My Babydoll Roommate
by: LilJennie and Miki Yamuri
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Melanie waited for her roommate June to get home from class, picking up the baby stuff June left all over the apartment and putting them back in her room where they belonged.
“Honestly,” Melanie said in exasperation as she popped a DVD labeled “Baby Hypnosis” out of the player, “I know the girl’s obsessed with being a baby in her room in private, and it’s not like I care – it’s kind of cute, in fact – but why am I always the one who has to clean up after her when her hobby spills over into the public part of our apartment? It’s like she thinks I’m her mommy or something.”
She was waiting for June to come back so she could give her a piece of her mind. “I’m going to tell her. Today’s the day. Either she picks up after herself or we’re not roommates anymore. I don’t know if I’m moving out or she is, but it can’t go on like this.” She picked up one of June’s pacifiers and dropped it onto the girl’s desk alongside the DVD, the coloring books, the bibs, the bottles, and everything else June had left lying around the living room after the past weekend. At least she didn’t leave used diapers lying around; that would be gross.
“Breaks my heart to think about it, though,” said Melanie to herself. “I can’t bear the thought of her having to find a new roommate, especially one who’ll put up with all her baby stuff. And I’d miss her. But it’s for her own good. She’ll come around. I’ll say there are only two choices, and she’ll promise to pick up after herself, and nobody has to move out.” She didn’t even consider that there was a third option.
The door opened, and June came bouncing into the living room in her cute childish way. She stopped and looked around. The room was cleaned up – meaning, she realized, that Melanie had picked up all her baby stuff. Yet again. She felt a bit guilty.
Melanie came up to June with an angry expression and said, “I have told you over and over to pick up all your … playthings.”
June felt ashamed and couldn’t think of what to say. The two were friends and roommates and had known each other for years, but June realized she had been abusing the common space and making Mel put her things away. She was in the wrong.
Then something made her want to try something new. She replied in a shy manner, “But ... a mommy supposea pick up affer baby.”
Melanie’s eyes opened wide as her mouth fell open for an instant. The most amazing emotions raced all through her at being called mommy. She managed to get her expression back under control and said, “I’m not your mommy. If you don’t start picking up …”
June plopped down on her bottom and began to whimper and cry. June surprised herself at how easily this came to her. Melanie was caught totally off guard by this. Strong emotions ran through her, and she wasn’t quite sure what they were. She felt horrible as she watched June whimper like a toddler. It gave her a weird feeling inside to think of June being her infant.
Before she’d realized what had happened, Melanie sat next to June and cuddled her close. “There, there, Sweetie. Don’t cry.” She took June by the hand and pulled her to her feet. “Lets go to your room and change you, and get you into something more appropriate." She didn’t actually know whether June needed changing and had never changed her diaper, but she thought saying this might make June happier.
Melanie led the still whimpering June into her room. As soon as Melanie entered the room, it amazed her how much it looked like a nursery for a rather large baby. She’d seen June’s room from the outside before, but she’d never really looked at it, in its totality. June had a queen-sized bed, but it had bed rails all around it, rather high ones, painted a pale pink so as to look a bit like a baby’s crib, and the nursery-themed decals she’d stuck to them helped with that. The rails could be raised and lowered, it seemed, so she could use it either way. There was a colorful playpen in the corner – a waterproof floor pad with a pink and yellow nursery motif surrounded by colorful plastic sides, full of soft toys of many types. There was a large rocking chair with soft cushions in another corner. Even a very large toy box stuffed with cute plushies. No changing table, but maybe the bed doubled as that. There was a cabinet nearby with shelves full of diapers, plastic pants, and changing supplies.
“Now June,” Melanie said in a milder tone of voice, “you just can’t leave your baby things all over. It’s not fair for me to have to pick them up. All I’m saying is pick them up and put them in your room when you’re done, instead of leaving them in the living room. OK? I’m not your mommy, and I don’t want –” She paused. For some reason she found it really hard to say “I don’t want to be your mommy.” Did she want to be June’s mommy at some level? She’d have to think about that. What would that mean? She changed course and said, “I don’t want you to take for granted that I’ll always pick up after you.”
June realized that it felt as natural as could be for Melanie to lead her by the hand into her nursery for a diaper change. She did need one; her pullup was pretty wet after being out all day, though it was one of the most absorbent pullups that Babies of All Ages sold, so it had no chance of leaking. She was in a skirt today, as there was no way that any of her pants would have fit over this pullup, especially once it was wet. But being led into her room made her feel super small, very regressed, and she didn’t stop herself from sucking her thumb.
Melanie noticed this. “Feeling super little, are you?”
June nodded. “I don’t know if you’re feeling big enough to change your own panties,” Melanie said. June shook her head no. “I’ve never changed you, Sweetie,” said Melanie. “I don’t know how to change a big girl like you. I’ve only changed little kids while babysitting. But … I’ll try. Will you help me?” June nodded her head yes. “But only if you’re just wet. I don’t even know if you go poopy in your diapers.” June shook her head no, because she didn’t usually do that. “OK, then,” said Melanie, “Sit down on your bed there.” June complied.
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Melanie had this weird idea, and felt really good about it as she unzipped June’s skirt, and pulled her top off over her head. Melanie undid June’s bra and laid it down beside the … crib with June’s top and skirt. June was a small girl, and her breasts barely made a small B cup, like mosquito bites with a gumdrops on top?? … which only made Melanie’s idea a bit more intense.
Now, Melanie didn’t really have any intention of being the mommy to an adult toddler … she smiled, but being mommy to a babydoll with a bit more adult in the mix … that might be a color of a different horse.
Melanie walked to June’s closet and opened it. She smiled. There were many adorable outfits all neatly hung in the large walk in. She opened several drawers in the chests there. She found all the items necessary to change and dress a toddler girl. The shelving out side the closet also held all the diapering supplies as well.
Melanie chose a powder blue pair of rumba panties with ice blue laces and ruffles. She made sure there was a plastic lining, she was going to insist that June start using her diaper. It sort of tickled her to see if she could find a way to make June completely diaper dependent. Melanie was surprising herself with some of the things she found herself making major plans for all of a sudden, and having June totally dependant suddenly didn’t bother Melanie.
Melanie returned and laid her burden beside June. She lifted June by her ankles just like any toddler and began cleaning her with sweet smelling baby wipes. June felt her hiney swaddled in the warm embrace of one of her specialty diapers ... a “crawly diaper,” one that was thick enough to interfere with walking.
Melanie collected the thickest cloth diaper she could find, several cute pink locking diaper pins, and several powders and creams. She tore June’s pullup along the seams, and they came apart. All June had to do was lift up a bit so Melanie could pull it out.
