulked, knowing that any passerby would see her as another helpless and immature girl. How bogus. How bogus and wrong and unfair and unjust. Call it what she liked. Mai was still stuck here. Soon enough. It would all change soon enough. Her attention was suddenly caught by a peculiar commercial playing on a set of TVs behind a glass window… We were there for her when this all started.” Glossy text over a white backdrop was how the commercial opened. Fade in, showing scenes of a mother playing with her baby daughter. Blissful music accompanied the pair as they went through the motions of life. “Now it’s time for her to go back.” The next set of scenes paralleled the first, with one key difference. Both the girl and the mother had been aged up considerably. The mother had aged fairly gracefully, with crow’s feet and spare gray hairs only noticeable by the keenest of eyes. Given a time gap of twenty years, the daughter was now college—age, a young woman. That didn’t change the fact that her overall aesthetic had not been updated. She was still crawling around her home without a care in the world. She was still being bottle-fed on the couch, cradled by her mother. And, for the purposes of promotion, she still had a pair of Snuggles diapers taped to her butt. A new scene was added, showing the woman asleep in her crib. Pacifier in her mouth, a nighttime Snuggles on her rear, the woman looked to be in complete. That was until a close-up of her face showed the woman grimacing, followed by a look of relief. Right in cue, Mother entered the nursery right on cue. A pat on her girl’s diaper, and a knowing grin, were the tell-tale signs of an upcoming change. The message was clear. “We know she’s not going anywhere. Neither are we.” This proved to be a perfect segway for the commercial to boast all the features the latest line of Snuggles would provide. Improved tape durability. Faster fading wetness indicators. Extra back lining for maximized rear support. The diaper promised to be the number one item for every young woman experiencing youth renewal. All the while sounds of coos, tapes scrunching, and diapers crinkling accompanied the soft music and vital information on screen. “SNUGGLES: GENERATIONS OF COMFORT” Mai’s blood ran cold. The commercial shook her to the core, all while being broadcast to homes across the country. She had no idea it had gotten so bad so fast. At this rate, would her friends even be able to make a difference? Her forehead was wet with sweat. Wet. Mai squealed, pawing at her diaper, realizing she had an accident during the commercial break. How had she not noticed!? Had a simple commercial made her that afraid? “Let’s go, Mai. It’s almost your lunchtime.” Mother said. Her eyebrows raised when she saw her Mai tug at her skirt, face beat red. “What’s the matter with you? Look, the park is right down the street. You are probably cranky because you didn’t eat enough at breakfast.” Mother was soon surprised to have her daughter so quiet for once. She did not fuss during the feeding, despite how crowded the park was that day. Still, Mother was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. “Yes, that’s right. No, that date is fine. For the price of shipping? What about the price of construction?” Mother was busy taking a phone, promising to play with her in the park after business was taken care of. Mai still needed time to digest her meal, after all. Any attempt Mai made to move was met with a swift pull of her lease. The repeat offenses were not doing her gut any favors. She could feel the tension growing. The urges grew and growled in her gut. She had to escape. The park restrooms were oh-so-close. “Mai!!!” Her mother howled, “You get back here this instant!!!” Mai stopped in her tracks, hunched over. Not because of her mother’s raging voice. It was the roaring in her bowels that she was too late to stop. The warm mess made its way to the backside of her diaper. Mother’s yells already turned all eyes on the young woman, currently in the middle of filling her pants. When the act was finished, Mai was on the ground, sobbing. “Well, do you feel better now?” Mother was already looming over the fallen young woman, diaper bag in tow. “It’s a good thing I didn’t change you when you wet earlier. That would have been a waste of a diaper. Now, come on. Let’s do something about that stinky bum of yours.” With no care for privacy, Mother changed the sobbing mess that was Mai right there in the middle of the park. The young Mai could not even produce words anymore. The only thing she had left was weak sobs to convey her shattered emotional state. “I swear, this is too much work. To think that my daughter would still be acting like a toddler in her twenties. You can’t be trusted to watch over yourself either. Today has sealed the deal for me. I think a long stay at Sunshine Bay is just what you need.” *** “Hello? I’m here for a pickup. My daughter is supposed to be released today.” The mother said, standing in front of the receptionist’s desk. She handed over her ID, already expecting the possible question “Which little cutie is yours?” In turn, the receptionist responded with an easy nod and a smile. She returned the ID, clacked away at her keyboard, and thumbed her clipboard at the schedule attached. A bright look of realization lit up her face when she saw who this lucky Mother was. “Ah-ha! You’re here for little Chie! She’s become quite the local success story around here. I think you are going to love her progress.” Smiling brightly the receptionist turned to the phone on her counter and began to dial away. “I’ll call up the doctor right now. You can go and take your seat over at the waiting area. While you wait, could you also sign this release form? Thank you.” The mother nodded and turned to the waiting area. Stiff metal chairs and white walls that dulled the senses. It made the entire area feel clinical. Why is it like this last time? Perhaps that was why Chie was so apprehensive in the past. It felt like only yesterday that she was sitting in this room with her girl next to her. She remembered the look on Chie’s face as the orderlies took her away. Back when she first checked Chie into Sunshine Bay. That look of shock, of horror. The way her yells instantly stopped when she crossed the double doors. That memory from ages ago, which felt just like yesterday. Everyone she spoke to agreed that she had done the right thing. When she researched online, the place had nothing but perfect reviews. Not a single parent had sent their child there, coming back unsatisfied. Her only regret was not visiting Chie during her stay. But even that choice was ultimately for the best, the mother believed. To think that her daughter was going to resistance meetings! She had to stop Chie before things got out of hand. That she wasn’t going to let her own child walk all over her. While she was busy with her paperwork, a TV was playing, suspended in the corner of the room. It looked to be a talk show, with all the hosts deep in political discussion… The woman in black opened. “Well, I think that this is an open-and-shut discussion. Mothers should be allowed to regress their daughters if they see fit.” “I concur.” Motioned the woman in red. “Statistics show that mothers with regressed daughters display better moods, have better health, and perform better financially. Furthermore, as the number of regressed daughters increases, there is an inverse growth in crime rates.” “Now, how do you think the government should be spending money towards this?” The woman in blue proposed. “They have already spent a lot of money, mainly from taxpayers, helping businesses and establishing facilities for regression treatments. It’s clear that they plan to support this lifestyle in our country for years to come.” “Can we have discussed the term ‘regressed’ for a moment?” The woman in green proposed. “I feel the word does not create a welcoming narrative and is often stigmatized. We need to be mindful of these things. Our girls aren’t going away anytime soon. We are doing everything to make sure of that We should be using terms that make the process feel more comfortable for them.” Black pressed Green, “What alternatives would you prefer?” Green answered. “I think the term ‘renewed’ and its associates are much more inviting. It is a ‘renewal’ process. It is not the end. It’s the ‘renewal’ of youth.” Blue agreed. “I quite like that. I think I saw that used recently. In a national report earlier this week.” Red mused. “We should have an official polling for mothers on what they find most appropriate.” Black nodded. She turned her attention to Green. “Now, your daughters have been going through youth renewal as well, correct?” Green answered, now looking very proud of herself. “Well, as you all know, I am a mother of two girls myself. They are both entering their second year of youth renewal and we as a family could not be any happier.” “That’s right. It’s very important early on that they know the process is completely natural, as well as non-negotiable.” “No, what do say about the claims that youth renewal causes long-term resentment?” “Resentment? No, I don’t believe so. There’s a reason the saying ‘mother knows best’ has stood the test of time. When your child is young, you must fight them on studying, doing chores, and going to bed on time. You do it because you know what is best for them. Convincing them that it’s time to go back to diapers, playtimes, and other fun things, is no different.” The women continued their one-sided debate. Their views and thoughts echoed across the entire country… She tried not to focus on the TV program, instead on the clipboard in her hands. While the ladies on the screen preached their piece, she had her paperwork to take care of. It was nothing worth noting. Simply require signatures to clear the facility of any possible legal backlash for what happens with her girl. Chie. She wondered if Chie would even want to her, after all this time. “Mommy!!” Bursting through the double doors like a bat out of hell, came a pure bundle of excitement. She was dressed appropriately for someone of her maturity. A pink shirt and blue denim overalls covered her body, with the skirt stopping short of her undergarments. Pink striped socks on her feet and bubble ties in her hair accessorize to further bring out her youthful side. She ran down the hallway—more of a waddle really, given the wide duck-like steps her padding forced her to take—her brightly colored sneakers lighting up every step of the way. “Oh-oh! Chie!?” She couldn’t remember the last time her daughter called her “Mommy.” She couldn’t even remember the last time her daughter hugged her. She could feel a burst of tender emotions bubbling up in her chest. She welcomed this return to form with open arms. She eagerly welcomed the idea of being “Mommy” again. “Yes, that’s right. Mommy’s here for you,” she said, wiping a tear from her eye. “Now, now, Chie. What did we say about running off?” The doctor strode past the double door and into the waiting room, approaching the family reunited. “I see you two have found each other. We told Chie she was going home this morning, and she has been a big bundle of energy ever since.” Mommy nodded. In truth, she could hardly remember the last time her daughter was excited about anything. Let alone seeing her. The thought alone melted her heart. “Well, I’m happy to see her as well!” Mommy hugged her daughter even tighter. “I hear that Chie was a good girl during her time here?” “Oh, yes. Chie got along famously with the other little patients. There was some trouble at first, but that’s to be expected. Nothing a few months at Sunshine Bay can’t fix.” From a white paper bag in her hand, the doctor pulled out an orange pill bottle. “Now, then. Chie will need to take two of these pills every morning. It’s only a nutritional supplement, to keep her healthy and regular.” “Regular?” “That’s right. Chie uses her diapers like clockwork. We already fed her lunch today. She’ll no doubt have a present ready for her mommy in an hour. Rest assured, she isn’t one to fuss over a change or a messy pair of Snuggles.” The doctor glanced at the girl, who was already dosing off in the cradle of her mother’s arms. “We packed your medication in the same bag. You’ll have to talk this over with your doctor, but the insurance will cover the refills.” “Medication? For me?” “Yes, that’s right. If I am reading your files correctly…” The doctor flipped through the binder, landing her pen on a page near the back. “You said in the past that you were interested in breastfeeding?” Mommy’s eyes lit up with the bright sparks of realization. “Oh! Oh, yes, of course!” She greedily snatched the medicine bag, clutching it like a priceless jewel. “Thank you so much, doctor!” Her voice peaked like she was on the verge of tears. “Oh, please, think nothing of it. Fixing families is what we do at Sunshine Bay! Just take one a day, and the lactation should start in a week. She’ll still need to eat solids, but a familiar treat will bring the two of you closer than ever.” Mommy and baby reunited, and the family left the waiting room, ready to start over. “They seemed so happy. Pickup days are my favorite.” The receptionist was still swooning over the heartwarming display. “With how well business is going, we’ll get to reactions like that all the time.” “I believe we’re planning on expanding soon. The number of parents turning in applications has been skyrocketing in the last few months. Still, I’m more than happy to do my part in getting our country on the right track.” The doctor and receptionist continued their small talk for a while before returning to work. All until the next pickup arrived. Business as usual for Sunshine Bay. “…Oh yes, of course! Little Mai is leaving us today. She’s one of our recent success stories. You’ll be happy to see the progress she has made. Why don’t you take a seat while I phone the doctor…” *** M-mother, please!” Hana squealed as her mother tugged by the arm through the clothing section of the mall. “I already said I was sorry! I promise I’ll do better next year!” Unfortunately for Hana, there wasn’t going to be a “next year.” Not if Mother had any say in the matter. And, given that their country’s laws had returned more power to the parents during Hana’s blunder of the semester, Mother most certainly did. Infinitely more than Hana. Enforcing her rights as a parent was exactly what she intended to do. “I’ve already made plans for next year, and none of them involve you running off to college. I don’t want to hear another word about it. “Here we are. We finally made it, despite all your squabbling.” Pink. Suffocatingly pink. Everywhere she glanced. It was as if the words “kawaii” and “adorbs” barfed all over the storefront. Design fit for Lolita cosplay hung on every rack. No self-respecting young lady to wear such designs willingly. But, that did not factor into the current arrangement. The pair went inside, one much more willing than the other. Mother pushed down on Hana’s shoulders, seating her on a fussy hot pink seat. “I have an outfit for you on layaway. Be a good girl for once, and don’t you go anywhere.” Mother said with a huff. Heels clacking, she strode off to the pickup desk. Hana was now left alone with her thoughts. Alone to think about her impending future. Mother had already told her she was having Hana’s room redecorated to “fit with the rest of the changes.” She had no doubts that a nursery was waiting for her back home. She sighed, now fully realizing how far she had fallen. She had left her country, hoping to prove its wicked stereotypes wrong. To be a trailblazer like a certain friend she admired. All she proved was fleeting her sense of maturity truly was. What would the other members of the resistance think of her now? Just as she was diving deeper into her pool of memories, Hana had the sinking suspicion she was being watched. She looked up, baffled when she saw who the culprit was. “…Eri?” The girl let a high—pitched “Eep!” and ducked back behind a rack of playdresses. Her pale face had turned beet red in an instant. She finally emerged from the rack when she realized there was no point in hiding. It was Eri. Tragically, her sense of fashion had a major overhaul since they last met. Gone was her make-up, her loose jeans, her small shirts that flaunted her midriff. Now was the age of frilly pastel dresses, buckle flats, and white stockings. Her distinct pixie cut had been downgraded to a girlish set of pigtails. There were two more subtle factors of Eri’s dress, that chilled Hana to the bone. The first was the harness, strapped and buckled tightly around her. It was a baby leash, sized to fit her perfectly, decorated not to clash with the rest of her ensemble. The crinkling. That noise sounded off like a siren warding off any sense of lingering maturity. From the spread of her stance, Hana didn’t have to try hard to figuring what her old friend was wearing down there. “Eri-baby,” Sang a mature and playful voice, “Where are you trying to waddle off to~?” Eri’s face turned pale. She let out another girlish shriek, with her leash being tugged back. Luckily, Eri fumbled back and landed in the waiting embrace of her smiling mama. “There’s my blushing bambina!” Said Mama. “Do you see another plushie to add to your collection? Maybe one to go with that big doggy you got the other day.” When Eri’s mama looked up at what grabbed her girl’s attention, she was left smiling ear-to-ear. “Well, well, well! If it isn’t little Hana! Your mommy said you would be coming back home soon. Guess you weren’t ready to leave the nest after, hmm? That’s okay! Plenty of little girls just like you make the same mistake.” Mama here was exceptionally eager. Like she didn’t see anything wrong with the current situation. Then again, why should she? Countless younger ladies here were getting the same treatment as Eri. It was the norm, the golden standard. If anything, Hana was the oddball here. She was the one who left home, wasting time on an ultimately pointless college venture. Before Hana could even make her case, She felt a familiar hand land on her shoulder. “So, you do know how to follow instructions. Good girl.” Mother said. In her arms, she carried several store bags of newly purchased clothing. Shades of pastel peaked out, leaving no doubt to anyone who they were for. Mother turned and politely greeted the other woman. “Good day to you, Ma’am. Fancy meeting you and your daughter here.” “Well, Eri and I just had to get out of the house today. I was very insistent on it. You know how hard our girls always try to resist.” Eri’s mama laughed to herself, which, indicated by Mother’s smile, was a natural response. Whatever the joke was, the two little girls in the room were not in on it. “ “Yes, that’s correct. I still need to go a pick out some new underwear. I forget to bring a diaper from home, what with me rushing.” “Oh, you can use one of Eri’s. I insist! She has plenty more back home. Plus, it’s always important to teach our girls about sharing.” “W-wait! I don’t need to—” One swift swat to the rear was all it took to silence Hana. “Hana! How many times have told you not to talk out of turn!? Now, you thank you properly.” Another swift swat was all it took for Hana to remember her manners. “Ahh! T-thank you for the diaper, ma’am.” “You are so welcome, dear! Now, why don’t I show you and your mommy where the changing rooms are? They are very modern. The benches have enough space to be used as a changing table.” The dressing process was just as mortifying as she imagined. She would be going in, for the final time, as a budding young woman, then coming out as Mother’s precious baby girl. Eri’s mama was right about the changing room. The two older women laid Hana on her back, making sure that the first of many future diaper changes went as smoothly as possible. The change was easy work for the two women. Mama had plenty of recent experience looking after Eri in her current state, evident by the brimming diaper bag she carried. Hana’s outfit was just as demeaning as her former idol. Her dress was just as gaudy and girly. Her socks were just as frilly. Her baby leash was just as tight. The diapers produced the same obvious crinkling. Hana always wanted to be more like Eri. She never imagined her dream would turn into such a nightmare. “Ah, would you look at time?” Mother looked down at her watch, smirking. “Hana and I have someplace we must be heading now. You don’t mind giving us a ride, do you?” “Oh, of course not. I have two car seats, after all. Besides, we’re going to the same place, no?” Mama said, snickering. Whatever the gag was, it was no doubt preplanned before Hana arrived. When they exited the mall, Eri put up no fight, no resistance as her mama strapped her into the waiting car seat. Hana herself was no better, once more following in Eri’s footsteps. Hana shifted in her car seat, not daring to mess with the buckles and straps. She looked over to her left, and still could not believe what the girl beside her had become. Pacifier bobbing in her mouth, hands idly swinging at the trinkets above. They did not speak a word to one another for the entire car ride. Eri was always one to speak her mind, but now Hana wasn’t sure if that had become a dead language to her. “Here we are! Right on time, too!” Hana looked out the window to her right, and her heart sank. Despite its colorful new paint job, she instantly recognized this building. It was the old rec center that Eri used to rent out for their chapter meetings. The once dull and unassuming building was now painted a bright and obvious sunny yellow, with large child drawings of barnyard animals on the outside. The inside was no better. The place had been turned into a daycare center, plain and simple. Toys, cubbies, marked play areas, childish decorations, changing stations. “Don’t be shy, dear. Look, all your little friends are here to play too. Don’t you recognize them?” She did, unfortunately, recognize her friends here. Jun was napping on the ground; her yellowing diaper bare to the world. Rina had her nose in the corner, clearly on punishment for something. She spotted Chie and Mai, rolling a ball back between each other without a care in the world. Their diapers were crinkling up a storm, all while the backs flashed obviously from their comfy playdresses. Hana took it in, her stomach churning, all while she and Eri were pushed forward, to go and co-mingle with old friends. This was it. Their special hideaway, the last beacon of their maturity, had been snuffed out and destroyed. The base had been compromised. The mission had intersected. The resistance had fallen. *** “Good morning, everyone!” A bubbly reporter began. “I am currently standing at the newest community daycare center, ‘Little Dreamers’. What used to be a run-down old shack, has been completely transformed by the hand of a few passionate parents. Despite being such a recent addition, Little Dreamers is already bubbling with new members. With a location like this, it’s impressive that this secret spot wasn’t found out about sooner. One thing is for sure. All the mothers who frequent here could not be happier. Their daughters spend all day here, under the proper supervision. After visiting here in my free time, I can safely say that these little dreamers won’t be growing up anytime soon. Oh, there’s a mother with her daughter right now. Let’s see if we can stop her for a quick interview…”

Here is my submission. Good luck to everyone who participated!

Claire sighed as she pulled into the abandoned school parking lot. It had looked much worse than how she last left it. She wasn’t even planning to come tonight, despite making promises all those years ago. She was perfectly content enjoying a quiet night in her apartment. Reading a book or catching up on paperwork, forgetting all about the relics of her past. It would have stayed that way, if not for one last-minute phone call. “Thanks for the lift.” Dana said, in that soft and earnest voice of hers. She paused for a moment, as if waiting for Claire to say something. “Can you pick me up in, say, two hours? Or, um, if you can, that is. Sorry, I should have asked you that earlier. I can ask April or Brie to do it, if you’re busy. I don’t think they’d leave me here…” Dana trailed off, sounding unsure of her assessment. She was still seated firmly in the car, her seatbelt still buckled. From the way her knees knocked, to the way she tugged and stroked her hair, it was clear that Dana was nervous to go in alone. “Um. You said you were going back home, yes? Are you going to at least say hi? I mean, if you want to leave now, I get it. Brie can get so restless, I understand. But April would probably miss seeing you again. I wouldn’t want to start off their night with a disappointment.” “I’m coming.” Claire said begrudgingly, not even noting Dana’s quiet excitement. She sighed under her breath; confident she was making a huge mistake. She stepped out of the car, and Dana was quick to rush to her side. Morbid curiosity, mixed with Dana’s pitiful pleading, had won the battle. Still, Claire did not plan on staying long. She was only staying for a quick pop-in. Then, well, she wasn’t sure. As long as she didn’t waste the night stuck in a classroom, back in school, when she wasn’t even being paid to do so. Everything was planned and laid out, just like they all discussed beforehand. The back doors, leading to the gym, were propped open. There was a note to the side that read: “Come to 203B” on it. The two women followed the instructions with ease, one party still holding her doubts. They made their way through the abandoned school, Dana jumping at every odd sound. They climbed up the stairwell, turning a corner to see their former co-workers sitting and waiting expectantly. “Well, aren’t you two a cute couple.” Brie sneered, downing a shot from her flask. “I thought you two would be too chickenshit to come out tonight.” Brie chuckled at her own line, not even noticing Dana’s disgusted recoil, or Claire’s stern scowl. “Brie, please. Can you at least try to be a total jackass for once?” April waved off Brie, a tired look plain on her face. “It’s good to see you guys. Have a seat, I already have everything set up.” She gestured to the pair to sit at the center of the classroom. With the chalk in her hand, April had been just finished writing…something, on the wooden floor, surrounded by candlelight. April mused to herself as her former colleagues took a seat in the circle. “I’ll admit, it isn’t a very scientifically sound idea. It’s pseudo-science, really. But, I had to give it a try.” April stared down at her chalk drawing, feeling satisfied with herself. “That should work. Now then, do you two remember the rumors about the woman who used to work here?” April posed the question offhandedly, but there was a mutual look of confusion shared by Claire and Dana. “Oh, oh! This shit is classic! Ok, so, check this out. There was chick this who used to work here—way before any of us, right? I think it happened in the 70s? Anyway, she was pregnant, and she was really hyped to tell everyone, yeah? Co-workers, family, her students. She couldn’t stop talking about it. Well then, anyway, she um,” Brie slowed, mulling over her words. The enthusiasm was visibly draining from her face, replaced by an almost ashamed expression. “The important thing is that she disappeared suddenly.” April cut in. “But what I do remember, are all the stories you would hear about her haunting the school in some way.” April tapped on the wooden floors, “Her old office used to be right here. Before they changed it to a home economics room. No one talks about it much now. It was a much more active rumor when the school was still open. “I believe they even wrote a novel about it. Something you’ve read, Claire? “It was a short story,” She clarified. “And it was only a surface level parallel at best.” Claire thought to herself about specifics, like a title or an author. She struggled to think clearly on the subject. The atmosphere of the room had changed, and it felt like they were all huddled around an Ouija board, like a group of teenage girls with a weekend night to waste. There were no doubt hundreds of DIY guides posted online for summoning the dead. Was that what April’s chalk drawing was for? “April, why are we doing this?” Dana chirped up bashfully, all eyes suddenly drawn to her. “Rumor or not, this feels disrespectful. It sounds to me like this woman went through a good deal of pain near the end of her life. We shouldn’t be doing this.” Brie was about to take another drink from her flask of wine. But, after hearing Dana’s piece, she stuck out her tongue and screwed the cap back on. “Shit, she’s right. Okay, I’m ready to go back home. Night’s over.” Brie slurred, picking herself back up. “Claire, minding giving me a lift home?” Claire nodded, then shot a scowl at April. “Honestly, I can’t believe you. Not only do you owe all of us an apology, but you also owe one to the dead as well.” April winced, looking rather hurt now. “I…I just wanted us to do something fun together again. We always talked about doing stuff like this in old days…I’m sorry. If no one wants to do this, we can go home.” The party had stopped before it even began. Everyone was ready to leave, the mood truly dead. Then the door slammed shut. Lights flickered on and off at rapids speed, despite the building having no power for years. The windows swung hard open, wind and leaves jetting into the room. Dana was already on the ground, shrieking like a banshee. The candles had all blown out, as had the overhead lightbulbs, leaving the party in an inky darkness. Prevailing through all the sounds of chaos, was an unending streak of overjoyed laughter. All the women heard it clear as day, but none recognized the owner. Before they could be struck down by a lightning bolt of realization, all the sounds then silenced once more. The classroom was returned to its quiet once more, and all those present had been dismissed. Dismissed, but not set free. The school had shut down, but class had just begun. *** April was still reeling from the shock of it all. She was reeling, emotionally, from a lot of things. But one feeling stood out. Regret? She had never been the type of person to second guess herself. Then again, she was not the type of person to break into schools at night or summon spirits from the great beyond. Ergo, perhaps April did not know herself as well as she thought. But her thoughts were still shambling, and her heart had just stopped pounding. She tried to refocus, firstly on her surroundings. Even amiss the darkness, she recognized her old classroom easily. She was alone. Alone? She didn’t like the sound of that. Not because she hated the feeling. Because she also knew it wasn’t true. April stopped, and she waited. Eventually, her company decided to make her presence known. “Good evening, everyone!” A feminine disembodied voice echoed in the night. “Who’s ready for another wonderful day of learning!?” “You’re her,” April muttered, a shuttering revelation. “You…you really are her.” “That’s right, pudding.” The ghost replied innocently, “I’m your teacher for today! We are going to have so much fun together!” April did not know why she expected straight talk from a spirit. “Listen, um.” April felt awkward talking to the empty air, “I’m sorry for disturbing your rest. This is all my fault.” A guilt filled admittance. Unfortunately, the ghost was not the one who needed to hear it. The ghost laughed in response. It was quite a hardy laugh coming from the undead. “Nonsense. I have a job to do, and that’s teaching all my kiddies a very special lesson. Class in starting soon, so do have a seat.” That did not sound good. The ghost was already on track for something. “Um, what lesson did you have planed today?” April wasn’t sure why she was asking. It wouldn’t serve to diffuse the situation. “I am so glad you asked, pudding. Today’s lesson is on sharing! My plush friends are trying to enjoy their tea party. I want you to help them out and make everybody gets a fair share. Can you handle that?” She asked, plainly sounding unsure of April. Multiple plush toys were strewn about the room, looking in desperate need of guidance. The pink round table, low to the ground, had a seat for everyone. Sociology was April’s forte, but this was plain demeaning. For the spirit from the beyond, this seemed tame. She decided it best to play along for now, and bide her time… April sighed, feeling her work complete. At least nothing paranormal had provoked her during the assignment. She adjusted the tiara that rested on her ginger sausage curls. She patted down her pink princess dress, making sure it didn’t wrinkle. Her pull-up rustled as she sat down for the tea party. She had never dealt with such an upstart group of dollies. All the complaints and whines about he sat where, from their flat unemotional faces, had started to wear down on her. Thankfully the worst was over now. The teacher had excused herself, phasing away deeper in the school, to check on her other students. April only hoped the others would fair well. They were all so much less mature than her. *** Brie was not scared. Correction. Brie could not be scared. Being scared implies being afraid. Being afraid implies a possible weakness. A chink in her armor. A heel for life to strike an arrow through. But Brie was better than Achilles, she would not be struck down in her prime. One look at her physique showed a true statuesque marvel for the Greeks to gawk at. She wasn’t going to let it go to waste stuck in a school. So, when she found herself locked inside the school gym, with no one around to hear her desperately banging on the exits? She was not scared, couldn’t be. Brie would say that she was panicked, or frustrated, but definitely not scared. Brie had sobered up quickly, her senses sharply returning. Then an unfamiliar presence entered the scene, chuckling at Brie’s desperate struggle. “My, my. Someone has a lot of pent-up energy.” The voice mused, practically challenging her “If this attitude problem keeps up, I’m going to have to give you a time out.” Brie was not much of a skeptic. She took to the idea of a haunted school like a duck to water. So, when a mysterious disembodied voice started to taunt her, a paranormal culprit made the most sense. Still, Brie could not be scared. It simply wasn’t part of her M.O. “Open the door! You had better let me out of here right now!” She snarled, gritted her teeth and balled her hands into fists. She hoped the intimidation would work on the ghost, even though her body was shaking. The ghost tsk tsked, sounding disappointed in Brie’s lack of restraint. “Now, now. There is no need to throw a hissy fit. Why don’t we play a game? We can get, you some exercise, so you will be all nice and tuckered out for your nap.” Brie could only stand back in stunned silence as she watched the gymnasium transform in an instant. The place had become a playroom, fit for a daycare center. Toys were littered across the floor space. The room was carpeted by a plush jigsaw map, in a rainbow of colors. It was an infantile mess, and she wanted no part in it. “Perfect! Go on now, sweetie, go and play. Go on!” Brie felt an invisible force—a hand? Something, quick and sharp, patted her on the rear, causing her to fumble forward. The shock sent her tumbling, and she landed face force on the ground. She laid for longer than she would have liked. However, when she looked back at herself, she liked what she had seen even less. She gone through a full uniform change, one which perfectly meshed with the playroom before her. Her top was a pastel yellow, featuring the image of a cartoon