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Hey there, readers! This is... kinda awkward, but it happened again. A new idea for a cute story popped into my head and, well... here's the beginning of a new story! I hope that you enjoy it! Back to Basics (Part 1) by Panther Cub "Alright, Ma'am, I'm gunna need you to pull over into the inspection lane." The tuxedo cat looked down at the jackrabbit lady, the sunlight reflecting off his aviator sunglasses, his mouth a hard frown as he pointed at the lane he had just instructed her to drive towards. She looked up at him from inside her small brown car, a look of confusion on her face. "Please don't start with me this early in the morning," the tuxedo cat mumbled under his breath as she opened her mouth to speak. "Is this some kind of a joke?" The jackrabbit lady didn't even try to keep the giggle from her voice. Tristan hated the fact that he could feel his black and white cheeks starting to blush. From where he sat perched on his special work stool, Tristan bit back a growl and simply frowned deeper, making sure to speak authoritatively. He could feel the snow white feathers on his wings starting to fluff up a bit. "Ma'am, you need to pull over into the inspection lane right now. I won't ask a third time." His paw was already settled onto his radio. "Are you playing inspection officer, cutiepie?" She cooed up at him. The cat felt his blush deepen and his tail began to swish faster in his aggravation. The fact that he could hear a faint crinkling as it did so didn't help. "Charlie 54 Delta, code 11." The jackrabbit looked away from the kitten sitting in what was very clearly a highchair painted black to match his cute little uniform, to see several officers dressed similarly approaching. A large brown and white spotted female owl took up position in the booth right next to Tristan and looked the driver dead in the eyes with a hardness to her own steely gray ones. "Driver! Pull into the designated inspection lane now. This is your final warning!" Lieutenant Haelga was not one to mess around, and the jackrabbit lady immediately knew it. "Wait... am I in trouble?" "He, like every other inspection officer here, radios in a Code 11 when a driver is not complying and driving into the inspection lane after being instructed to do so. Failure to comply can lead to detainment in addition to the inspection of your vehicle as well as count as resisting arrest if you continue to fail to comply." "Now wait just one second... you mean that that... baby is actually working here?! That can't be legal!" Tristan rolled his eyes at that, feeling some satisfaction as the lady was then asked to step out of the vehicle by Officer Skyson. While a bit on the portly side, the vulture was still very intimidating when he wanted to be, like when the jackrabbit lady started to object to her being detained, until he gave her his patented glare. Another officer climbed into the car and drove it away from the booth and into the inspection lane. "Y'know, Tristan," Haelga said with a smirk as she looked down at the kitten, "it really impresses me how much you're able to not lose your cool when these drivers pull this crap." Tristan smiled, feeling his blush fade a bit as he sat up a little straighter in his work stool that was totally not a high chair at some point. "Thanks, boss!" "And remember to call in if you need a quick change." His ears splayed flat at that while his blush returned in full force. "Understood, Lieutenant..." "Oh! And one more thing!" Haelga turned just as she was about to shimmy out of the booth, smiling down at her protege. "Yeah?" "I'm putting you in charge of helping to train the new gal when she starts next week." Tristan had sat in on the interview and gotten to ask a few questions. The new hire's name was Mia, and she was also a tuxedo cat, though she didn't have wings like he did. Also, she wasn't trapped in the body of a two-year-old. Well, to be fair it was more like the body of a one and three-quarter-year-old, but Tristan preferred to round up. He liked how she had been professional and not immediately fawned over him the moment she saw him, like so many applicants had already. That or just ignored him and his questions. He suspected that that was partly why he was selected to help with the interview process, to help weed out some of the less-professional ones. Overall, Mia's qualifications were just fine and she answered all of their questions professionally and succinctly. If he recalled correctly, she was twenty-eight, nine years younger than himself. "I won't let you down, Boss!" He said, resuming his duties as another car pulled in next to his booth. "Good morning sir." "... Is this some kind of a joke?" Tristan sighed and looked at the alpaca in the business suit just staring right at him with a slack-jawed expression. "Sir... I'm gunna need you to pull into the inspection lane up on the right here." * * * Tristan sighed as he watched the forested landscape pass by. Seeing the ever burbling creek going under the little bridge the car quickly passed over always made the kitten smile. But today he just wasn't feeling it. It wasn't a long drive home from work, but when you have to carpool because legally you can't drive anymore... and you have to sit in the back in a car seat, it can make the trip feel like it takes a bit longer than it should. "You line up a ride for next week?" Frank asked from the driver's seat. The gruff old bull looked at the winged kitten in the rearview mirror. "Yeah. I'll be carpooling with the new hire. She already agreed to it, and said that since she lives close by to where I live, it won't be an inconvenience to her." "Good..." Despite sharing a ride to and from work with one another for the last six months, Tristan still found talking with his older coworker to be very awkward. "Yeah... so this is really it then?" Tristan asked as they passed by into the town outskirts, a few houses dotting the now grassy and hilly landscape the forest gave way to. "Yup. Been looking forward to retirement for awhile now." Frank cracked a smile as he came to an intersection and took a left, driving past the bar and grill. The local grocery store flew past next, followed by the elementary school shortly after. Seeing the old school brought back some fond memories to the kitten. A few more turns later, and Frank was pulled up right in front of Tristan's house. It was a simple ranch-style layout. He winced as he took note, yet again, of how badly the old white house was in desperate need of a new paint job. The black and white kitten had to wait for the bull to get out and come around to the backseat door Tristan was looking out of. Opening said door and using his hoof fingers, Frank pressed the big red button in the center of the five point safety harness that was keeping Tristan safe and sound in his carseat. The diminutive feline hopped down and grabbed the bright blue and red child's backpack he used to carry around his lunch and other stuff for work inside, watching as the bull grunted and snorted in frustration, trying to get the carseat all disconnected from how it had been installed. Finally, it came free, and Frank carried it over to the front door, setting it down. He walked back to the car and shut the backseat door, ruffling Tristan's headfur as he did so. "It's been fun, kiddo. Good night." Tristan frowned and batted away at the hoof, giving Frank a sour look. "I'm not a kid... but thank you Frank for the help. Good night, and... goodbye, I guess." Frank smiled and got back inside his bright white car, driving off. The late afternoon light reflecting in the rearview mirror. Tristan walked towards the house, looking left and right, hoping none of his nosy neighbors would bug him today. He knew that they meant well, like old Mrs. Dorrington. "Last thing I need is for someone to call CPS over here again," he muttered under his breath as he fished out his keys from his pocket. He had to reach up a little to get the deadbolt, but after that and the doorknob, and a bit of a shove, he was inside. "Home sweet home." Tristan sighed as he grabbed his carseat and dragged it through the door, which he then shut and locked. Glad that it was the weekend, he undid his tie and unbuttoned his uniform shirt. They were casually tossed aside, along with his pants. Walking by the full-length hallway mirror, he saw a little black and white kitten with stark white wings, wearing a swollen white diaper with green trim. It was after he saw his reflection that Tristan realized he was waddling more. He let out another sigh as his waddling continued on into the bathroom. He looked at the pack of Snuggies and saw he was already halfway through it. He made a mental note to walk on down to the grocery store in the next couple of days to restock. Looking at the other changing supplies and the changing mat laid out on the tile, he briefly reflected on how, thanks to his new height, he had to move everything to a reachable surface, or even just put things on the ground. The exception to this would be his stool in the kitchen. Stripping off his used diaper and balling it up to toss into the awaiting trash pail, Tristan opened his shower door and stepped inside. Dinner that night was a can of Pasta-O's, heated up in the microwave, with a box of juice on the side. As Tristan parked his padded bottom, that may or may not have required some additional adjusting of the tapes in the mirror in the hallway after he had powdered and diapered himself once he had dried himself off; in the old armchair, having to climb up onto it, he carefully pulled the nearby tv tray closer. He tucked a paper towel into his shirt, and scooped out a spoonful. Grimacing at the bland tomato soupy flavor and the chewy and mushy pasta, he reflected on how good a steak, done at medium rare, or some burger patties cooked on his grill tasted. He then frowned and huffed, that having been the first reason a neighbor called CPS after his transformation. Sighing, he started flipping through channels, stopping on some kind of documentary about the new wave popularity of that old boy band Small to Big, rebranded after they got a similar change to Tristan. He let out a growl and quickly changed the channel. "Stupid Regressus Inc. and they're stupid rejuvenation formula... and stupid me for taking that crap." His ears splayed flat on his head as he remembered how excited he'd been when he'd found out that there was an actual legit drug out there that could reverse the aging process. Doing some research, he learned that people could pick their ideal ages and then age regularly again. Tristan had spent almost all of his twenties, his physical prime, taking care of his sick parents. He spotted a picture from back when he was around this age the first time, coincidentally wearing the exact same shirt he was now, being held by his Mom and Dad. She had been a tuxedo cat like himself. His father, being a bald eagle, was where he'd gotten his wings from. Though he suspected it was Mom's fur coloration that caused them to be white. He smiled at the happy family in the photo, trying not to think about how first his father had been the one to get the Big C... and then his mother. They had both insisted that he finish school and get his degree, which he thankfully did. But after graduation, the roles had reversed, and he had started taking care of them. The few friends he had made in college all lived out of town, and he slowly lost touch with them... including Caroline. The sweet tigress had gotten her degree in marine biology and couldn't wait to get out on the ocean. They'd... no, he wasn't going to think about that, and he certainly wasn't going to cry about it. They had made their choices, and even though it had taken a decade when all was said and done, and left him practically penniless, at least before he managed to get a job at the checkpoint. But still, could he really be blamed for wanting to just reclaim that section of his life back? To get to actually be in his twenties? Looking down at the Snuggies with the happy diapered chibi baby lion smiling up at him, he felt that apparently some aspect of fate felt so. As it turned out, there was a small percentage of the population, about 7% overall, who were allergic to the Rejuvenation formula. Rather than get tested, Tristan figured the odds were in his favor. And for a month, it had seemed like they were. Minutes after taking the formula, which turned out to be a spray you inhaled, he had felt a tingling sensation spread out from his face to all over his body. After a few minutes, his clothes felt a little looser, and looking in the mirror, he saw a face he hadn't seen in too long. He'd tried going out to some clubs in the city, which had been... ok, at least in his book. He'd gone down to the coast to try wind-surfing, which had been pretty fun, but wasn't really his thing. He'd tried taking up a bunch of different hobbies, ranging from woodworking to beekeeping, but, aside from a slight pain in his back now being gone, he more or less felt the same. Still, though, he was younger and now had more time to think about what he wanted to do with his life. Then came the morning he'd woken up after having a terrible dream. It was something about being in a neverending daycare, but it was all dusty and covered in cobwebs and empty. The more he'd walked through it, the more he felt a tingling in his whole body, just like when he took the formula. When he awoke, he learned two things. The first, was that he'd shrunk to the size of a toddler, which was right around when he tried getting out of bed and fell on the floor. He bumped his head in doing so, and couldn't stop crying for a good few minutes. The second thing he had learned shortly after was that he seemed to have lost his potty training. That made him bawl outright. It had taken some time, some doctor visits, some proving he knew who he was, knew what year it was, and that he was still mentally an adult, and some thinking on his superiors' superiors part before he'd been allowed to continue working. It was after the first couple of months after his change, when he noticed something odd when he would measure himself with an old yardstick he had found. Not only was he not gaining any new height, he seemed to be shrinking still. Terrified that this meant he'd be transformed into a newborn or something, he had gone to his doctor. After another round of tests, it was determined that while Tristan was shrinking, that was simply because the formula was only finally almost finished. Physically, he'd been hoping to be around the age of three. Instead, his doctor placed him as being just under two. Tristan finished off his Pasta-O's and drank his juice, grape, his favorite, and continued watching TV until he started getting sleepy. He huffed when he saw that it was only 7:37, but knew that his much smaller body would just be getting more tired. He switched off the tv, grabbed his bowl and juice box, and hopped down to the floor. Walking into his kitchen, he used the stool to put the dishes in the sink and run a little water in them. He put his juice box and paper towel into the trash, huffing in frustration when he saw that there were some red splotches on it. Feeling around his mouth and chin confirmed that he'd dribble... again, and so wet another paper towl to clean around his mouth and chin. He then brushed his teeth, checked to make sure all the doors and windows were locked, checked his diaper to find it only a little damp, and then made his way into his bedroom. There, his mattress lay right on the floor, sheets and blankets strewn about on it. Falling out and bumping his head had become a bit of a problem, and this had been his solution. Climbing in, he curled up under the blankets, remembering how his Dad had loved to read him stories when he was this little for bedtime, and how Mom always tucked him in. He let out a little whimper as he listened to his silent and empty house, and started to drift off to sleep. The next day... "Let's see... I'm feeling like... OH! Your Mom's orange chicken recipe!" Mia purred while pushing the cart through the aisles while talking on her phone. The panthress would stop and grab something off the bright yellow list her wife had written. She rounded the corner, and stopped. She spotted a cute little kitten with dark black fur like her own, with a splash of white on his muzzle and chin that matched the color of his wings. He was wearing a pair of denim shortalls over a red shirt. She wondered where his parents were, looking around to spot who might be accompanying the little boy. Then she saw him start climbing the shelves, clearly going for the Cocoa Bombs at the top. "Woah there!" She said, walking up and plucking him off the shelves, turning him around to face her. "That was too dangerous, little guy! You could have fallen and gotten hurt." She said this in a gentle yet firm voice, seeing his ears droop and a blush form on his cheeks. "Mia?" He squeaked out in embarrassment. It was right then that the panthress realized where she recognized this specific kitten from and set him right down. "M-Mr. Granna?" Now it was Mia's turn to blush, practically matching his own, despite her dark fur. "I am so sorry! I didn't know that it was you!" Tristan held up a paw. "It's alright, it was an honest mistake. And please, call me Tristan." Internally he cringed at how her light scolding had made him feel ashamed for what he'd been caught doing. "And... maybe it was a bit... ill advised of me to try and scale the shelves there. I guess I could have gotten an employee to help me get down the Cocoa Bombs." Mia had to choke back a coo at how adorable Tristan was when she first met him in the interview. She had heard of some people having an allergic reaction to the Rejuvenation formula, and thankfully his condition had been explained right before she had entered the room the interview was conducted in, but still. He was a little kitten with wings. She just wanted to pick him up and cuddle him nonstop right then and there! And now, here he was, looking guilty and chastened and just served to enhance his natural adorableness. "Well, since I'm already right here," Mia said, easily grabbing the box of cereal with the chocolate bat advertising the chocolate balls filled with marshmallow goodness. She handed it to him and her heart practically melted at the look of excitement on his face as he took it from her, practically hugging the box before he set it in a nearby shopping basket. Looking inside, she could see several cans of Pasta-O's, some packages of juice boxes,a jar of extra chunky peanut butter, and a loaf of bread. Thanking her for her help, Tristan started to push the basket down the aisle, leading Mia to suspect that he couldn't carry it. "Wait, Tristan!" She walked over to him, smiling as he looked up at her with those big blue eyes of his. She reigned herself back in, remembering that he had the mind of an adult, just in a toddler's body. "Yeah?" "That... looks like a lot for you to try and carry, and pushing it around seems like it'll take forever." "Okay? It's not like I've got much choice. I can't push a cart around." Tristan began to suspect what Mia was getting at. "How about I help? We can put your things on the left side of the cart, and I can grab anything else off the high shelves for you?" Mia was worried that maybe she'd overstepped. Tristan mulled it over for a bit. "Well... okay, I guess that could work... but I am NOT riding around in the baby seat!" He crossed his arms at that, trying to look stern. Mia again almost cooed at the kitten before her. "Deal!" She then bent down and grabbed his basket, gently putting his items on the left inside her own cart, and scooting a few things over to the right. Walking side by side, they continued shopping, with Mia getting looks at the items on Tristan's list. She couldn't help but notice that a lot of his food seemed to be meals already made or in cans. "Oh my goodness," an elderly female coyote said with a happy smile. "Your little one is just so sweet and well-behaved! You must be so proud!" Tristan had to fight the urge to correct this lady and inform her that he is indeed an adult, just one that was regressed, and most certainly not Mia's child. "Uh... thank you so much!" Mia was polite and blushed a little, looking down at Tristan and shooting him a pleading look. He just sighed and waved his paw dismissively. When the old lady was out of earshot did they resume speaking. "Sorry about that, Tristan." "It's okay... better than someone picking me up and carrying me to the manager to report a lost child... again..." "Do things like that happen often?" Tristan blushed. "Yeah... I mean, I know that they mean well, but it really stinks regardless." They rounded a corner, and Tristan's blush deepened. It was the baby care aisle. At first, Mia didn't get why he looked so embarrassed, until; it clicked for her just where in the store they were. "O-oh! We can just go around another aisle..." "Can't... I... kinda need to get some things here." Tristan kept his voice even as he walked past a row of bibs and a row of pacifiers. Mia followed behind, watching the kitten slow down in the diaper section. He looked through all the different packages before grabbing a big red Snuggies pack. His cheeks now almost crimson, he avoided looking at the larger feline, and set it on the little shelf under the cart. This was followed by a tub of wipes and a canister of baby powder. "Okay, I'm done here," he said, starting to walk off. Mia followed behind. just wanting to pick him up and hug him and let the downtrodden kitten know that everything was going to be okay. As they walked to the register area, Mia felt a need to cut through the sudden tension. "Y'know, I love cooking. Maybe Sally and I can have you over some time for a nice home cooked meal." "Uh... that sounds nice," Tristan said, trying to sound polite. They reach the checkout in silence, apart from another nice older lady, this one a mouse, again complimenting Mia for how well-behaved Tristan was. Mia started setting Tristan's items onto the belt first, followed by her own. Despite knowing better, Mia felt guilty about letting Tristan pay for his groceries. She smiled as the teenaged border collie smiled and handed him the bags, until he started to struggle, and then took the heavier things and set them back in Mia's cart. Tristan wanted to object, but elected not to, blushing in silence instead. With Mia's items paid for and bagged, the two exited the store. "Did you get a ride over here?" Mia asked, looking at Tristan expectantly. "Oh... uh... no. Fuber doesn't have many drivers out here, and only one of them has a carseat." Tristan began to rub the back of his head, something Mia was beginning to guess was a tell for when he was feeling a bit uncomfortable. "Wait... you walked all the way here?" Mia asked, suddenly terrified at the thought of the little kitten all by himself, where anything could happen. "How are you gunna carry all your groceries home?" "I brought something to help." Tristan pointed over to one of the decorative trees in front of the store. There, secured with a bike chain, was a little red wagon with a handle. "Tristan, please can I just drive you and your groceries home? It'll be much faster." Mia offered, hoping he would say yes. "That's real nice, Mia... but the law says that I have to ride in a car seat, and we haven't installed mine yet..." The panthress perked up at that. "Oh! But I have one installed already! Me and Sally watch our niece all the time!" The panthress' smile was so bright that Tristan couldn't bring himself to say something that might make it fade. "Uh... w-well, I guess if it isn't an inconvenience..." "Great!" Mia waited for Tristan to unlock and grab his wagon before the two walked in the direction of a powder blue minivan. Unlocking it, Mia slid the door open to reveal a bright pink car seat that Tristan rolled his eyes at. "She loves that unicorn princess cartoon!" Mia chuckled. She smiled as she picked Tristan up under his arms and gently set him in the soft cushiony seat. She hummed while securing the five point harness and gave a test tug, making sure that Tristan was nice and secure. This was followed by Mia going to the trunk and loading up the groceries and Tristan's little wagon before putting the cart in the cart corral, and then getting into the driver's seat. "Okay, Tristan, ready to give me directions?" Mia's voice took on a slightly cutesy tone that Tristan chose to ignore. "Yup." With the engine fired up and Mia pulling out, Tristan started directing her to his home. Mia looked at the ranch-style house and frowned a little. She saw that the paint was peeling and cracked, and the front yard's lawn looked very shaggy. Helping Tristan out and grabbing his groceries and wagon, she followed the kitten up to the front door, which he had to shove after unlocking it. The first thing she noticed after being invited inside was how the light socket in the ceiling just inside the door was missing a bulb. She spotted his uniform clothes strewn on the floor, and could see some dust had started to build up on some surfaces. "Uhm... I know that the place is a little bit of a mess..." "Your house is lovely," Mia said with a cheerful smile. She grabbed some bags and walked down the hall, looking into the first open door on her right. She looked inside the bathroom and instantly spotted the changing mat and supplies on the floor. Her heart started to hurt at the realization that Tristan was truly living alone. "Do you... have any family?" "No..." Tristan didn't mean for it to sound curt, but he walked past Mia with some grocery bags in his paws. He headed towards the kitchen, and Mia spotted the open door to his bedroom, seeing the mattress on the floor. Mia helped Tristan to put away the groceries, letting him take his diapers into the bathroom himself. Sighing, Mia smiled at him when he came right back out. "You know, I'm planning on making some homemade orange chicken for me and Sally tonight..." She noticed how Tristan's ears perked up at that, but he frowned and shook his head. "Thanks, but I've got dinner planned for tonight..." "Maybe I could bring some over later?" Mia offered, looking down at him hopefully. Tristan felt conflicted, but the idea of orange chicken sounded so good. It had been so long. "Well... okay... if you really don't mind." "It'll be my pleasure!" Mia felt her heart warm knowing that the kitten she was looking at wasn't going to be eating only Pasta-O's tonight. With a goodbye, and double-checking that he was okay by himself, Mia left, closing the door behind her. On her way to the car she immediately dialed up her wife. "Sally, hun? I just ran into my new coworker, the one who's gunna train me." "That nice older badger?" Sally's voice asked. "No, the little cutie!" "OH! The little kitten with the mind of an adult?" "Yes! The poor little guy lives all alone!" "Wait... no one's helping him take care of himself?!" Mia heard Sally let out an involuntary squawk. "Yeah! And he seems to mostly eat canned food! I promised him that I'd bring over some of our orange chicken tonight!" "Oh the poor little guy!" "I think he might need a little help..." And there it is folks, the first part of a new story! Let's see where it goes!

Well, I know I have some other works that I need to really get done, but this little idea popped into my head last night, and it wouldn't go away until I wrote a chapter for it. So, here's The Infant's Guide to Reaching Purgatory~ Some things to note before we get started: Firstly, the content warnings are very real. Pay attention to the tags before you jump in and read. If it's not for you, you are absolutely not obligated to read, and that's perfectly okay. Secondly, this is not meant as a religion-bashing story, and I will not make it one. I am not religious in the slightest myself (and some of the things that the characters say do not reflect my beliefs), but I respect all creeds. It's just that this story is set in hell, for the very most part. No, it's not a Hellaverse fic: just a babyfur story that happens to be set in a different sort of hell. Finally, it is a very short prologue, and I apologize for not being able to get back into the swing of things in my other stories. I just needed to write something down and post it. About critique, feel absolutely free to tell me what I'm doing wrong; in fact, I encourage it with all my heart! I want to publish this under my pseudo penname in books for AR/AB stuff, and in order to publish without mistakes and errors, I absolutely need to know what I've done wrong. If you can't find anything wrong, then tell me what you liked, please! These things make me a better writer. I'm not soft when it comes to critique, and I'll always listen to it. Now, without further delay, let's get into this story: - Prologue - “What do you MEAN, ‘I’m going to Hell’?!” The female red wolf had all but screamed those words, lashing her tail to-and-fro, nude as the day she was born (to her utmost dismay as she continued to cover herself with her paws and tail as best as she could; the angels said that earthly clothes couldn’t be taken to the afterlife), standing on the clouds that made up the surface of whatever judgment chambers there were in Heaven. Fuck, even the walls and ceiling were covered in clouds. She was utterly incensed. How dare these fucking self-righteous hypocrites say she was damned?! What did they know about her life?! What did they know about her?! The swan-winged figure looked at her coldly. Gender and species were impossible to identify with the angel’s robes, the heavenly halo shining upon its masked face. “Violet Valencia Bailey,” the voice intoned, neither male nor female. “Please don’t make this as drawn out as it could be. You’ve been judged by your actions and sins, and-” “I WANNA KNOW WHY!” Violet snarled furiously. “Please don’t interrupt me when I’m talking. You know why. Your last actions literally spelled it out.” “Unless you think suicide is a sin all of a sudden?” the red wolf huffed, wishing she had something, anything, really, to cover her body. Even a towel would be nice… “I’d say brutally murdering your husband in cold blood gets-” “YOU KNOW WHAT HE DID TO ME, IF YOU’RE SO FUCKING ALL POWERFUL-” “Please do not interrupt me, and please do not curse. His actions were detestable. Yours are inexcusable, and you don’t even have the good grace to admit it.” “Bullshit! I did what any sane woman would’ve done to a fucking bastard like him!” “Please stop curs-” “Make me!” “Don’t - interrupt me - again.” “Make me! You’re not my parents!” “And thank the Lord Almighty I’m not. You’re acting like a petulant child.” “Fuck off, chickenwing! If you’re going to send me down to Hell anyway, when I don’t deserve it, you’re goddamned right I’m gonna chew your ass out!” The masked figure sighed and pulled out an odd circular object that Violet assumed was a phone of some kind (and it sucked that she couldn’t bring her phone with her to the afterlife. Seriously, the afterlife could go screw itself, at this point.). “We have a Code Sunshine, repeat, Code Sunshine,” the figure said in a bored tone. The red wolf was suddenly confused. “Sunshine?” she asked. “It means you’re getting what you’ve rightfully earned,” the angelic figure said, and Violet could practically hear the smug smile on their face that she knew they were hiding behind their mask. “It’s been a while since this code was used. You might want to give us some entertainment.” “Entertainment? The fuck are you talking about?! You sick fucks like to watch animals get tortured, don’t you?!” “You’ll see what happens. I bet you last a week before you’re begging for Lucifer’s deepest, darkest pits. Or three days before she has you right where she wants you.” “Huh?” Violet felt herself sinking through the clouds, and she howled in distress - she hated heights, hated them, hated them, hated them - before her entire body slipped through, and she began to freefall through the air, her spirit plummeting to earth as she continued screaming in terror, flailing for any purchase where there was none, her soul dropping like a stone. She saw the ground fly up to meet her, and she held her paws out to protect her face, awaiting the crash. Only she didn’t crash; the second Violet’s spirit hit the ground, she began to sink through the inky black, like she was going into water in the night. Her arms and legs were forced up to her chin, tail curled around her waist, as if she was a fetus again, her body compacting from the pressure. “OH?” a masculine voice rang out, sounding very amused. “So, you managed to anger an Archangel enough for them to request a Code Sunshine. Can I have your name?” “Who the fuck are you?” Violet snapped, her voice sounding oddly tiny for a fully-grown she-wolf. “Are you some demon who’s gonna try to torture me, asshole?” “Well, I can certainly see why they requested it.” The voice was still amused. “Let me see…what is your crime…oh, right here, they texted it to me. Heaven can be so kind in those cases…” “Who the fuck are you?!” the red wolf repeated furiously. “Ahem, Violet Valencia Bailey the red wolf, you brutally murdered your husband, Dirk Arnold Stauss the Tapanuli orangutan, with a shotgun…multiple shots before he was finally killed-” “Shut up!” Violet snarled, baring her fangs, wishing for the millionth time that she wasn’t naked. The demon continued as if she had never spoken, “-then committed suicide after the murder-” “SHUT UP, YOU FUCKING IDIOT!” Violet screamed into the inky blackness, her voice as loud and forceful as a puppy’s. "-aborted his potential children without his knowledge in the past, refusing them a life when you had other options-" "GOD DAMN YOU, GO SUCK YOUR FUCKING DICK!" “And you had arguments with him as well,” the voice finished with a thunderous ending in his tone, far more powerful than hers. “Do you deny any of this?” The red wolf was shaking, her fur bristling with rage. “Does anyone realize why I did this?! Do you even fucking CARE, you unfair piece of shit?!" “Fairness in Hell? Do not make me scoff. He is damned as well; there is your 'fairness'. The difference between this man and you are that he did not act childishly when confronted with his wrongdoings. He freely admitted his sins, boasted that he was proud of them, despite knowing very well they were wrong; he is facing his eternal punishment as we speak. Deep down, I think you do know you were not in the right either. What is the saying, ‘two wrongs do not make a right?’” “Shut up! You don’t know shit about me!” The voice sighed. “I cannot continue this conversation with someone so immature. I will leave you to the Grand Duchess, Astaroth. May this be the last time we meet.” “What?” Violet felt a burning charge go through her soul, trillions upon trillions of times both hotter and colder than she had ever felt in her twenty-five years of life on earth, unable to even scream out her pain in response - and after the charge lanced through every part of her that remained, her conscious thoughts slipped into darkness. - Hope y'all enjoyed~

Alby Madden stalked through the cubicles of Madden & Maddox Testing Services, listening in on the sales reps, his floppy ears perking up in various directions. “When can we arrange a meeting with your school board?” “That’s right, we include remediation and test prep materials” “We’ve got a free inservice workshop tutorial package so that all of your teachers can use the specialized curriculum with ease.” “Oh no ma’am, we’re not like those other education companies. It’s about Students, not Scantrons.” Madden & Maddox Testing Service was a growing and competitive company that marketed standardized testing materials, as well as curriculum, remediation, and tutorial services to various school boards across the country. They hadn’t over taken any of the big four- Harcourt, MCGraw-Hill, Riverside, or Pearson- but they were getting there. It was all about that hustle. “So dinner tonight? Seven? Yeah. Sounds great. Can’t wait.” Alby’s ears pricked up. That wasn’t company talk. The doberman padded over to the sound of the disturbance. “Hey, Christine,” he popped his head in. “Working hard, or hardly working?” The manx cat stiffened at the sound of Alby’s voice. “Oh, hey, Alby! What’s up?” “Nothing much,” Alby said. “Just doing my rounds, you know how it is.” Christine stared straight at Alby, not daring to so much as blink. “Yeah. Heh. I do.” Alby narrowed his eyes, and resisted the urge to growl. “Cool cool. Just checking.” “I was just about to start another call…” “Awesome.” Christine didn’t turn her head until Alby snorted and trotted off back to his office, his well trimmed claws not so much as brushing against the thin functional office matte. He sped up with a jaunty spring in his step when the manx actually started doing her job. In the pecking order, Alby technically wasn’t very high. He was the building’s office manager- a word which here means ‘glorified secretary’- but he was very good at his job. The way he explained it to people, he was kind of like the head of the office’s pit crew. He managed janitorial services, put in work and supply orders for materials, putting together and creating reports, and giving orientation to new administrators. Alby. Kept. Shit. Running. Pissing the twenty-five year old off, was a good way to end up at the top of his shit list and at the bottom of whatever list you needed to be on to get a problem solved. It didn’t hurt that his dad was the co-owner and boss of the company. A little nepotism never hurt anybody; or it didn’t hurt Alby at least. Alby went to his office in the back and made a note about Christine. He’d see if he could tell custodial services to skip her space. Let the clutter build. Or maybe he’d just tell his dad that an employee was making personal calls on company time. Not the specific employee, but a vaguely worded email from on-high could do wonders for group productivity. Chances are Christine wasn’t the only one breaking policy; and it’d make everyone sweat. Then as soon as sales boosted back up, Alby could order a couple of pizzas or a party sub and all would be right with their tiny little world. The idea was enough to make Alby wag his tail slightly, but he stopped, after one or two. Gingerly, as if scratching an itch, he patted the back of his pants, carefully feeling for any hint of satin or lace peeking out of the waistband or through the tail hole. For all his quiet bravado and perceived power, Alby had a secret, an addiction almost, that he just couldn’t shake. It was stupid on multiple levels. On the emotional level, who would care that Alby liked to wear women’s underwear to work? Or that he wore even more feminine clothes in his spare time? Objectively speaking, they were just clothes. Officially speaking, Madden & Maddox gave zero shits about what a person wore or did outside the office as long as it didn’t get them arrested, and didn’t care much about what they wore inside the office as long as it wouldn’t affect their bottom line. It was only panties, for gosh sakes! Dad would care, though. Albert Madden, Sr., wasn’t some kind of raging homophobe; that would have required a sign of emotion. The man was positively stoic about most things. That was so unnerving to Alby, though. If he knew…he would know…and he’d know…and they’d never talk about it…but he’d know… At most, he could see himself getting a formal debriefing (an ironic choice of words considering) about what was and wasn’t appropriate company dress, and a warning. He’d be told he wasn’t technically breaking any office rules, and it was only underwear, but it might be for the best if he avoided such indiscretions in the future as wearing something a lady would wear on a hot date. Same as any other employee, and somehow that made it worse. Then there was the fact that any authority or leverage he had over anyone would evaporate the second his choice. Alby did his best to present a front of formal business sheik and above all masculine. He was a young professional; the boss’s son. The next boss when the old man retired in ten years or so. He’d been made Office Manager so he could learn the inner workings of the company, and thus did everything he could to project a kind of relaxed strength. But who would follow his lead if they were constantly snickering behind his back? No one. Alby’s choice of undergarments was stupid for more strategic reasons, also. One could only be caught if they were doing something risky to begin with. The funny thing about twenty-five is that it’s a special age where taking risks is half the fun and you’re the main character of your own story. The secret thrill of wearing satin and lacy panties around the office while subtly bullying and bossing around people ten and twenty years his senior gave Alby an adrenaline rush. ************************************************************************************************ Max Connors sipped his tea and watched Alby pad away back to his office. The company’s top sales representative shook his head at Alby. “Hmmmph…” The Eurasian wolf’s senses were just as keen, keener even than the boss’s son’s. He waited until the little doberman was in his office busying himself with paperwork. “Brat.” Max sort of wished Alby were just a ‘brat’, but no such luck. The boy was cute, handsome even, but he knew it, too. The cute ones were always dangerous when they knew it. He was the heir apparent to the company, despite having zero previous job experience. Yay nepotism. Alby was the kind of cocky sonofabitch (literally in this case) that Max knew he was when he was in his twenties. Most people were like that at that age: Knowing they’re not kids and knowing they’re adults, while still failing to realize just how much shit they’d yet to experience yet. Max smiled to himself, thinking of what an idiot he’d been back then. He really had been still a kid. Granted, Max was only thirty-six, and assumed his forty and fifty year old colleagues probably thought the same thing about him, and he knew that when he was their age, he’d look back and realize they were correct; but even knowing that he possessed that kind of bias was leaps and bounds from where he was at Alby’s age. Something about Alby itched at Max, however. Something that made Max not want to give the basic courtesy and patience afforded to youth. Alby wasn’t a brat; not in the way Max liked them. Brats literally begged to be put in their place; they towed and crossed lines wanting to be punished and shown where the line was. It was part of the game, part of the fun. Part of the challenge. Alby just liked getting his way. And because he could so often, the doberman had become something of a bully. Case in point: Christine. The burly wolf stood up, stepping to the side in the aisle and then waiting patiently next to the manx’s cubicle. He waited respectfully for his co-worker to finish her call. Christine caught Max out of the corner of her eye and jerked her head around, loosening up when she saw it was only Max. “Oh,” Christine slowly blinked. “Sorry Max. I thought you were somebody else.” Max cut straight to the chase. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “Alby’s not gonna do anything. He’ll probably just say something super vague to his dad and then we’ll get a company wide email about not making personal calls on company time.” Christine started shaking. Bits of hair started to fall in loose strands to the floor. Poor lady was so nervous she was shedding. “It’s my wedding anniversary. I was just finishing up dinner reservations and…and…” Max put a big strong paw on the cat’s shoulder. “Hey. Take it easy. That doberman’s literally all bark.” Christine looked down at her lap and around the chair. “Oh crud,” she brushed her skirt off and wheeled away from the strands of hair. “What if he makes it so that nobody vacuums here tonight? What if the hair piles up? How will that look? What’ll that do to me?” The wolf leaned forward so he could look the cat in the eye. “Don’t. Worry,” he said softly. “That’s not gonna happen. If he sabotages you too badly, that’s gonna look bad on him, not you. Nobody’s gonna get fired. Nobody’s gonna lose that bonus. You’re gonna be fine.” Christine certainly didn’t purr, but the ends of her hair stopped sticking out as much. “Okay. Yeah. You’re right. You’re right.” He breathed deeply. “You’re right. It’s just…it’s just…ooof, I messed up.” “No you didn’t,” Max assured her. “You taking ten minutes prepping for tonight so you can focus the rest of the day isn’t going to mess with the company’s bottom line. Do you have any idea how much minesweeper I play in a given day? It’s crazy.” “Yeah?” Christine asked, a hint of hope bubbling up to the surface. “Yeah.” Max assured her. Hearing it come from the top seller seemed to relax Christine. “You do what you gotta do to keep yourself sane in this place, that way you’re giving your best energy when you’re dodging and weaving through some district’s red tape so you can talk to a Superintendent. You’re not a robot, and that’s part of our selling point.” One of Madden and Maddox’s biggest selling points was ‘Students before Scantrons’. It was mostly advertising, but it was advertising that worked “Okay,” Christine sniffed. “Yeah. Thanks, Max. I got this.” Max stood back up. “I know you do, hon. You got this.” This wasn’t the first fire that Max had put out. Nor would it be the last. Alby had no idea how much weight he carried around the office. Or he did, and didn’t care. It made Max feel old thinking this to himself, but Alby was comparatively a pup who’d never actually worked a day in his life. Max wouldn’t have traded places for the world with Alby, though. As a sales rep (and a fantastic one at that) Max got a hefty commission for every contract he reeled in and a good pay for every seminar he ran re-educating teachers on how to use the company’s. When he wasn’t in the office he was on the road. Speaking of which, he was due to get on a plane and seal a few deals and run a few seminars all the way up until the holidays. Double dipping and burning the candles at both ends as it were. That meant that he’d have to spend the majority of tonight packing his suitcase as well as packing things away for the New Year’s Eve party at the end of the month. Max had drawn the short straw and Alby had all but volunteered him to host it. Max had a big farmhouse he’d inherited on an acre of land just outside of town. Lord knew he had the room to host. He’d hosted more than a few non-office parties there, and the weather was getting good and crisp so building up the fire pit would make for good times. Nothing like drinking and roasting marshmallows to pass the time. The big brick privacy wall running around Max’s property was also attractive since it allowed coworkers to make an ass out of themselves without getting arrested. Once again, Max had made use of that wall more than once. Alby assured Max that the company would foot the bill for most of it. They’d pay for booze, pizza, and catering. All Max would have to do is provide the space. Connors hated to admit it, but the boss’s kid was good at his job. Already had everything picked out months ago besides the space. Just wish he hadn’t been so gosh darn smug about it, like he was doing Max the favor instead of the other way around. Rank had its privileges it seemed… In another world, Max would have loved to break Alby of such attitudes. Alas, it was not to be. Someone as potentially toxic as Alby would just love to find out why Max had the big privacy wall surrounding his acre of land. That little mutt would just love to yap his head off and laugh if he discovered the kind of stuff Max kept in a certain room in his house. No one with any goddamn sense would care, but it’d be annoying. The wolf made a mental note to sweep his house one last time before going to sleep tonight; make sure everything was put away where it was supposed to be. When one lived a private life, one tended to take for granted certain things and normalize them; forgetting what new visitors might think. Max had his own secrets. He kept them not out of fear, but simply because what he did in his private time wasn’t anyone’s business. He’d take extra care to make sure it stayed that way. The image of Alby finding Max’s private playroom and then running his mouth about it caused Max to involuntarily snarl to himself, but he disguised it as having an itch. “Bullies…” Max muttered to himself. ***************************************************************************************************** “Should aaaaaaall acquaintance beeeeeeee forgot, and ne’er brought to miiiiind!” Alby paused. What was the next lyric? He couldn’t remember. So he just sang the first lyric again, but modified the melody so it sounded more like the second part “Should old acquaintance beee forgot, and ne’er brought to mind!” That got a polite chuckle from the gathered coworkers around the roaring fire before everybody went back to what they were doing anyways. Even in his inebriated state, Alby could tell the joke was roaring thin. It had gotten hearty laughter the first time. Now on the third time, people were just humoring him. Alby knocked back the cheap whiskey and coke and then hungrily crunched on the ice. “I’m out,” he said to no one in particular. “Gonna go get some schmore.” He giggled at his own accidental joke. There were people holding up long metal rods up to the fire to toast marshmallows right this very second. He thought about repeating himself, but the tiny part of his brain that wasn’t hammered thought better of it. Alby had no idea just how sloshed he was. He’d been the first to start drinking, and in his mind, he’d be the last, even if the world was kind of wobbly and it was only ten thirty at night. The air was cold and the people outside the house could see their breath, but it still wasn’t chilly or wet enough for it to snow. Good ugly sweater and heavy jeans weather. There was a large contingent of people gathered around the massive bonfire, roasting marshmallows and hotdogs. Others were just drinking and roasting themselves. Midway out were the smokers and grills Alby had rented and the heaps and heaps of barbecue and burgers still being produced. Easily the biggest expense of the party, but also the most delicious. There had been a steady line of people coming and going buffet style with plates making garlic bread sandwiches. Even further out and in the opposite direction of the bonfire, games of glow in the dark capture the flag had broken out among the younger employees and the older ones’ kids. Meanwhile, the older folks stayed huddled inside the farm house, chatting about whatever boring people talked about. Alby joined none of them and simply flitted about, saying hellos, and being a perfect social butterfly. He was always working after a fashion and had checked in with catering and various guests to make sure they were having a good time. It was Connors’s house, but it was still Alby’s responsibility. That’s why he’d been drinking so much. Work hard, play harder. Dry grass crunched under Alby’s feet while he stumbled around to the front door of Max’s farm house. Without realizing it, the office manager kept stretching out his sweater. He kept tugging downward out of it, paranoid that if he bent over the wrong way or his sweater bunch up, somebody might see a hint of red satin peeking out above his beltline. “Shouldn’t have worn….” he mumbled under his breath. “Or should’ve worn a jacket” Either would’ve been fine. Alby swayed through the propped open front door and felt himself jump when he came face to face with this creepy little right above the fireplace. The twenty-five year old backed slowly away and bumped into Patricia the cheetah from customer service. “Sorry!” He yelped. “Sorry!” He didn’t take his eyes off of the doll until he was a good ten feet away. Damn things were creepy as fuck. Never blinking, always looking like they were looking right at you. What the fuck was Connors’s deal? Just because he lived in his dead grandma’s house or whatever didn’t mean he couldn’t have changed up the decorating a little bit. Shame, too. Guy was kind of hot. Alby stumbled and fumbled past the crowd towards the kitchen where bottle after bottle after bottle of booze had been set up. Now it was the Office Manager’s term to knock him down. A firm and steady paw landed on the doberman’s shoulder, its weight causing the world to. “Careful there, Alby.” A deep, masculine voice said. There was a hint of warning in the voice; something stern, yet gentle. Also a little bit caring; almost paternal. Alby was very familiar with that voice and tone. “Hm? Da-?!” Alby cut himself off and felt his face flush. That wasn’t his father! That was Connors! He certainly looked more impressive than Albert Sr. did in a suit. Alby felt a flush of resentment that the sales rep was so much better dressed than everyone else. Like he was the host or something! “Huh? Oh. Sorry, man. Great party. Jush…needed to get out away from the fire, y’know?” “Maybe you should have a quick sit down,” Connors suggested. “Maybe get some water. That fire looks like it really dehydrated ya.” Both men knew that they weren’t strictly talking about fire. “Yeah,” Alby lied. “That’s why I was headed to the kitchen. Get some water. Get lotsa water. Get hydrated.” The wolf looked down at Alby suspiciously. Alby wasn’t the biggest breed or the biggest dog, but he hated feeling so much smaller. “Alright. Go take care of yourself, bud. Your dad is set to make a speech in about an hour. I’m sure he wants you there.” “Mhm,” Alby rolled his eyes. Dad wouldn’t notice shit. He never noticed shit with his end of the year toasts. As long as there was a vaguely brindle paw holding a champagne glass up towards Albert Sr’s general direction, that would be good enough. “Hey Max, can we get another log in the fireplace?” someone called. Connors turned his head and that was enough for Alby to slink away to the kitchen. Alby filed the condescension away for later. When he was sober enough, he’d find a way to give Connors a little bit of extra responsibility in the New Year. Alby proceeded to follow Connors’s advice…sort of. He started drinking water, yes. But he was trading off cups of water and shots of clear liquor. His confidence and sweater got a break, with him propping himself up against the kitchen sink, thus obscuring his backside and keeping him steady. With everyone else milling around and Alby steadily pacing himself between water and shots, no one had any idea just how completely trashed the doberman was; not even himself. It was eleven fifty-five when everything finally became too much for the pup of a man. His bladder shouted out at him, screaming in sudden protest. He had to pee like one of those Sea Biscuit motherfuckers from accounting. It all came out of nowhere too. One minute he was fine, and the next he was doing a little jig right by the sink. If this had been a different kind of party, he’d have been tempted to use the facilities right then and there because of how urgent the need had suddenly become. “Excuse me. Pardon me. Excuse me.” He bobbed and weaved, expertly, no matter how the room was spinning. “Scuse me!” The line at the bathroom by the bottom of the stairs was already two to three people back. Frick! Time for the upstairs. With dainty precision, Alby whisked himself up to the second floor of the creepy old farmhouse. This wasn’t a frat party, surely nobody would be up there. “Bathroom, bathroom, bathroom,” Alby hissed. “Place this big has gotta have an extra bathroom.” He jogged down the upstairs hallway, holding himself, looking for a place to pee. He looked to his right, “Office,” he said to himself and kept moving. He looked to the left. “Guest room no pisser.” Keep moving! “Some kind of storage room.” Where the hell was the other bathroom? The master bedroom! That’d have a toilet most likely! Should have just gone outside and pissed up against a wall or something. But then he remembered his underwear. He needed privacy to get everything out of the way! This made him even more frantic. Alby’s paw found a closed door with no light coming on from inside and felt hope. It was only vaguely diminished when he jiggled the handle and found it locked. Aha! Locked door! Lights off! Master bedroom! The spare toilet had to be in here! Downstairs he heard a chant build up. “TEN! NINE! EIGHT!...” This had two immediate effects on Alby. It both emboldened him to act rashly and also made his urgency greater. The volume and the chanting coming from downstairs and outside would surely cover any noise he’d make breaking open a door. The countdown was also triggering something in him subconsciously; making his need to void his bladder greater with every passing second. “SEVEN! SIX! FIVE!...” Alby rattled the door handle. First with one hand, twisting and turning the knob. Then with both hands. When it wouldn’t budge, he switched back to one hand, using his spare hand to pinch himself off. He wasn’t gonna make it! “FOUR THREE! TWO!...” Alby rammed his shoulder up against the door so hard that both the frame and his innards rattled slightly. A bit of urine leaked out into his nice red panties. Oh god! They’d be ruined! He’d be ruined! He rammed it even harder, hearing the wood crack while reaching for his belt buckle. “ONE!” The door gave way and flung open, with an incredibly drunk Alby tripping over his own feet right behind it. Momentum carried him forward even as the door smacked against something hard and sturdy on the inside and lazily rebounded closed behind him. “AAAAAAH!” Alby screamed, his pants coming loose and falling down to his knees while his eyes tried and failed to take in the dark room around him. His head collided with something terribly hard. His head struck the object- a shelf or chest of drawers of some sort- with such battering ram force that its contents clattered off its various levels around and on top of him. Things that in the darkness looked like little pillows or thick sheets of paper fluttered all around him and several plastic containers landed on the back of his head. It didn’t hurt, not really, the real damage had been done by the shelf itself. “HAPPY NEW YEAR!” If he wasn’t seeing double now from the alcohol, the oncoming concussion was certainly helping things along. A sense of quiet euphoria came over Alby Madden, his pants down past his waist, and surrounded by tiny, smooth plastic backed pillows. He no longer had to go to the bathroom anymore, and the most pleasant warmth was enveloping his loins, causing his member to grow hard even as it spouted more and more of the warm liquid. If his last modicum of sobriety hadn’t been knocked out of him, Alby would know that he was pissing himself. But he didn’t care so much about that. Instead, Alby smiled to himself and closed his eyes. He inhaled deeply, noticing the fragrant smell of lavender coming from all around him masking the ammonia that he was outputting. “Should allll acquaintance beeeeee forgot…” he mumbled with the crowd downstairs, just a second too late. But then he forgot the rest of the words and fell asleep. The funny part was, that if Alby had just bothered to follow the bend around the hallway, he would have found the spare guest bathroom and the master bedroom and bath that he’d been so desperately searching for. ***************************************************************************************************** It was a good party, all things considered, Max thought. Stuffy of course, but office parties were always a little stuffy. Parties were formed based around commonalities and when the chief commonality was work, things were going to get a bit stilted and stuffy. Still a success, since Max hadn’t heard a single guest talking shop; not even the guys from accounting and shop was all some of those miserable bastards had. It was good barbecue that he didn’t have to cook and decent liquor that he didn’t have to buy. He didn’t have to clean anything up and was keeping the stuff that people hadn’t drunk. He’d definitely had worse events than this; even if the dress code left something to desire. Just for laughs he wore his favorite “Master” attire in lieu of the more office casual ugly sweater bit that most had seemed to opt for. Dress to impress and all that, and stand out so that people know where to find you. It was an office party but it was still Max’s house. Three A.M. came and went before the last of the sober patrons shuffled off to the cars and headed home. At least a dozen vehicles lay abandoned with drunken coworkers hitching rides and calling Ubers with promises to come quietly retrieve their cars when the sun was up. Max graciously said he’d leave the gate open for them and was thankful no one passed out on his couch. With a mighty yawn, he locked all the doors, turned off all the lights, and padded upstairs to his room. All was not well in Max’s world that early New Year’s morning, however. Out of habit and the slightest bit of paranoia, he ran his hand along the hallway wall and gently pushed on the door leading to his special secret room where everything had been locked away. It was nothing more than a tap, just a small way to reassure himself that the door had stayed closed. Nobody would be stupid enough to try and break through a locked door. Imagine his surprise when the door that was supposed to be locked, swung open with a groaning splintering creak, giving easy access to the nursery inside. A moment of intense rage came over Max. Some idiot had busted his door. One of his co-workers had for whatever reason gone snooping and decided to stick his nose where it didn’t belong. No embarrassment came to the wolf, only an intense sense of violation. He stepped through the threshold and turned on the light, ready to take inventory of what had been done. He’d dust for fingerprints. Look for claw marks. He’d take inventory of what might be missing and start mentally running through everyone who had so much looked at him funny that night.This was clearly someone’s idea of a joke, and Max wasn’t laughing. The light flickered on and Max immediately canceled the search. He found the corporate culprit laying right there, face down with his head next to the changing table, his body surrounded by diapers and his back coated in loose baby powder. “Hello,” Max smirked to himself. When Alby didn’t respond to the sound of his voice, Max’s brow furrowed in concern. “Shit,” he hissed. He stepped closer, not caring that the door to his nursery was wide open. Even if the party was still raging downstairs, Max would have been tempted to call for help. The only reason he didn’t was because no one would hear short of a cell phone. Holding his breath, Max examined the dog’s still frame and realized the dog was still breathing; snoring heavily in fact. “Okay,” the wolf whispered to himself. “Not dead…” At least he didn’t have to worry about that. He ignored the squish of wet carpet beneath his feet as soon as he realized it wasn’t blood. Bodily fluids didn’t bother Max too much; not when there were more immediate concerns. Were it not for the circumstances, Max would have wanted to tease the kid about needing protection. Very quietly and quickly, Max patted down Alby’s body, checking for anything that might be damaged; afraid to move Alby in case something was seriously hurt. As far as he could tell, Junior here had a nasty bump on his head and had way too much to drink, but that was about it. Poor idiot probably got drunk, beat down the door, tripped and bonked his head. Crisis averted, something else finally caught the big wolf’s attention. Alby’s pants were around his knees; a remarkable feat in itself that made Max wonder exactly what the boss’s son was trying to do. More interestingly however, was Alby’s choice of underwear. That made Max’s eyebrows raise more than a little bit! Max wasn’t the only one with a secret it seemed. “Happy new year, Daddy.” Alby mumbled, oblivious to the world around him and still very much in a booze drenched dreamland. Max’s smirk became a wolfish grin. The gears were already starting to turn. “Happy New Year, Alby,” he said. Happy New Year, indeed.