Melanie had no idea exactly what to do, so she did exactly the same thing as she did for the infants she had babysat from time to time. While she had June’s hinney in the air, another really weird thought crossed her mind. She was going to the drug store and get several boxes of glycerin suppositories. Melanie smiled. What a wonderful surprise for June to find herself just suddenly letting go and not being able to help it. She was suddenly looking forward to June’s first adorable poopy face of surprise when it happened. She also wondered if June would like how it felt.
Melanie powdered June well after rubbing A&D ointment on her bottom to keep her from getting a rash then pulled the seriously thick diaper between June’s legs and fastened it on with the cute pink locking diaper pens before pulling the rumba panties over her diaper and insuring all the ruffles and lace were straight. Next, Melanie fussed with June’s hair until it was shiny and in two adorable pony tails.
Melanie put the closest matching pair of booties she could find on June’s feet as she watched. She helped June off the bed. It was so adorable to see June struggling to stand.
June asked in a small voice, “Arent’cha gonna put a top ora dwess on mes?”
Melanie smiled, “No, babydoll. From now on, you aren’t an adult ... but a toddler babydoll. You won’t even have to work, I’ve taken care of that. Maybe I’ll let you go to class. Anyway, from now on you will be dressed like any toddler babydoll even when you go to class.”
June’s eyes got large, “What’cha done?”
Melanie took June by the hand and slowly led the toddling girl into the living room. “I think I’m going to call all my friends and all your friends, invite them over for a coming out party for my new babydoll.”
June looked shocked, "Dwessed like dis?” she squeaked in an unintentionally cute way.
Melanie squinted her eyes, “Get used to it, Kiddo; there’s no way I’m going to let you out of this after that tantrum you threw earlier. If I’m the mommy, you’re my babydoll, and that’s final.” She crossed her arms and looked very sternly adult at June. All the while the thoughts of how adorably cute June was in just a diaper and panties that showed off her incredibly poofy hinney danced pleasantly through her.
June was stunned and blushed all the way down to her neck. How many times had she fantasized about this kind of thing? Except she never expected something like this to happen for real. Melanie was her friend. She’d never expected that Melanie had this side of her waiting to come out. Was this some kind of side effect of whatever had happened a few months before, where suddenly so many people had become babies publicly, and no one had really noticed? But June had noticed. It was wonderful, and it had made her feel like coming out as a baby or something, but she just hadn’t figured out exactly how she wanted to do it. Now it had happened, she was helpless, and really didn’t have any other choice.
“It’s OK,” June found herself saying as if in a trance, “you don’t have to be my mommy if that isn’t what you want … I don’t want you to be unhappy, or upset with me … I’ll pick up my stuff …”
Melanie replied, “I think we need to have an honest talk. I’ll start, I think you want this. I’ve just surprised myself by finding out that I want this – though I don’t want you to be some kind of helpless regressed infant. I want a relationship with my friend, who’s a baby but also an adult mixed in. We can figure out how much of a baby I want you to be, but if we’re doing this, I get to decide how much of a baby you are, and you have to live with it. Now, I don’t want to cross any boundaries for you … but somehow I don’t think this is really crossing any, is it?”
“N-not … not so far,” June stammered, feeling as if she were blushing more brightly than before, if that was possible. “I … guess … we probably oughtta talk about tha big stuff first …”
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They talked about a lot of things. There was a lot of delving into detail and a lot of airing of beloved fantasies and dark fears. But they came up with a set of rules for the way their relationship would go …
Melanie and June’s Babydoll Rules
- These rules are not valid unless signed by Melanie in pen and June in crayon.
- Melanie is the Mommy. June is the Babydoll.
- Babydoll is a Babydoll at all times, inside and outside the home.
- Mommy is in charge at all times, inside and outside the home.
- Babydoll does not use Mommy’s name but calls her Mommy at all times.
- Mommy decides what Babydoll wears at all times. Babydoll can trust Mommy to dress her babydoll appropriately adorable for all situations, including classes.
- Babydoll is not allowed to change herself or dress herself, that’s mommy’s duty.
- Babydoll wears diapers 24/7, no exceptions. The potty is no longer part of Babydoll’s life. Babydoll will relax and use her diaper when she feels the need.
- Mommy is responsible for checking and changing Babydoll’s diaper and may check Babydoll at any time and any situation.
- Babydoll will let Mommy know, in appropriate ways, if she needs attention of any kind.
- Babydoll acknowledges that long-term diaper use may result in loss of control with complete dependance and accepts this as a desired outcome.
- Babydoll has a wake-up, naptime, diaper check/change, bathtime, and bedtime schedule determined by Mommy.
- Babydoll is encouraged to engage in any babyish behavior she wishes. Mommy will never discourage Babydoll from acting babyishly.
- At home, Babydoll helps with light chores Mommy assigns. Babydoll does not handle anything sharp, hot, or heavy.
- Mommy handles all finances, scheduling, planning, and major cleaning.
- Mommy and Babydoll have a weekly check-in time when they can talk about their concerns and adjustments to this relationship.
- Mommy and Babydoll can agree to pause this dynamic if anyone feels overwhelmed.
- Babydoll can assume more adult roles temporarily in emergencies.
- Mommy and Babydoll can agree to rewrite and replace these rules by mutual consent.
There followed two blanks where Melanie and June could sign. Melanie signed her name neatly in ink and handed June a purple crayon, saying, “This is the magic crayon, Junie.”
“Magic?” June held the crayon and looked at it.
“Yes,” continued Melanie, “because as soon as you write ‘June’ right here, you will be a Babydoll. The crayon turns you into a baby.”
“It … wow …” said June. “I didn’t know a crayon could be magic like that. What’s a Babydoll?”
“It means that you’ll act like a baby in a lot of ways,” explained Melanie, “but I don’t expect you to completely give up your adult self. You’re still you. This only changes what you do, not who you are. Of course, you’ve always been a bit babyish, haven’t you?”
“I guess so!” said June, feeling less afraid of the magic crayon now. “And if we don’t like it … we can change how it works.” She wrote “JUNIE” on the rules, more or less staying on the line, writing the letter N backwards because she liked it better that way. And … she felt different inside when she had finished, like something huge had changed.
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Melanie opened one of June’s chest of drawers and removed a cute flutter top with a googly-eyed elephant on the front holding several colored balloons in its trunk. She said, “Mommy’s gonna take Babydoll to the mall and show her off. Besides, I need some things.” just as any toddler she had ever babysat, Melanie put the flutter top over Junie’s head and threaded her hands through the straps.
As she took June by the hand and started to leave the house, she said softly, “Now, Babydoll, It’s time to meet the world not as June … but as Babydoll Junie.”
The mall was only a pleasant walk from the apartment as the crow flies. The going was slow, since the only thing June had on were the top, rhumba panties, a super thick crawly diaper, and booties, and with the thick diaper, all she could do was toddle. June had started to suck her thumb and look around nervously as more and more people began to crowd around as they went to the many shops and stores.
Melanie saw the sign she wanted to see: “Babies of all Ages.” Perfect, Melanie thought as she slowly led the toddling June inside.