lioness. It barely reached over her chest, marking a rare instance where Brie did not want her midriff exposed. Her sneakers were an unappealing wash of colors, white, orange and purple, with lights on the heels that flashed weakly. The short, purple and pastel, were unflattering and upsetting. But what was taped underneath was much worse. The white waistband peeking out. The bulk that left her bowlegged. She gagged at the name of it. Brie shuttered, her face adopting a red haze of anger and embarrassment and f—not fear. Get your head in the game, Brie. “H-hey! No fair!” Brie yelled projecting an air of fussiness instead of ferocity. “Give me back my clothes right now!” “I don’t think so, sweetie. It’s playtime, and these clothes are much more appropriate for you now. But I’ll tell you. If can make to all the way across the playroom before the buzzer goes off, I’ll give you another chance at being a big girl again. That sounds fair, doesn’t it?” The ghost chuckled, setting the deal in motion. The gym’s clock sprang to life, displaying a countdown of ten minutes. Brie hadn’t started moving and was already working up a sweat. She had no time to reject the offer, or even second guess the details. The ghost had issued a fitness test, and Brie had no choice but to pass it. She pushed herself up and to her feet, her stance unsteady. The sneakers flashed to congratulate the effort, as she stood up with an awkward gate. The bulky padding forced legs apart, and Brie could already tell his would cut in her run time. She briefly considered crawling, before immediately snubbing the idea like a growing spark. She was fired up now, determined to reclaim her big girl status. Brie made a (relatively speaking) steady toddled forward. She kept the timer out of her mind and tried to focus on making a beeline to the other side of the gym. The trek was proving to be slow and demanding. Proper technique had escaped her, every step now a struggle not to fall back on her cushioned backside. Still, she was making strides, nonetheless. She was waddling on a fast-track back to adulthood. And that would have remained the case if Brie hadn’t noticed a bright red ball directly in her path. It attracted Brie’s gaze like a moth to a flame. She let out an “ooh” and “ahh” as the ball rolled by her feet, begging to be played with. She knew she had more pressing matters to attend, her victory mere footsteps away. But she just couldn’t help herself. Besides, she was already ahead. How much time could a ball waste anyway? Her decision rationalized, Brie plopped down and gave the ball her best bounce. It hit the ground with a satisfying pang, getting some serious airtime as well! Bounce. Bounce! Another big bounce! Hey, this place had loads of neat stuff! And there were plenty more toys over the horizon. Why did she even want to leave anyway? *BZZZZZT* “Wah!” Brie cried as the loud siren blared reverbed off the walls. That was scary! It made her jump, ruining her playtime for no good reason at all. Brie had never felt so scared before, and she was left in a teary-eyed mess. The shock had been so bad that Brie had had an accident, her face and crotch now both growing wet. Tears streamed down her terrified face, while her thirsty padding soaked the sudden torrent of urine. “There, there,” cooed a familiar, comforting voice. “It’s okay. No more scary, big girl thought. Let me take care of everything.” Brie, allowing herself to be cradled into a loving embrace, felt all the fear and worry melt away. She didn’t have to think about what came next. She didn’t have to try so hard to be a brave girl anymore. What a relief. What an unimaginable relief. “That’s right. Good baby. I know just what you need.” The ghost soothed, nuzzling the sniffling girl’s hair. “That’s right. A nice nap, and fresh diaper. The perfect treat for my soggy little superstar. *** Dana blinked one second and was gone the next. The room she was sitting in was not the abandoned classroom room from before. One moment, she was leaning on Claire’s arm, listening to Brie and April prattle with their crazy ghost story. Then, everything went south, and she had popped into a new setting completely alone. However, she realized soon the ‘new’ was not the operative word. She was sitting in her old art classroom. Despite the darkness, she was able to recognize it as clearly as day. It was somewhat comforting, regardless of the strange circumstances. “Hello!?” Dana yelled out, her voice shaky. “Claire! April! This isn’t funny guys!” As impossible as it sounded, the idea of it all being a prank was the option she gunned for. Because it was the option she was most used to, most accustomed to dealing with. Because if she let her mind wander, she may come to answer much less grounded, and much more terrifying. And then she would have to admit that April and Brie’s stupid story were true and that she was stuck here in a haunted school and that she was sacred of ghost and that— The lights flickered to life, which was enough to make Dana shriek and run to the door. She twisted and turned the knob, but it just wouldn’t budge. She would have struggled for longer, but a chill ran down her spine, causing her to freeze up. “No need to panic, dearie.” A soft, feminine voice called out in a sweet lull. “Why don’t you take a seat? Class is in session.” Dana turned around on a dime, looking all around. She could not see anyone behind her. And yet, Dana was certain she was not alone in the classroom. “W-who…Who are you?” For voice had more cracks than a city sidewalk, and her resolve was just as rocky. The voice only laughed, its owner still unseen. “Why, I’m your teacher, dearie! Who else would I be? There is no need to be shy. I already know that art is your favorite subject.” Dana gulped. If this mystery spirit was trying to sound more inviting, then it wasn’t working. Still, her options were constrained, like the breath in her lungs. The spirit had left her in one piece so far, which was a small comfort. With a locked door to her back, Dana walked back to the center of the classroom on uneasy feet. “There we are. Now, guess what today’s lesson is?” The ghost clapped her invisible hands, materializing paints buckets, and blank canvases. “Finger paints! Doesn’t that sound lovely? Go on, no need to be shy.” Dana swallowed hard. She was now certain that the answer to her question was in the realm of paranormal. The ghost stories hadn’t mentioned anything like this. The paints looked nothing out of the ordinary, based on her years as an artist. Dana was confident that the red was not the blood of innocent, or the blue was not the tears of the damned. Dana sat down, facing the buckets of paints and blank canvas. There were no tools for her to use. No brushes, no easels. Only the fingers on her two hands. She didn’t even have a smock to cover herself with. Dana groaned, seeing no other choice. She dipped her hand to the watery goop, covering her arm in red paint. Her hindsight was 20/20 when she realized that shoving in her palm or fingertips would have suffice. She splashed a hand onto the plank canvas, not even sure what she was meant to be doing. Maybe write a message for help? It wasn’t like there was anyone around to read it. Other than the ghost who was currently holding her captive. Normally, Dana would give her students guidelines on what to paint. The current circumstances were very different, however. “Time’s up!” The spirit chimed in gleefully. “Alright class, show me what you’ve made.” Dana gulped. She hadn’t “made” anything, besides a few absent-minded splatters on her canvas. There was no sense of vision or style to be seen from her work. If any of her former students saw her now, they would no doubt be sorely disappointed. “Your turn, Dana! Don’t you want to show me what you’ve made?” Dana still couldn’t see the ghost, but she could feel her close by. It was like she was hawking over Dana’s shoulder, judging from a side-eye view. “It…it isn’t much. Sorry.” Dana mumbled, holding up her canvas to the ether. “I think it’s perfect! You did your best, after all. That’s more an enough to make me proud!” Praise? For such a half-baked attempt at artwork? Dana didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t critiqued or berated? It felt…good. The ghost whispered sweet praises into her ear, affectionately numbing her brain with the sweetest serenade. Why try to resist. It felt so, so good to be adored. “Okay class! How about we go for another round of finger paint? Be sure to let loose, and really have fun this time!” Dana was happy to comply. She was already diving her other hand into the bucket of paint, brainstorming her next masterpiece. She was so happy, in fact, Dana did not notice the changes happening around her. Dana didn’t notice that her hair, which she spent an hour getting perfect for tonight, had been tied into short pigtails. She was too busy splashing green with orange and purple and whatever felt right at the moment. Dana hadn’t noticed her long flowy sundress had morphed and shortened itself into a bright yellow top, which only reached her midriff. It was for the best, really. Cleanup would be much easier now, with Dana only needing a bath. Dana failed to notice her panties expanded; the black soft silk replaced with white crinkly plastic. They just meant the nothing would stop her from fingerpaints. Not even potty breaks! Dana giggled excitedly, happily painting with all the colors she was swiftly forgetting the names of. Dana’s work was a true abstract marvel. The color choice would seem random to most anyone, especially compared to her past works. She took many creative risks, mix together clashing combos of colors. What the image was supposed to be, was all answer be great interpretation. The painting, in short, was an absolute mess. But, for a baby, it was almost impressive? Impressive enough for Dana and her teacher to be satisfied. It looks, for a moment, like the baby artist had struck with a bolt of creativity. She furrowed her brow, sweating with concentration. With a breath “Baah”, Dana had finished unloading any artistic input she had left. The evidence? Her thick diaper was now droopy and sagging, and she didn’t mind one bit. Dana has finished dropping a load of sudden inspiration, the backside of her diaper now painted a mushy brown. For a baby, it was unnoteworthy. But it was enough to leave the teacher satisfied, as she laid back the artist for a change. “My precious poopy Picasso.” The spirit cooed, happy to have an exceptional artist in her class. *** Claire cradled her head, feeling a pain begin to grow. Given tonight’s events, a stress headache was the obvious answer. Tonight was supposed to be simple and unnoteworthy. Even simpler, consider the fact that her plans of visiting were changing at the last minute. It would have been so issue, if she hadn’t second guessed her decision. But she had, and now she stuck. Stuck in her old classroom, back at school. Only, there would be no bell to save her this time. “Hello, class! I’m so glad you are here with us today!” The bubbly disembodied voice said, sounding earnest. “Who’s ready for story time!?” Claire was feeling contemplate, and the mysterious voice did not change that. She reasoned that a ghost haunting the school was a believable culprit. There was no other logic to explain how she had been warped to a completely different classroom, on a completely different floor, halfway across the building. The horror stories she had read in the past made it easier to accept this conclusion. Claire could have just never imagined herself in the same seats as those other poor protagonists. “Umm, if it’s all the same to you? I would very much prefer to leave now.” Claire paused, then added, “That is, may I please be excused?” “Oh, no, no, no!” Claire could practically feel the unseen voice shaking her head with each word. “That simply will not do, dearie. You’ve already missed plenty of school as is. But I’ll tell you this. You get to be our first reader for today!” Claire gulped as a story book materialized in front of her desk. She already didn’t like having to sit from the student’s position. Furthermore, the cardboard cover did not convey any air of fine literature. Claire had no clue what card to play. None of the heroes in any of her stories saw any success in dealing with the supernatural. Her current outline only showed failure in her future. Still, the time of death, for her hopes, was unknown. It was best to play along, try to bide her time. The passage she read was quite a mind-numbing one. It prevailed the story of a young woman who had found herself locking in a house. This house, like many others in the world of fiction, was haunted. Namely, by a female ghost, who wanted nothing more than to add new, younger addition to her family. Much younger, wanting to start from the beginning and move on when they were ready. Now, the ghost had managed to get the upper hand of the young lady many times, leaving her feeling smaller after each little defeat. The hair, long and auburn, just like Claire, had been the first victim. Tied into a ponytail with a big green ribbon. Her gown, which Claire had her own copy of, had been morphed into a Shortall dress. It was especially tragic to see girl’s underwear become lost, replaced with a diaper of unflattering thickness. The picture of the girl was crystal clear, but the ghost was never drawn on the pages. Yet, the struggles went on and on… Indeed, quite mind-numbing. Claire paused. The pace was already slowing down steadily, but now she wasn’t even reading anymore. It was like the letters weren’t even letters anymore. What were letters? Should she know? What did she know? What did she not know? Enough to fill a book, at least. The teacher saw this, couldn’t help but announce it. “Aww, what’s the matter, sweetheart. Is this part too hard for you? Come on, you are right at the end!” Her tone was indescribable. She bordered on sweet, plotting, and carefree, all at once. Drool dripped onto the pages. Claire’s mind was fading. Mind? She did not mind. Details faded like the wetness indicators on a soaked diaper. Claire tried to refocus, tried to push the squishy, clammy sensation to the back of her mind. When they had failed, she opted for a suckling of her thumb, in hopes it would put her idle thoughts to rest. Claire tugged on her ponytail anxiously. The ending was right within her grasps. Yet, she could feel it slipping away from her. Claire could feel something else slipping as well. Her mind was falling deeply through a rabbit. Her thoughts were lost in a wonderland of random sensations. “Aw, is this story too advanced for you? Would you like for me to tell you how it ends?” Said the spiritual teacher with a Cheshire grin. She slipped the book away, and began to nuzzle closer Claire, talking much slower for her sake. In the end, the ghosts had gotten what they wanted. But the heroine would not be alone. The ghosts had already prepared three beautiful sisters for her, so she would never be alone. April was quite mature for her age and would be happy to invite her sisters to any of her many tea parties. Brie was a bubbly little star, always darting from one side of the playroom to the next. Dana was an abstract artist in the making, even if she didn’t know the names of all her colors. The girl in the story—Claire was her name—would fit right in, nibbling on books in her spare time. “Quite the happy ending, don’t you think?” *** When daybreak came, the old school building was as abandoned as countless nights before. If the owners of the cars parked outside were still around, there was no evidence of their existence. Some time later, the school was torn down, and a daycare center was built in its place. There was a rumor that haunted that school. About a woman who had worked there, and the child she had lost. But just as the school itself had been destroyed, the rumors surrounding it had also been dismissed. Maybe it was for the best. Maybe the rumors were never worth much to begin with. Maybe the ghost simply didn’t need to haunt that town anymore. And why would she need to? She had four beautiful baby girls to take care of now. And nothing would ever disturb that.

Bedtimes were the worst. Eleanor knew this to be fact, as she stared up at the clock that hung on the pastel pink walls of her nursery. The cartoon cat on the wall was almost taunting her with its Cheshire smile, as its eyes swayed back and forth with every ticking second. While the cat did not mind having the hours of the day plastered on its belly, Eleanor felt her gut sink as she saw the time. Seven-thirty. Bedtime was upon her. The fact that this disturbed her so much only fueled her further shame. She was a grown woman. She was! Even if everything surrounding her tried to prove the opposite. There was her room, drowned in pastel colors from the striped walls to the fluffy pink carpet. There was her toy chest, filled with plushies and blocks and other juvenile excuses for entertainment. There was her closet, ready to burst with humiliating outfits. Everything from rompers to onesies to overalls to frilly dresses that belong on baby dolls. Nothing she wore allowed any sense of maturity. Nothing at all… Eleanor kicked her splayed legs in frustration, causing a chorus of crinkles to erupt from her undergarments. There were diapers. The ones she was forced to wear at all hours of the day. The ones that puff out with an obvious silhouette. The ones that managed to peek under every skirt, giving the whole world a sneak preview of her underwear. But that wasn’t right. Calling them underwear would be an insult to real underwear. But real underwear was off limits, so Eleanor had to settle for the poofy imitations. Every day, from sunrise to bedtime. Eleanor’s blood turned to ice as she heard the door creak open. “Elly baby!” A booming and carefree voice sang, “It’s beddy-bye time! Let’s get you changed and ready for your trip to dreamland.” It was Mommy. The giant woman who was responsible for her new life. She had a real name. It just wasn’t one Eleanor was allowed to use. Many punishment sessions made that abundantly clear. She was so commanding. So dominant. So mature. She was all these things, and she hid it very well. Behind the veil of a sweet, innocent homemaker. Eleanor had not known what she had done to deserve to cross this woman’s path. In truth, there was no greater reason than fulfilling her desires. Elly was like a rare doll at a flea market. A little treasure too cute to pass up. So that’s what Mommy did. She took her. Far away from the troubles of her adult life. To be fawned over, like other countless Littles. By the Amazons. What other outcome was there? They were bigger, smarter, and had so much love to give. Amazons could not help but target these affections to Littles. Mommy came into Eleanor’s life, smothered her with all the love she never asked for. And she did it all with a smile on her face. Mommy was already well dressed for bedtime. Curlers rolled through her blonde locks. A soft pink nightgown that hugged her generous proportions. She looked ready to down a cup of chamomile tea and drift off herself. Now, seven-thirty was too early a bedtime for most grown-ups. Eleanor knew that, from back when she considered herself part of the same flock. Days when she was overworked and found herself crashing asleep on the couch right around five. Days long past her now. Maybe Mommy was having one of those days herself. Elly had no business in knowing, or in asking. “But Mommy, I’m not tired yet. Can I please stay up just a little bit longer?” Eleanor pouted her lips and looked up toward the mountain of a woman with her best pair of babydoll eyes. It was a weak gambit, she knew that. Eleanor was only delaying the inevitable. The gambit was more for Eleanor than anyone else. Eleanor wanted to prove that she still had some fight left in her. Even after the countless spankings, hours in corner-time, and mouthfuls of castor oil, she still had some fight left in her. Mommy shook her head and wagged a finger. “Uh-uh. We don’t want a cranky wee one on our hands.” Her tone stayed cheery, but Eleanor knew that her words were final and absolute. “But Mommy, I really—Mmmph!” Her protests were cut short as she was met with the familiar taste of a pacifier bulb. The rubber invader inflated and expanded in Eleanor’s mouth, ensuring that it could only be removed by a grown-up—a status Mommy had revoked from Eleanor long ago. “It sounds like my little girl has a lot of big ideas today.” Mommy chided, her tone becoming much firmer, “But bedtime cannot be pushed back any further. So, she will just have to keep them to herself until morning.” Elanor sunk her head, now swiftly defeated. She allowed herself to be lifted and cradled by the giant woman. Eleanor was the Little, after all. There was no strategy in the world that would help someone of her stature trounce an Amazon. None that yielded results, other than being scolded and having one’s bottom swatted repeatedly. However, any late-night randevu would not be complete with a quick visit to the changing table. The Amazon laid Eleanor on her back and prodded at the girl’s soggy padding. “Looks like someone had a run-in with the sog-monster,” Mommy giggled, a dainty hand clasped over her mouth. Eleanor could only lie back and blush. Teasing was customary, and never once did it not feel demoralizing. As Mommy finished assembling the changing supplies, Eleanor looked up and came face-to-face with a crinkling adversary. To call the diaper thick would be an understatement. It was a monstrous brick of fluff. The deep blue color was matched with designs of crescent moons and cartoon whales. A very appropriate design choice, as the thing looked prepared to soak up an ocean. The padding effectively stated that Mommy’s expectations of a dry night from her Little were as low as possible. Were a fairy tale, just like the ones she sometimes read to Elleanor before bed. There was simply nothing she could do. With expert aim, the beastly padding dove straight under Elanor’s bum. Her legs were dropped, and she rested on the impossibly soft surface below. Before she could even protest (with a pacifier-filtered scream), her nether region was cloaked in a cloud of powder. Any nasty smells that made their way into her diaper would be overpowered by scents of sweet vanilla. One of Mommy’s giant hands got to work, and liberally rubbed the powder in. Along with a heap of anti-rash cream, which had proved quite effective in the past. Sticky tapes scrunched and were pulled together, sealing the colossal padding. Eleanor felt her gait spread as the diaper closed, her movement now greatly hindered. Even rolling herself over would be a true test of strength. “Much better. Mommy knows how much her baby loves a nice, dry diaper.” The Amazon said, smiling softly. Was she truly innocent and well-meaning or did the act of controlling the smaller woman give or a sadistic sense of joy? Eleanor had no way of knowing, and neither theory gave her closure. “It’s going to be warm tonight, so we will skip over the jammies for tonight.” Mommy wormed off all for the little one’s evening wear, leaving Elly exposed completely, save for her padded privates. Of course. Babies did not care much for modesty, right? Eleanor was not averse to sleeping topless. But when that call was being made by another woman who did not even see her as grown, it became more humiliating than liberating. Even with her chest exposed to the elements, she felt less like an adult, and more like a hapless toddler. The crinkly mass on her butt and the rubber nipple in her mouth made it all too obvious. As they approached the gigantic crib, with its high bars and taunting mobile, Eleanor felt a bead of sweat run down her head. It was okay, she was a trooper. She had nothing to worry about. There was nothing she needed to feel guilty about. Eleanor had been on her best behavior. She hadn’t gotten into any trouble. She kept most of her backtalk to herself. She gave none of the other Amazons in the neighborhood a reason to complain. She had earned a quiet night. Did Mommy see that? It was the only question that truly mattered. The bulb in Elly’s pacifier was deflated, allowing her to suckle of her own volition. She set her Little down in the crib, the smile on her giant face never wavering. “Well, I believe someone has had a very busy day.” The Amazon narrated; her voice sounding almost melodic. “I know you’ve had a rough time adjusting to everything, but I believe we are over the hill now.” The Amazon paused, as if she could feel the intensity of Elly’s worries and wanted to savor every second. “That said, there is still room for improvement. But that’s okay. I love you and I know you are trying your best. I just need to give you a push in the proper direction.” Mommy clicked the mobile on, allowing it to spin to life. The mobile’s trinkets spun in a lazy stir, glowed like stars in a plastic planetarium. A dull and warn lullaby played on, being the perfect soundtrack to Elly’s growing fear. “This should help you sleep better. I know how much my Elly baby loves this song.” Those were the last words Mommy said, before leaving Elly to deal with her long night. They had to be taunting her, Elly figured. The dull plastic trinkets that spun on the mobile strings. The fat bumblebee and the ladybug smiled high above the helpless Little. The rocket ship rocked on towards the crescent moon, reminding Elly every night of how trapped she was. Every night. But the nights when the mobile sang were the worst. Every night, whenever that song played, Eleanor would lose something. A little bit of focus. A little bit of coordination and memory. A small piece of herself. A small piece of control. Small enough not to notice, until it was too late. Her mind was being toyed with, but she was told she was simply going through big changes. The Amazon saw only an improvement. Not growing up, only growing down. The note was coming, she knew it. “I can do this.” Elly thought, although even she was doubting herself. It was a war of attrition. She had to ration out her willpower, her reminders that she could still have an adult life to return to. But her reserves were running dry, and Mommy had so much more endurance. Amazons were built for endurance, for putting up with fussy mouths and wiping away teary eyes and swatting naughty bottoms until their hands had calluses. The lullaby was halfway through now. “I can do this. I am a grown woman.” She repeated the anthem in her head countless times. All the mental encouragement she could muster did not change the fact that she was suckling on her pacifier like a madwoman with an oral fixation. It did not change the fact that she was stuck in a crib, with only a diaper to cover herself, because the lady that clothes her and feeds her and changes her said so. She wanted to believe it. She needed to believe it. She needed to believe it and hold out for something. Hold out for what? “Hold out for what?” Her least favorite verse was about to play. What was she even holding out for anymore? For help to come. It was an idea yet to be stolen from her. The idea, at its core, was laughable. How many Littles were waiting for the same thing? How many had their prayers answer? The odds were stacked against her, higher than the bars of her crib. She was holding out for herself. But that was laughable as well. Elly’s views were, to simplify matters, at odds with reality. How did Elly view herself? A trapped young woman, with everything to lose? But how did Mommy see her? Baby. How did the daycare workers see her? How did the doctors and nurses and general population see her? Baby. Was it time to call it quits? Elly wasn’t getting any older. “But…I’m not a baby?” First came the high note. How did babies act? Did they whine and fuss when things did not go their way? Did they go on stroller rides during the day, play in the sandbox during and after school? Did they wait for bigger, more mature people to change their diapers, because they couldn’t use the bathroom for one reason or another? What goal was Elly working towards, anyway? She certainly was not on the road of adulthood, given her current track record. But the road paved to be Mommy’s baby? She was steadily on track. “N-no! I can’t be a baby! I need to go! I need to go home! I need—” Then came the low note. The impact was immediate. A torrent of warm mush rushed to the back of her diaper. There was no control, no stopping. All Elly could do was lie on her stomach and support the effort. Elly’s face scrunched up into a look of concentration and despair—a phenomenon that Mommy identified as “potty face”. Elly had to be grateful she was wearing a diaper of such thickness, because she was soundly putting it to the test tonight. The stinky muck caused the diaper to sag and strain for all its worth. As her nightly messing came to a halt, the divide between the strong, confident adult, and the whimpering tot in a crib could not be more obvious. The proof was in the padding. For Elly, like any other baby, any other Little, the next course of action was instinctual. “WWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!!! MMMMAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMAAAAAA!!!!!!!!” It was the tell-tale crying of any helpless Little in dire need of a diaper change. Elly finally figured out what she needed, screaming it to high heavens. Luckily, Elly’s baby monitor was on standby, and the call was answered by her favorite listener. “Calm down, calm down. Mommy’s here, Elly-darling! Let me dry those tears.” Mommy sauntered through the door, as sweet and caring and innocent as ever. She clicked the mobile off and picked the flailing, wailing Little. Mommy gave an exaggerated sniff and an overdramatic gasp. “Oh dear! Did the baby make a boom-boom during bedtime? Shh, it’s okay. Mommy will have a fresh diaper on your mushy-tushy in no time.” Mommy reassured, completely undisturbed. Mommy knew that cleaning Elly’s stinky butt came with the territory. Trips to the changing table were a worthy price to pay to have such a precious little girl. “Pee-yew! That is one yucky diaper!” Mommy exclaimed, fanning a hand as she peeled back the tapes of her little one’s poopy diaper, rekindling Elly’s sobs. “Aww, don’t cry, Elly-sweetie. It is perfectly natural for babies to go potty in their pampers. Although, this certainly puts an end to our potty-training arguments, doesn’t it?” She chuckled, and continued the process of changing Elly’s diaper, business as usual. “It’s a good thing we didn’t listen to you and try to get a training potty. It would have been a complete waste of money! Yes it would, yes it would!” The giant woman wiped her hands and tickled the broken girl on her tummy, converting the sobs to giggles. That was how babies acted, after all. Crying one moment and cooing the next. It was a sweet moment between the pair—just the kind that Mommy had been vying so long for. The kind that she knew her, and Elly’s future, would be full of. The woman finished securing a fresh diaper on her baby, happy to see her in a better mood, nuzzling her closely. “Such a good baby! Now, how about a special snack before you head back to dreamland?” Elly nodded, like any sweet little baby would. The kind that suckles on pacifiers because they don’t want to stop. The kind that has big nightly accidents in their diapers and are helpless to change them. The kind that existed in countless homes the world over, waiting for Mommy and Daddy to swoop in and save them. Mommy sat down to give Elly her big special snack. It didn’t take long for her to latch onto it. She was a natural. The Amazon could only smile, satisfied. While a training potty would have been a clear waste of money, the breast pump she bought on sale would no doubt see much use in the future. Elly’s second wind was short lived, however. The Little had fallen to sleep before even reaching the second nipple. This quick meal would ensure that Elly’s second diaper would turn soggy during the night. No issue, neither party would be bothered by this. Elly was a baby now, having no right or sense to mind either way. Mommy was Mommy. She got exactly what she wanted, and nothing was going to change that. So much progress was made in one night. Bedtimes were going to be much easier in the future. *** Elly clacked her dolls together, making kissy sounds with her mouth. Prince Piggly and Ms. Dotty were supposed to be married, but Elly still needed to give them an extra push. Bedtime was surely approaching and spent all day getting every toy ready for the ceremony. She couldn’t really tell how soon Mommy would be here to stop her fun, but she had a feeling. Grown-ups apparently had something called “clocks” to tell them what time was. She knew she had one in her room, and even tried asking the wall-kitty with numbers on its belly for advice. No such luck so far. The door creaked open, and Elly whipped her head around instinctually. “Elly-baby!” Mommy sang, smiling brightly, “It’s beddy-bye time! Who’s ready for a trip to dreamland?” “I am!” Elly proudly announced, her arms outstretched, begging to be hoisted high into the air. Of course she was ready! The sudden and timely appearance of her beloved Mommy instantly made any other possible reaction vanish. “Upsies, upsies!” “Alright, alright. Come here, you little bossy britches.” Mommy lifted the eager girl, landing a big smooch on the cheek of her giggling Little. Her nose wiggled, before pressing a hand on Elly’s drooping diaper. “Just as I thought. Absolutely soaked. Baby can’t go to bed with a soggy pamper on, no ma’am!” Truthfully, Elly had no way of telling. One minute, she would be playing or eating or watching cartoons. The next, she would on her back, getting her undies torn off and replaced, before returning to business as usual. The only difference was that Mommy brought out the big guns for bedtime. The thick nighttime diaper still spread Elly’s legs out wide, but she had plenty of time to adjust. Cumbersome for playtime, but perfectly acceptable for napping. “It’s supposed to be quite chilly tonight. Winter sure did creep up on us.” Mommy thought aloud, while Elly was content to suckle on her thumb. Soon enough, Elly was dressed up in a soft pink footed sleeper. The buttons on the backdoor strained against the heavy-duty diaper but would hopefully last the night. Mommy descended Elly into her crib, leaving her with a kiss on the forehead. “Good night, my perfect little angel. Sleep well.” Before leaving, Mommy lit up the mobile, but chose not to turn the sound on. Her baby was already perfect at falling soundly asleep. Elly didn’t need more instruction than that. She turned over onto her stomach, still suckling away at her thumb, and let sleep soon overtake her. There was one more pressing order of business, however, before Elly could sleep comfortably. One, just like playtime, that required a Little’s push, which she was happy to provide. A wave of mush made way into Elly’s diaper. It hadn’t even been ten minutes since she left the changing table, but this Little had no sense of time anyway. While the diaper was holding up fine, the sleeper’s limits were being pushed until finally— *POP* *POP* The sleeper’s rear flap popped open, letting the loaded diaper sag and hang freely. As the full diaper settled, Elly let out a sigh of relief, and resumed suckling her thumb before drifting off to sleep. There was no fussing, no fighting. No need for punishment or auditory adjustments. Just a happy baby girl, sleeping in her crib. Just the way her mommy had envisioned. Everything was alright now. Being in diapers was no big deal. Being a baby was no big deal. Bedtimes were no big deal.