Hey-lo, and welcome to another new story of mine (no, I have no shame in the use of this title). This is a dark spin on a babyfur story with real-world elements (with an evil member of Big Pharma being the Big Bad), so please pay attention to the content warnings on the tags. About critique, feel absolutely free to tell me what I'm doing wrong; in fact, I encourage it with all my heart! I want to publish this under my pseudo penname in books for AR/AB stuff, and in order to publish without mistakes and errors, I absolutely need to know what I've done wrong. If you can't find anything wrong, then tell me what you liked, please! These things make me a better writer. I'm not soft when it comes to critique, and I'll always listen to it. So, with all of that said, do enjoy~ - Chapter One: Jealousy, Rage, and a Gilded Cage - Archer Dove was furious. That…bitch had broken the heart of the wrong man! Charmaine Dryden, a.k.a., the bitch who broke his heart. A top FBI special agent along with him (with him holding seniority as a senior special agent), beautiful platinum-blonde hair in a bun, sky-blue eyes, a towering 6’5” without heels (he was still taller at 6’7”), huge hips, ass, and tits to match her size. He had asked her out. “Married to my job,” she said. “Not interested in dating,” she said. “I would like to remain friends only,” she said. Bullshit! No woman could resist his charm! Every single one of them fell for him the moment they saw him. But he didn’t want them. He wanted her. And she dismissed him. Rejected him. Publicly humiliated him. He was strong, masculine, handsome, a talented shot, amazing in the sheets, everything a woman could want! Why did she reject his advances? Was she threatened by him? Of course, in her twisted little mind, a supposed “independent woman” would be threatened by a strong man. The horror of having a man tell her what to do! Unlike that fucking cuck friend of hers, Veil. She probably fucking pegged him and took it up the ass from the higher-ups, probably a bit of both at the same time. Dove smirked through his anger. Speaking of pegs, he had a plan to destroy her foolish pride and knock her down a peg or two. He’d have her no matter what, one way or another. Humiliate her a bit, have her fail miserably at her assignment, get her fired. And he’d be there to save the day for her, and she’d respect his authority. All he had to do was get a fall guy, and Shadrach Veil fit perfectly, the nerdy little nobody, stuck playing his stupid D&D games on his computer on FBI business, while the real men fought on the front lines with their guns drawn. He hated everything about that fucking geek, from his oversized horn-rimmed glasses covering his mud-brown eyes and baggy clothes two sizes too big for a weaselly 5’3” frame (probably why he was a fucking cuckold), to his nasally voice and twice-broken nose, all the way to his long (to the length of feminine) brown hair and messy brown beard that could probably hide a bird’s nest in it. Yeah, he had absolutely no issues with throwing the blame on Veil with his plan. The computer expert had his…sordid little past that should’ve disqualified him from the FBI, anyway. Dove tried to get him fired once before, but failed. He would say publicly it wasn’t personal between them, but privately? It most certainly was. It had been simple to get Veil’s computer password; as a supervisory special agent in the FBI, Dove had that power and oversight. It had been done in such a way that nobody would even remember he asked. From there, it was simple to hack into the nerd’s computer while he was away on his hour-long self-defense classes that the FBI all but demanded he get after he had his ass saved by Charmaine for the third consecutive time in the field (what a pussy, having to get saved by a woman!), see where Charmaine was going, where she had gone undercover…and burn her. Dove smirked, his green eyes showing cruelty at his little game. Charmaine wanted to fuck with Big Pharma, the biggest pharmaceutical company out there: MVF, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Technically, the name was Belgian: Mensheid Voorop Farma, standing for “Humanity First Pharma”, but “MVF” simply rolled off the tongue easier for most Americans. It was worth multi-billions, which, to him, at least, was more money than anyone could ever know what to do with. They made new treatments for cancer, stem cell research, shit that got grants up the ass. She had gone undercover as a scientist, apparently had a big enough brain for it, and had somehow managed to worm her way into the middle rankings (probably by sleeping with someone). Why she did it didn’t concern him an iota and what they “supposedly” did concerned him even less; let the rest of the FBI deal with the embarrassment of trying to deal with the fallout from her and “Veil”. It had been a simple matter from there to call them - from Veil’s phone, of course; it had been no easy feat to steal it and have him think he lost it. The security guard, some woman with a Dutch name and South African dialect - he didn’t particularly recall or care - was quite intrigued by his description of Charmaine’s false identity down to its entirety. She got him talking to her boss, the CEO of the company, the founder, a shockingly young Belgian man by the name of Augustijn Van der Aart. From his voice, Van der Aart sounded like he was in his early forties. To be that young and rich…well, at least he wasn’t more handsome than Dove was. The CEO sounded very interested in his proof, seemed to believe him, but Dove refused payment. “Too easy to trace,” the FBI agent said. And the only payment he wanted was Charmaine getting what she deserved. And now, all that remained…was to wait. - Augustijn Van der Aart was not surprised to hear the news from the man named “Veil”; just the person he expected the news to be about. The founder of MVF had long since known that there was a mole somewhere fairly high in his organization; such was the case when one was into the things he was. He had not expected it to be the woman known as Catherine Darden. She was fairly high in sciences, and she had earned every bit of it. From everything he heard about her, this woman (whom he now knew to be Charmaine Dryden) seemed to be an ideal candidate to be promoted to the mid-levels: smart as a whip with a personality to match, an ideal aptitude for company work, driven - all things Van der Aart admired in a woman. However, he had no tolerance for moles (to him, they were not really much different than rats), no tolerance for the FBI being in his business - and thankfully, this FBI agent’s selfishness and pettiness (he could tell even from the phone that the man had probably been rejected by her, and to be honest, he could certainly see why; Veil seemed extraordinarily toxic.) gave him a perfect opportunity for his latest test run. Apparently, he had covered Dryden’s tracks from the FBI well. Nobody in the Bureau knew where she had gone specifically, just that she was deep undercover. He had looked up her familial records: both parents had died when she was young, an orphan without any siblings, not even a spouse. Perfect for his line of…specimens. Nobody to miss her, nobody who would give a shit if she disappeared. He had called up his chief security officer, Margaretha Roijakkers, and his head scientist, Deborah Leblanc, to his office to discuss the matter discreetly. His chief security officer was a white South African woman born in an upper-class family, a driven woman with a vicious cruel streak that unnerved even him…but she was undoubtedly, unquestionably loyal to him after he saved her from a very long imprisonment for mass murder and crimes against humanity in her home country, and for allowing her sadism to be unchecked and hidden from the law. His head scientist, a Belgian like himself, had made all of his dreams possible. She was driven, ambitious, and at the same time, cared less about the subjects than one would an ant they had stepped on. All the “volunteers” were mere statistics, mere stepping stones to her rise, and yet she was also loyal to him for giving her a job after science groups had spat on her…and because he indulged her perverted fantasies about her work - so long as she kept it to her work. He discussed things with both women, neither interrupting until he had finished discussing the situation. Then Roijakkers brushed a loose strand of short blonde hair out of eyes as blue as sapphires, yet dead like the many Black men she had murdered and buried. “So, how do you want to play this?” she asked. “I’ve looked at her file; she’s very quick with a gun and knife, and if we tip her off, we’re finished.” “Well, you stated it succinctly, Margarethe,” Van der Aart said, steepling his long fingers, his green eyes never leaving the desk of papers, his bald head gleaming in the light. “We can’t let her leave here, and we can’t tip her off. Deborah, is there room for another subject?” Leblanc’s blue eyes lit up like a Christmas tree as she panted excitedly, her long blonde hair tickling her heaving chest. Roijakkers, for her part, looked annoyed at her colleague. “I could easily use another test subject!” the scientist said, her glasses askew. “And if the FBI finds out?” Roijakkers asked. “Then we’ve ruined our entire operation.” “The FBI doesn’t know she’s here at the moment,” he said calmly. “I expect Veil to turn on us again; if he’s turned on the FBI, he’ll turn on anyone. His cooperation is simple: to him, he wants her, and he thinks he can have her no matter what she thinks about him. But if we simply kill her or fire her, we risk having everything crumble. Making her disappear and paying off or blackmailing Veil? Definitely the best option - and our science works perfectly in that regard.” “I could have the formula ready by today!” Leblanc said. “Ooh, do give me the order, Sir, and I’ll have her in chains, ready for her dosage, oh, yes, I will!” “We’d have to keep her as a lab rat for the rest of her life, much like the others,” the South African said coldly, trying - and failing - to ignore her colleague all but orgasming out of ecstasy. “If she’s ever freed, she’ll talk, and people will listen.” Van der Aart smiled. It was not the warm, well-meaning smile that most were accustomed to seeing at work; the malice behind it was as deadly as a pit viper, unnerving even the psychopathic sadist that was his chief of security. “Then we see to it that she’s never able to talk again.” - Charmaine Dryden was preparing for another day at work undercover at MVF. The science team was nice for the most part (even if Dr. Leblanc was absolutely creepy as hell), work was fun and she was able to do it easily. Even the vast majority of security she saw was easygoing, even if the things the FBI had on the head of security painted her as the Devil in heels. She stretched her arms out, as sharply dressed as a scientist could be: lab coat, a white blouse, black slacks, and casual flats. Normally not her style (she wouldn’t be caught dead in a skirt, dress, or heels; that just wasn’t her), but that was okay. She was just eager to get the day started, especially with what she had seen yesterday after digging through MVF’s security camera files (with a huge amount of thanks to Shadrach for teaching her basic computer hacking skills). Many odd specimens, both human and animal. Small, probably children or around that age. It was very limited information, and she needed more info, needed to know what, exactly, she was dealing with, but what she did know was that the FBI - and Dove, in particular, much as she was extremely annoyed at his constant flirtation towards her - was right to send her on this mission: whatever MVF was doing couldn’t be good for humanity, as much as they proclaimed the origin of their own name to be. Then a voice blared on the intercom, obviously one of Van der Aart’s secretaries. “Can I request Miss Darden to the CEO’s office in terms of a promotion?” the pleasant feminine voice said. “Again, Miss Darden to the office of the CEO for a promotion.” The scientists crowded around Charmaine excitedly, some of them giving her fistbumps, others shaking her hand, and still others clapping her on the back, and for a moment, she truly regretted having to burn these men and women. Perhaps when this was all over, she’d try to convince the FBI to give them jobs somewhere - at least, those who were innocent of any crimes. She walked over to the elevator, feeling naked without a gun or knife on her. MVF had stringent policies about weapons, and even better detectors that could pick up the smallest trace of a weapon. If I need to, I can just get a weapon from a security guard? But they have no reason to suspect me, right? Nobody knows I’m FBI…right? Charmaine knew that it was a possibility that someone had caught her snooping around. A small possibility, but not too small to fully ignore; after all, mob families had given out promotions to lull targets into complacency before killing them. Just stick to the act. You are Catherine Darden, a normal scientist getting a promotion. Stick to the act, and you’ll be fine. She was used to acting; this was far from the first undercover mission she had undertaken. She was in the drama club in high school, and this wasn’t much different; all she had to do was get into character - and it was easy getting into character for this Michigan girl, born in Detroit’s tough streets (Fiskhorn, if one wanted to be specific), orphaned at a young age, doing everything to survive in the various foster homes. That was where Charmaine met Shadrach Veil. They had become inseparable, like siblings, even though they looked completely different and had different interests. They had both worked hard to become the people they were because nobody expected anything from them…and when she had been selected to the FBI (mainly because she was an expert sharpshooter in college marksmanship, but also because of her abilities as someone who could go into any role needed), she had insisted that they hire him as well, despite…his history. Charmaine was lost in thoughts as the elevator stopped at the top floor, the office of Augustijn Van der Aart. She opened the door nervously, seeing the man himself greet her with a warm smile. Then she felt the prick of something behind her neck and immediately collapsed, her muscles no longer supporting her, a whirlwind of nonsensical thoughts forming a cacophony in her brain before everything went completely black. - Hope y'all enjoyed~

Hey there! I made a server for RP posts and personal ads. A server for ABDL / Diaperfur / Babyfur to post their rp requests and personal ads (r/ABDLPersonals). Rp requests and personal ads are forum based. This channel is mainly just for posting your RP plot or personal ad. A general channel does exist for chatting. I made this server to better see rp posts and personal ads. Servers like omoorg put everything in one text channel which makes it hard to search and chat with an RP post you find interesting. Subreddits like r/ABDLPersonals also do this. So I made this server to address those issues. Please join and share with anyone else that may find this server useful, especially if they use r/ABDLPersonals or omoorg (rp section). https://discord.gg/YnnvCz9t8P

Okay, I know I'm coming up with all sorts of ideas lately, so I'm gonna go for this writing spree as I have it. Welcome to Curses!, a babyfur story where six prospective college-aged animals applying for a daycare job are physically and emotionally (but not mentally, per my usual) age-regressed~ Not exactly original, but I hope to put some new spins on it~ Of course, there's going to be a few mature themes that are dealt with in the content warning tags, so if you know you'll be affected in any way, you can stop reading at any point, and I will make sure to warn you guys when those things come up. About critique, feel absolutely free to tell me what I'm doing wrong; in fact, I encourage it with all my heart! I want to publish this under my pseudo penname in books for AR/AB stuff, and in order to publish without mistakes and errors, I absolutely need to know what I've done wrong. If you can't find anything wrong, then tell me what you liked, please! These things make me a better writer. I'm not soft when it comes to critique, and I'll always listen to it. And now, without further ado, the story: - Chapter One: Six Girls, One Job - Vanessa Cruickshank was bored and ready for the tour to begin for the daycare job she and her bestie, Shannon, applying for along with four other competitors. The giant anteater was dressed casually for the Bay Brooklet Development and Learning Daycare Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, wearing a black tank top with a skull in the middle, ripped blue jeans, and scuffed sneakers, her long bushy tail swishing with annoyance, as she waited outside in the chilly early October Saturday morning with the five other young women in her group. Needless to say, most of them didn’t get along with each other. “Watch where you’re swishing your tail!” the shortest among them, an Arctic hare, snapped. She was dressed to the nines: a white blouse, knee-length black skirt, black leggings, and five-inch heels (that somehow fit her large feet). “Hey, I don’t control where my tail goes!” Vanessa clapped back. “L-Leave her alone!” a mountain zebra spat at the anteater in a deeper voice that denoted her as trans. She wore a shin-length sky-blue dress (that didn’t work with her figure) and flats. “Funny, I thought she didn’t need a sidekick,” Shannon O’Brettle quipped harshly, the margay brushing her black miniskirt, her green sports tank top baring her midriff and combat boots somehow even more casual than Vanessa’s clothes. “At least I don’t dress like a slut to the job interview,” the hare sneered. “At least I rock my looks, Miss A Cup,” Shannon retorted, as the zebra looked down at her hooves shyly, the hare’s tiny paws patting the woman’s legs (as far as she could reach) gently as she glared at the margay. “And the job specifically insisted to wear your favorite clothes to the interview.” “C’mon, can’t we just have fun here?” the maned wolf asked in annoyance. She wore black jean shorts and crocs as well as a black T-shirt depicting a keyboard with the words “Don’t play me!” emblazoned on it. “There are three openings for pairs. We don’t have to argue.” “Just ignore them,” the African wild dog growled, trying to keep her ankle-length golden skirt and loose silver silk top from fluttering in the heavy gale, as she shuffled on her sandals. “Just because there’s six openings doesn’t mean they’ll get the job.” The job, Vanessa thought. Every one of them was desperate to get this job; it seemed like a dream for her, taking care of babies for six figures a month (she was not used to kids, only having an older brother and no younger siblings or cousins, but Shannon was, and she did everything with the margay), almost too good to be true. But she and Shannon were college seniors (and from the look of the others, they were as well), and they needed the money. Then the door opened, and a female northern flying squirrel wearing casual clothing (a red t-shirt without a logo, gray sweats, and tennis shoes) exited the daycare. She looked to be only a little older than they were. “Hi, I’m so glad you all could come!” she said in a perky tone. “I’m Connie Zanovelli, and I’m the head sitter of Bay Brooklet Development and Learning Daycare.” Vanessa was the first to shake paws, noting that Connie was even smaller than Victoria. “Nice to meet you,” the anteater said politely. “Vanessa Cruickshank.” Shannon was next. “Shannon O’Brettle,” the margay said confidently. The hare followed. “Victoria Box,” she said in a cool tone. “Wait, Box?” Shannon asked. “As in the rich female couple?” The hare’s face flushed. “Yeah, what of it?” she muttered. “Why are you interviewing for this job, then?” the margay asked curiously, her tone surprisingly concerned. “Your moms cut you off or something?”” “Because some of us want to take care of kids.” The maned wolf shook paws next. “Tempest Pitcairn. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Zanovelli.” The African wild dog continued with the paw-shaking. “Shiloh Nash. Good to meet you, ma’am.” The mountain zebra sighed shyly, shuffling her hooves, seeing as she was last. “I-I’m Hester Dampier. I-It’s good to m-meet you, Ms. Zanovelli, ma’am.” “It’s wonderful to meet you all as well, but please, call me ‘Connie’; ‘Ms. Zanovelli’ and ‘ma’am’ sound so stuffy.” Connie’s smile was friendly. “Technically, the Pilkvists wanted to hire extra help. I’m assuming there’s going to be a lot of kids, given the hires.” “How long have you been here?” Vanessa asked. “About a month. They just opened the daycare to the public, so…” Connie looked almost contemplative. “Well, I’m glad that you all are here for the job interview.” Vanessa looked at Shannon, the margay’s face matching her confusion. Only a month open? That was…a bit unusual. “My bosses wanted to hire extra help for whatever reason,” the flying squirrel said. “So…shall we go in? It’s a bit too cold to stand outside.” “Of course,” Victoria said, barging her way in with Hester, her apparent friend, following nervously. Shiloh and Tempest followed next, leaving Vanessa staring at Shannon. “You sure about this, Ness?” the tree cat asked. “It’s a little…” “Weird? Sketchy?” the giant anteater finished. “Yeah, but if it pays six figures a month for this alone, I’m willing.” “Thanks for coming with me, Ness. I know kids aren’t exactly your thing…” “Any time, Shanny. Let’s go in.” The two lifelong friends went into the daycare and looked around. The walls had a light pink hue and were decorated with infantile posters, the floor was covered entirely with soft fuzzy carpet, and the ceiling lights were warm yet not intrusive, but other than that, it was sadly empty of anything, like the items were going to be moved in at a later date. Even the other four applicants weren’t there, only Connie was outside of an office door that they hadn’t noticed before. “They want you going in separately,” the flying squirrel said to them. “Good luck with the interview!” “Where is the next one?” an older female voice asked in a raspy tone. “Who wants to go?” Connie asked. “You do it first; I know I’ll do well enough,” Vanessa said with a smirk. “Fine. I’ll see you as an employee,” Shannon said with a smirk of her own as the margay walked to the door, opened it, and entered the room. Vanessa waited and waited, tapping her foot, before she felt her phone buzzing to display a text message. The anteater was annoyed; she had purposely kept her phone on vibrate and told her folks not to call her during the interview. She looked at the message, no, a lot of messages, one after another. Threatening, wheedling, threatening again, demanding her to answer, threatening yet again, faux loving shit, and, to nobody’s surprise, threatening once more. In short? Another message from…him. Her stupid fucking ex, Ryan. She had blocked all of his phone numbers, but he always got a different phone to call her with. It was annoying and more than slightly scary. The anteater blocked this one as well; she had no time to deal with this shit. She noticed the time. Almost noon. What was taking so long? Connie was on the phone with someone as well, as she said, “Raffy, I know you wanted to pick me up for that fancy lunch, but I’ve got a slate of interviews at my job, and my bosses are very nitpicky about that.” A pause. “Sure, 1:30 PM works; they never stated anything otherwise…” Then the door opened, and Vanessa got nervous - because Shannon, nor any of the other four, for that matter, had not exited the room. “If we can see the final young lady?” a different raspy female voice asked. “Okay, looks like you’re up, Vanessa!” Connie said in a perky tone. “Good luck!” The anteater sighed, ready to go in and try to nail the interview in spite of her trepidation, not having a clue of what was to come. - Hope y'all enjoyed~

Well, isn't this surprising: I came up with yet another new story. This story is actually quite wholesome compared to a lot of my other stories, a recent dream that came to life yesterday. This is babyfur; if you don't want to read it, you don't have to. I hope you will give it a chance, but I won't force you if it's not your cup of tea. About critique, feel absolutely free to tell me what I'm doing wrong; in fact, I encourage it with all my heart! I want to publish this under my pseudo penname in books for AR/AB stuff, and in order to publish without mistakes and errors, I absolutely need to know what I've done wrong. If you can't find anything wrong, then tell me what you liked, please! These things make me a better writer. I'm not soft when it comes to critique, and I'll always listen to it. Anyway, let's start the show: - Chapter One: Alpha(bet) Bitch - Kezia Byles ruled Volkenburg/Lauttener University (commonly known as VLU), and she knew it. The sophomore raccoon dog was the captain of the cheerleading squad, a straight-A student majoring in psychology, with one class in her major left to go for her early degree. It was an easy class as well, Child and Family Development. So what if it lasted all year? So what if it was half of her grade? She was prepared for anything and everything. Her two friends, Robyn and Faith Thornton - fraternal twins: Robyn was a common genet and Faith, a Malayan civet - were right by her side, as close as a sister to the two…and since she was adopted by their parents, they pretty much were her sisters, and the only ones regularly spared from her bitchy side. The others weren’t as fortunate. Kezia was a clownish personality in class, and the teachers were annoyed by her antics…but they couldn’t doubt that she was smart, that her grades were straight A’s, that she knew the coursework better than anyone other than the teachers themselves. And the others, especially the other cheerleaders who weren’t Robyn and Faith? Fuck them; she would go to war against them to put them in their proper places. Especially the ones who were annoyed by her captaincy. Speaking of which, Kezia saw her two rivals for the captaincy as she headed for class. Erin Chinnock the gray wolf and Zoey Coates the clouded leopard. Now, normally, cheerleaders tended to have only one main rival and the rest were beneath notice, but Keira and Zoey were thick as thieves, two peas in a pod, impossible to mention one without the other. Plus they had both stolen a potential boyfriend from Kezia, and she was pissed and out for blood. “Hello, Kezzi,” Erin said, her snout coming close to the raccoon dog’s face. “I hear we’ve got a new teacher for this class, since Mrs. Williams retired.” “I know, Eri,” Kezia sneered, not backing down for a second. “A Miss Keira Hagan, by her roster name. Just try to not to copy my notes with your girlfriend; I don’t want to have to cover for you two in cheer practice.” “We don’t need to copy your notes,” Zoey growled, her whiskers twitching in annoyance. “Apparently, this is a year-long project. All hands on deck for everyone.” “Aww, you can read, Zo-Zo!” Kezia said mockingly. “I didn’t think you could.” “Kez, let’s just…go to class?” Robyn asked timidly. Genets and civets were really small compared to the size of the two rivals. Of course, raccoon dogs were around the same size, and Kezia was admittedly on the smaller side for one, loathe as she was to admit it. “Yeah, listen to your adopted sister,” Erin said. “Maybe-” “Say that again, and you’ll regret it!” Kezia snapped, as she was held back by Robyn and Faith. “Kez, just…ignore them,” the civet said calmly, directing the snarling raccoon dog away from them, and into the class. It was not like the other classrooms, having been larger. There were pastel pinks and blues everywhere decorating the room with surprising color. Artful cartoon designs were on the walls, a giant playpen in the corner with babyish toys and blankets and the carpet was surprisingly soft on her shoes. Looked more like a place where new mothers could put their babies than a college classroom. “Hello, señoras.” Two birds, a barn owl and a red-tailed hawk, had greeted them suavely and simultaneously, as they entered the room at the same time as the girls. Kezia merely rolled her eyes. Freshmen, by the look of it, thinking they were the biggest hot shit in high school and now in a bigger lake and floundering. “Are you trying to flirt?” Kezia asked coldly. “You’re not doing a very good job at it.” “We’re just trying to be nice, mis queridas,” the barn owl said despondently. “You’re the best parts of today, hermosas,” the red-tailed hawk echoed his friend, looking just as despondent. “You’re trying way too hard. My suggestion is that you just don’t try,” Kezia said in an even colder tone than before. Both of the freshmen looked hurt…but they didn’t argue as they went to their assigned seats, close by each other, right next to her adopted sisters in the back. Kezia noted the names next to her on her seat: she was right with her two rivals in the front of the class. Fuck that noise. She sat next to Robyn and Faith, waiting for the teacher to arrive. The boyfriends of her rivals arrived instead. Stan Spellmeyer, the star impala quarterback and Jason Deloatch, the star elk linebacker. Somehow, she had struck out and missed on both of them, with Erin and Zoey, respectively hanging on their arms. Zoey planted a kiss on Jason as she looked at Kezia with a smirk. The cheerleader captain merely flipped her a middle claw, growling to herself. She’d get Zoey back at practice for this, she swore. The rest of the students in the class - seventeen in total, including herself - piled in, and Kezia wondered where the teacher was, what she was like, and how best she could mess with her. Each teacher was different. Some could take a lot of abuse, while others were more sensitive. Now, Kezia wasn’t cruel; the latter, she’d just lightly tease, while with the former, she’d use first names, cause distractions. It was an artform, to see how best to play her mischievous game, and it was one she had perfected, starting from elementary school on. “Why does it look like a daycare?” Robyn asked. “Yeah, that playpen looks like it could even fit Zoey or Erin,” Faith muttered to herself. “I hope it does fit Zoey and Erin; I could use a laugh,” Kezia said loudly enough for the two rivals to hear. They merely glared at her, but she puffed her fur out with pride. “Hellooo, my students!” a new giggling voice came in. A surprisingly young (if Kezia had to guess, she was a recent graduate of some teaching college at around twenty-nine) female hyena had come in, smartly dressed in a white blouse, knee-length black skirt, and flats. There was a kind, yet playful smile on her face, and Kezia could tell from her scent that the hyena probably had a recent baby or something because she was clearly lactating. But what surprised Kezia the most was the female raven in a little black dress and heels, her shining black feathers immaculately groomed. The Dean herself, Renee Stroughter, had come to this class. “Hey, Keira, Renee,” Kezia said with a smirk. The raven looked annoyed, but the hyena had a huge grin on her face as she said, “Oh, good morning, Miss Kezia Byles. You’re in the wrong assigned seat, but I can let it slide for today. Tomorrow, though, I expect you to follow directions on where you need to sit.” “I’ll sit where I fit, Keira,” the raccoon dog replied. “And I think I fit right here with my sisters, thank you very much.” “Goodness, you did tell me about that, Dean,” Ms. Hagan said, the playful smile - not a smirk, but an actual smile - still on her face as she giggled at the stoic raven. “Don’t worry; you’ll have plenty of time to spend with them; you do live in the same dorm, right?” Kezia froze. How did she know that? “Dearie, I do research on all of my students,” the hyena said with a giggle before a serious smile crossed her face. “Now, let’s get straight to the point before introductions: I need a single volunteer that wants to, ah, play a role the whole year without exception for other classes, extracurricular activities and home life for families, hence why there was a waiver sent to your parents to sign before taking this class. This volunteer will be the focal point of our class, Child and Family Development. It focuses on raising a child that’s at the most important stage of growth, and how a healthy community can positively impact a child’s psychological health. Of course, this volunteer gets to do less homework than the rest of the class, gets full credits, and is reimbursed monetarily for the year…” Kezia raised her right paw before anyone else did. “Wait, did you say less homework with full credits?” she asked. “What about the tests-” “Oh, so you’re volunteering, Miss Byles!” Ms. Hagan said cheerfully. “Wonderful! We have ourselves a real go-getter, asking the questions, although given that you’re a cheerleader and top-notch student, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.” “Indeed. I think you volunteering for this is fitting,” Dean Stroughter said bluntly. What scared Kezia the most was that the dean had the faintest hint of a smile on her face - and the raven never smiled. The sophomore blushed. “But the tests at the end of the semesters-” “Oh, don’t worry your little head about the tests. This is a two semester-long project in the fall and spring. The tests will, if you haven’t read the coursework, will be at the end of each semester, except for you, Miss Byles; you get one single tiny test at the end of this time next year. But most importantly, I expect everyone to have fun with it! After all, studying can be fun as well, and if you’re forming a family, well, having fun with your child is important as well and is important to develop a healthy, happy baby.” “Baby?” The raccoon dog was completely confused. “I don’t understand…” “And you don’t have to, Miss Byles; you’re the one who volunteered to be our little focal point, and I talked with Mrs. Stroughter to prepare for this throughout every class you’re taking. Now, I need two more volunteers…” Erin and Zoey raised their paws at the same time as Faith and Robyn; the other students had been hesitant. Of course, since most of the students were athletes, it wasn’t much of a surprise that they'd want to do the least amount of work possible. “Wonderful, four volunteers! Of course, I can only choose two for the roles, but babysitting is also an important part of any parent’s duties. Let’s do a game of rock/paper/scissors to decide! I always find that having fun, whether it’s in a family or even a classroom setting, is important.” As her sisters began to compete with her rivals, Kezia was confused as hell. What the fuck was going on? Roles? Volunteering for what exactly? What had she gotten herself into? None of this was even on the fine print of this class - and she had read it up and down. This was a surprise; it had to be, considering that the Dean herself was in this class at the beginning. But less homework? Only one test at the end of the year instead of cramming sleepless nights in? With full credits even with the lack of homework? Monetary payment? And all this for half of her grade and one step closer to her dream of becoming a psychiatrist? How could she turn it down? Shit, this might be the easiest class I’ve taken the whole time I've been here. “OH, looks like Miss Chinnock and Miss Coates won the game!” Ms. Hagan’s voice exclaimed giddily. “This works perfectly; they’re right by the front so they can watch their little one, Kezia-” What. What? What?! WHAT?! WHAT THE FUCK?! The enormity of everything that she volunteered for hit Kezia like a hydrogen bomb. That’s why she couldn’t back out once she did the volunteer role. That’s why there was only one volunteer. That’s why two other volunteers were needed. That’s what the whole fucking “roles” were about! Erin and Zoey were taking the roles of the parents. And she was taking the role of the baby. For the whole year. No exceptions, even in her other classes, even in cheerleading, even in her dorm, even when she went home for the holidays! Her adoptive parents had to be okay with it, if they signed a waiver knowing this could happen. The dean was perfectly fine with it, probably even happy about it! And worst of all, she couldn’t back out at this point! Fuuu- - Hope y'all enjoyed~

I'm in utah near layton/kaysville! i'd love to meet some other babies to have playdates with!!! i have a UTA bus pass so i can go places as well but i have no car hehe

To explain first and foremost, this isn't my world; you can thank the creative and talented @Panther Cub for this idea that we (and by we, I mean mostly him) hashed out recently, and this story is me trying to combine two RP elements that he came up with. He could probably make a story that best fits both; it was his awesome idea after all, but the crux of it is this: a world where a deity (unknown as of yet) gifts children caregiver powers over certain adults in their lives for amusement, with real-world Avatars (this one being an immortal Greco-Roman woman who has all of the signs of recent birth) delegating powers to children for their patron deity's amusement and sometimes interfering directly when indirect means won't work. The immortal mother "reenergizes" her powers via the emotions gathered at places called "Bright New Beginnings": abandoned daycares all across the English-speaking world with the ghosts of caretakers that lure in young people to regress. This combines them both, and I will apologize to Panther in advance if it's not quite right. As this is babyfur, if you don't feel like reading, you don't have to. This is a lot softer than most of my other works as well, so feel free to read or not read based on that. About critique, feel absolutely free to tell me what I'm doing wrong; in fact, I encourage it with all my heart! I want to publish this under my pseudo penname in books for AR/AB stuff, and in order to publish without mistakes and errors, I absolutely need to know what I've done wrong. If you can't find anything wrong, then tell me what you liked, please! These things make me a better writer. I'm not soft when it comes to critique, and I'll always listen to it. Anyway, let's get to the story, shall we? - Chapter One - It was a typical weekday spring morning in the suburbs of Newaardvark, New Jersey, a heavy rain pouring from the sky, as the animals stayed inside for the most part. There was only one exception: a young woman who sat on a bench under a bus stop station, unmoving, her eyes closed as if in thought. To describe her depended on the creature in question, for she took the shape of whomever was staring at her, a beautiful eighteen-year-old female of the beholder's specie in a long, sleeveless white dress, almost Greco-Roman in design, her breasts enormous, lactating, and protruding through her nursing bra like twin towers. Her shoes were white stilettos that covered her feet entirely, covered in mysterious symbols. She shouldered a plain, yet large diaper bag as easily as one would carry a blanket. Overall, she looked like a recent teen mom dressed for a Greek reenactment party. She was on the hunt, not even needing to look as she sensed her targets: a young bird couple in their late twenties and their adopted daughters below the age of ten. She preferred to use children as conduits through her strength, mostly playing through their mischief, willingness to be troublemakers towards authority, or, in too many sad cases, victims of abuse or neglect. Not these children: they were well-behaved young girls, treated with the utmost kindness and love by both hard working parents. She would have to work directly. Iuvenis Mater did not know if that was one of her favorite things to do, but it would make the game with her patron deity more…interesting. That was what their deity cared about, in the end: the Hunt to turn normal adults into little babies, albeit temporarily, for amusement. And there was definitely cause for amusement when it came to both of the parents. Erik Hellstrom was a handsome golden pheasant, twenty-eight, a skilled engineer who worked from home to support his daughters. Oh, she’d have fun with him, especially with his hidden…issues when it came to family. And then there was Gaiana Hellstrom, his wife. Twenty-seven, quite a stunningly beautiful blue-and-yellow macaw, working long shifts as a firefighter, but embarrassed by her past when she was a child. Another extremely fun target that she could work with. Their adopted daughters were the key in the door: Gaiana was planning on having a celebration party at the fire station alongside her peers with Erik joining her, and the girls needed a babysitter. Well, more than just the girls would need a babysitter after today. It had been a simple matter, even with the oddities of the modern age. This “Internet”, in particular, had been a long time spent learning for Iuvenis, but now that she knew, she was capable when it came to the worldwide Web. Quite frankly, it might’ve been even easier searching for targets via the Internet than it was in the olden days. A simple matter of the other typical babysitters gaining new things to do or new places to go all of a sudden, a bit of reality warping to make her seem like she was the only other babysitter available in the area, things like that were simple, including two typical babysitters who seemed…interesting in their own right. The Hunt, on the other paw? Not as much. Her patron deity needed to be entertained, not just for these temporary three days, but for a lifetime, to make it amusing to watch. One never knew how a Hunt would end, merely how it began - and the Avatar of her deity would make sure that they had plenty of amusement with this one. And so this Hunt began as she got up from the bus station and walked over to their house. - Erik preened himself in the mirror, looking at his appearance. The people at the fire station didn’t really care for appearance, true, but he always tried to dress to impress, like his uncle taught him: a full-sleeved white polo shirt, black slacks, black dress shoes, his father’s silver watch on his left wing, his mother’s handkerchief in the dress pocket of his shirt, a polished pair of glasses perched on his beak. He fluttered over to his wife, dressed extremely casually with a simple white T-shirt, blue jeans, and sneakers, and her own horn-rimmed glasses on her beak, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek. “Hey, honey,” Erik crooned in a pleasant song, as he gently wrapped his wings around her. “Hey, baby,” Gaiana whispered back with a grin, returning the kiss. “The girls prepared for their babysitter?” “I’ve let them know that there’s a new babysitter,” the pheasant said, his feathers fluffed up in pride. “They’ve taken it surprisingly well. It’s a shame that the Boggs sisters are going through college applications; they were the best of babysitters…” “Well, that’s life, honey; we all grow up,” the female macaw answered. “We grow old, not necessarily up.” “And both are technically true.” “Two different words.” “Ah, semantics.” The two birds kissed again, their love for one another showing through the slight teasing, before they fluttered down the stairs, looking for their girls, who were likely playing Aliemon Orange and Purple on their GameMales, judging by the sounds of the arguing. The games were two of the most kid-friendly ones they could buy for them with the limited money they made on Christmas. “OH, come on, Tali; you know that the mind type beats everything! Play as something else!” “It’s not my fault that Avadakazam is cute as heck, as well as powerful!” “It’s not! It’s literally a green orc with a big head and huge beard, and you had to trade with me to get it!” “Excuse me, Avadakazam is my favorite Aliemon, and I will brook no argu-” “Goostoise is the cutest!” “Avadakazam!” “Goostoise!” “Avadakazam!” “Goostoise!” “Girls, girls, both Avadakazam and Goostoise are equally cute,” Erik said, defusing the argument by hugging the two young girl birds, a brown pelican and a scaled quail. “Whatever, Goostoise is still cuter,” the younger quail, Zita, grumbled. “Avadakazam,” the brown pelican, Talita - known to all as “Tali” - said with a smirk, to which Zita responded with her tongue sticking out. Gaiana gave them both a stern look, but it belied the smile on her face. “Are you two going to behave for the new babysitter?” “Yes, Mom!” the two girls chorused. “You’ll do your homework and everything?” Erik asked gently; he didn’t have it in him to be stern. “Of course, Dad!” they chorused again. The doorbell rang, and Erik got it while Gaiana talked to the girls further, seeing an eighteen-year-old golden pheasant in a long, sleeveless white dress smiling at him, a diaper bag hefted over her shoulders. Her breasts were enormous, and demanded attention, but the analytical pheasant merely noted them as being slightly larger for what seemed like a teenage mom; he took his marriage vows very seriously, more seriously than a lot of men. “Hello, Mr. Hellstrom,” she said politely, holding out a feathered wing for him to shake. “Good morning, Miss, um…what’s your name again, ma’am?” he asked, shaking her wing. She smiled mischievously. “I’m Miss Ivi Mater. You can call me ‘Mater’, though, little Eri.” “Huh…okay…Ivi…” The pheasant felt himself grow smaller in her presence, a wet spot quickly growing around his slacks, as he began to unconsciously drool. “Oh, dear, looks like we’ll need to go to this earlier than I expected,” Ivi said cheerfully, getting out a white fluffy…thing from her bag. The word was escaping Erik’s quickly diminishing vocabulary, but it seemed oddly…familiar in a way. He felt his shirt, his shoes, his drenched boxers and slacks being taken off him by the girl, and even though his mind was inwardly screaming for his wife to intervene, he continued to lay on the floor in a docile manner. And then he saw her go through her bag, sprinkling powder over his nether parts, raising his bottom, and slipping the thing under him, taping up both sides, threading his tail feathers through the back, with the odd teenager moving him as if he had been much smaller than her. The pheasant’s mind was still there, and a part of him was telling himself that something was very, very wrong, but he couldn’t imagine what it could possibly be. Then his wife’s voice echoed. “Oh, Eri? Where did my baby Eri go?” “Here, my dear!” he sang, only for dread to grow when his wife’s frame entered the scene. “Oh, Eri, you little stinkypants, you know you’re not allowed to sneak out of your playpen,” Gaiana said, nuzzling the pheasant, acting like he was much smaller than her. He froze. He was a lot bigger than his wife. For her to think he towered over him meant… No, this can’t be right. Think logically, Erik, these things don’t happen in real life. “You’ve already got a fresh diaper on him! You came prepared for my little baby boy!” Gaiana cooed, handing him back to the pheasant woman, the… “He is certainly going to grow up to be handsome, will he not?” Ivi said with a knowing smile, and he began to fuss. “Oh, he misses his Mommy already.” The female pheasant came close, allowing Gaiana to cuddle with him. “It’s going to be okay, Eri. Mommy’s just got to go for a short bit.” He froze. Those words. A short bit. That was what his parents had said. That’s when- He began to bawl, thinking of the worst night of his life. No, no, no, no, no! Please, God, please, don’t let her leave! Not now! I need her, I need Mommy! Then he saw his daughters, rubbing his feathered head, and singing nursery rhymes to him to calm him down, and he realized the horrible truth. Everyone thinks I’m a baby! My daughters think I’m their baby brother! Oh, God, why?! Erik desperately tried to convince his wife that she was still his wife. He tried to speak to his daughters, tried to get out any code he could. They just cooed at him, as if he was an infant. “Oh, he’s trying to talk!” Zita said excitedly. “Say ‘Sissy’!” “Oh, honey, it might be a bit early for that,” Gaiana said to the disappointed quail. “He’ll be old enough for talkies and flighties soon, but he’s still too young for that at the moment.” Erik then saw the watch - his father’s watch wrapped in his mother's handkerchief - in the older female pheasant’s wing, and he attempted to grab at it with his feathers. “No, you’re a little too young for that; we don’t want you putting this in your mouth and swallowing,” the female pheasant cooed, putting the watch and handkerchief out of his reach and into the diaper bag as he whimpered. “Here! I have something better for you!” She brought out a light gold pacifier, teasing him with the tip, until he instinctively grabbed at it with his feathers and began to suckle on it, his inner adult feeling horrified dread at how easily it soothed his terrified thoughts, but the baby that dominated the main part of his brain reacting as if it was as natural as breathing. “Good job, Eri!” Gaiana cooed at the confused bird. “Now I really do have to go, but I’ll be back before you know it!” All the pheasant could do was suck on his pacifier, feeling a trickle of liquid warmth flow through the front of his (surprisingly comfy) diaper, his mind feeling horror that his body didn’t feel, before his wife - the last bastion of hope of stopping this intruder from potentially hurting his daughters - leave out the door, enter the car, and drive away. - Hope you enjoyed~

Well, this is a different sort of story. I had the idea of combining a babyfur story...with the Golden Age of Piracy. Weird idea, but I've researched a bit, figured out how things worked, and it just...took hold. It's a lot less mature than most of my stories, actually (surprising for me), buuut I maaay include some things that are a lot more AB and regression themed than I normally do (which is normally a lot). Also, there will be a bit earthier stuff, like a brothel and tavern wenches (as was in the times. Don't worry, no sexual themes aside from...motherhood themes.), so consider that the warning. I'm also admittedly not sure where the story's middle and climax are, but I have an idea about the end; I just don't know where it'll go before then. EDIT: About critique, feel absolutely free to tell me what I'm doing wrong; in fact, I encourage it with all my heart! I want to publish this under my pseudo penname in books for AR/AB stuff, and in order to publish without mistakes and errors, I absolutely need to know what I've done wrong. If you can't find anything wrong, then tell me what you liked, please! These things make me a better writer. I'm not soft when it comes to critique, and I'll always listen to it. Okay, here's the first chapter: - Chapter One: Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls - The ocean in 1595 was a treacherous place, especially when one didn’t know what they were doing, and even more so when it was an area rife with danger already; the broken ships, names long since lost to the pounding waves, howling winds, and sea spray proved that without a shadow of a doubt. Fortunately for Florence Goodluck, the feared - at least, she hoped she was - black-furred fox captain of the seven seas, she and her small crew knew exactly what they were doing...or so they hoped. She wore few fripperies; while she and her crew were regarded as pirates, welcomed at Tortuga by fellow pirates, they weren’t a very wealthy or successful crew, having gotten few prizes over the time they were active. She and her crew wore simple, short, homespun dresses, ragged and torn from years on the sea. “Tack to port!” she called out in a high soprano, as she took the lookout point, seeing her crew of big cats maneuver the Catastrophe (her idea to let the crew, having known her lifelong friends since they all lived on the docks of Dover, England as orphans, know how much she appreciated them, especially since they unanimously voted her captain.) with Emma Everard, the stoic snow leopardess helmscat at her customary spot at the wheel. Not that the fox minded the lookout and rigging jobs; she never ordered her crew to do anything that she wouldn’t do, and she knew that Emma was better at the wheel than she could ever be. “Move port, bring the riggings up!” Grace Wythinghall, the powerful pantheress roared out, as was her right as quartermistress, helping the crew move away from the bow of a half-sunken ship, the stench of rotting wood in the air as a cold, heavy mist began to roll in. Florence sniffed the air, with most everything, even the familiar sea spray scents, fading into the furling mists. She realized that it could be a quest that ended all of their lives. No pirate had ever gotten this treasure, mostly because of silly and stupid superstitions that the older folk believed in. But she truly believed that she and her crew would be the first, and it would propel them to fame, glory…and mostly peace. Maybe because we’re the most desperate, that we have absolutely nothing to lose, she thought to herself. They were all veterans of the seas for a decade, and yet none of them were over the age of twenty-three, having lived hard lives as pirates, spending almost all of that decade in the bosom of their small frigate, rocked to sleep by the waves, avoiding privateers (those damned hypocrites, no better than they were…only with a letter of marque by the kings and queens of countries allowing them to prey on those weaker than them), fellow pirates, and legitimate navy ships that could’ve sunk them and sent them straight to Davy Jones. All Florence wanted was to retire. She was tired of the sea, tired of the dangers, tired of starving, and she wanted to put down roots somewhere on an island where the most she’d see of the ocean was occasional fishing, with more money than she knew how to spend. “Florence, I can’t see anything in this mist!” Agnes Coulthurst cried out, the cougaress’s tail lashing in annoyance, bringing her back to the moment. “Hold steady!” the black fox called. “Are you absolutely sure, Flory?” Denise Parkham called out; the lynx boatswain's voice tinged with terror. This was not a natural mist; the conditions for mist weren’t there; hell, it was far too cold for the normal spring weather of the Caribbean, and frost began to creep on the sails. “Do NOT call me ‘Flory’!” Florence snapped. “Hold steady unless I say!” A cheetah was scratching her claws on the ship deck, whimpering, “We’re going to crash into one of those ships-” “AVIS, WE ARE NOT GOING TO CRASH! TRUST ME!” the black fox shouted. “That goes for everyone! We are going to make it through! Have I ever led you wrong before?! Hold - damn - steady!” “You heard the captain!” Grace roared; the fox had to admit that the vocal cords of the quartermistress was a much louder sound that almost seemed to cut through the mist. “Hold steady until she says!” All eleven animals held their breaths, as if the very act of breathing would cause the water to hear and consume them. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a sword. Then Millicent Huchenson and Winifred Daundelyon, a serval and caracal as close as twin sisters (even though they weren’t actual sisters like the Rowes) heard a faint roar coming in front of them, their especially keen ears pounding with blood, and both of them screamed in terror, holding each other. Florence heard the faint roar as well, heard the sailmaker and cooper scream, and immediately bellowed, “DROP ANCHORS AND FURL SAILS RIGHT NOW!” Her crew reacted quickly, knowing that their lives depended on it. Whether Lady Luck existed or not, they knew one thing: they were lucky, for the roar was coming from a waterfall that plummeted down into nothingness - the anchors had managed to cling to rocks just in time to save them from going over. “This has to be the goddamned end of the world…” Isabel Hornboldt moaned pitifully, the jaguaress who served as the navigator unsheathing and sheathing her claws. “There’s nothing on my maps that says anything about a goddamned waterfall!” “That means we’re close to The Dying Night!” Florence shouted, her eyes alight with recognition. “Don’t you girls remember what the legend said?” “Other than some voodoo witch that cursed the pirates who killed her husband?” Sybil Rowe asked curiously, the tigress carpenter looking straight at her lioness sister, Cecily's eyes. “And they were never heard from again? And that everyone who tried to find this treasure died?” the gunner finished in a dour tone. “Cecily, Sybil, curses aren’t real!” the fox captain snorted to herself. Curses? Ridiculous. And they were a much better crew than those that had died; hadn’t they proved it by surviving until now? “Anyway, it’s at the bottom of the waterfall.” “Well, unless you plan on jumping off, I’d love to hear ideas, Flory!” Agnes snapped. “Always grumbling, Agy, always grumbling about something!” Florence retorted, inwardly seething about the childish nickname uttered by the cook. “Don’t you know that there are tributaries that lead downward? Or did you forget about the legend entirely?” The cougaress’s face flushed in annoyance, but Avis Ballett was quick to say, “But we can’t see anything in the mist!” Florence sighed, quickly wrapping a rope around her paw and stepping off of her perch, down to her crew from the crow’s nest, using her weight to counterbalance and land safely on her paws. Her crew had seen her do it so many times that they were no longer afraid for her safety…but they didn’t dare try it themselves. They would follow her anywhere…except with that; some things were just a death wish. “That’s why the legend is called ‘The Dying Night,’” the fox explained, mostly to the cheetah musician, but to the rest of the crew as well. “We wait until dawn; that’s night’s death, that’s when the mist will clear up and reveal the tributaries. Then we go down to them, find the ship, get the loot, divide it, and get out as rich women.” “You’re placing an awfully big bet on a mere legend, Flory,” Denise mused, her paw drumming on the side rail. “Enough with that stupid nickname! We know it’s real, Denise, there’s enough evidence to prove it, especially since it's here in front of our eyes.” Florence’s green eyes were desperate. “You’re my crew; I’d go down with and for you any day, and you know that, but we can’t be pirates forever. This could be the one. This could be the treasure that we could retire with and live like queens.” “I’d settle for a family.” All heads turned to face Isabel, who looked sad. “We’re family, Izzy,” Grace gently coaxed. “No, I meant…we stole this ship from the privateers together, and we're as close as we can get without being blood…but I want something…tangible,” the jaguaress said with a sigh. “No insult meant to you girls, but we see each other every day, every time I wake up on this ship. I’ve heard every argument we could ever hear. I want a different voice.” “Get enough money, and you could buy a family,” Florence said with a smirk. “Florence, not everything’s about scoring that big loot.” To the black fox’s shock, it was Emma that said those words, the normally quiet snow leopardess having a faraway look in her eyes. “I’d love a family myself. We all grew up as orphans; I wanted to know my mum for years. She died, you know. Died in childbirth. Dear ‘Dad’ left me on the docks. We all have similar stories, Florence, even you. Haven't you ever wanted someone to hold you, to love you, no matter what?” Florence sighed angrily. “Look, you want a mummy to feed you, pay a damn wetnurse. Those times are done, and you can’t ever go back. What’s done is done. We’re here right now, so let’s focus on our goal right now." She took a deep breath and rubbed the fur on her temple - a tic that she had when she was trying to calm herself down. "Anyway, we’re all tired, so get some sleep until dawn. Millicent, Winifred, take the first watch.” The fox’s crew looked at her…and let out collective sighs, knowing they weren’t going to change her mind; she could be quite stubborn. It was the trait that brought them this far, and the trait they loved and hated. But she was right, in a way: she had never steered them wrong, had always kept them safe. “Yes, Cap’n,” they chorused. They gathered their ragged blankets, shivering as, one by one, they fell asleep in the cold mist, their dreams right in front of them…one way or another. - Okay, quick explanation about the specific jobs of this crew on their frigate (a smaller ship used in the Golden Age of Piracy): Captain - Democratically elected on pirate ships, believe it or not, although they could just as easily have command stripped of them. In most cases, the captain was the brains, the one who got the ship through fair or foul means. The most successful captains could install rules on the ship. Quartermaster (quartermistress, in this case) - Also democratically elected, the quartermasters were the seconds-in-command of the ship, unlike the various legitimate vessels (even though the pirates had first and second mates). They were the crew's answer to the pirate captain, sharing their concerns, and being an intermediatory for the captain to give orders to the crew. If the captain had taken another vessel and wanted to start a fleet, the quartermaster would be the captain of that ship. Navigator - Even though the captain and quartermaster often had knowledge of navigation, a pirate ship might have a dedicated navigator. With a good navigator, the captain would know where merchant ships struck, could navigate islands and shallows, that sort of stuff. Boatswain (bosun) - The supervisor of the various seamanship stuff around the ship, monitored the stores, and ensured sails, anchors, and rigging were in good condition. On larger ships, they'd have people under them. Carpenter - The carpenter was the one who was responsible for fixing leaks around the ship, making various repairs, and refitting captured vessels for the purposes of the pirates. They were also responsible for a lot of the, ah...immediate surgeries (i.e., amputations) in the absence of a surgeon. Cooper - The cooper was responsible for assembling barrels, used to keep wet stores, dry stores, gunpowder, water, rum, etc. from spoiling, making them airtight, fixing buckets, etc. Normally on larger ships, but I figured I could make a slight exception. Sailmaker - Sailmakers were basically the chief engineer on a ship, used to stitch and make sails, which, without them, ships went nowhere. In the absence of a surgeon, sailmakers were also responsible for stitching wounds shut. Gunner - The gunner was responsible for the cannons, how much gunpowder was necessary for to hit the target, who shouted the order to fire. Gunner teams (four to six men) were required to be accurate and speedy, and they were outfitted with a lot of guns. Cook - Yes, even pirate ships had cooks. Normally, they were ones with amputations (not here), but while they stole food stores from the ships they captured, and ate from taverns, yes, cooks were needed to prepare food and rum. Musician - Yes, pirates had musicians like fiddlers and trumpeters. Like in others, they created rhythms for shanties, to aid in manual task, and to entertain, but they also contributed to a cacophony of noise during attacks.

Now for something entirely different. This is another babyfur story of mine (one that actually got inspired by @Panther Cub's stories, actually; if you are a fan of babyfur stories, check them out), but it's got very heavy themes. I promise to warn you when they come up. EDIT: About critique, feel absolutely free to tell me what I'm doing wrong; in fact, I encourage it with all my heart! I want to publish this under my pseudo penname in books for AR/AB stuff, and in order to publish without mistakes and errors, I absolutely need to know what I've done wrong. If you can't find anything wrong, then tell me what you liked, please! These things make me a better writer. I'm not soft when it comes to critique, and I'll always listen to it. Now, on with the show: Chapter One: Guilt and Shame - Constantin Tremblay woke up with a large yawn, the American ermine stretching his limbs, his tail and whiskers twitching with anticipation for the first week of August, the first week of his sophomore year of high school. Then he smelled something funny. He took off his blanket and gasped. No. No, it can’t be! He had unmistakably wet - no, soaked was more like it - the bed. His thoughts were frantic. It’s just got to be a bug. A summer bug. Can’t be FIID. It can’t be that, no, summer bug, it’s just a damn bug. Fallout Incontinent/Infancy Disease, the hidden scourge of the weapon known as Project A, the weapon that turned the world’s then-humans into humanoid animals way, waaay back in the time of, like, the dinosaurs (technically in 1963, during the Kennedy administration, but still) affected about a tenth of all middle and high schoolers. It was a horrible disease, turning those kids into what basically amounted to teen toddlers. No, he was not going to have that. He was already hiding being trans from his parents; he couldn’t have that as well. Already cost me friendships. Can’t have it cost my family too. With those thoughts, Constantin gathered his night clothes and sheets, quickly putting them in the washing machine with a lot of bleach, before turning the bleach toward his bed. Then the shower. The thing he hated the most, his dysphoria clearly showing there. His breasts, unmistakably showing his outward sex, hiding the powerful man he knew he was. He hated them, hated them. The ermine made sure to take a longer time in the shower than normal, washing every single part of his awful body to get the smell off of him. He put on his clothes: baggy black jeans, a loosely-fitting black T-shirt, and combat boots. Thank whatever gods existed - not that Constantin believed in a god; if there were any, they wouldn’t have made him like this - that there wasn’t a school uniform for anything other than basketball; it would’ve sucked if he was forced to wear a skirt or dress. Then he did the gel in his short hairfur, spiking it up. Then his glasses. He hated that he needed glasses; it made him look nerdy. Yeah, he got decent grades, but it was his basketball career that he cared about. His parents were fine with it because they were former jocks (Dad played soccer; Mom was a former cheerleader.), but… He shook his head furiously. He was going to have a good day at school, damn what the morning wanted him to think. Constantin let out another yawn, making a small breakfast for himself (his parents were off on their high-paying five-to-five jobs, so he was fairly self-sufficient.): just regular cereal and orange juice (breakfast of champions!) before he got his stuff packed and ready for school. He noted the silver coin on the countertop with Mom’s signature (payment for lunch and a thinly-veiled demand for “Marie-Claire” to join cheerleading) telling him to take the coin (which he did), and let out a sigh, exiting into the morning light. The ermine was early for the school trolleybus (it was rare for animals to have a car, since the gas-guzzlers had stopped being produced after the Fallout, and electric cars were only used by the rich...like his dad and mom), getting on with a nod at the driver, an elderly gorilla who nodded back at him before the trolleybus sped off. Constantin sat at the back, relaxing and almost nodding off with rock-n-roll music, before a familiar voice woke him up. “Hey, you’re taking my spot.” He opened his black eyes to see an ocelot, her amber eyes appraising him cautiously. He knew her. Allyson. Allyson Blood, his former bestie before…stuff happened. Mainly because Constantin never came out as trans to her (to anyone, really), and felt uncomfortable around girls nowadays (he was definitely attracted to girls, which made things…complicated.)…but partially because Allyson had gotten FIID, along with…his other two former friends. She was wearing a pink onesie with cartoon cats that did nothing to hide the fact that she was wearing a very thick diaper, and had a pink pacifier clipped to the neck area of her onesie. Her spotted tail flicked nervously, as she clutched a stuffed saber-toothed tiger in her paws. “Then take it from me if you can,” Constantin said in a bored tone. “It’s my spot. I’ve had it all of last year, Marie.” He looked at her, her eyes watering with tears, and a guilty feeling gnawed at his heart. “I…fine, take it,” the ermine muttered, shifting over so Allyson could get her body into the seat. “Thank you, Marie,” the ocelot said gratefully, popping in her pacifier and sucking nervously. “Whatever, I didn’t know it was your spot,” he muttered, hating his high-pitched tilting female voice. “Sho…I shee you’re doin’ bashketbaw?” The pacifier muffled her words, almost cutely. Not cutely. She’s just a damned overgrown baby now. Your friendship with her is over, let alone anything more. And yet… “Yeah, I figure that since I’m on the girl’s team…yeah.” “I’vf sheen your gamesh. You’re reawy good.” “Eh, I’m decent.” A lie. He had already gotten scholarship offers - women’s, of course, but one or two men’s teams as well - from high-profile colleges all across the United States, despite starting this year as a sophomore. “Don’t wie. I’m onwy FIID, not shtupith.” He looked at Allyson, seeing her glaring at him. Still intimidating, even though she was dressed as a baby (especially since she was bigger than he was). “I said I was decent. What’s there to lie about?” “Whatever.” The ride continued in stony silence, as more and more students - and teachers - got on the trolleybus. Constantin noted with dread that the ride had picked up his two other former close friends: Haylee Kilgallen the black-backed jackal and Krysten Peppers the long-eared owl, both of them sitting on the opposite side of him, both clad in similar attire to Allyson (only with a stuffed unicorn for Haylee and a stuffed roc for Krysten). “Hi, Marie!” Krysten said excitedly. “It’s been a while…” “Krys, she made her choice,” Haylee said coldly, her paw on Krysten’s wing feathers, as Constantin felt another gut punch of guilt. It’s not like they’d be your friends anyway. You’re not a girl, never were one. There’s too many issues, too many problems, and they’d stop being your friends if they knew the truth. So why did he feel so guilty and ashamed? “Hey, MC!” a voice cut through. The ermine looked up (way up; the speaker was a giraffe) to see his fellow basketball teammate (and fellow superstar), Xenia Chaconas. Xenia had a smirk on her face, as she said in mock sympathy, “I didn’t know you were FIID, MC. You wearing a diaper, too?” “I’m not,” Constantin huffed. “I’m just sitting with them, that’s all.” “You don’t have to sit with them, you know,” the giraffe continued. “You could sit with the big girls and talk with us.” “Yeah, but I just wanted to listen to my music, not talk,” Constantin growled. “Then sit somewhere else!” Haylee snapped at him. “We don’t want you here.” The words cut straight to the ermine’s heart. Haylee was someone who would fight off the legions of hell for someone if they were her friend. To hear that from her… “C’mon, Lee, you don’t mean that…” Krysten twittered nervously. “I do, Krys. She’s not welcome to sit with us anymore.” “Aw…you hear that? It’s almost like they’re talking!” Xenia cooed mockingly, as Constantin reluctantly got up and walked with the giraffe, who sneered, “I’ll come by the nursery to see you three later.” “Hey, MC!” “Yo, MC, what up?” “Howzit goin’, MC?” The words of Constantin’s fellow basketball teammates felt hollow to him; using the initials of his deadname as a nickname was almost too much to bear, and yet…he knew they meant no malice with it; it was all they really knew. They don’t know you. Your old friends did. And they don’t ever want to see you again. The guilt and shame grew in his heart, so much so that he almost wanted to cry. But he couldn’t. Not in front of his teammates. He felt a large arm snake around his shoulders, the hoof grabbing on to him, as he turned to see…Dragan. Dragan Lazarov. The superstar of the soccer team…and his wannabe boyfriend. The impala planted a kiss on the ermine’s cheek, to his inner disgust. “Hey, MC,” the soccer player rumbled. “You doing okay? Xenia’s not giving you too much grief, is she?” “She’s fine,” Constantin said, wanting Dragan to get the hell away from him, he wasn’t interested in boys, he was never interested in boys. “You know, I was thinking about a date, you know?” “Dragan…” “A date it is, then! How about we see that R-rated movie, huh?” Constantin squirmed under Dragan’s gaze. “I’m a little busy…” “Too busy for me? Blasphemy.” A smirk. The ermine hated that smirk. “C’mon, your dad, my dad, we know each other. It only makes sense.” He looked at the impala. Just because their dads played soccer on the same professional team didn’t mean he was interested in Dragan. Not. One. Bit. “I’ve got a lot of other things to do,” Constantin said, a hint of finality in his tone. “It’s a date then! You know where I’ll be.” The school - Frederick Frost High, the biggest public school in Chicago’s suburbs - came into view, and Constantin could not wait to get off, which he did…but out of the corner of his eye, he saw his three former friends get off as well, along with a fair few other obvious FIIDers, saw the two feline caregivers, what were their names, oh, right, Colleen and Carolina Cross, give assistance, and something drew him over to them, as he hid behind the school tree (a blooming oak tree, one of the few trees left after the Fallout), watching Allyson start to cry as her diaper was checked. “Aww, it’s okay, Ally, you’ll get potty training down eventually,” Colleen the caracal cooed, wiping the ocelot’s tear-and-snot-covered face with a wet-wipe in her paw. “Uh oh, looks like we have a couple of other stinkypants on our paws!” Carolina the serval announced as she checked Krysten and Haylee, who both looked embarrassed and on the verge of tears. I…they were my closest friends. What have I done? What the hell have I done? Was this really worth it? Don’t be a pansy. Of course it was! You and them…it wouldn’t have mixed. You’re on the girl’s basketball team. You’re a top basketball recruit in the nation. They’re going back into their second toddlerhood. And you didn’t have a choice. No, you ALWAYS had a choice! YOU chose to leave them when they needed you the most! YOU chose to hide everything about yourself! YOU chose to live a damned lie every day instead of being honest! You deserve EVERY bad thing that comes your way! You don’t deserve true friends! The feelings of guilt and shame tore him up, and he slumped down the tree, starting to silently cry. - Well, here's hoping for the best for Constantin~ Feel free to review, tell me what I did right, what I can improve on, or even something you liked; that helps me, as an aspiring authoress, more than just blind praise.