No sooner had they entered the shop than a young woman approached, dressed in a lacy and very adorable sun-romper. She was pushing a stroller that was obviously large enough for a Babydoll June’s size.
She giggled adorably and said in a cute voice, “I gotsa stwollers for ya is ya needs one. They no ‘spensive and will help with taking baby for a walk out inna sun.”
June took her thumb from her mouth and started to say something that Melanie cut off, saying, “OK, Junie, A Babydoll as young as you lets Mommy talk while we are in a store.” Junie looked at Melanie with worried eyes but said nothing.
Junie put her thumb back in her mouth and started sucking it nervously as she looked around. There were many people all around, and most of them took notice of Junie. Of course they did, because she was amazingly cute.
Melanie said to the attendant, “I’ll take the stroller. I need a few other items to … help with making Baby more baby.” The attendant helped Junie into the stroller, and Melanie found it much easier to just push her along.
Junie trusted Melanie, but this was all new to her. She worried a bit that Melanie would make her do things they hadn’t agreed to, but then Melanie had been her friend for years. Certainly Mel wouldn’t betray her or go too far. She felt the need to pee, so she relaxed and wet her diaper as Melanie pushed her in her stroller through the aisles. That was how things were going to be now. Besides, it was the rules.
Melanie purchased many adorably cute adult baby outfits and other accessories, including several boxes of glycerin suppositories and a special tasteless laxative designed to be mixed with milk or juice. She smiled; she couldn’t wait to get a picture of Junie’s very first poopy face as a Babydoll.
She also purchased several of the newest binaural mind entrainment regression discs. She read each description and insured that she got the ones that said they mixed adult with a regression age of about three and a half. The goal was for subjects to be fully aware that they were still adults, but were diaper dependent and unable to help all the other infantile things they did involuntarily at the cutest moments. This was exactly like what they had agreed to in the rules, so June would be getting what she wanted, and Melanie wouldn’t be overstepping her boundaries. June was going to be so adorable.
Melanie saw several new technological items that she had never heard of before at the BOAA store, such as toys that could talk and play with babies like the very cute smart robot dolls as large as a toddler that were fully able to baby sit, diapers that could report their status to her phone without violating anyone’s privacy by sending the data to a cloud, and even robotic nannies of some kind. There were other things too. Maybe she would try some of these things later; she had her hands full for now.
By the time they had gotten back home, which was a lot easier with the stroller, Babies of all Ages had made the huge delivery. Melanie joyfully went through all the adult infant clothing and put everything away.
She went into the kitchen and fixed Junie a bottle of her favorite red berry juice and spiked it with the laxative. Junie was already going potty in her diaper, so Melanie didn’t feel this was outside the scope of their agreement. The amount she had used would cause Junie to have her first involuntary poopie in about 45 minutes to an hour. Good; it gave Melanie time to change Junie and use the suppositories.
The first thing Melanie did was check Junie’s diaper, as she would have any of the toddlers she had babysat. Of course, Junie’s thick diaper was soaked. Melanie had assembled the new changing table in Junie’s room which was quick. She then had Junie lie on the padded table as Melanie removed the rumba panties and unpinned the wet diaper.
She lifted Junie by her ankles and removed the thick diaper. She cleaned her babydoll’s cute round hiney with a soft, sweet-smelling baby wipe. Then Melanie slowly pushed three large thumb sized suppositories into Junie’s bottom, one after another. Junie squeaked adorably as her eyes grew large at the strange but pleasant sensation of them sliding into her. She realized what they must be, and she knew that having messy diapers was a thing she had agreed to, as long as Mel agreed to change her.
Melanie then placed Junie’s bottom into the warm embrace of a special super-thick Babies of all Ages crawly diaper, powdered her well, then fastened it on. She pulled Junie’s rumba panties over the diaper too, which provided a great deal of bulk.
Melanie helped Junie off the changing station. Junie only took three or four unsteady toddling steps before she lost her balance and plopped on her well-padded bottom. Junie sat for an instant with the most adorable wide eyed surprise. The need to cry washed all through her in a strong way that had never happened before. She thought about the rules and how she was now expected to behave even as something creeped pleasantly through her. She suddenly felt so infantile she just let herself go and began to whimper and cry.
Melanie smiled inside as her heart melted. She really had a real live living Babydoll. Melanie went to Junie and cuddled her lovingly, “Did Babydoll fall down go boom an hurt her hiney?”
Junie nodded in a cute infantile way. Melanie cuddled her close and patted her well padded bottom. “There there, Sweetheart. It’s all right. Come with Mommy, I’ve made a pallet for you in the den.”
She led the sniveling Junie to a large padded blanket with her favorite Teddy Bear and had her lie down. Melanie gave Junie the rest of her red berry bottle which she started nursing as Melanie lovingly tucked her Babydoll in.
Immediately, Melanie found her expensive digital camera, making sure it was charged and the memory chip was installed properly. Now, it was just a matter of time before she got Junie’s adorable first poopy face. Melanie was diligent; she wanted that picture … it would be so precious.
Junie nursed on her bottle, drinking her berry juice. It was what she’d always put in her bottles when she indulged her baby side … which she guessed had become her life now. It was so strange, how Melanie had suddenly gotten the idea to do this.
Junie’s train of thought was disrupted when she felt her tummy gurgling. She knew it was coming as the strange butterflies in her tummy became pressure; she remembered Mel putting those suppositories in her. But this was different. This was going to be a real mess in her diapers, she was thinking. She wasn’t sure Melanie wanted to change something like this – She literally couldn’t help it as her sphincter relaxed involuntarily. She felt it as the huge mass oozed out around her bottom and created a large lump in the back of her diaper. Junie had no choice, as everything just came out into her diaper. And then the camera flashed.
“Oh, that was perfect!” Melanie said, taking a few more photos. “You looked soooo very surprised and cute!”
“Buh … but Mommy,” Junie said, taking her bottle out of her mouth. “It means … you gotta change a gross messy diapers …”
“Oh, I knew I would,” Melanie said. “But it’s worth it to have such a cute Babydoll with such a cute poopy face.”
“Poopy face?”
“Oh yes, the face you made as you realized you had no choice and were filling your diaper up was absolutely precious!” said Melanie. “And I got it on camera! I can show all our friends.”
“Mommy!”
“No, I’m teasing. That’s just for us. Now are you drinking more of your bottle or do you want your pacifier? Remember, you have to be sucking on something unless you’re eating or drinking. Or brushing your teeth, I guess. Maybe I should add that to the rules.” Melanie made a note. “Brushing teeth exception,” she said as she scribbled on her phone.
“Not finished,” said Junie, drinking the rest of her bottle.
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Melanie changed Junie’s diaper before she stayed in it too long, because neither of them wanted her to get diaper rash or a hurty infection. She did lightly tease June about being stinky like any doting mommy would do to her toddler, but not too much, because after all Melanie had caused it, and June knew it.