It was a peaceful Saturday afternoon, the kind not seen in some time. The sky was painted a clear blue and the air was warm and still. Not scorching hot like some summer days—just warm. On a grassy hill overseeing a quaint town, not a soul was stirring except for one tiger and her stack of books. By the day’s end, she hoped to have cracked through a couple of novels that have been wasting away in her backlog. “Let’s see...” Velvet pondered to herself. “Where do we begin? I really wanted to start ‘The Crow Files’ today…” This type of free time didn’t pop up every day. She had to make the most of it. With a clear schedule, there was nothing stopping Velvet from getting lost in a good book. “VEEELVEET!!!” “Oh crap.” Velvet thought. Her ears perked up; she turned her head to see the source of the familiar voice charging towards her. The giant, lion shaped nuisance she was hoping to avoid. “Yo, Velvet,” The nuisance began, “How’s it hanging?” “Baxter.” She answered curtly, “Is there something I can do for you? Did you forget how to open a picket fence or something?” Baxter laughed, interpreting her sharp comment as playful banter. “Naw, it ain’t like that. I just figured, what with it being your day-off and all, you’d be all types of bored. With me being such a nice guy, I thought I’d keep you company.” The lion flicked back his mane and shot a smirk at her. Ugh. “Well Baxter, that’s very…generous of you to think that. Fortunately, I have more than enough good company already.” Velvet motioned towards her stack of books. Baxter scoffed. “Seriously? You can read those books any day.” “Yes, and I want to read them today, idiot.” “I’m a busy cat Velvet. I’m really careful with my days off.” “Yeah right, busy bugging me all the time.” “I have to make my time off special. That’s why I’m trying to spend it with a special girl, you dig?” “Yuck. Gross. Barf.” Velvet’s poker face was beginning to crack. Her claws unsheathed and scratched the grassy hill, a sign that she was running low on pleasantries. What was supposed to be a day for reading had been shanghaied by this lovestruck loser. She struggled to think how this day could get any worse. “Come on Baxter. Isn’t there anything else you’d rather be doing today?” “Anything else?” That stupid smirk was back in full force. “That sounds like an invitation to me. If you wanted to skip the chit-chat all you had to say was—” “VELVET VELVET VELVET VELVET VELVET!!!!” “Oh great. It’s the other one.” Before the two big cats could even blink, someone else was already standing attention in front of Velvet. He was a cheetah, fur slicked back and bursting with energy. “Hello Flash.” Velvet groaned, “What can I d—” “Wassup girl!” Flash interrupted. “I didn’t know you were chilling out on the hills today!” Flash had a wide grin on his face and was hopping about like an overjoyed puppy. “Well, I was j—” “Me?” Flash interrupted. Again. “I was just getting some laps in, doing my thing, y’know?” Flash halted his hops, swapping over to a round of toe touches. “Then I spotted you looking all types of fine!” With just one line, Flash had upgraded from impatient puppy to drooling dog. “Actually, I w—” “Doing some reading? Yawn!” One extra quick look at the stack of books was enough to make Flash lose interest. “C’mon mama, that stuff is for schoolgirls! Here’s a better idea. How about we grab a bite and go somewhere a little more…private, if you catch my drift? Velvet wasn’t catching any drift. “One more stupid pet name and the only thing this creep would be catching is a black eye!” Why, oh why, did these two clowns have to flirt with her today? Over time Velvet grew use to the occasional wink and cheesy pick-up line during her work hours. But to her, free days were as sacred as they were rare, and she had two stupid boys to ruin that. “Hey spot,” Baxter snarled, “The lady is with me. Why don’t you skitter on back from where you came from?” Flash turned around to see Baxter looming over him, he could practically see the steam puffing out of the lion’s nostrils. Flash did a doubletake and started to snicker. “Velvet, is this hick serious? Is this joker giving you trouble? “He isn’t the only one, that’s for sure,” Velvet thought. If these two wanted to impress her, they could try acting like adults for once. “Seriously, do they think I’m some kind of airhead?” “You better watch your mouth, punk.” Baxter puffed out his chest, squaring up to the smaller big cat. “Great. Now they were fighting.” The oncoming display of macho attitude did nothing to excite the female feline. Quite the opposite. “You know, if they could keep their hands to themselves, or to each other, I might get some reading done.” Just as she let the thought cross her mind, Velvet felt the proverbial lightbulb click on overhead. “You wanna go, country boy!?” “Yes, come to think of it…” Velvet brewed up a plan, drowning out the incensement chatter a few feet away from her. The solution became obvious, as worked she out all the kinks in her mind. “Now, all I need to do is get those two bozos on board.” “Ready when you are, shrimpy!” “Hey! Listen up!” Velvet roared, raising her voice for the first time that day. It was enough to stop the two boys from maiming each other, as they both now stood attention towards her. “Now, it is obvious you two are obsessed with me. Now, I can’t have you two biting your heads off over me, so here is what we’ll do. We need a neutral third party. As such, I nominate my old friend, Lilac. She needs someone to help tidy up around her house, and I believe you two are perfect for the job. After that, she will tell me which of you did the better job.” Baxter and Flash stared at the tiger, a mutual look of confusion on their faces. Velvet rolled her eyes. It appears she had to retranslate the idea into a language two overly smitten kittens could understand. “I need a man that knows how to help a woman. If you can’t handle it, you two just aren’t worth my time. Lilac will be able to bring out your true character.” Baxter had a sour look on his face, like he was mulling over pros and cons. It sounded like she was trying pawn off her friend’s chores onto two able-bodied fellas. Before he could conclude, Flash arrived with his answer. “Now sweat, Lil’ mama! I’ll have her house so clean; you can eat off it.” The lion replied, not wanting to be one-upped. “You can leave the heavy lifting to me. Spot here will probably throw his back out at the front door. I say we skip the embarrassment and give the obvious winner his date now.” Velvet was not having it. “Oh no you don’t. The dates will come later. You two just need to worry about doing a good job tomorrow” Velvet gathered up her stack of books and took her leave. “I need to go warn her about your arrival. You can’t show up to a lady’s house unannounced.” To really sweeten the deal, Velvet looked over her shoulder, put on her best pair of babydoll eyes, and said, “I’ll be waiting for my winner~.” The teasing made the tigress gag internally. It was as degrading as it was effective. Velvet had no doubt Baxter and Flash would be outside of Lilac’s doorstep first thing come tomorrow. As soon as the dizzying duo were out of sight, Velvet let out a sigh of relief. Knowing Ms. Lilac, ‘the date’ would never have to come. It was nothing more than a fish to dangle for two hungry cats. The thought gave her small comfort. For now, at least, all Velvet had was faith in an old friend. Faith, and a stack of books she would very much like to read. *** Dawn had arrived, and so had the two big cats. Unsurprisingly, Flash showed up first, outpacing Baxter considerably. He looked very proud over this fact, smugly perched outside the front step. “Took you long enough. What, you had comb the bugs outta your mane or something?” Baxter exhaled sharply. He didn’t bother to shoot a comeback and start fighting. He had a job to do today, and he couldn’t let Flash disrupt that. His eyes were on the prize. Victory was in his lap—and soon, Velvet would be as well. “Why are you bumming out here? You could have knocked on the door already. What, you get lonely without me.” “I was just waiting to see if you were going to show up. You might have decided to ditch and leave me with all the work.” He was nervous. Baxter could tell right away. Flash was so easy to read. Although, Baxter couldn’t blame him. Lilac’s manor gave off major witch-vibes. He was happy to come here in the morning, and not on a dark stormy night. They didn’t even get a chance to knock. Their commotion had alerted the homeowner, as the manor’s wide double doors stretched open. She was a skunk, her fur a fine black with white stripes. They could tell she was an older woman. Both by the crows’ feet under her eyes, and her sense of dress. Her bonnet and checkered blouse looked as antique as the house itself. “Why, hello my dearies!” Lilac began, in a shrill little voice. “You must be those big strong lads who have come to help me? Velvet told me all about you two. Come in, come in!” She took the two big cats by their arms, dragging them inside. The front door shut behind them with a resounding boom, causing the lion and the cheetah to flinch. The skunk was unfazed, still tickled pink by her new company. “Are you boys ready to get to work?” Flash cut in, “Ready and waiting ma’am! You just show me where to clean, and I’ll mop to it,” he answered, finishing with a wink. The joke got a smile from Lilac, and an eyeroll from Baxter. “Well, we—"Before Baxter could say his piece, a strikingly strong scent hit his nose and cut through his train of thought. It was fruity yet flowery. Sweet yet mature. The scent traveled from Baxter’s nostrils to his throat, and he struggled to hold back his cough. Lilac wasn’t noticeably offended. She hadn’t even looked surprised at the reaction. “Oh, I see you noticed my perfume.” The skunk walked between the two younger workers, her big fluffy tails brushing their sides. “It’s an older fragrance. A family staple. It’s something I reserve for my most special guest. It is not the most popular scent. Girls your age probably find it too abrasive.” Abrasive was putting it mildly. Baxter looked over to Flash, and saw his eyes were watering. Baxter’s head was swimming in a perfumed sea. He weakly waved a paw behind himself, trying to find something to sit down on. That hadn’t panned out, and a large feline fell back on the floor below. In a rare occasion, Flash was second. He fumbled forward, falling to his hands and knees. Both big cats were drowning, desperate to find dry land. Instead, they found a lady skunk as their lifeline. Lilac wasn’t noticeably shocked. Her two newest guests looked on the brink of collapse, but her responses were unadjusted. Another dainty chuckle. Another sweet smile. Nothing out of the ordinary for this skunk. “I think I might have overdone it. You two are such big things. I wasn’t sure how much it would take to put you down. Still, I’m glad to have you around. You two are going to be very good workers for me. Is that understood?” “Yes, Madam Lilac.” Flash answered first, as eager as ever to heed a lady’s call. His gaze was vacant, his reply was thoughtless. Mentally, he had dived headfirst into a fog, and he had no clue how to turn it back around. Lilac’s instruction was his beacon of hope. Or a siren’s call. He hadn’t been able to tell the difference. “Such a fast learner,” Madam Lilac cooed. “I’m glad to have you aboard. But I need to have some muscle as well. Let us see what your friend has to say.” Satisfied with the cheetah, Lilac turned her attention to the much larger feline. Cupping his head in her paws, smiling sweetly, her tails brushing under his nose. Lilac knew how to persuade a simple mind. There was no shame in her game. “You still want to tidy up for me, yes?” Baxter’s body was sturdy and stable. His mind, however, was very open to outside interference. Whether it was the general atmosphere of the morning, or the impossibly strong scent that circled his senses, Baxter couldn’t say. Baxter could say that he felt comfortable in the hands of Lilac. That was enough to form an answer. “Y…Yes, Madam Lilac.” Madam Lilac smiled, having got the answer she wanted. “I’m so glad we’re all on the same page. Now, it’s time I put you two to work.” *** Baxter toiled away, a dainty feather duster in hand. He still couldn’t believe he let the library get this dusty. Had he been shirking off his duties? It sounded unlikely, and quite out of character for him. This morning had been such a blur, it was hard to say how he had been acting. So many oddities this morning, even his regular uniform felt foreign to him. Thankfully, there was nothing else out of the ordinary. *CRINKLE CRINKLE* He had to get his mind out of the gutter. His skirt swish freely as he walked through the library halls, trying to gain a familiar rhythm. He outstretched a gloved paw to dust a particularly high shelf, thankful his high heel shoes gave a slight boost in height. He pulled back his long white gloves and wiped a bead of sweat from his brow. He was lucky he didn’t need to stop for bathroom breaks. *CRINKLE CRINKLE* Keep the manor spick and span. Don’t complain. Don’t wince. That was code, day in and day out. That was your mission every day. Every day? Of course, every day. What else would he be doing besides this? “How is work going, dearie?” Before Baxter’s mind could fall into another stupor, his madame arrived to pull back his attention. Baxter paused his work and met her with a curtsy. “Good to see you, Madam Lilac. Everything is going well. Though, I have been feeling a bit dazed today.” “I’m sorry to hear that, my dear. Unfortunately, I cannot allow you to rest today. I have guests coming over today, and I need everything to be in order.” Without so much as a word, Lilac held Baxter closer, brushing her large, bushy tail against him. “You understand, don’t you? I need you be a good maid for me.” As Madam Lilac held him, Baxter felt all his troubles wash away. His dam had been broken, and the intrusive thoughts came flooding out. He felt a great sense of release as his mind finished draining itself. “…Yes, Madam Lilac. Forgive me. I will be a good maid for my Madam.” Madam Lilac got the answer she wanted, same as always. She left the maid to his duties. Baxter, now alone again, took a moment to examine himself in a nearby full-body mirror. He lifted the front of his skirt, taking a good long look at the pink disposable diaper that he wore. It was thick enough to endure a full workday, being as standard as the rest of his uniform. The diaper plainly read “PAT HERE” on the front and the back, in large cutesy lettering. It was a clear instruction that Madam Lilac often followed when checking on her maids. Baxter let out a relieved sigh, seeing that nothing was out of the ordinary. *CRINKLE SQUISH CRINKLE* *** Flash was on a roll today. He couldn’t remember the last time he had worked so hard. In fact, all his past workdays had become a vague blur to him. No worries. Just another smudge to wipe away. Nothing to lose pace over. His madam gave him a job to do, and nothing was going to change that. Including a glass half full of foggy memories. By the time he finished, this bathroom would be spotless. “Well, someone is working hard.” Without a sound, Madam Lilac appeared at the edge of the bathroom doorframe. The skunk smiled down at the cheetah, who was busy scrubbing down the tile floor. “Yes indeed, Madam Lilac!” Flash replied, as eager to please as ever. “Got to make sure everything is spic-span for you and your ladies tonight. Leave it all to me.” “As chipper as ever, I see. That’s good. My friends are going to adore that attitude of yours. I thought I would have to give you some encouragement, but you appear to be getting along splendidly. Carry on, my dear.” Flash wasn’t one to complain about well-earned praise. So, he carried on as instructed, being the best maid that he knew how to be. The marble tiles that clacked against his shoes were spotless. The mirror was gleaming, showing a clear image of his adorable reflection. He even made sure to clean the odd porcelain chair in the corner of the room. The one with water under the lid. He never found out what that was for. The madam had no doubt reminded him countless. In the end, Flash decided it couldn’t be that important. Certainly not worth committing to memory. Flash took a seat on the mystery throne, taking a moment to catch his breath. He noticed nature’s call and answered it on the first signal. He was a maid, made for efficiency. He knew that he couldn’t let such base urges disrupt his workflow. With that thought, his bladder finally let loose, a hiss echoing in the small bathroom. Flash felt a small kick of embarrassment deep down somewhere, and he had no clue as to why. He had relieved himself, flooding his diaper in the bathroom on top of the funny-looking chair. Nothing worth noting. Satisfied, Flash stood back up and continued his duties, not at all minding the new warm and wet feelings he had to deal with. It was all just another day’s work as a maid. *** It was progress report time. Madam Lilac’s maids had been called back to the foyer to discuss their next assignment. They both arrived early, still not caring for the other’s company. The two were growling at each other now, both feeling catty. “Well,” the lion scoffed, “I’m surprised the madam hasn’t fired you yet. She must enjoy watching you struggle and fumble around. Not that I blame her, given how cute and submissively you act.” “Oh, just stop it,” The cheetah spat. “You are just jealous that she likes me more. It’s because I’m not a total slowpoke, like you. Waddling around with that big bulky frame of yours. I’m surprised she found a dress big enough to fit your thick butt.” “Beatrice! Fiona! You two better not be fighting again.” Madam Lilac called out to her maids, walking down the stairs ready to greet her guest. “My friends are going to be here any moment now. I need my best girls to be on their best behavior. Is that clear?” The madam’s perfume was stronger now, both maids picking up the brunt of it as she held their heads under her paw. The pair’s growls had turned into guilty whimpers. “Sorry, Madam Lilac,” replied Fiona. “Sorry, Madam Lilac,” replied Beatrice. Their obedience had successfully been refreshed. Was Lilac overdoing her dosing? Not at all, she thought. These two kitties desperately needed to be trained. “Very good. You two had better play nice now.” “Understood, Madam Lilac.” Beatrice was so sick of having to put up with this shrimpy, petite thing. That Fiona thought she was so cute, the way she waved her hips around with every step. What she wouldn’t give to have five minutes alone with that little tease. “Yes, Madam Lilac.” Fiona had her own set of reservations. It was so distracting, watching Beatrice lean down to dust a vase or water a plant. She gave the whole world a perfect view of her thick thighs and fat diapered butt every time she did it. That big tease, it had to be intentional. The front doorbell rang, alerting the lady and her maids the guest had finally arrived. The maids whipped into action and opened the huge double doors in unison. They welcomed the new arrivals with a bow, and they all looked so happy to be here. They were all skunks, about Lilac’s age. They very easily could be relatives, or old family friends. Whatever the case, Beatrice and Fiona were to treat them all with the utmost respect, as any good maid would. Fittingly enough, all eyes were glued to the pair of padded maids. “Oh, they are just adorable!” “You sure do know how to find good help!” “What a precious pair of big cuties.” Madam Lilac chuckled to herself. “Yes, yes. My maids are very lovely. But please, give them some space. They’ve had a rough morning…let’s call it fatigue. Why don’t you take the discussions to the living room? That’s a much more appropriate place to catch up. And the maids will serve us while we talk.” Lilac had managed to corral her friends to the living quarters. The maids were commanded to set their squabbling aside and cater the guests. In time, the ladies were seated, and their topic of daily discussion was busy serving them, tending with tea and cookies. “I must say, Lilac,” One woman opened, stifling back giggles, “You have really outdone yourself this time. You certainly have an eye for quality.” She took a sip of her tea, admiring how much grace the lion displayed, despite the bright pink diaper she wore. “Oh, I agree! Finding good help these days is feels next to impossible.” The other woman patted the pink diaper of the cheetah next to her, as the print had instructed. “So submissive as well. I thought that trait died out in this newer generation. Don’t let these two get away now!” Lilac waved off the excited chatter. “Really, you must all stop with the flattery. My maids were eager to help me today, is all. As you know, the process is so much easier with a willing party. I had their services recommended by a friend and the rest worked itself out. They used to squabble all day with each other. But they have made great progress in such a short span of time. Observe.” Lilac rang a bell, and the maids instantly stood attention. Good. That was one less thing she needed to commit to teaching them. “Girls, I want you to show my friends how well you two get along. Now, face each other, and pay another a compliment.” The Madam’s command was law. As obedient as they were, matching blushes still rose to each of their faces. Beatrice had a collection of strange and conflicting feelings about Fiona that had been building up very quickly. Fiona, in turn, was afraid to admit how similar she felt. Madam Lilac clapped. “Hurry up now. It is very rude to keep a lady waiting.” Beatrice swallowed. She was strong enough to be the bigger person and make the first move. “Fiona. I have always admired how quick-witted you are. Having you around always makes me want to work harder. I think, on some level, I would be lost without you.” She spoke from the heart, surprisingly enough. Nothing she said was untrue. She just hadn’t been able to put them into words until today. Everything came automatically, without command. This was turning into quite a wake-up call. Fiona gasped; hands cupped over her mouth. Had Beatrice truly felt that way all this time!? Were all those rude acts simply a confused attempt for her attention!? “Oh my! Bea! You are too sweet! I love having you with me. I feel so safe with those big, strong arms nearby.” The emotional floodgates had been opened now. It did not take much to swoon the cheetah over. Beatrice had confessed, so Fiona saw no reason to hold back her spring of emotions. “I want to cuddle up in a crib with a big pretty kitty holding me snug. I cannot get you out of my head, Bea! All the ladies loved this show of emotions. Madam Lilac especially. While their words were not planned for, she was more than satisfied with the results. “Very good, my girls. But, before I release you, I need to make sure there are no pent-up feelings left over. How about you two kiss to make up?” Go on now. No point in being shy.” Fiona was the first to react, as usual. Fiona pressed her lips against Beatrice’s, unable to stop her feelings any longer. Tails were curling. Fiona had on leg kick high up, the back of which brushed by her padding. Beatrice certainly was not refusing. She wrapped her big, strong arms around her, pulling Fiona closer. Paws began to wander to places better left unmentioned. All that can be said is that their diapers had never been noisier until that moment. The living room space certainly came alive. The guests were hollering at the sight. The smooching became loud, more impassioned. Breathy pants began to emerge from the pair of passionate pussycats, neither one wanting to stop. The entire time, Lilac sat back silent and enjoyed the show. Of course, this would not be the only showing Lilac would be treating her friends to. Lilac said she would put these kittens to work, and the good woman never went back on her word. *** It took Velvet a while to realize why her days had been going so well recently. No one was hitting on here during work. Her phone line was much quieter recently. Everything had been peaceful. Nothing to bother her. No one to bother…No two to bother her. After a striking revelation, Velvet put her day on hold to make a beeline to Lilac’s manor. She was surprised that Lilac never gave her an update on the situation. Had something gone wrong? Better than expected? Lilac was always so punctual, so Velvet had no idea what conclusion to reach. But, when the wide double doors of the manor were pulled open, Velvet got her answers. She had been greeted by a pair of maids. Maids who, technically, Velvet was already familiar with. Maids with matching uniform, which fit the pair surprisingly well. Frilly blacks dress with thick pink diapers. It was a classic favorite of Madam Lilac. One was a lion, tall, sturdy and thick. Her mighty mane had been styled into rows of elegant curls. She was no doubt excellent at doing any heavy lifting her master required of her. The other was a cheetah, slender and petite. Her athletic frame would have scored her the attention of any mate she’d liked. The cheetah, nowadays, uses it for running up hallways and sweeping down floors and impressive speeds. They truly were a sight to behold, this pair. How awkward for Velvet, meeting them again for the first time. The maids curtsied for the guest, business as usual. If there were any lingering feelings of betrayal or bitterness, it certainly did not show on their faces. Certainly not behind the pounds of makeup caked onto their faces. “Um…hello.” Velvet blushed. Did they truly not recognize her? It sounded too good to be true. It was most likely better this way. She didn’t need a pair of bitter big cats on her tail. She had a blank slate to work from. “Is your master here today? I would like to speak with Madam Lilac. Before the maids could say anything, the lady arrived with her own response. “Velvet, darling, is that you? Oh, come in, come in!” The lady skunk ran to the front door and embraced her old friend. “I wish you had called me beforehand. It is so lovely to see you.” Lilac whipped her head back and looked over at the maids, who were awaiting instructions. “Girls, prepare a spot of tea for me and my guest. We have much catching up to do.” The maids curtsy and follow orders without a second thought. Velvet wanted to decline the offer, but she knew Lilac rarely took no for an answer. Still, Velvet was impressed at how effectively the maids worked together. No fuzzing or fighting. It was almost as if the pair enjoyed the company, giggling at each other’s jokes and mannerisms. They certainly had made quite a turnaround. “Very good, girls. You two are dismissed. You may have one of your breaks while me and friend converse.” Lilac smiled as her maid gave leave, returning attention to her old friend. “So, what brings to my corner of the world, Velvet? I must say, you look to be in good spirits today. You are practically glowing.” It was not the first time Velvet heard that sentiment recently. Her mind had been much clearer, and reason for just waddled away upstairs to take a break. Velvet was not sure how to attack the subject. The diapers, the dresses. The cheetah and lion Velvet knew would never be caught dressed in such a fashion. Lilac certainly knew how to turn a problem into a positive. “I’ve just been taking more time for myself. Getting my work done. Catching up on my reading. Not letting small things distract me.” “Thank you again, for coming to visit.” Lilac replied. “It has been wonderful having my two pretty kitties around.” The delight in her voice was palpable, and it had rewritten the tone of the entire conversation. “It has been so lively here since those two arrived on my doorstep. All my friends simply adore them. I apologize for not updating you earlier. When I saw how well they were getting along, I knew I must keep them. I suppose I too got lost in all the excitement. I cannot thank you enough.” Velvet was at a loss for words. She finally could close the case on the mystery of the disappearing doofuses. It was good that Lilac planned on keeping her set, because Velvet surely did not want them back. Velvet never imagined her plan would go down this well. She could rest easy knowing this was the best choice for everyone involved. However, the visit did not end on a note high enough yet. She always had to give her guests a show. Lilac knew her maids well and had no doubts about what they were getting up to during their break. Lilac walked her friend to the maids’ living quarters, creaking the door ever so slightly so that Velvet could peer inside. One thing was for sure, they were not resting. It was impressive how much fun they were having together, while keeping their diapers on. Beatrice was on top, unsurprisingly. Fiona, submissive as ever, was on the bottom. A whole lot of gasp and squealing came from her side, while Beatrice was busy huffing and puffing. The sounds of their diapers bumping together, grinding back and forth, was not the only sound of passion tonight. Lilac sighed. “There they go again. This helps to tucker them out before their second shift. I love giving them something to look forward to every day. I just love it when my workers get along.” Velvet was once again left speechless. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined her former sappy suitors in such a position. Did she feel bad for her old acquaintances? Not really, no. She much prefers them on each other’s back rather than on hers. If Lilac saw them suited as maids, Velvet had to reason to stop them. Especially not after seeing how much fun they were having with each other. However, there was one thing that Velvet couldn’t deny. “They make quite a cute couple, don’t they?”

Captain’s log: Entry 440 Name: Ellen Huxley Date: Indeterminate Mission Status: Accomplished As I write this most pivotal and anticipated entry, I can only think of pitying all the foolish souls who had doubted me over the years. History has a habit of giving its geniuses occasions to rise to, as well as obstacles to overcome. So, in my ocean of piety and wisdom, I extend my hand in forgiveness. Do not wallow in your foolishness. It only served to make my story better. My story began one crisp Autumn morning, a day before I was born. However, going back that far will take far too much time. The wonders of my upbringing will no doubt be covered in both the novelization and feature-film of my life story, both of which destined for critical acclaim in themselves. For brevity’s sake, I will summarize the important parts. I was born to a loving family of two humble enterprise-owners/entrepreneurs. I made top marks in all my classes, only threatening to fall short in supplementary subjects like gym or art. My success continued into college, where I missed making valedictorian by two points (one of many injustices I will not be able to elaborate on). I had been accepted into my country’s esteem space program, thanks solely to my natural wit and tenacity. Those quick to slander my good name might suggest that it was instead due to my father funding the program with literal bags of money. My father is simply a man who cares deeply about the development of space science. The fact that he was unable to name a single astronaut over the course of several interviews, you may cite, is completely irrelevant. It is simply another vicious slander tactic propagated by my life’s most persistent villains: jealous poor people. My time spent learning and training for the space program was unforgettable. Unforgettable, and rather boring. While I choose not to bore you with excess details (you are welcome) know that my supervisor always used me to set an example for others, which is always a good thing. I bet you are raring to hear the exciting accounts from my space voyage and interdimensional travels. Well, I was just getting to that part, so calm down already. My supervisors implored me to be careful during my first solo mission, but I knew what I was doing. They told me to not travel past a set range of lightyears, but I knew better. They continued to blather on about protocols and safety hazards and other boring babbles that didn’t concern me at the time. I was out looking for discovery, not safe test flights. That became much easier when I put my supervisors’ communications on mute, not letting the background noise drown out my train of thought. Admittedly, this next portion of the story is not one I am proud of. I know you’re simply dying to know how I came about the discovery of interdimensional travel. With a heavy heart, I must admit that the circumstances of that discovery are—for lack of better terms—foggy and random. Shortly after muting my supervisors, I found myself well beyond the measured range of distance that, upon a gut dropping reflection, they might have warned me about. To clarify, I was not lost in space. More accurately, I was temporarily directionally challenged in space. I felt the air in my lungs become tight. I didn’t even have the air to shriek in panic. Not in panic. In a controlled and dignified spree of emotions. I had everything under control. And, in my spree of controlled emotions, I must have hit an unfamiliar combination of important buttons. Before I knew it, I had activated the hyper drive—or perhaps the warp drive—I had activated some type of drive, and the ship was rocketing off deeper in the unknowns of space. Admittedly, not the best way to open space journey. I awoke in a daze, my head rattling like loose change in a bum’s coffee can. What was left of the computer’s display showed the atmosphere was breathable outside. I suited up and took one small step onto this strange new world. And that was when I met them. I had not even made it five feet outside of my ship before I made my first discovery. A pair of long, firm, gigantic legs. After that, I made my second discovery. The equally gigantic woman they belonged to. Before I knew it, I was surrounded by more women of equally tower-like stature. All eyes were on me—a trend not too different from my daily life. Even in the far reaches of space, my greatness was as plain as the hairs on my head. I suppose these are the consequences of being so special. I don’t believe these people have a name. At least, not one that translates easily. Not one I’m liable to give. So, using what I know now, I give them one myself. I will dub them the Amazons, as decided upon right now, as I write this. Not to be named after that forest that I read about that one time in middle school. No, it is a reference to those tall ladies that I read about that one time in a comic book in middle school. They look damningly similar to us. Only, as stated before, much taller. In fact, to the untrained eye, someone like me might even be confused as one of their children, as preposterous as that may sound. Unsurprisingly, they had strength to match their size. They lifted my rocket ship like a child’s toy off the sidewalk. After that, one of the massive maidens proceeded to lift me up like said child. When I felt the giant woman’s hand start to wander to places it dare not go, I responded with a few choice words. More than a few, actually. Tone must be a universal language, because she quickly pulled her hand back. I turned my head to see what the other giant space ladies were doing. The ones holding my ship seemed rather…unimpressed? Like my craft was as flavorless as yesterdays’ tomatoes. An idea crossed my mind, sometime after that, that I was not the first traveler from the stars to come their way. Perhaps my stellar entrance had some fierce competition from the past. To think, other lifeforms with space travel technology that put us to shame. It was rather disheartening to think about. Now, based on media you may have consumed before reading this, you may think that a species of ultra-intelligent, ultra-powerful, giant aliens are something to fear. But I assure you, as you read on, you’ll find that the Amazons are nothing to run from. Even if you tried…sorry, I am getting ahead of myself. Let me continue my case. At heart, the Amazons are a gracious and curious people. After our initial meeting, they immediately took me in and examined me for what felt like hours. On that note, hours are apparently not a standardized unit of time here. I am still unsure how the Amazons record time here. This planet seems to have a regular day and night cycle, albeit one the looks to run longer than our own. I have since developed a new method for tracking time, which I will delve into later. After a thorough examination, I was carried off to meet with the leader of these people. Now, while I am an expert on many subjects, architecture was not one of them, alien or otherwise. Still, I could tell this place was important. The building was like a fairy-tale castle that was made with modern sleek sensibility. I am not a fan of the term “futuristic”. How can you capture an aesthetic choice that does not exist yet? But everything about the Amazons screams science-fiction, leaving me at a loss for words. It is truly an indescribable place, and you will just have to see it for yourself. I met with the queen, and she was immediately enamored by me. She was quick to take me into her arms and shower me with affection. She smiled brightly, bombarded me with kisses, hugging me tightly against her very, very large bosom. I can confirm that love at first sight is very real. Even if it was being shared by an interdimensional alien queen and a prodigal space explorer. In hindsight, it should have raised a red flag when the queen treated me, a foreign invader, like one of her kin. If my government had an alien land on our proverbial doorstep, we would have squashed it like a fly on the wall. Yet the Amazons took me in instantly and insistently. Oh well. Analyzing afterthoughts does me no good now. I doubt the end result would be any different. From that day on, I never left the queen’s side. Not that she would have let me. The queen had an eye for quality. She always had me wrapped around her giant fingers, like a precious jewel. I had a front row seat to all the major happenings of Amazon society. True, I could not understand most of it. But that didn’t matter. What mattered was that I was the queen’s special little space explorer. I was hand-fed the most extravagant meals by the castle staff. When the queen saw it fit, I was strolled around the castle grounds and even on the streets of the Amazon people. All eyes were on me, and I would not have had it any other way. The Amazons had made a room for me, instantaneously. On my first day, the queen and her men took me to an empty room. A blank canvas. They fashioned me with a flashy-looking helmet, which beeped and hummed as stereotypically as a sci-fi device could. I