My first diaper story! Here, a motherly lavender dragon adopts a slave not to use her, but to parent her. No diapers yet, I'm afraid. Maybe in the next chapter a hint of them? :3 I promise, by the end, Maria will be a good little baby cat. :DD And more importantly, I hope to both grow the characters of Maria and Chelsey as stronger, healthier people through their connection. This is a draft, so I'm happy to take suggestions. It's also focused on consensual regression, as I think that's adorable and hot, but I'm very down to write dubious consent stuff in the future. With all that said, enjoy! To Be a Mother – Chapter 1 Chained Strays A girl waited in there for Chelsey. That brick storefront, Marol’s Helpers on 1289 Culper’s Avenue, with rain slithering down through the red and brown cracks of bricks into the side walk below, held her chance at a daughter. She wanted to help somebody, truly. In the glove box, she broke out a purple umbrella, then changed her mind. She cracked open the car door and slid out into the rain, appreciating this freshness against the atmosphere she was about to walk into. Drizzled, Chelsey lavender fur sparkled in the rain. She was a tall anthro dragon, and she wore a black pencil skirt and a scarlet blouse. With her wings spread out, she walked across the parking lot, to that dirty glass door surrounded by all those bricks. It almost looked like a prison. She wished she could help more than one girl. But just helping one meant something for her, even if it screamed in her mind to be insignificant. A claw gripped the handle, and she walked inside. “Welcome!” a chipper weasel said. She had long reading glasses across her snout that held a huge smile. “Are you Ms. Chelsey? We’re so glad you could make it with the weather.” Unlike the secretary’s bright demeanor, the floor was bare, white perfect white tiles. The walls were white too, a waiting room, yet still, there was no dust anywhere. Chelsy wondered for a second why the outside wasn’t upkept but the inside was pristine (though in her mind, scourging.) But of course it made perfect sense, given what this place does. They likely wanted to keep a low profile from the local area’s government. She was entering a criminal dwelling. God, was this really her chosen adoption method? “The roads aren’t too slippery yet. Could I see the, umm, options now?” The language was so objectifying, but it felt better than the alternative. “Of course, our slaves are so excited to meet you.” As they walked down the blistering long hallway, Chelsey’s heels echoed all around. She would be confident here. She wanted a strong but gentle first impression. She held her white snout up. This place, despite its horrors, wouldn’t shake her from rescuing her future daughter. There, at the end, were two girls and a boy sitting on a bench, each chained with cuffs to the wall. One girl, a cat with long whiskers and lime fur, had her head down. She still has herself, Chelsey thought. The others, a male cat and a female cow, were alert, staring out, as close to a grin as they could muster. A tall bloodhound was smoking a cigarette and leaned against the still-white walls. There were no windows in here. “Ah, you’re here for one of these?” “Yes,” the weasel said. “A happy member to join her family.” Chelsey wanted to roll her eyes at the fakeness here. But it was true. She will make one of these animals happy. She needed to. Animals deserve to be happy. “Smile,” the dog gritted through his teeth, his snout deep into the girl cat’s ears. No, stop. He placed a paw under her snout, pushes up. She’s resisting. She wanted to keep her jaw down. He wouldn’t let her. Her force gives away, and her muzzle bolted upright. She looked straight at Chelsey now, and with near tears in her eyes, shined a delirious grin. The other cat shuffled in his seat—as much as his cuff will allow—feeling the tension here, but he took a clear breath. The cow seemed not to be bothered by all this movement, still calm and face ahead. Meanwhile, the weasel fanned herself with files, avoiding gazing at the scene. Was that her disguise peeling off, or was she okay with this business? Could she not get another job? Chelsey was always a curious dragon. “I would like to adopt her,” Chelsey said, pointing to the tortured female cat. “Please.” “Oh, but surely you would want one of these other fine specimen?” the dog said, a ringleader of his circus. There’s a bit of panic to his voice, and his paw strongly gestures outwards to the other two captives. “She’s such a runt of the litter, you know.” “I’ll take her. What’s her name?” “Maria,” the cat whispered. “Wait, was it okay to speak? I’m so sorry!” “It was very okay,” Chelsey said. She kneeled down, a hind talon stretching back down the cold hallway floor, a front talon offering to hold the Maria’s paw. “I’m Chelsey. I’m going to take you home. Would you like that?” “I…I think so? I mean, yes, master!” Maria’s eyes were very wide for the vertical pupils of a cat. She was absolutely terrified, the poor thing. “Pft,” the bloodhound grunts, arms crossed. “Who cares what she likes. She’s just a slave. Jeez, masters have gotten so soft these days.” Chelsey really, really wanted to snap at the dog. But it wasn’t worth it. She needed to seem at close to a normal slave master. They might reject the sale if they knew she was going to spoil this kitten. So the exhaled, her large belly and chest fluff falling inwards. and she turned her large lavender scaled head to the hound. “How much will she be?” *** The rain poured hard on the car’s windshield, and the window wipers worked in overtime. Maria was quiet in the backseat. She had her head down again. Of course she did. She still saw Chelsey as her slave master. I must be disgusting in her eyes, Chelsey thought. She needed to work to win this cat’s trust if the girl was to ever see her as mom. “How you doing back there, friend?” Chelsey was so tempted to say “little one,” but it wasn’t time yet. She looked at the girl in the rear view mirror. “You can drop the act.” “What?” “You bought a slave. You’re going to use me. You don’t need to pretend we’re friends.” For who had seemed to be scared little cat, this was a change. But at least she’s confident to express herself. This was a good start. After a focus on a tricky intersection, Chelsey had a response. “Someone’s a little confident now that they’re rescued.” “Rescued?” She’s skeptical, then furious. “Rescuing me? You want to own me! I’m just glad to not be slapped by that man anymore.” Chelsey chuckled. “You don’t think I’m going to slap you?” She’s loving this personality. Cats can be a bit snippy. “Nah, you seem too soft for that. You’re probably just going to make me fold laundry and cook dinner or something.” She sunk into her seat. “I’m kind of lucky to have you buy me. Still doesn’t make us friends, though.” There’s a bit of quiet. Then Chelsey said, “I don’t think you’re lucky to end up in a place like that.” “No,” Maria considered, “I wasn’t.” Silence some more. Chelsey continued, “I don’t expect you to open up to me right now or anytime soon. What I want you to know is that you’re free.” Maria scratched the fuzz around her ears, probably wondering if she heard that right. “What do you mean?” “I’m saying that I wanted do something good for once, and I decided to give someone a better life. You’re not my slave. You’re free to leave as soon as we arrive at my home.” “I..” She couldn’t comprehend this. She was squirming in her seat, her seat belt sweating to restrain her. “You’re still a fucked up woman to find an animal trafficking service instead of, I dunno, donating to charity, but oh my god, I have a life again. A life…” “Yes?” Chelsey said. She didn’t want to lose this cat, but this was all part of the plan. A good mother lets her children be themselves. “I don’t have any money, though. I’m just going to end up back there. Again.” “Which is why,” Chelsey said, “You can live at our home as long as you need. I don’t want to dump you off in the middle of nowhere. I want to help you live, reorder your life.” “So, you want to be, like, a guardian? Adoption services exist too, you know.” The cat missed the small slip of “our.” The dragon smirked, her fangs shiny and tall. “Sure, but I wanted to help someone in your position. It’s something I strongly care about.” Maria didn’t really understand this, but that cat seemed satisfied enough with this answer. “Sure. Thank you.” “…There will still be a few rules, but nothing that isn’t normal house stuff. I’ve got some surprises when we get home.” The cat’s attention was lost, though. The girl, maybe 22 or so, had her eyes out the window. The city’s towers were shrinking into rolling hills and cliff faces. They were on the highway now. It would be a long drive in the rain until they reached Chelsey’s home, now the home of two. A mother, and a daughter at least in a legal sense. But an emotional bond would come soon. The dragon craved it.

Skunk Boys Top of his class, a dog finds himself transforming into a skunk. He's gassier, stupider, yet for some reason, he might just like it. (5,563 words.) (All characters are 18+. This is an alternate world where high school continues pass 18, as I thought a secondary school setting felt cuter here than college.) It started with a fart. A big, loud, nasty fart that snuck out of your ass. Your classmates look around, the teacher rattles on, but they all sniff out the truth. It was you. You made the room disgusting and smelly. It was you and your now swampy ass's fault. You feel horrible. You're a proper dog who's an A+ student. You shower every morning and night, and you wear nice collared shirts despite many of your classmates opting for more casual affair or going commando. Why didn’t you hold it? You rush to the men’s' bathroom. Your favorite Optimus Primal underwear is slightly brown in the center, and you hope it'll come out in the laundry. For minutes you're washing off your butt and fur with way too thin toilet paper. That’s good enough, you eventually device, and you walk back into class head down, cheeks flushed. A skunk in the back snickers as you enter. You think his name is Philip. He's always a bit smelly and still wears diapers to class. Not your type at all. You ignore him, as something else bothers you; that fart smelled kind of good. Everyone likes the smell of their own farts, though. Yet it’s selfish you enjoyed that smell when it was awfully rude. At lunch, you sit with the usual group. They’re talking about their classes, but you keep to yourself and your food as usual. The grilled cheese your mother packed is tasty. That night, you work diligently on calc homework. It's interesting enough. You like school, and you're a good student; by now you've practically forgotten all about your smelly mishap this morning. You still take a long, cold shower and fetch a tight belt for your pants tomorrow. Your black pants feel a bit tight the next day, but you pull them up fine. Another usual lunch passes. Then you're back in calculus, last period today, and you're diligently taking notes. It's only a second of warning. There's discontent in your bowels, and you think it'll pass or you'll head to the restroom, but your control slips. Hot mush fills your pants, squished by the chair. You've shit yourself. Run, you think. But smells wafts through air fast, and your toxic fumes are released. Everyone's eyes are on you, including the professor's. Your eyes water. They're gagging and giggling simultaneously. “Ew, gross!” Two days in a row, this time a poop…these furs must hate you. "Simon, would you like to---" "Yes, I excuse myself." You duck out, holding the back of your pants up with your paws, hoping none of the shit will touch you. As you open the door, you notice again that same skunk in the back smirking. Couldn't other animals leave you alone? Even somefur like Philip is judging you! You present yourself so well all the time. Why are you messing up everything now? You didn't bring a change of clothes---who would at this age?---so you do your best to remove that disgusting gunk out of your tighty whities. Just take a remote path, avoid eye contact, and you can get home. Your friends will hear all about this... Thank god your parents aren’t home. You take the longest shower you've ever had, the temperature set a little warmer than you usually like it. You feel bad for using so much water. In the corner of your eye, you do notice your dusty fur turning a bit darker around your butt, but you don’t make much of it. It’s the least of your problems. You really go to the bathroom the next day before school. Pee, poop: you get it all out of your system. And it works! Nothing goes wrong in math class. At lunch, the group was a little worried how you were doing, but otherwise they chatted amongst themselves. In the halls, some classmates give you concerned glances; maybe you were too hard on yourself yesterday. They're not all making fun of you. You're a valued member of your community. You're a good student, and you know you’re proud of that. The chemistry lab later feels a bit more difficult than expected, and you find your brain feels a bit foggy, but otherwise the day went alright. So you're very certain the next day you'll be dry. You walk into end-of-the-day calculus period with utter confidence. It shocks you, then, when your belly gurgles. You feel tension below. Then it releases. Splurt! Your just start crapping yourself. Stop it, Simon, stop it! But you keep on crapping. Your classmates are disgusted and jolt out of their seats, backing off to the edge of the room, except that skunk Philip, of course. Your butt does not care. It keeps on pooping and crapping and your pants sag way the heck off the chair. You're crying, but simultaneously, it feels so good. This is not what a student like you should think! You hear a Snap! and your belt flies off, slamming into the wall right next to Mr. Green. Your tail rips through the small tail hole. Is it getting larger, bushier? It thwacks a chair over. Your ass shows no sign of stopping. You keep on shitting yourself as you finally get yourself to stand and run out the room. How will you ever return from that? The nurse tells you what you expected. After your incident, you're required to wear diapers. "Don't worry," she says. Ms. Bell is a long weasel known for a big heart. "Some animals need diapies, and it's nothing to be ashamed of!" She's also known for being patronizing. You cringe. A strong student like you shouldn't wear diapers nor have accidents like this. And will you fit them inside your neat pants? Everyone will see the budge. But everyone's likely heard of your incidents at this point. You're going to be known as that poopy boy dog for the next month. The nurse recommends some brands on the way out, and you begrudgingly jot notes. She provides a couple diapers. Why do those soft white things have to look so comfy… On the way home, you're thinking, what was up with your tail? The nurse told you not to worry; body changes happen when you're experience bowel destress. But you're very confused by it. You'll have to cut a larger tail hole in your pants tonight. “We got a call from the school,” your father says as you hang your coat up. It’s small on you with the curves you’ve got growing in. You don’t know how to respond. “To say we’re disappointed is an understatement,” he continues. “Dad, I’m sorry! It was an accident!” “How can an accident that bad happen?” your mom says and sighs. She’s reclining on the green reupholstered chair in the living room, your dad lying on the brown couch. “You should’ve told us about yesterday’s incident. You don’t need to keep secrets from us, you got that Simon?” “I know. I’m sorry.” “We love you,” Mom says. “This is just so hard to believe. My son, wearing those again?” She sips from her tea mug. You’re looking at the carpeted floor. “Can I be excused to my room? I’ll go put my lunch box away.” “Yes, dinner will be at 6,” Dad says. At dinner, They later agree to purchase some "protective underwear" (you all know its diapers). Your mother locks eyes and comforts you, saying she knows your behavior will improve. You’re on your third bowl of pasta and your mom demands you eat your broccoli first. Damn you’re hungry. Maybe if you eat less, you’d poop less. Or if you eat more, you’ll poop more. You shake the thought away. *** "They're so big" is your first thought dressing the next day. The wrinkled texture is obvious on your kacki pant's back rise. So easily could the diaper's hem peep out, too. Your butt was not this big yesterday. You tuck your white buttoned shirt in and opt for suspenders today. That should keep the diaper in. Your now thick, increasingly striped tail swishes. A couple murmurs, but today's overall gone swimmingly. You almost forget you have the diapers when a certain skunk slides up behind you in the hall. "Ooh, nice! Diapers are the best. Whatch'ya you have on?" Philip speaks with a raspy, toothy lisp. A Charmander plushie dangles on a keychain from his backpack. No, stop it! You shouldn't associate with him. But he's too fast. He pulls down the pants, stretching the suspenders. The plain white diaper shows. "Ooh, that's a good brand. The nurse knows the best stuff. I like ABUs a bit more, though. You got to try them. Holds my poop real well." He grins, eyes gleaming behind his glasses, and he gives a big, smelly hug. You try to wiggle out. Every animal is looking at you now, pointing at your big diaper on your big butt. You want to run. Philip wasn't the brightest animal on the block. Friendly sure, a huge Pokémon nerd, but not your type. You were an academic animal. You weren't a diapered slob. Except at this point, you kind of were. You're confused. You didn't want to be like Philip. But something about being a smelly animal sounded interesting. You're about to be free from his embrace and it's the worst possible timing. A gurgle, but there's practically no warning. A huge log of shit tumbles into your diaper. Despite the suspenders, the back starts to weigh down. Philip squeals with delight. No, don't impress him! All the cats and bunnies and other animals are pointing now laughing. Like yesterday, you can't stop. You keep pushing, stiffening your arms, and it unfortunately feels so good. You like this. You feel your muzzle become stouter somehow. Was your tail getting longer again? Your belly then gets rounder, and your thighs chubbier and mushier. "Oh that's good," Philip says. "Just push it out. You'll feel so much better. Gee, we should be friends!" He walks around behind you, puts his skunk snout right into your diapered behind. "Ahh, that's the stuff. Super fresh and smelly. See you later, stinky pal!" You're not a stinky pal. You don't want to be a stinky pal. Then why did it feel so good to have his muzzle push your poop into your fat ass? You shudder as you try to avoid thinking along this line further. The crowd slowly disperses. Pulling up your pants, you walk along to class. You'll change later. The smell's a bit nice, and maybe your peers won't mind. Philip had a point. Students scootch their desks away in calculus class, but you don't mind it. They seem to smile at you. Even if the smell makes them gag, they think you're kind of cute. A laughing stock, but cute. You have a quiz today, and you know you did worse than you usually do. But it doesn't bother you. Grades feel just a little less important in your head. You smush your butt around in your pampy. Nice and squishy, and still a tad warm too. You blush. You hated the idea of diapers yesterday, but you could get used to this. Others roll their eyes looking at you but still smile. You're just a diapered smelly animal. They do this sometimes. They just love their diapers. When the bell rings and you stand, you swing your pudgy arms rapidly to stop yourself from falling. Was the desk always that cramped? No, it wasn't. You're getting fatter. Dumber and fatter, you reckon. That sounds good. ---No! This isn't how you used to think! Snap out of it! But why fight whatever's "corrupting" you when it sounds so perfect and stupid? That night, you're brushing your teeth and notice yourself in the mirror. Your rounder ears, your forming white stripes: no doubt about it, you're becoming a skunk. A gross, dumb, fat, disgusting skunk. You're not surprised. Everything you've been doing, from each poop all the way back to that massive fart, has been skunk behavior. And you're only going to get skunkier. You pee yourself at the thought, your diapered front turning yellow from your little penis. You drool. You're a skunk boy. It sounds more and more nice and you. You should talk to that Phlip fellow more. He could give you some tips on stupid skunk life. You can’t let your parents know you actually like all this, though. You smile bright when your mom tucks you in to bed. There's something you need to sleep. Where is it? You jump out of the covers and then dig behind your bed into the mess of papers, and of course you're pooping and peeing your diaper as well. And there it is! Your stuffed Anteater. You bring it to your snout and slobber all on it. It's now sopping, but you provide her a massive hug. She's your best friend. You jump into bed in your unchanged diaper and let your scent wafer around the room. Just a good smelly skunk under his covers. You snooze quickly. *** You don't even bother wearing clothes the next day. Your diaper is so pretty and happy on its own, and no clothes makes it easier for the nurse to check your diaper. Today, a massive diaper sags behind you on the floor full of your very own hot poop as you drool. Your skunk conversion is almost complete. Nobody would ever think you were a dog or smart again. You're an extremely poopy, stinky, kind, adorable skunk friend. Walking down the hall, students wave and smile, pinching their noses. They think you're cute! You haven't pooped today yet, but you're farting. They're so explosive now, and you can breathe in poop droplets in the air. There's so tasty; you take a deep breath to get as much as you can. You're a biohazard now, but super sweet. A river of drool winds behind you, so a wet floor sign is placed. A janitor gives you a thumbs up as they start mopping up your drool. You giggle and drool some more. You shit yourself and hug your Anteater stuffy you brought. It's hard to sniff out Phil over the stench of your diaper, but you find him. He's grunting and pooping himself. "Simon!" Philip says, waddling towards you. "Looking awesome. You're a skunk like me!" He's drooling too and holds up a paw to high four. His diaper is also to the floor, swollen with his fine poop. He bends his arms and lets out a loud fart. "Yeah!" Your butt lets out a little toot. "Wanna have a play date sometime?" That word came out so naturally. Strange. "YES! I'm so happy you asked!" He gives a big fat hug to your now black and white pudgy belly. "I got smash and Pokémon and lots of games. Let's come over to my house! Maybe tomorrow? I'd ask my mommy." You don't remember the last time you've been to someone's houses. When was the last time you hung out with your other friends? Those friends you only talked to at lunch. The playdate sounds really nice, and you drool at the thought. "Sure!" Meanwhile, the adults in the room walk around you in the hallway, eyes locked on their destinations. Despite your sharded monochrome fur, you two are the color in the room. "Here's my phone number," Philip says. He scribbles it onto an index card. "Text me if you need help finding my home!" In class the next day you're at your desk, and you can't focus. Your pencil refuses to connect with the page. Meanwhile, you're crapping. The diaper is expanding down beyond your chair. This is what life should be. You feel your intelligence literally pushing itself into the seat of your diaper. Your smarts are draining while you keep pooing. You're a bit anxious at what this means for school, but why should you care when you're so much happier now? You've got a playdate upcoming with Phil! You don't need to be stressed because you don't need to think about stuff that doesn't matter. Just be happy and play and push. Skunks don't think; they stink. You giggle to yourself and smush your mess all around. You're a good skunk. You still had to wonder: why you, why now? But thinking was hard. You didn't need to question this. You sit at your usual lunch table. No one comes. You check your watch. It’s 5 past now. They should be here. Where’s the group? You get up, walk around. Everyone’s eating, but they’re used to autistic kids walking around. You see them. The group is at a different table chatting. There’s still an empty seat. Maybe you didn’t know about the switch? “Can I join?” you ask through your big teeth. “Uh, sure,” a fox says. They don’t talk the rest of lunch. You’re not clueless. You feel icky inside. You’ll sit with Philip tomorrow. That sounds better. Later, you dread math class. What's the point of it? There's no snuggling nor playing. Your other classes at least let you socialize. But the day would end soon enough, and then you'd go to Phil's house for the playdate! Your parents would be a bit suspicious where you were, since you usually come home right after school to attempt starting your homework. So you text them the truth. They've wanted you to find actual friends anyhow. They don't need to know your friend is this skunk. The hours crawl by, but school is done. Philip went home on his own to get things ready. You're outside the house now, and you ring the doorbell. When was the last time you went somewhere new? A tall chubby skunk opens the door. "Hello!" she says. "You must be the new friend Philip has been telling me so much about it. I'm his mother. I feel honored to meet you!" You can't help but notice a diaper peeking out under her green dress. She needs one too? "Uh, yeah." "Come on in! Philip's on the couch waiting. I'll prepare you two some smoothies while you play." "Thank you, miss." You want to hate her overbearingness, but it feels kind of nice. "Oh, call me Samantha. Or Philip's mommy, if you prefer. Jess is Philip's momma. We differentiate that way." She laughs. You're not sure who Jess is, but a voice disrupts this thought. "SIMON!!" Philip says. In the entertainment room, he's got all the shades drawn and the happiest grin on his snout. His diaper takes up half the couch. You run towards him on plop on the couch. You each give a big hug. You can't help it! Is this how good real friendship feels? Why don't your main friends meet up, let alone hug each other? "I got Smash ready! And of course the GameCub controllers~" he points to an elaborate setup with a GameCub adapter you've only heard of in internet discourse. "Oh cool. I've never played Smash, so sorry if I'm awful." "You've NEVER PLAYED SMASH?" he says. Drool leaks from his muzzle in his shock. "Okay, we need to fix this. I call Pikachu." You're in the middle of a match when Samantha walks in. Philip grumpily pauses the game. "Who wants apple and banana smoothies!" "Me! Me!" Philip say. His mother bends down and gives him a kiss. He grabs the smoothie and starts slurping on the metal straw. "And for you," she says as she paws you one. Not to be rude, you take a slurp immediately. "This is so good!" you say. "I know, my mommy makes the best smoothies" Philip says proudly through his drinking. There had to be a catch here. Your mother would’ve told you to get your own drink, lazy butt. Here, Philip is playing and his mother provides him a snack. It’s really sweet, but maybe unnatural. Your parents have the right smart parenting, you know that. You play for hours. Prime homework times passes, though it's not like you would've gotten yourself started anyways by now. You're falling into it. You're maining Kirby, slurping on Samantha's apple and banana smoothie, and you love it. You never had any consoles at home because your parents said they're time suckers. But this is amazing! "Another match! Another match!" you shout. "Of course, bud!" Philip says. "Actually," Samantha says, now in front of the TV, "It's Philip's feeding time. You can join if you want. I'll give diaper changes afterwards!~" She sings Feeding time? Before you can respond, Samantha squishes herself between you and Philip. No, you’re a friend! But then the strangest thing happens. She pulls off her dress, revealing her loose thighs. She has massive breasts, and Philip happily latches. His muzzle starts moving. No, no, no, no... You don't want to be rude, but you can't join this. She's not your mother. Despite how nice she is, your parents are at 17 Banyard's Street and you should return home. You sit there and watch curiously. Nursing, at this age? But Phil really loves it. You hear purrs and grunts between his suckles. It's so intimate. You drool a bit. Maybe you could ask your mom to play a board game or something. But you know she finds them boring. You hear a squelch, and you notice Philip's mother stiffen a bit. She can't have pooped herself, can she? But she is, and is still doing so. Philip is nursing his mother as she messes herself. He's likely to mess himself soon after. It's really sweet. "I'm home!" a voice sounds from the front door. You see a yellow cat approach. Your eyes are trained now, and beneath black pants is a diaper bulge. This must be Jess, Philip's other mom. You wonder how your parents would act around these two. “They’re corrupting lunatics!” you can hear you dad shout. "Awww," Jess says. She leans a paw against a doorway beam. "Looks like two are a bit busy right now. And who are you?" "...I'm Philip's friend." "A friend! Philip has a friend? That's wonderful!" Jess says. Samanatha gives her a look that means business. Jess controls herself. "I mean, of course Philip has a friend. We're so happy to have you over." She yawns. "I'm beat from work, but I can help make dinner later, Sammy." Fudge, it’s late! "Oh my, I've got to get home! Family dinner and stuff." "Would you like a ride?" Samantha has Philip detach himself, much to his disappoint. You don't want to trouble them, but a ride would lessen how late you are and in return how mad your parents will be. "Yeah, that would be nice. *** "A new friend," your father says as he stab a big fork into steak. "Yeah," you lisp. Your plate has steak, a salad, and mashed potatoes. Only the mashed potatoes looks particularly appetizing. Are your tastes changing, too? "We got a call from the school," your mother says. You freeze. You want to grab your anteater stuffy from your backpack and hug her tight so bad. Oh gosh, what did they say? She continues. "They want to place you in Special Ed classes. Says that a skunk like you needs extra help. Your grades are slipping." Special Ed? You were in those classes back in elementary. They tried to teach you to socialize, but really you missed class time and felt ostracized. You can't go back there! "No child of mine will be a skunk," your dad says after a big bit. "I don't care how your body is changing. You're a dog and you better act like it." Run. You want to run so bad. You're not a dog: you're a skunk. Stop talking, stop talking. You cover your ears. "No listen to me, young man," your father snaps. "If your grades don't improve, we're kicking you out. You're an adult, and if you don't want to value your education, maybe it's time for you to experience the real world. You got that?" Please stop. You're wailing now. What a baby you've become... "Oh stop your crying," your mother says. “You’re a grown-up.” "You got it?" your dad asks. "Yes! I understand!" "Good," he says. "Get your act together, Simon. I'm not fucking kidding." He talks as he chews. "And put some clothes on, for God's sakes." Your mother smiles again and turns to your dad. "So how was work, Mark?" *** You sit down next to Philip in Special Ed. Of course he's here, too. You're kinda glad about that. You're wearing a collared shirt with a tie. The fabric is spreading between the buttons due to the weight you've put on, but you overall look professional. Your diaper is hidden under your pants, and there's only a wetting in there as far as you're aware. "Woah Simon, what's with the getup?" he says. The teacher hasn't walked in yet. "I'm trying to be mature again. I was taking this skunk thing too far." You sigh. "Maybe you should too---we could be friends that way. I could show you to my parents!" Philip shakes his head. "Snap out of it, Simon! This isn't you. You're a good skunk and you know it!" "Only since a week ago." "And it's been a great week! I'm so glad I wished for us to be friends." Your ears pop up. You’re sweating. "...What do you mean, wish?" "Oh," Philip chuckles. He picks his nose a bit. "I went to the library, which I normally only do to get Sonic comics, and found a silly spellbook I thought meant nothing. The page I flipped to said the spell could fulfill your dreams, so I wished we could be friends. I only realized yesterday at the playdate that the spell made you more skunky too, huh!" "You did what!?" You're steaming as you wet yourself. "Did you know you ruined my life? I was one of the best students in this school. Now I've got shit for brains and my parents are pissed!" You laugh to clam down. "Well, at least I know a way to maybe fix this, if that book has some counter spell." "Heh, pissed." Philip laughs. You just stare. "Sorry, bad time?" he says. "I didn't think it would actually do anything! "And how could I know it would skunkify you?" "Well of course it did. Only a skunk would be friends with you." Crap, you said that. And you can't take it back. Philip's breaking. His eyes start watering. Then he wails. "My momma is friends with me, and she's a cat. I thought you liked being a skunk. You were so much happier. You looked sad in class before and I thought you needed a friend." “I wasn’t sad! I loved class!” Yet did you still? Some other Special Ed kids are looking at you both now. The conflict had gotten loud. "But it's obviously wrong," you say. The teacher walks in, and you turn away from Philip. He's still looking at you, though. You can feel his eyes. The class consisted of making figures out of shaving cream to express how you feel. Philip kept wanting to show you his creation, but you ignored him. This was training to be a stronger dog. You barely make it to the bathroom in time to mess in a toilet for once. You spend your afternoons the next few days looking for that spellbook in the town library. You hadn't thought magic was real, but here you are searching for witchcraft and again ignoring your homework. The math problems had been so hard lately, and as much as you knew it was giving into your variety of skunkhood, you procrastinated on it. Your searches held no fruit. That book was nowhere. Shelved somewhere among the countless books, or perhaps sent to another branch. You head home once to find a suitcase packed by the door. "You're moving out," your mother says calmly from the kitchen. "What?" you stammer. "You heard her," your father says. He's in the living room playing a game on his tablet. "The house stinks, you look awful. We're sending you out. Go lose some weight, get a job. It'll do you some good. Then you can finish school." "Please, daddy, pwease! I'm twying weallyth hard!" You have a classic skunk lisp now from your large buck teeth. "Well it's not enough," your father says. "I expect great improvement from you." You don't know to process this. It's horrible. You're tearing up as you run upstairs to gather whatever you need most. (It's mostly your studded animals.) You can't fit all your diapers, so you hope whatever you go has them. Where are you going? A hotel? A park? You're shaking. You're too small for this. You're just a little skunk. Madly you rip off all the suit and tie you had forced yourself into. What's the point when it didn't work? Your parents don't want you. You realize who you need to call. No, would he even want to talk? He had every right to reject you after you told him off. He skunified you accidentally, but shouldn't have said the stuff you said. But you needed something. It was the only light you knew. You dig into your contacts---how long would your parents pay for your phone plan?---and find Philip. You didn't have many contacts. You pause for the longest time before a bean taps call. "Oh, hi Simon! How you feeling?" His tone seems fine. "I'm okay. But I need a place to stay. My parents are kicking me out. I know we just fought, but---" "They're kicking you out!? They can't do that!" "They can. I'm 19. They said the real world would do me some good." "The real world is with friends. Hang on, I'm getting my mommies." You hear some shuffling and some muffled dialogue. Then Philip picks up the phone again. "Mommy can drive over to pick you up. Are you packed?" "Yeah," you say. You look to your still made bed and your oak dresser with worn clothes. There's a lot in this room you wouldn't be taking. "Aren't you mad at me?" "Nah, it's hard being a skunk boy. I understand." He pauses for a bit. "I wish more animals were nice like my mommies. They're a lot nicer about me needing diapies." "They do seem good with it," you say. "Listen," Philip says. "I'm sorry that I made you a skunk. I didn't mean to, but it happened. But I hope we can still be friends." You know some magic beyond comprehension played into all this. But right now, being his friend was what sounded worth living for. You pee yourself. "I really want that." *** Your parents said nothing when you walked outside and entered Samantha's car. It was the same one she had dropped you off in only a few days ago. But now you were being taken to her home. "Simon, I'm so, so sorry your parents are treating you this way. No parent should. As a mother, it's enraging to see." "Thanks, Samantha." You see the trees whip by. Cold air flows in by the October breeze. "Jess and I are happy to help. Stay as long as you need. We can get an extra bed. You can even call us momma and mommy if you'd like." "I—" you don't know how to respond. "I'm not your child. I'm a failed dog who was cursed to be a skunk. And for some reason, I like it." Despite everything happening, you admit this to yourself. You like being a skunk. You're a good boy. You can feel a fart coming. You're still crying from earlier. "Philip told us about that," Samantha says with a sigh. She looks at your through the rearview mirror genuinely, then back at the road. "What he did was wrong, magic-ing your mind like that. As much as we wanted him to find friends, that's not the way to do it. We can find the book for you." "No," you say nervously, scratching your fuzzy arm. "I don't want it. I want to be a skunk. And I want to be friends with Philip." "You sure?," Mommy says. “If you change your mind, we can look for it.” You wipe away some tears and drool. “I’m swure for now." You pull at the lot, and Momma and Philip are on the front porch. Philip stumbles forward to give you a hug. "Simon! You're here!" You hug back tight in return. "Yeah! I am here. I am okay!" It's so much to think about. Mommy and Momma start talking to each other. "We get to have an eternal playdate," Philip says. "We can be brothers! Isn't the awesome? We get to play with all the time!" You think about what your future here means. Protection from the horrors of homelessness. Snacks and cuddles with Philip. Nursing on your mothers. Family movie nights and lots of hugs. "Yeah," you say. "It is awesome." You smile. Philip dances in circles around you. Your mommies hold the door open, and you two skunk boys head inside to play and sleep.

WOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Here we are with another one-off story that suddenly came to me! It's a fun idea that I had that wouldn't go away until I actually started writing it! Brand Ambassadorable by Panther Cub "Ooooooooooh, Valoooooorieeeeeee..." The feminine voice echoed a bit through the copse of trees. The vixen was working on controlling her breathing as she ran, ducking under low-hanging branches and hopping over exposed roots and fallen logs. Mentally, Valorie was glad that she had maintained her running regimen. Granted, it was mainly to help her maintain her toned body and stay slim, but still, the stamina was proving quite useful in keeping some distance between herself and the source of the voice calling her name. And to think that the only reason she had gone running in the first place tonight was to shake off some stress. Coming to a little clearing, she slowed to a light jog, taking a moment to look around and get her bearings. Recognizing the pond with the stump next to it, she knew that if she continued to head west, she'd be home free in no time. And I can forget all about this stupid idea, she thought to herself. She picked the pace back up, her orange ears twitching at the sound of crunching twigs and leaves behind her rapidly growing louder. She started pumping her legs a bit harder, wincing as some brambles caught her navy blue athletic shorts and light blue tank-top, creating little tears in both. "Quit acting like such a baby!" The voice called out, now closer. Oh great, she's locked onto my scent! Valorie cursed at herself under her breath. "That's why I'm running! And I don't plan on acting like one anytime soon!" She called back over her shoulder. Looking ahead, she could see it. Her house! Heading straight for it, she was too focused on the figure behind her to notice the second one hiding in a bush on the side of the path until it was too late. A large dark figure leapt out from the brush and tackled the vixen to the ground. Valorie yipped and hissed and scratched, but it was no use. Her upper paws were pinned to the forest floor as she was forced onto her back, staring up first at the twinkling stars visible in the openings in the leafy canopy above, and then into the triumphantly smiling face of her sister, Candice. Mandy, having been hot on Valorie's trail, was soon joining them, taking a minute to catch her breath. Both were wearing similar flannel shirts and jean shorts. "Damn, Val, I was worried we weren't gunna get ya!" Many said, straightening up and giving both of them a thumbs up. Candice And Many were both very large timber wolves, with similar gray, black, and light brown fur colorations. "Let me go!" Val whined, ineffectually kicking her legs. She hated how much larger than her Candice and Mandy were. Of course, she was a fox and they were wolves, so it's not as though the natural size difference wasn't understandable. "Oh no, baby sister!" Candice said with a roll of her eyes. "Not until we're done pitching our idea to Dad and Mom! And for that, one of us needs to get into character!" The she-wolf pinning the smaller canid down looked over to their sister, who winked and padded a satchel resting against her hip. With the tear of velcro, the flap was opened, and something rolled up was tossed to Candice, who caught it in her free paw. Unrolling it revealed a rectangle that, even in the sparse light of the moon, was a loud and bright pink with glittery flower designs set into it. Once it was unfurled on the ground next to Val, she found herself transferred on top of its cushiony surface, her arms re-pinned above her head once she was set on it. "We don't have to do this!" Valorie looked around, seeing Mandy approaching while digging into the satchel. She pulled out a folded up white rectangle that the vixen zeroed in on, barely noticing the canister that was also pulled out and set down next to her. "Val, will you stop being so immature? It's just a diaper." Candice sighed and rolled her eyes, grabbing and gently sliding off Val's shorts and panties. "Yeah? Then why don't you go and put a diaper on yourself?!" "Because you're the smallest--" Candice started, before she was cut off by Mandy. "And the cutest!" Mandy giggled and knelt down next to the changing pad. She gripped Valorie's ankles and used her free paw to grab the baby powder, liberally dusting Valorite's soon-to-be diaper area. "Is that necessary?!" "A clean and good-smelling baby is a happy baby!" "I'm not a baby!" The blushing vixen said as her powdered bottom was gently laid down onto an even more cushiony and lightly crinkling surface. She froze as Candice brought the front of the diaper up and snugly taped it into place. The girls rolled Valorie over to secure her tail through the hole in the back and apply the tape right above the base of said tail, before releasing her. She quickly scrambled to her feet and stepped back, the diaper wrapped around her waist forcing her to step with a slight waddle as she looked down at the bright green paw prints decorating it. It had darker green around the leg gathers and the landing strip. "If it's any consolation, that's a Pawpers Size 6 diaper for wolf pups!" Mandy said, her tail thumping against a nearby tree. "Why would I want to know that?!" Valorie huffed, blushing at the thought that even at age 18 she still fit perfectly into a diaper made for actual wolf babies and toddlers. "And what's to stop me from just ripping this dumb thing off and running back home?" "You mean, aside from running around in the bright moonlight with no bottoms on where the neighbors can potentially see you before you make it into the house?" Valorie winced at that, not having thought of that. She looked around and couldn't see her shorts or underwear, so assumed either Candice or Mandy had taken them. "Then how about the fact that this could really help Dad?" Mandy asked, making her eyes look larger and more watery, having always been a master of the puppy eyes. "... You two are crazy if you think that this is going to work." Val huffed and crossed her arms, silently swearing to shave her sisters' tails if anyone saw her like this. "It's better than trying nothing!" Candice insisted, paws on her hips. "So you look a little silly for a picture or two? At least you'll actually be helping the family since Dad lost his job." The diapered vixen winced at that. Ever since their father's family photography business went under, financially the family hadn't been doing too well. Val knew this and felt guilty about still trying to pursue her dream career as a model, but had reasoned, at least to herself, that when she made it big, she could help out the family easily. "Plus, there's no way we're not gunna win the contest!" Mandy practically cheered, walking over and scooping the shocked Val into her arms, causing the vixen to let out a yip of surprise. A paw firmly resting underneath Val's padded bottom, Mandy held her sister to her chest, looking down at the fox in her arms. "Val, you're cute. I'm sorry, but you are just ridiculously adorable. Always have been, always will be. And dressed up like a baby? That's multiplying your cute factor by, like, 1,000! Combine that with Dad's skill as a photographer, and we're gunna win that $10,000 grand prize!" Val let out a whine and hung her head. "Ugh... fiiiiine! But after we get this over and done with, we never speak of it again!" Candice giggled and shook her head. "Sorry, baby sister, but this is just too cute not to talk about. Heck, you should consider yourself lucky that we're not gunna ask Dad to make some of the pics into postcards to send out to the rest of the family at Christmas!" Val wanted to argue more, but the gentle rubbing of her back from Mandy was helping her to calm down a bit. Still in her sister's arms, they walked the rest of the way back to their house, the diminutive canid internally grumbling the entire way. * * * "... So let me get this straight," Shaun said, rubbing his temples. The middle-aged fluffy white arctic wolf in the khaki slacks and the light blue polo shirt looked over his three daughters, his eyes zeroing in once again on Valorie, standing there and shuffling her feet nervously, wearing just a pink t-shirt and a diaper; and sighed. "You three saw an ad for the Pawpers company, for a photo contest. With the goal of recreating a classic Pawpers ad from back in the 80s or 90s, and the winner receiving $10,000, you decided that your sister should dress up like a baby and pose for it?" "We know that money is tight right now..." Candice said, rubbing her arm, trailing off at the stern expression on their father's face. "Plus, it's a chance for you to get some more exposure! You're a great photographer, Daddy!" Mandy chimed in, her tail tucking itself between her legs. "A-and with how cute Val is... we'd probably win..." "I think it's a wonderful idea!" Four pairs of eyes snapped to the source of the voice to see another she-wolf, closer in age to Shaun but with the same fur coloration as Candice and Mandy, sitting on the couch, her tail wagging so fast that it was a blur thumping against the cushions. She was wearing a simple white blouse and a pair of well-worn jeans. "Honey?" Shaun looked a bit confused. Celia hopped up from the couch to walk over and scoop Valorie into her arms, cradling and cooing at the vixen. "All my girls are so pretty, but Valorie, you never stopped being as cute as a button like when you were just a little baby girl! Who's a pretty baby princess? Is it you? I think it is!" Val blushed at the cooing and babytalk and was about to voice her own misgivings... when her mother pulled up the pink shirt a bit to start blowing a loud raspberry onto the exposed white fuzzy tummy. Instead, Valorie squealed and giggled and kicked her legs, calming down again only after Celia took a seat with her still in her arms, now rocking the vixen. "That's my precious wittle baby! OOOOOH! If you pose for the pictures, then with your father taking them, we'll be bound to win!" "You really think so, Celia?" Shaun asked, now rubbing his chin and looking thoughtful. "Of course!" "Hmm... what do you think, Val? Are you okay with this whole arrangement?" Shaun asked while walking over and gently prying his smallest daughter away from his wife, with only a bit of a difficulty. He held her up in his paws under her arms. She gave him a sour look before exhaling. "Yeah. Plus, this could be my big ticket to becoming a model." Shaun chuckled and smiled, his fluffy white tail slowly swishing back and forth. "Okay... I start setting up all the props and background and such up in my office. Girls," he said while addressing Candice and Mandy "can I see the ad we'll be recreating?" Mandy nodded and gleefully reached into her back pocket to pull out a rolled up magazine, opening it to the page. Shaun looked it over and looked at Val. "Hmm... well, the outfit's a match. And I think I have just the props. Okay ladies, just give me a few minutes and we can knock this out of the park!" "YAY!" Mandy said, taking Val from their father's arms and setting her against her hip. "Hoo-ray," Val said sarcastically. A short while of being fussed over by her mother and sisters, including Mandy absentmindedly tugging out the back of her diaper for a quick check like she does for little cousin Emma when babysitting, and Shaun returned. Looking excited, he took Valorie into his arms and carried her back to his study, stopping just outside the door. "Are you sure that you're okay with this, pumpkin?" Val looked up into her father's eyes and blushed. "Yeah... I'm sure." Shaun planted a gentle kiss on her forehead and pushed open the door. Val looked around and saw that his desk had been shoved to the side, the magazine open right at the ad. Looking closer from where she was in Shaun's arms, Val could see that the pic was of a little vixen kit standing next to a box of crayons and a coloring book. They had a green crayon in their paw and had drawn some squiggles on the white wall of the room they were in, with the vixen looking back and smiling, only a few milk teeth visible. Above it was the caption. "Babies make messes, one way or another. With Pawpers Heavy-Dooty, you can at least keep the worst of them contained." "Well... I guess it could be worse..." "Yup! There's one ad that takes place in the middle of a diaper change." Shaun set Valorie onto the floor next to a splayed open coloring book and... a box of crayons. Sighing, Val grabbed a simple green one and started to make a squiggle, doing her best to get it to look similar to the one she had just seen. Behind her, she heard her father adjusting equipment and objects. With a couple of clicks, and some brighter lights were now shining on the diapered vixen. "Okay, sweetie. Can you turn to face the camera for a moment?" Val complied, hearing several clicks. "Good job. Now we just need to experiment for a bit with your facial expressions." Doing as she was told, Val made a number of similar expressions, her annoyance slowly rising. However, she figured that as a model, she would have to perform repetitive actions with all sorts of variations all the time, which allowed her to push down any negative emotions and focus only on doing a satisfactory job. "Alright, that was perfect!" Shaun said, heading over to his computer to upload the images from his phone. Taking the hint she didn't need to pose anymore, Val simply plopped down to the hardwood floor on her padded posterior. Getting back to her feet, she waddle-walked over to her father and tried to hop onto his desk like usual. Instead, just as she was ready to hop, he simply picked her up and sat her on his lap. "Here we are, sweetie! The six best pics!" Val looked up at the monitor screen, her eyes going wide. If it weren't for the size difference and having all her adult teeth, she looked like the spitting image of the baby fox from the original ad. Clicking on the bottom middle one, Shaun grinned. "I think we've got a winner, Val! What do you think?" Shun looked down just as Val looked up, his smile proving to be infectious. "I think this one looks the best, Daddy," Val said, pointing to the current enlarged pic. In it, her eyes shone with excitement that, now that she could see it for herself, Val was shocked to find a twinkle of mischief and pure joy on her own face that looked far more genuine that it had felt when she was making the face. One Month Later... "Seriously, Mom?!" Celia looked away from the batch of sugar cookie dough she was rolling to see Valorie looking up at her with a sour expression on her face. Celia was wearing a simple blue sundress, whereas Val was wearing a bright yellow skirt-all over a white t-shirt. The skirt-all had a smiling butterfly on the chest. "What's the matter, sweetie?" Celia asked, concerned. Val simply rolled her eyes before gesturing to her outfit. "Why was this in my closet?!" Val put her paws on her hips. "Hmm? Oh! That was your cousin Emma's favorite play outfit, but thanks to her recent growth spurt, it's too small for her. So your Auntie Kay and Uncle Ryan sent that over." Valorie winced at that. Being the exact same size as her three year old cousin was bad enough, but now learning that said cousin was already bigger than her? It was another point of embarrassment for the vixen. "Well, I'm too old for hand-me-downs! Especially ones that come from younger family members!" Val stomped her foot and looked up at her mother in frustration, but Celia could only chuckle at the cute pout Val was making. "Sweetie, if you don't like it, then why did you put it on?" Val blushed a bit. "All my other clothes are in the laundry! I didn't have anything else to wear." "Well, if it's any consolation, honey, it looks adorable on you." Val crossed her arms and started stomping away. "Does this mean you don't want a cookie? The first batch was cool enough to ice, sweetheart." Val's ears twitched and she did a quick u-turn, stomping her way back to the large she-wolf. Val silently held up a paw, awaiting her promised cookie. "Honey, what do we say?" Celia asked, wagging a finger. Val huffed and rolled her eyes, puffing out her cheeks a bit. "May I please have a cookie?" The vixen was rewarded with a star-shaped treat, green icing slathered on top. She scurried off with it while Celia chuckled. Her ears twitched at the sound of the doorbell suddenly ringing. Having finished off her cookie, unaware that she had some green icing smeared around her muzzle, Val, being nearest the front door, made a beeline right for it. "I got it!" Valorie called out, smoothing out her colorful skirtall before reaching for the door knob. She opened the door to find a gigantic tigress smiling down at her. Val felt her tail tuck itself in between her legs as she felt a sense of authority practically radiating off the much larger feline, who was dressed in a charcoal gray skirt suit. "Oh my goodness," the tigress said with a purr, quickly reaching down and picking Valorie up from under the arms with her massive paws. The vixen felt frozen as the tigress gazed at her. "You look just even more adorable in person!" "Val, baby? Who is it?" Celia asked, walking into the living room. She spotted the large female holding up her littlest girl and rapidly made her way over, practically snatching the vixen away to cradle in her arms. "May I help you?" Celia asked, side-eyeing the stranger. The tigress smiled warmly and extended a paw. "Lisa Stripleton. I'm a representative of Pawpers Inc." After shaking Celia's paw, she handed her a business card with the Pawpers logo on the top right corner. "May I come in?" "Oh, my," Celia said, at a loss for words. She nodded and moved aside to allow the large feline into their home. They got settled on the couch, now with Val sitting on her mother's lap. "First and foremost, I'm here to inform you and your family that your submission for our contest for our up-and-coming Nostalgia line of diapers was selected as the winner and to award you with the ten thousand dollar prize!" Celia was then handed a check that made both her and Valerie do double-takes. "W-we won?" Val asked, receiving a ruffling of her headfur in response. "You sure did, cutie! Why, the picture was such amazing quality, that we're actually interested in offering the photographer a job with our company!" "Wait... WHAT?!" Valorie asked, blown away that this whole hairbrained scheme... actually worked! "That's right, honey-pie! A Mr. Shaun Howler was the photographer, correct?" Lisa turned to ask Celia. Everything about this woman made Val feel so... small. "Is he here?" "H-he's out doing a little grocery shopping with our other daughters," Celia stammered, having subconsciously shifted Val so that she could now start bouncing the vixen on her knee. "Well that's alright. We can make an appointment for a proper meet and greet and see how he feels about becoming a member of the Pawpers team. But, he's not the only one here that we want to extend such an invitation to..." As Lisa trailed off, Val realized that she was looking directly at her. Confused and a little worried, Val looked between her and her mother, before asking her question. "Me? In what way?" Celia also looked confused at the notion, still bouncing Val on her knee. "You were just so precious in that photo that not only are we gunna be printing it onto the new line of diaper packages, but we're also going to print it in all of our newspaper and magazine ad space, and on billboards too!" Val stared with wide, hollow eyes, realizing that her padded butt was going to be posted everywhere publicly. "We would love for you to become one of our brand ambassadors!" That snapped Val back to attention. "Brand Ambassador?" Valorie asked in confusion, looking between her Mom and the tigress. "For Pawpers? B-but, I'm 18!" "Yes, and you are also just cute as a button!" "That she is!" Celia said while her tail thumped the couch. She leaned in closer to Val and gave her a happy squeeze. "Honey, this sounds perfect! You've always wanted to be a model, and now here you are with your big break!" "My... big break?" Val seemed lost in thought for a bit. "Absolutely!" Lisa chimed in. "A potential great stepping stone into a long and lucrative modeling career!" "But I'm an adult!" Val looked up at her mother for some backup, only for Celia to look at her quizzically. The she-wolf then grabbed a tissue from a nearby tissue box and gave it a lick before reaching down to scrub away the green icing smear that was still on the vixen's muzzle. "M-MOM!" Val whined after her face had been cleaned. "Sorry, sweetie, but I forgot how much of a messy eater you can be." Celia chuckled and hugged her daughter to her chest, setting her back down on her lap. Lisa chuckled at the display. "What does a brand ambassador actually... do?" Val asked with narrowed eyes. "Well, for starters, they get to try out all sorts of products made by the brand they represent. They give their input on what they like and don't like, and usually make blogs about the whole experience. When a brand involves clothing and other things to wear, they also model for the brand! And, the best part, this is all done free of charge! You can see how you like being our brand ambassador and, if you find that it isn't for you, you can stop at any time. But, if it turns out you enjoy it, we can go ahead and hire you on properly as one of our little models!" "But... that's all stuff for... babies and toddlers! I can't believe I have to say this again, but I am an adult!" Val huffed and crossed her arms. "Oh honey, the fact that you're a big girl is what makes you so perfect for the role!" "Huh?" Val looked up at the tigress, confused as Lisa let out a small sigh. "It's actually quite the hassle having actual babies as models. I mean, they're babies. You can't exactly give them instructions to follow. If they're feeling fussy, that can end up wasting valuable shooting time. They require just so much care, and then there's the parents. Not all, but a lot of them tend to have rather... unrealistic aspirations for their little ones, even at such early ages. And speaking of, we come to the biggest problem when working with such young ones. They literally grow up so fast! But, as an adult vixen, the perfect size for wolf pup diapers, and not gunna get any bigger... you offer a unique opportunity. A baby model that will stay the same for years to come!" Val thought it over, a part of her unable to believe that she was even remotely entertaining this ridiculous idea. She did reason that the picture of her was going to be seen by everyone anyway, so anyone she knew would likely already be seeing her in a diaper as it was. While this would be more humiliating over time... she would still be breaking onto the modeling scene. And after a few years of playing the baby, she could then move up to perfumes, or something even fancier. Plus, they were offering her Dad a job... and it's not like it could hurt just trying out this brand ambassadorship... "Okay... I-I'll give it a try." "This is so exciting!" Celia practically cheered while Lisa looked pleased. The tigress reached over and ruffled Val's headfur once more. "You made the right choice, honey!" Val rolled her eyes and huffed as her mother cuddled her close. One month later... "I-is this really necessary?" Val asked, laying on the brand new seafoam green changing mat, next to a bunch of boxes with the Pawpers logo that had been delivered earlier that day. She had on a plain white t-shirt and her legs were lifted up by Celia, who was in the process of applying a generous dusting of baby powder. "Absolutely, my sweet little brand ambassador!" The motherly she-wolf cooed and lowered Valorie's legs, letting her bottom come to rest on the surprisingly thick pink and purple diaper. Pulling up the front and taping it snug, it revealed a sleepy-looking crescent moon on the front. A constellation of stars wearing night caps smiled up at the mama wolf from the vixen's padded bottom when she had Val roll over a bit to secure the tail hole tape. "There! All nice and snug and ready for naptime!" "But Mooooom," Val whined, getting up and having to stand even more bow-legged than before, this being a Pawpers thicker sleep diaper. "I'm not even tired!" Celia just booped Val's nose and giggled. "That's okay! You're just trying these products out. For instance, how does your new diaper feel?" "It feels kinda bulky, and makes walking around kinda awkward," Val truthfully said, taking a few unsure steps. "Well, they are pretty much for naptime and bedtime, so running around in them was not really a priority, I imagine." "Again, why do I have to try them on now?" Val was blushing almost as much as when the boxes had arrived. "Well, now that Daddy and your big sisters have finished setting up your new crib, we thought this would be a great opportunity to try it out." "B-but!" "C'mon, sweetie! Just give it a little try now and see how you like it. Then, after, say, ten minutes you aren't fast asleep, you can be let out of your crib!" Val looked up into the warmth emanating from her mother's eyes and sighed, looking away. "Whatever..." "Excellent! Now let's just get you into your jammies and then you'll be all ready for beddy!" Celia reached over into another box and pulled out a bright pink footie onesie, with glittery green butterflies on it. Pulling the zipper down in the back, the mama wolf then sprinkled a pawful of baby powder inside, giving the jammies a bit of a shake. "There! That should make this feel even more comfy and smell nice!" Seeing it being held open for her, Val let out her greatest sigh yet, and stepped into the leg holes, blushing even more as her mother helped pull the sleeves on over Val's arms. With the big bushy and orange tail snugly secured through yet another tail hole, she then gently zipped it right back up, checking to make sure the garment wasn't too tight or restrictive in other areas. Picking Val up into her arms, she then walked over to Val's room, where a pink and white crib sat, a soft mobile dangling right above, displaying plush multi-colored stars. "Would you like a drink, honey?" Her mother asked, to which Val simply shook her head no. "Alright, baby. Now remember our deal?" Val nodded, prompting Celia to smile some more. "So when I come back in fifteen minutes and don't find you asleep, you can run around and play some more." Val rolled her eyes as she was tucked into the soft fleece of the green and blue blanket. Celia then reached up and started the mobile, which began to slowly spin and very quietly play a sweet lullaby. Staying awake for fifteen minutes? No biggie. Val let out a yawn as she watched the spinning stars above. Despite fighting it, her eyelids began to droop, until they closed, and she was laying there in her crib, lightly snoring away. Celia's tail wagged as she watched her youngest daughter sleeping, her heart swelling with joy at having her littlest pup back once more. Leaning down over the rails of the crib, Celia gently kissed Valorie's cheek. "Sweet dreams, my little kit," she said, looking around the room before turning off the light and exiting. Half an hour later, Val groggily woke up, her bladder full. She looked around confused, still half asleep, as she untangled herself from the blanket. Waddling around, trying to find an exit that didn't exist, her bladder reached critical mass, and with her legs pushed apart, she couldn't hold it. Whimpering initially, she calmed down as she felt the sudden release. Sitting with a light squish, Val let out a yawn and allowed the twinkling lullaby still coming from the pretty mobile above to lull her back to sleep. Epilogue... "Oh my goodness! These are all just perfect!" Lisa practically squealed as she looked through the various pictures in the portfolio handed to her. They were all of Val trying out the different Pawpers products. One was of her in just a green t-shirt and one of the thick night diapers, laying on her back fast asleep in her crib. The next was on Val, a Pawper peeking out from the hem of the adorable skirtall as Val, green binky in her mouth, pouted up at the camera from inside a yellow and blue playpen, standing up and clinging to the mesh wall. The next pic must've been taken a few minutes later, as it showed her sitting with her legs splayed, playing with a stacking ring while still in said playpen. The next picture the motherly tigress took a look at was of Valorie, now in just a pink tank-top and one of her Pawpers, sitting in the pink princess-themed high chair they'd sent the family. She had on a blue bib with a ducky on it and was being fed a spoonful of pink baby food by one of her sisters, Mandy. There were already a couple of pink splatters on the bib and a little around her muzzle. Cut to the next photo, which showed Valorie in a bright green dress, the hemline of which only covered the top third of her diaper, as she was clearly trying to open a safety baby gate at the top of some stairs. The next photo was of her in the same outfit, now being given a piggyback ride on Candice's shoulders as the she-wolf walked them down the stairs. The next few were of a family outing at the park. Valorie was looking a little nervous safely buckled in her pink and white stroller. She was hugging a bright white teddy bear with a pink bow tied around its neck, close to her chest. Her headfur had been bunched up into two little pigtails, and she was presently wearing her play skirt-all once more, though her diaper was on full display. There were a couple of pictures of her playing on a jungle gym and some swings. She was sitting on a teeter-totter with a happy-looking little wolf boy on the other end. And the wolf boy along with a little racoon girl in a pink dress and a bear cub in just a yellow shirt and diaper all playing in a sandbox. "Maybe we can get the parents of those children to sign waivers to use these pics they're in," Lisa mumbled to herself, her tail swishing a bit in excitement. She smiled as she looked over the blog Val had set up on their site where her pictures were uploaded, after they were approved by the company. The reviews dating a few weeks back to when Val first started using their products still made the tigress chuckle. The nighttime diapers are too thick to walk around in. But I guess... they do their job really well... The straw berry baby food I guess isn't gross... but I just don't like the texture! It's a little hard to get the juice out of this nursing bottle. I have to start sucking in rhythm to get a steady stream! I guess the blankie and these footie jammies aren't too bad... they're very soft and warm... and it helps me sleep... even if I do have to sleep in a crib! Not that I'm saying I like wearing and using them... but I guess I like the new Playtime diapers the best. I still have to waddle a bit, but not nearly as much as when I have to wear my bedtime diapers. Plus... I guess maybe the butterfly designs are pretty cute. I can't get myself out of my stroller, which is a pain, but I guess that that means it's good at keeping babies safe. When we go see my friends at the park or to playdates though, it gets really annoying having to wait on the grown-ups or my big sisters to let me out so I can go play! Purring a little, Lisa looked at the next picture in line, letting out a coo. "This is definitely going up on the next round of billboards!" She held up the picture which was of Valorie in a pink t-shirt having her diaper changed. It was from the side, and you could see Celia cooing and holding Val's legs up in the air, the clearly used diaper balled up a little bit to the side with a fresh one already set under Val's bottom. Said bottom was obscured by a thick cloud of baby powder that Celia was at that moment dusting her with. "This little cutie is going to be the greatest model we've ever had!" YES! Finally! This idea has been like a splinter in my head the past week or so! I am so happy to finally have it all written out! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did writing it!