“Now, Junie, it’s time for Mommy to make supper for us. What I think you should do is listen to this CD.” Melanie got out the headphones and put them on June’s head, putting one of the CDs from the BOAA store into the player. “It’s designed to help you. And don’t worry, it’s totally within the rules.”
“Well … OK,” said June, who was now sucking on her pacifier. She adjusted the headphones to be more comfortable. As Melanie went into the kitchen, she could easily see June there, wrapped up in her blankets on the living room rug.
“Welcome,” said the pleasant feminine voice on the CD. “Babies of All Ages wants you to be the baby you were meant to be … and we can take you there. Just relax and take a deep breath for me …” June took a deep breath and tried to relax. Soon she was in a deep mind entrained trance and listening to the pleasant voice tell her things she wouldn’t consciously remember but be totally helpless not to do.
Melanie smiled and watched June lying there with her eyes shut, listening to the headphones, and looking just as adorably precious as any baby angel. She’d looked to see how long the CD was, and she timed supper to be done when it was over. This CD should have some interesting effects … if it worked. She knew that these things often took many repetitions to fully take effect, though. The instructions said as much.
“2 … 1 … and now it’s time to wake up, Baby. We hope you’ve had a pleasant experience and enjoy your new baby life.” The CD stopped.
And it was just in time. “Time for supper, Babydoll,” said Melanie, standing over her and taking the headphones off. “Here, come with me.” She reached down and helped June get up.
“Mommy,” June said through her pacifier, “I don’t remember what that CD said …”
“That means it probably worked,” Melanie said as she helped June toddle over to her new high chair.
“But what did it do …?” June wondered.
“Don’t worry, you’ll probably find out,” Melanie said. “Besides, usually it takes a lot of times before it really works. This was just a start. And I’ve got a bunch of different ones for you.”
“Huh,” June said. “Well I guess …” Melanie strapped her into her high chair and put the tray in front of her.
Melanie set a plate on the tray in front of June and put a bib around her neck, snapping it on behind her. She set a spoon down next to the plate. June reached for the spoon … and had a funny feeling. It felt like … she didn’t know what to do with the thing. Like it was a foreign object to her. It was very odd – she knew very well what it was, but at the same time it felt like she didn’t want to know. It felt better to her if she pretended she didn’t know. She had an urge to ignore it and dig into her food with her fingers. It was more than obvious to June she would be unable to use any kind of utensils.
That was when Melanie picked up the spoon and said, “Now, Babydoll Junie, Mommy is going to feed you. Mommy loves you and wants to take care of you. No need to play with the grownup spoon thing.”
Melanie knew very well that the CD had to do with eating and drinking, the perfect thing for Junie to listen to before supper. She wouldn’t be surprised if June was imagining what it would be like not to know how adults ate meals, because it was supposed to encourage that kind of imagination.
If June listened to it enough times, she wouldn’t know how to feed herself or drink from a glass anymore – well, she would, but she wouldn’t want to know, so in the end it would amount to the same thing.
Melanie was so eager to use the other discs. From their descriptions, Melanie realised the major responsibility she had taken on. Even with just that one session, the mind entrainment program was effective. Melanie tingled all through her as she read the label on one of the discs - “Diaper Training & Potty Untraining.” Next nap time, her Babydoll would listen to this.
The other dozen mind-entrainment regression discs emphasized a different infantile trait. The warnings were plain enough. As of now, Babydoll Junie was hers, and she intended for her to be the very best Babydoll possible, although she also realized that the warnings on the CDs clearly stated that they would become permanent with enough repetition, with no quick way to undo them. Melanie smiled. Junie had agreed to this.
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Junie sat in her playpen in just a diaper and plastic panties and marveled at the googly-eyed squeaky thing she was focused on. She was totally oblivious to the fact that Melanie had invited several of their friends over to play cards and show off her Babydoll.
What brought Junie back to her almost adult mind were the feelings fluttering through her tummy that started to become pushing waves. Junie became aware of the women sitting at the table enjoying a game of cards.
“No, not now … not in front of a crowd,” she thought through the hazy regressive state that she had slowly and happily been falling into.
Yes, they would have to know sooner or later, but she wasn’t sure she was ready just yet. But it was a matter of going back on her word to obey the rules or going poopie in front of their friends. But … she remembered the world changing as the increasingly strong need to go poopy rapidly approached. People used to think adult babies were freaks, and she remembered that. But she also remembered things were different now. Could she trust that?
In the end, there was only so much she could do; nature had to take its course. Junie did everything she could to stop it, but only aided it in happening. Just as she helplessly felt her sphincter become over powered and could feel the oozing mass as it collected in her diaper, she heard one of the women say, “Look, girls! That must be the adorable poopy face Melanie told us Junie had.”
As Junie continued to helplessly soil her diaper, Melanie got up from the table, “Excuse me girls, it seems my Babydoll has had an emergency.” They all laughed and talked about how adorable a living Babydoll was and the idea that having one of their own might even interest them.
Junie remembered being their friend and interacting with them on an adult level, but here they were talking over her as if she were nothing but a baby … on the other hand, that wasn’t the only way they were interacting with her; they had greeted her when they’d entered and commented on how cute she looked.
For now, though, Junie didn’t hear any more, since Melanie had taken her to the nursery and placed her on her back on the padded changing table, which she now had, thanks to their trip to the BOAA store. Junie found she was being held in the air by her ankles, her panties and the soiled diaper removed.
Melanie gently cleaned her Babydoll’s messy hiney before placing it in the warm embrace of another specialty Babies of All Ages crawly diaper, powdered her well, fastened it on with large cute pink locking diaper pins, then threaded clean plastic panties back over her bulky diaper.
Melanie helped Junie off the table and played fingers with her. She held out her index fingers, and Junie involuntarily grabbed them. Junie was amazed, she was totally helpless to do anything but what a young toddler would do. It was like she was along just for the ride as everything seemed so … normal. In this manner, she walked Junie back into the den and to her playpen, all while the other women were cooing and making sweet comments.
The women went back to their cards as Junie sat in the playpen and tried to think. It was hard not to get distracted and amazed at some toy or aspect of one of her plushies. Junie realized, before the wonderfully infantile sensations took the intensity of the fear away, that yes, she had gotten one of her wildest wishes, but it was so scary. She knew basically everything as always, but now, there was some kind of impenetrable shield that filtered out almost all adult behavior and let only the infant part of her through.
The thing of it was, she felt she was somehow a mixture of adult with baby. This brought home the idea that she was nothing more than a toddler pretending to be an adult, which she’d felt like for some time anyway. She held out her arms and looked down. She still only had on a thick diaper and plastic panties. She was a small girl and didn’t necessarily need a top, except when Mommy decided.