stood there, while the queen held a tablet, quickly tapping away at a screen whose contents were invisible from my angle. The queen squealed with excitement, while I was left sitting in quiet confusion. I still remember how excited she looked on that day. How her smile threatened to shine brighter than the room itself. And the room did shine. It glowed like the inside of a lightbulb, engulfing everything in a white flash. I was unable to tell if it bothered the Amazons as much as it did me. I had to keep my eyes shut to stop my corneas from being burned. I do know that the queen reacted before me, as I heard her let out an excited squeal. When I finally opened my eyes, I could not spare the same reaction. It was a gigantic nursery, plain and simple. A supersized slice of home décor, fashioned executively by Amazon sensibilities. There were walls generated of pastel blue and pink stripes that did not make this room look any slimming. There was a window that generated a view of the outside world, made only so I could have a familiar perspective of time. There was a crib, with bars that rose like pillars meant to hold up old important buildings. They were unscalable by design, to prevent any poorly plotted escape attempts. The crib’s mattress was soft and wide, big enough to comfortably accommodate four people my size, but I slept inside alright. There were toys upon toys. More toys than I knew what to do with or would ever ask for. As many as there were, I all lacked in the fine details. Bunny rabbits with too many eyes. Duckies with misaligned wings. It would have been more noticeable had I not been swarmed with options. Too many, I was spoiled for options, but I was entertained alright. There were books. Giant books in the language I still do not understand, that would have to be read to me during the day and before naps. My understanding of their language was still infantile at best, but I was learning alright. There were diapers. So very many diapers. Diapers that puffed and piled out of their drawers, demanding to be worn. Diapers with coats of countless colors, always perfectly matching my current outfit, despite never staying on for long. Diapers with tapes the strength of industrial glue, that the Amazons could peel away with ease. They were thick and poofy and waddle-inducing, but they fit me alright. The queen’s design was made to give her newest guest an unforgettable stay. And everything fit her alright. Better than alright. Everything fit me perfectly. That was just how she wanted it. Now, at first, I did not appreciate this design. The reasons why currently escape me. The picture of my timeline from denial to acceptance is drawn with washed and faded markers. I know that I disobeyed the queen. I think that I yelled and screamed. I think I tried to escape, which sounds foolhardy as I write it down. I know that I was carried into another room, which was colder and menacing and obscure, I think. I know there was a machine there, I think was like a tanning bed. A scary, foreboding tanning bed. I know that I was placed inside. After that, my thoughts truly became jumbled. When I came to, I was feeling much more appropriate. Much more appreciative. My thoughts were much less foggy afterwards. It was decided that I was ready to give my new room a second try. I knew the result, and the burst of excitement I felt when looking upon my room the second time. This time, I said to myself “Hey, self, this place isn’t that bad. In fact, this place is wonderful!” The queen must have seen the sparkle in my eyes, because she shared the same one. I may not have been a communications expert, but we were both on the same page. Who knew I was this great with foreign relations? The queen took great care as she laid me back for my first diaper change. My bare bottom was laid on an open diaper, that had to be a few inches thick. Softer than a cloud, the padding was a tricolor mishmash that demanded attention. Just like its wearer. The powder she poured filled the air and dulled my senses further. It smelled of the sweetest flowers and worked wonders at masking any bad smells that came near that region. She pulled together all three tapes on each side, nice and snuggly. It’s funny. Perhaps the problem was (this may be hard to believe) me. Perhaps I had thoughts about staying out of diapers? As nonsensical as those sounds. I understood then what had transpired in that room. My queen had bottled away, or severed, or blocked all the rejection I had. And, in her ocean of piety and wisdom, left my mind with all the other thoughts that made me so special. Even alien machines fail to snuff out my award-winning personality. And, to make sure I stayed this way, the queen and her men added another special present to my room afterwards. In the corner of my room sat a box. At certain times during the day(?) the box would turn on automatically. Every day, that box flashed swarms of bright color. Colors that don’t exist in normal circumstances. Colors that are transcended beyond green and blue and red primary hue. The best colors in the world. The room would fill with sounds that match the colors in evolution and captivation. I lie on my tummy and watch this display of a lifetime, every day. I had lost countless periods of time watching that box. When I awoke, signal by the box turning off or the interjection of a staff member, I was always found in dire need of a change. Oh, right! The changes! Here, the passage of time is as persistent as it is undecipherable. My lessons on the subjects have been deemed the by queen to be supplementary. Still, having an idea for the length of my stay would be helpful. Clever girl I am, I have been tracking my time spent here, not in meals or steps, but in diaper changes. It was the obvious choice, seeing as how they happen so consistently and frequently. The increased frequency of diaper changes in recent times, however, may end up distorting my perception of my time here. Additionally, there are times, commonly after a nap, where I cannot confidently confirm if a diaper change has occurred or not. Currently, I have been on this planet for three hundred and forty diaper changes. That number will soon increase to three hundred and forty-one. My diaper has taken quite a soak since I first began writing this entry, and a servant may come and check on me. Despite my advanced wit, I am not always able to tell when I have wet myself, or if I am ready for a change. The ones larger than me are much more adapt at telling when I need one. At the current moment, however, I am confident that my padding is sufficiently soggy enough to warrant one. Now, I know that I thoroughly made my case for why living with the Amazons is a wonderful experience. Given that, I perfectly understand if all who read this would want to share it with me. Well, you are more than welcome to accept my humble invitation. I insist. Playtime was starting to get boring anyway. The trip really isn’t all that complicated. The Amazons are much more learned than us when it comes to space travel. After I arrived, it did not take them long to find the exact location of my old home, lightyears away. Lightyears were like inches to them. I told the queen, best as I could, about a few familiar faces I thought should be aboard the first flight. Ones who are no doubt reading this. Ones who I will not list, so as not to spoil the surprise. Sure enough, she was able to pull them up on a display in real time. Lightyears away, but the picture was crystal clear. I don’t know how the Amazons will come. It still feels too early for a mass invasion. Though, they are no doubt equipped for one. In a war of the worlds, Amazons come out on top, in every simulation. I imagine one-on-one abductions would be the likely answer. Perhaps in the dead of night. Maybe even in broad daylight, if someone here is feeling impatient. Imagine minding your own business when poof! You find yourself in the arms of a loving Amazon who knows what they want and will never let it go. Speaking from experience. I believe it will become a reality sooner than you can predict. Prepare yourself for culture shock. Amazon adoptions will send you for a whirlwind. Abductions or adoptions? It’s just a matter of perspective. That is the other reason I am writing this address. I am expecting a slew of new playmates. When you finally get here, you all better be on your best behavior. There are plenty of jealous Amazons here who want their own little Ellen Huxley to hug and coddle and pamper. When you eventually get here, don’t make me look bad. Do what your Amazon says. Let them dress you, feed you, change you. They all clearly know best. They would not have been able to find us so easily otherwise. When you inevitably get here, get comfortable. I have a hunch that the trip is one way. You might as well enjoy this new age of space travel. If not, well, Amazons have ways of pulling out combative urges, and pushing the sweet dispositions to the front. Again, speaking from experience. To end this entry, I will leave with a tutorial that will prove exceptionally useful during a lifetime in the Amazon’s world: messing your diaper. Now, don’t shy away from this. A full diaper will find its way to you before you know it. You might as well get some pointers from an expert while you still have the chance. The trick is to distract yourself. Don’t focus too hard on the mechanics, less you psych yourself out. When your body gives the signal, if your body gives the signal, hunker down and get ready. Stare off at a spot in the distance. Fancy wallpaper. An old toy. A patch of flowers. It does not matter exactly what. Your body only needs one push before everything falls into place. Remember to breathe, take a minute to recompose yourself if needed. And voila! A full diaper, ready for changing. Believe me, it gets easier, and will soon become a thoughtless action. Something to note: While the powder easily masked the scent of a full diaper, it does nothing for the weight or the feeling. Now, I must bid you adieu. It appears my instructions proved too effective, and my need for a change has become much more dire. Nothing to worry about. Dropping off important cargo is all in a day’s work for a prodigal space explorer. I will wail into my monitor, alerting the staff to pick up the pace. Just remember, when face-to-face with your new Amazon, use every trick I taught you for an easy adjustment period. And when you finally realize how much good a lifetime spent with an Amazon can do for you, tell me all about it during our latest playdate. Seeing you soon, Ellen Huxley

The night was quiet. Dead quiet. But, every night was dead to Chelsea. And every day, even when there was life outside, was dead to Chelsea. After all, she did not have a life anymore. Dead was her only option. Being a ghost was not a life-changing experience. It was a death-changing experience. She had to learn to stop using the “L” word. It only made her sad and nostalgic. She still remembered how it all ended and started. She went to bed one Saturday, feeling particularly queasy. When she didn’t wake up on Sunday, she felt lighter than air. She was too busy sulking and coping to hear the coroner’s report. She was already dead. How it happened didn’t matter much now. The first few nights of her death were her experimental phase. Trying to see what movies and books and TV got right about ghosts. The possession stuff was mostly true. Moving people was still beyond her, but moving objects was a fun new hobby. She found a new distaste for loud noises and bright sunlight. They weren’t fatal. Just extremely annoying. It was not much of an issue. She was always a night owl at heart. Chelsea always did her best work at night. Tonight, she hoped, was one of those nights. She floated high above the city buildings, looking for a home she had not haunted yet. She was starting to become glad that she had died in a big city. She had more options than she knew what to do with in this next life. How funny, how dark. “Eenie-meanie…” The ghostly gal sang to herself, her finger dancing from building to building, “Miny…That one!” She found her target, dashing through the walls of a particularly fetching apartment complex. Ghosts did not have much for feelings, but Chelsea had a great feeling for tonight. She landed inside of a plain looking bedroom. She spotted a woman who was about Chelsea’s age (assuming she had not died some time ago) sitting at her computer screen. “Alrighty,” Chelsea said, cracking the nonexistent bones in her ghostly knuckles, “Let me see what I can do.” When you die, they can’t hear you, by the way. Anyone who says otherwise is a total liar. Chelsea found that out day one. A ghost could be screaming straight into your ear, an all it would translate to is an odd chill. Chelsea casually strolled over beside the girl, glancing at her computer screen. People always acted more interestingly when they thought no one was watching. The stories that ghosts could tell. It normally gave Chelsea a good idea on where to start. Chelsea waited a while, watching both the woman and her computer, until something interesting had happened. Here’s what she got. The woman’s name was Nora. She was in college, third year. Chelsea couldn’t tell her major, but guessed it was English. Nothing too amazing or surprising. She looked like a stereotypical bookworm anyway. Thick black glasses. A neat and tidy haircut. She probably thought that ghost belonged in the fiction section. Chelsea was getting ready to leave and to declare tonight as a bust. But all that changed when the nerd finally emoted, slumping back in her seat. She closed out her browser and loaded up a file on her computer. The woman and the ghost stared at the computer screen in anticipation, both unknowingly sharing a rush of excitement as the title card dropped. “POV: Mommy’s Special Punishment” This. Was. Perfect! Nerdy types were always a gamble. But when they hit, boy did they hit. When she was still alive, Chelsea had always considered herself an artist. She loved a good storyline, especially when it sprouted from real people. Nora here was a classic. Wallflower by day, deviant by night? This was her best pull yet! “Nora!” the ghost chided playfully, “You sneak!” Chelsea knew Nora could not hear her. The commentary was for Chelsea’s sake only. Even if she could, Nora was far too excited to stop what she was doing. Nora hopped off her seat to fetch something from under her bed on the other side of the room. Chelsea chose to watch the computer screen as the first scene played. Fade from black. The computer screen displayed a buxom blonde woman. Her apparel was in the style of a sexy librarian seen in hundreds of other smutty films like this one. She stared into the camera, looking rather cross. “You are in big trouble, missy, I just got off of the phone with your teacher, and I am very disappointed with you.” The story beats were nothing groundbreaking. The stepmother character was punishing her stepdaughter for missing school and having failing grades. Nothing Chelsea hadn’t seen before, but also… “Your homeroom teacher tells me you’ve been having accidents again. Honestly! I am so disappointed in you. You are already nineteen! Don’t you think you are too old for this. Apparently not, because you keep going potty in your panties.” This was…different. Had the humiliation game gotten an update while she was away? Chelsea was not sure how to get into whatever this was. Then again, ghosts were not “into” anything. Libido was for the living. Despite this, Chelsea was still confident in her ability to spot something niche and taboo. What was Nora watching? Chelsea looked over to the woman in question, and her surprise was renewed. Nora was sitting down, stark naked. That wasn’t the interesting part. What was interesting was the toys she pulled out. Diapers. Adult diapers. Adult diapers designed to look like baby diapers. Decorated head-to-toe with imagery of lollipops and gumdrops and candy corn. Even the package had a juvenile design to match. There were other appropriate tools as well. Baby powder, baby oil. A pacifier, with a size that bordered on comical. “If you are going to act like a baby, I have no choice but to treat you like one.” “But Mommy…” Nora replied in bated breaths. “No butts, little missy. Except for yours covered in powder. Now lie down.” Nora complied, seating herself in the open diaper as instructed. Chelsea knew she should jump in at some point, but this was all too rich. If she still had a working heart, it would be beating out of her chest. This was all so new to her. Yet it was all so exciting. Really! She wasn’t even sure ghosts could be excited until today. Perhaps it was due to the ether of everything, and Nora’s excitement was rubbing off on her. Chelsea didn’t know where to start. She looked at the young nude woman, who eagerly hung onto every word from the woman onscreen. Chelsea looked over towards the computer. The woman on screen was lying out an open diaper in front of the camera. Similar in size to Nora’s, but with a much more traditional white design. “There are going to be some big changes around here, little missy. You are going to do exactly as Mommy says.” An idea popped into the ghost’s head. Chelsea floated over to Nora, knowing exactly the role she needed to play. “I don’t want to hear any more of your mouth today. This stays in, no buts.” The actress held a pacifier up to the camera and pushed it forward, out of view. Both Chelsea and Nora got the memo, but Nora acted faster. She corked the pacifier in her mouth, eagerly suckling on it. Chelsea mused, “Alright, I can do that.” She snapped her fingers, deploying her first ghostly trick. “Mmmph!?” Nora gave a shocked shriek as the pacifier’s strap was tightened in place. “No, no, no. Don’t fuss. Mommy doesn’t want to hear any of your backtalk.” “Man, how can you even hear this thing,” Chelsea griped, “Did you set the volume to four?” Taking matters into her own hands, Chelsea snapped her fingers, and cracked the volume to max. She also took the liberty of floating the laptop next to Nora, so she could get a better view. Nora, all the while, laid there in stunned silence. Objects, Chelsea found out early, were very easy to levitate. And what were clothes, if not objects people chose to wear? Humans were not easy targets. But the clothes made them like fish on a line. If a human was wearing a heavy jacket or a pair of jeans, anything really, Ghost had a much easier time moving them to-and-fro. Nora tried to get back up, but Chelsea wasn’t having it. Chelsea had a solid grip on the pacifier and forced the girl back down with ease. “Hold your horses. I’m still figuring this stuff out. We haven’t even got to the good part yet.” “Now let me get you all powdered up. This is going to smell so much nicer than a pair of wet panties.” The actress drizzled a liberal amount of powder in front of the camera. Chelsea floated the powder over the girl’s crotch, trying to match the dosage. Chelsea tried her best not to be wasteful. She knew how easily college drained any excess funds. Chelsea was also glad the whole “Powder revealed ghosts” thing was a myth. “Mommy is going to rub that in now…there we go. Nice and fresh.” Chelsea looked down at Nora, still sweating and splayed out. Most of the powder managed to land on her privates, and was ample for rubbing in. Chelsea brought her palm down, mimicking the circular motions seen in the video. Ghosts still had the ability to move certain things with their hands, even if they were not technically touching. Ripples in the water. Waves in the sand. Basically, if the wind could move it, a ghost probably could too. Powder, baby or otherwise, was one of the lucky objects. For ghosts, it was an improvement, because they didn’t need to clean their hands from messes afterwards. “Now, time for the oil. Mommy wants to make sure you stay nice and soft.” Chelsea looked over to the baby oil and paused. It was not a matter of could, but rather of should. Applying baby oil was something of an invasive process. Chelsea felt like she was close to crossing a line. Fun was fun, but Nora had her rights. Before Chelsea had the chance to leave, her night partner decided for her. Nora was staring in her direction, eagerly holding up the jar of baby oil with both hands. Chelsea knew Nora couldn’t see her. She knew it. Not one person had been able to see her yet. But perhaps, maybe, Nora was able to feel her. Feeling was an entirely different game than seeing. If seeing was believing, what did that make feeling? Make-believing? Make-believing. Make-believing was for fairy tales and figments, and ghosts who found themselves in impossible situations. And the people who ended up near them. And Nora sure as hell looked ready to make-believe tonight. “MM-oil!” The young woman demanded behind the bulb of her pacifier. As an experiment, Chelsea tipped the oil onto Nora’s privates. She waited patiently for further instructions… “Mm-ub! Mub!” While her speech was garbled, Nora’s message was clear. Nora wanted a haunting, bad. A haunt with a willing participant. This girl was so full of surprises! Well, Chelsea definitely was not going to leave her wanting now! Best she could, Chelsea took her hand and rubbed the oil in. Oil was thicker than powder, but Nora wasn’t complaining. Quite the opposite. She squirmed and panted with every motion. Chelsea pegged Nora for the quiet type. That was probably true, on any night but this one. Between the pacified pants and the video’s audio, there was not a second of quiet in the small apartment room. “Good girl. Now let’s get this taped up. There we go.” “Mommy” folded and taped the diaper shut. Chelsea followed suit, pulling the tapes on Chelsea’s diaper together. They stuck together easily, leaving the ghost feeling oddly proud. Nora’s eyes sparkled when she stared down at the final result. Chelsea wiped off her hands, feeling satisfied. “I gotta say, Nora. You really know how to have a good time. Glad I could stop by.” “Ah-ah! Stay down, little lady. Mommy isn’t done yet. We still have to get all those naughty feelings out of your system.” While Chelsea looked confused, Nora was drooling at the sight on-screen. Just when Chelsea thought she knew the score, another curve ball came flying her way. “Don’t try to act innocent, sweetie. Mommy has seen it all before. Stuck thinking about boys? Girls? Hey, hey. It’s okay. Mommy knows how frustrating it can be, not being able to act on your feelings.” The woman shook a strange device in front of the camera. It vaguely resembled a microphone, painted white instead of black. The top(?) was also flat and smooth as well. Nora had one of her own and held it to the sky like the oil before. Chelsea floated it out of her partner’s hand and began to examine it. Right off the bat, she could tell it was electrical. No issue. Ghost had no problem flicking on electric devices. Lamps and light switches and the lot were all basic. After twirling the toy in the air a few times, Chelsea managed to click it on, producing a low buzz. While Chelsea was still in the dark, Nora knew exactly what it was for, signaled by her rapid nodding. Chelsea once again turned to the on-screen video for guidance. “That’s right. Let it all out. Mommy only wants to help.” The mommy was rubbing the device over the front of the diaper. Simple enough, right? Chelsea made contact. Nora curled her feet. All the pieces fell into place. As an artist, Chelsea should have known better. You can’t have a great story without a strong climax. “Mmmmph!” The college girl moaned behind her rubber nipple. Chelsea laughed. She found herself being struck with a giddy sense of excitement that she had forgotten from days alive. Hell, this might even be better than that. This was raw. This was scary and raw and exciting. Oh, this was alive! All the wonderful and beautiful feelings that told someone they were alive! Two strangers, sharing a night together. Two souls, knowing what it meant to feel alive. “Ooh! I think Mommy is getting warmer. Come on darling, let it all out. Mommy’s vibrator sped up, and so did Chelsea’s. The ghost did not need Nora’s help to find the next level of speed. “MMMMMPPH!” “That’s it! You are doing so well!” Chelsea rubbed and pressed the vibrator as best she could. Even without Nora’s muffled praise, she knew she was doing well. Better than anyone else could. Better, because she cared about this moment. This feeling. “One more. Almost there! Come on now baby!” “MMMph! MMpph! MMMmph!” The vibrator was at max level now. There was no stopping now. Their story was coming to an end, but the end was coming all the same. Chelsea was sure she was shaking herself now, at the very end. Faster. Faster! At the very end! “MMMPH!” “You can do it baby! Do it for Mommy!” This was it! They were here! She was— “MMMMMMMoOoOOOoOAh!!!” “There we go! Good girl! Mommy is so proud of you! We got all those naughty, sticky, pent-up feelings out! Mommy knew you could do it! Now, Mommy still has to punish you. Skipping school and wetting your panties is a big no-no. But don’t worry. I’m sure after this weekend, you will be ready to be the good girl Mommy knows you can be!” When she was still alive, Chelsea had considered herself an artist. She loved seeing stories sprouting, especially from people. A wallflower and a ghost share a night of unbridled passion? It was one she would not soon forget. People were often so hard for new ghosts to levitate, because of how much they tended to wriggle and panic and squirm. Nora, however, did not prove to be a problem. She was still enjoying her glaze, not willing to fight much of anything now. Especially not the ghost who had given her an unforgettable night. Chelsea took note of this, and gently floated the woman into bed, tucking her in. Chelsea undid the straps on Nora’s pacifier, but Nora still suckled on it all the same. Chelsea even went so far as to tidy up her space. She cleaned up all the changing supplies and sent the laptop, like its owner, to sleep. It was hard to tell how Nora would react when she woke up. After her hauntings, Chelsea never stayed to find out. It wasn’t her style. In both life and death, she never liked staying in one place for too long. “Well, that was certainly something. Looks like you had even more fun than me! First time for everything, I suppose.” Chelsea landed an invisible kiss on Nora’s cheek, and Nora smiled tenderly. “I hope you find a mommy who can give you nights just like this one.” Just as horny college students needed their rest, so did ghosts. Chelsea faded back into the shadows, off to find some dark nook to rest during the day. As she did so, she found herself looking forward to all the new experiences death could bring. There were so many fun and exciting people out there, just like Nora. Chelsea couldn’t wait to meet them all.

An impossibly awkward silence hung in the office as Theodore sat patiently, waiting for a response. While it had been some time since he had been employed, he was sure that he had filled out his resume without any issue. He wasn’t sure what was causing his potential employer to hesitate. Although, given the circumstances, he did have one leading theory. “Theodore, yes?” Lydia asked, an eyebrow raised, “You are sure you want to work here?” Theodore tilted his head, the lioness’s question taking him off guard. Especially since her tone was bordering on disbelief. Was that really the first question on her mind? “Yes ma’am. Is there something the matter? I am sure I’ve met all the necessary qualifications.” “Theodore, you may not be aware, but this department,” Lydia paused, carefully considering her words. “All the other employees of this department are…” “Women?” The mouse asked innocently. “Queens.” The lioness replied bluntly. “The felines of this department tend to all have a preset mindset on rodents such as yourself. You may find them to be rather…overbearing.” Theo shook his head. He wasn’t going to let something as trivial as species work him out of a good job. “That won’t be an issue for me. All I ask is that you give me a fair shot.” Even after that admission, Lydia’s face still showed signs of uncertainty. “It’s not that I don’t want to hire you. In fact, I think you are perfect for this position. Overqualified, even. But the workers of this office can prove to be a very intense bunch. I only thought it my duty to give you fair warning, is all. Few people apply for your position. Especially not with such eagerness.” Theo held back a scoff. Lydia spoke as if they were plotting to tear him apart. He knew that this was a place of business. He believed that he would be treated with the upmost respect. And the position of office counselor sounded easy enough. “Believe me, ma’am. I am sure I’ll get along just fine. Who knows? I might end up becoming quite popular.” His words must have struck a chord with her, because her unsure grin had shifted into an easy smile. “I suppose that settles it. I look forward to having you in my office.” Lydia extended her paw for a shake. “You’ll start on Monday.” *** While Theodore was more than grateful to have his own office, he wasn’t very keen on how everything was laid out. Right off the bat, he noticed how juvenile the place had looked. The walls were painted an unflattering pastel blue. The furniture was also very colorful, including his desk and a few small chairs strewn about the room. The multicolored cabinets in the corner were rather tall, better suited for an animal much larger than himself. He even noticed that the carpet was a lighter shade than the rest of the office. The office felt like that of a social worker. One who worked with very young children. Maybe many of the workers here were mothers and felt more at home here. Maybe the previous employee liked this style. Whatever the case, Theodore was not a fan. “I might have to do a bit of redecorating later on.” Theodore mused to himself, still giving the place a once-over. Just as he was in the middle of taking mental design notes, Theodore’s ears perked up at the sound of the door opening behind him. “Oh my gosh.” Said the surprise guest. It was a female cheetah, dressed in a trendy fashion, who could not have been more than twenty years old. “No way! I can’t believe Lydia actually got one!” Got one? What an odd way to refer to a new coworker. Lydia did mention that this position was hard to fill. Maybe she was excited to have a new “office counselor” or however it was called. “Umm, hello. I’m Theodore. I would love to get better acquainted, but I’m still getting settled in at the moment. Do you mind coming back later?” Apparently, that was not an option. The cheetah closed the door behind her and walked over to Theodore, a giddy smile on her face. She kneeled down to meet the mouse at eye level, staring him down. The mouse said nothing, taking a cautionary step back. “Umm. I really am—" She stuck a paw under Theodore’s chin and began to scratch. With the other free paw, the cheetah began to rub the back of his neck in a smooth circular motion. She had soon worked into a natural rhythm, patting him down tenderly. It felt quite nice. “Aww, you’re such a sweetie. I can tell, it’s gonna be so much fun having you around the office!” The cheetah’s bubbly tone remained as she scratched and petted the new hire, not seeing anything inappropriate with the treatment. “You can call me Ms. Shari, okay?” Theodore couldn’t even muster up a nod in response. The sudden comforting motions had already molded him like putty. He knew this type of behavior was not appropriate for the workplace and was surprised that Shari already spoke with such a sense of familiarity. Despite not wanting to stereotype, it was very clear Shari was a fast-moving woman. “M-miss Shari…” The mouse mumbled, “I don’t think we should be doing this at work. Maybe after we get to know each other better?” Theodore protested, but his pleas were as ineffective as they were half-hearted. Shari had already scooped Theo up and cradled him tenderly. Shari simply smiled down at him. “You really are too sweet. You remind me of those cute talking dolls. The ones that say little phrases when you squeeze them. But I suppose it’s scratches and pets in your case. I would totally love to take you out after work. But I think we’re getting ahead of ourselves,” Shari stuck a claw down Theo’s trousers, and pulled at the waistband. The elastic snapped back as she pulled her hand away, her mental quarry being answered. “Looks like I am the first one here. Don’t worry, Teddy. I’m not going to keep you all to myself. I just wanted to be the one to break you in.” Very gently, Shari laid the mouse on his back atop his new desk. She ran a claw through the side of his briefs, tossing them aside after rendering them useless. Shari shot the mouse a wink, and crouched behind the desk, as if to retrieve something. Was this really happening!? This was a scene pulled right out of a smutty film. When Theodore had landed this job, lewd acts such as this never once crossed his mind. Yet, here he was, getting “broken in” on his first day of the job. All the while, Theodore did nothing to stop it from happening. Why was that? Maybe it was a case of idle curiosity. If this cheetah—this young queen—wanted to show him her idea of office hospitality, who was he to stop her? No. Deep down, Theodore knew why he didn’t resist. The dopey smile on his face was clear evidence of that. Theodore’s excitement quickly shifted into confusion as the big cat reemerged. In her paws, the cheetah now held something white and fluffy. No doubt intended to replace the khakis and briefs she had cleanly discarded. “It’s been a minute since I’ve done this. The last guy ran away in such a hurry. But don’t worry. It is just like that old saying. Changing a mouse’s diaper is just like riding a bike. After you do it once, you never forget how.” Shari leaned in closer to Theodore, their noses and whiskers only inches away from each other. Shari saw his tiny chest move up and down rapidly, and smiled, “And believe me, I have done this more than once.” Theodore’s body was now running hot and cold. Really, it was more accurate to say that he was running hot and hot. This dream had suddenly shifted into an odd nightmare. Theodore couldn’t stop all the excited feelings built up moments ago. At the same time, he had never felt so embarrassed before. This woman, a total stranger really, had said that she plans to dress him like a baby. Him, a fully grown mouse! Even worse, this office was already perfectly equipped for such a task. All the while, Shari did her job with the upmost efficiency. She hoisted his legs up, sliding the padding under him quickly. She plucked his swaying pink tail and fed it through the back hole gently. Powder and oil were rubbed liberally into Theodore’s skin and fur. The skin-on-skin contact served to raise the mouse’s heart rate even further. Theodore panted and gripped the desk while Shari hummed a simple tune. In the end, the diaper was taped up, nice and snug, hiding all of Theodore’s excitement behind a wall of white fluff. “Perfect. I always thought that if this office gig didn’t work out, I could go try for childcare. Of course,” Shari grabbed one of Theo’s cheeks for a quick pinch, “I don’t think any of those kids could be as cute as you, Teddy.” Theodore squirmed on the desk. “Ms. Shari!? You put a diaper on me!” It was an obvious statement, but the only one he could muster. He was still utterly bewildered. “That’s right, Teddy! Standard procedure for any cute little mice that scurry into our building. But you already knew that didn’t you?” No, he didn’t! In what world was it normal to treat co-workers like overgrown infants!? Not one Theo had any intention of staying in. He tried to get his bearings back, but his sense of movement had been greatly crippled. If it wasn’t already obvious, Theodore was not used to having diapers taped over his rear. He eventually worked his way into an upright position, but it ended up helping Shari more than him. She took the opportunity to swiftly pull off his dress shirt, leaving the new hire’s chest bare. “Gah! You can’t do—Mm mph!” Theodore’s protests were cut short, as he felt something cold and rubbery invade his mouth. Shari held a finger to his mouth, making it known that whatever she put in there was meant to stay that way. What could she possibly be using to pacify his— Oh. “I was so excited to meet you today that I popped my head in here earlier. I know, I know. It spoils the surprise. But I couldn’t help myself! It has been ages since we’ve had a little mousey to play with! Especially one so adorable!” Shari accented her point with an Eskimo kiss, rubbing her nose against Theo’s. The mouse blushed hard and whimpered behind his pacifier. “Besides, it gave me a chance to pick the perfect outfit for your first day.” Just like the diaper before, Shari pulled out something fresh and babyish for Theodore to wear. Theodore didn’t have much time to look at it. Shari had already pulled off Teddy’s sock and shoes, and was feeding his legs through the new outfit. The transaction was as easy as the diaper change. Theodore was too stunned to fight, and Shari’s paws were too quick. Within two minutes flat, Theodore had been dressed snuggly in a new ensemble. He had been dressed in a footed sleeper, designed to resemble a tabby cat. His entire body was covered in orange fleece, leaving only his face visible. There was even a hood fixed with pointed ears on top. His eyes shot downward and saw a thick roundness around the crotch. It was a perfect outline of his diaper. Any queen working in the quiet office would perk her ears to the distinct sound of crinkling and know exactly who was responsible. Theodore turned around, and saw the trap door on the back, designed as a way to give easy checks and changes to actual babies. He could even see the white of his diaper peeking out underneath. All Theodore could do was stare down at himself, his mouth agape. “Aww, you’re speechless! I knew you would love it.” Shari hoisted the mouse up with ease, carrying him on her hip like an actual toddler. “Come on, let’s show you off. I’m sure the other girls will love your padded tush just as much as I do!” Theodore did not doubt that. Unfortunately, that’s what he was most afraid of. Theodore buried his head in Shari’s shoulder and quietly suckled on his pacifier. The amber nipple bobbed rhythmically in his mouth. At some point, he had begun suckling on it of his own volition. Shari forced the pacifier upon him, and he was taking to it like a duck to water. Theodore kicked his feet restlessly, the diaper sounding off its crinkly anthem, and hoped that this was the only babyish habit he would develop today. The pair came to a sudden stop, as Shari arrived at a door on the other side of the office. “Oh Naomi!” Shari