YAY! My very first story on this site! This story was made possible by an RP I've been having with my friend, IronTiger26. Enjoy! Special Delivery Chapter 1 Jason sighed contentedly as he entered his dorm room. Practice, while grueling as usual, was still something he found to be enjoyable. He had already stripped off his uniform and dressed in his street clothes, but that was just long enough to get back inside and shut the door. He was quick to rip off his shirt and jeans and just collapse onto his bed in his boxers. He let out a yawn as he looked out the window, seeing the full moon starting to rise in the evening sky. "Strange," he said to no one, "I didn't know that there was a full moon tonight." He let out another yawn and tiredly drifted off to sleep. As he fell asleep, a glowing golden portal opened A giant figure stepped through, gazing down at the sleeping football player. “Aww, you’re perfect, little one.” She whispered, gently picking him up. Jason started to stir, but then drifted into a deeper sleep. He mumbled something about his roommate. The giant smiled, before gently pulling off Jason’s boxers, and letting them fall to the ground, before going back through the portal with the naked collage boy. Jason dreamt of his body flowing like water, and feeling itchy, but still he did not stir. As he slept, far deeper than he had ever before, Jason's ears elongated and flowed to the top of his head. His body which was well and solidly built was becoming more delicate and feminine. He started losing inches, shrinking down from nearly seven feet to an even five. His face became distinctly less human, taking on a much more rabbit appearance, with his nose becoming a small pink button in the sea of light grey fur that started to coat his face. His body continued to become more and more feminine, until he was no longer a he at all. His body also started to become coated in the soft grey downy fur, with white creamy fur covering his belly, his throat, and chin. Then, out of nowhere, a small cottontail sprang forth just above his bottom, it too a creamy white. And finally, his eyes, while closed, became a beautiful bright amethyst. Through all of this, Jason remained asleep. The next morning, the sun rose into what appeared to be a nursery, the walls bright pink and a playpen was in the right corner, filled to the brim with plushes and dolls. On the opposite side lay a wardrobe and a changing table, a mirror next to it. Sunlight shined into the center of the room, waking up the sole occupant of the room, who lay in a pink crib, just big enough to hold them that was across from a giant door. Jason yawned and stretched, not taking any notice of the squishy bulk between his legs. Jason opened his eyes, and started to look around, thinking about heading down to get a coffee... and then let out an ear-splitting high-pitched shriek. Shortly after, Jason’s new ears picked up several heavy thuds outside, before the door swung open, revealing a giant tigress, dressed in a soft white blouse and jeans. “Are you okay, sweetie? Mommy heard you screaming!” She said as she entered, walking right up to the bars of the crib. Jason squeaked at the sight of the giant tigress, shrinking back against the bars of her crib. "Wh-what are you?!" The tigress crouched down a bit so her size didn’t scare Jason as much. “It’s okay, little one. My name is Helia.” "What ARE you?!" Jason looks around for an escape route, suddenly aware of his surroundings. "Is this a nursery?" “I’m a tigress, honey-bunny. And it’s not just any nursery.” She reaches in, and boops Jason’s nose. “It’s YOUR nursery, sweetie.” Jason recoils from the touch. "Why am I here? How did I get here?" “I brought you here last night. And I used a portal to bring you to your new home.” She said, matter-of-factly, as though it were the most normal thing in the world. "Wha... THIS CAN'T BE REAL! AND YOU CAN'T DO THAT! ...AND I'M NOT A BABY!" Jason cried out. She gives Jason a motherly smile. “Well of course I can, sweetie. After filling out all of the proper paperwork for the adoption, I then went and collected you.” "I SAID I'M NOT BABY!!!" Helia smiled, standing up and going over to the dresser, pulling out a mirror, before returning to the crib and pulling down one of the sides “If you aren’t a baby...” She held the mirror in front of Jason, revealing his new form to him. “...Then who’s this little cutie pie?” Jason froze as he looked at himself. He was wearing a pink footed sleeper, with a very obvious diaper bulge. He looked at the very clearly adult female bunny staring back at him. "B-but... I'm a human... and a man... and I'm... STILL an adult!" Only then did Jason fully register her newly feminine voice. Helia giggled, reaching over and petting Jason on her head, inbetween her ears “I’m sorry, sweetie. But I’m afraid you simply aren’t any of those things anymore.” "B-but, I've got boobs now! ... Why am I girl and a bunny now?" Still gently petting her, Helia said. “Well, I’m afraid humans simply don’t exist in this world, so by bringing you here, you turn into whatever your favorite animal is. I see you liked bunnies then, hmm?” "They are cute, yeah, but... STOP TOUCHING ME! And take me home right now!" Jason stomped his foot, pouting when he was trying to look serious and angry. Helia reluctantly stopped petting Jason, and looked her in the eye. “I’m sorry sweetie, but this is your new home. It's just not possible for you to go back. Don't worry though, you'll soon start having so much fun." "Y-you're a monster!" Jason said, his eyes tearing up. Helia gave a sympathetic look, before laying the mirror to the side, crouching down on her knees, and pulling the bunny in for a hug, her chin resting on the tigress’ shoulder. “There, there sweetheart. Let it out.” She said as she began to gently rub Jason’s back. Jason tried to thrash and escape. But she was far easily overpowered, and could do nothing more than sob into her shoulder. "Y-you ruined my life!" She hiccuped. Rubbing and patting the crying bunny’s back, whose ears have drooped down. Helia looked down at Jason. “I’m sorry, honey. But there’s nothing I can do. For humans coming into our world, it's a one-way trip only.” "Let me go! I'm not a baby! I'm still an adult!" Jason insisted. She gently pulls Jason away, gazing into the former football player's ready eyes. "Would you like some breakfast, sweetie?" "I just wanna leave!" “Honey, I already told you. There's no going back, it just isn't possible for you." "Then let me leave this house!" “Sorry, honey, but I can’t do that.” She presses against the bulge under the sleeper, making a squish that was audible to both of them. She looked the bunny in the eyes again and smiled. “Unless you want to waddle around in a wet diaper all day, would you like me to change you?” Jessica let out an adorable squeak. "Y-you musta drugged me!" Helia shook her head, and said. “I would never drug a baby, especially my own little girl." She emphasized this with another playful nose boop, which Jason frantically tried to bat away. "You're a baby now, honey-bunny, and babies need their diapies just for this reason." "NO! I REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS!" Jason tries to thrash and kick. “Honey, calm down or you might-" All of a sudden, Jason feels a pressure in her stomach, that then quickly disappears. She shifts about, and feels her now full diaper. "N-no..." Jason says. “Oh honey...you made a mess, didn’t you...” Jason then immediately bursts into tears. Helia quickly stood up, attempting to soothe the bunny as she cried, rocking her back and forth as she held her in her arms. “Please calm down, sweetie. I’ll get you out of that nasty thing.” She said as she began to walk to the changing table. "I'm not a baby!" Jason cried, unaware of where she was being carried. Helia decided not to argue further on that matter. All off-world adopted babies are like this, it’s only a matter of time before she accepted it too. At least, that's what Helia told herself. She gently laid her baby bunny down. Jason tried to roll over and hop off the table, only to be caught by Helia, who rolled the bunny back in place, holding her down as she looked into her eyes again. “Sweetie, do you WANT to stay in your dirty diaper?” "I WANT to leave!" Helia sighed, unzipping the sleeper while Jason squirmed before she managed to pull it off. She continued to hold down Jason, and pulled a strap over the bunny's tummy, securing it with a buckle in the other side. Jason looked down in dismay at her small chest, and then at the very well used diaper with the pink trim. She tried unbuckling the strap, but her paw-hands couldn't work it, so she resorted to just kicking with her legs. Helia got to work, while the legs kicked uselessly at her. Untaping the diaper and removing it from Jason’s waist. Jason squealed a the cold wipes being used, and her nose started to tickle from the smell of the baby powder. She looked down in horror once, to confirm that she was indeed now a girl, just in time for the fresh diaper to be carefully taped on. Securing the new diaper on, this one pink like the walls of the nursery, Helia unstrapped the bunny, before picking her up and holding her under her arms in front of her. “That wasn’t so bad, was it Jessica?” "That was humiliating! I was just changed like a baby and... wait, what did you call me?" Helia smiled, looking the shocked, nearly naked bunny in the eyes. “Jessica. It’s your new name, honey.” "MY NAME IS JASON NOW LET ME DOWN AND LET ME OUT OF THIS CRAZY HOUSE!" “As adorable as it would be to see you run around in just a diaper, honey-bunny, I need to let you have at least one thing covering you besides that.” She carried the thrashing bunny over to the wardrobe, and “Jessica” froze at the sight of what was inside. "What's with all the pink girly dresses?" Jessica asked in a suddenly nervous voice. "I guess I may have gone a little bit overboard. We just got so excited when we learned we were going to be getting a little girl." "I don't care what I look like! I'm a guy! And I'm not wearing any damn girly clothes or any baby clothes!" Jessica said, crossing her arms. Helia sighed, before reaching in and pulling out a simple pink shirt, the words Mommy’s Little Princess across it. “I’m sorry, Jessie. But I’m afraid this is the only thing not as ‘girly’ as the others in your size.” Jessica growled. "Just give me that, some pants, and then I'm out of here." Helia froze. “...oh. That’s what I forgot to grab at the store...” "I am so done with this whole damn place!" Jessica said as she reached for the shirt. Helia simply held out the shirt, letting the bunny take it. Jessica struggled to get it on, while simultaneously trying to escape the tigress' grasp. Helia put Jessica on the floor, making sure to keep an eye on her. Jessica struggles some more, thanks to her ears, before finally popping her head through the hole. She frowned as the shirt stopped just short of the waistband of her diaper. She then started to march towards the nursery door. Helia walked ahead of Jessica, opening the door and walking out, leaving it open for the bunny to follow her. Jessica threw a frown the tigress' way, and looked around out in the hall. She spotted what looked like the front door, and continued walking towards it, amazed at how much bigger everything was. Helia noticed Jessica, and called out. “You can go exploring the backyard in a little while, honey-bunny. Let's see about getting some food into your tummy first." Jessica growled and stamped her foot, before turning around. Helia simply waited for the toddler-sized adult to catch up, and led her to the living room, which was also connected to the kitchen. Jessica started to walk past, heading for the door. Jessica got to the door, and found that the knob was out of her reach. So she jumped up to grab at it. Helia turned and saw her just as she grabbed it “Jessica? Are you trying to go outside?” "Uh, duh! I said I'm outta here! AND MY NAME'S JASON!" Jessica said, turning the knob. “Oh, no you’re not, young lady!” She started walking over, right as the door cracked open ever so slightly. Jessica hopped down and was about to bolt outside. Right as Jessica started to run, Helia managed to grab the back of her diaper, stopping the bunny right as she got outside, letting her at least see what lay beyond the front door. Jessica leaned forward as the back of her diaper was pulled on, holding her in place. Outside she could see many of these anthro giants, and most had children and babies with them. Many of the babies, upon closer inspection, looked like there were in the same boat as herself, with varying degrees of enthusiasm. With a tug, Jessica fell back into a strong pair of arms that scooped her up. Helia marched back inside, firmly shutting the door and applying the bolt lock, which if she was on the ground, was just out of Jessica’s reach. The tigress held the bunny up and looked her in the eyes. “I really don’t want to as it’s your first day here, but if you try to run away again, you’re getting a spanking, young lady.” "You can't do this to me!" “I’m sorry, but you're just too young to go running around outside unsupervised.” "I'M NOT A BABY! I'M IN COLLEGE!" Jessica tries to punch her, to no avail. Helia furrowed her brow, before putting the bunny in one hand, and giving Jessica a light spank, which giving her size still hurt a fair amount. Jessica yelped, and then looked up at the tigress in shock. “Do I need to give you more, or is that enough to get you to behave, Jessie?” Jessica whimpered, feeling completely powerless, and recoils a little before meekly nodding. Helia smiled, before putting the bunny into a cradling position, rocking her back and forth. “Mommy’s sorry if she hurt or scared you, Jessie. How about this, if you promise to behave, I’ll find you a playmate who was just like you once. Okay? That should go a long way to helping you to adjust.” "P-please, just let me go." Jessica whimpered. Helia gave the bunny a look, noticing her hand was slowly finding its way to her mouth “I’m sorry, honey-bunny, but the answer is no. Now please try to relax. I promise that we're going to make sure you have a wonderful and happy life here." Jessica's paw was in her mouth, and she started to chew on it, unaware of even doing so. "B-but, I'm nowt a baybee," she said around her paw. Helia continued to rock Jessica back and forth. Helia held the bunny closer, still rocking her back and forth “I know this is a shock to you, Jessie. But this has been done for years. There are a lot of other babies like you.” "I sayd Iwm nowt a baybee!" “And I said you’re not the only one here, Jessie. For a bunny, you’re not a very good listener, sweetie.” "Nethew awe yoo!" Helia rolled her eyes, shaking her head at the response. “Well, Jessie. You’re in diapers, you’re the size of a toddler, you needed a change earlier because you messed yourself, you’re being extremely fussy, and you’re sucking your thumb right now. Are you still sure you aren’t a baby? Because you’re a really good actor if you aren’t.” Jessica paused and looked down at her paw, pulling it out and blushing as she wiped it on her shirt. "I don't know what that was about, but there's lots of adults who are incontinent, that doesn't make them babies! And my size shouldn't matter either!" Helia sighed “Just because you’re an adult there, doesn’t mean your one over here, Jessie.” "That's insane!" Jessica argued, before her stomach let out a rumble. Helia smiled “You hungry, Jessie?” Clearly changing the subject. "N-no," Jessica lied, just before her stomach let out another growl. Helia laughed, before standing up. “Mama’s hungry too. Let’s get something to eat.” Jessica grumbles as she was carried, and then frowned when she saw the bright pink high chair with the word "Princess" blazoned on the back. "Please tell me I don't have to sit in that thing." "Well of course, honey-bunny. It'll keep you nice and safe." Jessica grumbled some more as she was set down into it and buckled in with the five point harness. Then the white tray was locked into place. Petting her again, Helia said “Normally, you’d need to eat baby food. But since this is your first day, I’ll let you choose what you get to eat. Cut up, of course. What do you want, sweetie?” Jessica made a gross face at the sound of babyfood, and then thought it over. She let out a sigh. "Can I have some pizza?" "Of course, my precious little princess." Helia said. Helia pulled out her phone and dialed up a local pizza restaurant and placed an order for a pepperoni and olive pizza. “While we wait, would you like to talk a bit, sweetie? Get to know each other?” "Fine, am I essentially your prisoner here for the rest of my life?" “Only until you’re a fully grown woman, honey. But you’re not a prisoner, you’re my adopted baby.” "So wait, being a short adult with boobs doesn't count?" “No, I’m afraid that’s just how your body looks when you come through. You're body went through a lot of changes, but it couldn't quite get all of them done at once. So while you changed gender and species, it's going to take a little bit for your body to catch up to your new age. Basically, you're going to be going through reverse puberty, Jessie.” "So I'm getting younger?!" Jessica said in disbelief. “That’s the simple way of saying it, yes.” "This is crazy!" “Around here, Jessie, it’s normal. Like I said, we have a lot of other babies around here like you.” "I don't care what you say, I'm not a baby!" Jessica's diaper crinkles as she adjusts herself in her high chair. “Do you really want to keep arguing, or would you like to know about the others, honey?” "... Fine... we can have an adult to adult conversation," Jessica said, her stomach growling once more, just before she found a pink bib with a yellow duckie on it gently tied around her neck. “You might have seen some of them earlier, in fact. Did you see a little red panda girl out there?” "Uh... I think so, and I don't need a bib!" “It’s just for if you do, sweetie. And her name is Betty, if you were wondering. I could introduce the two of you sometime.” "I don't know why, but alright I guess. And just for if I do what?" “Oh, you two will get along great! And it's just in case. Well, and because your new daddy picked them out himself, and hes going to be so excited to see you wearing them.” Helia said, taking a quick picture of Jessica in her high chair. "Oh crap, there's another crazy giant in this house?" “He’s not crazy. And yes, he's your new daddy, sweetie. He helped me decorate your nursery.” "So yeah, another crazy giant wanting to treat me like a baby," Jessica winced some more from her apparent hunger pangs. The pizza arrived shortly afterwards, and all too soon, Jessica was staring at a pizza larger than any she had ever seen before. A few moments later, Helia laid out giant slices of pizza, setting it in the center of the table. “Would you like me to cut it up some, sweetie?” "Each slice is as big as my head... so fine I guess...." Helia hummed to herself as she cut it up, eventually cutting two of the slices into plenty of tiny pieces, before putting them on a plate and putting it on the white tray. “It’s hot, Jessie. Would you like some milk with it?” "I'm not a baby! I don't need milk!" Jessica firmly said, crossing her arms. "I'll take a soda, thank you very much!" She then picked up one of the slices with her new hand-paw and blew on it, before trying to eat it. Since she was working with an unfamiliar hand-paw, and since her mouth was shaped differently, she got quite a bit of sauce on her lips and chin. Helia smiled, watching Jessie prove she did, in fact, need a bib. “Again, as this is your first day, it’s your choice. What’s your favorite?” "Got any cream soda?" Jessica said, taking another piece and smearing some more sauce on her cheeks and chin, some dribbling down onto her bib, unbeknownst to her. Helia went over to the fridge and opened it, looking inside. “Let’s see...is this it?” She pulled out a can that looked like one from back home, the design very familiar to the former human. "Uh... y-yeah... that's huge!" Helia placed the can on the table next to the high chair, Jessie continuing to marvel at its size. She went over to the cupboard and opened it, looking around inside. “...Oh, dear.” "What?" Jessica said around her most recent bite, dribbling some more sauce down her chin onto her bib. Helia pulled out a small glass cup, which was still gigantic compared to the bunny. “This is the smallest cup we have, Jessie.” "Ah geeze, that's huge!" Helia put it back, continuing to look, before she glanced at Jessie. “...I did find one just your size, but I don’t think you’re going to like it, sweetie.” She said, before she pulled out a baby bottle. "You're right, I don't!" Jessica said, crossing her arms and frowning, making an adorable pouty face, especially considering how messy said face is. Helia couldn't help but snap another quick picture, which just made Jessica pout even more. “I’m sorry, honey. But this is all we have. I can leave the rubber nipple off if you want, but you might spill it.” "Whatever, just so long as it's not a baba.... BOTTLE!" Jessica said, clapping a paw over her mouth. Helia caught that, and simply smiled. “How about this, sweetie. I’ll have you drink out of your baba this one time, and if you don’t like it, I’ll buy a few plastic cups for your size, okay?" "... Fine... but don't expect me to enjoy drinking from my baba-- BOTTLE! From a bottle, I meant to say!" Jessica corrected herself, wondering what was wrong with her. Helia smiled, before taking off the tray and unbuckling the bunny, before lifting Jessie up and cradling her once more. "Wait, what're you doing?" She poured the soda into the bottle, filling it up, before putting the rubber nipple on it, then holding it in front of the bunny’s mouth, which was covered in pizza sauce. “Drink up, sweetie pie.” Jessica opened her mouth to object. Helia smiled, and pushed the nipple into her mouth, which caused Jessie to suckle a bit on accident, making Jessica want to struggle, but a suckle reflex kicked in, and she was unable to. She kept suckling it, growing more and more relaxed, until she entered a trance-like state, curling up, letting her head rest on Helia's chest, the sound of her heartbeat further soothing her. Helia smiled, cooing at the adorable sight of her baby suckling away on her bottle, looking as innocent as an actual infant as she was rocked in her mommy’s arms. Eventually the bottle ran dry, and she kept on suckling the now empty bottle. Helia wanted to let the bunny keep sucking on her bottle, but she knew it had to end. She reluctantly pulled the bottle out of Jessica’s mouth, smiling at seeing that she continued to make a suckling motion even with it gone. Jessica's thumb replaced the bottle, before she started to whine and clutch her tummy. Helia cooed at her, before putting the bunny over her shoulder, and gently patted her back. Jessica started to come out of the trance, still whining about the stomach ache. "I'm not a baby, I don't need to be bur--BEEEEEEEEEELCH" it was a very loud burp, that included a small bit of spit-up, that Jessica took no notice of at all. Helia smiled, before returning the bunny to her previous position. “There you go, Jessie. Does that feel better?” "...Yes" Jessica said, reluctantly, unable to meet Helia's eyes. Jessica blushed as she was held, and cuddled, completely oblivious to her diaper growing warmer as she wet herself. Helia smiled, feeling the diaper getting warm. “Would you like to take a warm bath, honey?” "I can wash myself." “Okay, but just in case.” She went over to the sink, putting a plug in it before turning the water on, making sure it was warm while it went down the second drain. "Oh come on!" Jessica whined, realizing that she was going to be washed in the sink like a baby. "I'm not a baby!" Helia just smiled and hummed as she let the warm water start to fill up the sink, already a bottle of baby shampoo nearby.

WOOO! Presenting my very first commission, for the wonderful and kind Nihulus (over on FA)! I hope you all enjoy it! Warm and soft. Those were the two thoughts that sprang to Varis' mind as he slowly awoke, curled up in his bed, next to Mira. He lightly yawned and opened his sharp blue eyes, blinking the last of the sleep away. Turning over, he saw his wife still snuggled up against him, her large ears twitching in her sleep. Her sandy-colored fur just looked so soft, he had to resist the urge to nuzzle her, knowing that his beloved fennec vixen needed the rest after how much worrying he'd put her through lately. With that thought coming to mind, Varis raised up the blanket and inspected the sheet, his tail excitedly starting to thump a bit against the mattress as he saw that it was bone dry. I told them it was just a misdiagnosis, he thought with a smirk, extricating himself from the relaxing warmth of his and his wife's bed. It was as he stood there and stretched that he became aware of a clamminess around his waist. Looking down, he saw that the thick purple and blue sleep diaper that was hugging him snugly was now missing the moon and stars wetness indicators on the front, and sagging a big. His tail slowly ceased its wagging and began to tuck itself between his legs as the dark gray wolf reached down and gave his night time padding a squeeze. He had to bite back a whimper at how soaked it was. Looking back at the bed where Mira still slept peacefully, though now with her arms clumsily searching for him, he was reluctantly grateful that she wasn't going to wake up in another puddle he had made again. But the fact that, for over a week now, he hadn't been able to stay dry while he slept brought forth the anxiety he had forgotten about, yet had become much more familiar with lately. It had started off with a few wettings here and there, something he'd chalked up to stress from work, and even just assumed he had awoken to go to the bathroom, but had simply fallen back asleep. And when Mira had finally convinced him to go see a doctor, the wolf hadn't been expecting the diagnosis. Miner's Syndrome. NO! Varis snorted and walked towards the bathroom, quickly ripping off the diaper and stuffing it into the trash bin by the sink. "I'm twenty-seven, too old to suddenly develop... Miner's Syndrome," he said to his reflection, the dark gray wolf with the salt and pepper flecks and the creamy white tummy looked worriedly back at him, betraying his own lack of confidence in his denial. A quick shower was enough to help him wake up further and put his soggy morning out of his mind, at least for a little bit. Getting out and toweling himself off, he reentered the bedroom, to find that Mira was now absent from the still enticingly mussed-up bed. Heading out to the hall and into the kitchen, Varis smiled at the sight of a fennec vixen blearily making up some scrambled eggs. He had to stifle a giggle at the sight of her messy bedfur. Her large ears twitched at the sound of his entrance, and Mira turned to smile warmly at him. "Morning, baby," she said with a bit of a yawn. "How do scrambled eggs sound for breakfast?" Varis walked over and pulled his wife close, she being just as beautiful to him at that moment, with messy bedfur and wearing her favorite white oversized pajama t-shirt, as she was to him on the day of their wedding. As his tail started to wag, he felt her big bushy one beginning to THWAP against his side. He gave her a nuzzle, and she turned, their lips meeting, before she buried her muzzle into his fluffy chest ruff. "I think that sounds wonderful," Varis said, resting his chin on her headfur. They stayed like that for a moment before he let go. Giving her cheek a quick kiss, Varis headed back into the bedroom to get dressed. Opening the closet, he saw the opened package of SleepTights resting almost smugly right under where his suits were hanging, and frowned a little. "... It's just stress." Varis defiantly grabbed his favorite navy blue suit and a white undershirt. A short while later, after getting dressed and eating, Varis headed towards the door with his briefcase in paw. "Don't forget, babe," Mira called, forcing Varis to pause as he was about to step out the front door. "We're going to see Doctor Morley on wednesday!" "I remember, hun," Varis said, his tail wagging. Just gunna get some confirmation that it was all a misdiagnosis, he thought to himself. Varis was surprised to suddenly feel a pair of arms reach around his front, pulling him back into a hug. He turned his head a bit, one of Mira's ears sticking in his face. "I know how worried you are about all of this," she said in a soft voice that was partially muffled due to her muzzle being buried in his back. "But... I want you to know that, no matter what, I will always love you and be there for you." Varis smiled and turned to reciprocate the hug. "Thank you, cuddle-bug." He recalled how much she had blushed and sputtered the first time he had used the pet name, which was not long after they'd first started dating. "I know that you're just as worried as I am. But don't be... this is all just a mistake." He kissed the tip of her nose as they pulled away, bringing forth a fit of giggles from the shorter canid. And with that, Varis was out the door, soon to be standing on the sidewalk in front of their house. The house he and Mira lived in was a cozy three-bedroom ranch-style house, a little bit on the outskirts of Nevia City. The price had been just right for the young couple, and that had been before Varis' promotion. Now they owned it outright, with that being a point of pride for the wolf. Turning to look down the street, he saw a familiar green SUV heading his way, coming to a stop right in front of him. "Warlocks at the Seashore Discount Limo Service, here for a pickup!" Came the deep jovial voice of the crocodile behind the wheel. "It's really amazing how that's still funny for the hundredth time, Josh." Varis rolled his eyes as he got in, quickly buckling his seatbelt. "Well, at least my little princess still finds me funny, right sweetpea?" Josh turned to look behind him, prompting the wolf to do the same. Looking back at the gray-furred bunny girl, who just so happened to be the exact same age as Varis, sent a chill up his spine. She was wearing her yellow sundress with the puffy shoulders, safely secured in her pink car seat, hugging her black stuffed wolf to her chest, and sucking down a bottle of juice like everything was normal. Which, for her and Josh at this point, this pretty much was normal for them. "Honey-bunny," Josh said, cooing at her, "don't you want to say hi to your Uncle Varis?" "H-hello, Eliza," Varis said, trying not to notice the pink and white diaper that was partially visible around the bunny's hips. Eliza removed the bottle and held up her wolf toy to hide her face, not counting the portion she used to peek around it. Varis' nose picked up the faint scent of baby powder, a smell that recently had begun to evoke a sense of foreboding in the wolf. Would I have to ride around in a car seat? The thought just popped into his mind all of a sudden, before he quickly stamped it out. "... Hi Uncle Varis," she said in a whisper. "Sorry, buddy." Josh clapped the now startled wolf on the shoulder before putting the car in drive and heading towards the office. "I know it's been a while, but I guess she's still just a tad shy around you. Y'know, if you and Mira would take me up on my babysitting offer for next Tuesday night, that might go a long way in helping her come out of her shell around you." "Sorry, but we don't offer any free babysitting services," Varis said with a chuckle. That wasn't entirely truthful, as Mira loved looking after Eliza, not even minding changing the diapers of someone a little bit taller than herself. But in addition to his usual... uncomfortableness around Eliza, there was no way he wanted to be associated with any MSers while his... misdiagnosis had yet to be proven as being just that. Let alone one that might go wandering and accidentally find his new... completely temporary nighttime protection. As they drove, the two 'adults' chatted about an upcoming report, while Eliza was content to watch what Varis presumed were shows for preschoolers on her tablet, letting out happy giggles and saying seemingly random numbers of phrases from time to time. Varis simply tried to tune her out, no matter how catchy the songs from the show sounded. "So how's the quarterly report coming?" Joshua asked, every now and again checking to make sure his big baby bunny was still safe and secure in her carseat. "So far, everything seems normal... but I did find an oddity in the shipping expenses." Varis pointedly looked away from a passing billboard that was advertising Pawpers' brand diapers for MSers. He certainly wasn't thinking about how the protection he was wearing to bed now was Snuggies brand. "I'm thinking someone just misfiled an expense report. It was actually pretty easy to gloss over, so I'm gunna have to go over everything again with a fine-tooth comb." "Huh... think someone's dipping their claws in the company cookie jar?" Josh asked, wincing as he realized, the moment the word cookie left his mouth, he suddenly had Eliza's full and undivided attention. "Daddy, may I please have a cookie from the company's cookie jar?" The bunny asked, somehow making her eyes look bigger, at least to Varis who could see her reflection in the rearview mirror. Josh laughed. "Oh, princess," he said with a coo in his voice, "that's just an expression. But Daddy did pack you a little treat if you'd like." Eliza giggled and started to bounce in her seat, at least as much as the soft snug straps around her would allow, making a few faint crinkles. Josh chuckled at the display, despite not taking his eyes off the road. "Hey, buddy, would you mind getting Eliza a cookie out of her diaper bag? It should be in the compartment on the side." Varis cringed internally, but nodded, knowing he could do this small favor for his friend. Turning, he looked to see that said diaper bag was tucked right behind the crocodile's seat. It was a large, loud, pink duffle-like satchel, with several side-pockets and flaps, as well as two bottles of some kind of juice secured in a couple special holders on one end. The central part was unzipped revealing a few pink and white folded rectangles, along with two familiar-looking purple and blue ones. "SleepTights?!" Varis exclaimed, his eyes wide as he felt the color drain from his cheeks, thankfully unnoticeable thanks to the coloration of his fur. "Huh? Oh, yeah. If Eliza needs a diaper change before naptime, I like to put her in one of those, just in case. Also, if ever there's an emergency, them being thicker than her daytime diapers really go a long way to help." Not enjoying being reminded of his new nighttime padding, Varis unzipped a couple of the pockets looking for the baggie of cookies before he finally found them. "Are these homemade?" Varis asked, looking at the large chocolate chunk cookies in the sandwich baggie, really wanting one. He wondered if they were nice and soft. "Yup! Me and my little princess got a hankering for some last night, so I figured it'd make for a fun little project. You should have seen her in her cute little chef's hat." Varis rolled his eyes as Josh started to gush about other instances of Eliza being adorable, as was par for the course of carpooling with the croc. The wolf reluctantly looked at Eliza as he reached back to hand her the cookie. She was hiding behind her wolf plush, peeking from behind its ears at him, her nose twitching nervously. She slowly reached out and took the cookie from him, one of her eyebrows raising a little. She paused and looked him up and down, at least as best she could with most of him being blocked from view by the passenger seat. She then smiled warmly and took the cookie. "Thankies, Vary!" She immediately started to nibble on her cookie. "OOOOH! Looks like someone's coming out of her shell a bit," Josh said, reaching over to give a confused Varis a nudge with his elbow. "I told you that she'd get over her shyness around you eventually!" Varis decided to pretend he was checking something in his briefcase. In no time at all, they were soon pulling into their building's parking garage. Varis walked on ahead to the elevator while Josh was getting Eliza unbuckled. It was as he saw himself in the reflection of the polished silver elevator doors that he realized he had some chocolate and cookie crumbs around his muzzle. He quickly wiped it all off just before the doors opened and Josh, with Eliza riding on his hip, caught up to him. The ride up to their floor was mostly silent, aside from Josh checking Eliza's diaper and stating that she was a little wet but didn't need a change just yet. "Now remember to be a good girl at daycare today, and you'll get a special surprise, honey-bunny!" Deciding to just head straight to his office, Varis started speedwalking the moment the doors opened again on their floor... to only instantly plow right into Angelica with an 'OOF!' Varis fell flat on his rear, while the large, and some would call motherly, grizzly bear in the charcoal gray skirtsuit looked down at him in concern. "Oh, goodness," she said, reaching down and picking Varis up under his armpits. She set him on his feet, looking him over and brushing off whatever dust or carpet fibers she could see. "I'm so sorry, Varis. Are you alright, honeypie?" Her southern accent was laced with concern. There was a reason why everyone referred to her as the office mom, she couldn't help but fuss over everyone. But right now, her examination of him was anything but comforting to the wolf. For some reason she's been giving him much more attention lately. "I-I'm fine, Mrs. Duvar." Varis stammered, looking up at the bear and feeling so small right then and there. It certainly didn't help that she was a foot taller, had some serious muscle under her blazer, or that she was almost ten years his senior. Today, after wearing a... some protection for the first time since he was a little pup, he just felt a bit vulnerable around her. "Well, if you're sure, Varis," she said with a smile, at first starting to reach for him as though she were going to give him a hug, but quickly yanking her arms back down to her sides. Then her gaze turned to something past him, and she let out a happy squeal. "Is that my little unofficial niece I see?" Walking around him, Varis saw that she was making a beeline for an excited Eliza. The croc smiled and allowed Angelica to scoop the bunny up into her arms in a cradled position. Compared to Angelica, Eliza looked like she was the size of an actual toddler! Varis shuddered before heading into his office, pointedly ignoring her giggles and happy squeaks of laughter. He took a deep breath as he shut the door, and thus shut out any intrusive thoughts that have absolutely nothing to do with what is clearly just his misdiagnosis and some stress. He looked around his office, feeling comforted by the rather spartan and bland beige room with a single small window to the outside world. Some would call his office tiny, or maybe even cramped, but it was large enough for a small bookcase and his desk. Most importantly, it wasn't a cubicle. Taking a seat at his desk, he fired up his computer, and got to work. ... Only to be interrupted about five minutes later from a knock at his door. "Come in," he called, quickly saving and closing the document he was working on. In walked Josh, who was carrying a trio of three-ring-binders. "Here ya go, buddy," he said, once the door was closed, setting them on the desk. Varis noticed that the croc seemed a bit annoyed. "Something happen?" Josh turned to make sure the door was closed. "Doc Juniper came through for some kind of meeting and saw Angie booping Eliza's nose and making her giggle. He started in on his talk about 'professionalism' and 'this is a place of work, not a daycare', and actually said right then and there that he does not approve of bringing children, even overgrown ones, to work with us!" Josh snorted, while Varis cringed. Purely out of care for his friend, and not because he found Doc Juniper's opinions on MSers disheartening. "I mean, of course I was going to take her to the company daycare! It's not like I was going to set her up in a playpen in the empty cubicle next to mine!" "W-well, we gotta remember that Doc is from a different era, and they didn't understand... uhm... the condition as well as we do today," Varis mumbled noncommittally while looking away. "Maybe." Josh sighed. "But it's not like I have much of a choice. Daycare is expensive, and there's none near enough that could let me drop her off and get to work on time. Plus... I'm always worried she could end up getting picked on, or maybe a daycare worker will be mean to her. I know Marla and Shelly here at the company daycare, and I know that they would never do, or let anything happen to Eliza." Josh shook his head, seemingly shaking off the negativity, before whipping out his phone and holding it up for Varis to see, a huge excited grin on his face. "I forgot to mention, I got some more pictures of Eliza being adorable!" Varis was then subjected to three pictures of the bunny girl in a high chair, mushed food around her mouth and on her cheeks, two of her in her crib, in a pink footed sleeper, clearly napping, seven of her playing in different outfits, the majority of which were legless onesies, and a picture of her with some more MSers, also dressed in baby clothes, at a park, seemingly chasing each other. She looks happy at least, Varis thought with a pang of guilt in his chest. Even back in high school, she was sporty... does she think back to those days? When she was the captain of the volleyball team? Before her diagnosis? Varis shook himself out of his thoughts. "--of course, it turned out that she just had a bit of a diaper rash. I really needed to check her sooner, my poor princess." Josh was still gushing about his ex fiance. Varis wondered how the big goofy crocodile could actually go through with taking care of her like this? Would Mira start treating me like that? Like I was a... baby? Varis had to force his tail to untuck itself before Josh noticed. He reasoned that there was no point in wondering about that, as things will never come to that situation. Simple as that. With Josh's need to share about 'little' Eliza's latest doings and goings-ons that Varis was pretty much just nodding and agreeing while getting back to work, finished, the croc left him to get to his own project. With Josh gone, Varis started to open up the binders and cross-check different numbers and dates. "Huh," he said under his breath, "that's odd." He continued to scour through the binders and files on his screen right up until lunchtime. Is someone embezzling? Varis pondered, heading towards the door, his sack lunch in paw. He walked into the break room and found most of the tables to be fully occupied. Though Josh did wave him over to a seat at the table he and Angelica were at. Varis made his way over there and sat down, quickly opening up his brown paper bag. "Why are you sucking on your thumb?" Bob from over in R&D asked, the middle-aged capybara wearing a very unconvincing toupe. "Huh?" Varis asked, once it dawned on him that he was who the question was directed at. Realizing that his thumb was indeed planted in his mouth he started to panic. "Uh... I... forgot my lunch and had to go back and get it and accidentally slammed it in the door," Varis said, pulling his thumb out and wiping it on his pants. "Oh." Bob turned back back to his plate of pasta, back to being disinterested. "Aww, want me to go get an ice pack, sweetie?" Angelica asked, scooting her seat closer to his own, looking worried. "N-no, Mrs. Duvar, I'm ok, I swear," Varis insisted. "Okay, but between bumping into me and falling over today and then hurting your thumb like that, you need to be much more careful!" Varis felt his ears splay flat on his head while he hung his head in shame, not really sure why. "Y-yes, Mrs. Duvar," he mumbled. He felt her pull him into a hug and nuzzle the top of his headfur. "That's alright, sweetheart! And please, just call me Angie!" The motherly grizzly released him after he agreed to do just that. He had decided on a simple light lunch that day, just a yogurt and a bottle of apple juice. Grateful that there was some good office gossip to help get his mind off of things, especially since it involved the lunch thief and talk about having a camera installed to watch the employee fridge, Varis started to forget about his little social faux pas. The topic changed to another office mystery, who was it that accidentally dinged Doc Juniper's car door? From there, after a few guesses were made regarding possible culprits, the topic shifted again to some new show about a murder mystery and zombies that Varis had yet to actually start watching. "Oh, sweetie, I swear, you remind me of my nephew," Angelica laughed while grabbing a napkin. The wolf was a bit confused as to what she meant, and why she was looking at him, when she started to use the napkin to wipe his muzzle. "A-Angie!" Varis sputtered, only to see that there was some of his pink yogurt on the napkin. "What?" Angelica giggled at his reaction. "I swear, the way you eat, you could really use a bib!" It was then that Varis remembered that Angelica's nephew, Pete, had Miner's Syndrome. "O-oh, uh, excuse me," he said, grabbing another napkin from the dispenser and getting up to head to the nearest restroom. Looking in the mirror above the sink, he saw that he had some yogurt on his chin, his left cheek, some partially cleaned off his right cheek thanks to Angie, and even a little on the tip of his nose. "This... I was just distracted," he said, a slight whine to his voice. He cleaned off his muzzle at the sink before heading back to the table to grab his unopened juice. "Oh, Varis, I wanted to apologize for--" Angie started before he cut her off. "It's all good, Angie. I was distracted because of this report, that's all. And I really need to get back to it." "O-oh, alright, sweetie." The grizzly looked a little unsure, but Varis just wanted to get back to his office. Once the door was closed behind him, he started to calm down a bit, taking a seat back at his desk. After he cracked open the bottle of juice and took a sip to help further steady his nerves, he got right back to work... or at least, he tried to. However, when he took a sip of the juice, some trickled down the side of his mouth and down his chin. He took another drink, and the same thing happened. Concentrating hard on drinking his juice, Varis managed to gulp the entire thing down, only to feel a few stray drops go down his neck. ... No... this isn't... it's all just stress! That's it! He started to look at the binders again, grabbing some tissues from the tissue box on his desk to clean around his mouth and chin and neck first. But, he soon found himself re-reading the same few lines repeatedly. Shaking his head, Varis began to register the fact that he was squirming in his seat a bit. It was right after that that he understood. He really, REALLY, needed to pee. He got up and almost ran to the nearest restroom, grateful that it was empty. He found himself fumbling with his zipper at the urinal, but soon was relieving himself. Unfortunately, after finishing up, that's when he spotted the, albeit small but still noticeable, wet patch around his zipper. Quickly checking that the door was locked, Varis thought fast, and walked over to the blow dryer. "Just a stressful day, th-that's all!" Varis insisted, trying to sound confident as he looked at his reflection, desperately trying to speed up the process of drying his pants. But the expression on his mirror double's face looked as doubtful of that claim as part of him felt.