“Here, Junie, why don’t you take a little nap with one of your CDs while Mommy plays cards with Beth and Cindy?” Melanie felt the headphones going over her ears. “Just lie down. Are you cold? I can put this blankie over you.”
“Yes pwease, Mommy,” Junie said, so Melanie picked up a nearby blanket, folded it neatly, and laid it carefully over Junie as she lay back. The CD began, the soothing voice, calming music, and strange binaural tone effects quickly lulling her into what felt like sleep … but was in actuality a mind entrained learning session ...
… then she woke up with the voice telling her it was time to wake up and be her new self now. Once again she remembered nothing about what she had been listening to. Her diaper didn’t feel wet, but it didn’t feel dry either; it was obviously damp but not in dire need of attention. This was a nice feeling and kind of tingled pleasantly, a sensation she felt herself wanting to experience as much of the time as she possibly could. She sucked on her pacifier – pacifier? When had that appeared in her mouth? – she sat up in her playpen.
“Looks like Junie’s awake from her nap,” Melanie said, removing the headphones and putting them away.
“Awww, she looks so adorable,” said Beth. “Junie, you’re just the perfect Babydoll. I can’t believe it’s taken Melanie this long to figure it out.”
“Yeah, if she hadn’t, maybe I would’ve made you my Babydoll instead,” said Cindy. “This is just perfect for you. So cute!” Junie sucked on her pacifier, blushing.
“But did you all know … that …” Junie began, but then a wonderful tingly glowy sensation began in her diaper, which bloomed into a lovely warming sensation that sent waves of good feelings through her.
“What was that?” asked Cindy. “She just kind of zoned out and gasped.”
Beth added, “That looked like it felt good, whatever it was. I’m kind of envious.”
“Oh, I think that’s just how Junie’s going to be sometimes,” said Melanie. “Let me check her diaper.” She just put a hand against Junie’s diaper, between her legs, inside her plastic panties, and said, “Yep, I think things just got a bit damper down there, but she’s good for now. The things most Mommies have to know is that Babydolls are going to be wet most of the time – the only question is whether they’re wet enough to need a change.”
“Mommyyyyyyy,” said Junie through her pacifier, blushing brightly.
“Oh, Junie,” said Melanie, “you’re just going to have to get used to the fact that I’ll sometimes be talking about your diapers or other baby topics with our friends. It’s normal, and it’s natural. After all, you are from now on a babydoll.”
Melanie was happy – Junie was beginning to show signs of being affected by the diaper training disc after only one listening. There would be backsliding in her infantile habits, at first, and that might make it harder at first, but in time Junie’s babyish life would become her new set of habits … and soon would be permanent. They’d do another CD tomorrow.
“Can I play with her?” Beth suddenly asked.
“It’s fine with me if it’s fine with Junie,” said Melanie. Junie nodded.
“Hi Beff!” said Junie, through her pacifier, as Beth climbed into Junie’s playpen. “Whatcha wanna pway?”
“Well, let’s see, what’s a good age-appropriate game … I know!” She proceeded to play Patty Cake with Junie, doing the hand gestures, which made both of them giggle, as did Cindy and Melanie, observing from the sidelines.
“I can’t help imagining how cute Beth might be as a Babydoll,” said Melanie.
“Well, I don’t know,” said Cindy. “I haven’t noticed her expressing any interest in it. But wait, don’t you think I might make a cute Babydoll?”
“Of course you would,” Melanie said. “It’s just a matter of whether you want to be one. Do you think you might?”
“I … I’m not sure,” replied Cindy. “I never thought about it until just now. But you know who might make a lovely Babydoll?”
At the same time, Cindy, Melanie, Beth, and even Junie replied, “Angie,” as if they’d all had the same thought at one time or another.
“Oh gosh, she should be here to see this,” said Cindy.
“I have no idea if she’s a Babydoll, but I wish you could see her sleeping,” said Beth, who was Angie’s roommate. “She sucks her thumb, and it’s totally adorable. I hadn’t thought about it from a baby or Babydoll angle, though.”
“Well, you might ask her what she thinks about it,” said Melanie.
“Yeah!” said Junie, through her pacifier. “She mighta thought about it, especially now!”
“Now … meaning what?” asked Beth, looking quizzically at Junie.
“I means … now that bein babyish is so much more ccepted?” Junie asked, then realized that most people didn’t remember that. “Or … well, ya knows.”
“Huh?” Cindy asked, but she dropped it. “Anyway, maybe you should ask her about it, Beth.”
“Maybe I will,” Beth said.
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“Time to get up, Babydoll,” Junie heard through her sleep. She gradually opened her eyes and looked up to see Melanie. June sucked on her pacifier and found herself hugging her favorite tan plushie kitty, whose name was Margie. Margie was so soft. Junie realized that sunlight was streaming in through the windows. It must be morning.
“M-morning?” June asked.
“That’s right, Junie,” said Melanie in a musical tone of voice. “It’s time for Babydoll Junie to get up so Mommy can feed her her breakfast and get her all washed up and dress her up so she can go to class. You’re still going to classes, even if you’re a Babydoll and need your diapers." As Melanie removed the headset and took the disk from the player titled, "Perfect three year old adult mix.” The warning was plain enough, it said there was no way back.
“C-classes? In diapers?” June had realized that she’d need to go to class even after becoming Melanie’s Babydoll but hadn’t really thought about it until now, when the reality of it was starting to loom. Thing was, now she had many infantile feelings and emotions she was helpless to do anything about.
“You don’t think it’s a good idea for a Babydoll to go around without her diapers on, do you?” said Melanie. “Just think of all the puddles you’d make! No, let’s get some breakfast in you and get you all ready.”
She lowered the rails on the sides of June’s bed and helped her roll out, holding her hand until she got to the high chair in the kitchen. It wasn’t until June sat down that she realized that her diaper was both wet and messy from overnight. She had done both in her sleep. How powerful were those discs?
June let Melanie feed her some yummy maple oatmeal and a bottle of nice warm milk, and of course some of each made it onto her bib. But then Melanie cleaned up her face with a warm cloth, removed the bib, and let her out of the high chair, only to lead her to the changing table to remove her diaper and clean her up, then ran a nice warm bath for her, with bubbles.
This was new to Junie; nobody had given her a bath since she was a baby for real. “We should get Junie some fun bath toys, yes we should!” said Melanie in a happy sing-song. “But for now, it’s time to get her all clean.”
She helped Junie get into the tub and started scrubbing her methodically with a washcloth. Junie couldn’t help herself as she began to giggle and splash in the water like any infant. Melanie sprayed June’s hair wet, shampooed it with sweet-smelling baby shampoo, and sprayed it again. June sucked on her pacifier the whole time except when it was time to wash her face – Melanie removed her pacifier and put it aside for that.
“Hey, this a time when Babydoll no sucking thumb or paci,” said June in a really adorable infantile way.