began in a singsong, “There’s someone very special who wants to see you!” There was a pregnant pause after that. The pair waited, Theodore growing more confused and antsy. “Shari,” A dry voice from the other side of the door finally answered, “You don’t have to do this every morning. You can come in if you want.” The cheetah chuckled to herself. “I know that. But I’m with someone. He makes very good first impressions!” There was another pause after that, although, one not nearly as silent. From the other side, Theodore could swear he heard heavy breathing. Panting? Purring? He felt himself shrinking in the cheetah’s cradle, the sounds prompting a primal sense of fear. The sounds finally subsided, and the two were once again waiting in silence. “Come in…” beckoned a low and deep growl of a voice. The party reacted accordingly. Theodore whimpered softly, and Shari walked inside. Her fur was a fine shade of black that shined cleanly under her violet pantsuit. Her deep yellow eyes stayed tracking Theodore from the second he and Shari entered the room. Her facial expression and demeanor gave her an aura of poise and precision. An aura that matched perfectly with the tight and orderly den that was her office. Despite her outward composure, Theodore could tell there were more intense feelings lurking behind her eyes. “Good morning, Shari. Who is your adorable little friend?” Her words sounded friendly and warm, even while her sights stayed pinned to the pacified prey that was Theodore. Theodore nuzzled even closer to his feline captor. Given the circumstances, he was starting to feel much safer in Shari’s paw than anywhere else. Between the two big cats in the room, the one cradling him seemed far less imposing. “His name is Teddy! He’s the new guy Lydia emailed us about.” With a quick flick of her paw, Shari plucked the pacifier out of Theodore’s mouth. “Go on. Introduce yourself!” While the spotlight that beamed on him was only metaphorical, he still felt an intense heat shining on him. It was not because of the sleeper either. The pressure of having these two office ladies stare down at him was a lot. Naomi was giving him no quarter. She sat on the edge of her desk, patiently waiting for Theodore’s pitch. His arrival was no doubt the highlight of her day, as Lydia had apparently taken the liberty of alerting everyone in the building beforehand. “M-my name is Theodore. I was supposed to start working here today…” There was a small drop of confidence that had not yet been drained from Theo’s body. Unfortunately, while it was enough to get him to speak, there was none left for his voice to use. The result was Theo speaking in a quiet, mousy voice, and two felines cooing at him. “He’s a total sweetheart. As soon as I met him, he tried to ask me for a date. A date! Isn’t that precious?” Naomi chuckled lightly. “I suppose some men cannot help themselves in the presence of beautiful women.” Naomi fixed her gaze back at the mouse. “Does that sound right, Mr. Teddy? Are you going to be our little office flirt?” Theodore responded by burying his head in Shari’s arm, like a toddler being cooed at by his aunt and uncles. “Aww, feeling shy? Maybe Shari is more your type? Into younger women, I take it.” “I think he likes you! He just hasn’t got the chance to know you yet. Why don’t I drop him off here so you two can get acquainted?” The very notion caused Naomi’s eyes to swell and grow huge. She let out another low purr that was only muted by the sound of her claws scraping at her desk. In an equal reaction, Theodore buried himself deeper into Shari’s carriage. He wished so badly that he could scurry away back to the hole he called home. But he couldn’t do that, still stuck in the grasps of a women much stronger and faster than him. He was only able to stare back at the predator, and he saw that his fear was perfectly reflected in her deep black pupils. “Oh!?” Naomi pulled herself back and began to regain her lost composure. “I mean, are you sure? You are the one who saw him first. It wouldn’t be right for me to steal him away from you.” Shari scoffed, “Don’t try and act all restrained. You were the first one in Lyn’s office after this little cutie finished his interview last week. I bet good money that you probably lost sleep over him this weekend.” Oh dear. Theodore hadn’t yet considered the weight of the fact that his arrival was already common knowledge. Lydia might as well have sounded the dinner bell. Judging by the reactions of these first two co-workers, he was going to be a very popular addition. “You always read me so well. But I really shouldn’t be playing right now.” “Come on, you’ve earned it. You’ve worked so much that you could take two days off with the little guy and still be ahead of everyone. Here, watch.” And without warning, Shari had pulled Theo away, and forced him into Naomi’s arms. Theo was sweating bullets, subjecting his pacifier to a flurry of panicked suckles. With her stoic gaze, Naomi was much harder to read. But she clearly was not complaining about the new arrangement. “See? I know you two are going to get along great together.” Shari glanced down at her watch. “I gotta run. If you need to change him, all the stuff is still in the old spot. If you want, I can tag back in at lunch time.” Shari waved and left in a hurry. “Have fun you two.” The door was shut, and Theodore had traded one predator for another. “Don’t speak. I want to enjoy this moment.” Her words were firm and confident, and her gaze had relaxed to a stoic state. “I can tell this all must be very shocking to you. Most men who end up in this office don’t do so willingly.” There it was again. That familiar sentiment. He had only been “working” for less than a day, but it was easy to see why this role was so hard to fill. “You are different, little Teddy. You signed up for this. You applied to this position like any other, not knowing any better.” Naomi paused, watching as the timid little mouse averted his gaze in order to dodge the question. “I thought so. You have such honest eyes, little Teddy. Unfortunately, you still managed to end up in my den all the same. I have a special way of greeting little rodents who find themselves here.” Naomi brushed the hood of Theo’s sleeper down. She leaned in closer and closer, until finally— “Mwah!” Naomi had planted a kiss on Theodore’s bare cheek. She didn’t stop at one. Soon, she was raining down blows of affection on his cheeks again and again. Theo fussed and squirmed, but he was no match for the predator’s precision. This panther’s passion persisted, as she had plenty of love to give. “Well?” Naomi asked in a playful tone. “Did I change your mind? Or do you still prefer younger women?” Naomi pulled the pacifier out of Theodore’s mouth, finally allowing the mouse to speak. It took Theodore a moment to find his bearings, but he managed to formulate a response. “I…I don’t understand! Why are you all treating me like this? Why do you think it’s okay to treat a grown adult like this? I’m not a baby!” “That is true. Babies are too young to appreciate this. That is why having little mice like you is much more fun. We get to spoil you rotten, and you get to appreciate every second of it.” “But I don’t want to be spoiled! I want to be treated as an adult! I want to work!” “Work?” A wry smile grew on Naomi’s face, “Well, you shouldn’t worry yourself over something like that. This office has plenty of hard-working grown-ups as is. But I do have something to keep a cutie like you entertained until lunchtime.” Naomi, as punctual as ever, had prepared for this meeting beforehand, like a scheming villain. She didn’t expect to meet with the mouse so early, but was happy with the end result all the same. From behind the corner of her desk, Naomi kicked out something made to accommodate Teddy. It was a baby walker, colored a garish shade of pink all over. There were many different toys and doodads designed to catch the attention of someone much younger than Theodore. Younger, but not much smaller. Before he could even protest, Naomi had shoved the mouse right into the open seat of the walker. Theodore immediately noticed how easily he sank into the seat. He also noticed, by anxiously kicking his feet, that he was unable to reach the floor below. To get out, he would need the help of someone much taller than him. “There we go, all nice and snug. This is a little something I like to have around when I want to spend time with any mice in the office. Watching you play gives me that extra jolt I need to get through the day. Much more interesting that fish swimming around in a glass tank.” Naomi set down an activity book and a packet of crayons in front of Theodore. “You can work on coloring in-between the lines. There’s even a couple of math problems in there, if you are feeling extra clever today. If you do a good job, I’ll even tear out the page and hang it on the fridge in the breakroom.” “This is ridiculous!” He yelled, “Let me out of here this instant!” He fuzzed and bounced, desperately trying to free himself. Naomi slammed her paws down in front of Teddy. She bared her fangs and let out a low growl. Teddy immediately recoiled, his eyes wide with shock. “Do not try my patience, little one. By my account, I gave you the appropriate treatment for a mouse in this office. I can take you out now, but it will only be so that I can give you a spanking on your bare bottom. Now you sit here and play, because I won’t ask twice.” It was all too much. The dam had finally broken, and Theodore was wetting his diaper out of fear. Both parties perked their ears at the sound of a wet hiss hitting the once white padding. Theodore whimpered and shut his eyes tight. A small part of him wished he still had a pacifier in his mouth for comfort. He might as well have something to suckle on. There was no way now that he would convince Naomi, or anyone else in this office, that he was anything more than a helpless kit. “And you were trying to tell me that you weren’t a baby. Well, us grown-ups can’t drop everything to please fussy little brats like you. You will just have to sit on that soggy tush of yours for a few hours.” Naomi offered up Teddy’s pacifier back into his mouth. This time, having learned his lesson, he graciously accepted the rubber nipple and began to suckle. It only took one stern talking to, but Theodore learned quickly not to challenge the queens of this office. He shuffled to a random page, grabbed a crayon, and tried his best to look busy. Naomi smiled down at him and continued her own work. Theo gulped, knowing he was in for a long first day… … The activity book was doing a poor job at keeping Theodore active. He managed to finish coloring a page depicting young children playing during recess. However, he didn’t feel accomplished at all after he had finished. The other parts of the book didn’t treat him any better. The math section was nothing more than basic addition. The numbers barely even passed the double digits, and he felt his attention begin to sway. “That’s enough fun for now, sweetie.” Naomi said, jolting the mouse’s attention, “It’s almost lunchtime, and we need to get you fed and ready for your nap.” Naomi pulled away the activity book. “Did you make sure to fill up a page for me, hmm?” “Yes Ma’am.” He responded quickly, “But I hadn’t packed a lunch this morning. I don’t eat very much, you see.” “Oh, don’t worry about that. I’m sure we can find something for you to munch on.” She waved him off, still pawing through the activity book. “Excellent work, Teddy.” Naomi must have found his effort satisfactory. He didn’t feel accomplished, but Theodore nodded, nonetheless. It was better to just grin and bare it for today. As soon as five rolled around, he would be home free, and ready to quit this awful job. Theo allowed himself to be lifted out of the baby seat, and cradled like before. However, he felt a new wave of anxiety, as Naomi stepped out of her office. He kept his head down and his eyes closed shut, but still heard a chorus of new voices cooing his way. “Is that really him?” “Lydia did say he was coming today.” “That outfit is so cute!” “Shh, I think he might be sleeping!” “Naomi must have tuckered him out!” “Hey, save some for the rest of us!” Theodore did not dare make a sound. He hadn’t yet braced himself for another humiliating meet-and-greet. Heels clacking. Doors creaking open. He was still blind to the world and had to rely on his other senses to help him. Eventually, he realized Naomi had come to a stop, and she began to rub his back. “Hey, we’re here.” Theodore popped up his head and scanned the room. He gathered that he was in the break room. He saw a fridge on one side of the room, along with a sink and a small microwave. His eyes landed on another big cat sitting in the corner of the room. And he immediately ducked his head down again. “Oh my gosh! I’m sorry sweetie. I didn’t mean to spook you.” “He’s just shy. I think I was too rough with him earlier. I had scolded him for misbehaving.” Theodore heard an unfamiliar voice going “ha-rump!” followed by the sound of a low growl. “Naomi, you have to be gentle with the little ones. You probably scared the poor dear senseless.” “I didn’t mean to. I just got carried away. I’m sure he’ll be fine. I’ll be more careful next time.” The tiger nodded, and turned towards the cowering mouse, “Hello there, sweetie. You can call me Ms. Sophie. I’m going to look after you now. It’s very nice to meet you.” Theodore peeked at the new figure. He had noticed a colorful blouse, covered with a flower petal design, over a large orange body with fine black stripes. She was a tiger and was rather well-built. She not only towered above Theo but was plainly a foot taller than Naomi herself. Despite this, Sophie didn’t invoke the sense of fear Naomi had earlier. This was the opposite. Her smile was warm and inviting. His nose twitched to catch the scent of the flowery perfume she wore. “Sophie is very experienced working with little ones like you. She is also much nicer than either me or Shari. You be good for her, okay?” “I’m sure that won’t be a problem. I can already tell he’s going to be a peach.” This transfer was much smoother. Theodore easily allowed himself to be passed off to Sophie. Her grasp was just as warm and inviting as advertised. “I’ll make sure no one bothers you two,” Was all that Naomi said as she made her leave. “Hey there, sweetie. Naomi tells me your name is Teddy?” “Y-yes, my name is Teddy—Theodore! Oh, dear.” That awful nickname was starting to get to him. Every single aspect of today was wearing him down. He had at least managed to make it to lunch time. All Teddy needed to do was grin and bear it. “It’s quite all right, darling. I think Teddy is a very cute name. More importantly, how about we get some grub in you? You’ve probably worked up an appetite since this morning.” The special accommodations made for his arrival had not yet let up. Amongst a series of plain look furniture, there stood one wooden high-chair. Just like before, he fit inside perfectly. He wasn’t even surprised anymore. He was buckled in, tray pushed back, and about to be fed like a hapless infant. He was not impressed by his “lunch” either, which appeared to be a bowl of oatmeal and a sippy cup filled with juice. He reactively turned his head as the tiger brought a spoon to his mouth. “Um, I’m sorry but this is—” “Too hot?” Sophie paused, blowing on the warm spoonful before resuming. “There we go. Now, open wide, Teddy.” Teddy shook his head. “No, that isn’t the issue. I—” “Not hungry? That can’t be right. It will be much harder for you to sleep if you have an empty stomach.” “I can feed myself.” He didn’t give her another chance to cut in. The mouse made sure to not raise his voice at her, having learned his lesson from the last queen. “Yes? I’m sure you can, Teddy. But this is just how things go in the office. It really isn’t that big of a deal.” Sophie spoke in sweet tones, though she didn’t sound all too sincere. Her mental image of Teddy trying to feed himself was likely akin to a toddler mashing food everywhere. Theodore sighed. In truth, he was already expecting answer such as that. He just wasn’t willing to accept this treatment without a fight. “Very well.” “Thank you! If you want, you can hold and drink from the sippy cup all by yourself. Most of the other ladies would have opted for a baby bottle, but I trust you.” Trying again, Sophie stirred the oatmeal around, and brought a spoonful to Teddy’s mouth. He didn’t try to fuss or squirm. He didn’t need Sophie to pretend it was a plane or a train. He simply accepted the warm bite of food. It was…good. Better than good. Theo picked hints of brown sugar, as well as smartly chosen fruit flavors. It was sweet, but not overbearingly so. While oatmeal was more of a breakfast food, a nice homecooked meal was welcome given the current circumstances. “How is it? I hope my cooking isn’t too plain for your taste. It’s been some time since I tried to cook for a mouse’s palette.” “No, it’s good. You made it perfectly. Thank you.” Sophie squealed, “You are so very welcome! I’m glad I could make you something you like.” The feeding continued without complaint. Theodore readily accepted every bite of his homecooked meal, and Sophie was more than happy to supply him. Theodore was even allowed to treat himself with a few swigs of juice straight from his new sippy cup. The cup took more effort than he initially expected, forcing him to actively suckle at it to get the sweet nectar inside, but he managed. The familiar taste of cool apple juice was a perfect match with his hot meal. “There we go. I bet you feel much better now.” Sophie scooped up the dishes and walked over to the sink to let them soak. “I wish Lydia told us more about you. You really are a treat.” Theodore perked up. Just hearing her name spoken again sent a reverb through his system. He was reminded of how simple everything started, only a few days ago. Lydia said she had given him “fair warning” about this position beforehand. What a load of bunk. She really believed her handwave of a warning was fair? How about saying “your office is basically a glorified nursery” or “every person in this office will try to baby you” instead? Teddy swallowed, “Excuse me, Do you think it’s possible that I could meet with Lydia later today? “I don’t think that is such a good idea Teddy. Ms. Lydia is very busy, so she probably doesn’t have time to play with you. Besides, we need to get you ready for your nap.” Theodore frowned. Sophie was somewhat more reasonable than the other ladies of the office, but not by much. The highchair feeding should have made that obvious. Still, Theodore had to at least try to get his voice heard. He had some very choice words he needed to share with his employer. When Sophie came back, Theodore was hoisted for the umpteenth time today, and cradled into her arms once more. Teddy whimpered as the two approached the break room door. “I’ll be quick, Teddy. No one is going to bother you today.” Even though the trip was nonnegotiable, Sophie still tried her best to soothe him. Teddy instinctively buried his head into the big cat’s shoulder. “Just make it through today” He thought to himself, “Just a few more hours, and we’re home free.” He didn’t hear as much commotion as Sophie walked him through the office. He did hear a few scattered snickers and giggles, but not much else. It seemed that Naomi had kept her promise. When he heard another door creaking and felt Sophie come to a stop, Teddy suspected that they had arrived at their destination. When Sophie rubbed his back and said, “We’re here, sweetheart,” The mouse finally perked his head back up. They were back in his office. Well, office was giving it too much credit. He realized now that this place was meant to be his playroom. The layout made much more sense with that in mind. They really spare no expense when it comes to babying him. It would be flattering if it weren’t so humiliating. “Ready for your nap, Teddy?” As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he was feeling rather tired now. A full meal tended to have that effect. Even so, Teddy was not ready to drop out just yet. He was still curious about a few things. Namely, why every person in this office was so obsessed with treating mice like babies. “Could we skip the nap, Ms. Sophie? I would much rather we talk. Perhaps, get to know each other better?” Really, Teddy was looking for an opening to probe. But Ms. Sophie shook her head, “I’m afraid not, dear. I’ve already used up all my time with you today. Besides, we have a schedule to follow.” Time? Schedule? That was different. He remembered the other ladies saying something similar. Was this treatment an organized effort of theirs? It would make sense, in some twisted way. Before Teddy could come to a conclusion, he felt the buttons on the sleeper’s trap door being popped open. “Hey, what are you—eek!” He felt a large paw squeeze the back of his diaper. Immediately Teddy was reminded of the big accident he had in Naomi’s office. The padding had become cold and clammy since then, and Teddy had somehow gotten used to the feeling. “Oh my,” mused Sophie, as she continued to grope Teddy’s soaked pamper, “You did a number on this one. No wonder you’ve been so squirmy. Let’s get you freshened up.” Sophie laid Teddy back onto his new desk (which was becoming his new changing table. Teddy was spared no modesty. The tabby sleeper was unzipped, and Teddy was left completely exposed, aside from the soaked diaper he was still taped in. Sophie brought her large paws to Teddy’s chest and leaned him down gently. Teddy clamped his eyes shut. He already saw one big cat fit him into a diaper. He didn’t need an encore performance. Luckily, Sophie didn’t mind, and quickly got to work. “Just grin and bear it. Nothing we haven’t been through before.” Teddy shivered as his exposed crotch was hit by a blast of cool air, courtesy of the office’s AC. He gripped his desk as his exposed crotch was met with a cool wet wipe, courtesy of Ms. Sophie. His legs were lifted, then dropped again. The feeling of something hard and wooden was replaced his something smooth and soft. Once again, the diaper crinkled as it was folded over. Tapes scrunched as they were pulled together. Teddy’s mobility, and his pride, was shot as the diapering was finished. “All done! Thank you for cooperating. You are such a good boy.” When Teddy looked up, he saw his diaper was not only dry, but had been size up considerably. This new fit would not even allow him to close his legs. “It’s so thick! Why do I have to wear this one?” “Because this is an overnight diaper, sweetie. Little ones have a tendency to dripple in their diapers during bedtimes, yes?” It was only now that Teddy realized how little Sophie thought of him. Every other woman in this office already thought of him as a baby, and there was no good reason to think she was any different. “Don’t you think this is overkill?” “Really?” Sophie asked, her tone playful, “Well, a certain mouse almost leaked into his sleeper today. I think that’s a good reason to be cautious.” Teddy blushed, knowing that he had no way to counter her point. “Can I at least have something to wear?” “Well, I think that sleeper of yours needs to be washed again. But, I do have something just as good.” Having said that, Sophie pulled out a new juvenile outfit to replace the old one. “I picked it out myself. Isn’t it charming?” It was another kitten themed outfit, unsurprisingly. This one was a calico-themed onesie. The coat was white with splotches of orange and black all over. Considering the fact calicos were usually female, he wasn’t a fan. His legs were exposed, and the thick overnight diaper peeked out from the sides, leaving nothing to the imagination per his diapered-status. “There we go. A perfect fit. Ready for your nap?” Teddy sighed, “Very well.” He was as ready as he was going to get. At this point he would be fighting Sophie, as well as his body’s natural need for rest. The best course of action was to fold for now and persevere. All he had to do was run out the clock, after all. “Do you have a blanket or…” This day never stopped throwing surprises at Teddy. From a closet that was behind his desk, Sophie had rolled out a crib. Small and low to the ground, the crib was nothing special. Just a simple design that you’d see in any baby aisle. Still, it was the perfect size for a certain mouse. Sorry about the size. It was all that we could manage to fit into the closet. But there is more than enough room for you to fit in, and it doesn’t even take up much space.” Sophie prattled on, but her concerns and Teddy’s were not one and the same. “I’m going to sleep in there?” Teddy asked. Although, the question’s answer was obvious. Obvious, and staring him dead in the face while rolling on four wheels. His well of disbelief had not dried completely. “It is a lot cozier than it looks.” Sophie reassured him, missing the point entirely. “C’mon, up we go.” She hoisted the mouse up in her arms once again and walked him over towards the crib. “Ms. Sophie, this really is not necessary. If you only let me—Mph!” His words were cut short by a rubber teat once more. Same room. Same day. Same pacifier. Different predator. What a roundabout trip. “This will help you sleep. You’ve already taken such a liking to it.” With a smile, Sophie lowered the mouse into the crib, paying no mind to the cranky look in his eyes. With one swift motion, a “Woosh!” and a “Click!” The cribs bars were raised high up and locked into place. The mouse’s grouchy expression had been swapped up to a wide-eyed one. “Don’t be nervous. Someone will be back to check on you in a while. You focus on getting your rest, okay?” As Sophie left, she clicked the lights off and locked the door, leaving the mouse unattended for the first time in hours. As soon as Sophie left, Teddy roused himself up. Even when standing on his tippy-toes, he had no chance of reaching the top of the crib. After a meager effort, Teddy fell back on his cushy tush, easily defeated by his own lacking height. Teddy laid his head back, gave his pacifier a cursory suckle, and noticed how heavy his eyelids felt. Just like how he could not escape the queens in the office, he could not escape the nap that he had been sentenced to. *** “Wakey, wakey sleepyhead.” Teddy did not want to wake. Sleep was treating him well. The soft clouds below him were treating him well. The sweet flavor in his mouth was treating him well. Wakey, wakey can wait, wait. “Mmont wanna…” “It’s time to get up. We have to leave now.” Teddy did not want to leave. For the first time today, he was enjoying himself. No overly motherly big cats. No threats of spankings. This was the life. “Mama…Sweepy.” Teddy mumbled. He was making an educated guess when he called out for Mama. The feeling of peace and serenity felt like they were ripped straight from his childhood memories. “Aww, that’s sweet. But my name isn’t mama.” The voice laughed, “It’s Ms. Lydia.” Teddy was finally woken up. Rather suddenly, in fact. That familiar name was all he needed to rejoin the world of the waking. There stood his boss, the leader of the pack, leaning over his crib with a smug smile on her face. “You were right, Teddy.” Said the smiling lioness, “You’ve become very popular around here.” “W-wydia!” Teddy paused, spitting out the pacifier still lodged in his mouth. “Lydia! I demand an explanation!” “Who gave you permission to take up that tone with me.” Without warning, Lydia leaned over the crib, and popped the crotch buttons on Teddy’s sleeper. The diaper shifted, and Lydia pressed a paw against Teddy’s exposed diaper. “If anything, you should be demanding a diaper change. You desperately need one.” Teddy cringed as the lioness felt his soaked padding. All the juice he drank from lunch had made a transfer from his gut to his pampers overnight. It had happened so naturally, that he wasn’t even roused by it when he was sleeping. But he could not dawdle on that right now. He had to leverage what little power he had in this situation. Teddy had to make a stance, even if it was on wobbly feet. “D-don’t change the subject! Why didn’t you tell me this was going to happen? Why didn’t you tell me this entire office was baby crazy!?” Lydia rolled her eyes and sighed heavily. “You know, when you came in for that interview, I really did not see this working out. I thought that reintroducing a mouse into the office so soon was going to cause more problems. But I am happy to be proven wrong. Everyone here is doing such a good job banding together to make this work. It is truly a shame, however, that you will need to be punished on your first day. But I suppose that is what happens when you talk out of turn.” “I do believe I am very much in turn!” Teddy was sitting up now. He slammed a fist against the mattress below. “What kind of office turns workers into babies!?” That had done it. Lydia yolked up Teddy by the back of his collar and bared her fangs at him. If the mouse had anything left in the tank, he would have wet his diaper a second time. “The kind a mouse like you belongs in. You seemed to be confused. No one made you wet your diapers. No one made you throw a temper tantrum. The only thing I am making you do is accept your punishment, like the mouthy kit that you are.” With her free hand, Lydia had forced a new pacifier into Teddy’s mouth. This one was different, as it featured straps to keep it from being spat out. Satisfied, Lydia carried the mouse out of the room, and deeper into the office. Where was Lydia taking him? From what he had gathered, it was time to leave. Had a really slept to five? If that was the case, he should be heading home now. Teddy noticed how quiet it was. Everyone else must have gone home for today. Lydia opened the door to the conference room. Theodore’s jaw would have dropped if not pacifier firmly wedged inside. A clowder of queens sat in attendance. It was as if the entire building crammed into one conference room in order to greet the new blushing baby mouse. “Ladies, I would like you to meet Teddy.” Lydia gestured to the red-faced mouse for all to see, “Teddy has taken up the reins of being our office console. I want you all to try your best to make him feel welcome.” All the other workers clapped at the announcement. Teddy spotted a few familiar faces in the audience, including a certain panther, and a cheetah dressed in a trendy fashion. Lydia looked down at the frightened mouse, finally ready to cure him of his confusion. “Many queens are willing to put in a few extra hours just to play with a cute kit like you. We have an entire system in play. Ladies who work extra get the choice to spend time with you on their days off. They even get to spend time with you during break hours. It’s a very effective system. Office productivity has been observed to go as high as forty percent when a well-managed mouse is introduced. Statistics from our other branches support these numbers even further. You have a very big role to play here, Teddy. Be proud that you get to fill it.” It was all so absurd. Yet, not a single person here seemed to see it that way, except for Teddy himself. Teddy could not see a single snickering face, or any one holding back laughter. He did not get the vibe that they were acting, either. There was no hint that this was a cruel and elaborate prank. He really had signed up to be their plaything. “Unfortunately, he did not make good marks on this first day. He has a very clear problem with talking out of turn. As such, we will be ending his first day with a punishment.” Lydia’s announcement left a wave of disappointment in the meeting room. Sophie especially, who had grasped her paws over her mouth in shock. If it was any other context, Teddy might have felt horribly guilty. “Ultimately, this serves to encourage our little mouse to do better in the future. Please, do not be disappointed. Instead, let us take advantage of this opportunity to show our new employee how much we desperately want him to do better.” While Teddy was shuttering at the word “punishment” it was coming to him faster than he could react. Teddy was flipped over on his stomach, his nose to the ground. The buttons on his onesie popped, and his soaked diaper was pulled down, leaving his tush and tail completely exposed. She couldn’t be…? “Teddy,” Lydia spoke in a calm and serene tone, “This is Julia. She is from the accounting department.” Lydia brought a paw to Teddy’s chin and pointed his head upwards. His eyes landed on a young serval cat, dressed modestly. She had an awkward smile on her face, like a bookish girl who had just been asked out for prom. “Hi, hello.” Julia began. Her voice was quiet and polite. “I’m not really use to dealing with mice. I think all the other girls have more experience than me. Still, I hope I can make a good first impression.” She flashed an honest smile, and walked past Teddy, out of view. Teddy noticed that everyone else had lined up behind her. Before the mouse could begin to question why, the answer came crashing down. WHAM! Something had struck Teddy’s backside. Something hard and cool and flat and wooden. It only struck once, but it was enough to leave Teddy shook. “Ooh, Was that alright, Lydia?” “That was perfect, Julia. You are excused for today.” Teddy’s fear had become fact. The nightmare that started this morning was not ending easily. The muffled cries from behind his paci fell on deaf ears, as the next lady stepped forward. “This is Celine. She is our acting receptionist.” Celine was a lynx. A smidge older than Julia, her demeanor was much more confident than the cat before her. “You know, you look a lot smaller than the last guy. Not that I mind.” Teddy shook his head, but that did not stop the cat from circling behind him. Lydia had the mouse pinned down easily, leaving him no choice other than to accept his punishment. WHAM! He was still reeling from the previous swat, but another came all the same. Celine’s strike was even harder than the last. “This is—ah, that’s right. You already met with Shari today, yes? The youthful cheetah stared down at the whimpering mouse. Even in the late hours of the afternoon, her chipper demeanor was still present. “Hey there cutie! I really thought you were going to get the reward today. I was looking forward to smooching those cute cheeks of yours.” Shari shrugged, “Oh well! Better luck next time.” Out of sight, but not out of mind. The sight of a familiar face did not give him any hope for the next paddling. WHAM! The spankings were only getting better. Meaning, this third strike was the hardest yet. The ladies had ordered themselves by age and seniority, by right now it felt like it was by strength. To think, all these women had stayed after work just for once quick smack against his backside. Just imagine what they would do to spend a few hours with him. The same way Naomi and Sophie apparently had. If there ever needed to be proof that cats love to play with their prey, look no further than to Teddy’s tanned hide. “Chin up, Teddy,” Lydia, “You still have a lot more people to meet. There we go. Now, this is Dorothy. She works…” “…Oh dear. Did I do all right?” “You did fine, Missy. Thank you.” Missy was a snow leopard, and one of the oldest ladies in the office. She had met with her fair share of mice and had very high expectations for the newest hire. After four spanks, he had gotten the message. He did not fight back. He didn’t hiss or try to squirm away. He simply lied back and accepted the spankings he had earned. Teddy really knew how to grin and bear it. Such a fast learner. That level of intuition is so rare nowadays. This Teddy had a bright career in his future. Missy kept these thoughts to herself, however. She simply bowed and left as instructed. “You see how much life you bring into the office? Everyone here was willing to stay overtime to give you a,” Lydia brought a swift paw against Teddy’s redden backside, “Warm! Welcome. You better do your best to appreciate it.” She hiked the mouse’s still soaked diaper up back up and cradled him out of the room. “Come on, let’s get you home.” Teddy had been left utterly defeated. Before, he was actually doing quite well at avoiding his co-workers. Now, at the tail end of today, they had all banded together to give him a proper greeting. He was completely exhausted, his vision still blurred by tears. Teddy whimpered softly into his pacifier, glad to have it as a comfort. Teddy felt a cool breeze on his cheeks, along with the sound of cars driving by, and figured out that Lydia had taken him outside. Was Lydia escorting him to his car? Teddy felt himself being set down, and straps being pulled over him. Teddy felt a door shut by his right side. Confused, he rubbed the tears out of his eyes. He now realized that he was strapped into a baby seat, of an entirely unknown vehicle. This wasn’t his car! “I would have changed you before we left,” Lydia said, now sitting in the drivers seat, “But I like to try and conserve office supplies when I can. Don’t worry, I have plenty of cute prints for you to wear back home.” Teddy gave a panicked cried from his pacifier-filled mouth, “Mmah tar! Mhah tar!” “Oh, that?” Lydia glanced nonchalantly out of the driver’s side window, and saw Teddy’s car in the lonely parking lot. “I’ll be sure to have it towed later. Thank you for reminding me.” No, that’s not what he meant! Teddy groaned a defeated cry behind his pacifier. Forget a career adjustment. Teddy was getting a lifestyle adjustment. And this was not something he would be allowed to quit. “I never told you how the last guy got away did I? It was a rookie mistake on my behalf. I had left the window in his nursery open for a few minutes. He managed to scurry away, we never found him after that.” Lydia smiled and buckled her seatbelt. “Nothing you need to concern yourself with. You won’t have to be on the lookout for any cracked windows in your new nursery. Especially not since I’ve had those metal bars installed over them.” And so, Lydia drove out of the office parking lot, Teddy in tow, after a successful work day. Teddy’s interview was more of formality than an actual test of his compatibility. The real test was seeing how well he gelled with his co-workers. Unfortunately, he had passed with flying colors. Many of workers went home and plotted ways to pamper Teddy on their off-days. All that the mouse could do was guess what that entailed, using today’s experiences, and his sore bottom, as hints. One thing was for sure. This was one office job that would never get boring.

I remember reading this story on your Patreon, and I was glad to read it again here. All the foreshadowing hit harder on the re-read. I also loved the cute relationship between Jillian and Rebecca. I think they make it stand out from your other stories. Great altered reality stuff as usual!