Childish Destiny On her twentieth birthday, a deer is evaluated on whether it would be best if she was regressed back to babyhood. (5,554 words.) Ask any of her friends, and they would tell you that Holly Weathers was the most mature deer they had ever met and certainly not suited to be a baby at all. At least, that’s what Holly believed they’d say. For her evaluation, Holly dressed as adult as possible. She wore a skinny amber skirt and a blouse with ample cleavage. For once, she remembered to apply perfume, a beach aroma that complemented her sandy antlers. She had adorned her hooves in heels, a clothing article she absolutely detested, but a fur proves their adulthood not by being themselves but by wearing the most elegant disguise possible. Holly had come prepared. Nine minutes left. Nine minutes until Holly’s entire life trajectory would be decided by crazy doctors. Nine minutes until society would determine if she was worthy of living an adult life. How could this be fair? The deer shuffled her legs in the waiting room. She checked her watch above her left hoof; only eight minutes now. Since trotting through that front door, her stomach was twisting. But really, her anxiety had anticipated this day ever since six months ago when she realized she was about to turn twenty and have her evaluation. A few other animals waited besides her. One, a spotted Maine Coon, had already given up in being placed as an adult. He had a balloon patterned diaper and a pacifier happily in his muzzle. He purred softly though his suckles. Perhaps this cat actually wanted to be a baby? Holly was skeptical, but she knew these furs existed. At least until the cat’s placement, she refused to refer to him as a kitten. Even if he had given up hope in his adulthood, Holly had faith in him. She was not the kind of fur to surrender to babyhood. She was a proud deer about to complete her second year of college, and she did not need her life ruined with eternal fawnhood. She knew from internet research and stories among friends that these placements were obviously random and had nothing to do with your actual maturity, but superstition still said to provide the most adult impression possible. Her friends… The odds were not in Holly’s favor. She was autistic and fat and a girl. Chubby animals look like babies to these quacks, one fur she read theorized. Girls are cute. And autistic furs, well, how could they be expected to take care of themselves? Holly would laugh if she wasn’t nervous. She was a grown-up, bleat! Sure, she couldn’t tie her shoes until she was twelve years old—which she rarely wore anyways since walking on bare hooves was far superior—and sure, she still ate salads almost every night for dinner and would cry if she was out of chickpeas, but these were normal things! Even if they weren’t, they had nothing to do with whether she would be happier as a baby. And there’s nothing babyish about eating seconds. Two months ago, her best friend Miranda had her placement. It did not go as Holly hoped. Holly theoretically wanted to stay in touch, but for her heart, it was hard to see that biology major she once knew babbling about how much she loved her stuffy. Where was that smart wolf? How could anyone think this regression stuff was okay? Holly sighed. She was relatively alone in this opinion. Miranda herself said beforepaw that she wanted whatever the doctors deemed best for her happiness. Many of Holly's other friends admitted that they were kind of childish, and it might be nice to be good babies like society said they should be. Others were confident they'd be placed as mommies, and they were excited for their future little to raise. They had all had brainwashed! There was nothing natural about this, and animals did not need to become children for anyone. Holly was very firm in this position, and no placement decision would ever sway her mind. The deer had been tempted to run away. She could ditch town, flee to the woods, and live off of wild grasses and berries. But the girl needed her degree. She wanted to be a Latin professor. What life would there be hiding from every fur she knew? If she returned to society, she would immediately be forced into a placement appointment. So Holly might as well get this decision out of the way that would determine the rest of her life. A door opened. “Holly?" the nurse asked. “Bleat!” Holly said. No, don’t vocalize now! It’s too cute and damaging for her adult placement! The deer stood up from her seat. She could see the whole waiting room below her now,. and she hated how childish it was. A table with trains and tracks stood in the middle, and that diapered cat had been pawing one back and forth. The coat hanger at the office entrance was green with "flower" bulbs to place coats. The office was begging to place every animal who arrived as a baby. But Holly knew that wasn't true. Some animals were determined fit to be adults. She would be one of them. Holly sauntered over to the nurse as maturely as possible, yet the mouse receptionist gave a big grin. Bad sign, bad sign. They may already see Holly as little. Fuck, she was masking her autism so well! Her walk was normally a giveaway, a big stumble between gallops, so she really tried today to control her pace. Still, many patients in the waiting room kept waving at her like a cute little thing. Shuddering inside, Holly reached the nurse at the open door, and the two walked down the hallway. "Excited for your big day?" the nurse giggled. She was an orange falcon of a rather tall stature. "Totally," Holly said. Don't admit you want a particular outcome. That makes you mature in their eyes. As they walked by examination rooms and corkboards littered with painted paw prints and other crafts, Holly locked eyes with Jessy Delmer, a curvy cow she knew from back in high school. Ugh, why did she have to be here? Not only was Jessy ridiculously pro this system rather than indifferent, she was classified as a mom a few weeks ago and would be soon assigned a "little." The cow had already been breast-pumping to feed her future “young’s” mouth. It wasn't fair that her placement as an adult would only confirm the validity of the system in her head. "Hiii Holly! Omg, today is your big day! Best of luck!" she said with her usual glee. "Thanks Jessie," Holly said was as much sarcasm she thought necessary to break her hatred through to this girl. Nope, it still didn't work. Jessie was grinning as she trotted away towards the restroom. Of course. "Come on in," the nurse sang. They were in front of examination room five, which looked like a cross of a therapy office and a daycare. There was a red couch on the left and a comfy green rocking chair on the right. But the rug was one of those rainbow rugs from kindergarten, and was that a bin of stuffed animals next to the bookshelf? At the back was a big paneled window streaming with light from a glimmering lake with a highway by its shore. “We’ve looked at your background before you came in,” the falcon said as she turned on a noise machine by the entrance. “But we would like to run a few tests before we let you know your results. Would that be okay, deer?” God no, the puns. Holly took a breath. Just keep your cool and forced enthusiasm. “Okay!” “Excellent.” The falcon lowered herself into the rocking chair. “We will start with an interview. Please, take a seat.” Holly reluctantly walked in and sat down on the couch. She was tempted to lie down, but she decided to sit up straight. “I should introduce myself,” the bird said. “I am Juniper, and while I am called a nurse here, I am a social worker specializing in working with children. How about you? Would you like to tell me a little about yourself?” Holly fidgeted with her hooves. She was not a child. Just ignore her supposed specialty. “Uh, my name is Holly Weathers. I’m a deer.” Duh, Holly. “I study ancient Romanimal civilization in college. I really love how in Latin, the words can go in any order as long as the endings decline correctly. It’s so cool!” Holly felt rather clever with this sophisticated answer. As long as she could keep away from babyish topics, she could prove her adulthood. The falcon responded, “Ha, I don’t remember my high school Spanish very well, but that is really interesting. Do you have any other hobbies you would like to share?” “Well, I like embroidery. I sometimes make cute characters for my friends, and I like to stitch Latin phrases. I also—” “I see. What are some of your favorite foods?” She didn’t like being interrupted, but she had an answer bursting for this question. “Pickles. I really like pickles! They’re such a good snack. I also love a great salad with some Caesar dressing—no fish, please—or with balsamic vinaigrette. It’s soooo good. I could eat salads for every meal!” Crap, had she answered too fast? The interview continued for quite a well. Holly knew she was acing it. Her responses were mature and nuanced. The conversation was flowing, and she did her best to keep eye contact. She would receive an adult verdict in no time. “I think that’s enough chatting. Next, I will pull out some cards, and you will tell me what you see. Understand?” Holly knew of this test from internet discourse. It was the easiest one. As long as you said what you saw—and it was quite obvious what was in the pictures—you’d be golden. “Yes, I’m ready.” Juniper reached her wings into a bag and pulled flash cards held by a clip. She flipped to the first one. “Can you tell me what this is?” It was obvious. “A tree,” Holly said. Try to sound as neutral as possible, even bored. Unlike the interview, this was supposed to be banal for adults. Just zone out. “And this?” “A car.” “And this?” “A skateboard. “And this?” “A snack. Wait, an apple.” Frick, how could she have slipped like that? Don’t zone out too far. It wasn’t a huge deal, of course. Adults like apples. But she mentally slapped herself. “How about this?” “A cloud.” “And this?” “A squirrel.” “And this one?” “A dog.” “And how about this?” “A stuffy.” NO. She did not just abbreviate that. You only say stuffy at home, Holly! Fuck, fuck, fuck. “Very good! I think that’s enough cards.” She dropped them back in the bag. Holly did not feel she was very good. Juniper continued. “And speaking of stuffies, our next test will be all about them!” Crap, stuffed animals were an autistic deer’s weakness. Juniper stood up and walked towards that bin. She pulled out a huge stuffed kangaroo. “I think it is best if I do not describe this test. Please hold this plush for now. She kneeled down by the couch and gave Holly the kangaroo. Bending to your eye level was a bad sign. That got Holly nervous. And this stuffed animal was an obvious trap. But it was also rather soft. Would it really hurt to pet the girl a little bit? Adults do that, right? Holly thought. She knew her plush obsession was overtaking her thinking, but she took her hoof off her lap and rubbed it on the kangaroo’s back. Wow, that texture was good. Really good. She did it again. Then again, closing her eyes now. After all the stress of this morning, couldn’t she use this quiet moment to enjoy this little plush? She pet the kangaroo some more. She rubbed her muzzle all around that plushie, a few drops of saliva leaking out and dampening the ‘roo’s fur Gosh, this was so nice! She wrapped her hooves around her new friend and gave him big hug. She was alright and safe. “Could I have Kangy back, my friend?” “No!” Holly shouted, hugging her kangaroo tight, before shaking those words out of her head. “I mean: O-of course!” She held her hooves up to give the plushie to the standing bird. However, Holly was gripping rather tight. She didn’t want to give up her plushie. She loved Kangy! But she needed to pass this test, and she already slipped up. The friction pulled and tugged, and her grip gave. “Very good job. I’m so sorry to take her away. You can have Kangy back later, if you’d like,” the bird sang as she dropped Kangy back in the bin. Then the bird traveled back to her seat. It was a little past noon now, and the sun’s heat from the window was scorching. Holly’s front legs craved for the sensation of Kangy’s fur, but she needed to ignore that tingling for now for whatever tests were left. The falcon proceeded to reach into her blue bag again and pulled out what appeared to be a picture book. “For our last test, I will read this story to you, and ask you a few questions about what’s going on.” Oh, this should be an easy. Holly was absolutely above picture books and found no enjoyment from them whatsoever. She could show this bird that fact. Juniper put on some reading glasses, and she opened the book wide extended outwards, as if reading to a group of young campers. Holly was her reluctant audience of one. “Here we go. Ahem.” She flipped to the title page. “The Puppy’s Lost Treasure. “Once upon a time, a puppy loved his favorite sock. He loved chomping on this sock because it was the softest sock around.” There was a picture of a feral dog with a sock in his chompers. “‘Grrr’, he would say. Can you grrr for me like the puppy?” “Grr!” Holly said with a big goofy grin before jamming a hoof in her mouth. What the fudge? How could she react that way? This was the most basic of stories and she was getting so excited! No no, keep your focus, Holly. They won’t get that autistic deer out of you again. You are mature and always have been. You are nothing else but an adult, and you do not play. With a light smile forming in her beak, Juniper flipped the page. “But one day, the sock went missing. The puppy searched high and low for his wonderful sock. He wiggled under the bed and sniffed around. Was it there?” “No!” Holly said. Darn it Holly, stop! She had read the next speech bubble. “You are right. The sock wasn’t there!” The singsong in her voice was so irristable. “Then the puppy went outside and dug in his favorite digging spot. Was the sock there?” “No! Bleat!” Holly said. This place must be magic. How else could she slip up like that? She hadn’t acted this small since she was in preschool! There must be something up around here. This can’t be the real her underneath the fur. Her eyes felt watery, yet she couldn’t help but keep up a toothy smile. Drool started leaking out of her muzzle and onto the floor. “Very good! You’re passing this test with flying colors,” Juniper said. Holly did not want to pass this test. She couldn’t be passing this test. “When the puppy’s mommy came home from work, the puppy asked where his precious sock was. ‘Check your laundry bin,’ the mother said. The puppy sprinted up the stairs, around the corner, into his room, and dove his head far into the bin. And what do you think was there?” Juniper ended with the most stereotypical upwards tone. “THE SOCK!!! Bahhh~” Holly said. A drool puddle drenched the couch cushions beneath. She couldn’t hold it anymore. It felt so good to bah, to let go. She was an adult, not a fawn, but she couldn’t control her body anymore. This is who she was at this moment. She just had to hope the evaluation team could understand that she was an adult, and this was a rare fluke. This had to not be her. After Juniper wrapped up the story, she packed her bag and stood up. "The doctor will enter in a few short minutes, hun. You will have to wait here alone. Can you do that for me?" Oh no. That’s a bad sign, the asking of an obvious question. This could still be a bonus test, however. Just play it cool, pass this marshmallow test, and you’d be golden. The evaluation can’t have gone that badly, could it have? "Of course." *** She hated to admit it, as those baby freaks would jump on these emotions immediately, but those next couple of minutes gnawed at her skull. Please, please put Holly out of this misery and give her a good verdict. Please say she was an adult after all. Holly started to doubt her own adulthood with her earlier performance, but she denied all of these maniacs’ philosophy. Nothing here about being a “baby at heart” was true. The door opened. A fox in a white coat walked into the room with a rolling table and a laptop perched on top. Holly took in a deep breath. She would walk away like all of this had never happened, she knew. "Hello, Holly. How are you doing?" he said. "Fantastic." Holly realized how terse this statement was and correct it with the most genuine follow-up she could muster. "Truly." "We imagine you are eager to hear your results. So I'll get straight to the point. Based on our heuristics---" "Yes?" Holly said. "And after plenty of discussion---" "Go on." "We have decided you are the most babyish animal we have ever seen." The first “No” was a little peep, a breath of shock. Then Holly’s mask shattered. She screamed, "Noooo!! Please sir, there must be a mistake. I'm very mature, I swear!" "No mistakes were made, little one." Already that little phrase was out. Fudge. The chance of respect towards her was shriveling away. "We were very confident before you came in, but the evaluations done by Miss Juniper only confirmed it. You are one of the cutest, childlike, most autistic animals we have ever seen so perfect to be a baby. You already were one; you just didn't realize it!" Her argument was ready. "How can I be a baby if I'm talking to you?" "Oh cute girl, you know that being a baby has nothing to do if you can talk!” Juniper said. “It's what's in your heart. But of course, it feels much better for babies like you to not talk and instead wear diapers, babble, and poop and pee themselves. We're sure you'll come to understand that, too." She didn't know why she was trying to logic with these animals. It wasn't going to work; their insanity was beyond comprehension. Of course, she did know why she kept talking. She needed this all to change. Her emotions were all over the floor. Fudge, she was sobbing. Another mark towards babyhood. Her forever babyhood. "Frankly,” the doctor said, “the team was surprised you even lasted this long pretending to be a grown-up. You’re just so fat and little! You should never ever have been allowed to be an adult. We're so sorry that you've been through all this pain." "I haven't been through pain until now!" Holly said, though she wasn’t as sure as she was an hour ago. "I was a fine woman actually making a life in this stupid world." How could a whole team make such a wrong decision? Group think? Mob mentality? She didn’t act that babyish before, did she? The tests revealed nothing. "But it's okay now," the doctor said, a paw on Holly's back. "You're going to get to be a baby. You'll feel so much more comfortable. It's so right for you. He wasn't listening. He wasn’t listening. Her words were gibberish to him. Already, she was a baby in his eyes… Yet for some reason, this all felt good, maybe great. She was a fawn, scientifically verified. What if she could trust it, just accept that she was meant for pampers and building blocks? No more masking, no more hiding. She could be a good deer. She might be meant to be a baby for the rest of her life. She giggled wildly for a moment. She was a baby. She would never get to be an adult again. "We have your assigned mommy already here today," Juniper said. "And it sounds like the two of you already know each other! It's so sweet and perfect!" She put her wings together in a clap, a blush on her face. Wait, no. There's only one cow that could be referring to. Holly was snapped out of that stupid glee. "Heya, little cakes." Jessy said as she walked in with a pink stroller. "I get to be your mommy from now on! I get to put you in so many diapers and outfits, and you get to be oh so cute!! You'll never have to worry again! Isn't that great?" "No, No, NO!!!" Holly shouted. Anyone but that smug cow. Anyone else as her “mom.” Holly threw a nearby pamphlet across the room and whined. Just like a real baby...No, don't fall into their language. They would not convince her just yet. She almost fell earlier. "Jeez, someone's a bit hissy," the cow said with an exaggerated eye roll as if to help kids understand the humor. "Doc, do you think she'll feel better soon?" "Definitely. This realization that they've been a baby their whole life can be a shock for some little ones. They just didn't expect it. But don't worry! It'll feel natural and right for them soon enough." "But I haven't been a baby my whole life!" Holly stood up to try to level herself with these crazy heads before losing balance and falling right back into the couch. From her seat, she gestured to her whole body. "I'm an adult, look!" She felt awkward doing this, but she held up her breasts, a puberty characteristic to prove some sort of point. "Oh, the body argument," Jessy said. "A classic. Boobs just make a baby cuter, Little Bells.” Jessy reached to pinch Holly's cheeks with her cloven hooves. "Who's a good little baby who thinks she's a grown up? You are! You are!" "Shut up!" Holly swatted the air with her hooves towards Jessy. Another babyish act in the eyes of her new captors. She might really just be a good little fawn. "Doc, where's a binky?" Jessy asked. "Already way ahead of you. Put this in her muzzle to help sooth her. Babies calm right up once you give them a nice pacifier." Any rebuttals she had were disregarded as the most enormous binky Holly had ever seen was shoved right in her muzzle. Instantly, like a long return home, she began suckling. Mhm, this was rather nice. A calm washed across her fur, and for the first time in hours she felt her stomach relax. If she ever did get out of this, maybe she could try pacifiers at home. Wait, no! You're falling for their traps, again! Holly thought. Stop! Yet why not just fall for the traps? Why not let that fake adult façade break, Holly asked herself. Why not be the best baby there ever was, the real you? Why try so hard to pretend to be a grown up every day when the real autistic you is a good little girl? Holly didn’t know how to answer these questions. She thought she had to fight, at least a little longer. She thought she shouldn’t lose her strong, academic self. But why did she think these things? Holly was confused. “And I’ve got someone else you will like!” Juniper said, holding Kangy. She must have gotten it when Holly wasn’t looking. “Kangy,” Holly mumbled through her pacy. She loved Kangy so much. Kangy would be here through this babyish world. Kangy would be her best friend. She rubbed her head into Kangy’s stomach again. Drool leaked through her pacifier. "I think she's ready for the babying procedures,” the doctor said. “Ms. Fern, could you take our fawn to the conversion facilities?" "Of course," Juniper said. "C'mon, Jessy. Let's watch your baby be prepared." Holly paused from her snuggling to think about what was said. She had heard about these machines in theory, but she shuddered to think what they actually do. All she knew was a few weeks after each placement she would visit a previous friend, and they'd be mooing and meowing and drooling and packing their pamps. Something was going to happen, either to her mind or to her body. Half of her was distinctly terrified. The other half was still in awe with this soft bulb in her jaw and Kangy in her arms. She was a good baby. She was ready to poop some diapers. It’s what she should have been doing all these years. This was the moment she lost her disguise. Two women approached her, Juniper and Jessy, and they ripped every clothing item the deer had. They violated her. Gone was the amber skirt. Gone was the sexy blouse. There wouldn’t be sex for her anymore. She was a fawn. She would always be naked or In frilly skirts and booties. And this felt a little good, good to just be with her fatter, babier self that had been stifled under all that cloth mess. Fawns didn’t wear clothes. Fawns suckles their hooves and wet themselves. A giggle murmured in her. Jessy picked the entire deer up and placed her in the pink baby carriage. That woman was strong. But there was a grace to her carry. Could she really be that bad? Jessy then layered Holly in blankets and pillows until only her head poked out. It was a lot, but it was snuggly heaven. Holly could feel the wheels begin to turn. Jessy pushed as Juniper led her towards a room down the far end of the hall. This was where those machines would be. Yet Holly could barely see beyond the fluffy white ceiling of her stroller. She heard the “aww”s from nurses walking by, but it was hard to care anymore. It helped too that she couldn’t see these animals. “Load her onto the conveyor belt,” she heard Juniper say from under the muffle of the blankets. The cow continued to prove her motherly strength as she lifted the naked fat deer up onto the machine. Juniper strapped her belly down so she couldn’t bolt. There goes that option, not that Holly was considering running much at this point. The metal was cold. Finally out of the carriage though still stuck on her back, Holly could get a better look around. Above were great ceiling fans in the most industrial room of this building. Farther down, the conveyor belt, she could just glimpse in her vision other animals drift through metal boxes and exit diapered. There must be more to these machines, however. Something had to cause the mental changes she saw in her friends. “You excited?” someone asked. She stretched her head as much as she could in the opposite direction. It was the dog from earlier. His diaper had been removed, likely so he was ready to receive a new one. “Nah weally!” Holly croaked through her binky. “Buh maybe?” The war still raged in her head. This could be what would make her happy. She had those urges earlier. To giggle at a cute story, to speak in baby talk. All of that would be accepted now, encouraged. She might just need to be a baby. She didn’t have time to think more as the conveyor belt drifted her towards the first metal box. Brace yourself. You might not be the same person coming out. Her fur felt colder as she entered the box’s darkness. Something from above reached down and touched her head. Was this it? Was her mind a goner? The light returned. She was out of the box. What had changed? She felt herself all over. She reached her head. A pink, lacy bonnet wrapped around her ears…Was that all? Where was the mental changes? Was this a mind-controlling bonet? She didn’t think so, for it was loosely attached to her head. How could mind-control like that really exist, anyhow. There were no mental changes. It hit Holly then. All her friends who came out as happy babs hugging themselves; they wanted that. They realized that was them, for they were babies always. These machines didn’t mess with your head. They only dressed you. Her friends loved to mess and wet themselves all day while playing with toys because who wouldn’t? Being a baby was amazing! She felt booties join her paws, and in these seconds Holly had official lost the war and happy to do so. The doctors were right. It had been obvious for months, and she was scared of change so she dreaded this day. Yet being an accepting environment can be powerful. And Holly realized for sure that she was definitely a dumb, little, stinky baby. “Bah~,” she said, and she drooled some more. At last, the best station arrived. The arms reached down in the dark, tugged at her sides, and she drifted out. She was diapered. She was a baby again. And immediately, she pushed, and shit got all around her mushy bottom. “I did it! I did it, mommy!” Holly said. She was reaching the end of the conveyor belts, and Jessy’s arms were there to catch her. “I messed myself! I’m just a baby!” “I knew you would understand, little deer!” her mother said as she caught the girl. Holly loved Jessy. She had been angry at Mommy because Mommy had been treating her like a fawn back in high school, but Jessy just knew something Holly hadn’t realized yet. Everyone around her had seen through that pathetic mask. She was autistic and female, and she should just be a good baby. She nuzzled up into her mother’s breasts. “I love you mommy so, so much! Please take me home and diaper me and never treat me like an adult again!” “Of course I will. You can see your friends again, too! I bet they’d be happy to know you’re a baby like them.” Her friends! They had been so smart to accept themselves as baby idiots. Would they forgive Holly for not playing with them for so long? Of course they would. Babies stick together, and they love playing games and pooping themselves. She was so happy! “And you can still sometimes read your silly Latin if you want to sometimes, though you might be forgetting how to read soon.” She would definitely forget how to read. She would forget how to add, write, and so many other things. She was a baby! Babies didn’t know how to do these things, and that’s wonderful. She was loved and accepted. She could be her dumb, stupid, pamper-packing self for the rest of time. And that made her so blissfully happy. The drool from under Binky was immense. “You two are going to be such a happy family,” Juniper said. She was turning to leave back towards the office. “You two can exit out the back entrance; you did all the paperwork when you arrived, Jessy. Have a wonderful trip home!” “Thank you, Ms. Fern,” Jessy said. She then looked down at her girl. “Can you say Bye Bye to the woman who helped you realize what a big baby you are?” Holly loved Juniper. Without her, Holly wouldn’t realize how stupid, little, and wonderful she was! “Bye Bye, Juny!” Juniper smiled and walked away. Meanwhile, Jessy took off her shirt unhooked her bra. “I think it’s time for my little one to get a nice meal. You must be exhausted after such a big morning where you had to think so much!” Holly saw the cow’s teats. They were so, so big. So delicious. Her babyish instincts kicked in, and she suckled into overdrive. So squishy and soft. Suckly felt sooooo good. And she was going to do this all day every day for the rest of her life? Yay!! “Aww, such a good drinker! You can keep suckling as we walk to our car.” Of course, it would only be Jessy walking, with the fawn in her arms. Holly blushed as she felt the tap leaking in her diapie. It was sopping and turning yellow. But did it matter? She was a good baby, and babies did that kind of thing. She giggled and cozied up even deeper into her mother’s arms. She was a baby, and she would be one for the rest of her life. And that sounded like everything her little, fat, autistic heart could ever dream.

Heyo, readers! I... did not expect this story to suddenly come to mind, but here it is! This will be a mini-series, maybe three chapters total, not sure yet. Anyways, I hope that you all enjoy it! Swimming Ahead (Part 1) by Panther Cub "This is so humiliating!" Ariel looked over to Kelly, seeing the red panda girl pouting with her arms crossed. The teenaged otter girl shared her BFF's sentiment, as did the majority of their grumbling fellow classmates, but they had known that this was coming. All across the southern continent country of Bioux, a new mandate for schools, both public and private alike, had just taken effect. Unlike their neighbors to the north in Callinstrad, or to the east in Vivalia and Shtall, Bioux had decided to begin a process to help screen for late-blooming Miner Syndrome sufferers. What that meant for Ariel and Kelly as well as the rest of the student body at St. Callow's School for Young Ladies exactly, they didn't know. But taking a look around the bright and colorful room that was attached to the MSer daycare section of the school, they knew that it would be embarrassing. "Don't worry, Kells," Ariel said, putting a comforting paw on the other girl's shoulder, both wearing the uniform black blazers and pleated red skirts, "it'll only be, like, an hour of feeling awkward for six months... and then we can move on and maybe laugh about it later." Kelly frowned, but nodded. "Still, I hope that they don't make us wear diapers..." The general din of murmuring from their class was immediately silenced by the sudden opening of the classroom door. In walked, or rather, flowed an elegantly graceful vixen who seemed to be in her late twenties, wearing an ankle-length blue and white floral dress. She set her purse down on her desk before turning to regard her students, her tail wagging happily. "Good morning, class!" Her voice sounded full of boundless energy and excitement, with a slight melodic trill to it that could easily be missed. "I am Miss Callistone, and I'll be your teacher here in Comfort and Care 101! I'm sure that you'll all have a lot of fun before moving on to additional electives in the second semester!" "Except for those who end up in the daycare." Looking over to see who spoke, Ariel wasn't shocked to see none other than Michelle snickering in her little group of friends. The hyena caught Ariel looking back at her and gave a wink. "How about we make this class a little more fun with a betting pool about who'll become total baby brains?" "Miss Evanston, I do not condone gambling in my class," Miss Callistone said, now standing right beside Michelle's desk. Ariel's breath hitched in her throat as she, much like the now visibly nervous hyena girl, was awestruck by the apparent speed and stealth with which the vixen had used to just appear like that. The teacher in question was frowning down at Michelle, slowly shaking her head in disapproval. "Furthermore, just because someone's latent condition might be triggered by the stimuli of my class, that doesn't mean that they will miss out on choosing their elective class to replace this one in the next semester. Her gaze swept around the other girls, letting out a disappointed sigh. "I had hoped that the principal would have gone with my helpful pamphlet idea... well, no matter. Let us take a moment to set the record on the purpose of this class straight." Ariel watched again as Miss Callistone strode gracefully back up to her desk and the large dry erase marker board. Turning back around, her playful smile had returned, with her tail beginning to slowly wag. "Now, class, I know that there have been a lot of wild rumors running amok about what's going to happen here. Basically, all we're going to do is spend the whole class period, gradually getting to know our inner children. The key word there being gradually." She looked around for any questions before continuing. "Typically, Miner's Syndrome manifests at the very beginning of puberty, though some cases of it happening earlier have been found. But it can also manifest in one's mid to late teens, which can be a rather nasty shock for the poor dears it happens to. But with some additional support and care, they can thankfully readjust to their new conditions and all that entails. Unfortunately, some late bloomers make it all the way into adulthood before the symptoms first begin to appear. When this happens, it can be so much more devastating. It is one thing to be on the cusp of adulthood and independence only to find oneself needing much more care and attention and love. It is another thing entirely to have that happen as a grown-up with so much pressure and anxiety to already be contending with." Letting that sink in, Ariel reflected on how she never thought very often about MSerswho manifested as adults. She wondered if any survived long enough to wind up homeless, especially if they had no families to help them. "So by creating a safe and nurturing environment, we hope that if any late-bloomers are in this class, their conditions will manifest and they can begin getting all the support they could ever need! Questions?" The rest of the girls were all silent, and no one was raising their paws, talons, claws, and hooves. Biting her lower lip, Ariel slowly raised her own paw. "Yes, Miss Vellburne?" The vixen asked, her tail starting to wag faster, showing her excitement at getting to engage more with her new students. Ariel felt her cheeks redden a bit as she began to speak, but she pushed right on through. "Does this mean that we'll have to wear d--... diapers?" No one laughed, like she had been expecting, and instead they were all waiting for the answer, many looking nervous or sporting blushes similar to the otter's. "Only a student with Miner's Syndrome will be required to wear a diaper," Miss Callistone said with a yip. Ariel and the others breathed a sigh of relief, with Kelly also looking in slightly better spirits. "But." That one word was enough to cause everyone to freeze in place, dread being palpable in the atmosphere of the room. "Due to the potential for certain... accidents in class, starting next week for the duration of the rest of the semester, training pants will be a required part of the uniform for all students in C&C." "Th-that's not fair!" Kelly sprang up, quickly shrinking back in on herself after she realized she'd just had such an outburst. "S-sorry, Miss Callistone..." The vixen let out a warm chuckle and waved a dismissive paw. "Think nothing of it, Miss Draya. I expect we'll see many more such sudden emotional bursts as the class progresses. But, the rule will be followed, no exceptions. I am aware of how harsh that sounds, but we are all trying our best here to help everyone. So please, I want you all to know that my door is always open to talk. Now, unless there's anymore questions, we can begin today with just some simple yet fun arts and crafts! I'll begin passing around construction paper, safety scissors, crayons, and the gluesticks!" Later... "Well that was pretty... patronizing," Ariel said as she and Kelly walked down the hall past the other shuffling students. "I thought your picture of the surfing squirrel looked really good!" The red panda girl offered Ariel a comforting smile. "It was supposed to be a shooting star..." Kelly winced and grimaced. "W-well, it still looked better than my sunflower did." They continued to walk in silence, the hall becoming distinctly less crowded. "... Are we really gunna have to wear Paw-Ups?" Kelly looked hopefully at her friend. Ariel slowly nodded, dashing the red panda's hopes. "Yeah... it looks like it. Appeals for the mandate's removal have been filed, but it could be years before anything is done about it, and that's not even counting how many people in Parliament were in favor of it." Kelly let out a sigh and crossed her arms again. "... I wonder how many of our classmates have it..." "Huh?" Kelly rolled her eyes before giving the otter girl an exasperated look. "I mean, how many of our classmates do you think are gunna end up in the daycare?" Ariel thought about it for a moment. "Who can say?" Ariel shrugged. "I guess late bloomers happen enough to make this class important enough to actually exist in the first place." "I guess so..." Kelly looked down at her feet, clearly uncomfortable. "It's kinda scary too though, huh?" "... Yeah... anyone in class could end up back in diapers, potentially at any time." The two remained silent the rest of the way to class, not wanting to dwell any further on what the future and its possibilities held in store for them. However, the future creeps and crawls its way along whether one wants it to or not, and soon enough, the two are heading to the awaiting buses parked out in front of the school gates. Ariel and Kelly drifted through the current of fellow students down the front steps and past the ornately carved fountain of a dragon spewing a watery blaze straight up into the sky, the falling droplets sparkling in afternoon light. The two girls talked about classes, barring one, clubs and activities, and anything that could help them get their minds off the growing sense of dread. Getting off at her stop, Ariel was soon walking alone the block and a half back to her house. A gentle and cool breeze swished her skirt a bit, prompting her to imagine what it would be like to walk around with a Paw-Up on underneath. She imagined she'd be a bit more nervous about breezes and the wind in general. Walking up the sidewalk towards her house, a canary yellow two-story building with a well-maintained garden in the front yard. She smiled a bit, seeing her father's tomato plants growing well in their cages, before opening the front door with her key and entering. Ariel came to a sudden halt when she saw her parents both sitting on the couch, with the TV off. Sitting there on the coffee table before them were three large pink and white packages that displayed an excited-looking teenage lioness wearing just a pink t-shirt and... a pair of underwear that definitely looked thicker than regular panties. In fact, they looked to be the kind with tearable sides... "... I see..." Ariel said after a bit, slipping her backpack from her shoulders. "Honey." her mother, Val, a loving, if not a bit overbearing, vixen looked as uncomfortable as Ariel felt. "We know that this is a bit... awkward, sweetie," her father, Terrance, said. The older otter sighted and rubbed the back of his neck. "But, as you know, we really don't have much of a choice when it comes to this." "I know, Dad," Ariel said, trying to give a reassuring smile, making instead a bit of a grimace. "Well, maybe there's a bright side?" Val offered, picking up one of the packages with the words Paw-Ups emblazoned across in pink glittery words. "I mean, maybe this can help you for... OH! For a college essay?" "Val..." Terrance sighed, curling his tail around her waist to pull her in closer for a cuddle. "I think lots of kids are gunna be trying that after this." Ariel pointed out, smiling a little. Despite the oncoming humiliation, she still knew her parents were there for her, like always. "It's... gunna just have to be what it is. I'll be going to school wearing training pants for the next six months." "Oh, honey!" Val scampered off the couch to run up and pull her daughter into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry! I wish that there was a way to make things all better!" "Mom," Ariel said, choking down a sob. Her Mom and Dad were already distressed enough about all of this as it is. The last thing she wanted was to make them feel any worse about it. "It'll be okay. All the other girls have to do it too, plus, it's not like this is just happening at my school." "Yeah, but how do you feel about it, Ariel?" Terrance asked, looking quizzically at his daughter. "I think I'll probably forget that they're even there after a week or so. Plus, I've still got my responsibilities as the Captain of the Gardening Club to keep me and my mind busy." Val released her daughter as she and Terrance shared a look of concern. "Sweetie... if you're sure, then alright... but you do know that you can talk to me and your father about anything and everything, right?" "I know, Mom!" Ariel smiled and kissed her mother on the cheek. "But right now, I think I'd like to go ahead and get this homework done and out of the way." "You get a lot on the first day back?" Terrance asked. "A little. Mr. Hardwith seems like the no-nonsense type." Ariel quickly excused herself to head up into her room, stopping to grab her new Paw-Ups on the way. The moment her bedroom door was shut, she had to wipe away some tears, frowning as she looked down at the packages. Groaning a little, she set them down by her desk, before using a claw to carefully slice one open. She pulled out the lightly crinkling undergarment and unfolded it. It was mostly white with a bright pink trim. The sides were tearable, with little hearts running down the seam. There was a glittery pink butterfly on the front, which would no doubt disappear when wet. Walking over to her dresser, she opened the underwear drawer and set it inside, taking note of the contrast the training pant painted laying amidst the rest of her underwear. "You got this," she said in a quiet voice to no one. "You'll overcome this and not disappoint anyone..." Ariel gave the drawer a hard shove shut and straightened up. She grabbed her backpack and unzipped it, quickly getting to work on her few homework assignments. Everything would be alright. She was fine. Everything was fine. * * * Ariel hugged her sides as she walked to the bus stop, trying to keep her tail from moving and causing a crinkle sound that her Mom and dad had assured was very hard to hear, yet sounded so loud to be almost deafening to her own ears. The first week back to school had seemed to practically pass by in a blur. C&C with Miss Callistone first thing in the morning hadn't been too bad yet. They got to actually have a bit of a recess last Friday, which meant going outside into the fresh air and sunlight, which was pretty nice. However, it was only allowed in the daycare section's fenced off playground and outdoors play area. Thankfully they wouldn't be getting a recess until around lunchtime, so they didn't have to deal with the overgrown toddlers. A breeze came by and began to swish her skirt. Looking around wildly, she quickly grabbed and yanked her skirt down, unfortunately pulling the top of it down as well, revealing the bright pink and white waistband of her Paw-Ups for potentially anyone to see. Ariel was grateful to every deity that had ever existed that no one was around at the school bus stop to have seen. She had just finished readjusting her skirt when the bright yellow bus came around the corner and pulled to a stop in front of her. Steeling herself, she got on board, and took her seat next to Kelly. The lack of her usual chattiness was a sign enough for Ariel to know that the red panda girl was definitely not liking her new underwear either. Arriving at school, Ariel noticed the very subdued atmosphere on the bus as everyone started to depart. Wincing a little as she felt another gust playing with the hemline of her skirt, Ariel much more gingerly tugged it down, and spotted plenty of the other girls doing the same. Walking through the halls, she and Kelly made minimal conversation, both coming to a halt at the door to their homeroom class. Taking a shared deep breath, the two girls stepped through the classroom door, to be immediately greeted by Miss Callistone, who gave them a warm smile that made the otter blush even more. "Good morning, Ariel and Kelly!" The older vixen's tail started to gently wag. "Now I have to ask, are you two wearing your Paw-Ups, sweeties?" Faces turning crimson beneath their fur, both girls simply nodded. Miss Callistone smiled and nodded, reaching over to ruffle both of their headfurs. "I believe you two. I know how embarrassing this can be, but I promise that this isn't the end of the world some of your classmates are making it out to be... Now, you two should go find your seats. Today is a special class." Wondering what she could've meant by that, Ariel and Kelly did as instructed and took their usual desks next to each other, watching as Miss Callistone started questioning every one of her students as they entered about whether or not they were wearing their Paw-Ups. It didn't take long before a problem began to arise. A certain hyena girl entered, casually trying to walk past the older vixen. "Miss Evanstan, are you wearing your Paw-Ups today?" Miss Callistone asked, causing the hyena to stop in her tracks, eyes darting left to right for a bit. "Yup," she said, unable to meet the vixen's eyes. "Well then, let's just take a quick check, just in case?" Michelle growled as the back of her skirt was pulled out a bit, with Miss Callistone frowning. "Miss Evanstan, you know the rules. You are supposed to be wearing training pants as part of your school uniform." Michelle took a deep breath and scowled. "Well... it's a stupid rule! I'm not some mindless giant baby who's gunna drop a load in her pants without knowing it! This entire law is stupid and I'm not gunna do it!" She looked back at Miss Callistone with a defiant smirk. The vixen slowly shook her head. "Oh dear. Well, some resistance to the new change was expected. You can start heading to the principal's office. I'll call ahead to let them know you're coming and why." "Whatever." Michelle rolled her eyes and stomped back out of the classroom. "Something tells me that Michelle's gunna be coming back with the proper uniform attire on and everything." Kelly flashed Ariel a semi-cheeky grin. Ariel wasn't paying attention, however, because of another issue that had decided now was the time to rear its ugly head for her. She had to go to the bathroom... Well, hop[e you all enjoyed the new story! Let me know what you think!

Hey there, readers! I'm happy to bring to you this fun little one-off that was written, in part, to participate in a fun little contest (check out the description for more details)! I hope you all enjoy it! Kimi and Kodi's Little Bet by Panther Cub "Mom, please don't make us do this!" Kodi whined from the back seat, his arms crossed as he pouted. Up in the passenger seat, Kimi was glaring out the window. "This is all your fault, baby brother!" The teen tigress hissed to the growling gray wolf in the back of the car. Tess sighed as she made a turn into a residential neighborhood. "You two got yourselves in this together," Tess said, taking a left. "I am sick of all this fighting and bickering." "Kodi starts most of it." Kimi looked down at where her phone usually would be, suddenly reminded that she and Kodi had lost their phone privileges for the duration. "Do not!" Was his clever retort. "I don't care who starts the fights, they are ending right now!" Tess let out a deep growl that shocked the two teens into silence. The lioness let out a sigh as she pulled to a stop in front of a large white two-story house with an idyllic-looking picket fence surrounding a lush green lawn. "Besides, trouble or no trouble, Sheila and I both need to attend this conference, and she couldn't get any babysitters at the last minute; so you'd both still be watching Amy and Cady for the week. Only now, you get to do it without your phones." Grumbling almost in unison, the duo-species twins both got out of the car after Tess killed the engine. Kimi was wearing her red flannel jacket over a simple black tank-top and a pair of stylishly torn jeans and had a black and pink backpack filled with a week's worth of clothes and other supplies. Kodi was wearing a loud yellow, red, and green Cawaiian shirt opened to reveal a white tank-top and a pair of black cargo shorts, the white strap of his blue duffel bag slung over one shoulder. Tess, however, was already wearing a charcoal gray, with orange pinstripe, skirt suit. She briskly walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell, Kimi and Kodi in tow. "Juuuuust a minute!" A feminine sing-song voice could be heard from inside. A few moments later, and the front door was practically flung open as a large, middle-aged, rhinoceros woman beamed down at the three of them, easily towering over the two teens. "Just in time, Tess!" "You know it, Sheila." Tess let out a laugh as she pulled her cubs forward. "Kodi and Kimi here are just so excited to get to spend some more time with your girls! Right, kids?" "Yeah..." "... It'll be a blast." The two teens tried to fake enthusiasm, being only marginally successful, not that Mrs. Ramhorn seemed to notice. "That's wonderful! The twins have just been so excited ever since they learned that you two were going to be calf-sitting them all week long!" Sheila invited them all in, grabbing her purse off a nearby table. It was a deep maroon, to perfectly match her own skirt-suit. "Has Charles already left?" Tess asked, absentmindedly smoothing out Kodi's messy headfur, despite his silent protests. "Yup! He and his college friends will be gone about as long as we will be on their little fishing trip." Sheila led the trio into the kitchen. Even though this wasn't their first time watching the twin rhino girls, Kimi still felt weirded out by how the chairs in the nearby dining room, like all the furniture, was sized for rhinos. It made her feel so... small. Sheila walked over to the fridge and opened it up, revealing a bunch of sealed containers, all with sticky notes on them explaining the contents and any additional instructions. "Now we cooked a number of meals in advance for the week, with a few more out in the freezer in the garage. Some of the ones in here need to thaw a little more, but heating anything in the oven or microwave will be easy as can be. So you two don't have to worry about making the dinners yourselves." Mrs. Ramhorn smiled at the two teens, who both seemed a little relieved at having one less thing to take care of. "Prepared as always, I see," Tess said with a giggle, eliciting a chuckle from the rhino. "What can I say?" Sheila shrugged. "Anyways, the girls' bedtime is the same as before, and thankfully Cady no longer seems to be afraid of the dark. The new instructions for the security system are right here on the fridge, all the smoke detectors have been inspected and given new batteries. There's plenty of movies to choose from in the DVD cabinet and plenty of shows and movies to pick from on our Cluckflix." Sheila counted off on her fingers the different details, reading off her mental checklist. "I'm forgetting something... oh yes! The guest rooms!" She chuckled, leading the group out of the kitchen and into the hall. They headed up the stairs and started to pass doors. She stopped at two doors that were next to each other and opened them both. One had a light blue accent to the wallpaper, while the other was a mild pink. "We recently had them refurbished and changed around some of the rooms for my little project." "You mean Project Renewal?" Tess asked, her tail swishing in curiosity. "Maaaaaaaybe," Sheila said with a wink. "And thank you so much again for donating all that furniture! It was just what I needed!" "Well, it was just taking up room in storage, and I figured that you could find more use for it all than that." Tess smiled, happy to have helped in any way. "You mean that old baby furniture?" Kodi asked, remembering having to give up a Saturday of sleeping in to help his Dad haul cribs and high chairs and plenty of heavy boxen down from the attic and out to an awaiting van. "Correct! I still have it all here for further testing. But the results I've gotten already will absolutely be enough for its next phase. However, anything more detailed than that is strictly confidential." Kodi and Kimi both shared a confused look, wondering what their old furniture could be used for that would be confidential. "Anyways, all of that old furniture is in what was Charles' study, before he decided to make the basement into his study instead. It's all right there down the hall. And while I am comfortable with you both taking a look if you really want to see, I must ask that you be careful and not break anything, understood?" The pair nodded. "Won't be a problem," Kimi said, giving Kodi a side-eyed look. "I'll be sure to keep my baby brother from wandering around in there." Kodi shot her an angry look but said nothing. "Excellent! Well then, you two can drop off your belongings in the guest rooms and then come downstairs while I see the girls off!" Sheila and Tess left the two teens, amicably chatting as they headed back downstairs. Kodi huffed and went into the blue room, dropping his bag onto the bed. Kimi rolled her eyes and did the same in the pink room, already finding herself wishing that the week was already over. "Alright Amy, Cady, you both behave for Kimi and Kodi, understood?" The two teens could hear Mrs. Ramhorn's voice just before they entered the living room to find the two pre-teen rhino girls hugging their mother, who was telling them how much she loved them. Amy and Cady were both wearing matching lavender dresses. Breaking free from the hug, they both turned to face the tigress and the wolf, running up and hugging them. "Yay! I can't wait to play you two at Syndicate again!" Cady said in delight. Kimi and Kodi both recognized it was her from the bright red digital watch she always adamantly wore wherever she went. "Yeah! We're totally gunna beat you this time!" Amy said with confidence, her favorite pink locket hanging around her neck. "Heh, bring it on, squirts," Kodi said, patting their heads while trying to disguise a wheeze. Despite being older than the two, the twins were already their height, and, being rhinos, already pretty strong. "Okay you two," Tess said, approaching her son and daughter. She hugged them both and kissed their foreheads, despite their embarrassment at the treatment. "I love you both. And be good." Just like that, the two older females left, leaving the kids to their own devices. "Did mom show you her special project?" Amy asked, now sounding excited. She had waited for the sound of the car starting up and driving off before asking. "Project Renewal?" Kimi asked, prompting the younger set of twins to nod. "We just know that some old furniture of ours was used in it, that's all," Kodi added. "Wanna see it?" Cady asked, bouncing on her feet in excitement. "Well... your Mom did say that it was ok for us to look at, so long as we didn't break anything." Kodi nodded as he let the girls lead him and his sister back up the stairs and to a door that was just a few down from the guest rooms. "It's right next to our room," Amy said, sounding pretty proud of that fact. She nodded to Cady, whose smile grew wider as she opened the door and flipped on the nearby light switch. "This is Project Renewal?" Kodi asked, grimacing at the sight of what appeared to be a nursery, full of all sorts of loud and bright colors, with some softer pastels also jumping out to the unsuspecting eye. In the center of the room were a pair of cribs, one pink, the other a light blue, both with soft teddy bear mobiles dangling above. Near the door were a pair of highchairs, right next to a little mini-fridge. At the far end of the room was an open closet, revealing all sorts of juvenile and infantile clothing options. Next to it was a strange dresser. It had a much wider top with some kind of purple padding, with some odd slots built into the sides. "Is that a... changing table?" "It's Mom's latest invention! The Automated Changing Table! Or Auto-Changer for short!" Cady explained with pride. "In fact, just about all the furniture in here is one of her inventions." "Wait," Kimi said, something that had been bugging her ever since they'd opened the door to this room. "Is this what she did... with our old baby stuff?" Kodi's ears perked up at that as he took another look around. "Hey, yeah! I remember this stuff!" "Yup!" Amy answered with a giggle. "That's part of what Project Renewal is! Making new inventions out of old recycled parts!" "Why is it all... bigger?" Kodi asked, feeling uncomfortable standing next to the high chairs, both now large enough for him to sit in easily. "Because she's gunna test it on some cousins of ours. They're both elephants, as well as toddlers, so everything here should be a perfect fit," Cady explained. "Huh... so wait... you said that these are all new inventions of hers?" Kimi asked. "Uh-huh!" Cady answered. "Geeze! Look at the size of these cribs!" Kodi said, realizing that the bars were much higher than they had been. "So what do they all do?" Kimi asked. "We overheard Mom talking about her project with her work when she was on the phone," Amy explained. "And she said that basically, the first major project of Project Renewal was to make a mostly automated nursery, to help in the care and developmental growth of the children being cared for. But she didn't go into any more detail after describing the auto-changer." Cady looked over at Kodi, still staring at the cribs. "We won't tell if you two decide you want to take a nap in your old cribs." She offered, trying to look sincere, despite actively fighting back a giggle. Kimi rolled her eyes at that. "Yeah, no, not happening." The twins both began to giggle as the four of them all left the room. "Okay, Kimi and I just ate before coming here, are you two hungry?" The wolf asked. "Depends," Cady said, "are chocolate milkshakes an option?" Kodi couldn't help but snicker at that. "Your folks made up quite a few meals for us all to have, along with instructional notes. And, somehow, I doubt that chocolate milkshakes are on today's menu." "Awww," the calf groaned, sticking her meaty hands in the pockets of her dress. "That's okay." Amy smiled, looking excited. "How about we play Syndicate? It was pretty fun the last time we all played it." Kimi snickered. "I'll say. Especially after Kodi threw his little tantrum." Kodi bit back a growl at that. "I did not throw a tantrum!" He huffed and crossed his arms. "You were being insufferable the entire game, and you only got more annoying when you won." "Oh really, baby brother?" Kimi smirked at seeing his eye twitch from annoyance. "Yeah! So, no thanks, I think I'll sit this one out." "Awwww," the twins chorused. "But it's more fun with more people to play it with." Cady started to pout. "What if we made it more interesting?" Amy offered, after looking thoughtful. "What are you thinking, Amy?" Kimi asked, intrigued. "Well, we could have a bet going. Like, if me and Amy win, can we have chocolate milkshakes?" "Yeah!" Cady cheered. "I don't think so," Kodi said. "Stop being such a baby." Kimi's tail swished in annoyance at her brother's obstinance. "Quit calling me a baby!" "I know!" Amy declared, mischief twinkling in her eyes. "How about, if either of you two loses, you have to go and use one of our Mom's inventions in the guest room that the winner gets to pick?" "Uh... I'm not so sure that that's a good idea," Kimi said, suddenly feeling a bit wary at the prospect of using one of Mrs. Ramhorn's inventions. But Kodi seemed thoughtful. "Actually... I kind of like the sound of that. Okay, Kimi, let's find out who the real baby is. The loser... has to use the autochanger and have it put them in a diaper, which they have to wear until we go home!" Kodi looked smugly at Kimi. Kimi hesitated, knowing she could whoop Kodi at any game. However, she wasn't sure how happy Mrs. Ramhorn would be if she ever found out that one of them had used one of her new inventions without asking. But, the idea of Kodi pouting in a pair of Pawpers was one that made her chuckle internally. And it certainly would be something he would never be able to live down. "Unless," Kodi continued, "wittle Kimicakes is too scared of the big bad Auto-Changer?" The wolf's goading had struck a nerve with the tigress, who blushed at the use of the embarrassing nickname their mother gave her. "Alright then, baby brother. You're on!" Amy and Cady were whispering to each other as the two settled on their terms, the two young pachyderms high-fiving before their babysitters turned to look at them. "Okay, girls," Kimi said, crossing her arms, "let's set up the game. And don't think that your dumb motel trap is gunna work a second time, Kodi." One gameplay later... Kimi couldn't believe that this was happening. She blushed fiercely beneath her fur as she trudged up the stairs. Behind her, Kodi and the twins were giggling to each other. Opening the door, Kimi froze, her focus zooming right in on the purple padded table. In no time at all, she was standing in front of it. "How do I use this?" Kimi asked, hoping that the girls wouldn't know and they could all call this whole thing off. "It's really simple." Cady grinned. "Mom likes to make things user friendly!" Of course she does, Kimi thought. "Just climb on top, and I'll press the buttons." Amy was grinning as she practically ran up to the side of the auto-changer. She gave the hesitant tigress a gentle, yet firm, shove, prompting Kimi to do what she'd said. She climbed onto the padding of the table, blushing wildly as she realized that it was the perfect size for her. Rolling onto her back, she saw Cady and Kodi whispering and giggling, before her brother broke away and whispered something into Amy's ear. "That's a great idea!" Amy cheered, pressing a bright purple button on the side of the table, which brought up a small panel of brightly lit buttons. "What?" Kimi asked, nervous. Her earlier bravado had quickly evaporated at the knowledge of what she was going to be wearing. "Mom made a bunch of videos for the babies on changing tables to watch, as well as some instructional videos for toddlers," Amy explained. "Instructional videos?" Kimi asked, confused while a screen attached to some kind of bendy metallic arm slithered out of one of the slots in the side of the table. It was holding the blank black screen up for Kimi to see, taking up almost her entire field of vision. "Yeah. Real basic stuff," Kodi giggled while Amy tapped some more buttons. "In this case, since you're gunna be spending the week back in diapers, Cady suggested that it might be a good idea for you to watch a video on potty training. Y'know, something to brush up on." "Ha-ha, very funny." Kimi grumbled as the screen began to light up. Seeing some odd amorphous shapes and hearing a strange yet comforting tune, Kimi found herself relaxing, even though now four mechanical arms had come out of the other slots in the wood of the table, each one ending in a white-gloved hand. She was too focused on the stop-motion cartoon playing out before her eyes, a pair of headphones being slipped over her ears. It looked like a bright and sunny version of the guest room, looking to be made from clay. In came toddling two figures, a little tigress cub in a pink shirt and wearing a diaper, and a little wolf pup in a blue shirt and diaper. They sat down on the floor and began to play with some blocks. "Hello again, little one!" The cheery woman's voice speaking in her ears sounded so excited. It was enough to help her further be put at ease, even when she could vaguely feel the mechanical hands undoing the buttons on her jeans. Kimi almost giggled when the little tiger girl excitedly waved to her. "I'm so happy that you've returned for another valuable life lesson! Now, if you're watching this video, then that means that potty training might not be going so well, huh?" The little tiger frowned and shook her head, wiping away at her face. "Well, that's okay!" At this, the clay stop-motion tiger looked back up and confused. "Everyone learns in their own way and at their own pace." The little cub was still frowning. "Ah, are you maybe upset because you got to wear snug-ups for a little while, like a big kid?" Kimi found herself nodding along with the cub as her jeans and panties were removed. "That's understandable, sweetie." The wolf toddled off screen, only to come back, now wearing some blue and white snug-ups. He puffed out his little chest and seemed proud, while the little tigress blushed and looked disappointed. "Sometimes, some little ones aren't ready to make the leap to becoming big kids. That could mean that they just don't really feel when they need to go potty." The little wolf looked confused, before he started to panic and do the potty dance. A nearby door opened, revealing a bathroom, the toilet just past the bathtub. The wolf ran inside and the door shut behind him. Kimi laid there, oblivious to the fact that she was alone now on the changing table, Kodi and the twins having left her some privacy. One of the hands grabbed both of her ankles and lifted her legs up, while another produced a canister of baby powder. "However, sometimes little ones have fears and anxieties about change, or about growing up, or even about all those grown-up responsibilities." The music changed in tune, going from upbeat and happy to now a bit more somber. The door to the bathroom opened, and the little wolf pup came skipping out, kneeling down to pat his little sister on the head, and resume stacking blocks with her. The tigress seemed a bit curious, and got up to head into the bathroom. The somber music quietened, now sounding a bit more suspenseful. Kimi couldn't help the feeling of growing dread at the cub nervously shuffling into the bathroom. The faint smell of talcum powder wafting in the air. "And those fears and anxieties can sometimes manifest in what is often referred to as... the Potty Monster!" The cub froze as she heard a loud gurgling sound. Then a creak... followed by a crack. The tiles split open as the potty jerked left and right. From the tiled floor around it arose eight spindly, boney, and pointed pale-white, needle-like legs. The toilet lid slammed down, only to arise and reveal a mouth filled with rows upon rows of razor sharp teeth. It sloshed slimy green water from its mouth as it moved... and then started to skitter right towards the cub. The little tigress cried and ran out of the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. She was sniffling and crying when she plopped right down next to the wolf, who frowned as he looked at her. He got up and went to the door, opening it before his sister could stop him. Instead of a torn up bathroom with a toilet-spider monster, it was just the way it had been. When the wolf turned his back to the bathroom, and gave the cub a reassuring smile, the cub saw the toilet shift in her direction, causing her to scramble away from the door. Kimi let out a whimper as a hand threaded her tail through something soft and crinkly. She didn't care what anyone said, she saw it move to look at the cub. It wasn't just make-believe! She continued to watch as the wolf walked over to his sister and gave her a hug, helping her to calm down. "This is just a sign that they're not ready for potty training quite yet... and that is perfectly okay. Some little ones become big kids sooner than others. While other little ones just aren't that big." The wolf pup's nose wrinkled and he waved away the air around his muzzle. A large pair of tan paws descended to scoop the little tigress up, setting her down in a new room, on a purple padded changing table. The purring tigress cub received a tummy rub, and Kimi let out a giggle, feeling like she was getting one too. The tan paws made quick work of changing the stinky diaper. Just as this new bright pink diaper with a glittery unicorn on the front was being taped snugly around the cub's waist, Kimi could feel something being gently, but snugly, wrapped around her own, the scent of baby powder now stronger and putting her at ease. "Thank you so much for watching this video, sweetie! I can't wait to see you again!" The screen went blank and Kimi stretched out a bit, freezing when she heard a sudden crinkling noise. Sitting up, she looked down to find she was wearing a bright pink diaper with a smiling glittery unicorn on the front. She thought about the video she had just watched, but was finding it a bit hard to recall any specific details about it. Shaking her head a bit in confusion, she hopped down from the table, blushing at what she was now wearing. Spotting her jeans, Kimi tried to put them back on, but they just couldn't fit around the bulky-padding around her hips. Kimi briefly considered looking in the closet for maybe something she could borrow to cover her new... accessory up, but spotting the juvenile outfits and baby clothes was enough to get her to reject that notion on the spot. Wearing baby clothes would just make her wearing the diaper even more embarrassing. Squaring her shoulders, and checking her tank top and flannel shirt for any excess baby powder, she exited the guest room and headed to the living room, blushing from the slight waddle to her gait. "There she is!" Kodi said with a smug grin. "Say cheese!" Kimi froze when she heard a shutter click. Looking back at her brother, her blood ran cold when she saw he had his phone in his hands. "Mom confiscated our phones!" Kimi blurted out, unable to formulate anything better to say then and there. "I found out where she put them and got it back." "Kodes, delete that pic right now!" Kimi growled. "Sorry, Kimicakes, I just sent it to my personal email." Kodi stuck his tongue out at his growling sister. "So, no. But, don't worry, I won't go showing it to anyone else. This is just for me to throw back in your face every time you call me a baby from here on out!" Kimi started to relax a little, confident that her brother wouldn't cross that line of showing anyone else the pic of her in a diaper. He could be a jerk sometimes, but even he wouldn't be that big of a jerk. "I think you look cute!" Cady chimed in. "Yeah! Pink is really your color. And something about the glittery unicorn makes it all fit." Amy snickered. "I gotta agree with the twins, Kimicakes!" Kimi rolled her eyes and plopped down on her padded posterior in front of the coffee table, trying to play it all off as no big deal. Due to the insistence of the twins, Kimi and Kodi played a game of Surgeon next. While playing it, Kimi felt a little nervous about accidentally touching the little surgeon tweezers to the metal sides of the different-shaped holes in the picture of the capybara on the operating table. Something about the loud buzzing and the lighting of his red nose was unsettling to the tigress. So focused was she on retrieving the broken funny bone, she didn't notice a sudden growing urge. Her body did, however, as she slowly started to squirm. Eventually, she was doing basically a sitting potty dance, waiting for Kodi to finish his turn. "Oooo," Amy cooed, reaching over to pat Kimi on the head, much to the teen's surprise. "I think someone might need to use the potty!" Kimi felt her stomach drop out at the mention of... the bathroom. But she couldn't place why. "I-I don't know what you mean, Amy," Kimi said with a laugh, trying to play it off. "Well, she is wearing diapers for a reason," Kodi said with a smirk on his muzzle, relishing the embarrassment on display from his sister. "It seems like a certain little kitten really loves playtime." Kimi let out a low growl at that while the twins snickered and whispered to each other behind their hands. "It's okay if you can't make it, Kimi," Cady offered in a conciliatory tone. "I don't mind using the auto-changer to help change your diaper when you need it." Kimi was certain that one could roast a marshmallow on her cheeks, due to the heat from her blushing. What made her feel even more humiliated was the fact that she could now, faintly, tell that they were right. She had no idea how long she had been feeling the urge, but it was there. "I just wanted to finish up so that my baby brother won't throw a little hissy fit for ending the game early after he's been losing this whole time." Now it was Kimi's turn to smirk as she watched Kodi's tail bristle out in anger. Just as he opened his mouth to say something, she looked at her card and deftly removed the patient's broken heart. "I win." Kimi stood up and sauntered away to the bathroom, speed walking once she rounded the corner. D-did I just leak a little? Kimi thought as she paused, fearing she'd let out a spurt. Unable to tell if that was the case, she hastened her trip upstairs to the bathroom, feeling relieved when she finally came across it. Kimi closed the door behind her and froze. The Ramhorn's bathroom looked exactly like the one from the potty training video! Taking a shaky step towards the toilet, Kimi started to feel her hackles rising. Her breathing quickened and her eyes were staring laser-focused right on the porcelain seat. She felt the pit of dread in her gut grow larger with each footstep closer to the infernal device she took. "Th-this is stupid!" Kimi said quietly to herself. She choked back a whimper once she found herself standing right in front of it. "I-I've used the potty lots of times! It's n-no big deal." She huffed, unaware of what she had just said, all while doing the potty dance. "Th-there's n-no such th-thing as the p-potty m-m-monster," Kimi stammered, looking down at her diaper, trying to figure out how to take it off. Suddenly, in the dead silence, there was an audible gurgle. Kimi froze before she rapidly backed away, leaning up against the door while watching the toilet, only barely registering a warmth spreading in her diaper. Fumbling with the doorknob, Kimi almost let out a shriek when there was another gurgle. Finally, she was able to open the door and leave, slamming the door closed behind her. It took a little while to calm down her breathing. Looking down at her diaper, she could see that it was already drooping a little. I... peed? In a diaper? She though to herself, already blushing... until her body began to relax and the music from the video started to play in her mind again. "Well..." Kimi's voice was calm and there was a small smile on her face. "It's not that big of a deal. That's what diapers are for anyway. And besides,, everyone potty trains at their own speed." Smiling and feeling a little better about herself, Kimi toddled back to the others, her soaked Snuggies on full display still. As she approached Kodi and the twins, she noticed that Kodi was staring transfixed at Amy's phone, headphones in as he listened to whatever video he was watching. Is Kodi... drooling a little? She wondered, surprised when her paw was lightly grabbed. She looked to see Cady smiling warmly at her, giving a slight tug. "It's okay, Kimicakes," Cady said in a gentle voice. "The potty can be really tricky, but you don't need to worry about it or any big and scary monster for a good while, a few years even." Kimi followed along, whining a little when they approached the door for the room containing all the baby furniture. "It's okay, Kimi," Cady cooed, giving her soaked Snuggies a pat. "You'll feel a lot better after your diaper change. Then maybe a nap would be best." "A nap? C-Cady, in case you've forgotten, Kodi and I are the ones in char--OMPH!" Kimi was surprised by the younger, but stronger, girl picked her up and carried her over to the changing table, happily depositing the confused tigress on its surface. Before Kimi could protest, the screen with all the pretty lights and swirling shapes was in front of her eyes, earphones being slipped over her ears again. "Hello, little one!" The chipper feminine voice said, catching Kimi's attention. "This little video will teach you why it's important to listen to your caregivers. Whether they be your mommy or daddy, a family member, a teacher, a nanny, or even a babysitter. Sometimes, some little ones have a little bit of a hard time accepting that there are rules that they have to follow for their own good, and that those in charge of them know what's best..." Kimi laid there while the hands got to work untaping and balling up her used diaper, getting the wipes, powder, and fresh pink glittery unicorn diaper ready. She didn't realize when Cady got out a large pink and white pacifier and slipped it in between the mesmerized tigress' lips. But after a moment of watching the video, her jaw muscles seemed to move of their own accord, beginning to suckle on it. Cady giggled while walking over to the closet, grabbing one of the pink legless onesies that would fit Kimi perfectly, amazed at how smoothly her and Amy's plan was coming along. One week later... "I have to say again, Sheila," Tess said as they pulled up in front of the Ramhorn residence, "I'm still amazed by Project renewal! This will help advance early childhood learning by leaps and bounds!" "Oh, Tess, stop!" Sheila chuckled as she and the lioness got out of the latter's car, grabbing her briefcase. "It's not like this is much different than using tv shows with puppets and the like to teach little ones to count and spell. It's just a bit more efficient is all." "Still, you earned the grant. I can't wait to see what other applications this new learning tech could be used for." They entered the house, Tess following Sheila. "Kids? We're back!" Tess called out. There were two sets of rapidly approaching footsteps. Sheila smiled and opened her arms wide as she expected her girls to come running around the corner for their usual return home hug. Instead, Kimi and Kodi, both giggling around binky's, ran right past her and practically bowled over a shocked Tess. Looking the two teens over, the two mothers were taken aback by what they saw. Kodi was just wearing a bright blue t-shirt and a diaper, with blue and orange trim around the leg gathers and landing strip, a cartoon fox playing in a sandbox on the front of the garment. Kimi was wearing a bright pink legless onesie with a skirt attachment on it, a thick bulge around her own waist. "MOMMY!" The two chorused as they both snuggled into Tess' chest. "Wha-what's happening?" Tess asked, worried. "I don't--" Sheila began, only to be interrupted. "They made bets with each other and the losers had to mess around with some of the furniture in the Project Renewal room!" Cady said, rounding the corner with Amy. "We tried to get them to stop, but they were acting so competitively that they wouldn't listen! And now... this," Amy said, looking sad. "So we kinda had to be the babysitters for the week." Cady added, Amy nodding right alongside them. "Oh dear... well, I guess that that answers that question." Sheila sighed. "I made poopy!" Kodi proudly announced, giggling as Tess wrinkled her nose. "Oh my," Tess choked out, noticing Kimi playfully batting at her paw like a... kitten. "Yes… you certainly did, sweetie." Sheila let out a long sigh and gave her friend a sympathetic smile. "We'll sort this out. Eventually." When Tess and Sheila started to carry the two back to the changing table, heading upstairs to do so, Amy and Cady high-fived each other. "Think we'll get to babysit those two again?" Cady asked hopefully. "Heh, yeah. I think that we're their go-to babysitters from now on..." Amy said with a smirk. Epilogue "Mommy!" Kimi cried out, exiting her room in just her gray pajama shirt and a diaper, this one with pink trim and a blue and yellow dragonfly on the front. "Kodi keeps bugging me when I'm trying to do my homework!" Kimi had her physics book tucked under one arm. "She started it by kicking me off the sofa earlier to play her dumb game!" Kodi whined, wearing a green shirt under a pair of denim short-alls that bulged around his waist. Tess looked over from the stove where she was finishing making up the bottles of formula for her little ones, Sheila having provided the boxes of instant powder, it being nutritionally healthy for Kodi and Kimi. Unfortunately, weaning them off nursing bottles was proving about as difficult as re-potty training them has. "Alright, you two," Tess said in a stern voice, "I don't care who started what. It's your naptime as of now. Hopefully a little rest and some of your tasty formula in your tummies will help you two to calm down and stop this bickering." Looking up from the two bottles she was screwing the nipples onto, she saw Kimi and Cody already back to wrestling each other. Tess rubbed her temples. "Yeah," Tess muttered to herself, "a nap for you two would do us all some good." Woah... I did NOT intend for this story to be this long! Still though, I feel happy with it, and am glad to have been able to bring it to you all! Let me know what you think with a comment or a review!