“Oops, you’re right,” said Melanie. “Shoot. I guess we’ll have to add that as an exception. Mommy has to wash Babydoll’s face sometimes!”
“Yeah, that make sense,” June said.
But soon the bath was done, and Melanie drained the tub, sprayed Junie down one more time to get rid of the bubbles, and dried her with a super thick fluffy towel. She took June to the changing table and put a nice thick dry diaper on her – still a thick BOAA diaper, but not a crawly one – then sat her down to dry her hair with a blow dryer, styling it in twin ponytails again.
Melanie picked out a colorful flower-print skirt in bright colors, which would come down sufficiently far to cover her diaper and wouldn’t show the diaper’s own pattern through it, and got her bra on and a cute top that looked just frilly enough to give a hint of baby girl without being too much.
“Looks like we’ll have to make an exception for when you’re at school without Mommy,” said Melanie, “but I’m putting a pacifier in your backpack just in case you need it.”
“Awwwh,” said Junie. “Mommy tink of everting!”
“Well, Mommy’s trying, but thanks, Babydoll.”
Melanie bundled June into the precisely-fitted child seat in the back of her car and buckled her in, then drove her to campus. She parked outside the building where Junie’s class was, opened the door, and unfastened June from the child seat. It was surprising how few of the many students walking to class noticed June being set free from a child seat by her Mommy. How many people actually remembered a time when this would have gotten attention and probably led to the death of June’s social life?
“June! Are you a baby now?” said a familiar voice, and June turned to see their friend Angie.
June blushed brightly. “I, um, uh, yeah …”
“Oh yes,” said Melanie, “Junie’s my Babydoll now. It’s a big responsibility, but I don’t think she’s ever really been an adult, do you?”
“Well … I don’t know,” said Angie. “I’m … not sure, I mean.” She was blushing and trying not to look at June’s skirt.
“Yes, there’s a diaper underneath,” June whispered to Angie. “I’m gonna be in them all the time now.”
“Really?” asked Angie in sort of a wistful tone. “That’s … um … very interesting …”
“We’d better get to class, Mommy,” June said. “I’ll see you soon!”
“Hurry on, girls,” Melanie said. “I can’t really park here anyway. Do your best, and when class is over, I’ll be back to pick you up. Try not to have a diaper blowout before then!”
“Mommyyyyyyy,” June replied, blushing.
“Oh that’s right, you can’t help it, so there’s no point in telling you not to,” Melanie said with a giggle.
“Mommyyyyyyyyyyy,” June said, blushing even more.
Melanie smiled, got in her car, and drove off. Maybe there were some things she could pick up for June at the BOAA store, now that she had more ideas.
June walked toward the building where she and Angie had the same class hand in hand. “Angie … there’s something important I’ve got to ask you,” she whispered.
“What’s that?” Angie replied in a whisper.
“Do you remember … about a year ago? When people started being babies openly? And nobody seemed to mind, or care, or even pay attention?”
“Yeah!” said Angie. “I thought it was so weird!”
“Angie … do you think you’d want to be a … baby too? Or … a Babydoll, which is what Mommy’s calling the special kind of baby I’m going to be for her?”
“I … well … I …” Angie began, stammering and blushing.
“Don’t worry,” said June. “I’m obviously not going to judge you. I just … I think that only people who are babies, or want to be babies, can remember it happening. I think everyone else just doesn’t remember.”
“You … I dunno, you might be right,” whispered Angie. “I … I’m kinda jealous. I wish I could be a baby too. But … I mean, all our friends knew you liked that stuff. Nobody knows that about me. But … I’m starting to think that it’s OK …”
“Of course it’s OK!” said June. “You’re fine if you want to be a baby and you’re fine if you don’t. And … even if it was still back in the times when everybody thought it was crazy and gross and weird … I still would’ve been your friend if you’d told me then.”
“Aww … June …”
“It’s taken me all this time to try to figure out exactly what I wanted,” June said. “I guess it’s not the same for you, huh?”
“No,” said Angie. “I just … couldn’t figure out what had happened, and why there were so many babies, and … and if I trusted in whatever had happened not to just go away again overnight. It’s been like something out of the Twilight Zone. Is this still real life?”
“I don’t think we’re in the Zone,” said June. “But … I do think we’re at our classroom.”
“Oh yeah,” said Angie. “Well … I’m gonna try to be more like … who I really am. At least, in private. I guess I’m kinda like that already. A little bit, anyway. I have lots of plushies and stuff. And cute jammies.”
“Oh?” asked June. “You’ll have to show me! I love cute stuff!”
When the two girls entered the class, the teacher instructed Angie to help the Babydoll into the playpen that held several other extremely cute Babydolls.
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Later that evening
Beth had arrived at the apartment she shared with Angie. Beth had been thinking about Angie as a Babydoll since it had been brought up at Melanie’s. Beth quietly entered Angie’s room, as she didn’t want to startle her.
Beth took a good look around at Angie’s bedroom. For the very first time, she realized how much it looked like a very little girl’s room, complete with plushie dolls of all types.
Angie looked so adorably precious as she lay sleeping in bed and sucked her thumb contentedly. Her jammies were a cute and lacy lime-green babydoll nighty with poofy sleeves. Beth smiled; all Angie needed instead of the bikini panties was a nice thick diaper and a pair of plastic lined rumba panties that matched the gown.
Beth sat on the edge of the bed and softly ran her hand through Angie’s long blonde hair and thought how wonderfully cute it would be tied up in ponytails. Angie woke at Beth’s touch with a squeak, then she sat up after taking her thumb from her mouth.
“You startled me Beth, whatcha want?” She turned slightly and looked at her clock, which looked like a Teddy Bear. “It’s very late.”
Beth replied softly, “I’m sorry to bother you, Sweetheart, but I have some questions to ask you. I don’t want you to be scared or fear answering; just be honest. What we talk about won’t leave this room.”
Angie sat up and crossed her legs. They way she was sitting, she looked just like a little girl. “OK, if it’s important enough to wake me up at one o’clock in the morning, I’m rather interested.”
Beth fumbled around for words, then said, “Have you … ever thought of yourself as a … Babydoll?”
Angie’s facial expressions ran through a gambit of surprise and astonishment. Beth actually saw her blush a deep crimson, “Beth … I … am a babydoll. Just not an infant one, but … maybe a bit older than a toddler?”
A huge smile crossed Beth’s face as she softly took Angie’s hand, “Do you remember June?”
Angie giggled like a little girl. “Yes, I just talked to her earlier today. She’s a Babydoll now, she said. She got me thinking.”
Beth replied, “Yes, she’s a toddler Babydoll, and Melanie is her mommy.”
Angie nodded. “I knew she always had this fantasy, but I never thought Melanie would want to …”
Beth asked bluntly, “How would you like to be my Babydoll? I promise to take good care of you.”
Angie gasped. She asked, “How much Babydoll would I have to be for this to happen?”