Did she really just do that!? She looked down at the ill-gotten gains she had stuffed into her coat. Sure enough, it was still there. She looked back at the old store she had pilfered moments ago. There was no one chasing after her. Be it police officers or angry store clerks. It was looking like a clean getaway. “Oh, Lisa, you are so bad!” Lisa picked up the pace, her brisk walk turning into a brisk jog. It was risky, stealing from a place she lived so close to. Then again, this wasn’t something she had planned to happen. Lisa was no cat burglar. It was a spur of the moment job. She finally made it back to her apartment room. Home base. She hurried into her bedroom, excited giggles escaping between bated breaths. She made her way back to the bedroom, locked the door behind her, and dropped her stolen goods on the desk. It was such a lovely looking sketchbook, too. The deep pink cover, the way the pages felt. Something about them was refined, and yet so familiar. Quality, it must have been. The feeling of quality. It wasn’t stealing, really. When she had more disposable income, Lisa would gladly pay it back. She already had the perfect apology planned: “Excuse me, sir. When I was here a few days ago, I had left your store without paying for something. I’m terribly sorry. Here is the money for the sketchbook. I hope you can forgive me.” The only question now, was what to draw. That’s what sketchbooks are for, after all. There was one idea in her head that kept jumping the queue. Heaven knows why. Maybe she was feeling extra naughty today and had to ride out her hot streak. Her doors were locked. She wasn’t expecting anyone. Lisa bit her lip. Now was the time to indulge her fantasy. She started drawing the background first—location was everything. What color should the wallpaper be? Baby blue? Cute, but too boyish. Bubblegum pink! Perfect. Even in her wildest fantasies, Lisa would never want to be stuck in a room like that. Now for the extra details. A few stripes along the walls there. And let’s draw a window here, with clear blue skies outside. Right here, this wall should have… Lisa bit her lip. “A potty chart.” Lisa thought, feeling oh-so mischievous. This was clearly not a room designed for an adult. No reason not to make that fact even more obvious. While we’re at it, why not fill it up? Lisa wanted to give this place a lived-in look, and a blank chart simply would not do. No, this chart would be filled out, and decked out with rain clouds. It was an easy way of adding personality to her unknown guest. Can’t forget the flooring. Make the carpet soft, fluffy, and white. Make it look extra comfy, good enough to take a nap on. More options were good, however, and there should be another, more traditional spot for naptime. A big wooden crib fit snugly in the corners of the room. Wooden spiral bars stood tall above ground level. Have to make sure our unnamed resident stays extra safe during bedtime. A changing table was the next logical step. Wooden, sturdy, and with a smooth pink varnish. The table should also stand high above the ground, dizzyingly so. If regular changing tables were high up for babies, this one should be high for the standards of, say, an adult woman? Speaking purely hypothetically. The undercarriage should be well stocked with changing supplies. Of course, that meant diapers. Have you seen the woman’s potty chart? Not a dry day in sight. She had done a great job at earning them. Lisa giggled to herself, “Looking good so far.” She truly was losing herself in the fun. Each pencil stroke drew a more gripping picture. She should have felt bad, staying locked in her room on such a beautiful day. But the art bug had bitten her, and Lisa needed to scratch that itch. “I still think I’m missing something.” It was true. The basics were there, but the room still looked quite bare. A room was more than a place for an endless cycle of naps and diaper changes. “How about we add something fun?” A toy chest should liven things up. While we’re at it, why not add some toys in the mix? Some more, age-appropriate fun. Let’s throw some dolls here and there. Not the plastic kind. The felt, raggedy kind, with round faces and button eyes. Anything else was clearly outside of her age-range. A few teddy bears too. Now there were more than enough plush peoples for tea parties and playtime. Some foam blocks would be good. Although, Lisa sincerely doubted that the person who lived here could spell words with more than four letters. With the toys done, next came the toy chest. Lisa liked the idea of the chest being very big. Big enough that she—or anyone else her size, really, might fall inside if they were not careful. The big, wooded chest sat there, with no one’s name assigned to it. “Hmm,” Lisa began to wonder aloud, “Should I?” Typically, toy chests had names on them to declare ownership. Given that this space was clearly lived in, the chest must belong to someone. As uncreative as it sounds, only one name came to her mind. In puffy, colorful, font she wrote down four familiar letters. “LISA” Lisa smiled. “A little self-insertion never hurt anyone.” She paused to admire her handiwork. The giant crib designed to keep big babies safe and secure. The tell-all potty chart with a miserable score. The changing table, which no-doubt had countless embarrassing stories to tell. Infantile toys strewed about the carpeted floor. She had created the perfect nursery. Such a pretty picture, she almost wished she could jump inside for an afternoon of fun. Almost. Lisa was still an adult. She knew fantasy and reality were separate for a reason. She felt bad, however, leaving such a place empty. Lisa then realized that it didn’t have to stay that way. If she couldn’t jump inside, this was the next best thing. “It’s been a while since I’ve done a self-portrait.” Lisa mused. She had already come this far. Put her own name on the toy chest, filled it with relics from her childhood, making it her own. She was only cementing the idea as fact. Linework was done. Lisa had already known well what her figure looked like. She even knew what outfit she wanted to wear. Funny how picking clothes came easier when drawing them. Maybe there was less pressure. If she drew herself wearing something embarrassing, there was comfort in knowing that no one had to see her wearing it. Thoughts like that were what made art so tempting, so special. Lisa could put herself in as many suggestive situations as she wanted, and never had to worry about feeling any real anxiety. Humiliation without the drawbacks. It was the perfect escape. Soon, another piece of the drawing was complete. Call it narcissism, but Lisa loved how she looked. Hair in pigtails, tied together by sparkly ribbons. A bright blue shirt with star patterns. She always struggled drawing stars, noting a few on her sleeves were misshaped. It didn’t matter too much, since most of them would be obscured by the pink overall dress she wore. Peeking out under her skirt, for all to see, was the most iconic piece of babyish attire. Lisa could almost hear the diaper crinkling now. It looked almost cartoonishly thick, with the way her legs widely splayed out. She drew a few prancing ponies on the front, making sure no one would confuse it for a regular adult diaper. This was no incontinence brief. This was a real diaper, plain and simple, designed specifically for big babies. Big babies who gleefully played with toys in oversized nurseries, like Lisa’s likeness was doing now. “I make this fit look good…” Lisa said in a low voice, immediately stifling a laugh afterwards. The nursery was full furnished. The resident was all dolled up. There was still one thing left to add. One final piece. The last step before her fantasy became fully realized, became its own reality. Long, firm legs, like tree trunks planted behind her. A pair of bright blue high heels gave them an extra boost in height. The legs were mostly concealed by a powder blue blouse, decorated with polka dots. Even if Lisa couldn’t see the woman’s upper half, she already had a perfect mental image of all her features. Soft, warm features. Chubby cheeks and a bright smile. Was she a red head? Possibly. That possibility felt the most right. The important piece was that her drawn counterpart knew her quite well, even if they couldn’t understand one-another. Someone sweet and caring to hold her tight. Someone big and imposing to put Lisa right where she belonged. A caretaker—no, a nanny—no, a mommy. She shut her eyes and took a deep breath, only noticing now how fast her heart was pumping. This naughty streak had gripped her hard, now making the young woman all hot and bothered. The best thing to do now was to finish up and go about her day. Her mood died instantly when she felt the smooth, crinkly plastic below. Her eyes shot open, and she looked down at herself in horror. From the blue shirt to the adorable pink overalls, it was all there. Lisa had become the spitting image of her drawn persona. She tugged on one of her sleeves and counted all the different misshapen stars. She ran her hands through her hair, subconsciously unsurprised to find ribbons on each side. Lisa leapt from her desk chair and turned around. Her feet sunk into the soft white carpet. It was all there. It was all real. The changing table that towered above the ground. The crib with bars far too tall to climb. The wooden chest with her name on it, in puffy lettering. This was Lisa’s room, exactly as she imagined it. She screamed, a gut-wrenching fear shaking in her. Fear of this strange, impossible scenario. She fumbled over her bootie-covered feet and landed on her backside. The diaper crinkled loudly as it broke her fall, still not drowning out the panicked screams. The large, wood door of the nursery creaked open, and everything slid into place. There she stood, the final piece of the puzzle. She was a skyscraper of a woman. Lisa’s eyes traveled up and up, taking in each detail of the woman’s outfit. She had thought that the housewife style dress was overkill when drawing it. Now, Lisa didn’t know what to feel with it making the leap to reality. Fashion sense was in the farthest corner of her mind right now. Lisa struggled to make out the upper half of her. Something about it was disorienting, headache inducing. There had to be something up there, but Lisa couldn’t see it. Should there be? She hadn’t drawn that part, and yet… “Baby? What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” The giant had kneeled down to be at eye-level with Lisa. A redhead with plain curls. Chubby cheeks and a bright smile. The woman looked just as she had imagined her. Lisa scooted backwards on her padded bum. The shock was all too much for her, and she soon felt a wet warmth rush into her diaper. She sat in stunned silence as the diaper filled with urine. The padding soaked up every drop, and Lisa whimpered as the waterworks began to dry up—dry, perhaps, not being the operative word. Lisa couldn’t remember the last time she had a genuine accident. Yet, the feeling of a soggy pamper taped to her waste was not a new sensation. It felt familiar, in fact, on the same level as eating breakfast or brushing her teeth. Lisa had never indulged in her… desires in that way before. She didn’t even know how to tape a diaper, on herself or anyone else. But this felt natural. “Buh?” Lisa tried to explain her case. She immediately ran into a critical error. She could no longer speak. There was nothing wrong with her physically. Her tongue was not numbed. All her teeth were present and accounted for. The issue was her mind. Words connected as thoughts clearly in her brain, but they remained as thoughts. The art of talking was something unlearned by her. Unlearned. Something that was once known and did not stay that way. Just as one sensation enter her mind, another feeling left it. She thought again about mundane tasks. Eating breakfast, brushing her teeth. Had those always been done alone? That didn’t sound right? Was someone of her stature fit for such tasks? More awkward babble escaped her mouth. She pointed and waved her arms frantically, trying her hardest to figure out the communication barrier in play. “Aww, I see what’s wrong.” The woman smiled and looked at a clock in the corner of the room. “It’s already lunchtime. Come here.” She lifted the young artist with ease and walked over to a large chair in the corner of the room. Another detail Lisa hadn’t drawn. Did the magic of the sketchbook fill in the blanks for her? Was its goal to recreate a practical version of the nursery, not a mirror image? It was certainly a faithful adaptation, for better or worse. Lisa babbled senselessly as they approached the room’s corner. More failed sentences. Other thoughts lost in translation. “Momma’s coming, sweetie.” The giant cooed, interpreting Lisa’s cries as impatience. She took her seat and began to unbutton her blouse. Lisa pupils shrank, as she laid on the biggest nursing bra she had ever seen. “Open wide!” The busty giant sang, prompting more incoherent babble from the girl. Lisa tried to pull her head away but was no match for the gentle force of the large woman’s palm. Surely enough, she latched onto the nipple without another complaint. Once the first drop of milk hit her tongue, it was all over. The milk was too sweet, too rich for her to pull back. A primal, long forgotten urge had reawakened inside her. The simple need for Momma’s milk. She lapped up every single drop that the woman had to offer. When Lisa felt the well dry up, she patted the giant’s chest for more, mewling desperately. The giant didn’t say a word. She simply readjusted, allowed the baby to latch the other nipple. It was all routine to her. Lisa was more than ready for seconds. Lisa was losing herself in infantile bliss and didn’t care one bit. She already had a flow worked out. She wasn’t going to let something as small as shame con her out of a free meal. She greedily lapped up more of the milk, like a starved kitten. Truthfully There was no need to rush. She had countless days to perfect her technique. Another teat drained; the giant tugged the little one off with a quiet ‘pop’. Another quick reposition, this time over the woman’s shoulder. Lisa felt herself being hiked up before a few rhythmic pats hit her back. Lisa knew what this was! She was being— “Urp!” She was paying her compliments to the chef. “Excuse you!” Said the giant in a sing-song voice. “That was a big one. I bet your tummy feels much better now, huh? Better out than in, as they say.” Lisa blushed, the line reminding her of her diaper’s sodden state. The woman descended Lisa back to the carpet below. “Now, I’m going to go back to my cleaning. You stay here and be good, okay?” The giant smiled down at her, before leaving and closing the door behind her. Lisa stood alone again in the giant nursery. Her gut was full, her diaper was wet, and her adult mind was in grave danger. She had to destroy the sketchbook. It was the logical next step. She shambled across the room, diaper crinkling and squelching with every awkwardly wide step. Lisa silently prayed to herself that it hadn’t remained on the other side, leaving her stranded. After a short search, Lisa spotted the book by its familiar pink cover. It was a coloring book. The white pages were no longer blank. Now, they were filled with outlines of cutesy imagery. Puppies playing in a field of flowers. Kittens batting balls of yarn. Fish blowing bubbles underwater. A mother bird feeding her young. A familiar picture that made her stomach turn, it was fully colored in. This had to be the sketchbook. She could tell by how the pages and cover felt. The feeling of quality. Pages after pages were ripped to shreds. One of them had to be the right one. It didn’t matter how long it took to find it. As long as Lisa ripped the right page, she would be sent home. Her body grew tense as she heard the giant’s footsteps from behind her. Thundering, imposing. She was getting closer, coming back to check on her little one. Why, why wasn’t it working!? If Lisa didn’t act now, she could be stuck here forever. Lisa’s frenzy slowed to a frighten stop. Every single page had been pulled off the spine. She looked up, and Lisa was still sitting in her nursery. Her heart sank. “Lisa! What has gotten into you!” The giant had return sooner than expected, now with a much colder expression on display. “I thought this naughty phase was behind you, but I guess I was wrong. You still need discipline.” Lisa was hoisted up and carried back to the familiar chair, this time feeling much worse. Guilt or despair; she couldn’t decide. Neither one was getting her home. “I’m sorry, sweetie. But you must learn that what you did is not okay. This hurts me more than it hurts you.” Lisa’s toes curled as the first spank came down on her ass. It was so much louder, so much harder than she had fantasized. Her reaction didn’t stop Mommy’s onslaught, and another spank soon followed. Only two spanks in, and tears were already welling up. Three spanks crashing down, and the tears were pouring. Four more spanks and the wailing started. Five extra spanks, and Lisa had truly caved. She deserved this. For taking what didn’t belong to her. For ripping up the coloring book, which wasn’t even hers. For being such a naughty little girl. Mommy paused for a second. Lisa thought the worst was over, and that she would be blessed with a moment to rub her sore bum. That wasn’t the case. She was only making a readjustment, fixing her posture. Mommy raised her hand up high, and another sharp spanking soon came down. Then another. And another. And another. And another. And another… Mommy had run fresh out of spanks. Lisa had run fresh out of tears. “I know how much it hurts,” Mommy began, her tone softening, “But I need you to understand that what you did was not okay.” Lisa did not say anything. She only nodded her head while trying to stifle back hiccups and sniffles. With her butt now a striking shade of red, the large woman had some sense into Lisa, as well knocking a few adult thoughts out of her mind as well. “I’m sending you to bed early. Don’t think you’re off the hook yet. You’ll still have to clean up all those papers when you wake up.” Mommy descended the girl into the large wooden crib. Lisa did not put up her fight. The one comfort of this ordeal was that the crib’s mattress was as soft as it looked from the other side. The tall bars made sure she wasn’t going anywhere. Certainly not home. This was her home now, for better or worse. Lisa’s new mother figure clicked off the lights, leaving the artist with her thoughts. A startling new idea entered Lisa’s mind. What if she wasn’t supposed to destroy the book? What if she was supposed to return it? Was an “I’m sorry” all it took to send her home? It stood out as a possibility. Now she would never know. Lisa was all too eager to escape and ended up shredding her return ticket in the process. Lisa felt an ominous rumble in her gut, informing her that the worst part of her punishment was yet to come. There was a saying that came to mind. About how truth was stranger than fiction. Because of one misdeed, Lisa had made them become one and the same. This was her deepest fantasy, true to form. From the giant overbearing mother figure to the impossibly thick diaper on her waist. A yawn escaped her, and Lisa knew she would not be able to stay awake for long. How much of her past life would she remember when she woke up? How many new, babyish feelings would become common knowledge to her? She didn’t know. She had no way of knowing the answer to that question. One thing was crystal clear. Lisa couldn’t have ever picture herself in a place like this. Epilogue The familiar chime of the front door’s bell sounded off in the small art supplies store. “Good morning, Mr. Martins!” greeted the bubbly redhead. “Howdy, Martha.” Replied the gray-haired shopkeeper. “I didn’t expect to be seeing you again so soon. Weren’t you here a few days ago?” “Yes, yes. That’s actually why I wanted to talk to you today,” Martha followed-up, her tone becoming more serious, “When I was here the other day, my baby grabbed one of your coloring books, and I left without paying for it.” Martha took out a few bills from her clasp and placed them on the counter. “Here’s the money for it. I hope you can forgive us.” Mr. Martins rubbed the back of his head bashfully. “Aw shucks. Don’t worry about it. Those books were only for the kiddies anyway. Is there anything else I can get you today?” Martha thought about giving her girl a new book to replace the old one. She felt like she had been too hard on her the other day. However, she still wanted to make her statement stand firm. Such dilemmas were one of the many trials of motherhood. Suddenly, a bright idea popped in her head. “Do you have one of those big crayon packs? The ones that have about twenty or so colors?” The shopkeeper nodded, crouching down behind the desk. He quickly reemerged, placing a twenty-four-set box of crayons on the counter. “Like mother, like daughter. The art bug must have bit her too.” “Maybe. It’s good to know that I’m rubbing off on her, in some way.” Martha smiled, paid for the goods, and waved the shopkeeper good day. She leisurely strolled out, feeling much better as she left. Martha looked down at the crayons, a small part of her feeling jealous of her daughter. Lisa didn’t know how lucky she truly was. She had all the time in the world to make as many drawings as she wanted. Even if they would never be as engaging, and inviting, as she hoped.

The world of scientific progress is a fickle mistress. Many different people jump into the world of research for many different reasons. Some do it for family, to carry the torch of their and their forefathers’ forefathers. Some people start young, wanting to turn the spark kindling during childhood into a flame of progress. And some people, like Bruno Bear, only do it for money. “When do I get paid?” The gruff grizzly asked. “You’re promising a whole heap of cash, and I still haven’t seen one cent yet.” “Well, Mr. Bear,” the persnickety poodle began, flipping through notes on her clipboard. “You still have not started the testing phase yet. Now, I feel the need to remind you that these tests are still highly experimental. We don’t know what effects they may have on your psyche.” “…Powder, was it?” The bear asked, an annoyed grin showing on his face, “Listen, I already signed all your papers and contracts and whatever. I just want to go in, get paid, and get out. Can you make that happen, huh?” Powder thought back to all the paperwork that Bruno had to sign. Procedures like this were barely legal, and the whole stack of documents was a foot thick. When Bruno started to breeze through each piece of paper in seconds, carelessly signing away, Powder started to worry. “This? I’m a speed reader,” Bruno had said. Powder didn’t believe him. If he had read even one paragraph of those papers, he would have run for the hills like countless others before him. Bruno didn’t carry himself like a man with a death wish either. He carried himself like one who only saw dollars signs, no matter the cost. Powder let out a heavy sigh, “I suppose scientist can’t be choosers. Very well then. Follow me.” Powder turned and began to lead the subject through the halls of the research building. After some time, the pair finally arrived at their destination. It was a giant white room. There were no desks, no furniture. Anyone who stayed here for too long was bound to get disoriented. When Powder saw visible confusion on the subject’s face, she figured now was the time to begin explaining. “This area is a top-of-the-line testing facility. There’s a console in another room that allows me to manipulate the contents of this room.” Powder fished around in her lab coat pocket and pulled out a remote controller. She clicked a button, revealing a door and a one-way mirror on one of the walls. “I will be monitoring from that room,” She accentuated with a point of her finger, “And the test will begin shortly. Now, I’m asking you one final time. Are you sure you want to go through with this?” Bruno was nodding, still playing catch up in his mind. Finally, he waved a paw and said, “Yeah, I got it. After you taps some buttons, I get paid, right?” Some people couldn’t be saved. Powder’s gaze had now shifted towards the door. “Yes Bruno. I’ll go press my buttons, and then we’ll pay you.” She made way for the exit, leaving the bear alone with his decision. Bruno stood in the test room for a moment, twiddling his fingers. Soon the room began to change as various devices slid from behind the wall panels. A large TV monitor hung from the ceiling and displayed static. Below the screen was a plain-looking set of earbuds. An intercom speaker had popped out from the corner of the ceiling. The speaker buzzed to life, and the familiar voice of a certain poodle came through. “Bruno, can you hear me? The program will start shortly. I need you to put on the earbuds and look at the screen. Once you’ve started, do not look away. Understood?” Bruno shrugged and made the ok gesture with his paws. He picked up the earbuds and inspected them for a moment. After he got paid, maybe he should buy a pair of these for himself. Concerns for later. He popped the buds into his ears, took a seat, and waited for the show to start. Powder watched intensely from the one-way mirror as the program began. Without the audio, the video was safe to watch. Right now, however, she was more interested in watching Bruno’s reaction than anything else. The tape had only been running for a few seconds, and he was as stiff as a statue. He probably couldn’t stop watching now even if he wanted to. The hypnosis had a way of coiling around the patient’s attention early, trapping it like a snake and its prey. Just the thought of being forced to watch it made her shudder. Still, the bear had made his choice, as ill-informed as it may be. All she could do now was sit back and reap the benefits. Powder pulled out her clipboard and began her work. “At the twenty second mark, the pupils begin to dilate…” *** A door slid open, and Powder walked through. “Alright, Bruno. The video portion is over. How do you feel?” Bruno fumbled to his feet and stretched his arms. “Me? I feel super.” “No headaches, or any nausea?” “Nope,” Bruno shook his head. “Ah-hah…” Powder made note of this on her clipboard. “Do you recall what happened earlier?” Bruno scratched the back of his neck. “Uh, yeah? I came in, watched some flashy cartoons, then you came back. Easy peas.” Bruno looked around the room, still feeling more disoriented than he liked to admit. “Hey, doc. Can I ask you something?” “Yes?” Powder replied, still jotting down notes. “Where’s my diaper?” Powder stopped, a look of knowing on her face. “Your diaper? Bruno, what do you need a diaper for?” The question made Bruno double take. “Because? I’m a big baby. If I don’t have one on, I might make a boom-boom in my pants?” Bruno whined, shaking his not-padded rump. “Are you sure you feel okay doc? Maybe all this scientific mumbo jumbo is making you screwy.” “My apologies. I have to make sure all your thoughts are in order.” Powder continued to scribble down more notes as she turned back towards the door. “But I’m happy to say that everything is as it should be. I’ll go and get that nice, big diaper for you now, okay?” Just like the first time, she disappeared behind the white door and got to work on her console. With nothing better to do, Bruno sat back down and suckled on his paw. What was that science-lady’s problem? Didn’t she know Bruno was basically an overgrown cub? He certainly wasn’t ready for the potty, let alone big boy undies. It was a good thing those silly cartoons didn’t influence him. That would make getting his money all the sweeter. Moments later, metal coils with white gloved hands appeared from behind the wall panels. Soon the hands found their target and slithered towards Bruno. The hands got to work fast and began undressing the big baby bear. His jacket was taken. His shirt came clean off. His belt was unbuckled, and his pants? Hit the road. It was all no issue. Those grown-up clothes looked silly on him anyway. The hands laid Bruno onto his back as the pair of briefs he was wearing came off. The second they came off; he began to feel more like himself. As the hands whisked the briefs away, Bruno waved with his free paw. “Bye-bye undies.” “Okay Bruno. It’s time for that diaper you requested. In addition, I’ve picked out some new clothes that should be more to your liking.” More hands entered from the walls, this time, carrying a set of items that should have been familiar to the colossal cub. One extra-large shaker of baby powder. One ultra-thick diaper. A plain white classic. Just what the doctor order. Despite their goofy appearance, the hands were very coordinated. A pair of hands lifted his legs and slid the hefty pamper underneath. A bear-sized portion of powder was sprinkled on his groin. Two hands worked together to carefully press down the tapes, making sure the subject was nice and snug in his padding. One hand gave Bruno’s new diaper a few pats on the front and finished with a thumbs-up. Bruno was lifted by the armpits as more hands appeared, carrying a much more fitting set of attire. The hands lifted Bruno up once more and got to work. This all still felt natural. Bruno was still much too young to dress himself. Whether an adult dressed him, or a swarm of mechanical hands did it, made no difference to him. When one hand carried down a large full-body mirror, Bruno finally got a chance to see himself. He now wore a baby blue t-shirt with a pair of red shorts. The shorts did a decent job at covering his diaper…but the bulk made its presence oh-so obvious. The bear was also wearing half-socks and a pair of sneakers. After a few curious stomps, he found the sneakers lit up when he moved. Cool! The intercom came on once more. “Well, don’t you look charming. I’m going to change the scenery now. Wait one moment. The entire room’s structure began to shift and shuffle. The bear could hardly keep track of the organized chaos. Bruno’s mouth gaped opened when everything was finally in place. There was colorful wallpaper all around. The floor was littered with various playmats. There were toys strewn about the floor, giving the place a lived-in feel. Multiple cribs of many sizes lined the walls. A few changing tables also lined the walls, their compartments fully stocked. It didn’t take long for the bear to realize where he was. Bruno was in a giant nursery! A small desk rose from the ground under Bruno. The hands descended him into it, forcing him to take a seat. From the front door of the classroom entered Powder, now holding a strange looking tablet. “Alright Bruno. Now is the time for the Q&A portion. I’m going to ask you some more questions. This will help me get a better understanding of your mental state. While we do that…” Powder tapped on the tablet, and soon another pair of hands appeared from the walls. They stopped at Bruno’s desk, dropping a stack of papers and a packet of crayons, then quickly left. “…you can draw me a pretty picture. How does that sound?” Bruno crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at the scientist. “Alright, But I’ve got one strip-you, um…” “Stipulation?” “Yeah, one of those. If you get to ask questions, so do I. We clear?” Powder blinked, not expecting that response. Honestly, she was expecting Bruno to speed through the questions, like he had with all those contracts and wavers. Even while dressed as a big baby, this bear still believed himself to be in charge. While the hypnosis impacted his mental age, it did nothing to change Bruno’s unruly personality. “Scientists can’t be choosers. All right, I accept. You have no issue with a lady going first, right?” “Floor is yours, doc.” Bruno plucked a crayon out of the box and began to scribble away. “Very good. Now Bruno, how old are you?” The bear shrugged, not even bothering to look up from his coloring. “Dunno.” Powder tilted her head in confusion. “You aren’t sure? You can’t even guess?” “I said I don’t know. I signed it on one of those papers, right? Just look at one of those.” “I am asking, Bruno, because I want to know what you believe your age to be. I’m not trying to see what Bruno wrote. I’m trying to see what Bruno knows.” “Well, Bruno doesn’t know. And besides, isn’t it my turn to ask a question?” “I…fine. Bruno, what is your question for me?” “Why did you become a scientist?” “Oh? Oh! Well, I wanted to make a change in the world. I wanted to help maintain the fight for greater progress and help make a difference.” Before Powder’s speech could continue, Bruno’s hand shot up, as if to ask another question. “Yes, Bruno?” “I thought we weren’t supposed to lie with these questions.” “Excuse me?” A frown grew on the poodle’s face when she realized what he meant, “Bruno, I am not lying. I want to be here.” The bear simply rolled his eyes. “Riiight. Listen lady. Just because I’m a baby doesn’t mean I was born yesterday. I know that grown-ups tell white lies like that because the truth doesn’t sound as sweet.” Bruno tapped the butt of a crayon under his chin in a thoughtful gesture. “I don’t think this was your first choice. That’s all I’m saying.” “And why do you think that?” A cocky smirk rose on the bear’s face. “Because. You are too pretty. Besides the lab coat, you don’t seem like the nerdy type to me. Just look at your perfect fur. Your perfect makeup. It’s in the way you carry yourself. You seem more like a show dog than anything else.” Powder couldn’t stop the blush from rising to her face. But it was there, and Bruno had no doubt spotted it. This was why she always hated working with children. They always found a way to spin the conversation around and make her feel foolish. She shouldn’t have to take this third degree. Especially not from a diaper-wearing dunce. The worst part was that she knew, on some level, he was right. Powder stopped to take a sharp inhale. “Fine. I hadn’t always planned on this. But that doesn’t mean I do not enjoy my work. You know, you could stand to be more polite. It will make this interview go a lot smoother and faster.” “Hmm.” Bruno smug expression had turned into a bored one. He crumpled up the paper he was scribbling on, tossing the first sketch aside, and started on a fresh one. “Now then. Bruno, do you—” “It’s my turn,” The bear interjected. “What? No, it isn’t.” “Yes, it is. You asked why I thought you were fake, and I told you. Now it’s my turn, and I’m still thinking.” Thinking back, Powder realized that Bruno was right. She had spoken too soon and was now paying the price. The gruff bear was now looking more like a clever fox. Another sharp inhale, this time a few seconds longer. “Okay Bruno. What is your next question?” “…How did you land this gig? When I said you weren’t the nerdy type, you didn’t even try to deny it. On the other paw, this isn’t the type of job they give to interns. So, you must have done something to land a job like this. How did ya do it?” Why did her subject have to be so annoyingly curt? “Bruno, that’s something of a personal question.” “So, give me something of a personal answer. Or are you the only one allowed to ask invasive questions? If you don’t plan on pulling punches, I shouldn’t have too neither. That’s only fair, doc.” He was right, in his only childish way. Powder knew it to be true. Moreover, she knew she couldn’t proceed unless she told him the truth. This was one of the reasons she hated working alone. Then again, she couldn’t tell her lab partner, Gus, about this experiment. Not before she had her results. It wouldn’t be fair to drop that on him, not after everything he had done for her. Her response was swift, “A friend helped me out. He pulled some strings and let me work in the lab with him.” Powder knew she had to choose her words carefully with this one. “I’m going to proceed now.” “Oooooh, a guy helped you. What’s lover boy’s name?” Bruno had shot a smug look at her earlier. Powder shot him one right back. “It’s my turn to ask a question now, Bruno.” She shouldn’t have gotten a rush from the line, but she just couldn’t help herself. “…Feh.” Bruno mumbled. He returned to his drawing, his face now featuring a look of concentration. “Bruno. What do you remember about the cartoons you watched?” It was a tense and volatile question. But it was also the most important one. “I don’t.” When Bruno saw the poodle stare at him with anticipation, he grumbled and said, “I don’t remember it. It’s a blank page. I can’t even remember one word of it.” That was unexpected. On paper, he should have remembered every single second of it. Had they made some severe miscalculation? If only Gus was here to help sort this out. “What’s your favorite toy here?” The reply was instant, as if he had already settled on his question before this conversation started. Moreover, it blocked Powder from asking any follow-up questions. “Out of all the stuff here, which one would you play with.” Another surprising question, one which sounded quite innocent. Powder still couldn’t tell which parts of Bruno’s mind were pacified and which were still grown. “Bruno, Adults don’t have time to play with toys. I’m too big for such things.” She was annoyed at what the baby bear was insinuating. But she was also annoyed at how fast he had changed the subject, and some of that heat bled through. “Too big,” He scoffed, “Well, I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m much bigger than you.” Bruno craned his neck and looked around the room. “And a whole lot of stuff here looks like fun to me. Especially those blocks over there.” The bear pointed to one corner of the room, where a bucket of toy blocks had spilled over. It was obvious to Powder that she was getting nowhere fast. Her best bet was to play along. Maybe then Bruno would start being more cooperative. Powder took a quick walk around the room, looking over all the toys. Finally, after some consideration, she had her answer. “The dollhouse.” She said, “If I was your age, that’s what I would pick.” “Ooooh, I gotcha.” No question was complete without a dose of attitude. Regardless, she still needed to pick her words carefully if she hoped to get any real work done. “I am under the impression that you do not believe me.” “Oh, I believe you. In fact, I would have bet money on you picking that.” “Don’t say why or what.” She thought. “Don’t phrase it like a question.” “I need you to elaborate on that statement.” Bruno paused, as if he were impressed by how well Powder was able to dodge question marks. “Control freak.” He replied bluntly, “When you tell those dollies what to do, they won’t talk back. I say something, and you get all hot and bothered.” Was that the issue? Was the way Powder conducted today’s experiment bothering him? No, she thought. Powder was simply doing her job. It was Bruno who was not doing his. “Bruno. I need you to understand that we are not equals. I am the adult, and you are the child. Your negative attitude isn’t going to change that.” “You really think that you are so much better than me?” A sharp hiss cut through Powder’s train of thought. Her ears immediately identified the sound, as it came from behind Bruno’s shorts. Her snout was next, picking up the scent of fresh urine mixed with baby powder. She could see the padding subtly swell behind the shorts, Bruno’s gait spreading automatically. Bruno still looked at her expectedly, as he finished peeing his pampers. Maybe he didn’t notice. Maybe he didn’t care. If he was a baby, flooding his diaper was as normal as taking a breath. “I…I think there is a certain divide in our status that you seem to be ignoring.” “Hmm, that’s interesting. By the way,” Bruno turned his paper over and held it up to the scientist, “Here’s that pretty picture you asked for.” This was an art piece Powder wished to forget. The crude doodle displayed Powder, sucking on a pacifier, wearing a fully loaded diaper. It was unflattering, to say the least, but at least it gave her an idea of how Bruno really felt. Powder certainly wasn’t looking forward to submitting this piece to records later. “See, those are stink lines.” “I see that, Bruno.” “Because you made a stinky.” “I understand the implications, Bruno!” She couldn’t let this experiment get any more out of control. She expected the interview to be the easy part. There had to be another way about this. Something she was missing. “Okay, I’m done.” Without hesitation, Bruno wiggled free from his desk and began to waddle to another play area. The pee-soaked state of the diaper forced him to take wide, duck-like steps. “W-wait!” Powder called, but the bear waved her off. After a moment of consideration, Bruno sat down with a wet squish, and landed in front of a bucket of blocks. “Bruno! We aren’t finished here!” “I know. It’s your turn, right? Ask away.” Despite being so many questions in, Bruno sounded so bored of it all. From his perspective, the colorful blocks were much more fun, and much less fussy, than the angry