Heyo, readers! I got a fresh new one-shot for you all, fresh from my mind oven! I hope that you all enjoy it! And please consider letting me know what you think! Edit: I would have had this story out MUCH sooner, buuuuut my internet went down two Mondays ago during a storm that hit... and it only just now has been fixed. >.< Well, anyways, here it is for your reading pleasure! Big 2 Smol by Panther Cub "All the people just can't see, just can't see! How this fame's changing our reality When we get torn down We can set it right And that makes us bigger That makes us bigger That makes us bigger than life!" Moving as one, their choreography flawless, all five of the singers, dressed in identical silver-sequin suits and ties; spun, kicked, popped and locked and spun one last time, everyone but the skunk in the center crossing their arms. His left paw on his hip, and his right held out, palm up; Trey's voice was the last to fade at the end of the song, finally ending with him winking and blowing a kiss to the audience, just before the smoke and golden confetti blasted out. With that, the lights and the multicolored lasers winked out, and the audience in the packed stadium went wild cheering. Under the cover of darkness, the boys jogged off stage. "THAT WAS AWESOME!!!" The coyote cheered, immediately flopping facefirst into a purple beanbag chair. His bushy tan tail was sweeping back and forth in excitement while he let out a long and contented sigh. "Don't get too comfortable, Luke," Trey said, the skunk was walking out from his personal green room, already having changed out of the stage-costume and into some slacks and a vest, both a dark forest green, with a light lavender dress shirt on underneath. Trey was finishing tying on a silver and green necktie. "Our little stalker got caught trying to sneak in again." "Geeze! You would think that that Vicky girl's parents wouldn't take a fourteen-year-old to a concert and just let her wander off to try and sneak backstage." "I know, bud. But hey, security found her and her mom and dad took her out. We just gotta make sure that security at our concerts know to look out for a pink vixen her age." "Dude," Andy said, the raccoon walking in through the door to their green room and brushing some of the long blonde locks out of his face. "How did you change so fast?" He was presently only wearing the silver sequin slacks. "Because I'm just that awesome, Andy. I take it you've already forgotten where you put your shirt and vest?" Trey asked, rolling his eyes as Andy looked around, scratching his head in confusion. "Huh... I coulda sworn I still had it on... oh well. Easy come, easy go." Andy shrugged and started to make his way over to the pinball machine. "I thought we all agreed we'd end the song together this time, and you wouldn't keep going afterwards." The large and muscular orange cat looking at Trey entered with his arms crossed and huffed. "Sorry, Stone, force of habit," Trey waved his paw dismissively, stopping to inspect his manicured nails. "Yeah, that's what you said the last time, and the time before that." Stone stepped behind the brown folding screen to change out of his own stage outfit. "He makes a pretty good point, Trey," Oscar said, the otter being the last to enter. He walked over to the vanity mirror to begin removing his contacts to switch back to his glasses. "We all agreed that we were going to be equals in this, but at the end of each show, you keep trying to stand out like that." "Not cool, bro," Andy chimed in, dings and chimes coming from the pinball machine as it lit up. "Well excuse me for trying to finish our shows off with a little flourish!" Trey snarked, looking into his dressing mirror and combing his trimmed headfur, making sure that it looked like that special messy and neat he preferred, with a little feathering on the left side. "How about we all come up with our own little flourishes to use at the end of our concerts, that way we all stand out equally?" Luke piped up from his beanbag chair, his tail wagging again. "Sounds awesome, bro." Andy turned to give Luke a fist bump, to which the happy coyote was more than willing to reciprocate. "That's not a bad idea, Luke." Oscar smiled, already cracking open the latest copy of Combat Bots Monthly, his eyes lighting up as he started reading. "It's only fair, Trey," Stone said, stalking out from behind the divider, now wearing his usual torn jeans, black tank top, and green military jacket. The skunk sighed heavily and rubbed his temples. "Okay, fine, whatever, we can all do our own little whatevers at the end of our shows from now on. But we're getting distracted! Did you guys see how packed that arena was tonight?! We should be celebrating!" Walking over to their mini fridge, Trey opened it to pull out five lime green cans, each with an orange splat in the center, on which were written in black letters the word Purge. Handing them all out to each of his friends, Trey smiled brightly. "Guys... we've made it, and made it big! We're getting to do what other nineteen-year-olds can only dream of. Only we took our dream, and we're making it our new reality! And... I guess I just feel lucky." Trey's fluffy black and white-striped tail sank a little. As he spoke, Luke, Andy, Stone, and Oscar started to gather around. Each smiling, their exhaustion and minor annoyances forgotten as they looked down at their own Purge sodas. "Growing up with each other in those foster homes... we were all any of us had. There are other boy bands out there, that were just a group of random guys some record label threw together. But... I get to do this with my best friends, my brothers from other mothers. And I wouldn't have it any other way." Simultaneously, they all pulled the tabs, five hisses rapidly ringing out. "Just you wait and see, fellas," Trey said. "This is just the start of a long and beautiful career. The world will never forget the name Small to Big" "S.T.B.!" Andy cheered, the others cheering with him and tapping their cans against each other. They all took swigs, looking satisfied. Present Day... "And to finish off our list of forgotten has-bins from the '90s, we come to the boy band S.T.B." The red panda lady in a little black dress chuckled and shook her head. "I can't believe that when I was younger, just how obsessed I and my friends were with these guys." The other d-list celebrities on BS1 joined in on the laughter, a chubby alligator in just a blue t-shirt and khakis guffawing especially hard and slapping his knees. "I remember that they started off pretty strong with some bangin' songs, but then when they got too old and their label dropped them, they burned out spectacularly, desperately trying to stay famous! Like when the leader, Trey, tried to become an actor? Only to end up in that gods awful I'm Knowing What Happened Last Winter 2!" Trey huffed and switched off the tv. Rubbing his temples, he sighed. Adjusting his tie, the skunk looked himself in the mirror and smiled. "Alright... showtime!" Trey walked out of the break room and back onto the main floor of the showroom. Without breaking stride, and making sure to get to them before Darryl could, Trey approached the lady he had seen out the breakroom window looking at the blue SUV. "This is a beautiful model that you can't go wrong with. Hi there, I'm Trey Masters, and I'd like to see you go home with this bad boy today." He gave an insincere chuckle as he looked the cute pink-furred vixen, who was gazing at him with a small smile on her lips, up and down. She was wearing a sky blue sundress with a white purse resting on her hip. "Well now, I was wondering if this is a safe family vehicle?" The vixen asked, shaking his paw. "I'm Victoria, by the way." "It is certainly a pleasure to meet you, Miss Victoria. Now, to answer your question, absolutely! This here is the latest in the Mountain Goat's line of SUV's. It was built with safety in mind, as well as families. Why, you could fit a bunch of little ones in the back here and know that they are secured and protected. I hope that you don't mind my asking if you already have some kits." "Oh, not yet, but I'm planning on starting a big family." "Of course. Well, you can't do any better on the K14 model here. The perfect starter car for a, hopefully, soon-to-be young mother like yourself! And one that would allow you to ride in style." As he spoke, something bothered Trey about the vixen, like he felt he'd seen her before. It couldn't be, could it? He wondered to himself but was quick to shake off the thought. That vixen, who had been so obsessed with him and his friends, would be in her forties by now, just like him. Now there's a sad thought... Trey snapped back to the here and now. The vixen standing before him looked only to be in her mid-twenties anyway, so it was all a moot point. "Would it be possible to take it on a little test drive?" Victoria asked, her tail still wagging. "Of course, let me just go and grab the key while you go ahead and speak with Margaret over there so she can make a copy of your license for our records." A few minutes later and Trey was buckling himself into the passenger seat. In the driver's seat sat Victoria, the vixen looking over at Trey and giving him a smile and a wink. Trey started in on his spiel about the vehicle's features, the car leaving the lot and heading out around the block. "So, what do you say?" Trey offered, flashing her his most confident smile. They pulled into the parking lot of a nearby MagWaldo's, where Victoria quickly parked and killed the engine. Trey felt confused when she turned to look at him. "I think we can make a deal right here, Trey." Victoria smiled and leaned over, looking intently into Trey's eyes. "Uh... well, if you'd like, I suppose we could hash out the broad strokes of the price here." The skunk was a feeling a little worried, but brushed it off. A negotiation tactic like this would scare him into going way down on the price. "I will absolutely buy the car, price not at all being an issue. But that's not the deal I wanted to discuss..." Victoria's voice trailed off as she, a bit inelegantly, squirmed in between the front seats to move back and sit next to Trey. She took a moment to adjust her dress and fur, before resuming her confident smile. "I'm afraid I don't understand." Victoria paused to look Trey in his eyes, a smile full of mirth on her lips. "You really don't recognize me, do you?" "W-well, I admit you do seem pretty... familiar... but I can't really place where I know you from. You do have a name very similar to a vixen who stalked me decades..." Trey's eyes went wide as suddenly an icy pang of fear gripped his gut. "V-Vicky?" Victoria, or rather, Vicky, let out an excited, girlish squeal and threw her arms around Trey, pulling the shocked skunk into a bone-crushing hug. "I just knew you'd remember me! I was your guys' biggest fan!" Vicky let Trey go, taking a moment to compose herself once again. "However, I think I can guess as to why you may have dismissed the idea of it being me. My youthful appearance, to which I credit to my company, Regressus Inc.. Specifically one of our fine products that we've been testing for two decades now, and are going to be testing a little while longer before we bring it to market." Trey was stunned into silence, unsure of what to do or say in this moment. His experience as a salesperson told him that that meant he was at a disadvantage when it came to haggling whatever deal Vicky wanted to discuss with him. "Anyways, about my deal. You see, we're diversifying a bit, and going into the music industry. Think of this as a passion project of sorts." "And you would like for me to... consult regarding my experiences in the industry?" Trey scowled as he said it and crossed his arms, looking away. "Well, Vicky, then expect to be stabbed in the back the very first chance you get." Vicky was silent, and when Trey turned around, he saw that she looked downright despondent. "It was so cruel, how your old record label treated you and the others. You were all just kids, putting in the hard work towards living your dreams. And then, when you got just a little older..." Vicky wiped away a tear. "You'll probably enjoy knowing that Hazelenut Records went bankrupt earlier this year." "I heard," Trey said with a smirk, having read about how the CEO was arrested for tax fraud after the bankruptcy was declared. "What you probably didn't hear was how my company purchased a lot of their IP's, including everything to do with STB!!!" Vicky's tail was loudly and rapidly thumping against the seat as she fangirled out again. "I see..." Trey sighed. "And you'd like for me and maybe the rest of the group to get back together to coach some kind of next generation BTS reboot?" "Not quite," Vicky hummed as she pulled out a clear perfume bottle, and turned to sprits him in the face with the purple liquid inside. "What the--" Trey started hacking and coughing. He felt a tingling sensation that spread out from his face to all the rest of him. It briefly intensified before it abated. "Vicky, what the hell was that?!" Trey asked, noticing his voice sounded... different. He tugged at his sleeves, stopping when he saw that the shirt was actually a bit looser on his frame than it had been. He saw Vicky was holding up a mirror which she handed to him, her tail still thumping. "They say seeing is believing. I came up with the formula myself!" Trey took the mirror and looked into it in wonder, seeing a face looking back at him that he hadn't seen in about twenty years. In fact, right around the age of nineteen was how the skunk in the mirror now looked, the scant few wrinkles around his eyes he'd been developing, gone, as though they'd never existed. "I-I look..." "Younger?" "I'M GORGEOUS... AGAIN!" Vicky giggled while also looking a tad smug. "I actually did what no one else has been able to. I figured out the key to actually reversing the aging process." "How long until it wears off?" Trey asked, getting lost in the eyes of his own reflection, like he used to, before it started to become painful to see his aging creeping up on him over the years. "It doesn't," Vicky stated this just so matter-of-factly, Trey had to do a double take. "What?!" "You are now in the physical prime of your youth once again. And now you'll age normally like every other nineteen-year-old out there." "... I see... so you want me and the guys to be the spokespeople for your company while you sell this stuff to the wealthy?" "Oh please, Trey, don't be so naive." Vicky waived a dismissive paw. "I'm making my special compound cheap enough for anyone to buy some if they'd like. Oh sure, I could probably make a large payday by only catering to the rich and famous, but that is nothing compared to what I stand to make with this available to anyone who's ever wanted to turn back the clock for themselves. Because what will inevitably happen to everyone who does buy it?" Trey thought for a moment. "They'll grow old again..." Vicky nodded. "And again, and again, and again, however many times they want." Trey mulled this major revelation over. "So, wait, what about overpopulation? Won't the masses returning to their primes cause the birth rates to... I dunno, skyrocket? Or at least increase even more over time?" "That was taken into consideration, and I believe I have found a solution for that as well. But that is strictly on a need-to-know basis, at least until the first round of trials are complete." "How young?" Trey asked, looking at the bottle in Vicky's paws. "Excuse me?" "What's the youngest you've made someone with that stuff?" "A rough estimate put a tester in middle adolescence, but that's as far back as any tester has gone. So, now would you like to hear my deal?" "Deal?" Trey felt a little overwhelmed but tried to keep his wits. "As I said, we're diversifying, and my own personal passion project is to get you, Stone, Luke, Oscar, and Andy; all back together to reboot STB! I want to provide for you five what you'd been denied all those years ago." Trey's ears perked, hearing that he could basically have a second chance. They all could. "B-but... why?" Vicky's tail started to thump against the seat again as she giggled. "I'm now, always have been, and always will be, your biggest fan! What do you say?" Vicky held out her paw to shake. Trey hesitated only for a moment, before smiling wide and shaking it. "I'm in! But... I don't really know how to get in touch with the others..." Trey's ears drooped as he looked downcast. "We kinda split apart and... lost touch." "Hey," Vicky said, leaning over to pull Trey into a hug, silently rubbing his back as she did so. "Don't worry, sweetie! I've already located the others! I figured you could help me sell this idea to them." Trey excitedly nodded his head. He'd always hated how things had ended. But he truly had a second chance to do things right, and he wasn't going to squander it. "Good! Now, let's head on back to your dealership where I'll buy this lovely model, and then we can get started on literally getting the band back together!" Vicky started up the engine again. "So... I was the first one you approached with this idea?" Trey asked, looking at his reflection and touching his face. "You were always the wheeler and dealer of the band. When it came to convincing the others to go along with one of your ideas, your silver tongue was second to none." "... Flattery will get you everywhere." Trey chuckled, leaning back in the seat while the car started driving back the way they had come. "If we really want to get everyone back together and to go along with the plan, we'll need to convince Stone next. He'll be the biggest nay-sayer, always having to be the broody buzz-kill." * * * Stone's tail swished back and forth in agitation as he turned the socket wrench, looking down at the engine with a scowl. "C'mon ya damn bastard!" The orange cat in the blue mechanic jumper grunted, and turned the wrench a few more times before sighing. Trey sat on a stool next to Vicky, the two looking on while Stone finished up on the current engine. He grabbed a rag and started to wipe some of the sweat and oil from his face before he turned to face his guests. "Just so I'm clear on what you're trying to sell me. This is Trey," he motioned to the skunk, now dapperly dressed in an old blue and green pinstriped suit, smirking at his former boy bandmate. "And you're Vicky, our stalker. You invented a youth serum and have your own company, and you want to get STB back together, make us young again, so we can pick up where we left off?" "That's a gross oversimplification... but pretty much," Vicky said with a casual shrug. Stone simply rolled his eyes and looked the skunk up and down. "I'll admit, you look a lot like Trey back when we were in our twenties. But I'm not an idiot, unlike Trey, who didn't know when to just let it go." Trey huffed at that, puffing out his chest. "At least I didn't just give up on our dream just because of one little setback!" Stone chuckled at that. "Yeah, that's exactly something Trey would say. In fact, I think he said it right before he starred in that dumb movie, had that little on-air meltdown, and nuked any chance of salvaging his career." Vicky put a comforting paw on the clearly agitated Trey's shoulder, giving a warm smile to both him and Stone. "I think now would be best for the demonstration." The red vixen held up the perfume bottle. Stone opened his mouth to say something, but was immediately cut off by getting a full spray right in the face. "ACK!!!" Stone began to cough, the tingling sensation overtaking him, all while Trey smirked, looking pleased. "WHAT WAS THAT?!" Stone snarled. "Inside voice, please," Vicky said, wagging a finger at him. "And you've been given a free dose of my special formula. If you don't believe me, you can see the results for yourself." She picked up a detached side mirror off a nearby table and held it out to the cat. He swiped it from her paws to look at himself, and froze when he peered into the reflective surface. "No way," was all Stone could say after a minute of inspecting himself. He looked himself over, finding that his jumpsuit was now feeling a tad looser than it had been. Rolling up the sleeves, he saw that the muscles on his arms were now much less pronounced, still obviously the arms of someone who pumped iron, but still. "Yes way, Stoney," Trey said, pointing a pair of finger guns at the feline. Stone turned to look at the skunk... and reached over to put him in a headlock. "OW! STONE, WHAT GIVES?!" "Trey, what have you gotten me mixed up in now?!" Stone snarled. "Dude! We're getting our second chance at success! I thought you'd be happy!!" Stone groaned and released Trey, who stumbled back and started to adjust his suit and tie, and to smooth down any mussed up fur. "You also thought tricking me into going to Meowxico with you to audition for that Spanielish-only soap opera would make me happy as well!" Stone put his paws on his hips. Trey shrugged while looking incredulous. "And we could have totally been perfect for Silencio Mortal!" "Trey, the only Spanielish we know is two years of high school's worth!" Stone was now rubbing his temples, prompting Vicky to start rubbing his back, which in turn caused him to flinch and back away. "Stone, you can't tell me that you don't miss it," Trey said. "You can't expect me to believe that you are living your dream, being a scooter mechanic for a living." "Hey! These are legitimate motorcycles!" "Stone, the one you're working on is a Scooter Booter model." The skunk was gentle in how he said it, but it still made the cat look down at the little motorized scooter engine. Stone let out a frustrated breath and looked away. "Of course I miss it," he said in a soft voice. "I miss being on stage, the screaming fans... and getting to be with my friends..." He looked back to make eye contact with Trey. "Fine... I guess it's worth a shot." Trey flashed his signature grin and pulled Stone into a hug. "Alright, that just leaves Luke, Oscar, and Andy!" * * * "Crikey!" Luke said, in a fake Mousetralian accent. The coyote's tail began to wag in excitement as he peered through his binoculars from where he was hiding in the dense jungle foliage, his cliched safari outfit not doing a thing to help him blend in. "There she is. The rare green striped Kowmodo Dragon! They can grow to almost ten feet long and weigh up to a hundred and fifty pounds of pure muscle! An absolute apex predator! A common misconception is that their bite is laced with especially deadly bacteria that helps in bringing down large prey through sepsis! The reality is that the bacteria in their saliva is normal to saliva found in other carnivorous species' mouths, maybe even a bit cleaner. As after a feeding, they will spend up to fifteen minutes licking their lips and using leaves to clean their mouths and teeth! However, that doesn't change the fact that they're still incredibly dangerous reptiles. And now, for no real reason I can think of, I'm gunna try to wrestle that beauty there so we can move her to a safer environment, rather than try and tranquilize her or something." "Luke, who are you talking to?" Trey asked from the bench he, Stone, and Vicky were sitting on, which just so happened to be right next to the bush that Luke was crouched in. All around them were people and families, enjoying an outing at the Zoo. "Hey now, I gotta do something to make it a little more fun for me," Luke said with a smirk. "You went to college and got a degree in Zoology, just to end up working here?" Stone asked incredulously. "Beats a motorcycle mechanic who spends his days working on scooters." Luke stuck his tongue out at the orange cat, who let out a hiss. "You told him?!" Stone whirled on Trey, who was doing his best to look innocent while he twiddled his thumbs. "It just kinda came up organically..." "You little blabbermouth!" "That's enough, boys," Vicky said. "Now, what do you think about the compound now that you've gotten to experience it yourself?" "This stuff is great!" The late-teenaged coyote yipped in excitement, practically leaping out of the bush. "But I just don't know about the whole reunion tour idea. I mean, I [i[]did[/i] get a degree in Zoology for my position here. And it really doesn't get any better than this." Just then, the radio on Luke's belt crackled to life. "Hey, Luke, I know that this is your lunch break, but I'm gunna need you to hit up the north entrance restrooms, as some little punk flushed a cherry bomb and now all the toilets have backed up and started overflowing with sewage. Don't forget your mop this time, over." Luke looked down at his walkie and sighed. "... Okay, I'm in." * * * "Alright, I'll admit, this is pretty amazing," Oscar said, looking at his paws in amazement. The otter had had to quickly grab his pants after his dosage of the compound kicked in, the belly he'd grown having rapidly melted away. "It's our big second-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" Trey said, throwing his arms wide. They were in Oscar's small apartment, Stone, Luke, and Vicky all sitting on the couch, playing a game on a console that looked partially taped together. All around the apartment were electronic parts and disks and fast food wrappers. "But, Trey," Oscar said with a roll of his eyes, "I'm on the verge of a gaming breakthrough! My new console will make virtual reality an actual reality!" "How soon do you think that that will actually be?" "... A couple more years, maybe. Just gotta test the neural interface... without shocking myself again..." "Oscar," Trey softly said, putting is paw on the otter's shoulder. "How long have you been estimating that it'll just be a couple more years?" "... Ten years? Give or take..." "Just imagine what kind of resources you could have access to with the kind of money we can make? You could even start up your own game company!" Oscar looked lost in thought, his eyes wide like saucer plates. "Oh yeah, we got him," Trey quietly leaned down to whisper into Vicky's ear. The vixen grinned. "Just one more," the vixen said. * * * Andy was laying in a white lounger by the motel pool, wearing his bright green/blue swim trunks, and a pair of aviator sunglasses. He was sipping a drink through a long green crazy straw that led down to a coconut with a pink umbrella in it. The raccoon let out a relaxed sigh, not noticing the red-furred paw and arm holding a perfume bottle approach him from behind. There was a spritz, and Andy didn't even cough. He just felt the tingle all over, and looked to see he had abs again, instead of the beginnings of a pot belly. He looked to the side, quirking an eyebrow in surprise to see his bros once more. "Hey, dudes," Andy nodded to them, taking another sip of his drink. "You guys look younger than when I last saw you." "Thanks," Trey said. "So do you." "Cool." Trey and the others waited for a question for further info... but watched in stunned amazement when Andy laid back down and resumed sipping his drink. "... Wanna do a reunion tour now that we're young again?" Trey asked, feeling incredulous for asking. "Sounds good to me." Andy gave a thumbs up, not noticing the bewildered looks on everyone's, including Vicky's, faces. "Well... that was easy," Trey said, scratching his head in confusion. One Month Later... It had been so strange, yet fun, for the boys to pick up where they'd left off. With the press conferences, they easily fell back into their usual roles with all the fun and silly banter. When it came to practicing their choreography and rehearsals, there was a little bit of an adjustment period, but they soon were able to move in sync while harmonizing, just like before. They all wasted no time when it came to writing new songs for the concert, to be used along with their classics. Soon, it came time for the kickoff to their big reunion tour, with the venue booked at the Howlywood Bowl. There was even going to be an orchestra accompanying their performance for the introduction and the closer. The night of the concert, Trey looked out onto the crowd packing the bleachers. "Guys, this place is packed!" The skunk exclaimed, gesturing with his arms for the others to come and see. He was wearing a bright white, with blue pinstripe, suit vest and pants with a blue undershirt, to match the blue and white necktie he had on. "I didn't think people would be this hyped to see us." Oscar gulped, pressing his nose against the window. The otter was wearing an open white denim vest revealing a blue t-shirt on underneath with white slacks. He accessorized with three blue and white belts, matching wristbands, and a baseball cap. "Why wouldn't they be? We were awesome!" Luke yipped and practically jumped up and down where he stood, looking over their shoulders. His outfit was a white Pawaiian shirt with blue flowers on it, opened to show off a blue tank top. He was also wearing white cargo shorts and blue and white pooka shells. "Anyone else wondering why there seems to be a lot of families with small kids here?" Stone frowned while looking down at the audience, his arms crossed. His white leather jacket with its blue spikes showed off his bare orange furred chest. The jeans he wore, acid-washed, somehow matched the overall color theme for tonight's concert. "Please don't tell me that we signed on to become some new off-brand version of The Wriggles." "Nah," Trey said, waving off Stone's concerns. "A lot of Regressus Inc.'s core demographic for us are families, specifically those around our... previous age, with young children, so that we can ensnare our original fans while also growing a new generation of them from the ground up. They were easy to market us to thanks to Regressus also having a lot of popular childcare products." "Like Snuggies diapers." Stone shuddered. He made it no secret he wasn't a fan of kids, especially babies. "Gotta give Vicky credit, she is one savvy business dude." The other four turned to see Andy playing the pinball machine. "Andy... where's your shirt?" Oscar asked, already pre-rolling his eyes at the answer he was expecting. The raccoon looked down to see his fuzzy chest and abs, but no white with a blue diagonal slash v-neck. All he had on were his blue and white board shorts. He looked around a bit and shrugged. "I had it on a minute ago." Luke burst out laughing. "Dude! How are you still losing your shirts? It was, like, less than a minute since you had it on." The coyote boy could barely catch his breath. Andy just shrugged again and resumed his game. "Okay!" Trey clapped his paws together once to get everyone's attention. He looked at his watch. "The show will be starting soon, but there's one more surprise I wanted to share with you guys." He went over to a cooler and kicked it open, revealing five tall cans of Purge sitting in the ice. He grabbed them and started to hand them out to the others. "Woah, I haven't seen one of these since the new millennium!" Oscar said, gazing at the green and orange can in his paws in amazement. "The company bought the rights to it after it was discontinued," Trey explained, holding his can up. "Now... like these drinks, let's give the folks out there a taste of a true blast from the past. Tonight, Small to Big makes its new debut." The others happily clinked their cans, even stone, who wore a small smirk on his face, before cracking them open. A short while later, the lights dimmed, and a fog began to roll out from the stage. Blue and white lights cut on, and that's when the music started. "Everybody, yeah." The crowd went wild when five distinct silhouettes suddenly appeared in the fog. "It's time to party, yeah." Slowly, the lights began to shift and move, making the silhouettes of the boys larger and then smaller. "Everybody, yeah. It's a party night." As one, all five of the boy spun and leapt out from the fog, landing in struck poses. "Small to Big's back, TONIGHT!" As they danced and sang, the boys moved as a well-oiled machine. Incorporating their new dance moves with the classics, they did the same with the songs. Introducing the new with the old. Lights shafted and faded and flashed. The fog swirled and changed, no longer billowing out, but seemingly being pulled back onto the stage. Just as the boys were getting to their big finale and stood at their marks, now to each give their own little flares, instead of it just being Trey, small little slots opened right under them in the stage. Stone looked down, a little confused, just before all five were blasted with a white and purple fog that each of them realized smelled faintly of baby powder. The boys coughed as bright white lights shone down on them, suddenly recognizing a familiar tingling sensation. With a sudden sense of vertigo, all five stumbled and fell. Getting back to now much shakier feet, Trey looked out and saw a frozen audience, staring in awe right at them. He around at the others, and paused. Where his four friends had once stood were now four little toddlers, dressed almost identically to how they'd been dressed before, with one key difference. "Wh-where'd my pants go?" An orange kitten in a tiny white leather vest squeaked, trying to use his little paws to hide his bulky blue and white diaper. "S-Stone?" Trey asked, stopping when he actually heard his voice. It was so high pitched and... childish. He looked from Stone to Luke, who was just wearing a little Pawaiian shirt and tank top, also with a diaper on display. Oscar wasn't much better, his baseball cap, while smaller, was still a little too big for him now, and he had to constantly adjust it, crinkling as he did so. The little otter pup and the coyote cub looked like they were on the verge of tears. Andy, while seemingly just as nonplussed as the rest of their group, was wearing just a swim diaper, and hugging his big bushy tail to his chest. Trey looked back at Stone, who was now sucking his thumb and hastily swiping at his eyes. Trey could hear unsure murmurs coming from the crowd. The little skunk kit straightened his posture, tried to ignore what felt like a pillow taped around his waist, and clapped his paws together once, to get the rest of his friends' attention. "Guys," he whispered, covering up the now much smaller mic with his paw, ignoring how fluffy the his fur now looked. "Focus!" "What happened to us?!" Stone whisper-hissed at Trey, who just shrugged. "We can find out later... right now, we're losing the audience. The show must go on!" That got the others' attention. Some of the whispers turned into excited coos at the cuteness of the boys, something Trey chose to ignore. "Isn't that supposed to be for acting?" Oscar asked, a whine in his childish voice. "That doesn't matter! We lost out on our dream once before, I'm not letting anything take our big second chance away from us this time. Now, are you guys with me?" Trey did his best to sound authoritative, the beginning guitar intro of their song starting Stone, Andy, Oscar, and Luke shared a look, and then nodded back at Trey. It took a second for them to get back into position, but they did so just in time for Trey to spin and start singing the opening lyric. "You are my inner spark." Despite the now high pitch of his voice, Trey still fell back on his vocal training. "You sing to my heart," sang Stone, right on cue. The crowd was silent, enraptured by the performing toddlers who barely looked old enough to walk, let along talk. "Our two worlds shall never part." Luke came in, not missing a beat. "Can you hear my soul say?" Oscar seemed to have recovered, perhaps channeling his confusion and frustration into his singing. "I want you to stay!" Andy spun and snapped his fingers, a smile on his little muzzle. The crowd began to cheer, still very much confused, but amazed and excited nonetheless. On through the song the boys sang. Their dancing was a little more clumsy now, but they didn't stop. Finally, they got to the end of the song, harmonizing on the last lyric. "'Cause I want you to stay!" There was a BOOM, and the blue and white fireworks began going off above. The crowd cheered and the stage darkened, with stage hands quickly scooping up and whisking away the boys. The moment that they were no longer in sight of the audience and their mics were unclipped, five high-pitched, very indignant voices could be heard demanding answers. "Oh my gosh! You all turned out so cute!" Vicky squealed when the boys were carried in to the special green room she had had prepared for them. The pink vixen's tail was a blur as she rushed over and gathered all five into her arms, quickly dismissing the stage hands. "What do you think of your special surprise?" She smiled happily down at the tots in her arms, walking them towards a playpen in the center of the room. "This is an outrage!" Trey piped up, waddling to the far end of the playpen the moment he was set down. Stone huffed and glared up at Vicky, standing protectively in front of Luke and Oscar, who were hugging each others' tails and looking once again to be on the verge of tears. Andy had a pacifier in his mouth... and was now playing with his big bushy tail. "What did you do to us?!" Stone demanded, stamping his foot. "Well, I take I that you five didn't read the contracts too closely, huh?" Vicky giggled. The boys turned to shoot Trey a pointed look, causing the skunk to look down at his feet. "I mean... once I read our percentages of profits and royalties... I guess maybe I skimmed the rest..." Trey admitted, yelping when he felt a sharp pain in his right arm. Looking up, he saw that Stone had pinched him. Victoria, contracts in paw, cleared her throat. "Don't pinch your brother, Stone, sweetie." "Brother?" Stone asked, confused. "Right after the liability documents was this cute little form that you all signed, basically declaring that, you all being of sound mind and body, hereby waive away your rights as adults upon being regressed to the physical ages of minors and agree to the adoption!" "ADOPTION?!" All five of the boys cried out in shock. "That's right! All signed and notarized and filed away!" "V-Vicky... you can't be serious?" Luke started, trying to be the voice of reason. "Uh-uh-uh," Vicky tutted, waving a finger at Luke. "Mommy, hun." "B-but, this can't be legal!" Oscar insisted, falling on his padded bottom. "Oh, Oscar," Vicky said, reaching in to start tickling his little feet, causing the little otter to giggle and titter. "My lawyers have assured me that this is perfectly legal. Now, I know that this will take some time to get used to." She looked down at all five of the tots, smiling brightly. "But once I invented my special formula, I knew what I needed to do." "Turn us into babies?!" Stone asked angrily. "Well, yes. But the reason behind that is because you five each had such a rough time of things during your first childhood. Then you got taken advantage of by those terrible people at your old record company! And then you all broke apart... I just knew I could give you a second chance, a perfect second chance at that! With all the love and support you could ever need!" "Th-this is insane!" Trey said, the dam beginning to burst, and the tears spilling forth. He felt himself being scooped up and cradled in the vixen's arms. "I promise, Trey, to give you and your brothers the happiest childhood ever," Vicky whispered, grabbing a baby bottle from a nearby diaper bag. As she bought the bottle to his lips, he looked up into her eyes. "D-does my h-hair still look good at least?" Epilogue... "Oh my gods! They are just so precious!" The red panda gushed as she watched the clip of the latest sensation. "That's right, once again we are looking at the most recent concert performed by the world's first ever 'baby boy band', Big 2 Smol! For those living under a rock the last few months, here's the juicy scoop. The old boyband from the '90s, Small to Big reunited for a reunion tour and, as the finale of their first big concert, they were regressed all the way back to babyhood! They've been touring singing their classic hits and some all new ones! And this was all possible to Regressus Inc's amazing literal age-reversing formula!" The tv was switched to a channel with some educational cartoons on it. "Hey!" Trey whined from where he was seated, safely buckled into his personal high chair. Vicky, now with some bags under her eyes, sighed and started to stir the bowl of baby food, scooping out a spoonful and holding it up to the petulant little skunk's now firmly clamped shut mouth. "Trey, honey, this is a pureed mix of healthy fruits and vegetables, perfect to help you grow up big and strong, again." Vicky reasoned, prompting Trey to turn his nose up and his face away. "Nu-uh! That stuff tastes yucky! Besides, you said we could eat solid foods again!" "Yes, once in a while something a bit more solid is fine, but you still need plenty of easy foods for your little tummies to process! And lots of formula and milk too." Vicky started to make chugging noises. Trey huffed at that and pouted. He already had some of the green goops smeared on his cheeks and splattered on his white bib. "Choo-Choo! Open up the tunnel, the Chew-Chew Express is on its way." When Vicky got the spoon close to Trey's lips, he smacked it away. Vicky sighed and set the bowl down. "Alright then, little mister," she said, starting to unbuckle the now squirming skunk kit from his seat. "If you're not ready for those num-nums, then milkies it is." "Finally! Can I please have some chocolate milky, Mommy?" He asked, making his eyes wide, having been the first of his brothers to learn to weaponize their newfound cuteness. Vicky sighed and then chuckled, cradling the little skunk in her arms. "If you stop being so fussy today, then you can have a choccy baba before naptime. Right now, however..." Vicky trailed off, unbuttoning her white blouse. Trey froze when he suddenly realized what Vicky intended. He tried to resist, to fight his instincts, but after a few weak struggles, he lay there, being rocked as he nursed. Victoria sighed contentedly as she gazed down at Trey, feeling a warmth swell in her chest. Just then, she whipped her head around, her ears twitching, the weariness in her eyes quickly returning. "Stone! Give your brother back his toy right now, mister!" Vicky said with a stern tone to her voice as she looked at the orange kitten in his black t-shirt and denim shortalls clutching a purple teddy bear to his chest. He was running away from a teary-eyed Oscar, in a pair of red overalls; who was reaching for said teddy bear. "He keeps bopping me with it when I'm tryin' ta color!" Stone lisped around his binky. "Fine, but give him back mister Grapey first!" Stone rolled his eyes and held out the stuffy to the little otter pup. Oscar took his little stuffed friend from the kitten, and popped his thumb into his mouth, waddling off. Vicky let out a pent-up sigh, only to do a double-take when she watched Andy casually waddle by, wearing a clearly full diaper, and sucking a bottle of juice. "Andrew? Where's your onesie?!" Vicky asked, remembering she'd dressed the little raccoon in a yellow legless onesie. Andy stopped and appeared confused. He silently looked himself over and them around a little. He turned back to Victoria and simply shrugged, toddling off. Just then in ran a wailing Luke, wearing a set of footie pajamas with dinosaurs on it. The little coyote pup holding up his little paw for Vicky to see. "MOMMY!!!" He cried, tears dribbling down his cheeks. "I found a cool little ant and was playing with it, and then it stung me!!!" Luke fell on his padded bottom, wailing even louder. Vicky scooped him up into her free arm and started to bounce him, trying to soothe the pup. "It's okay, baby, Mommy will make it all better!" Vicky winced when she heard Trey start to fuss. He started to join in the crying, soon followed by a tearful Oscar, and a Stone who was trying hard not to cry, and failing. Andy came waddling back in, his bottle now empty, also joining in the crying fit. Victoria looked at her boys, letting out yet another sigh of exhaustion. But, as she set about trying to calm her boys down, she had a small smile on her muzzle. "No one said motherhood would be easy." Writing this was like a fever dream for some reason! I hope everyone's year, so far, has been wonderful! Thanks for reading!