Beth smiled, “As much of one as I choose. Remember, Babydolls are too young to make their own decisions.” Beth fumbled for a minute, then produced several Babies of all Ages brochures on becoming a Babydoll of any age, regression techniques, and several others. Beth hadn’t collected the whole Babydoll information stack, just those she thought might interest Angie.
Angie asked in a soft whisper, as if she were afraid someone other than the two of them might be listening, “Does … I mean will I have to …”
Beth said, “You will lose your potty training. I also saw a disk called ‘Introduction to the Potty Monster.’ I think that would be adorable too.”
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Angie lay back in her bed, snuggled with her favorite plushie, and started sucking her thumb. Beth turned off the light and left her in the room so she could go and do more research on this Babydoll craze that had begun to spread like a virus. Beth knew she must be infected too, because she wanted to have a living Babydoll all her own.
Angie lay there and thought about becoming Beth’s Babydoll. In a way, she was sort of already Beth’s babydoll by default, because they lived together. She really only had one reservation; she didn’t want to be diaper dependant. She wanted to be a little girl Babydoll of about ... four, maybe, and wear all the cute clothes. Angie drifted off to sleep and had a wonderful dream in vivid color about being a Babydoll.
While Angela dreamed, Beth began making plans. She didn’t mind if Angie was a little girl Babydoll, but she would be one who had involuntary accidents at the most adorable times. Beth smiled. After several accidents in her panties, Beth was sure she would be able to get Angie in diapers permanently. She would just have to arrange it in a manner Angela didn’t suspect until it was too late.
Beth called up the BOAA website and began looking at all the available regression items and all the other things for infants of all sizes and shapes. The thing that caught her eye were the specialty regression disks that were available. There was even an order form to request custom files mixed to any specifications. Melanie had already told her about how effectively the mind entrainment protocols worked with the binaural tones and had even proven it with June.
Beth knew June had always had this fantasy of being a toddler infant. After seeing her as Junie the Babydoll, and after only a few weeks of listening, the results had proven to be astonishing.
Beth smiled and thought to herself, “OK, Angela, you want to be a Babydoll and want me to be your mommy. That’s fine, but Baby has to understand that you belong to me, and I decide how old you will end up. You can make no such demands, because from this instant on, you are too young to make decisions of any kind.”
Beth called up the custom request page for the mind entrainment and binaural tone behavior modification disks. A major warning popped up as the request form page opened. It read in large letters, “Warning. These files are highly effective and are basically unremovable. Any mind modifications will be almost instantly noticeable and will become permanent."
A chill of excitement ran down Beth’s spine as she typed out her request. She wanted Angela to be too old for diapers but way too young for just panties. She included the option for random accidents at the most adorable and embarrassing moments. She also added options that Angela wouldn’t truly fuss over being in diapers but just superficially, and requested that Angela be a toddler of about three and a half mixed with what ever passed as her adult persona.
She pushed the finish button after about an hour of typing. A payment page came up asking all the usual credit card info. Beth got her conformation number and sat back and smiled.
She already had the “Potty Monster” disk. Another wild idea came into her mind as she picked up the small remote disk player and a set of earphones. She went back to Angela’s room. She inserted the “Potty Monster” disk in, gently placed the earphones in Angela’s ears so as not to awaken her, then pressed play. Beth silently left. She wondered how this would play out when Angela woke later and went potty.
Beth was sure that Angela would begin to have serious reservations about using the potty very soon. She smiled and left her precious Babydoll to sleep and learn the universal infant fear of the horrid Potty Monster. Beth laughed once she had gotten back to her library and knew she wouldn’t wake up her precious Babydoll from her instruction.
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“Hello Angie!” said Junie. Melanie had brought her phone over. She thought it would be good for her Babydoll to talk to her friend, who she understood might be another Babydoll soon.
“June! I have a question for you!” said Angie, sounding a little bit scared.
“Are you OK?” June asked.
“I … I dunno. I think so. It’s just … I woke up this morning and had to go potty. But … I felt so scared when I went near it! I don’t know what came over me! I … made myself do it, but it was really scary. I wanted to … I don’t know. It felt like I wanted to pee my panties instead of going anywhere near it!”
“Wow, that’s really weird,” said June. “Nothing like that’s happened to me … but then I’m not using the potty anymore, you know.”
“Yeah that’s right, your life’s really different now that you’re a Babydoll. But … Beth and I have only talked about it once so far. We have a lot of things to decide.”
“Well Mommy and I came up with these rules together and then both signed them,” said Junie. “But until we did, we made sure we agreed on them. I guess you and Beth haven’t decided on stuff yet. But I’m sure you will.”
“But I don’t know why this happened,” said Angie. “It’s like … well …”
“Wait,” said June, “are you listening to sound files or discs or something yet? Does Beth have any of those for you? Because Mommy has some she plays for me. She has a different one for each day of the week. I know I used to have to remind myself to suck my thumb or pacifier all the time, but now I’ve listened to the one about that a couple of times, and I hardly have to think about it even. I’ve got my pacifier in right now. I don’t know if you can tell.”
“I kinda can,” said Angie. “But … no, Beth hasn’t played any files for me. I remember having a weird dream about a Potty Monster, though …”
“Angie,” said June, “are you sure Beth didn’t play a disc or something for you while you were asleep? Before you guys talked about it? Because that’s kind of not cool.”
Melanie stopped what she was doing and came over. “Wait, what? They haven’t worked out any rules yet and Beth’s playing mind entrainment discs to Angie in her sleep without telling her? I’m gonna have to have a talk with Beth. There’s a right and wrong way to do things. If Angie can’t trust her, it’s not gonna work out.” She got her phone.
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Soon, Melanie and Beth were talking to each other at the same time. “You said you got a bunch of brochures for Angie from the BOAA store,” said Melanie. “Did you happen to pick up any for you? They have lots of them for the Mommy – or Daddy, of course – too.”
“Well … no,” said Beth. “I mean, I know I want this. I don’t need convincing.”
“It’s not about convincing, it’s about, well, doing things the right way,” said Melanie. “You want to make sure your Babydoll feels like she can trust you. If she doesn’t feel that way, she’ll never feel comfortable being your Babydoll. Everything you decide to do, you both have to agree upon.”
“But … she’s the Babydoll,” said Beth. “I’m the Mommy. Mommy knows best.”
“You really need to read those brochures,” said Melanie. “Seriously. It really feels to me as if you’re on the wrong track. If you go this direction, you’re gonna lose her. She’s going to move out, and what’s more, you might ruin it for her. She might never feel safe being anyone’s Babydoll, let alone yours.”
“What?” said Beth in shock. “I just played one little entrainment file on her while she was asleep.”
“You WHAT?” asked Melanie. “Beth … I don’t know what to … you just … you just can’t do that. That’s way too far. You’re going to have to make it up to her, apologize, work it out, if you want this to have any chance, any hope of happening now.”