poodle lady. “I will!” Powder wanted nothing more than for this interview to be over. But her research forced her to put up with this overgrown child for a while longer. The only comfort in all of this was that after today, he wouldn’t be her problem. She would let the boys in the lab play babysitter and see how much they liked it. “What do you plan to do after you receive payment!?” “Huh, that’s a good one.” Bruno replied. He hadn’t made eye-contact with Powder and was steadily building a large tower of rainbow-colored blocks. “I don’t know yet. Probably take a nap. Maybe have a snack. What about you? Finally, a painless answer. This was how the procedure was supposed to go. Not this sass-filled back and forth. Powder was happy to get things back on track. “I am going to compile the data from the test and send it over to my superior. Now then—” “Sorry, maybe I wasn’t clear. What I mean is, what are you going to do after work? Like washing your hair or playing with dollies.” Ah. Powder should have known things would not be that easy. “Bruno, I do not play with dolls.” “Dollies,” The bear corrected, “And there’s nothing wrong with you if you do. Lots of grown-ups still keep dollies and plushies around when they get older.” “I am aware of that Bruno. But I am not one of them.” Powder shook her head and blurted back, “And they are called dolls.” “Okay? You still didn’t answer my question. And when you’re my age, you call them dollies. Right?” Playing along was not going to get any easier this way. Powder knew that, but still hadn’t accepted it yet. She thought back to when she was still in school, still just a puppy. Her favorite teachers were always the ones that talked to her on the same level, not above her. Maybe she needed to try that approach. And that is just what she did. Powder found a comfortable spot next to Bruno, sat down, and told the truth. “You probably won’t believe me if I tell you.” “Try me.” And she did. “Don’t tell anyone, but when I get home, I like to sit on my couch and watch old cartoons.” Bruno had stopped working on his tower and turned to face Powder. “Really?” The look of surprise on his face was plain to see. “Yeah,” She continued, feeling bashful. “It keeps me calm. Takes me back to a time when things were easier. Hey, maybe after this is over, we can watch some together?” Bruno didn’t say anything. All he did was smile at Powder, for the first time this session. This was good. This was what she wanted. Sure, the smell of stale urine was off-putting, but scientist can’t be choosers. “Ms. Powder? Could you do me a big favor?” “What is it?” “I’m trying to stick my flag on this tower, but I’m worried it’s going to fall. Could you hold her steady for me?” Bruno must be really invested in his game. A result of the hypnosis? It was too early to say. Either way, Powder was happy that Bruno was starting to warm up to her. Maybe today didn’t have to be such a struggle. “Sure thing,” Powder said, returning his smile with one of her own. She set the tablet down, only for a second, and held the building block tower with both hands. “Like this?” “Perfect.” Bruno wobbled to his feet. He had his eyes on the prize now. He steadied himself, made one quick motion with his paw… And swiped the tablet clean off the ground. “There we go.” The petrified poodle gulped. Powder’s heart had stopped. Her eyes were as wide as dinner plates. An awful feeling was writhing in her gut. One that was screaming at her, saying she had just made the biggest mistake of her life. It wasn’t until the tower of blocks came crashing down that she broke free from her daze. “Bruno, h-hold on! Let’s not do anything hasty!” The poodle scrambled to her feet, rushing towards the bear without thinking. She tried to take the tablet back, but there was no hope. Regardless of his mental state, the burly beast still towered over her. Bruno was an expert at playing keep away, which meant that it was game over for Powder. “Come on! How about we go back to playing!? I won’t even ask you anymore questions, okay!?” The bear was unmoved. “Sorry, doc. I found something that’s more fun to play with.” The tablet’s interface was quite easy to understand. Child’s play, really. The screen displayed various icons for various functions. The hand icon seemed as good a place as any to start. Within seconds, the familiar white hands shot out from the walls. Their aim was set to Powder, and they hit their target dead on. Two arms lifted her by the armpits, and she was soon kicking for dear life. “P-please! I’ll give you anything you want! I’ll double your pay! I’ll call the whole experiment off! Anything!” Desperate promises. Ones she had no way of fulfilling. What other choice did she have than to make them? The soundproof walls of the testing grounds made sure nobody would hear her cries. Nobody except for the person whose life she ruined. Despite everything, she was still responsible for turning his brain into a shallow husk. While Bruno was the one who agreed, it was ultimately Powder’s decision to go forth with the testing. She could have told him about the risks. She could have called the whole thing off. She could have done a million things different, to avoid this fate. But it was much too late for that. Somewhere, deep inside Powder knew it to be true. Such a simple fact, yet it scared her so much. “Now that you mention it, there is something I want.” “Yes!?” All her hopes were packed into that one three letter word. “A playmate.” All her hopes were crushed in three seconds flat. In a flash, the hands ripped all the clothes off Powder’s body, and she was a bare as a newborn babe. Bruno didn’t even look interested. Simply happy to see Powder humiliated. The only comfort was that the hands didn’t harm a single fur on her body. And yet, that deadly precision only served to fuel her fear. “N-no!” Powder screamed, one final time. New hands shot at her mouth, turning her pleas into muffled suckles. The culprit? A pacifier-gag strapped snuggly into her maw. That wasn’t the end of her worries. Despite only having the tablet for two minutes, Bruno was a fast learner, and quickly found an interesting new feature. Her heart stopped for the second time today, as a wicked new tool dangled before her. A giant wooden paddle came into view and began to circle behind her. Powder continued to kick helplessly. The fact that the paddle was now out of view was even more terrifying. Bruno was only bluffing, right? This was all an act to intimidate her. There was no way he hated her that much. There had to be some mercy in— *WHAP* *WHAP* *WHAP* With each swing of the wooden paddle, a thunderous crack sounded off. Each swat resulting in a muffled yelp from the bound hound, each one an unanswered cry for help. The bear led a truly grizzly assault on the poodle’s poor posterior. Twenty swats. Forty? Sixty? Both parties soon lost count. The only certainty was that Powder had been reduced to a crying mess. “Aww, the baby got a boo-boo. Don’t worry, I’ll get you something soft to sit in.” Bruno was like a kid in a candy store. Bringing the arrogant poodle down a peg was the sweetest treat he could ask for. Powder didn’t need to look up. She already knew what he was alluding to. Yet, through tear-stained eyes, she saw it all the same. In one hand, held a large bottle of baby powder. In another, an oversized baby diaper. While not as wide, the size of the diaper was still comparable to that of Bruno’s. The diaper was a garish shade of pink and was decorated cover to cover with prancing white unicorns. When she saw it, the cheeks on Powder’s face became as red as the ones on her backside. All the fight had been drained out of her, as the hands forced her onto the changing table with ease. She winced every time her sore bottom made contact with the mat below. The powder came first, dosing the dog’s white nether region with a torrent of lavender scented snow. The talcum blended in with her white fur, but it was there all the same.” “Look at that,” Bruno cooed, “Now you smell just like your namesake.” Powder just let the comment hang. All her bark was gone, and her bite was equally useless. She had been stripped, spanked, and gagged in a matter of minutes. She had lost this battle the second she let go of the tablet. Her opponent was simply taking a victory lap. The diaper was slid under Powder, and her bottom landed on the cushy surface below. The hands taped up the padding and gave her diaper a few pats. Just like the bear, Powder was trapped in a padded prison she had no hope of escaping from. Every nervous squirm and wiggle rewarded her with a chorus of crinkles. Powder could not deny her feelings now, her back on a changing table while taped to a giant diaper. She truly felt like a big baby, an overgrown puppy, much like the overgrown bear cub who was now in control. “Wow, Powder. Pink is your color. Let me see here…” More icons were being tapped by her captor, and Powder was still completely in the dark. Her new attire soon hung above her, and she missed the time when she was blissfully ignorant. It was a pink baby doll dress. The sleeves were short and ruffled, and the entire outfit was adorned with several tiny bows. The arms also carried a set of matching booties and mittens, to complete the ensemble. While Powder should be happy to have some coverage, she didn’t quite feel that way. The hands got to work, and Powder allowed herself to be dressed like Bruno had been. Show dog was right. Powder looked like she was ready to compete in a baby pageant. If the sheer bulk of the diaper wasn’t enough to stop her from walking, the booties sealed the deal. Like it or not, crawling was now her only option for getting around. When she was finally returned to the nursery floor, Powder fell on all fours and let loose. She couldn’t stop herself from crying. All the stress and humiliation of today was too much. She could hear something happening outside her field of vision, as Bruno tapped away on his stolen tablet. She was too distraught to look up, to see the truth. Her only hope was that one of her colleagues would come to check on her and stop this whole ordeal. Even if she had to be found dressed as a big baby doll, it would still be worth it. Before she could continue her miserable stupor, Bruno snatch Powder up and carried her across the room. “Wah…” Powder was confused. Wasn’t the point of all this to humiliate Powder, make her feel as small as she made Bruno? What was his next move? She looked up, and the horrifying answer to her question became obvious. The hypnosis monitor was back, and about to start an encore performance. “What’s the matter, doc? I thought you like watching cartoons.” No. Anything but that. She could handle the diapers. She could handle the spankings and the humiliating outfits. But this was too much. Bruno was about to chuck Powder’s mind down a hole she could never crawl out of. “You know something, doc? I’ve got this theory I’ve been working on. You see, ever since I watched those cartoons earlier, you’ve been acting real dodgy towards me. At first, I didn’t think much of it. But as soon as you started asking all those questions, I realized something. There’s this gap in my memory that I can’t seem to fill. Why was I dress like an adult? Why can’t I remember my age? Why shouldn’t I be acting like a baby? Every time I rack my brain for an answer, it all comes back to this video. So, I figured, if I saw what this did to someone else, I can finally get my answer.” “Pwease… I sowwy.” There was nothing Powder could do to break free from Bruno’s bear hug. All she had left to bargain was a literal cry for help. “No, no. Let’s not start any of that.” The bear stuck the earbuds into the poodle’s ears one after another. “The Q&A isn’t over yet, right? It’s my turn, and I still have a big question about what this program does. And this is the only way to answer it.” The bear found a comfortable spot to sit in and plopped down on his padded rear. He held Powder tight, and pried her eyelids open, preventing her from looking away. “So how about we sit back and enjoy the show.” The fears from before proved true. The second the program started; she could not look away. The audio was the first to strike, rewriting her identity as a baby between unending lullabies. Between every note of “Rock-a-bye Baby” and “Twinkle Little Star” was a hidden voice, a quiet scream, reinforcing how small and helpless she was. The TV screen was a mess of warping colors. It was a blistering rainbow that bullied her senses. But every other frame featured some form of subliminal messaging. The audiovisual experience tag teamed her brain and reduced it to a shatter pulp. It was intense. It was unrelenting. It was what she deserved. *** Gus scrambled through the halls of the research facility. He knew that he should have never told Powder about this project. The Labrador now had to track down his colleague before she did anything rash. To think how quickly things were spiraling out of control. He had told Powder that their new hypnosis program’s only hope of getting funding was if their superiors had seen tangible results. Obviously, this put a giant wrench in their plan. “No one in their right mind would be willing to agree to a program so dangerous.” Gus had said, “Not unless it paid a fortune.” After he said that, the smirk on Powder’s face should have been his first clue that she had a nasty plot in the works. While Gus was disappointed to have to shut the project down, Powder didn’t look fazed at all. Gus had figure that she was just coping in her own way. When a few of his co-workers had congratulated him on getting funding, he was confused. When they explained what had happen, and what Powder had done, he almost fainted. That’s where he was now, racing to stop Powder before she made a huge mistake. He had finally made it to their testing room, the one the others saw her walked into. He could hear muffled noises from the other side of the door and braced himself. When he opened the door, he soon realized he hadn’t braced himself well enough. The testing room had taken the form of a giant nursery. Powder had quite a few adjustments made while Gus wasn’t looking. How did she even manage to pay for all this? He saw a bear dressed like a little kid? What was he doing here? Amidst a sea of doll sat one that looked scarily like Powder—Powder! “Alright then Madame Woolsworth,” Powder said, speaking directly to a sheep plush, “I expect everything is to your liking?” The doll didn’t reply. All it did, all it could do, was stare back at her with unblinking eyes. For Powder, silence was golden. “Excellent. Now, there seems to be some business to attend to.” “Powder!” Gus yelled, scrambling over to his lab partner. “What happened? Why are you dressed like that?” “Hello there, Gus. While I would love to stay and chat, I have some company to attend to,” Powder gestured toward the circle of stuffed animals she was conversing with. “If you want me to talk with you, I need you to check the waiting list.” It was hard to make heads or tails of this ‘waiting list’ she displayed. Mainly because it looked to be a series of notes on her clipboard that Powder scribbled over in red crayon. “Powder, are you feeling well? You’re starting to worry me.” “There’s no use talking to her,” The bear yelled from across the room. “Unless you plan on having a tea party. “You’ll have to excuse him, Gus,” Powder explained, “He insists on acting like a poppyhead today.” The poodle stuck her tongue out and returned to her circle of plush friends. “Sorry for the delay, everyone. Where were we?” Unfortunately, it looked like Powder had her hands full now. Her state of mind was questionable, to say the least. Maybe talking to the bear would yield better results. He seemed to have some understanding of what had happened. “Excuse me, sir?” Gus called. Judging by the bear’s outfit, he wasn’t certain if ‘sir’ was correct. “Can you explain to me what happened? The bear didn’t look up. He was busying rolling a rubber ball back and forth between his paws. “That girlfriend of yours is a real handful. I watched that funky cartoon and she started asking me a whole bunch of questions. Had a nasty attitude about her too. My brain’s been in a rut ever since.” The bear paused and leaned over his shoulder to face the Labrador. “She’s a clever one, I’ll give her that. Too bad she couldn’t handle a taste of her own medicine.” A funky cartoon…The hypnosis tape! Powder had really done it! But why did Powder decide to watch it herself? She knew how dangerous it was. Maybe this bear coerced in some way. Or perhaps it was the other way around. “Oh yeah. Before I forget,” The bear leaned over, and handed the control tablet over to Gus. “You can have it. I don’t want to play with it anymore.” What was this stranger doing with the control tablet? There was no way Powder would hand over such an important device. Gus would have to check the security tapes later to learn the full story. “Thank you?” Gus said, still feeling puzzled. “Listen, I don’t know what happened between you and Powder, but I hope she didn’t do anything to upset you. I know she can come off as rude to some people, but she’s actually a nice person once you get to know her.” “Huh.” The bear mumbled. Before he could formulate a reply, nature arrived with a better retort. The bear got on all fours and began to grunt. It didn’t take a doctorate to figure out what he was doing. Mushy lumps invaded the back of his already soaked diaper, causing it to sag further. The fact that his shorts managed to stay on was a miracle, but more of the stained padding peeked out from each angle. Finished with his work, the bear let out a few breathy pants. The bear finally sat back down with a thud, squashing the mess against his plot. “That’s all I have to say to that.” The bear had said, returning to his ball game as if nothing happened. “Ugh!” Gus cringed. He wanted to distance himself from the rank bear as soon as possible. Gus made his way over to his lab partner, who was hopefully now in the mood to talk. Powder was laying on her back, suckling on the sheep plush from before. She had a tired look in her eyes, which was standard after a long day of work. “Hello again Gus,” Powder said, waving a tired paw to her lab assistant. “I’m sorry, but I am spent after today. If you have anymore complaints to voice, you’ll have to wait until after nap time.” Just like that, Powder was out like a light. Gus had said something, but she was done answering questions for today. Powder felt her leg twitch, as a warm flood rushed to the front of her diaper. Her work here was done. Now the rest was up to Gus. *** Several months later “Alright. I’m sending you guys the shape puzzle again. Your time yesterday showed improvement, but today you two will be working individually. Bruno. Please try not to distract Powder. It messes with the numbers if you do.” Bruno yawned and made the ok gesture with his paws. He would give the princess a break for today. Gus was a nice guy, a cool adult, and he didn’t mind listening to him. Besides, Bruno wanted to beat his time from yesterday. He was surprisingly good when it came to putting in most of the blocks into the correct holes, but there was still room for improvement. The square one always left him stumped. When their superiors had found what had happened, Gus expected all the shock and dismay they dealt out. What Gus had not been expecting, however, was how impressed they were with the results of the tapes. “Powder,” Gus instructed, “Try not to suckle on the blocks this time. When you do, it always adds a few unnecessary minutes to your time. If it would help, I can send you in another pacifier. Powder pouted, “Gus, that will not be necessary. I am more than capable of holding back my urges for a few minutes.” Powder crawled over to the block station and got to work. Everything was smooth sailing. Triangle goes there. Square goes here. Star goes in that one. She picked up the circle block. And couldn’t help but notice how tasty it looked. “Maybe just a quickie,” she thought. But before she had a chance to second guess herself, she was already laying on her back, gnawing on the foam cylinder without a care in the world—without a care for scientific progress, or anything else. Powder felt a familiar rumbled in her gut and pushed automatically. The result was that a messy diaper soon hung from her hips. She knew that would happen. It was well past the point of being only a theory that she continually tested for consistency. “A full diaper,” Gus thought aloud, “That’s not going to be good for her time.” It was a blessing, too. Gus needed all the funding he could get if he ever hoped to pay off Powder’s renovations to the testing room. She had taken many loans out to make those changes, and now, as her sole caretaker, the responsibilities fell on him. Thankfully, Powder was helping pay these changes off, one dirty diaper at a time. Gus had had a crush on Powder since high-school, and he always wanted to become more than friends. However, those feelings, and his views of Powder, quickly became outdated. Seeing said crush poop herself daily, while dressed as a giant baby, was bound to have that effect on anyone. Gus wanted to spend more time with Powder, and he had gotten his wish. But he always imagined them as dates, rather than playtime. Gus sighed, watching from behind the one-way mirror. “Oh well. Scientist can’t be choosers.”

Waiting sucked. Having to get up early in morning sucked even more. Having to get up early in the morning to wait around sucked to an infinite degree. Blair knew she shouldn’t have waited so long to schedule her annual check-up. Now she was paying the price, as all the afternoon slots had been taken. Things were so much easier when she still had her mother setting up appointments for her. Blair’s mother had argued that if she was old enough to drive to the doctor, and old enough to work, she was old enough to set up a doctor’s appointment. With nothing better to do, Blair slumped in her seat and pulled out her phone. No new messages. She thought about calling her friends and striking up a conversation to pass the time. But they were all probably either at work now or asleep and didn’t want to be bothered. She tried to connect online and check her social media, but the internet connection here was lousy. Even when she got online, opening another tab would greet her with a dreaded white background and a long loading time. Blair let out an annoyed sigh. They didn’t call these places waiting rooms for nothing. Was she really going to be stuck here, counting each boredom filled second, all morning? She even considered calling her mom or dad, just so she would have something to do. Getting lectured by mom wasn’t fun, but at least it was stimulating. Just as she was about to dial her parent’s home phone number, her phone buzzed, a new notification popped onto her screen. “Advanced Mental Age Quiz – Discover Your True Age Today!” It was a news headline. Something about an advanced personality quiz. It must have been a slow day in the journalistic world. She had seen, and taken, countless online quizzes during her formative years. Everything ranging from “which superpowers would you have” to “what’s your fantasy race” to even “which tropical fruit are you?” She remembered, sometime at the age of 12, being so disappointed when she got papaya instead of mango. Nostalgia aside, it did sound like a perfect way to kill some time. These were no doubt more fun when she was a teenager, but it wouldn’t hurt to take one for old times’ sake. The page loaded surprisingly quickly. The web design was quite basic, featuring plain black text on a white background. Whatever. It made the page load faster, even with the waiting room’s rocky connection, so she had no reason to complain. When taking this quiz, remember not to think too intensely about each question. The point of each question is to discern your natural point of view. Answer each question honestly and openly. Your answers will be record, for research purposes. However, your personal information, such as your email address and phone number, will never be recorded. Blair rolled her eyes. It all seemed so overdramatic for an online quiz. Maybe this was just how the site owners wanted to set the mood? She bit her lip and looked at the time. There was still a long way to go before her appointment would be up. “It should be fine,” She thought. She tapped the start icon, an anxious twinge sitting in her chest. Question 1: It’s okay to rely on others when times get tough. Blair read the question and looked at her answer choices. There was an option to agree or disagree, as well as a “strongly” variant for both. Standard stuff. However, there wasn’t an option to skip or stay neutral. She was somewhat surprised, as she always liked to pick that option when there was a question she didn’t understand or didn’t feel too strongly on. Blair thought to herself, “Is it okay to rely on others?” She would have to say yes. New to adulthood, she was very use to relying on her mother on many things. Some trivial, like cooking and cleaning. Others more major, like taking her to the doctor or setting up a schedule for her. Even her friends from school were a constant source of help over the years. She couldn’t imagine how many assignments she would have failed if her girls weren’t there to study with her. It sounded like she had no objections on this one. Agree. Right before she scrolled to the next question, she thought about the message from the start. About how she agreed to answer honestly. Blair groaned. It was just an online quiz, no reason to be bashful. Strongly agree. Question 2: I work better when I am on a routine. This one was also straightforward. Routine was something that Blair was quite familiar with. However, the more Blair thought about it, the more she realized those routines were never set by her. Always her parents or her teachers. That was probably worth factoring, right? Right. She was noticeably less confident in this one. Agree. Question 3: Hardships are unavoidable parts of life. “Hmm,” Blair mumbled. Was it really that cut and dry? She didn’t want to think so. In her mind, she pictured the life of someone who always got what they wanted. The life of a spoiled rich girl who never had to worry about things like taxes or finding a job. It sounded plausible. It even sounded compelling. Blair liked to think that some hardships in life were avoidable, with a little luck and good fortune. Whether she could vouch for it personally was another matter, but that wasn’t part of the quiz. Disagree. Question 4: Complexity is inherently more appealing than simplicity. This one was weird, Blair had to read it out loud to herself a few times. It was also vague as well. Complexity could mean many different things based on the context. Was that the point? Was that part of the question? Ugh, this one was annoying. Disagree. Question 5: Growing up is too hard. Now things were getting weird. There was a pit forming in Blair’s stomach. A gnawing suspicion of foul play. It was as if she on a candid camera show and the host was in an unseen location, waiting to jump out at her for the grand reveal. Confetti would rain down; Blair would look a fool in front of hundreds of viewers. Was she being paranoid? Unsure. While not an option on the quiz, Blair didn’t have to abide by those standards on her own time. Still, she had other personal questions she could answer with those confines. Was she starting to feel uneasy? Agree. Was the idea that a random internet poll was somehow aware of her thoughts, farfetched? Strongly Agree. Was she ready to stop clicking answers and do something else with her time? Disagree. Blair sighed. The question was a coincidence. Obviously. Agree. Perhaps the part that bothered Blair most, was that she wanted to click ‘Agree’. Say there was a way to skip the journey to adulthood. An alternate route that skipped all the awkward years. All the drama, all the embarrassment. All the mean comments about her hair or her face or her body. Say it was all true. Blair would certainly not be the only person to want to walk that route. Say someone actually found this ultimate lifehack. Would that person be liable to share it? Blair didn’t think so. She certainly wouldn’t herself. Ponce de León certainly wasn’t searching for the fountain of youth to help charity. Blair would keep it close, keep it nice and hidden. Had she figured out a way to avoid it herself? Disagree. Strongly disagree. Did she want to believe it was possible? Agree. Was she feeling hopeful? Agree. Final answer? Agree. The next set of questions began to load. A spinning red wheel on a white backdrop. It was almost hypnotic, like watching food cook in the microwave. Blair might just waste the entire day watching it, let the seconds trickle by. Was that why loading screens were designed that way? So that you didn’t notice how much time you were wasting? It wouldn’t surprise her. If that was the case, then it was working. How long was she going to watch this wheel go? Maybe just a few more seconds? No, she should check the time. Pulling her head away from the screen was a true test of willpower. Even after she did, she still felt slightly dazed. She could still see the bright screen clouding her vision, as if she had just come back inside on a bright sunny day. Maybe she was just tired… The waiting room hadn’t changed much since she started. There was still no one else waiting here besides her. There were still a few toys piled up by the corner, for the little kids to play with. There was one of those wooded toys with the wires and beads. The ones that never failed to materialize in waiting rooms across the world. There was a clear bucket filled with Lincoln Logs and Lego blocks—the really thick off brand kind. There were even oversized foam blocks that would have looked right at home at a daycare. None of them really interested. Blair was well past the age of sucking and stacking blocks. A couple posters hung on top of the plain wallpaper. A cat was hanging on a tree branch, trying his best to hang in there. One was detailing the skeleton and all the bones of the human body. She never could remember the lyrics to that song. What bone connected to the hip bone? Blair remembered seeing one poster at the vet that listed all the different breeds of dogs. It was sort of random that she remembered that right now, but it was still very cool. Still, Nothing out of the ordinary. “Sweetie, are you okay?” Blair turned and looked over at the front desk. She saw one of the attendants staring back at her with a worried look. “I’m fine.” Blair said. “Just waiting for my appointment. Do you know when Dr. Thomas will be available?” “Dr. Thomas had to deal with a family emergency. He had to stepped out for a moment. He should be back soon enough.” Great, Blair thought, more waiting. She knew something had felt off, like she had been here for too long. Like the gods had turn the clock back an extra hour just to mess with her. But a family emergency seemed much more likely. “I understand. Thank you.” The attendant smiled as she leaned on the front counter, “Do want me to stay and keep you company? It’s a slow day today, and I really don’t mind.” Blair fidgeted in her seat. The attendant seemed nice enough. But as much as Blair complained about being bored, she wasn’t in the mood for small talk. Even at her age, she was still awkward around strangers. Logically, she knew nothing bad was going to happen if she struck a conversation with this nurse. It was a gut feeling, and those tended not to be logical. “I’m fine, thank you.” The nurse frown, “Alright dear. I just don’t want to see anyone giving you trouble. There’s lots of bad people who might snatch up a little cutie like you.” The nurse pointed to her nametag. “If you have any problems, just shout out for nurse Tia, alright?” With a wink, Tia left the stand and went back to work. Blair felt her cheeks light up. Did she really look that young? She looked down at her outfit, suddenly feeling a lot smaller. The overalls she was wearing might have been the culprit. But she had a good reason for picking it today. She wanted something cute to wear to the doctor’s office. It sounded like a good reason, Blair thought, even if it wasn’t hers. No, of course it was hers. It’s not like someone else picked clothes for her. Blair was big now, more independent. Sure, she would struggle with the snaps sometimes, but those were minor setbacks. She had to be more responsible since she was growing up so fast. The lady behind the counter was probably just being nice. Maybe she had kids of her own, and her motherly instincts just so happened to kick in. Glancing back at her phone, Blair saw that the next set of questions had loaded. This next section is designed to test your consistency. Please continue to answer the questions quickly and honestly. Afterwards, that data will be compiled to build a final set of questions custom to you. Blair felt nervous. Why was she feeling nervous? It’s not like she was going to be graded for this. She chose the perfect time to lose all that quiet anticipation from earlier. “Come on Blair,” she thought, “Just suck it up and finish this quiz.” This really wasn’t something she should have to hype herself up for. Blair had many questions on her mind right now. Those could wait for later. The only questions that mattered right now were the ones on her phone screen. Question 6: I like to be looked after. Agree. Don’t focus on the wording, just pick the first answer that makes sense. She liked having mom look after her. She like having her friends from school look after her. Obviously, Blair could look after herself. But that wasn’t what the quiz was asking. Question 7: Other people might describe me as energetic. Agree. It never took much to get Blair started. A cup of juice in the morning, and she was on the move. In time, juice would be replaced by coffee. In time. Mom always said she was a little hellraiser. Mom had enough embarrassing stories to prove that claim as fact. In her younger days, Blair had a reputation for being a streaker. As soon as she figured out how to take off her diaper, she would run around the house stark naked. Time after time Dad had to chase his little girl around the room and remind her of common decency. It must have happened so long ago. And yet, the memory was so fresh in her mind. It was silly, really. She knew better now. Question 8: I am a social butterfly. Disagree. Blair had a few close friends, but that was it. Social butterfly was a stretch. Blair couldn’t help it, being so reserved. Many of the other girls in school were so mean. Calling her names, pulling on her hair. She been thankful when Mom pulled her out of school early, even if it was for a doctor’s appointment. Blair blinked. Had she done something wrong? Maybe she was misremembering something, despite how unlikely that had seemed. The day had been pretty unnoteworthy so far. She was having a fun day at school, enjoying reading time. The teacher got a call from Blair’s mother saying she had a doctor’s appointment. She remembered sulking in the backseat of mom’s car, still feeling embarrassed about her outfit. Oh, her outfit! That was the problem. She was wondering earlier why she had picked it out. Truthfully, she hadn’t. Mom said she was still too little to choose what to wear. This spiraled into a heated discussion—a ‘temper tantrum’ as Mom called it—on the subject of Blair’s maturity. Blair argued that she wasn’t a little kid anymore, but a big girl with growing responsibilities. “I’m not going to be a little girl forever!” Blair had boldly claimed. Mom had countered, “Regardless of how old you are, you still need to listen to your parents.” She had even used Blair’s recent accidents to leverage her claims, “The only reason we’re going to the doctor, is because someone keeps wetting the bed.” It was true, but still a low blow, nonetheless. Just thinking about that made Blair squirm in her seat. She tugged at her skirt, hoping that nurse Tia hadn’t caught a glimpse of her pull-up earlier. The nurse lady had been so nice, and Blair hated the idea of being seen as a big baby. It was probably nothing, no reason to feel so antsy. Blair just wished her mom would come back from the bathroom soon. It was getting lonely out in the waiting room. Blair looked back at her phone screen. She should just hurry up and finish. Mom hated it when she stayed on the phone for too long. Question 9: I keep my emotions on a tight leash. Blair let out an annoyed groan. Were online quizzes always so invasive? Truly, the question was a humility test. If she said no, she would be telling an obvious lie. Most people don’t get flustered over online questionnaires they’ve spent fifteen minutes on. Was it fifteen minutes? It had felt longer than that. She wasn’t sure what time she had started. Losing time was the goal, but the fact that she had lost it so easily worried her. “Stop being paranoid.” Blair thought, “Focus on the question. It’s just a webpage. It’s not going to hurt you.” If she said yes, that would fall in line with her spree of unyielding honesty. If she said no, then she would obviously be lying. And she just ­couldn’t do that now could she? And what better time to start being bashful than the ninth question? Blair had slowly realized that she was more honest with an online quiz then most of the people she knew. Just looking at the last few questions spell out her personality was eye-opening. Was this worth getting worked up over? Disagree. Question 10: I look forward to growing older. Blair knew the answer before she even moved her finger. She just didn’t have the heart to admit it. It was painfully obvious. What was this quiz for again? Mental age? Blair scoffed, thinking back on all her choices thus far. She would be surprised if her age even reached the double digits. If nothing else, she probably got the high score for lowest age without even trying. What a humbling day this turned out to be. “Fine.” Blair thought, “You win, quiz. I could learn to be more mature.” Whatever. It’s not like any of this mattered. It’s not like taking this stupid quiz will change anything. As soon as she hit confirm, she would still be stuck in the waiting room, feeling mad and lonely. Was there any real point in fighting with herself? Strongly disagree. Another loading screen. Another round of ‘follow the spinning wheel.’ Another flash of stilted confusion. Blair felt a trail of drool run down her lips as the seconds peeled by. She snapped her head back, dropping the device to the seat that was beside her. Mom was right. Staring at screens for too long was bad for you. She was relieved to look back up at the hospital waiting room. Yet, her relief quickly turned to sadness, as she realized her mother hadn’t come back yet. She was still waiting, still alone. Her head sunk into her knees. When was Mom coming back? It must have been forever ago since Blair had last saw her. She hadn’t left Blair and then run away, did she? Why did they have to fight? Why couldn’t Blair be a good girl, and just listen to her mother? Blair sniffled, and tears threaten to leak from her eyes. “Blair, honey?” A familiar voice called to her. “Is everything okay?” It was her. Same beautiful golden curls. Same full cheeks. The same wonderful person who always be there to hold her tight and make everything better. The same one who, Blair knew, would never hold a grudge over a silly argument. “Mommy!” Blair shouted. She leapt from her seat, snatching Mommy up in a great big hug. “I missed you!” Mommy let out a surprised laugh, “Blair, calm down. I was only in the bathroom for three minutes. You don’t need to be dramatic.” Mommy took her hand and brushed some of her daughter’s hair aside. “Hey, can we talk for a second?” “Yes, Mommy?” Blair looked up at her mother, both sets of eyes the same shade of ocean blue. Blair was ready to hang onto her mother’s every word. Even the big ones she didn’t know. Even if it meant Mommy was still mad about before. “It’s about what happened this morning.” Mommy began, her tone softening, “I’m sorry about what I said before. About your condition. I know how hard you’ve been trying lately. Even with how hectic everything has been lately; you still been making excellent marks at daycare. I’m very proud of you, and I’m sorry for yelling this morning. Even grown-ups can make mistakes.” “It’s okay, Mommy.” Blair said, her head nuzzling up against Mommy’s chest. Going to the doctor was a good idea. Blair should have just listened to Mommy from the start. There was a saying like that, something about moms knowing best, but Blair couldn’t remember it. “I just get protective, is all. I’m a mom, it’s in my nature. You’ll always be my little girl. No matter how big you get. Never forget that, okay?” There was something hidden behind Mommy’s words. A sense of commanding, or finality? “Okay Mommy.” Blair agreed. She didn’t stop to analyze the tone. Everything in her world felt correct. “I’m ready for my appointment now.” Mommy familiar smile had returned, “Well, that’s good. But before that, there’s still one other appointment you need to go to….” Mommy turned in her seat, the confusion on her daughter face was plain as day. “…. One with the tickled monster!” A second later and Blair was a giggling up a storm. The ‘tickle monster’ was as surprising as she was effective, and the poor girl was no match for her quick fingers. A small burst of pee splashed into her diaper, but Blair was too distracted to notice. She was having fun. Mommy was having fun. Those feelings mattered more. “Feeling better?” “Uh-huh!” Blair tugged on her mother’s shirt sleeve, “Mommy, can I have the tabby back?” Mommy stood up, now noticing the device she had been sitting on, “Whoops. Here you go.” Mommy stood up and handed the tablet to her daughter. “There’s still some time left before your appointment. You play and I’ll tell you when it’s time to go.” The tablet featured an ocean blue case decorated with a sea of cartoon smiling fish Not exactly a marvel, but it suited Blair fine. Besides, she more important things to worry about. She had a quiz to finish. Congratulations on making it this far into the quiz! I’m so proud of you! Before we give the results, we a few last extra-special questions for you. Thanks for stopping by! Yay, more quiz! Blair was already having so much fun. She couldn’t remember all the details, but the warm feeling running through her was a good sign. She needed to hurry and finish up before it was time to see the doctor. Question 11: I enjoyed this quiz. Just like before, there were four options for Blair to choose from. Two smiley faces and two frowny ones. The question sounded very gen…something. Gen-nary-ich? Some word she knew or heard one time. A word that meant ‘not different.’ But that couldn’t be true, the questions were all made ’specially for her. The quiz said so! Besides, Blair had enjoyed the quiz. It kept her company while Mommy was away, help clear up the confusions in her head. Smiley. Question 12: I would ask a friend to take this quiz. Yup! Blair knew lots of other kids at daycare who love to play games on their tabbies. She could even show it to one of the teachers she got the chance. Big smiley! Question 13: I am okay with the results of this quiz. Big smiley! Blair knows that she tried her best, and that’s what mattered. Blair tapped the flashing arrow, excited to see her results. There was no waiting this time. No load screen was needed. Instantly, the result screen was staring her dead in the face. You are right where you need to be! Your mental age perfectly matches your outward age. Test accuracy: 97% Honesty rating: 94% Likely of mental age increasing: 4% “Blair, sweetie, it’s time to go.” Mommy tapped her daughter on the shoulder, “The doctor is ready to see us now.” It was a statement of fact. Not an order, more than a suggestion. Blair had finished her game, she was satisfied. “Okay, Mommy.” Blair knew the routine well. She handed the device off to her mother. It was okay for the tablet to go bye-bye for a little while. After this, she had the whole afternoon to find more fun games to play. The doctor’s office was the same as ever. Same colorful wallpaper adorned with polka dots. The same informational posters taped over said walls, some of which had words that see didn’t know yet. And yes, the same jar of candy that teased her at every visit. There it was. Her pot of gold. “Hello there, Mrs. Winters,” Dr. Thomas said, “How are we doing today?” Blair recognized the man almost immediately. She had come to see him with Mommy or Daddy one or two times before. Blair liked him because not just because he gave her candy, but also because he was nice. His beard was fluffy and white, and it made him look like Santa Claus. Except Santa wasn’t bald, she thinks, and Santa wasn’t skinny, she knows. “We’re doing just fine, thank you. I’m bringing Blair in for her checkup today.” Mommy glanced down at the girl, her precious little one, while rubbing Blair’s shoulders. Mommy made idle chatter as she helped Blair on the exam table. The rustle of the exam table’s paper cover mixed with crinkle of her diaper, producing a symphony of white noise. “How are you today, doctor? The nurse told me you had to deal with a family emergency today. “It was nothing too serious.” He waved a hand nonchalantly, “Just a little trouble with my youngest, William. He’s about Blair’s age, actually. “Oh, William Thomas? Yes, he’s in Blair class right now. Are you and Will friends, Blair?” Willy was okay, sometimes. But some he was jerk head and horded all the blocks during playtime. Blair thought, but thought didn’t say. Thoughts like that were inside-thoughts, ones not to blurt out in public, and those didn’t help her get candy. Blair nodded, “Uh-huh, Willy is okay.” The doctor continued, “My wife couldn’t get him to eat carrot sticks today. She thought he might have an upset stomach or something. Turns out the only reason he was acting fussy was because he didn’t have his tablet. I don’t know if it was right to buy him one so early.” “They’re a blessing and a curse. Blair’s been more complacent ever since we got her one. But I’m worried that she may be spending too much time on it. We’ll have to wait and see.” “I guess so…” Dr. Thomas tapped his clipboard with a pen. “Alrighty then. Now, how old is Blair?” Mommy had knowing smile on her face. “Go on Blair. You know this one. How old are you?” How old… Oh! Blair did know this one. She learned how to do this one yesterday ago. She took her left hand and pointed up two fingers. Two, but not just two. Two was too small. She hadn’t been two since forever. She took her right hand and made another two fingers. Two twos. 22. Yup, she was two twos old. Much more than two or one two. “This many!” Blair said, feeling proud. “Wow!” Thomas said, no doubt impressed by sight of a no-so-grown woman remembering her age. “That’s very good Blair. Watch out, mom. I think we have a gifted child on her hands.” Blair didn’t know exactly what he meant. But she heard the word ‘gift’ and figured it had to be something good. Mommy chuckled. “She’s a quick learner. I’ve been told she was turning heads at Daycare. Who knows? Maybe if she ever grows up, you two might be colleagues.” Blair didn’t comment. Playing doctor didn’t sound like much fun right now. Blair had p to play her stacking games now, making towers and towers of blocks. Crashing them down with satisfying sounds. Maybe she could be a monster when she grew up. Or one of those people that make old buildings go boom. Thomas went back to tapping his clipboard. “I guess we’ll have to wait and see. Okay then.” The doctor turned his attention back to his patient, “Blair, have you been eating well?” “Uh huh.” Blair nodded, “I always eat all my food when Mommy makes it. I even eat all the veggies and Mommy doesn’t even have to ask me to.” “Three square meals? Plenty of fluids?” “Believe me,” Mommy cut in, patting down Blair’s diaper bag, “She been drinking plenty.” “Glad to hear it. Now then…” Dr. Thomas’ voice began to trail off. “You wanted to discuss her condition. Her condition. The reason Mommy and her were fighting. The reason she was felt so bad today. She shook her head trying to find the answer, came up with nothing consistent. Something important. Something obvious? Her condition… “I think it might be hearing lost.” Mommy sharply cut in once more. “She keeps having these dizzy spells. Her teachers say that sometimes she’ll zone out and won’t saying anything.” “Hmmm…” The doctor pondered, stroking his beard. “Okay, give me a moment.” The doctor walked over to his drawers on the other side of the room. Blair couldn’t see what he was doing, could only hear metal clattering against metal. She had hoped was doing well so far. Blair answered all her questions honestly, didn’t overthink any of them. “Alright, let’s take a look.” Dr. Thomas returned, holding up a strange looking device. The looked like someone glued an oil can to a stick. The silver sheen made the tool look cold and unfriendly. But Blair was familiar with it and recognized it as the ‘ear-thingy’, one of the many complex tools doctors used to make people feel better. True to its name, the doctor leaned over, stuck the device into Blair’s ear, and peered inside. “Well, everything looks in order. I don’t think—hey, look at that!” The doctor shouted in faux surprise, “You’ve got a bird nest in here. Coo, coo, coo.” Blair wasn’t impressed. She has fallen for the ‘fake bird’ bit a few times before and had wised up since then. She wasn’t a total baby. Dr. Thomas cooed a few coo-coos before getting back to business. The check-up was as routine as ever. Dr. Thomas’ jokes? As lame as ever. Blair was unfazed when he pretended her heart was a jackhammer. When he used the hammer-thingy to tap her legs, Blair didn’t laugh at being called an ‘up-and-coming kickboxer.’ There was a chance it hurt her odds of getting candy, but Mommy always told Blair it was bad to lie. “I can safely say that Blair has a clean bill of health. I think the only thing she’s missing is a good sense of humor.” Dr. Thomas winked. “That’s a relief. Blair, are you ready to go?” Blair squirmed in her seat, her eyes still on the prize. Should she say something? After all, she hadn’t endured the world’s worst comedy routine for nothing. “Ah, ah! There’s one last thing.” The good doctor returned, candy jar nestled like a newborn babe, “Every special patient deserves a special treat.” Dr. Thomas popped open the glass lid open, presenting Blair with a sea of possible prizes. The Reese’s cup was the obvious choice. She snatched at the orange delight and unwrapped it in an instant. In just one bite, her taste buds were in a peanuty-chocolatey bliss. “So good!” Blair thought. So worth it. *** “Hi nurse Tia!” Blair blurted out, happy to see a friendly familiar face at the front desk. “Hey there, little lady. Where you a good girl for the Doctor?” “Yeah! I got a piece of candy and everything!” Blair had already eaten the evidence, so Tia would have to take her word for it. “That’s great honey.” Tia’s sincerity was as plain as the smile on her face. She turned over to Mommy, carry over the same warm expression. “Are you ready to check out now?” Mommy nodded, “Yes, that’s right. Now, when can we schedule or next appointment? I was thinking maybe sometime in December…” Blair proceeded to drown out all the boring grown-up talk. She had other thoughts on her mind right now. What would she do now that she was out of school early? Was there anything good on TV at this time of day? She could only wonder. Another, much more immediate query, was also being asked of her right now. What to do about the rumble in her tummy? It was a question Blair’s body posed time and time again, one she was ready to answer automatically. She squatted down, still clutching Mommy’s hand, and got to work. Cheeks puffed out; all it was one push for the landslide to start. A wave of mush landed inside her diaper, accompanied by the sounds grunts and crinkling plastic. A brief pause and another round of sticky mush arrived, the diaper now sagging under its new weight, threating to touch the floor. Just after, a growing hiss came from the front. Her bladder got the memo, decided now was best time to let loose. Blair let a sigh of relief. Ready for potty training? Disagree. The state of Blair’s diaper was clear evidence of that fact. She was already such a natural with diapers and saw no reason to stop now. It was a tried-and-true solution to an everyday problem. “All done?” Mommy asked, that same warm smile on her face. She had squatted to meet Blair at eye-level. At this point, seeing her daughter poop herself hardly came as the surprise. It was more of a matter of ‘when’ rather than ‘if.’ “How about we get you cleaned up?” Mommy took Blair’s hands in her own, stood back up and… Upsy daisy! She lifted her back up, a wobble in her step thanks to some recently added weight. Mommy held Blair’s hand and the pair walked off to the bathroom together, a telling waddle in Blair’s gait. They entered the bathroom, Mommy lifted Blair onto the changing table, as effortless as the last dozen times. “Tabby?” Blair asked, pointing at the diaper bag. Sure, she was about to get her bum wiped by Mommy. But that didn’t me she couldn’t play a game while she waited. Blair wasn’t the one doing the heavy lifting. At least, not once the diaper came off. “Well, you have been good today.” Mommy rummaged in the diaper bag, pulling out the tablet. Blair greedily accepted, already forgetting about her status on the changing table. The screen came to life, and Blair was flicking through the home screen, looking for new games to play. Blair struggled to read the app titles; whether it was because the text was too small or because they were made up of words she didn’t knew, she couldn’t be sure. Blair simply picked the one with the most fetching icon. She picked one, and soon saw a funny looking animal roll through a dessert. The animal unfurled and introduced herself. “Howdy partners! My name’s Amy Dillo! I’m glad you’re here! I’ve gotten myself in a real pickle today. All my shapes broke out of their pens this morning. I need you to help get all my shapes back in the pen before sundown. Think you can handle it? The screen displayed a set of corrals, each with a sign displaying a different shape. The game seemed simple enough. Drag all the shapes into the correct pen as quickly as possible. Tapes scrunched and peeled back as Mommy got to work. Meanwhile, Blair got to work in her own way. Blair was an expert when it came to shapes. A fresh diaper and a high score were great notes to end the morning on. Blair shivered as she felt something cold rub against her tush. Still, that didn’t stop her, as she drag a circle across the digital farm. Triangle goes there, square goes there… “Bum up,” Mommy requested. Blair complied automatically. She hoisted up her rear, her focus still on the game. She tapped on a new icon, one that looked like rope. It was power-up! With her new lasso, she could now wrangle up three shapes at once. Victory smelled so sweet…or was that baby powder? Either way, Blair felt satisfied. The digital sun began to set as the screen took on an orange hue. A score board pulled up showing a set of big numbers and three gold stars. “Great job! But we’re not done yet. It looks like while we were busy, all the colors got out. You up for another round?” The colors had escaped too? Amy must be really bad at her job. New sets of corrals scrolled onto the screen. Signs in front of them colored red, blue, green, and yellow, respectively. While Blair’s bum landed on something soft and familiar, different blobs of various colors floated on screen. More tapes scrunched and peeled, more colors to wrangle. Mommy huffed. “I really hope this isn’t turning into an addiction.” Mommy nudged the distracted adult-baby on the elbow, “Come on honey, time to go.” Blair was felt hands on her shoulder, was pretty sure she was standing up now. She was well-acquainted with the feel of a fresh diaper and knew everything had gone well. There were still colors to catch… It wasn’t until she heard the snaps of the car seat that she paused the game. They must have made it back to the car while Blair was playing. “How about we take a break,” Mommy suggested, “You’ve been playing all morning, and it’s getting close to your nap time.” As if on cue, Blair stretched her arms and let out a big yawn. “Okay Mommy.” She handed over the table shifted in her seat, trying to find a comfortable spot to rest. Amy and she would have to play another day… Mommy strapped herself into the driver’s side seat. Looking down at her daughter’s device, she started to worry. Was it really a good idea, buying this for her? All this modern technology was so confusing. Who knows what ill effect being overexposed to a screen all day could have on Blair? If nothing else, Blair needed some good physical activity to balance herself out. “Since you’ve so good today, how about we swing by the park? School hasn’t let out yet, so it shouldn’t—oh!” Blair was already fast asleep, a trail of drool running down her shirt. It seemed her naptime had come earlier than expected. No matter. Mommy had all the time in the world to spend with her precious little girl. “Never mind,” Mommy said, “No more questions for today.”

Hello! I've lurked on this forum for some time and haven't posted before. I've wanted to try my hand at writing ABDL stories, so I finally buckled down and finished one. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Feedback and critique is welcomed and appreciated! ----- Mama Bear Syndrome Scott Dawson crept into his home, not daring to make a sound. He tip-toed across the violet carpet with peak stealth–as much stealth a man his size could muster. He was tall and well-built, which, unfortunately didn’t help much for producing quieter footsteps. Slowly, he peaked his head pass the door frame to the kitchen. Not a person in sight. That was a good sign…right? his wife–a woman so punctual she made the Sun jealous–was always there to greet when him arrived from work at 5:15 PM on the dot. She had made a point of it every day with one trademark greeting or another prepared. “Welcome home darling!” was most commonly seen in the first few years of their marriage, eventually proceeded by “Oh, your back already?” Before recently, Scott was used to being met with a command or chore as his greeting, reserving all the sweetness for their son Julian. “Did you take out the garbage yet?” was not quite as loving, but compared to today? He wasn’t sure which he preferred. “That’s weird,” Scott whispered to himself. “I don’t think she’s home yet. M-maybe I can just hide out in the garage or– “What are you doing?” Minerva asked. Scott nearly jumped out of his coat. Like a ghost, his wife appeared right before him without a sound. Minerva’s usual distant apathy was absent. Instead, he retained a more wide-eyed and concerned demeaner. “Wah!” Scott shrieked out. “Jeez mama, don’t sneak up on me like that!” Scott’s wife laughed and moved closer to him. She cupped his cheeks in his hands, not at all minding his personal space. “Aw, did I make you jump? I’m sorry sweetheart. Did you have a hard day today, dearie?” Minerva asked, still smushing her husband’s cheeks. “I wouldn’t want you stressed on your big day.” Scott wanted to scoff at the sentiment. He hardly considered his birthday to be ‘big day’ like it was some type of annual promotion. He didn’t see growing old as achievement—it was more of a heads up for all the grey hair he’d be expecting. Minerva, however, had the most romantic ideas when it came to birthdays. Cake, confetti, those pointy striped hats (a tradition that always confused Scott)—she spared no expense for hers truly. The parties were always private, as the pair both shared a mutual dislike for cleaning up after groups of people, despite to two never doing anything mischievous on those days. Minerva magically managed to make Scott feel younger year after year, and today was no exception. “C’mon mama,” Scott whined, “Can’t we just skip the party stuff this time?” Minerva shook her head. “Certainly not. I already have the whole day planned. Today is very special occasion. You only turn two once!” Scott had room to argue otherwise. This year, however, was already making him feel a too much younger. With his attempts to escape birthday time foiled, Scott sighed in defeat. “Yes dear,” was all he could say as let himself being led to the bathroom to be cleaned up so the ‘fun’ could begin. He thought about how worried he used to be about growing old to soon. Right now, those thoughts were the farthest thing from his mind. Minerva’s symptoms were always flaring up during the holidays. Whether it was time to celebrate Saint Paddy or Saint Nick, holidays were the perfect occasion to put Minerva in a motherly mood. Easter time that Scott got his own personal Easter egg hunt around the house, dressed as the cutest little bunny. Just last Halloween Scott wore a black-and-yellow onesie with a fussy headband for his bay-bee (get it?) outfit. New Year’s Eve? Pretty self-explanatory. A birthday like this was just par for the course. Sitting in the bathroom were the usual suspects. A large changing mat already unfolded on the bathroom floor. A diaper bag fitted to pamper any grown man. And a large package of adult diaper. Calling them adult was more than generous as they decorated with anchors and cartoon fish. It didn’t matter how long they had been married. Scott never got used to diaper changes. Minerva unzipped the front of Scott’s work jumpsuit, revealing a white t-shirt stained with dirt, and a white diaper stained with urine. Scott had wet himself on the bus ride home, and the padding had gone cold and clammy since then. He was not incontinence, it just felt easier to let go sometimes. “You poor thing. Come on, let’s get up cleaned up.” There was genuine concern in Minerva’s voice. She hated the idea of her baby boy having to squirm in a wet diaper all day. Having to wear a diaper at work was a lot easier than it sounded. Sure, the conversion with his boss was embarrassing, but the diaper was easy to hide under his jumpsuit and no one gave his any flack for it. Boxers and briefs were off the table at this stage of Minerva’s condition, and Scott had made peace with that. Scott was not in a fighting mood. He let himself be stripped of his ‘big boy clothes’ and laid on the changing mat. Minerva hummed a tune and got to work. He wrinkled his nose involuntarily as Minerva shook the baby powder over him, sweet scent never failing to make him feel small. Lavender and chamomile certainly did not scream ‘man of the house’. Scott lifted his bum and let Minerva slide the oversized padding under him. He always wondered where Minerva bought such big diapers from. Maybe there were specialty store online for people with her condition? Scott was never the most tech-savvy guy. He could barely check his email, let alone find a store where they sell giant baby diapers. While Scott was busy musing, Minerva had already finished taping his up, a few gentle pats on the front grabbing his attention. Minerva was always so gentle during diaper changes. It was one parenting duty Scott was more than happy to let Minerva take the reins on whenever it came up. She took her time and was never rough when rubbing in the powder or wiping mess away. It was a fact their son Julian was always too young to appreciate as well as something Scott would have a hard time forgetting. “All done!” Minerva chimed. She pulled Scott upright and gave him a kiss on the forehead. “Arms up now,” Scott lifted his arms and Minerva pulled a white shirt over him. Scott tugged at shirt and saw navy blue collar with a matching anchor on the front. A sailor suit? A small patch of his belly was exposed, showing a patch of baby fat at his midriff. This was no doubt intentional; Scott had not put on weight recently and Minerva knew his measurements by heart. Scott quickly picked up the maritime theme. Of course, There was always theme with Minerva. He wasn’t sure why she picked a naval theme though. The idea probably just popped into her head, and she stuck with it. “Is my little sailor ready to set sail for birthday fun!?” Minerva asked. Scott nodded, trying his best to fake enthusiasm. Minerva didn’t seem to mind either way. The living room was decorated to the nines. Blue and white streamers were hung from the ceiling with care. Plush sharks and fish were set up in empty chairs as party guest. There was a big banner across the wall that read: “HAPPY BIRTHDAY SCOTTY!!!” The whole arrangement must have taken hours to set up, But Minerva didn’t look the least bit tired. She must have been working on it since morning. She was still wearing her robe and pajama bottoms. “I bet my little sailor wants to open his presents now, doesn’t he?” Scott didn’t mind jumping straight into the present. From his ‘Mommy’s’ perspective, he had been tired from playing in the sun all day was excited to get home for his birthday party. Work was tiring more often than not, so she was not too far off. Maybe Mommy was just too tired for playtime today, it was hard to tell. Scott looked around the room and walked—waddle was more like it, with way his diaper made him walk—toward the pile of wrapped packages. Scott got on his knees and lifted a rectangular package. He gave to box a few shakes, and it barely made a sound. He squeezed the box, and felt the contents push inwards. Scott wasn’t sure why he did this when it was plainly obvious what was inside. He carefully pulled back the edges of the wrapping paper, because he knew Minerva would want to reuse it next year. Inside was a package of—get this— ‘adult’ diapers. More specifically, they were a package of Snuggles: Teddy Edition brand diapers. He had become intimately familiar with Snuggles in the past year. A glance at his backside proved that much. The diapers he wore to work were simple and white, designed for people who actually incontinent. Snuggles brand was always decorated with cutesy cartoon animals or baby paraphernalia Snuggles brand was clearly designed for an audience of giant babies. Unfortunately, he had become their prime demographic. The diapers were comfortable, but Scott didn’t like to think about it. He didn’t like that he could now tell difference between two brands based on feel alone. He didn’t even like how beginning to develop a preference for certain ones. No man this age should a favorite brand of diaper. As Scott turn around, ready to open the next package, he saw Minerva waving at him and holding a disposable camera. “Don’t worry Scotty. Mommy is just taking a couple pictures for your baby book. Go on now!” Scott sighed. With all the picture Minerva took, his baby book would be a four-part series. He turned around and was on to the next package. There was a thin yellow gift sitting to the last one. He pulled back the paper to reveal a series of onesie all in his size. Minerva had probably sewn half of them herself. Minerva snapped some pictures. Next gift. There was a small green box by his foot. He lifted the top, and inside was a trove of pacifiers. There were enough colors to fill three different rainbows. Minerva snapped some more pictures. Next gift. There was a giant plush shark with a bow on it. Scott pulled off the bow a gave it a squeeze. It was sufficiently soft. He never cared for stuffed animals though. More pictures. More gifts. Pictures. Gifts. Pictures. Gifts. “Okay honey, that’s everything.” Minerva chimed. “You had a big haul this year. My little sailor got a lot of treasure this year!” Scott was just glad to be finished. Scott stood up and stretched. “Welp, that fun. Guess it time for me go beddy-bye, right Mama?” “Since when you do want to turn in early? Did my little boy get bit by the good-manners bug? We still haven’t had dinner yet.” Minerva walked up to Scott and started rubbing his tummy. “I know you worked an appetite today! You can go to bed after din-din and cake.” Yup, another attempt to dodge birthday humiliation foiled. Scott was bad when it came to exit strategies. He gave his hand to Mama and was led to kitchen. Birthday time wasn’t over just yet… The kitchen was much less decorated. The only thing birthday related he could see was cake sitting on the kitchen counter. When he saw the number two candle on top of it, his mind started to drift. Two years. So much had happened in just two years. Two years, Minerva had been her normal self. It was true that they were growing apart, but it was better than her acting like Mother Goose. Two years ago, they had been a normal family. The have an actual conversation with one another. Two years ago, their son was still— *click* Scott snapped back to the present. He looked down and realized he was already settled into his highchair; the tray being locked in place. Scott groaned. The diapers were definitely the worst part of his new lifestyle, but the highchair was a solid runner-up. Even when it was only sitting in kitchen, the giant white chair looked a joke, like it was a lost movie prop. Was that all he was now, a big joke? Some giant manbaby stuck in an unfunny comedy? The worse part was that it made him feel stuck. As soon the tray was locked into place, he couldn’t get out until Mommy said so. He hated how high up it was, forcing his feet to swing freely midair. The tips of his toes just barely missed the kitchen floor. All he could do was wait like a good little boy. No wonder babies hated those things. He didn’t even try to struggle like real baby would, less he risks breaking something. “Dinnertime! Eat all up, then when can cut your cake.” Minerva placed a plate of fish sticks and mac-and-cheese on top of the tray. His silverware was plastic and tinted blue. It wasn’t any special, but it stayed with the theme well enough. Minerva probably would have breaded the fish herself if she had the time or the energy. As Scott looked down at his tray, he the sound of stomach rumbling. Yet, he didn’t feel anything, and had not been that hungry. He looked over to Minerva—not just as a glance, he gave her a real in-depth onceover. It was the first time today that he noticed the bags under her eyes. Her face had looked so tired, so worn. He was right about her working on his party since morning. Had she even stopped to eat? She didn’t need to push herself like this for him. He didn’t want to do that, to starve herself, over something so stupid. He was supposed to look after. He wanted to hold her in his arm, forget about all the fighting, and just let her rest. “Does my special guy want his Mommy to feed him?” Minerva asked, not missing a beat. No way! Minerva needed to eat something. “No! I can it myself!” Scott hastily picked up the plastic spoon before Minerva could react. He scooped a bite of mac-and-cheese into mouth, “I can do it, see!?” He shoveled down his dinner, leaving crumbs and specks of cheese on his shirt. Pride be damned, his wife needed a break. Minerva chuckled, “My, someone’s an eager beaver all of sudden! I didn’t even get a chance to tie a bib on you. You’re going straight to the tub after dinner.” It was clear to Minerva that her baby didn’t need help feeding right now. Minerva walked over to the fridge and pulled out a small salad. It was after watching her baby plow through his dinner, Minerva realized how hungry she was. She sat next to Scott, only turning to him to help wipe some of the food stuff off his cheeks. Baby or not, Scott was always such a messy eater. Soon enough, the two had finished their dinner. Minerva had taken their plates to the kitchen sink to be washed later. Now was the time for cake. Minerva dimmed the lights and lit the birthday candle. Happy Birthday to you… This was it. This was the main event. This is part where the birthday boy gets a big slice of cake and a standing ovation. It was truly a one-of-a-kind experience, watching children with grow and nurturing their limitless potential. Everyone would look on awe of the little one, so excited to see him grow up. What kind of man would he grow up to be? Happy Birthday to you… What kind of man had he grown up to be? It was hard for Scott to say. Of course, when he was a baby, an actual baby, he didn’t have think about such grand questions like that. He was kind to other and tried to help when he could. But, when he young, he didn’t have any great ambitions beyond that. If there was one thing he had to have to life, it probably had to be… a wife. Not just someone to lean on, but someone to care for in turn. Scott like to help and be held. He liked to be needed. He followed that thought, that need, intently and it led him to Minerva. Happy Birthday sweet baby… Minerva was just like Scott. Whereas Scott always wanted to be needed, Minerva always needed to help. It was almost a tick for her. She would always push herself for others, drive someone to the moon and back, not even expecting a thanks in return. She would have worn herself to the bone a long time ago if things had stayed that way. But she met Scott, and life didn’t have to go that way. When Minerva needed to rest her weary head, Scott was there. Whenever there was too much work, Scott would pitch in. He was like a big teddy bear that you squeeze and make all of life’s problem go away for a while. Were they in love? It sure felt like it. Why not stay that way forever? That was exactly what they did. That feeling was why they would marry each other. That feeling was why they had a son. Happy Birthday to you. Julian. Scott had missed a lot of things from the past, from his old life. He missed flirting with Minerva between classes in high school. He missed the long chats the two of them would share at night. He missed stroking Minerva’s hair when she was tired. But most of all, he missed their son Julian. For Scott and Minerva, there had been many mistakes in marriage, many reason for the two to drift apart. Julian was no one of them. Julian was a constant joy in their lives. It was so exciting, watching him grow up and blossom into a strong young man. Every birthday of his truly was a happy one. Come on now Honey! Blow out the candles! Julian was different from parents. He lacked their codependent tendencies. Julian loved his folks, but as he got older, he saw that there was something off about his parents’ relationship. There was certain air of neediness that he couldn’t deny. It was practically symbiotic, the way his parents doted over one another. If mom had a smudge on her face dad would wipe it away. They finished each other’s sentences, talked together like twins in a horror movie. It was sickeningly sweet. It was downright disturbing. It was what Julian want to be away from them. Hurray! Let me cut of a big slice for the birthday boy! He confronted them about it. His folks just laughed it off. When he yelled and cursed and bawled at them during dinner, they were not laughing. Having mister and misses Rogers as your parents just wasn’t cool when you reach high school. When you lived in a small town like theirs, it made you liable to get your ass kicked. If the fighting had done for Julian’s parents, it had been a wakeup call. Attaboy! Such a good eater! The house was a lot quieter after that. Scott and Minerva had lost something after that night as well. Were they doing something wrong? Was there a wrong way to fall in love? Maybe. Truthfully, Scott and Minerva had never taken the time to work out their own issues. The spark the two had nurtured had been replaced with doubt. Whatever love was it wasn’t supposed to feel this guilty. Slow down kiddo! We have to get all this on tape! Julian avoided his all throughout high school. There was no bonding, just short bullet point conversation. Just deflated sighs and rolled eyes. Julian wanted to be away from his parents. He wanted out. He kept to himself and spent most of free time researching place to go after high school. He had lots of options, all far from home. All he had to do was pick one. He didn’t even have a party of his eighteenth birthday. The day after he graduated, he backed his bags and joined the Navy and left his family behind. The gap between Scott and Minerva had widened even more after that. I bet he can’t wait for next year! Julian never came home. *** “Mother bear syndrome?” Scott asked, “I’m sorry doctor, I’ve never heard of it. It is bad?” Scott almost kicked himself for asking that question. Nothing good had syndrome attached to the end of it. This is why Scott hated hospitals. You can on top of the world one day, then walk into a hospital and leave with a disorder, or a disease, or a syndrome. “To be honest, I’ve never seen a case myself. “Dr. Lambert explained, “It was first documented only a few years ago. The name comes from the feeling of overprotectiveness some women experience during trauma. I’m sorry to ask this, but how have you two been coping recently? Scott stiffened up. He knew the question was coming. Scott still hadn’t come terms with what happen to Julian. The wound was still fresh, and it was like there was an invisible knife being twisted in his chest every time he thought about it. Scott sighed. “I’ve just been taking it one day at time, y’know. I thought Minerva was starting to turn around. When we first got the news, Minerva just…” Scott lost his words, wasn’t sure what to say. Was it right to talk about Minerva like this? She was only a few feet away in the lobby, it felt like his was talking behind her back. What else could he do? She was in no mental state to give her side of the story. “Mr. Dawson, your wife is experiencing extreme levels of trauma. So far, mother bear syndrome has only been present in patient with a history of psychological abuse. Now, her file says she had issue during her childhood. Was she ever treated for that? Scott must have not heard the doctor, because he picked up right were he left off. “Minerva just stopped. She stayed in bed all day; she wouldn’t even talk to me. I couldn’t even bring out of bed for the funeral.” “Mr. Dawson, what happened to you and your wife is perfect understandable.” The doctor actively avoided using words such as natural or normal. There was nothing normal about good men dying so young. “What should I do doctor? Is there some sort of treatment?” “Scott was ready for facts now. The couple was well off, but they were not wealthy. Still, he was willing to work himself to the bone to make her well again. The doctor paused for a moment, trying to find the right words. He pulled a leaflet from his desk and handed it to Scott. “At the current stage, there is not much we can do for her. Mrs. Dawson would need to be monitored further until we could we say how to treat her. Scott looked at the pamphlet. It showed different picture of young adult helping elderly citizens. It was sprinkled his buzz phrases like ‘we are here for you’ and ‘help is closer than you think’. He read the name: “Pleasant Valley Behavioral Health Institute”. It was a brochure for a mental hospital. Scott felt his blood start to boil. He wanted to leap over Lambert’s desk, slug him right between his glasses. He wasn’t even man enough to tell it to Scott straight. ‘Sorry that your wife is broke, better ship looney bin’, right? He couldn’t take it. He could not take losing his family in such a rapid-fire succession. But he also could not afford to blow up right. He needed to cool down. Scott stood up, placed the pamphlet on the desk, and began to walk out of the room. “I’m leaving,” was all he said he closed the door behind him. He didn’t know if Lambert called after him, and he did not care. All wanted to do was leave with his wife. He made his way to lobby, took Minerva by hand, and left the hospital. “Is everything alright honey?” Minerva asked sweetly. “Were you a good by for the doctor.” Scott simply nodded; he was too drained to talk. He didn’t know how, but Scott would find a way to help Minerva. Whatever it cost, he would stay beside her. He had too. “I know you don’t like going to the doctor sweetie, but it’s all over now. Come on, let go home and you can talk a nice long nap. Doesn’t that sound good?” At the time, it really did. *** After dinner, it was bath time. Bath time was okay. It was the only time when didn’t have crinkly padding strapped to his butt, diaper changes notwithstanding. It felt good, just to zone out in tub after a hard day of work. It was like a spa day, if it wasn’t the troupe of bath toys, he had to share it with. Minerva would coo at him like usual, but he was not expected to do, apart from moving sometimes so she could scrub the hard-to-reach places. It was so close to being normal, being like the old days. It only lasted for half an hour on most days, but Scott cherished bath time none the less. It was late, and bath time was now over. Minerva dried her baby boy off and changed him into a nighttime diaper. Scott got to wear one his birthday presents to bed, a warm footed sleeper that was blue and decorated with white fluffy clouds. “Since it’s such a special day, how about you cuddle up with mama for tonight,” said Minerva. Scott did not really have say in matter, but he would not have refused either way. The couple got into bed and snuggled under the covers together. Minerva squeezed Scott tight, nuzzling her head on his chest. Scott stroked her hair nice and easy, the way she always liked. It was Scott’s turn to coddle her. Minerva murmured wearily. “My baby… Mama’s never letting you go again…” A few seconds later, Minerva was snoring, something she only did when she was exhausted. She really had been working all day. Scott hugged her close, until he himself drifted off. In the morning, Scott would go to back to work. Minerva would strap Scott in the highchair, make him breakfast and pick out clothes for him. She would walk Scott the bus stop and wave him off for day, business as usual. Right now, Scott didn’t have to worry about that. Right now, they were sleeping together again. Right now, it felt good to be Mama’s baby.