Hello there, readers! I know, I know, I've already got a lot of projects going so far. But this one is part of an ongoing RP with IronTiger26, and it's a slow go, and I've currently got no new chapters finished yet. So I figured that this first chapter of this new project could help tide you over until then. I hope that you enjoy it! A Mother's Love (Chapter 1) by Panther Cub Pain. Pain was all Dante could focus on, throbbing from the back of his head, where he had been struck. Looking up from the altar he was chained to, he could vaguely see the cavern surrounding this strange temple he had been abducted to. His memories after heading to his car, just two days from retirement, the chained-down Chicago chief of police looked balefully at the thirty purple-robed cultists. In the dim light of the burning torches, Dante could barely make out some of the closer ones. There appeared to be a mix of humans and anthros of several different species. They were chanting in a strange language, surrounding the altar and the carved circle with the intricate looping symbols. He couldn't get a good look at said altar due to the chains and collar firmly holding him in a prostrated position. Then something happened that he had not been expecting, not that he had expected any of this crap. The symbols all started to glow with a soft pink light, making Dante's breath catch in his throat. A low and deep hum started to buzz throughout the cavern, and the chanting cultists raised their voices, and started to chant faster. Then one approached Dante. He was gagged, so he couldn't speak, but he did struggle against his bindings when he saw the silver dagger pulled out from within the robes. It was a wolf, maybe grey fur visible in the pink light, a crazed smile on his muzzle, his eyes wild and focused solely on him. With a single thrust, the knife pierced his heart. Dante looked down at the blade as it was removed, the light brightening with a pink flash. And then all was dark. He felt cold, and then warm, as he flitted into and out of the darkness. His consciousness remained, and his life flashed before his eyes. As he tumbled through the darkness, he still felt warm, as well as a feeling of his perceived self being stretched and smooshed, over and over again. After what felt like an eternity, Dante landed, in a sitting position, with his eyes tightly shut. He waited a few moments before he opened his eyes, and was almost blinded by the bright and loud colors. Where before, he had been in a dimly lit cavern, he now found himself sitting on some kind of plastic bench in a bright and colorful hall. There were bright murals showing farms and smiling animals, forests, beaches, and the like. Before him was what appeared to be some kind of receptionist's desk. There were cobwebs about, and even a few cracks in the walls. Standing on shaky legs, Dante looked around. "H-hello?" he called out in a voice he hadn't heard in a long time. Instead of the rough and tired voice he had long since grown accustomed to, it instead reminded him of back when he was in high school. Looking down at himself, Dante became aware of two things. One, he was nude. The second, and most prominent, he was no longer human. He was covered in some kind of soft grey fur, except for his stomach, which was white. Rubbing his chest, Dante could see that his hands had become more paw-like, muck like his feet, both of which were also white instead of grey. Looking behind himself... he spied some kind of fluffy white cottontail. On a hunch, he reached up and felt that yes, his ears had traveled up on his head and elongated into two long grey ears. He didn't need to feel his pink button nose nor his buck teeth to know that he was a bunny. Although the full-length mirror right there in the hall confirmed it for him nonetheless. "This has got to be some kind of hallucination as my brain is dying," he said aloud, once again hearing a much younger voice. "And apparently my brain took me back to being a teenager as I lay here dying... I guess." Meanwhile, in a nearly vacant room not far from the newly made bunny, a figure turned in place, having heard noises from the main lobby. Curious, the large form silently opened the door, and began to stalk towards the reception desk area. "Hello?" Dante called out, getting up and covering his nudity with one paw, while approaching the desk. He looked around before looking through the desk drawers, having already noticed that while this was some kind of reception area, there were some doors in sight down the hall a bit, and presumably even more further back. He found a drawer of folders and some notebooks, pencils, and other office supplies, and even a tiny gold key. He picked it up and continued to rifle. The figure stopped for a brief moment at the voice, eyes widening slightly, before she slowly continued, and peeked their head around the corner. They stifled a gasp at the sight of the teen bunny, a smile starting to form on their face. They trudged forward, surprisingly silent, in spite of their large frame. As the nude rabbit reached for another drawer, he suddenly felt a large paw settle on his bare shoulder, and a sweet, if deep, voice piped up in the same instance. “Hello?” Dante jumped, getting some serious air, and whipped around, instinctively covering himself as best he could. He stood there, open-mouthed, staring at a large grizzly bear woman, wearing a frilly light pink dress with bows and a white apron. She had a wide, happy grin on her face that was radiating warmth, which helped to calm Dante down a little. "H-hello there!" he stammered, "I'm uh, s-sorry for intruding like this... and while so underdressed, b-but I just sorta... found myself here. Uhm... where is here, by the way?" The bear giggled, the deep voice offsetting the action a fair bit, but still appearing very friendly overall. “It’s quite alright, you aren’t the first one to find yourself here. And you’re currently in Loving Paws Daycare.” "A... a daycare..." Dante's eyes went wide. Dream or not, this being VERY bad. "Uh, I am s-so sorry, I swear I did not plan on being nude in a... in here!" Dante said, his voice cracking a bit. The bear just let out a single laugh, then gently patted his shoulder once. “Mister, it’s alright. Like I said, this isn’t the first time this happened. And there are only three people here at the moment.” Her jolly expression faded into a slightly sadder one. “We... haven’t had anyone else here for a while.” Dante wasn't sure why, but he felt a little sad at seeing how forlorn the bear looked. "W-well, I'm sure that business will pick up soon, uh... Miss... uh..." The bear perked up slightly, and tilted her head as she gave a little smile. “Oh, my bad, I forgot to introduce myself.” The well dressed bear held out a paw. “My name is Sarah. What’s your name, hmm?” "D-Dante," he said, feeling shy as he took her paw and gave it a shake. "Uhm, Miss Sarah, it is nice to meet you. Uhm, is there anyplace I can get some spare clothes?" Sarah nodded. “There is. But first...” She tightened her grip a bit. “Can you come with me, please? You need to be introduced first.” "B-but I'm not wearing anything!" Dante said, trying to pull back again... to find that the grip of the bear, while soft, was like iron. With a tug, he found himself scooped up in her arms, his head over her shoulder, her paw patting his nude furry behind while the other arm was securely holding his back. All soft, yet firm enough to keep him from moving. Securing her new charge in place, she softly spoke as she patted his rear. “I know, Dante. But you’ll find very quickly she won’t mind. In fact, I believe she will be happy to meet you, regardless of what you were in.” "She? Who are you? What is this place?! WHO ARE YOU TAKING ME TO SEE?!" Dante attempted to thrash and kick, but couldn't move from how securely he was held. Sarah didn’t reply, instead heading deeper into the daycare, until they reached a seemingly bland brown door. Smiling, she reached with a free paw to turn the knob. Dante tried to leap away, but one arm was sufficient enough to hold him to herself. The bear pushed the door open, a dim light shining out, and she stepped into the middle of the room, another figure in the corner, standing over a crib looking down at a plush. Sarah picked Dante off her shoulders. “Oh, Mother!” She said in a sing sing voice, catching the attention of the figure. “Lookie what I have!” The next thing Dante knew, he was twirled around, and his feet were on the floor, paws on his bare hips, keeping him in place. His head and eyes spinning, Dante took in the colorful room, and the very large figure standing in it. She was a rabbit like him, but with bright pink fur instead. She was wearing a frilly cream colored dress similar to Sarah's, complete with a pink apron that matched her fur color. There was a wave of warmth and love just radiating from her, seemingly directed right at him. Covering himself, he blushed. "H-hello, Ma'am... I presume that you are the owner o-of this facility?" The large rabbit stared at him for a few silent moments, and just before Dante could speak up... Her paws went to her cheeks, and a gasp escaped her lips. “Oh... my... GOSH!” In the literal blink of an eye, Dante suddenly found himself pressed against her chest, her arms wrapped around his bare body. “He’s adorable!” The rabbit practically cheered, her chin rubbing against the top of his head. Dante spluttered and tried to extricate from this soft and warm prison that was her grip... but found that he did not have the strength. "I-I think that there's been a mixup, Ma.am. I am Dante Christoph, Chief of Police for the Chicago Police Department. I'm n-not a child." The lagomorph stared at him for a few moments, before letting out a lighthearted giggle and leaning in, nuzzling her pink nose against his own. “Nonsense, silly. I know a little one when I see one. And you’re just the cutest thing I’ve seen in so long!” "H-hey! I demand that you set me down right now--MPH!" Dante was surprised to suddenly find something being popped into his mouth. It felt like some kind of rubbery bulb, and he quickly deduced that it was a pacifier. He started to feel indignant anger rise... before his body immediately relaxed. His jaw muscles seemed to move with a will of their own, and Dante realized that he was sucking on the offending object... but didn't have any strength to do anything about it. He couldn't even force himself to spit it out, his body completely betraying him. Despite the relaxation, he still felt humiliated to lay there, in this female giant's arms, being rocked gently back and forth. The giant bunny gently rocked the nude teen back and forth, putting one arm on his tummy and rubbing it in a circle. “There we go, sweetie pie... just lay those weary eyes to rest... I’m not going to hurt you, I promise...” This has to be a dream, Dante thought as he felt a warmth radiate from where she was rubbing him on his stomach. His ears twitched as he distinctly heard them speak, just as he was gently laid onto some kind of soft padded surface. The pink lagomorph lay him down on a padded table, continuing to rub his belly. Suddenly, her eyes widened. Looking over to the bear, she motioned with her head to come over, an excited smile on her face. Dante felt the rubbing stop, and cracked open an eye. He was still sucking what he now saw was a white and blue binky shield, before he spied the large bunny going to talk to the bear. Dream or not, Dante, admittedly sluggishly, started to roll over to hop down from the strange padded table. But before he could do so, a strap snaked out from the side of the table and snugly buckled over his stomach, securing him in place. He growled behind the binky, but the soft 'Nuk-Nuk-Nuk' sound and motion soothed him. Not even looking over at the new arrival as she heard the straps secure him back in place, the bunny excitedly spoke in a hushed tone. “Sarah, do you know what this means?” "Dare I hope, m'lady?" Sarah said, her own excitement growing. The owner nodded eagerly, her ears shaking with the motion. “If we’ve gotten a little one after all this time, then....” She trailed off, motioning to her assistant. "I just knew this day would come, m'lady! I shall go and begin restoring the nursery to its former glory! It will take some time, and I'll need to contact the others, but now that the babies have started to come again, all shall be made well once more!" The large woman grinned, her hands cupping under her chin in excitement. “Ohhh, I just can’t wait! It’s been so long since I had one! I’ll go get him something cute to wear right away!” She turned around, eager to begin. Sarah tittered and turned to leave, before spying on a dresser, something strange. It looked to be silver-ish, and some sort of mechanized device. "M'lady? What is this object? I have never seen one of its like here before?" The bunny turned her head, spotting a look of confusion in response to the item. Trodding over to the bear, she took it out of her hands, turning it over in her hands, looking over every inch of the device. “I... don’t know. What is this? Some kind of box?” "Is it possible that you chanced a look back into the mortal realm of little Dante's origin?" Upon hearing his name, Dante looked over, still suckling. The bunny looked up, nodding, before looking back at the item. “I did, yes, but I don’t see how this appeared because of-“ She was cut off when her finger hit a button, and a flash went off, staggering her for a second as the device began to make a whirring sound. “What was that?” She asked, rubbing her eyes. Despite everything, Dante couldn't refrain from a smile to appear around his binky, followed by a giggle. The owner then gave the smaller bunny a chiding look, before she shook her head with a small grin, turning back to the box. Blinking, she noticed a piece of paper sliding out of the device. Tilting her head, she took it out. “Hmm? What’s this?” After a few moments, the image clears, and shows her surprised face. Her eyes widened. “Oohhh, I get it...” Glancing back to the strapped down teen, she smiled, before handing the camera over to the bear. “Sarah, can you please hold this for a moment? I have an idea.” Sarah took the device, carefully holding it in her paws, nodding to the owner. The large rabbit turned back to the smaller one, striding to and stopping in front of the teen. “Okay, little one. Let’s get you dressed.” She said, reaching under the table. Dante's smile disappeared as quickly as it had come, and tried to struggle... his lack of strength in his limbs making that impossible. Unfolding a certain white object, she gave the former cop a reassuring look. “Just relax, honey. Mother will make sure you enjoy your time here.” "Notta babey!" Giggling, she lifted up the nude bunny’s legs. Turning her head to the bear, she asked. “Would you like to know why I asked you to hold that, Sarah?” Dante could only squirm and blush, with a little muffled whine. In response to the bear’s confused look, the bunny continued, not even looking at her new boy. “That little thing I called a camera. It captures pictures of moments, immortalizing them forever. And all you need to do is press that little button there.” She said, pointing at it with her ear. "Oooh, I see!" Sarah said. She looked through the lens of the camera, one which Dante recognized as being those old ones from back before everything was a phone and a camera, and his blush only deepened. "Ready when you are, m'lady!" Nodding, the pink lady pulled the padding up over the cop’s waist, securing the tapes on the plastic. Giving a smile, she patted the front of his diaper, and said. “Say... Dante’s first diapee!” Before pulling back and allowing the bear to lift the camera and get a clear shot of the padded teen. Dante squeaked and tried to shield his face with one paw, and his new padding with the other, neither of which was remotely successful for the blushing teen bunny. And with the second bright flash to occur in the nursery, Dante, his current attire, and his pose were captured on film for all of eternity, at an angle where one could see all of him laying on the table. “I got it, m’lady!” "Get wid of dat pictew! If anyone sees it, mah caweew wiw be wuined!" Dante said, feeling tears of frustration prickling the back of his eyes. "Oh my goodness, what a marvelous invention!" Sarah said, holding up the picture the camera spit out, once it cleared. It showed a certain mortified bunny boy, freshly diapered, trying to cover up his shame and his identity, both futilely. Sarah cooed at the image before handing it to the owner. "Agreed! It would seem that the children have been busy since we've been away. Oh, I just can't wait to learn more! But first! Sarah," The Nanny stood at attention upon hearing her own name. "Yes, m'lday?" "There's so much work to be done. I must attend to little Dante here. So please get started on fixing up the nursery... oh, and please let the other know that we are back in business!" Sarah's attentive demeanor broke into a wide grin. The bear Nanny saluted. "Yes, m'lady!" She then hurried off, tittering as she did so. The owner watched and held a pink paw to her mouth to stifle a giggle, before returning her attention to Dante. “Oh, sweetie...” The giant bunny said, the straps undoing themselves on their own as she leaned down to pick him up. Dante tried, and once more failed, to resist, and was picked up under his arms, before being pulled into a warm hug, his padded bottom being patted by one of her massive paws. The giant rabbit put her chin on the boy’s head, between his ears. Hugging him closely and rubbing his back, she whispered. “Dante... I promise, that picture won’t be shown to anybody outside this nursery. Mother won’t lie to you.” "Dis has ta be a dweam, wight?" Leaning the teen back, she held him as she cupped her hand on his cheek, looking him in his eyes. “Does this feel like one, honey?” She said, before leaning in and giving him a peck on his forehead. Something abut the kiss, it filled Dante with such love and warmth that he felt as though he were literally about to burst with it all. In that moment, he knew that he was not dreaming. He knew right then and there, that this was his new reality. Pulling away, she maneuvered Dante into a cradling position, and asked again, lightly tickling his stomach. “Well? Does it, sweetie?” The sensation dancing over his stomach made the bunny boy smile and giggle, before eventually letting out a squeal that made his voice break. He quickly snapped to attention when she stopped and looked surprised at his reaction, but shook his head. "No... dis is notta dweam..." After a few moments, the pink giantess smiled, setting him back on the table, this time on his feet. “Dante... I know this might be scary, but I promise. You’re safe here.” She gently grabbed him by his hands, and gave him a gentle smile. “Do you know who I am?” Dante just shook his head, unsure of how to proceed, and deciding on telling this... entity as little as possible. At least until he had gleaned more. He briefly looked down at his diaper. It fit his form perfectly, was white with blue trim, and had a yellow ducky on the back, with little yellow duckies on the front waistband. Giving a little giggle, she continued. “Dante... I am known to all as Mother.” She pet Dante between his ears. “But if you want to call me ‘Mom,’ ‘Mama’ or ‘Mommy’, I don’t mind that in the slightest.” "So is dis wike an adowpshun?" The entity, now known as Mother, nodded. “In the simplest of terms, yes. You’re my baby now, sweetie.” "B-but... I'm owder... well, owder dan dis, but dis is too big ta be a baby. I'm a teenagew now." She put a soft hand on his shoulder, and took out his pacifier. “Well, honey. Anyone who arrives here would normally be much smaller by now. But I think you’re so much cuter like this.” She replied, pulling him in and nuzzling against his cheek. Dante just can't describe the amount of sheer joy he could feel radiating from that touch of her cheek against his. He instinctively leaned into it, and found himself in her arms again, his head resting over her shoulder, her rubbing his back, and supporting him by his diapered bottom. "Am I really dead?" Blinking , Mother sighed, before putting him yet again into a cradle, sitting down on the table and looking down into his big eyes. “Dante... you aren’t dead. Your physical body has been destroyed, and as a result of the transformation, it has been forever lost, but you’re here, and you’re still alive. It’s...complicated, and I don’t want to overwhelm you, but trust Mother when she says you are not dead.” Dante frowns and nods, before starting at the sound of his stomach letting out a rumble. Letting out a soft laugh, Mother stood up and sat the teen down where she was just sitting. “But first, I can tell you’re probably hungry. Let’s get you something else to wear, then get my widdle man some num nums, hmm?” Dante rolled his eyes but nodded again. At least I'll get something to cover this stupid diaper, he thought before, while Mother's back was turned, giving an experimental tug on the tapes. He was surprised that they were fast in place and didn't budge not even the tiniest bit. He then tried to tug the diaper itself down, but it was completely stuck, as though it had been glued on. Mother, after fishing out a piece of clothing, turned to see Dante fiddling with his diaper. She shook her head with an amused smile, and said. “Oh, Dante, babies can’t take off their own diapees, you don’t wanna be nakie again, do you?” "Just seeing if I could. This is so embarrassing." He said, crossing his arms and, unknowingly, pouting adorably. The large bunny simply giggled in response, stepping over to the table and stopping behind her new baby. “Don’t worry, sweetie. Before long, you won’t even mind it.” "I doubt that," Dante said petulantly, turning to keep an eye on the being near them. "Why do I even have to wear this stupid thing? I know how to use the potty!" Dante blushed and clamped his paw-hands over his mouth. "I... uh... I meant to say potty.... no, not potty, potty!" Dante blushed crimson beneath his grey fur. He had been trying to say toilet, but it just kept coming out as potty. Just giving an amused smile, the entity reached down and softly pet the former cop between his ears. “Don’t worry, mommy knows what you’re trying to say. And you need to wear it, Dante. After all, you’re only a baby boy.” "B-but why can't I say it? And I'm not a baby! This body seems to be a teenager, maybe around 18 or 19. And I am fifty-seven years old! Notta baby!" Dante pouted again. Mother gave a soft smile, moving the head pets down to his back. “Well, sweetie. That’s one of the effects this realm can have. It limits it so you don’t have to keep using certain ‘grown up’ words. And like I said before, you were supposed to be smaller, remember?” "So mind control then? Well... poopy." Dante blushed again as that was not the word he was trying to say. “No, pumpkin. You’re still in full control besides that. It’s to help you get used to your new role here.” Finishing her impromptu back rub, she returned her attention to the clothing she picked out, unfolding it and holding it up in the air. “Now, arms up, honey. Then we can get you some num-nums.” "My new role?" Dante asked, stubbornly crossing his arms. "I can dress myself. And I'm not hungry." Dante's tummy took that moment to let out a loud rumble. Giggling, Mother replied. “You can’t fool mama, Dante.” Dante blushed and continued to sit there, with his arms crossed, deciding not to budge until she let him dress himself. After a few more moments of the teen refusing to raise up his arms, Mother eventually gave an ‘evil’ smile as an idea popped into her head. “You know, Dante...” She began, releasing the shirt, the cloth actually floating in the air. “... babies who don’t listen to their mommy usually get a visit from someone.” "Oh yeah? Who? Some kind of enforcer?" Dante said, trying to sound tough and puff out his chest. “Heh. No, but it is someone that all babies don’t want to visit them. Are you sure you won’t raise your arms for mama?” She said, giving him one last chance to change his mind. "I can dress myself. And I'm not a baby." Dante said, resolute. Mother just smiled, and said, leaning in. “That’s such a shame. They’re here now that you said it.” "Who?" Dante asked, starting to feel a little nervous. It was finally dawning on him that this is a powerful entity of some kind, and that for all he knew, he was about to face some sort of eldritch horror. Mother leaned in a bit more, until she took up most of his vision. Then, she whispered four words that caught Dante off guard. “... it’s the Tickle Monster.” And before Dante could react, her hands flew forward, aiming for his unprotected tummy. Dante's eyes went wide and he immediately began giggling. Try as he might to squirm away, it was futile. He had always hated his ticklishness, and now, it was being used against him in full force. Why, he even let out a squeal. The tickling was relentless. No matter where the bunny boy turned, those fingers kept at it, furiously rubbing against his soft belly. “I tried warning you, Dante. Now there’s only one way to make the Tickle Monster go away.” Mother said in a playful voice. "HAHAHAHA O-O-OKAY! Y-YOU CAN DRESS ME!" Dante breathlessly said in between laughter, now on his back, kicking his legs out of instinct, not that it did any good. Still tickling at him, though easing up slightly, Mother looked over at the shirt, as it levitated above the grey rabbit. “Okay, then. Arms up, Dante, then it’ll stop.” It took a few tries, due to his arms naturally trying to cover himself as a shield from the tickles, but Dante managed, still giggling now with his eyes watering, to sit up and raise up his arms. The moment his arms were in the best position, the shirt descended, slipping over his head and sliding his arms into their appropriate holes. And finally, Mother ceased the tickling when his ears poked through the big hole at the top, moving her hands to pull the shirt downward, the hem finally coming to a rest in front of his diapers tapes. “There we go, that wasn’t that hard, now was it?” She said, pulling her still giggling baby into a hug. "That was unfair and degrading!" Dante insisted, his giggles tapering off as he was in her soft and caring arms. He tried to hold onto his indignant anger, but found that she was making it hard. “Maybe...” She reached down and slid a single finger across his side. “But I don’t think you really minded all that much, with that smile you still have on your face.” Dante let out another giggle, and quickly tried to recover and look angry. Mother just gave a smile, before putting a hand on his bottom, and moving him into a cradle position. “Alright, that was fun. But let’s go get my hungry boy something to eat.” And with that, she began to move out of the nursery. Dante didn't like the crinkle from her supporting his bottom. He looked around, seeing some cobwebs in the hall, and even a hole in the floor... that was slowly shrinking? He shook his head before they entered a new room. Tiled floors, white walls, it was a kitchen. There were several short tables with short chairs... and then Dante saw the highchairs, which the being carrying him was heading straight for. Mother began to hum a little tune, moving Dante from a cradle to a position where she held him under his arms. She sat him down in a baby blue high chair, and buckled him in place, and finally set the table in place. "Notta baby," Dante insisted, pouting. “Sure you aren’t, pumpkin.” Mother replied, leaning in and nuzzling him again. “Now, is there anything you’d like to eat?” "Uhm... a chili dog?" Dante asked. Mother tilted her head, looking as if she was in thought. “I...do not know what that is, but I’ll look into it.” She pet him on the head again. “It might be a little bit longer than normal, but I’ll see if I can make one for you.” "So there's a limit to what you can know? Meaning that you're not omnipotent then?" Dante asked, ever the investigator. Mother nodded. “Well, it has been a very long time since I’ve been able to look into your world. So I do need to get my bearings again, but I’ll learn it in no time.” "So... you've observed my world before?" “Yes, dear. But that was a long time ago.” "How long?" Mother opened her mouth to respond, but stopped, putting a finger to her chin. As she did this, a bib began to float over to the pair. “I... honestly don’t know...” Dante filed this information away for later, until a blue cloth briefly obscured his field of vision. "H-hey, what is this?" Mother reached over, tying it around the teen’s neck before she replied. “It’s your bib, Dante.” Dante looked down at the blue bib with the yellow ducky on it, sensing a theme. "I don't need a bib, I'm not a baby." He said, reaching behind his neck to try and untie it, his hands repeatedly slipping over the knot, unable to get a grip. Shaking her head, she nuzzled him again. “Well, you never know, Dante. Better safe than sorry, right?” She stood up, then turned to the kitchen doors. “I’ll be back in a bit, sweetie. But here, a little something for you.” Opening a fridge on the other side, she opened a little canister full of strawberries, and a big, juicy one floated out and towards the teen. Dante, eyes wide, grabs it, and mumbles a thanks. He then mulls over taking a bite or not, before deciding to just go ahead. The flavor was so sweet and amazing, Dante finished it quickly, licking his fingers. It was then that he noticed the tiny gold key from earlier still tucked between his paw-fingers. Thinking at first about hiding it in his diaper, he discarded the thought and quickly opened his mouth, hiding it in front of his gums. No sooner did he hide the key, the kitchen doors opened up again, but instead of Mother, it was that same bear that he first ran into earlier. “Hi there, Dante!” She cheerfully greeted, stopping in front of the bunny and putting her smiling face a few feet away from his own. “Remember me?” "Uh... Sarah, I think?" The nanny, now identified as Sarah, nodded. “Uh-huh! Mother asked me to come out here and keep you company, get to know you some.” The bear pulled up a chair, and sat down not a few inches away from the high chair the teen was trapped in. "Oh... uh... okay... what do you want to know?" Dante leaned back in his seat, crinkling as he did so. Sarah shrugged, cupping her hands on her lap and softening her expression. “Well... why don’t you tell me about yourself some? I’m interested to hear what you were like before you arrived here.” "Uh... well, I was in my mid-fifties... I was human... and I was the chief of police for the Chicago Police Department." Sarah’s eyes widened at hearing his age, quickly hiding it with a nod. “Okay... I did have the suspicion you were human, going off how you were acting when you first arrived. And... police?” She tilted her head. “What’s that?” "Uh... well, there's rules and laws... and police, well, we make sure those laws are obeyed," Dante said, trying to think of how to explain what police are. “Oohhhh,” she said, nodding in understanding. “So you were a guard?” "W-well, you could say that... just a bit more modern, I suppose." Smiling, Sarah reached up and began to lightly brush a finger on his tummy. “Well... regardless of what you did there, I hope you have a happy time he-“ She suddenly cut herself off, an invisible ripple rushing throughout the daycare and into other parts of the realm. She just sat there, frozen like a statue as she processed what was running through her head now. The light brush against his tummy made Dante let out a giggle. But he stopped seeing what had come over Sarah. "A-are you okay?" She snapped out of it, staring at Dante for a few moments, before she put that same hand hand to her mouth. “Oh... you poor thing...” "Huh?" Before Dante could process what was happening, Sarah suddenly jumped up and pulled the teenage bunny into a hug as best she could. “Mother just looked into your world....I know everything you meant now...” "O-oh?" Dante said, his voice muffled against the bear's chest. He was hopeful that all this confusion about his age could be cleared up. Not changing her posture any, she began to rub her hand on the back of his head. “It’s okay, Dante... you don’t have to worry about doing any of that ever again while you’re here...” She said, her voice soothing as can be. "S-so then you know that I'm really an adult, and not a baby, right?" “Hmm?” Sarah pulled back, looking into his eyes, before letting out a chuckle. “Oh, Dante. What made you think we didn’t believe you?” "Uh... the diapers? The babying?" Sarah simply booped him on the nose. “Hehe. It doesn’t matter how old you may have been, Dante. You’re still a precious baby boy to us.” Dante crossed his arms and frowned... once more accidentally pouting adorably. After a few moments, a thought occurred to him, and he uncrossed his arms while looking at the bear nanny. "Wait a second. If your only frame of reference for my world was... to me, the ancient past, then why are stuff like the diapers and baby stuff all modern?" Sarah sat back down, but continued to pet Dante on the back of his head. “Well....Mother is capable of looking into the past, the present and the future. Though...” The nanny pointed at Dante’s diaper. “She has a bit of...tunnel vision, I believe the expression is.” Dante resumed pouting. "Of course... so that means that she's some kind of extremely powerful being, right? Does that make her a... goddess?" “In a manner of speaking, yes.” "... If this is a dream, then this is the craziest dream I've ever had..." “This isn’t a dream, Dante. Promise.” Sarah said, emphasizing it with another boop. The nose boop elicits another giggle from the grumpy teen bunny. Sarah patted the bunny’s back. “Don’t be grumpy, honey. I think I know what might make you feel a bit better.” "I went from Chief of Police to big baby for presumably all eternity, what could possibly make me feel better?" He asks, still grumpy. Leaning in, Sarah whispered. “How about I get one of those....TVs in the nursery? I’ll tell Mother about it, I’m sure she’d approve.” "... Okay... but, will I have to watch baby shows?" Sarah put on a thoughtful look, thinking for about a minute, before she replied. “Only if you either want to, or if you’re being punished. Something among those lines.” She let out a chuckle. “Though... all shows are baby shows here, considering who’ll be watching it.” Dante rolled his eyes, but still was amused by the joke. "'Kay... I guess maybe that's not too terrible..." “We won’t stop you from doing something if you enjoy it, Dante.” Sarah said, sincerely. “Just as long as it isn’t naughty, and you know you can handle it.” "... What is the definition of naughty here?" Sarah opened her mouth to reply, but she was cut off by the doors opening, and a certain aroma entering the room as Mother returned. “Okay, Dante! Your food is done!” Dante turned to see the giant pink bunny that apparently was a goddess of some kind. She was carrying a, in her giant paws, tiny plate with what appeared to be the most delicious chili dog he had ever seen. He couldn't quite place why, but the sight of it looked just so good. "... I-is that a chili dog?" He asked in semi-disbelief. She nodded, a big smile on her face as she put the plate on the high chair’s table. “Of course it is. You asked for one, didn’t you pumpkin?” "Uh-huh... it just looks so... perfect..." Without thinking, he reached for it, his tummy rumbling. Mother giggled, taking a seat next to Sarah. “Eat up, dearie. It’s all for you.” Acting almost out of instinct, Dante grabbed the chili dog and started to eat it, like he was a ravenous animal. The flavors exploded in his mouth, so rich and delicious, he couldn't believe it. When he was done, he was licking his very messy hand-paws, chili smeared on them, his bib, his chin, cheeks, all around his mouth, on his left eyebrow, and somehow on the tip of his left ear. He burped and let out a happy giggle, his hunger satiated in a way he had never felt before. The goddess couldn’t help but let out a coo at the sight of the ‘baby’ rabbit. Taking out a napkin she put in her pocket, she began to wipe off some of his mess as she asked. “Did mama’s widdle baby boy love his chilli dog? I made it as good as I could for you.” Dante tried to turn his head away, blushing, but he couldn't stop himself from nodding. "Uh-huh! It was the bestest!" He didn't notice what he had just said. Both of his caretakers did, though they didn’t let him know. “I’m so happy to hear that, sweetie.” Mother said, leaning in to nuzzle her little boy as Sarah took the plate away, setting it aside as she began to remove the table. Dante giggled and, out of some weird instinct, leaned into the nuzzle, his left paw still in his mouth, the residual chili sauce being sucked off of it. When that was gone, all but the thumb was removed, all without him even noticing. With the table out of the way, Mother picked Dante up, continuing the nuzzle until she put him back into a cradle position, the napkin wiping off the rest and his bib deposited itself next to the sink seemingly of its own accord. “Okay, Dante. You wanna go have some fun in your playpen before you go nini?” "Sawah said I can have a TV!" “Oh?” Sharing a glance with the bear, who gave a ‘I’ll explain in a minute’ type of expression, Mother returned to her suddenly excited charge, and replied. “Well, I don’t know what that is, but I trust your nanny if she says you can have one.” She reached down and lightly tickled him, before turning to the door. “Let’s get you back to the nursery, then we’ll see about it, okay?” Dante giggled and continued to suck his thumb as he laid there in Mother's arms, feeling content. As they headed back out into the hall, which was looking brighter and seemed to be freshly painted bright pastel colors, Dante started to regain his senses, although he still didn't notice the thumb in his mouth. "Wait... why did I get so etsited juft then?" Sarah giggled, reaching over and scratching his head between his ears. “You’re getting a TV soon, Dante. Remember?” "Well, yeah, but I wav actewn... kinda weiwd!" Dante then realized that he had been sucking his thumb, and quickly ripped it out to wipe on his shirt, blushing. Both of the caretakers let out a laugh, both simultaneously coddling the blushy bunny boy as they approached the nursery door. “Don’t worry, honey.” The goddess began. “That was just your inner child coming out. It’s normal.” "Wha? My inner child? Does that mean my mind is gunna... become erased or something?" Dante asked, worried. Unknowingly to all three, down the hall, a diminutive figure in the shadows rounded a corner and was approaching. Mother shook her head, gently rubbing her finger under his chin. “No, sweetie. You won’t have your mind erased or anything like that. Sometimes you’ll be your normal self, like you are now, and sometimes you’ll become the baby you always were on the inside. But eventually, you’ll reach a point where both of them are happening at the same time. Does that make more sense?” She asked, opening the door to the nursery, the tiny figure quickly but quietly dashing toward them. "... So... my mental state will shift between the two until they... even out and meet in the middle?" Dante asked, wracking his brain for the best way to phrase it. “Yes, that’s exactly it, Dante.” Sarah interjected, nodding in affirmation. It was then, with a squeak, that the figure leapt out of the shadows. It was a brown teddy bear, with a big grin on its face, its black button eyes quickly glowing green before immediately fading back to their black state. "Well as I live and... well, not really breathe... a new baby has arrived!" Came a feminine voice from the stuffed bear, with a distinctly southern accent. "Hi there little guy, wanna play?" Dante's eyes went wide in surprise. "Is that a talking teddy bear?" Both Mother and Sarah’s eyes were also wide, but they quickly returned to normal, the nanny actually leaning down and holding her arms out. “Fluffy! We haven’t seen you in so long! Come here, little buddy!” The teddy ran over and leapt into her arms. Sarah hugged the stuffed bear close. "And yup! We have a brand new baby! Isn't it so exciting?" "It shore is! What's the little guy's name?" "Dante!" Dante said, broken from his trance of amazement. He then resumed his pouting. "And I'm notta baby. I'm a big boy! ... I mean, a grown-up! GAH! I mean an adult!" “Sure you’re not, Dante.” Mother said, scratching him between his ears. “Fluffy, it’s so nice to see you again. It’s been so long.” She said, turning her head to the teddy. Fluffy giggled and held up a light blue pacifier. "I think that the baby is a little grumpy. Maybe his paci would help?" "I said I'm notta baby!" Ignoring the bunny’s protest, Mother gave a faux thoughtful look, and a small smile to the sentient stuffed animal. “That just might help, Fluffy, thank you.” "Heeeey! I don't wa--MPF!" Dante found the nipple of the paci popped into his mouth. Automatically, his mouth started to suckle the binky, and his body became much more relaxed. That still didn't stop him from grumbling and frowning. The much larger rabbit smiled, lightly tickling him on his tummy. “Don’t get upset, Dante. We’re already back at the nursery.” She said, opening the door to said room. Dante once more found himself giggling and even letting out a happy squeal, not once losing his binky or stopping the suckling. He looked around at the nursery, and saw how bright and loud its color scheme was. There were playpens, play areas, an indoor jungle-gym, a ball pit, long bookshelves and a set of couches and TV's, which Mother was making beeline right for. Humming a tune, Mother maneuvered Dante in her arms, before setting him on his padded butt on the carpet in front of the biggest TV. As she turned to the television, turning it on to find something to watch, Sarah shared a look with Fluffy, before stepping forward and putting the bear in Dante’s lap. “Here, Dante. Fluffy wants to get to know you.” Dante looked down at the animated bear suspiciously, but simply sat there with the bear in his lap. He was surprised to see channels flip by, giggling a little as Mother oohed and awwed at the technology. Stopping every now and again on different channels, including a news channel and a show that showed off tech, Mother couldn’t help herself and let out a little coo. “That’s so precious. You mortals have made so many cute toys and buildings.” "Dose are majew awchievewnts fow us!" Dante cutely lisped around his binky. Mother just smiled. “And it’s adorable, just like I said.” She turned her attention back to the tv, as she continued to search through the channels. Dante rolled his eyes... before they became laser focused on the show Mother stopped on. SassMe Street. He remembered about how much he loved watching this show when he was little. Unbeknownst to him, his mouth curled up in a smile, and he started to watch it with rapt attention. Mother looked to Dante, and seeing the excited look on his face made her heart warm up. She stepped away from the set, watching her baby as he began to bounce excitedly in place. Dante's mind was soon fully engrossed in the show. He happily followed along in counting and spelling and in speaking Spanish. Both the nanny and Mother watched as Dante became enraptured by the children’s show. They shared a look and nodded. This was far too cute to interrupt. They would put him down for a nap when the show was done. Dante giggled and clapped along when the puppets were finishing up, waving back to them as the show came to an end. He then let out a big yawn and hugged Fluffy close. Mother and Sarah shared a knowing smile and, turning off the TV, the giant bunny scooped the boy still hugging the plush into her arms. Cradling him, Mother followed Sarah out of the play area back out into the halls, which were now devoid of cobwebs and cracks, looking freshly painted. Mother rocked Dante while humming a soft tune. Reentering the room she had first met Dante in, Mother headed towards the baby blue crib. She lowered the boy into the crib, and gently pulled the soft blue fleece blanket up on him. She leaned down and planted a kiss on Dante and Fluffy's foreheads, before standing back up and starting the blue star mobile above the crib. It played a faint tune, and Mother stood there, just watching Dante hug Fluffy. "I will return after naptime. Until then, keep Dante safe and sound, okay Fluffy?" she quietly asked the teddy bear. Fluffy, with one arm free, simply saluted, bringing a giggle from Mother who, after giving Dante one more loving gaze, took her leave. There was so much about the mortal world that had changed that she had to learn about. Fluffy watched her go, the door closing behind the Mother. Once her footsteps faded, his button eyes started to glow green again. Fluffy, his smile now a sneer, wriggled free of Dante, and stood over the sleeping teen bunny baby, softly sucking on his binky and making a nuk-nuk-nuk sound. "Well now," they said, "you should learn to get good and comfortable, Dante. Because you're here forever and ever and ever, and when I get through with you, your brain will be just as full of mush as your diapers will be." Fluffy let out a chuckle before they started whispering into Dante's ears, which twitched. Dante slept, unknowingly listening, unaware of his diaper growing warm. I certainly hope that you liked the chapter! Please consider taking the time to leave a review or comment!

Hi there, readers! I'm here with a little one-off inspired by the picture and story in the following link https://www.furaffinity.net/view/7854418/ . The picture was drawn by Oni-kun for Seifer, who wrote the story, and included a character from a friend of theirs that they lent to them. Thank you so much, Seifer, for letting me write out this story that yours and the pic sparked in my mind! And to everyone reading, I hope that you all enjoy it! The Games We Play by Panther Cub Ibilisi laid there on the grass, glaring at her squadmates. She could hear snickers and laughter coming from the crowd behind her, but she paid them no attention. She raised an eyebrow and looked at her fellow cheerleaders expectantly. "Well? Don't keep me waiting, dammit! You wanted this to happen, so you get to deal with it!" The it she was referring to was the fully loaded diaper, a Poopers' Brand no less, on display for all to see wrapped snugly around her waist. Despite having addressed the entire squad, she instead zeroed in on the vixen responsible for her current situation. I can't believe that Sheila was able to trick me! She's a damn idiot! As she was thinking this, she looked over to the open pack of diapers, proudly displaying the brand name, as well as the tub of wipes and the canister of baby powder that were all set up right next to her. "You pooping yourself is not my problem," Sheila said with a scoff, looking away, only to see that the other girls in their little group were icily looking at her. "What?! Don't tell me that you all think I should be the one to... change her!" It was after saying that a realization sparked to life in the cougar's mind. Wait a second... Sheila is an idiot! "It seems to me, Sheila, that it's only fair that you clean up your own mess," Ibi said with a smirk. The vixen whipped around to scowl at Ibi. "I don't think you're going to be acting so smug when the pictures people have taken and are still taking start making their rounds. You can pretend that you're not humiliated, but you, me, and everyone else here knows otherwise!" Sheila put her paws on her hips, swishing her tail with a self-congratulatory grin on her muzzle, which was quickly whipped away when Ibi rolled her eyes and snorted. "The worst that could possibly happen with this little prank of yours has already happened, Sheila," Ibi stated matter of factly with a smirk. "And sure, people will joke and laugh and bring up me filling my diaper in front from time to time, but in the end, that will fade. Someone will do something else to get everyone's attention, and then another, and then another." "So?" Sheila asked, trying to maintain her haughty attitude, and failing. "So... what if it didn't end? At least not right away." Ibi fought to maintain her cool and aloof demeanor. She may have fallen for Sheila's trap earlier, but she was still a veteran when it came to laying her own. "What do you mean?" Sheila asked, looking back at the other girls, who all seemed just as confused as she did. "What I mean is this. You clean up your mess right here and now, and not only will I continue to wear a diaper for the rest of the game, as we agreed, but I'll also be willing to make another, similar bet." She watched as Sheila stepped forward cautiously, but curiously. "What kind of bet?" As the vixen's tail slowly began to swish back and forth in excitement, Ibi knew that the bait had been taken. "If our team manages to win, I'll stay in diapers for all of next week. If they lose, you'll be the one to wear them. All week long." The vixen rubbed her chin as she mulled this over. "Well, that sounds like more of a risk for me than for you," Sheila said, crossing her arms and turning her nose up, surprising the cougar. "What?" Damn! Ibi thought. "You just said that the worst has already happened for you. People saw you in a diaper, that you pooped, and, if I agree to take this deal, will then have changed, right here in front of a stadium of witnesses! A week wearing diapers to school is nothing compared to that!" Sheila huffed, irritating Ibi. "Fine then, a month. And the winner gets to pick outfits for the loser to wear!" Even if she somehow lost, which didn't seem likely due to their team's performance so far, Ibi could do a month in diapers and ugly or humiliating clothes easily. Grinning internally, she knew she could make anything look good. "Yeah, no. That's not good enough for me. How about..." Sheila began to scratch her chin while looking thoughtful, her tail still swishing with excitement. "Loser has to wear diapers for the rest of the game season, as well as becomes the cheerleading squad's unofficial mascot, with all of us on the squad getting to be the loser's babysitters, pick outfits for said loser, and regularly check to see if they need a diaper change." At this, the other girls started to smile and whisper to each other in excitement. "O-oh, really?" Ibi tried to think about how confident she actually was that their school's team was going to lose this game. "Unless, of course, you don't think you can do it?" That got Ibi's attention, and indeed, her entire focus, on the smug grin Sheila was now sporting. "Which is understandable for a little Pawper-packer like yourself." So she thinks she's going to get me to chicken out?! We'll see about that! Ibi let her bitchy nature take over again. It helped see her through what would have been the most humiliating moment of a weaker girl's life, and it'll help her again. "Well then, why stop at just the end of the season? Why not until the end of the school year?" Ibi practically snarled. "How about the rest of this year and all of next?" The other cheerleaders couldn't believe that they were witnessing Sheila and Ibi haggle over how long the loser of their next bet would have to be in diapers. Most were amazed at how she tried to remain intimidating while laying there on the grass, next to the changing supplies, still waiting on a diaper change. "All the way through to graduation night!" Ibi said. That made the vixen pause, as though she only just now considered how much time in diapers that would be, and the considerable power that the winner could have over the loser. She looked pensive as she turned to look at their school's team, spotting her boyfriend talking to some of the other players on the sidelines. Ibi wasn't sure how much longer halftime was going to be, but it couldn't be much longer. That was when she thought of one more card she could play. The cougar followed Sheila's line of sight and caught the eye of the vixen's leopard boyfriend. She waved to him while winking suggestively. He looked at her confused, before he smiled and waved back. Diaper or not, Ibi was still practically a professional when it came to flirting. Sheila could see that he was looking away from her and realized just who he was waving at. Her tail bushed out and she had to bite back an angry yip. "DEAL!" Sheila dropped to her knees in front of Ibi and grabbed the container of wipes as well as a fresh diaper, making a big show of fluffing it out. Ibi, the crowd nearest them, several players, and the rest of their cheer squad, watched as the vixen tore both tapes and, with one paw, gathered up Ibilisi's legs at the ankles. Ibi couldn't help but blush a little from some sounds of disgust once her diaper was opened, and chose not to look down. She let out a sigh as she spotted a few people in the stands with their phones out to snap some more pictures and record her public diaper change. The cougar was surprised at how thorough Sheila was during the process. She used the front half of the diaper to clean up most of the mess, setting it aside. She then set about using a couple pawfuls of wipes to rigorously continue cleaning Ibi's bottom and other affected areas. She took a moment to use her free paw to ball them all up into the used diaper and tape it shut. Sheila slid the clean diaper under Ibi's bottom, and proceeded to give her a very liberal dusting of baby powder. After her legs were lowered and her front was also dusted, the front of the diaper was pulled up, and the tapes snugly attached. After taking a second to check the leg gathers, Ibilisi was rolled onto her side, so that Sheila could then affix the tape right above the tail. With that, she gave Ibi's padded bottom a hearty slap, signifying that the change was over, and smiling a little from the puff of powder that escaped as a result. "No different from when I have to babysit... well, aside from the size that is. Anyways, I think you're a big enough girl to be trusted to put her own skirt back on... for now," Sheila said in a sickeningly sweet voice used for very small children. She grabbed the balled up used diaper and carried it over to a nearby trash can, before jogging off to a nearby restroom. Ibi assumed it was so the vixen in question could wash her paws. Ibi blushed a little as she fastened her skirt back on, shooting the milling other cheerleaders a death glare. They scurried back to their squad's proper spot. As she started walking back towards them, crinkling a little as she did so, Ibi started to wonder if she'd made a mistake. "... Nah," she muttered to herself, ignoring the laughs she got as she picked up her pom-poms. "There's no way our team's going to win this one." * * * HOW COULD THEY WIN?! THEY FUMBLED ALMOST EVERY FREAKIN' PASS FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE DAMN GAME!!! Ibi was livid, and blushing furiously as she heard the coos and excited chatter about what adorable outfits they could pick for her coming from her own squadmates. Her sour mood and the growing feeling of dread was a stark contrast to the players and fans in the stand celebrating the landslide, come-from-behind victory. When it became apparent that their team was going to win, Ibi had started to panic internally, not being helped by Sheila constantly catching her eye and grinning at her. Maybe she could talk Sheila out of this bet somehow... "Hey everyone! It looks like our squad's got a new mascot, Baby Ibilisi!" Ibi turned around to see Sheila holding the bullhorn that she was only supposed to use to help pump up the crowd or lead them in a cheer! The vixen seemed to be doing just that, as she practically skipped right over to the speechless cougar and, in one fluid motion, whipped Ibi's skirt off before throwing an arm around her shoulders. "Little Ibi here promised that if our team won, she was going to wear diapers all the way to graduation! Now that's dedication and some serious school spirit!" The stands erupted into cheers, and Ibi stood there, the rest of her squadmates practically beaming with elation, she forced a confident smirk and waved to the crowd. She wasn't sure how, but she knew that she was going to make Sheila pay. Monday Morning... Ibi confidently strode through the school's front doors, ignoring whispers and laughs she could hear from her peers as she passed. Any she fixed with a glare immediately shut up, bringing a smile to her face, despite the faint crinkling that came from under her skirt as she walked, albeit with a slight waddle. She was determined not to let this little setback ruin her meticulously crafted social life, nor let Sheila think for a moment that she won. The cougar may have lost the bet, but she would be damned before she would show a shred of weakness in front of that airheaded vixen. So what if she was stuck in diapers for the foreseeable future? Heading towards the locker room, her ears picking up on the faint sounds of excited chatter and giggles coming from her squad mates, she smirked. If they thought for one moment that her being the squad's unofficial baby mascot would mean she would no longer be calling the shots, or that she would be acting more meek, they were dead wrong. She pulled the double doors open and walked inside, her tail swishing as she entered her full bitch mode once again. She came to a stop just as the room fell silent, her paws on her hips. She looked at her squadmates, glowering at them as if to dare them to say anything about what they all knew she was wearing at that moment. Most quickly became uncomfortable and looked away, the exception not being at all a surprise to the cougar. "There she is!" Sheila practically skipped over to a duffel bag set on the ground near Ibi's locker. Ibilisi simply raised an eyebrow while crossing her arms, silently waiting for Sheila to continue. "Well don't be shy, little Ibi." Sheila spoke with a coo as she reached down and unzipped the bag, pulling out what at first Ibi thought was their cheer uniform. It was a bit wrong though, as the top and the skirt were connected, with an odd extra flap of cloth hanging down, clearly coming from within the skirt itself. On the chest was a print of a pacifier, almost identical to the one that was clipped to the top of the outfit, dangling from a pink lanyard. Ibi cringed internally as she realized what she was looking at, ensuring to maintain a cool outer demeanor. "Isn't it cute? We chipped in and got this made custom onesie just for you! And the skirt is even detachable, to make diaper changes easier," Sheila said, practically beaming with excitement as she pulled the skirt off, which Ibi only now realized was much shorter than their usual uniform skirts. "Well, that is pretty adorable, although I am curious about where you got it from," Ibilisi said after a moment of thinking it over. Like back at the game, the other cheerleaders looked at each other, confused at Ibilisi's response. Instead of humiliation or outright rage at the prospect of being made to wear such an infantile outfit, the cougar simply smiled and removed her skirt, revealing the padding underneath. "Uh, w-what are you doing, Ibi?" Shela asked this, also confused, and more than a little annoyed. She had been certain that this would have gotten more of a reaction out of the bitchy cougar. "We need to make sure it fits, don't we?" Ibi stated this simply, like she was talking about the weather. She unbuttoned her blouse, leaving her in just her pink bra and puffy white diaper. After folding up her clothes, she stepped over to the annoyed vixen and stood there expectantly. "Well?" Ibi asked, annoyed, once more putting her paws on her hips. "Well, what?" Sheila asked, confused. "In our deal, we agreed that the loser would be the squad's baby mascot, with all the other squadmates acting as the loser's babysitters," Ibi said with a bored tone, rolling her eyes. Sheila frowned, not liking the attitude she was getting. "Yeah?" Ibi rolled her eyes again and began to speak slowly, like she was talking to a child. "Since when do babies dress themselves?" Sheila scowled at that. "Fine!" She motioned for Ibi to raise her arms, to which the cougar was more than happy to comply, and then began to pull the onesie on her charge. Ibi's head popped through the neck hole, and her arms through the arm holes of the tanktop upper part. She looked down, being surprised a little when the pacifier was shoved into her mouth. "Be a good girl and keep that in for now for big sis Sheila, and maybe you'll get a special treat later," Sheila said, her tail wagging as she saw a slight blush on Ibi's face. The cougar complied, regaining her composure while Sheila made a show of taking a moment to check her diaper, before tugging the flap up over the front and snapping the buttons connecting it into place. It was a slightly snug fit, but Ibi found that it at least wasn't too tight. Sheila then clipped the skirt part back on, and Sheila saw that her earlier assessment was correct, it was a much shorter skirt than their usual uniform ones. This little piece of fabric barely covered the top third of the padded bulge around her waist, making it very clear to anyone looking just what Ibi was wearing. "Oh good, we got the measurements correct! Now we can order some more cute outfits!" Sheila gushed, grinning up at Ibi, while some of the now snickering other girls started to take pics of the babified cougar. Ibi saw that Sheila wasn't ready to back down, and she most certainly wasn't going to either. She really wants to commit to this game? Then so be it. "I'm glad, Sheila," Ibi said, spitting her brand new binky out, taking a dominant stand with her arms crossed. "I can't wait to see what other cute outfit ideas you all can come up with." The other cheerleaders were starting to look confused, due in no small part to the fact that even dressed in large baby clothes, Ibi seemed to radiate authority. As Ibi looked on, she could see that a few of the other girls realized that they had been poking a sleeping cougar alpha bitch who, despite wearing a diaper and onesie, was wide awake and more than a little intimidating with the grin on her muzzle. "Alright girls, I hope you're all pumped and bringing your A-game today. Our pyramid collapsing like that during Saturday's game was inexcusable and pathetic! We're going to be doing drills today, again and again and again. In fact, we're going to keep doing them each day until we can form a pyramid blindfolded and asleep. Am I understood?" "Uh, actually, little Ibi, I thought--" Sheila started, only to be cut off. "Thought what? That because of my new role that my old one as captain would suddenly be yours?" Ibi let out a chuckle at that, making Sheila's tail bush out in anger. "I don't think so. All that's really changed now is that you all are responsible for dressing me and changing my diapers, as far as I'm concerned. And everyone, be sure to thank Sheila for this new changeup for our squad. None of this would be possible without her." With that, Ibilisi gathered up her blouse and skirt and folded them, quickly putting them into her locker. She gave the other girls a wave before exiting to head to class, not at all acting concerned about her new outfit. All the while, the rest of the squad was glaring daggers at Sheila, who at first looked bewildered, and then annoyed. Without saying it outright, Ibilisi had challenged Sheila to a new game, to see who would break first and ask for this whole thing to be called off. "Ball's in your court, Sheila," Ibi muttered under her breath as she let her bitch mode take over again, not bothering to acknowledge any of the other students who stopped to stare. Epilogue... "Will you hurry it up? I don't want to be late!" Ibi complained from the pink changing mat she was laying on, her legs being held up by Sheila, who was in the middle of using one paw to deftly ball up the used diaper. She set it off to the side and grabbed the baby powder, giving the cougar's bottom a good dusting. "Hey, I'm not the one who picked right now to poop themselves, baby butt!" Sheila snapped, dusting the front of Ibi's diaper area, before setting her legs back down and pulling the front of the fresh diaper up. "You wanted this to happen," Ibi said, the pink plush wolf toy in her arms. However, internally, she was feeling anxious. Not that she would let Sheila see it. Ibi rolled over once the taped on the front were secured, so that Sheila could secure the last one above her tail. With the ever familiar pat to her padded posterior, Ibi began to get up. Currently, she was just wearing a bright yellow t-shirt with the words Big Stinker on the front, and her new diaper. Once Sheila had tossed the balled up one into a nearby trash can, she then helped Ibi put on her dark blue cap and gown, a match to Sheila's own. "Alright, let's get this over with," Sheila said with an annoyed huff, taking Ibi by the paw, and leading her out of the ladies' room. They walked back to their seats, the vixen clearly annoyed that the names were already being called. "You just had to cut it so close," she hissed under her breath. Part of Ibi wanted to pop her thumb in her mouth, but instead kept it on her wolf plush. "When you have to go, you have to go," Ibi said simply, feigning a smug grin. When she heard her name being called, she passed the wolf to Sheila, who simply rolled her eyes and took it, before making her way up the stage. She flashed a confident smile as she looked out on her classmates, giving Sheila a wink. Inside, however, she felt a growing sense of dread. Sometime during the last year, she had found that she would start to have accidents. It started during the night as she slept, which the cougar was quick to write off. But then they started to become more frequent, and would sometimes even happen in the daytime when she was too focused, to suddenly realize she needed to go very badly. After that, she would start to wet or mess without even realizing she was doing it. Sheila and the other girls from their squad had thought she was doing it without telling them just to be a little more difficult. And as graduation had approached, the prideful cougar had found herself stuck in a rather unique situation. She and Sheila both refused to back down, and so Ibilisi couldn't allow for a moment of weakness to be shown. But, no matter how much she didn't want to admit it, she was gradually losing control of her potty training. After today is over, this whole thing will be over, and I can just switch back to non-disposable underwear soon, she thought to herself, accepting her diploma. She held it up with a look of triumph on her face as she looked directly at Sheila once more. As she started to step off the stage and head back to her seat, however, Ibi realized that her diaper was no longer crinkling, but instead was making a soft squish as she walked, signifying she'd wet herself. Maybe after a little adjustment period... As she walked, a certain vixen watched, almost missing her own name being called. She could see that Ibi was walking with a slightly more pronounced waddle, and she was trying to hide a blush. Sheila got up and passed the stuffed wolf to Ibi, who quickly took it, trying to look annoyed. But the gears were starting to turn in Sheila's head. Heading up the steps of the stage, the vixen's tail began to slowly wag. The vixen grinned as she accepted her diploma, looking for and quickly spotting Ibi, who had her thumb in her mouth. Their little game wasn't over yet, and it might be heading into overtime. And there you have it folks! This was a fun little one-shot!

Hello there! Well... once again, I got an idea for a new story, and now have yet another one to work on, with already a long list. Sighs Anyways, this is a fun idea that I hope you enjoy! Please consider leaving a comment or review, as that really does just make my day! Youth Center (Chapter One) by Panther Cub "DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD! Please don't make me do this!" Jessica complained from the passenger seat. The light grey bunny girl looked up at her white and brown spotted father in desperation. "Jessie, this is happening," he said, resolute. "You're 15, you need a job, and you need to get away from those friends of yours for awhile." Thomas doesn't like putting his foot down like this, but he knew that he had to stay strong. "But, a daycare? I don't want to be stuck with a bunch of screaming kids and changing diapers! Can't I get the job at the shop Erika's mom owns?" Jessica pleaded, giving her father the sad eyes, which he ignored and focused on the road. "I just said that you need to be away from those trouble-makers you call friends, like Erika. Besides, all of their parents agree that some time apart from one another and attitude adjustments all around are in order." Thomas said, signaling before turning down a road. They were a few miles outside of the city, passing by rolling green hills with a forest coming into view in the distance. "Can't I at least have my phone?" Jessica asked, desperate. "No," Thomas said with a roll of his eyes, "you'll be on that thing non-stop until they take it away from you. So I decided that it was best to cut out the middleman." "You mean mom decided," Jessica huffed, crossing her arms and pouting. "I decided, Jessie," Thomas said with a sigh as they started to approach a large building. The outside was painted a calming robin's egg blue, with a manicured lawn and hedges in the front yard, and a very large fenced off area in the back, a bright multi-colored jungle gym already in sight. "Whatever," Jessica said, looking away, staring out the window. "Now, Jessie," Thomas said as they pulled into the long U-shaped driveway, turning to look at his oldest daughter, "this place is going to be a wonderful experience for you. Your mother and I researched it thoroughly and even met with the owner herself. And she assured us that proper disciplinary actions will be taken to help curb your negative behavior. So do not expect for us to come and get you if you start acting up." "So my first job is going to be more like I'm a prisoner, surrounded by a bunch of brats, oh joy," Jessica said, full-on snark. "Sweetheart, we don't like doing this, but you didn't leave us much of a choice. All that's going to happen is that here, while you work, you'll also work on correcting your bad behaviors, and making some extra money on the side... for college," Thomas added with emphasis when he saw the gleam flash in Jessica's eyes, before she resumed pouting. "Think of it like a fresh start." "Yeah, a fresh start to spend my entire summer vacation being brainwashed, whoopee," Jessica said, unbuckling her seatbelt and opening her door. Thomas sighed and killed the engine as he got out, looking over to see Jessica straightening her simple light green t-shirt and jeans. He then went around to the trunk and grabbed her two suitcases, before the two headed towards the big oak double doors. They passed by a large bronze sign set in a stone wall next to the walkway. Happy Cubs Youth Center, the polished bronze glinting in the afternoon sunlight. The front doors opened with ease, and the two were greeted by the feeling of the cool AC and the happy chatter and occasional screams of children. The long halls had various pastel murals painted on them of cartoon characters and cute scenes. The tiled floor beneath their feet, which was polished, was colorful with differing zig-zag patterns. The lights overhead were bright, yet soft, not harsh in the least. Seeing the reception desk, Thomas nudged Jessica, who trudged with him over to it. Sitting at the desk was a chipper-looking bear female, wearing a lavender skirt-suit. "Welcome to Happy Cubs," she said in a melodious voice, "are you checking in as one of our new cubs?" she asked, looking at Jessica, who blushed and shook her head. "I'm here for work," she said, sounding gruff about it. "I'm Thomas Thumperton and this is my daughter Jessica, and we have an appointment with Mrs. Clawto." Thomas said, politely, as he set Jessica's suitcases down and adjusted his tie. He was wearing his navy blue suit, still nervous that Jessica could somehow disqualify herself from the program. "Right on time, Mr. Thumperton," a voice purred to their left. Jessica and Thomas both turned to see, casually strolling down the hall, a very large and muscular, yet clearly feminine, white tigress. She was dressed in a simple, yet somehow elegant, white sundress. "And this must be little Jessica," she said, reaching over and rubbing the bunny girl's head. Jessica's ears had been drooping at her displeasure, but the sudden surprising headrub made them perk back up in surprise, just before she stepped away, batting away the larger paw. "Hey, I'm not one of the little kids you're used to dealing with here every day!" She said, indignantly. Mrs. Clawto simply laughed, a surprisingly musical sound. "I'm sorry, sweetheart," she said, looking down at the girl, "it's a force of habit." She then turned to Thomas, who was nervous that they were about to be turned away. "Please relax, Tom, your little Jessie seems just as spirited as you described. I think she's going to fit right in. Now, how about we go see her new room?" "Or, how about me and my dad get back in the car, and go home?" Jessica snarked in, not appreciating people discussing her as though she wasn't there in her presence. "That's enough, Jessie. Mrs. Clawto was kind enough to take you on, and you're staying, end of discussion!" Tom said, Jessica's ears perked back up in shock, before drooping as she looked at her feet. "Fine," she mumbled. The white tigress chuckled, her tail swishing. "It's quite alright, Tom," she said, resting a calming paw on his shoulder. "Children like Jessie just need a little extra help, and working with her here at Happy Cubs Youth Center will be sure to help her see things from a different perspective. Now, follow me you two." With that, she turned and started to walk down the hall. Jessica reached down and grabbed her suitcases, grumbling and trudging along behind her father, who was smiling, clearly in good spirits. "Don't worry, baby carrot," Tom said, making Jessica wince with the use of the old childish nickname he had never stopped calling her, "once we get you all settled in, you'll be having fun in no time!" "Not likely," was Jessica's surly reply. "Please try not to fret, sweetheart," Mrs. Clawto said with a purr, "I promise you that your stay here is going to be very fulfilling." The tigress stopped at an elevator and pressed the up button. It let out a ding, and the polished stainless steel doors slid open. Getting on, Jessica became aware of the elevator music, it being the childish song The Wheels On the Bus, without any vocals. She simply rolled her eyes and tried to ignore the almost obnoxious pastel yellow of the side doors. She didn't bother to see what floor her new boss had selected, but after a few moments there was a ding, and she looked up to find that they were now on the sixth floor. The walls of this floor were a light green, and the tiled floors had a more swirled pattern to it. They turned down a few halls, before coming to a door. "Now this floor is reserved mainly for live-in staff. Of course, sometimes some of our more adventurous kids tend to come exploring. But don't worry, during your training here, you'll learn what to do in such an event." Mrs. Clawto was far too chipper for Jessica's liking. They then came to a door. There was no number on it, and Jessica had no idea how she was going to keep track of where her room was, but shrugged it off for now. "We use keycards for the staff living quarters, staff break rooms, and most areas that are generally off-limits to the little ones," the tigress said, pulling out a keycard on a pink lanyard from her white purse, and waved it in front of the knob. There was a light beep and a loud click, and she turned the knob, swinging the door open. She then turned and handed Jessica that card. "This will be your temporary keycard, until we make one that will serve as your staff i.d., which we will do tomorrow. Now try not to lose it, sweetie." Jessica rolled her eyes and slipped the lanyard over her head. They then headed into the room. Looking around, Jessica internally grudgingly acknowledged that the room was decent. It was like a hotel room, with a large queen-sized bed in the main room. There was a small walk-in closet, next to the door to the bathroom, which had a giant wall-sized mirror behind the sink. The carpet was soft beneath her feet, and was a very light blue. She frowned at the sight of a picture of a baby bunny in a yellow dress, thumb in her mouth, lying down in a crib hanging on the wall. It didn't help that the bunny in the picture had the same light grey fur with the same white cream colored fur on her chin, neck, and presumably stomach. "Can I remove the picture?" Jessica asked, setting her suitcases down on top of the bed's comforter. "I'm afraid not, sweetheart," Mrs. Clawto said. "It's bolted to the wall. It also happens to be a picture that one of our more gifted little ones painted." Jessica sighed and let it drop, while her father continued to look around. "Oh wow! This is like a fancy hotel room! Now see? Don't you feel silly for all the fuss you were putting up?" "Oh yes, it's every fifteen-year-old's dream to sleep in a daycare," Jessica said, zipping open her suitcases and taking out her clothes, already neatly folded, and started to put them away in the drawers across from the bed. On top of the drawers was a large flatscreen tv, which made the bunny girl feel a little better. "Well, baby carrot, this is goodbye," Tom said, feeling a flood of emotion. He was always known to be the emotional one back at home. He walked up and practically smothered his daughter in a tight hug. "Now remember to call us every day. You can use the staff phone. And your mother and I will come and visit you once a week on parents' day, just in case you're worried about feeling lonely." "What's parents' day?" Jessica asked, confused. "It's when parents of our guests and those little ones that are staying here for a while longer than just a day come to visit and participate with their little ones," Mrs. Clawto chimed in with a bright smile. Jessica simply rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she mumbled. "Oh! Before you finish putting away your clothes and other items, I almost forgot to ask," Mrs. Clawto said, "do you have a recent history of bedwetting?" That made Jessica freeze, her ears going rigid. "Oh yes, actually, for the past week, she's had three... uh... nighttime accidents." "DAD!" Jessica said, blushing underneath her fur. All three accidents had bewildered the teenaged bunny. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about, sweetheart," Mrs. Clawto said, stepping forward, sounding conciliatory. "We just need to take some precautions, that's all." "Precautions?" Jessica asked, confused. "Yes. Since these mattresses are so expensive to clean, we require those of our live-in employees with problems with nighttime accidents to wear some protection." She was so sweet and motherly as she said it, that Jessica almost didn't understand what she meant. And then it clicked, and Jessica's cheeks burned bright red beneath her fur. "I am NOT wearing a diaper! No way! I don't need it!" she said, stamping her foot indignantly. "Jessica!" her father bellowed, which cut off her spur-of-the-moment-would-be-tirade, making her shrink in on herself a little. Her father had always been slow to anger, but when he did, he could be very imposing. Now was one of those moments as he looked at her with hard eyes. "You will NOT throw a tantrum just because there's a rule here that you do not like! Whether you like it or not, young lady, you will follow all of their rules, and you will be on your best behavior. Have I made myself clear?" Jessica trembled a little, before quietly nodding her head. "Y-yes, daddy," she said, her voice quiet and meek. Almost instantly, the stern face of her father evaporated into his usual sunny smiling one. "That's my good girl," he said, hugging her and rubbing her head, splaying her ears as he did so. He planted a kiss on her forehead as he let go. "And the nighttime protection isn't permanent for your duration here," Mrs. Clawto added, putting a massive arm around the girl's shoulders. "If you can go a full week without any accidents, you can sleep without them. Can you be a big girl for me and go one week with your protection?" "Uh... w-well... I guess..." Jessica said, now feeling small. "Good girl, I'm so proud of you." Mrs. Clawto said, giving Jessica a hug. With another tearful goodbye from her dad, Tom took his leave. Jessica's boss helped her to put away the last of her clothes, tucking the suitcases away in the closet, where a number of Jessica's blouses and shirts and a few dresses were now hanging. "Do you need to take a quick potty break before we continue on with the tour?" Jessica did a double-take, but quickly brushed it off as a result of the tigress spending so much time around small children. "Uhm, I'm good, thank you," Jessica said. "Alright, but speak up if you need to potty," Mrs. Clawto said, leading Jessica out of her room, waiting to check that the door locked after it had shut, which it did. They started to walk down the hall, which was still without any identifying landmarks. "Uh, how do I find my room?" Jessica thought to ask as they made their way down the winding hall finally making it to the elevators. "We actually got some remodeling done so sometime this week number plaques will be set up along the walls and on the doors. Until then, we're going to have adult chaperones show the employees to their rooms." Mrs. Clawto said. Jessica nodded, not liking the idea of a chaperone, even for a few days. "Now, the finer points of your responsibilities will be covered in orientation tomorrow, where you will also meet all of your other fellow employees," the tigress said after the elevator doors closed and they started to go down. "But in large part, for the first couple of weeks, you'll all be more or less the special helpers of the adults and older kids leading their classes. That includes things like setting up chairs, clearing away toys, keeping an eye on the little ones as they play, that sort of thing. And you'll be interchanging frequently from the various age groups, until we find the one that best suits you. I'm going to be upfront with you, and let you know that the teachers of the older age groups usually do well on their own, so only a few of you will be joining their classes on a regular basis. The majority of you will be joining the younger classes, like the kindergarten and younger age groups." Mrs. Clawto explained, making Jessica's head swim a little. "Ugh... please don't tell me that I'm going to have to change any diapers," Jessica said with a shudder, making the tigress giggle. "Oh sweetheart, I'm sure you'll become much more comfortable with diapers after a little while," she said, just so upbeat that it made Jessica roll her eyes. The elevator came to a stop at the bottom floor and dinged. There was some more idle children chatter and squeals of joy to be faintly heard. "Now, since we only finished with the renovations recently, our current number of little ones is a bit on the small side, however, since we're expanding into a more scholastic area, we're going to be enrolling a lot more children. So summertime will be more of a preview for when we open our services for the school year. We're going to have classes and teachers extending from pre-school all the way to high school!" she said as she started to lead Jessica down the halls. "Wait, high school? Really?" Jessica asked, confused. The tigress simply nodded. "Absolutely. Due to the constraints of the current education system, facilities like Happy Cubs are taking a much more extended and involved approach to education and development. Whether it's starting with a little one and helping them to grow and learn, to the program you're currently enrolled under, to help correct certain behavioral patterns, and maybe sneak in a college prep class or two," Mrs. Clawto said with a happy wink, "we plan to help all of our children develop and mature, with personalized plans based on individual needs. Thankfully with generous amounts of private funding." "Wow..." was all that Jessica could think to say. Yeah, because teens are gunna be so thrilled to attend a high school called Happy Cubs Youth Center. Gods, this is so embarrassing! After rounding a few more corners, passing by various doors labeled Wiggly Worms and Busy Bees and such, Mrs. Clawto waved her own keycard, which had her picture and i.d. on it, in front of a doorknob and opened it, holding it open for Jessica. She entered an office-looking room, with several tables, a microwave, a fridge, a large flatscreen against one wall, with the new GF5 and the new GameTrapezoid Series Y in a cabinet underneath. There was also a bookshelf and some bean bag chairs, a sink, some cabinets, and other amenities. "This is the student-staff breakroom, just for those enrolled in our adjustment program. This is where you'll take your breaks, socialize with others, and generally decompress," said Mrs. Clawto. "Woah, you've got the latest consoles?! But they're not even out yet!" Jessica said, impressed. "Mmhmm, just some of the perks," the tigress said with a giggle at the bunny's excitement. "Now, we shall continue with our tour!" Jessica was then led back out to the hall and down a few doors, to be let into another room. This one looked like a school room with desks and what appeared to be a teacher's desk at the front, complete with markerboard. "This is the student-staff meeting room. Unless having been assigned otherwise the previous day, this is where you all will come for early morning updates, schedules, and assignments." "Assignments? What, like homework?" Jessica said, a note of displeasure in her voice. "No, silly," Mrs. Clawto said, giving her charge another head rub, "while we are teaching responsibility for those like you, we take a different approach to it. Assignments are more like games and projects intended to be fun and stimulating. Like scavenger hunts, games of whodunnit mysteries, and so on. It's to help you further socialize and bond not only with your fellow student-employees, but also with those teaching you, as well as help you learn and think in ways you're not used to. Why, we even run a few escape rooms! And of course, we don't exclude the little ones out of the fun there. Although, before they arrive en masse, you'll all be given the chance to experience them first-paw, if you'd like." "Woah... that all sounds pretty cool... I guess," Jessica said, now even more excited. "I knew that you'd like it! Now, we're not done yet!" The tigress then led Jessica out of the room and down a few more halls, pointing out different rooms with different teachers assigned to them, before leading her out the back and into the playground. Jessica had to stop, her eyes wide with wonder. The fenced off area was much larger than she had initially thought based on the glimpse she had seen. The area was so massive that she spotted two baseball fields, a soccer field, what had to easily be the world's largest jungle gym, what looked to be a garden, several large sandboxes and, gated off, an olympic-sized swimming pool, complete with water-slides and lifeguard towers. There was even a section of the woods fenced in with a trail on it. What's more, Jessica noted that the afternoon had shifted to late-afternoon and was quickly approaching dusk. "Exercise and getting in touch with nature are very important here as well. So we try to incorporate as much as we can. Of course, safety comes first, especially so out here, so we have to remain vigilant of the pool and forest areas especially, as well as the jungle gym, despite all of the safety rails and such. In fact, part of your job will include forming teams to go in and help clear out any stragglers, as well as find any messes like spilled juice... or accidents that may have happened inside, and mark the section off so that it may be cleaned. And don't worry, our top-notch custodial staff will handle the cleaning aspect." The more Mrs. Clawto spoke, the more Jessica started to feel that this was not going to be as terrible as she had thought. "Why, we even allow for our student-employees to spend some time out here each day without the little ones. Of course, it's all divided into shifts, same for the classes and their different recess times." "Holy crap! The tuition here must be friggin' astronomical!" Jessica said, suddenly finding a white-furred finger wagging in her face. "Now, I would like to impress upon you, Jessie, that naughty language like that will not be tolerated. Not only are you here to help out and make this a fun and rewarding experience for the little ones, but you are also to act as a role model for them. So no more potty-mouth, alright sweetheart?" Jessica nodded, finding herself being hugged all of a sudden. "I'm sorry to be so stern with you," Mrs. Clawto said, gently rubbing Jessica's back, "I know that you're really a good girl. You just need a little extra help staying one. But don't worry, that'll be something we here will help you work on." She released the admonished and slightly abashed-looking bunny and smiled down at her. "Now, how about we meet up with some of your new friends in the cafeteria? I'll bet you could go for an early dinner." Jessica didn't get the chance to respond, as her stomach let out a hungry growl that was almost a full-on bark. Mrs. Clawto giggled and booped Jessica on her pink nose. "Sounds like your tummy emphatically agrees, come along now," she said, taking Jessica by the hand and leading her back inside. They came out to a large space with tables and a buffet-style line up of food. All of the smells made Jessica's mouth water, and forget that she was being led by the paw. She saw some other teenagers standing in line and sitting at tables, chatting and eating. She spotted a lizard girl with pink scales dressed in a black t-shirt with a red miniskirt on, talking to an excited black cat who was wearing a purple band shirt and jeans, animatedly discussing something. A wolf boy with a surly-looking face was sitting by himself, eating what appeared to be macaroni and cheese on his tray. An opossum girl in a red dress was laughing uncontrollably at the antics of another wolf boy, this one with russet-fur. A pair of foxes were in line, both snow white and appearing to be brother and sister, and as far as Jessica could see, there was no one else her age in the cafeteria. She saw several adults standing around, keeping an eye on things, and eating their own lunches. There were a couple of female kangaroos, a friendly-looking male lion, a male jackrabbit, a female coyote, and a panda lady. "This is just a few of your new friends. But don't worry, they're all good kids, and more will be joining us soon. In fact, the rest are all confirmed as being on their way. Not everyone's parents could personally bring them, so others are being bussed in. I'm sure that you're all going to have lots of fun together," Mrs. Clawto said as she brought Jessica to the buffet line and handed her a tray. Looking around at all the choices that made the bunny girl's mouth water, she elected to settle for a fruit salad, a yogurt, and some grape juice. Mrs. Clawto, who got a few slices of ribs, a salad, and a small smoothie, saw Jessica to her table. "Now, if you need me, I'll be right over there with the other grownups, okay sweetie? Also, remember to bus your own tray like a good girl." She gave Jessica a couple of affectionate headpats, ignoring her scowl, and went off to be greeted by the other adults. "This place is nice, but she's seriously gotta stop talking to me like I'm a little kid," Jessica grumbled to herself just before she popped a grape into her mouth. "It seems to be a pretty common thing amongst the teachers here," came a voice to Jessica's side that made her jump and almost choke on her grape, She swallowed and looked to her left to see the energetic cat sitting right next to her. "Hi! I'm Alyssa!" she said, extending her paw. Jessica looked her over and concluded that this girl was the same age as her. "Jessica. So I take it that you're here for punishment too?" she asked. "Pretty much, although, going through this place, it doesn't feel much like a punishment," Alyssa said with a smile. "True... but still, we're probably going to think differently once the work starts." "Maybe, but it still seems like a fun place to work!" Jessica quickly decided that this cat was just bursting with energy on a regular basis. They chatted for a little bit as Jessica ate, before she finished and took her tray and set it in the appropriate alcove next to the buffet line. Then she turned to see the teachers all herding the other teens to do the same and out the different doors. Mrs. Clawto approached her and gave her another headpat. "Good girl, bussing your own tray like that! And already, it looks like you made a new friend. I'm so proud of you!" She said. Jessica searched her voice for any trace of condescension, and found none, and so shrugged the treatment off, figuring that there's a way to submit anonymous complaints if the treatment didn't let up. She too was herded out to the halls and towards the elevator. "Now, don't worry about not being able to remember all of the areas and directions. You'll pick it up soon enough. Besides, there'll be teachers and hall monitors to help you if you still get lost from time to time." Mrs. Clawto said on the ride back up the elevator. Once more she led Jessica through the halls of the sixth floor, now able to see other adult staff and teens, some with their doors open, before they came to her room. Mrs. Clawto had Jessica unlock her room herself with her temporary keycard. "Good girl! See, you're getting the hang of this place already!" she praised, making Jessica blush and confused on how to respond from such praise for doing a simple task. "Now, feel free to watch a little tv and relax until bedtime, which is 10 PM. The tv will actually not be able to be turned back on until morning after 10 anyways, and will shut itself off. Also, I'll be back around then to help you get ready for bed, so how about washing up first?" Mrs. Clawto said, making Jessica blush. "F-fine... but seriously, a bedtime?" Jessica said, with a whine in her voice. Mrs. Clawto simply smiled warmly. "The little ones will be on a sleep schedule that we all have to meet, sweetheart. Can't have you staying up super late and then sleeping in, or worse, being groggy all day. But don't worry, the routine will become something you'll get used to after a while," She said, patting Jessica on the head once more. She showed herself out, and Jessica sighed, trying not to think about the humiliation that was to come later. She hopped in the shower, after stripping off her clothes, and relaxed as she bathed, She spent some time at the furdryer, before brushing out her fur, with the tv on. Of course, it was only kid-friendly shows and movies, but she was at least able to put on The Revengers, and get dressed in her pj's. The pajamas themselves were just a simple white t-shirt and some green shorts. Just as 10 o'clock rolled around, her tv shut itself off, just as promised, and there was a knock at her door. Jessica briefly considered the idea of simply not answering, but knew that Mrs. Clawto could open it anyway. The knocking was just a courtesy. She sighed and got up and went to the door, opening it, her eyes suddenly going wide. Mrs. Clawto was standing there, smiling down at her, holding a package of Snuggies brand Sleeptights. "What if someone saw!" Jessica whined as she stepped back to let the tigress in. Mrs. Clawto giggled as she set the package down on the dresser and tore it open. "It's perfectly okay, Jessica, there is nothing to be afraid of. Now, be a big girl for me and lie back on your bed." She said, pulling ove of the offending garments out, and fluffed it. Jessica saw that this was the version of Sleeptights, pink with flowers for girls, that had tabs like a diaper. "C-can't I put it on myself..." she asked, blushing. "Sorry, sweetheart, but this way we know it's going on nice and properly. Now, please lie down. The sooner we can start, the sooner we can end, and you can go to sleepy land," Mrs. Clawto said with yet another giggle. Jessica blushed yet obeyed, hoping that no one would find out about this. "This is ridiculous, anyway, since I'm not going to wet the bed." "Of course you won't," the tigress said, her tone suggesting that she didn't really believe the bunny, "but just in case, we'll keep your beddy-bye all nice and dry." The tigress then pulled off Jessica's shorts and underwear, and lifted up her legs with just one paw. This caused Jessica to let out a surprised squeak and her bottom was raised, and the open Sleeptight was slid underneath. And, instead of setting her right back down, Mrs. Clawto picked up an opened canister of baby powder, that Jessica had somehow missed, and started to liberally powder the bunny's bottom. She then set her legs down and dust her front. It was then that she pulled the front of the Sleeptights up front and tped it in place. After running a quick finger through the leg cuffs, she rolled Jessica over and did the tape over the tailhole. She finished it by giving Jessica's padded posterior a pat. "There, now that wasn't so bad, was it?" Mrs. Clawto asked. Jessica was surprised by the thickness between her legs, and how it crinkled, as well as pushed her legs apart. Instead of answering, she grabbed her shorts and attempted to pull them on and hid what basically was a diaper... yet they wouldn't fit. "Sweetheart, I'm afraid that these shorts are just too small. But don't worry, if you can go the whole week without wetting in your sleep, you can sleep with them instead of your Sleeptights," mrs. Clawto said, gently patting the front of Jessica's padded underwear and taking the shorts from her, folding them up, and putting them in the top drawer... which she then proceeded to fill with the rest of the Sleeptights. Jessica held her tongue, just wanting this over as soon as possible, which it was, just after the tigress surprised the teen bunny once more... by tucking her in. "There you go, all snug as a bug," she said, leaning down and planting a gentle kiss on Jessica's forehead. "now get some sleep, angel, you've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow!" The tigress then turned out the lights, and exited the room. Jessica reached down under the blanket and sheet to rip the Sleeptight off... before stopping. She realized that, more than likely, in the morning, she was going to be checked if she wet or not, and if they found her without her Sleeptight on... she was probably going to get in trouble. At the very least have to go to bed wearing them for longer. Another, smaller, part of Jessica was also worried... that she might wet the bed again. Sighing, the teen bunny simply laid there, before quickly falling asleep. What she was unaware of, was the lullaby that was coming through the tv speakers, at a pitch and frequency that didn't register to her as being heard. If she could have known she was hearing it, it would have sounded soft and gentle. And indeed, it was the reason why she had been so quick to fall asleep at her allotted bedtime. It was also the reason why, as she slept, her bladder emptied itself into her Sleeptight, flooding it and making the flower design on the front fade. The teenage bunny was in for a surprise in the morning. I truly hope that you enjoyed the chapter!

WOOOOOOO! Heyo, readers! I am super-dooper-ice-cream-scooper excited to bring to you this little project. Now, fair warning, this story was inspired by Squid Game, and contains kinda-spoilers. You have been warned. I hope that you enjoy! Stork Game by Panther Cub Mel sat at the edge of the bunk bed, looking out at all the others. What the hell have I gotten myself into?! he wondered. He looked down at the sleeve of the teal tracksuit he had woken up in and pushed it up, revealing soft pink fur, a perfect match for the long, bushy tail with the white tip that swished a little behind him. Over his heart, printed in white, was the number 456. Mel's ears twitched as all around him he heard the others murmured softly while some kind of classical music played over some unseen speakers. All of them also had numbers on the chests and backs of their matching track suits. Now and again there'd be whimpers and shrieks, usually from those who had finally come to, but those were becoming more infrequent as very few were still asleep. Mel had stayed silent, however, having long since learned that crying about a situation did nothing to actually change it. That was how you survived, and Mel was a survivor. Looking at the fur on his arms, his new paw-hands, and his paw-feet, Mel reflected on how he is... or at least was, before the gas in the strange car had put him and the other 'contestants' asleep; human. Unable to keep from inspecting himself again, Mel felt his new muzzle frown. He had also been a man before waking up, but that, much like his species, was no longer the case. With a sigh, Mel climbed over the short railing around his bed, and started down the ladder. Everyone was congregating in the center of the massive light blue room, where towers of the hundreds of bunk beds almost reached the ceiling with the hand-painted clouds and the smiling sun in the very center. No doors or windows of any kind to be seen. Looking around confirmed one of Mel's suspicions. No one was a human, or at least if they were like him, they were no longer human. All around him were more anthropomorphic animal people. "Does anyone know what in the hell is goin' on?" asked a light green raccoon man with what Mel pegged as an east texas accent. "I-I was told that... uhm..." a light purple lioness spoke up, looking suddenly nervous as she clutched her tail to her chest, looking at it in confusion. "I... signed up to c-compete in some... competition, b-but then I w-woke up here... like this." Many people started relating similar stories. "Where are you from?" Mel asked the lioness, wincing at the sound of his voice, which was definitely at a higher pitch and sounding much more feminine. "... C-Colorado... I-I was in Boulder when... when I g-got in the van..." That struck a chord with Mel, as he had been living in Phoenix when he'd been approached by the odd smiling man in the business suit. "I was in Beaumont, Texas," said the raccoon man, crossing his arms and frowning, deep in thought. Other animal people started calling out other states and cities. "I live in Toronto," a red panda woman standing to Mel's left suddenly shouted. She was holding her tail like the lioness, and indeed many others were doing the same. Mel had to restrain himself from grabbing at his own new tail... the fact that it was so bushy and looked so fluffy certainly didn't help. Even more countries were named, some people yelling in different languages. Mel figured that they had people from around the world and, based on what those who spoke English said, he was able to confirm that they had all agreed to these sketchy 'games', all after being approached by men or women in suits, asking to play a game. "Was anyone here not human before waking up?" Mel asked during a sudden lull, some folks that were bilingual taking it upon themselves to translate his query. Everyone looked around, in silence, no one stepping forward. "I-is this some kind of secret government experiment?" the lioness asked, sounding terrified. "Maybe it was aliens," a white-furred squirrel man perched on one of the bunk beds shouted. It was then that the far wall that all of the bunk beds were facing, which Mel had at first thought was just a seamless wall, split open straight down the center, the massive panels sliding apart to reveal a very large and wide security shutter, with a digital screen above it. The screen lit up and displayed 600 Players. Mel looked around and spotted a buff-looking cheetah man who seemed just as confused as everyone else, with the number 600 on his jacket. Looking around more, Mel couldn't immediately see anyone else with a higher number. His search was prematurely terminated, however, when there was a chime and the music ended, just before the large metal shutter rolled up. Out marched a hundred mew animal people, all wearing bright pink hooded track suits that even had special sleeves to cover their tails, the hoods up wearing ominous black masks, all bulged out for muzzles, or so Mel presumed. What was curious about these masks were how the only semi-distinctive features to them were that they had one of three white shapes on them. A circle, a triangle, and a square. Those with triangles had equipped some kind of black rifles with them, but ones that had strange canisters attached at the base of the barrels. A smaller number of circles began setting up tables and pushing in push carts laden down with nondescript gray boxes. These were stacked next to the tables, with the topmost ones opened and their contents neatly stacked on the tables for display. There were individual packets of what appeared to be apple slices, cups of yogurt, and juice boxes. The circles were soon standing on the opposite sides of the tables, facing out at the confused animal people. Standing in front of the tables was a lone square, Mel feeling uneasy as their gaze, while hidden by the mask, swept over them. What really unsettled him and more than a few others, was how they worked in silence, not a word being spoken between any of them. "Ladies and gentlemen," a calm male voice said, "I would like to welcome you all. Each and every one of you will participate in six games over the course of six days. After the sixth day, the winners will receive a substantial cash prize. But please, first enjoy a light breakfast, and then we can beg--" "Hold on a second!" The red panda girl from earlier shouted, the crowd around her parting a little. She had her hand-paws on her hips and her tail was bushed out, clearly in anger. "How the hell are we supposed to believe you? You abducted all of us, put us to sleep with some kind of gas, took the clothing and belongings we were wearing, dressed us up in these tracksuits, and took us to wherever! And now, we're being told we'll get paid if we play some games?!" Mel nodded in silent agreement while a few others were more vocal. "It was unfortunate, but those measures needed to be taken to ensure confidentiality. When the games have concluded, everything shall be returned to you all." "Why are you freaks wearing those masks?" the cheetah man called out. His voice was deep and how he spoke suggested a Boston accent to Mel. "The faces and personal information about our staff is not to be disclosed to any and all participants, to ensure fairness and confidentiality for the games." We hope that you understand. "You can make all the excuses you want, but the fact remains that were were kidnapped!" The red panda stepped forward, her hands now clenched into fists at her sides. Mel looked around and spotted some other red panda, some with different colored fur, and briefly wondered if there was anything significant, like similar personalities, with people who were turned into the same species. Considering how a few of the other red pandas looked to be hiding more towards the center of the group and others seemed just dazed and confused, it seemed inconclusive to Mel. He'd try to gauge other members of his new species, but he still didn't know what he was. "Also, why the hell are we all animals now?!" This was roared by a black-furred lion, who looked just as buff as the cheetah, if not moreso. "For why you have all transformed, not only species but in some cases even sex, that is because you are no longer on Earth," Square explained. Mel overheard the white squirrel loudly whisper to a nearby mouse "I knew it!" "Or rather, you are no longer on the Earth that you are familiar with. Sixty eight years ago, an advanced civilization of anthropomorphic animal people, of varying species, discovered our world from another dimension, one where life on Earth evolved drastically differently. After observing us for two decades, they made contact with numerous world governments. They are the ones who have set up these games, and every year, a lucky group of humans is selected to be brought to their world to compete. When humans enter this new dimension, our bodies undergo drastic changes, transforming us into one of the many different species of this world, and yes, even sex can be altered in the process. It is currently not understood how or why this happens, just that it does." The silence was practically deafening. "Why in the hell would these... advanced animal people do this?" An eagle woman stepped out from a huddled mass to stand next to the red panda. "The motivations for these games cannot be disclosed at this time, however, I can assure you that they only have your best interests at heart." "Our b-best..." the red panda's tail bushed out again as she looked practically apoplectic. "WHAT KIND OF NONSENSE IS THAT?!" "Player 277, Ariel Masters, age: 31 years. Former director of accounting at Red Leaf Investments. Embezzled money from her clients' accounts and subsequently invested it in derivatives that subsequently failed." Square said simply, pulling out a remote from their pocket and pressing a button. The lights dimmed and the electronic screen was now playing a video. It showed a blonde woman with green eyes wearing a charcoal gray skirt suit looking disheveled and sweating, playing Rock, Paper, Scissors with whomever had the camera on them. They kept losing, only to receive a pat to her head and an assurance from a woman's voice that they can play double or nothing, eventually winning and being given the million dollars. Mel watched with rapt attention, that being what happened with him down in the subway, with the only exception being a game of Blackjack. Looking over at the red panda, whose name he now knew to be Ariel, her tail was now being hugged to her chest as she whimpered a little, looking shocked at the video of her human self on the screen. "Current losses, six million, five hundred and thirty three thousand, nine hundred and sixty two dollars." Square pressed another button, and Mel saw a large man on the screen. He was buff and had olive skin, large brown eyes, and a shaved head. He was wearing a white muscle shirt throwing horseshoes and punching a brick wall every time he missed. "Alexander Adams, age 26, number 390, two million in debt." Another press of a button on the remote, and another person appeared on the screen, playing some simple game and eventually winning one million dollars, only to have their debts called out. Those not speaking English who were called out had the pleasure of the square translating for them in their languages after he listed the same info about them as those that were up before. "Mel Nakamura, number 456, age 31, four million, thirty eight thousand and ninety nine dollars in debt." Mel froze, looking up and feeling the eyes of the square on him, feeling his tail tuck itself as video feed of himself came up. His blazer was torn and his nose bleeding, hair slicked back but mussed up. Like Ariel, Mel was playing Rock, Paper, Scissors, tears of frustration in his eyes with each loss, agreeing time and again to the double or nothing option. He remembered how the older woman kept smiling at him sadly and giving him words of comfort and encouraged him to keep trying, saying that he was so close. "Every last one of you is on the brink of complete financial ruin. You all have debts that realistically you shall never be able to pay off, many having taken loans from far less than legal sources at that." Mel thought he detected a tinge of... sadness? But he wasn't sure, square kept their voice even and composed. "When our organization approached you all, you did not trust us. But, you agreed to play a game with us and, when you did, you were rewarded with the promised money. After that, all of you trusted us, hence why you called and volunteered to play our games. Now is your last chance to choose. Will you go back to living your old, sad little lives, destined for tragic, short ends? Or, will you choose to seize this opportunity, for many, a last opportunity, that we are offering you here?" The players were all silent, aside from some murmuring and shuffling of feet. "How much do we get if we win?" Mel called out, those around him moving aside, with many turning to look at him. Square just pressed another button, and above was the sounds of moving machinery. Everyone turned to see the smiling sun split open as a clear plastic, giant piggy bank descended, a clear pipe connected to its back. "After every game, the prize money will be deposited into the piggy bank. The amount to be won shall be disclosed after the conclusion of the first game. If anyone here does not wish to play, please speak now." No one said anything. After a few minutes of silence, everyone was directed to stand in single file lines facing the tables, to sign a contract as well as collect the offered breakfasts. Mel felt like he was in a dream, a strange and otherworldly dream, which considering where they supposedly were, made the sensation rather fitting. When Mel got to the table before him, he wasn't surprised to see that the contract was a player consent form. What surprised him was that there were only three sentences written on it, followed by a line for him to sign his name. Clause 1: A player is not allowed to stop playing. Clause 2: A player who refuses to play shall be eliminated. Clause 3: The games shall end if the majority of players agree. "That's it?" Mel asked the circle in front of him. They just stood there staring back at him behind the grating of their mask that, even up close, completely obscured their face. Getting no answer, Mel sighed and used the offered pen to sign his name. He then accepted the food and the juice box and left the line, making his way over to one of the bunk beds and sitting down on the short railing, feeling hungry. Once everyone had signed and been given their food, the circles packed up the empty boxes and collapsed the tables, wheeling them all away while the triangles continued to watch. Mel used his apple slices to dip into the yogurt since no spoons had been given. The juice box, which only had the circle, triangle, and square symbols on it in lieu of any kind of branding, had been apple grape juice. It wasn't long after Mel had finished this odd breakfast when classical music started playing on the hidden speakers again, but this time with a little something extra. "Attention players," a cheerful feminine voice said over the speakers, "please follow the staff to the first game." Once more, Mel found himself and his fellow 'contestants' lining up single file to follow the circles out through the shutters and into some light pastel plastic halls. This opened up into a strange series of staircases, looking to Mel very similar to a real life version of the MC Escher painting, Relativity. Except all the staircases were made of plastic, and everything was painted in loud primary colors. The line was split up into multiple groups, each following one of the circles, all going in different directions. Mel felt even more disoriented by the time they all, simultaneously, came out into a large light pink room, and were led to a line of turnstiles separated by partitions with screens on them. The single file lines were led to the turnstiles and, walking through and making the bars click, the woman's voice from earlier chimed in. "Please face the screens and smile!" Most of the players chose not to smile as their pictures were taken, shown to them on the screens. Mel thought that trying to make a good impression on... whomever would be watching might be a good idea, and so tried to smile, feeling like their muzzle broke out into more of a grimace as their picture was taken. Getting a good look at himself, Mel was surprised. So I'm a... pink... fox? A... vixen, I think, Mel thought as he examined his picture. In addition to pink fur, he had white on his muzzle that ran down his neck and possibly all the way to his stomach, though Mel was unsure as of yet. He was amazed to find that his brown eyes were now red, and he let out a huff of irritation seeing a patch of white fur on his left cheek that was in the shape of a white broken heart. Well now that just seems intentional. Soon, their groups were led to a set of three gates with bright sunlight nearly blinding everyone. The green painted gates swung open on well-oiled hinges, and everyone filed out. It was a strange sight, looking out at this football-sized area. Enclosing the entire arena were four sky blue walls. Looking up, Mel could see birds flying overhead in a cloudless blue sky, and just below them, lining the tops of the walls were open black squares. Looking back down, the ground was all sand, with a line in red painted onto the sand a few feet in front of them. All the way to the far side of the arena was some kind of plastic-looking tree with a... very unsettling statue made to look like a little wolf boy wearing a white shirt and red short-alls, all behind another red line painted in the sand. On either side of it were two of the triangle-faced staff members, and they only came up to the statue's knees. Mel heard others talking about how creepy the statue was, but were silenced when it started to move. It slowly spun around, clearly on some kind of rotating platform. It raised its arms and grasped the trunk of the plastic tree that it was now facing. "The first game to be played is a childhood classic... Red Light, Green Light! Players will be allowed to move forward when the robot calls out Green Light! When it shouts Red Light, stop moving. Players that are caught moving during Red Light shall be eliminated. Those that cross the finish line without being eliminated within the five minute play time shall pass and move on to the next game. Those who do not make it across the finish line in the allotted time shall also be eliminated. I shall now repeat the rules." "This is a joke," Mel's ears twitched as he looked over at the speaker. It was a skinny blue dragon man. It was hard for Mel to be certain, but he got the impression he was in his early twenties. "Fifty bucks to whoever makes it to the finish line first," the blue dragon said with a smirk. Mel shook his head to clear it. Many of the others were lining up at the red line painted on the sand. He was away to the left, keeping his distance from his fellow players, watching the giant robot at the far end of the field. When a childish voice happily called out, Green Light, Mel stayed put to wait and watch. While there was a clock ticking down, there was nothing in the rule about any kind of extra reward for finishing first. Just about everyone else started quickly making their way across the sand. "Red light," the voice called and the head of the robot rotated quickly to stare out behind it. Mel froze and, squinting, could barely make out the pupils of the mechanical eyes darting around for a bit. They then stopped, and the head turned back around. "Green light." Mel started walking, his instincts in the back of his head screaming at him to run back to the gates. But he remembered that any player who refuses to play is eliminated, and he needed the money. Watching the robot, in the split-second before it rotated, he saw the head twitch a little, and so froze. The head whipped around and said "Red light." Again, everyone was perfectly still. When it turned back around and was green light again, they all slowly resumed. The blue dragon looked behind himself and saw others power walking, so he started to jog to maintain his lead, letting out a laugh. He realized his mistake when the head whipped back around and he froze. Unfortunately, he was too slow, and the eyes spotted him. POP! Everyone flinched, and watched as the dragon boy slumped and fell over. "Green light!" Those nearest to him moved slower than before, shuffling closer to him. Mel's ears twitched as he felt a chill run up his spine. Did he just get... shot? he wondered to himself. That's when he heard the voice of the red panda girl that was looking down at the dragon. "There's some kind of... tranquilizer dart in him," she said, her voice faint but still enough for Mel's ears to hone in on. "Red light!" More than a few of the former humans were still too focused on the fallen fellow contestant to be ready. POP. POP. POP. POP. An eagle, the tigress, the older mouse, and the squirrel girl each went down, with only a sudden shriek from the squirrel, who was soon on her side, unconscious. A racoon woman screamed, and many of the fellow players joined suit and started to make a mad dash for the gates they had entered from. Mel stood still, watching as the robot's eyes started darting from person to person, sometimes crossing, other times going walleyed, it all looked so unsettling. There were now a series of rapid pops going on and, turning only his eyes upwards, following where his pointed ears were swiveled. Mel needed only a second to realize that the black rectangles lining the top of the enclosure now had long black barrels poking out, jerking in different directions, before letting out a pop, and repositioning. Automatic turrets?! What the hell kind of game is this?! Mel bit down on his rising panic, remembering to keep a cool head. Slowly, the screams and pleading voices and the banging fists against the locked gates tapered off as the last of those identified as having moved while that damn robot was looking were shot with whatever was in those darts. A few seconds of silence, and one last POP as a skinny bear was trying to crawl behind an unconscious cat received a dart to his posterior; and the robot was soon swiveling its head back to face the tree. "Green light!" Forcing himself to move, Mel began quickly trudging forward, risking a look back to see bodies lying everywhere, but also so many other players still standing, also moving forward. "Red light!" Mel froze, and kept from flinching when there were another three Pops. The clock above was ticking away, it being less than two minutes, and he was only a third of the way across. Mel swished his tail, suddenly realizing he was going to have to make sure to exert control over his new appendage as well lest it move during a red light, and began to pick up the pace at the next green light. Another red light, and another pop. That was the pattern as the contestants made their way across the sand. Sometimes there would be two, three, or even five. Mel was nearing where the blue dragon lay, and stood stock still as he looked down at them. The guy, if he even was that before coming here, now seemed... smaller. Like his tracksuit was three sizes too big for him. Mel was unsure of just what he was seeing, before a sudden Green Light, spurred him back into moving. The red panda girl from before was the first to make it across, with the skunk man not too far behind her to trip during the sudden red light. He was darted, serving as a reminder to those still standing not to get complacent. Mel was three fourths of the way across when, during a Red Light, he had a good view of the digital clock. He had less than twenty seconds remaining. The head snapped back, and he started sprinting forwards, stopping after a beat, just feeling that the head was about to whip around again. He was correct, and winced a little from a volley of Pops. Apparently he wasn't the only one who realized that time was running out. The head turned back around at the ten second mark, and Mel was sprinting again. He huffed from the sudden exertion, watching the clock. Five, four, three, two, one... He leapt across the white finish line just before the head of the robot snapped back. Sitting up, he watched what looked like fifteen more players freeze, looking terrified. A loud buzzer sounded, followed by a quick succession of Pops, all fifteen going down in the blink of an eye. It was a quiet trudge back to the room with the bunk beads. Entering, Mel noticed that there were definitely fewer beds than there'd been before. He felt his tail dragging on the ground behind him as he walked over to one and took a seat. His ears twitched and he heard sobbing. Looking over, he saw a gray bunny man curled up and crying on one of the beds. Looking back towards the door they had just come through, Mel wanted to bolt and run right through it. But the staff were standing in a row in front of it, staring out at them. All of them triangles, all of them holding those strange rifles. Two in the center stepped forward and parted to let a square face through. Mel had no way of knowing if it was the same one from before. "I offer you a heartfelt congratulations for successfully making it through the first game. Now to announce the results." Above the square, the screen displayed the number 600. It then started counting down, sounding like the kind of music you heard when a slot machine was spinning. Mel watched in growing horror as it clicked for his mind that it was subtracting the number of players who were... eliminated. It finally stopped at 311. 289 people had been shot with those... darts and eliminated. Mel felt like the apples and yogurt were going to come back up any second now. "Out of 600 players, 289 were eliminated." The square staff member said it so damn casually. "PLEASE," the bunny man Mel had seen crying screamed and ran forward, dropping to his knees. He held his hands clasped in front of him. "I... I HAVE A FAMILY! I SWEAR, I'LL PAY BACK WHAT I OWE, JUST PLEASE, LET ME GO! PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!" Like a dam breaking, other men and women did the same, pleading with the square staff. "Everyone, please calm down. No one is going to harm anyone here." "Then what happened to the people who were shot with those darts? Were those tranquilizers? Do you have any idea how easy it is to accidentally kill someone with one of those?!" Ariel roared, brushing past the bunny man. "Those were not tranquilizers. Now that the first game has concluded, I am allowed to disclose more of the purpose of this game." With that, everyone fell silent. The square face pulled out the remote and pressed a button. The screen changed from the current number of players, to a large white room. Mel and the others watched as the unconscious eliminated players were wheeled in on stretchers, with masked doctors and nursing staff tending to them. They were removing clothes and the darts and transferring the sleeping players to hospital beds, multiple strange machines and devices being used. Mel noticed that all of the eliminated players seemed... smaller, and it sparked the memory of when he looked over the dragon boy on the field. "On this world, Kyun, there exists a genetic disorder, known as Tumok. It is harmless to adults, but unfortunately fatal to young children. In recent years, the number of carriers for this defective gene have increased, and the worldwide population for the natives of this world, the Kin, have begun to face a serious population decline. Numerous cures have been attempted, with little to no promising results. One such attempt at a cure, which is actually a serum that can cure most other ailments, has a unique effect on transformed humans. When a human is brought to Kyun and undergoes the transformation and is given the serum, their entire body undergoes a rapid rejuvenation. Effectively causing their physical age to regress, often to the age of very early childhood. What's more, former humans, and especially regressed former humans, have no trace of this gene, and neither do their offspring, even when their offspring comes from a parent who is a native with the gene." Mel felt like he was going to hurl again. This was like some crazy sci-fi story. "So, each year, six hundred lucky players are chosen from around the world to compete in these games, effectively known as the Stork Games. Those that are eliminated are given the serum, taken for immediate medical checkups and observation by regression-specialized pediatricians, bathed, and with clean bills of health, adopted out to loving families to start their new lives as members of the Kin. Any regressed individuals who have medical conditions that the serum was not able to immediately cure are kept for a little longer as the Kin's other advanced medical procedures are used to cure the little tykes who, when ready, are sent to their new homes." "But..." the bunny man said, slowly getting up, "why the... games, why not just... ask for volunteers? And why start regressing people?! Why not just take willing adult immigrants to... uh... breed with?" "I am not at liberty to discuss the full reason as to why. But please know that the eliminated players are alive and healthier than ever, and will be starting new lives. There will be no memory loss for them, so in many ways, it's more like an extended vacation back into childhood." "Lucky?! VACATION?!" Ariel screeched. "You're making us compete for money, and if we lose, we lose all of our freedoms and become someones' babies?!" "This is fraud," a panda man said, brushing Mel aside and adjusting his glasses. "This is kidnapping and fraud!" "You can't do this to us! I won't play this damn game," the gray bunny yelled, others yelling similar sentiments. "Clause 2 of the contract that you all signed," the square face said, his calm voice cutting through all the others, silencing them, "states that any player that refuses to play will be eliminated." The tension in the air was palpable. "Clause 3," Ariel chimed in, "if the majority of players wish to end the game..." Square face stared at her for a moment, before finishing for the smug-looking red panda. "Then the games shall be terminated. ... Alright then, we shall put it to a vote." Wordlessly, two circles came out carrying a large podium with two buttons on it. One was green with a white circle on it, the other red with a white x on it. Two more circles came forward and shooed people aside, carrying a series of flat long pieces of white plastic sheeting a foot wide in length. They began snapping the pieces together, soon forming a long white line, dividing the room in half. Every player was directed to the right side of the line, with instructions from square that they will be called up numerically to cast their vote one at a time, and move over to the left side after they have voted. "But first," square said, pressing a button on the remote, "if you will direct your attention to the piggy bank up above." The sound effects from slot machines when a jackpot is hit began blaring out of the speakers, as bundles of US dollars started dropping into the clear plastic pig. The screen above the door lit up and began showing a series of numbers following a dollar sign, rapidly getting larger and larger. The number finally stopped at $28,900,000,000 when the last few bundles of cash landed in the piggy bank. It was almost halfway full. "With each player that is eliminated, their potential share of the grand prize is added to the total that will go to the winners of the games. Each player's share of the prize is one hundred million dollars. The maximum amount to be won is sixty billion dollars. Now, with that out of the way, please cast your vote. Starting with player 001." Mel's breath caught in his throat as the older-looking weasel shuffled up to the podium. The human-turned vixen was looking at the money hanging right above his head. All the answers to his problems and then some, right there. Then he remembered what happened to the people that lost and, as sick as it made him inside, he began weighing the pros and cons. Or he started to when a sudden elbow jabbed him in his ribs, right below his... breasts. Mel turned to see Ariel looking him in the eye. "It's not worth it," she said, her tone brooking no argument. "Sp-speak for yourself," an otter woman said, sniffling. "I-if I go back home now... I-I'm as good as dead. A-at least here, I h-have a chance t-to change my life... or t-to start over. Th-that's b-better than any d-deal b-back on Earth." There were others nodding along to that. Mel looked over at the screen and saw that it was now a scoreboard, with thirteen votes so far to end the game, and ten to continue it. In the end, it was closer, way too close, as far as Mel was concerned. One hundred and fifty five votes to keep playing, and one hundred and fifty five to leave. And there was only one vote left to be cast. Number 600, the buff cheetah. He looked up at the board, and then over to everyone else who already voted. "Listen up, pansies. You might be happy with ending up with someone wiping your asses for you, but I'm not. I'd be happier if this was some kind of death game." With that, he punched the red button. "We would like to thank you for your time," Square said, he and the other staff members quickly exiting, the shutter door slamming shut right behind them. "Wait, so do we get to go home?" the bunny man shouted. Just then, clouds of a white gas began to spray up from the floors and out of the walls and ceiling. People started coughing and screaming in a panic, but soon, they all started falling over. Mel was holding his breath, his lungs starting to ache after a while, as he looked up at the piggy bank. His eyes watering and his lungs screaming for relief, he gave in and inhaled, his world very quickly growing dark. * * * "--ake up!" Mel felt groggy as he opened his eyes, only to be met with darkness. He was confused, as he felt the sun beating down on him. It took him a second, after realizing his hands and feet were bound in what felt like rope, he'd been blindfolded. "Huh?" he slurred out, reaching up and pushing his blindfold up. He was sitting on a dirt road, wearing just his boxers... and he was human again! And a man! Looking over, he saw a blonde woman, one who looked oddly familiar, in just her white bra and panties, like him, her hands and feet were bound in rope. "Are ya with me, Mel?" The woman asked, annoyed. It took Mel a second before his mind sparked the memory of the video. "W-wait, you're Ariel?" he asked, confused. She rolled her green eyes and nodded. "Yes, Dummy," she said. "Now, as much fun as it would be to roll half naked on the asphalt near these fragments of broken bottles to get to the pocket knife I see there laying on your clothes, since you are closer, could you be a dear and grab it so we can cut our ropes?" Mel was a little confused and looked around. He and Ariel were on the side of the road. Judging by the rocky scrub land, with a small gas station nearby. He started to feel a sense of familiarity, as the gas station, Roy's as the sign read, was one he knew from being just outside his home town. Looking over, and seeing several large and small shards of broken glass, a neatly folded pile of his clothes and shoes, with a blue-handle pocket knife resting on his shoes. He reached over and grabbed it, being careful to avoid getting cut on any of the glass. He was quick to cut the ropes binding his wrist and ankles before carefully doing the same for Ariel, noticing a similar pile of clothes next to her. He blushed and looked away, quickly slipping on his jeans and sandals. "So," Ariel said, once she had her red skirt and black tank top on, taking a moment to bunch her hair up into a ponytail with a scrunchie, "I take it that we're not far from Phoenix?" "Uh, it's a two hour drive," Mel said, pulling on his green t-shirt. He looked over at Ariel, who was busy tying the laces for her sneakers. "Damn. Do you have a phone on you?" "Yeah... but this is a dead zone. But there's a landline over at Roy's there. They'll let you use it," Mel said. Ariel nodded at that, and the two started walking towards it. "Hey, so how'd you know we were relatively near Phoenix? I thought they picked you up in Toronto?" Mel asked. "I said I was from Toronto. I didn't say that that's where I was when I got picked up for that... craziness." "So then, where were you?" "Phoenix," Ariel said with a sigh. "I'd actually... left Toronto... because of problems at... work..." "... Oh," Mel said, remembering what the square face had said about the embezzlement, and decided not to pursue it further. Before making it to the gas station, the two agreed that it was unlikely that any organization with the money to take them... wherever they were, whether or not they were telling the truth about interdimensional travel, was probably powerful enough to make people drawing attention to it disappear, so it would be best to keep the events that happened to them to themselves. Well, that, and because anyone they did tell would probably think that they were insane. Mel thought again about all the money that had been in the giant piggy bank, and about the folks he owed money too. He was already close to being homeless, but he knew that if he didn't give up, he could find a way out. Feeling in his pocket, he found a little yellow card, just like the one he'd been given that brought him into this world of craziness. A circle, a triangle, and a square was on one side. On the other, instead of a phone number, were the words "Return to the pickup spot from before, one week from today, if you wish to resume playing." Mel flicked the card into the trash can just before entering Roy's. He may be desperate, but he wasn't that desperate. He caught Ariel tossing an identical card in as well, following behind him. Sometimes, you just gotta take what life has to throw at you, no matter what it is, Mel thought to himself. One week later... Mel sighed as he sat on the familiar bunk bed, listening to the classical music playing. Looking around, everyone seemed much more... lively, at least significantly less subdued. It took all of three days before Teddy the loan shark he had borrowed from to find the friend's house he was staying at and to break in. He had dragged Mel into the bathroom and started holding him under the water of the filled bathtub, really impressing on him the importance of paying off his debt. And the next time he found Mel, if he didn't have the money, he was going to have to actually hurt him, his words. Mel scanned the other players, and caught sight of a familiar red panda girl. She and Mel locked eyes, before both looking away in shame. Looking up at the display above the metal shutters. It read 293 Players Remaining. Out of everyone who had left, only 18 hadn't returned at the end of the week. Looking up at the piggy bank, he saw that it was now past the halfway mark, with their shares added to it. Mel began sipping from his juice box, this one with apple juice in it, having finished the bag of banana chips and graham crackers first. Flanking the open doorway were two triangles, with a square face entering. "Welcome back, contestants," Square-Face said in his calm and even voice to the subdued crowd before him. There was no begging or harsh words coming forth today. "Follow the staff before you to where the next game shall be played." They players followed in a single file line back out into the maze of twists and turns and stairs, giving Mel a twinge of nostalgia for the play structures he would crawl around in when he was younger. Considering what this place was for, he supposed that that was intentional. The classical music being piped in seemed to somehow oddly fit. As they walked, he tried to keep track of all the different doors and halls they went through, but it was all a jumbled maze. How the circle-faces or any of the other "staff" managed to not get lost was beyond the lanky pink vixen. Soon, they were all led out into an open area about as big as a baseball field. Scattered about was playground equipment, but all scaled up to be massive, and perhaps to make the players feel small? There was soft green carpet everywhere to serve as the 'grass'. Walking up to one of the slides made Mel feel like a toddler standing next to it. Past a few more slides were some seesaws. Turning his head, Mel saw a swingset next to a sandbox and a colorful jungle gym, with what appeared to be a climbing net. Loud colors were the norm for the different pieces of equipment. And once again surrounding them were massive walls, painted to blend in with the clear blue sky visible thanks to the open ceiling. "Today's game will be... Bomb-Tag! Players will find the watches affixed to their wrists glowing a bright green. When round one begins, several players' watches change from green to red, indicating that they have been designated as being 'it'. When a player is it, the red face of their watch will countdown. When the countdown reaches zero, the players with red watches shall be eliminated. However, if a player with a red watch tags a green player, the tagged player is now 'it' instead and has until the end of the continued countdown to tag a green player. When the countdown is transferred from one player to another, the clock does not reset. I will now repeat the rules." As the cheery feminine voice read out the rules again, Mel, like many others, inspected the plastic watch that was more or less shackled to his wrist. The digital face of the clock has an animation of a green smiley face winking at him, with the words reading 'It's Playtime!' above it. A quick look around showed that everyone's watches were glowing green. It was then that Mel realized something, the voice had said Round One. "Okay... so this is a game where we gotta try and avoid pretty much everyone, unless you're it," Mel said to himself under his breath, already climbing up the ladder to the slide nearest him. A high vantage point could be helpful, and seeing others scramble up the other slides, with others yet rushing towards the jungle gym, Mel knew he wasn't the only one to come to that conclusion. "Round one will begin in ten, nine, eight," the voice on the speakers counted down. Mel checked to make sure his velcro laces were tight, and took a second to tuck his t-shirt into his pants, shrugging off his coat and letting it drop. Give someone one less thing to try and maybe grab in a chase. "Five... four... three... two... one... begin!" Mel looked down at his watch in horror as he saw the face on it instantly turn red, the winking smiley face turning into a smiley face on a red bomb. The timer on his watch was ticking down from two minutes. Looking up at a digital clock, it was ticking down the same amount of time. He heard shrieks and yells as the overgrown playground erupted into chaos. Breathing heavily, Mel slid down the slide and started sprinting towards the swingset, seeing a large group of people there. Others with red watches were already tagging people, their watches turning green while their victims' turned red, only for most to be immediately tagged back or by someone else who was red. Mel ran around the throng and did a drive-by tagging of an otter girl who had her back to him, not once slowing or breaking stride, as he continued to run past. He sighed a little with his watch back to green, until he was practically bowled over by a jackrabbit guy who apparently was 'it'. Mel growled, his tail fluffing up in frustration, but wasted no time in getting up and running around. Folks with green watches ran from him, and Mel was already starting to feel a little tired. Just then, a crocodile man stumbled and fell and, Mel seeing that his watch was green, sprinted to the guy. He ran and leaned down a little to clap the crocodile on the shoulder while they were trying to scramble back to their feet. Mel jumped back a bit to avoid their lunge to tag him back, and ran. Mel kept going at a jog, constantly looking around and doing his best to stay out in a corner of the room. Whenever he saw anyone approaching him, he would jog away, be they green or red; as a larger number of greens were more enticing for the reds. Mel only stopped when he looked up at the clock and saw it was ticking down from five, four, three, two, one... Mel's ears winced from a sudden loud buzzer that made everyone freeze. Then, almost simultaneously, everyone with red watches started crying out, the jackrabbit from earlier saying something stung him under his watch. All of the 'eliminated' players soon collapsed, a wolf woman slumping over and sliding down one of the slides. "Round one is complete! Congratulations to all the winning players. Please wait while the staff collects the eliminated players." The door at the far end opened and out marched dozens of the 'staff' in their pink hooded jumpsuits. As Mel observed them, he noticed a bit of a pattern. The ones with the white circle masks were doing all the grunt work, gently gathering up the unconscious and shrinking players in their arms, and collecting any clothing that may have fallen off of them, as some seemed to be shrinking faster than others. The ones with the triangles were carrying the automated dart guns, and looked to Mel like they knew how to use them. The square-faced-masked ones were in the minority, and seemed to be directing the other types. "So there's a hierarchy," Mel wheezed out, doubled over and resting. With the last of the regressing players carried out, the triangle masks followed the square masks back out the door, two guards flanking either side of it to presumably keep an eye on the non-eliminated players until the other staff left, to which the guards followed suit, the large metal door shutting again. Mel thought about those eliminated players, and what they had learned yesterday. In the end, all of the eliminated ones would be sent to the awaiting families, to start their new lives over, whether they wanted to or not. "Round two of three shall begin in ten, nine, eight," Mel groaned, already feeling tired, but not wanting to end up back in diapers. He took a deep breath and looked down at his watch. "Three, two, one, begin!" Mel waited to see if his watch would turn red again, and breathed a momentary sigh of relief that it didn't. Looking around, already those with red watches were chasing and tagging the greens. He was currently far away from everybody, and so continued to rest, looking all around him to make sure no one was sneaking up on him, willing the clock to count down faster. A couple of times, someone with a red watch would drift over near him, and Mel would run away, trying to lead them to clusters of people. Taking the bait, Mel was able to jog back and separate himself from the rest. Overall, for him, round two was largely uneventful, and he breathed easier when the clock reached zero. There was the buzzer, followed by some more cries of outrage as some of those with red watches tried, desperately, to claw them off, all to no avail. Soon, it was time for the 'staff' to come and collect the next batch of soon-to-be toddlers. Mel noticed, as they were being collected, that there seemed to be fewer reds than in the last round. Looking around, it started to make sense. The first game ended with the number of players being practically cut in half. Overall, if Mel has to estimate, then in the previous round of this terrifying tag, there were about thirty people with red watches to the remaining two hundred. Counting the fallen ones now, there were only twenty. If this kept up, then if there was a third round, there would only be ten. And unless they wanted to cut that number to five, Mel had a suspicion that three rounds was all that there would be of this game. Sure enough, the 'staff' quietly exited the play area with the door shutting behind them. "Three, two, one, begin!" "Dammit," Mel swore, his watch now red, the face of the digital bomb smiling up at him, as if to mock him and the situation he now found himself in. Mel started to jog around, starting to chase a wolf guy who spotted him instantly and sprinted. Mel was feeling exhausted, and everyone was running around in pure desperation. He tried chasing a bat, but then a bear with a red watch tackled them and sprinted full tilt off with their watch now green, the now angry and fearful bat hot on their trail. Spying a opossum woman, Mel ran in their direction, but the opossum must've been some kind of track star, as they easily out-paced the winded vixen. Mel checked his watch, a whine escaping his throat. He was now down to less than a minute, or he'd be getting a one-way trip to baby-town. Feeling a surge of adrenaline, he rushed towards the jungle gym, which was being defended by a group of greens that seemed to have banded together, having taken off their shoes to beat back any reds with. Mel was spotted and kept having their paws smacked away by shoes whenever he got too close. With an OOF, Mel was shoved through a small opening in the structure. Mel looked and saw Ariel, and that she had herself a red watch. His own read that they had less than twenty seconds. It was then that Mel saw the red panda jump up and tag a tigress in the stomach through the bars. The tigress shrieked and at first, tried to read for the red panda. Seeing me, she growled, before tagging a badger next to her. He tagged her back, and then she tagged a raccoon. This quickly devolved into panicked and frantic tagging and, seeing a breakdown in the defenses, nearby red charged. Mel grabbed Ariel's tail and, seeing her watch change to red, he jumped out through one of the holes, sprinting. The swings passed Mel by in a blur, facing the digital clock and seeing it counting down from ten. Mel risked a quick look behind him and paled beneath his fur. There was a cheetah man slowly gaining on him, his watch bright red. Mel pumped his legs harder, his breathing becoming more and more ragged as he pushed himself past his limits. He could hear the cheetah huffing and puffing behind him, and felt the air from a swipe of his paws just barely miss the big bushy appendage that Mel had right behind him. BUZZ!!! Mel stopped at the sound of the buzzer, before being knocked forward, the cheetah man on top of him. "YOU STUPID BITCH! I ALMOST HAD YOU!" Mel felt terrified, it occurred to him that this muscular cheetah man was much larger and clearly stranger than Mel was. And, in the back of his mind, Mel remembered that he was now a girl, and felt an all new terror flood through his veins. He also felt something flood his crotch as the cheetah yelled out and flashed his claws, slashing at his own arm to try and get the watch off, only to collapse and start snoring, his prone form pinning Mel underneath him. "Congratulations to the winners! Two games down, and only four more to go," the cheery female voice on the speaker praised them, and Mel even heard some cheers. Mel felt his ragged breaths getting shorter and shorter, and let out a high pitched scream when a pair of paws gripped him under his arms. Looking up, Mel was face to face with Ariel, who was dragging him out from under the cheetah. "I'm sorry," Mel whispered. "Don't worry about it, there were plenty more there to tag," Ariel said simply, finally managing to pull Mel away. Mel looked down at the wet spot on their pants and let out another whine. With Ariel helping him to his feet, Mel shivered and hugged himself, suddenly being handed something teal. It was his jacket, with the number 456 on it to confirm it. "I figured you could use it," Ariel said as a number of 'staff' headed towards them. Even after some shrinking, it still took three of the larger circle-faces to lift up the cheetah and walk him towards the door, with a pair of triangles following behind. Mel's ears twitched after hearing one of the triangles saying something about how the cheetah boy's new parents will have to be informed about his aggressive behavior. "Please come with me." The voice suddenly to Mel's left made him and Ariel both jump in surprise. They turned to see a square-face with two triangles flanking them, looking right at Mel. "You've suffered a shock, and will need to be seen by a doctor." The triangles remained silent while the square spoke. "I-I'm fine," Mel said, his tail tucking itself between his legs, drawing unfortunate attention to the large wet patch on his pants. "This is non-negotiable," the square said, his voice completely calm and composed, speaking like he was talking about the weather. Mel wanted to argue, but seeing the triangles, the enforcers, there, he just gulped and nodded. "O-okay," Mel looked back at Ariel who stepped forward, grabbing one of Mel's paws in one of hers. "I'm coming with," the red panda stated, in the same tone of voice at the square. The aforementioned staff member cocked his head, seemingly thinking it over, before nodding. "Alright then," with the square leading, and the triangles behind them, Mel and Ariel continued to hold hands as they walked in the direction of the door. The other players were being herded there by other staff, many looking dazed, others ready to collapse. It was a few more turns before Mel and Ariel, still holding hands, entered a familiar white room. All around them masked doctors and nurses, who were all wearing black masks with squares on them, were attending to the latest batches of regressed contestants. Some were groggily waking up and crying, or trying to fight, most already now regressed to the single digits. "Okay, let's get you two girls checked out and cleaned up," a female nurse in white scrubs said in a cheery voice, walking up to the two. Mel was soon sitting on the crinkly paper lining an exam table, as a machine with a green grid-like light ran itself up and down, scanning his body. The pink vixen felt exposed, despite being fully clothed, trying not to focus on the wet patch on his pants. The machine finished with a beep, and the nurse tapped on a tablet. "Okay, cutie," she said, making Mel wince, "so far, aside from some light bruising, and a couple serious bruised ribs, you are a healthy, pretty girl, who I think is going to make a loving couple very happy in the near future. Now we have a cream that will take care of those nasty booboos in a matter of seconds. So let's get you all fixed up and in some fresh clothes." Mel bit his tongue, choosing not to correct her about being a girl... granted, in this dimension he was one, but still. He felt Ariel squeeze his paw, and he smiled at her in appreciation, not sure why she was here with him, but choosing to accept the comfort. Reluctantly, Mel removed his clothes behind a curtain, with the nurse applying the cream. Mel heard another nurse instructing Ariel to sit on a fresh sheet of paper and let Mr. Scanner take a look at her. He somehow could tell she was rolling her eyes as she complied. Mel was given a tub of, much to his embarrassment, baby wipes to clean the pee off his fur. With a sigh, and getting more acquainted with his new body than he had wanted, he did clean himself. Though, when he received a clean track suit and shirt, the undergarments made him pause. First, a sports bra, which he supposed was better despite his breasts being more on the small side. It was the other undergarment that made him pause. It was pink, and thicker than the panties he had woken up in. There were multicolored butterflies on it, sides that looked like they could tear open, and it crinkled. Mel was holding a pair of training pants, and they were exactly his size. Mel poked his head around the curtain to see Ariel being led to another one, with a fresh stack of clothes being handed to her as well. And folded right on top, was a matching pair of training pants to the one Mel had in his hands. Mel looked over to the triangle guards, who were armed, and gulped. Instead of voicing his concerns, he bit his tongue, and stepped into the embarrassing garment. Getting dressed with a tail proved to be a new experience for Mel, but found that, for the training pants and the track suit pants, there was adjustable velcro. Stepping out from behind the curtain, Ariel approached him. He could barely make out a blush beneath her fur, and felt that others could see his own. They held each others' paw-hands, and allowed themselves to be led back to the others, knowing that they had four more long and hard days coming. And there's the end of part one! There will be three parts total, and I have NO idea if they'll be just as long! See you guys at the next installment!