“But she won’t find out,” said Beth. “I took the earphones out of her ears before she woke up.”
“But now I know,” said Melanie, “and I’m pretty sure Angie’s figured it out by now. After all, those discs aren’t meant for playing while the subject’s asleep. Read the instructions; it says so. There are different discs for that. Sleep and mind entrainment trances are different things.”
“I … but … it’s …” spluttered Beth.
“Look, Beth, I want this to work out, but I think there are things you have to learn first. There are things I have to learn too. We’re all just starting out here. Wait, I know. BOAA has classes for new Mommies. They’re free. Want to take one?” asked Melanie.
“I … do you want to?” asked Beth. “Do you think it would help?”
“It couldn’t hurt,” Melanie replied. “I’ve got questions, and I can tell you do too.”
“Well … all right …”
“Now, I can’t leave Junie all by herself … but I think they have classes for new Babydolls at the same time. Maybe Angie and Junie can both go to that?”
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Two evenings later, June and Angela were at the BOAA store, in a class for new Babydolls. And at the same time, in another room in the store, there was a class for new Mommies and Daddies of Babydolls, which both Beth and Melanie were attending.
Melanie and Beth sat in the front row. There were maybe a dozen new or perspective Babydoll Mommies and Daddies here for the exclusive training course. The soft buzz of friendly speculation and comments softly filled the air.
A door at the far end of the room opened and what appeared to be a very pretty young girl of about 16 entered the room, silence fell. Her outfit was the darkest ebony black any had ever seen and the white cuffs and collar were dazzling.
She walked to the podium and said softly, “Welcome everyone. All of you can call me Nana Pederson. If everyone will open the book on the table in front of you and turn to page seven. The title is TRUST. So all the new mommies and daddies know, trust is something a Babydoll must have towards you or things won’t work well. All of you must realize what is happening to them, their minds, and their bodies. They have exclusively given each of you the complete rights to their lives for the rest of your time. It is a heavy and serious responsibility to own and care for an infant Babydoll.”
She walked to a whiteboard and began writing an itemized list of the things a Babydoll surrenders into their mommy or daddy’s hands. It basically showed them a Babydoll gives their entire life into their caretaker’s hands and rapidly becomes just as completely dependent on them as any infant child.
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June was dressed in an adorable powder blue jumper with matching plastic lined rumba panties. It was very obvious she was in a very thick diaper due to its bulk. Angela had on a soft yellow Lolita babydoll dress and the matching rumba panties. She wasn’t in a diaper, though, just panties.
Angela kept looking off toward a partially opened door with an expression of anxiety. June leaned over and whispered, “‘Sup, Angie? Why comes you keeps starin atta room over theres?”
Angela replied back in a barely audible whisper, “There’sa … monser in there … I know it.”
June raised her eyebrows as she sucked her thumb thoughtfully. She’d had a head start on the special Babydoll discs Melanie had bought for her, so she was well on her way in her transformation into a Babydoll toddler pretending to be an adult. She still kind of knew what a potty was, though she didn’t want to remember what it was for, and she knew that was the room Angela swore a monster was in. “A … monser?” June asked. “But … issa room for … uh … washin’ your hands?”
“It feels … scary,” said Angela. “I know it’s in there. It’s … somehow in my head that it’s a monser. I can’t even say it. And … I think Beth somehow … did this?”
“Ooo, she do somethin n no tells you?” asked June. “That no good.” June knew she was talking like a small child, or like she imagined a small child talked, and it felt fun, like playing with toys only with words instead. But this was a serious issue. “She better no do that. You can say No to bein her Babydoll, yknow.”
Just as the two of them started to feel doom and gloom, the door across the room opened and in bounded an extremely adorable young woman dressed in the cutest lime green Glow Worm romper with lots of white periwinkle lace. It was also more than obvious that she was in a thick “crawly” diaper too.
She bounced up to the podium, waved adorably, and said in a cute voice, “Hi. I’m Sally Stevens, an’ … Imma Babydoll, and has been one longer’n anyone could believe.”
Many twitters and giggles drifted through the room from the many male and female Babydolls and Babydolls-to-be.
Sally said gleefully as she bounced up and down like the toddler she so looked like. “Is everyone notice tha book in fronta yous. It’s Titled ‘Babydoll 101.’ Please open ta page eight.”
Angela gasped as her eyes got big.
Sally asked her, “‘Sup, Missy?” Sompin’ upsetcha?”
Angela replied, “This first chapter … is about how to not allow losing potty training to upset a Babydoll.”
Sally said sweetly, “Yes. Is kinda sorta hard when it happens. Most mommies and daddies wanna taka pictures of our first poopy face.”
June giggled as she blushed crimson. Sally clapped her hands together as she bounced with joy, “Oooo, we gots one that know.”
The room filled with giggles.
Sally said, “Now, firs thing is fora Babydoll no to fight it. I pwomise when tha time come, noffin ya does will stop it, only makes it happen.” Sally then blushed. “I ‘members.”
Again the room filled with giggles.
“I g-gotta question,” said Angela, raising her hand.
Sally noticed and said, “Ooo, go ‘head. What your name? Can tell you just startin’ out.”
“I … I’m afraid of the … um … the Potty Monser,” Angela said, blushing. “I even know it’s in there, waiting for me.” She looked at the bathroom door. Then she noticed that some of the other Babydolls, both boys and girls, nodded and looked at each other knowingly. But others didn’t, including June. “But … I dunno why.”
“Yeah it’s true, some Mommys or Daddys wanna make sure their Babydolls no go near tha potty,” said Sally. “Or they think it cute for us to be scareda the Potty Monser. Is all parta tha fun! But … ya dunno why? Your Mommy no talk to you ‘bouts it?”
“Well that’s the thing, I don’t have a Mommy, not really, not yet anyway,” Angela said. “I’m not … sure about it.”
“Hmm …” said Sally. “You gotsa maybe soon Mommy? That it?”
“Yeah that’s basically it,” Angie said.
“But she play a disc for you?” asked Sally. “One that make you feel kinna sleepy?”
“No,” said Angie. “She didn’t. Or … I don’t think she did. I think she might’ve while I was asleep, though …”
“Whoa whoa whoa,” said Sally. “Firstus. We gotsa undo that.” She looked into the back of the room, where there were some others dressed like Babydolls, and gestured toward Angela. “Just go wif onna thems an they fix. After … we gots talk bout that. No worries. Alla stuffs we gonna talk ‘bout now is stuffs that you gets to later on. Baby pwomise.”
A dark-haired young woman in an adorable baby blue dress with lots of frills toddled up from the back of the room and whispered to Angela, “My name’s Audrey. Is ya wanna, come wifs me an’ we fix tha pwoblem. Was not s’posedta happens dis way.”
Angela got up, and the Babydoll helper took her hand in her white-gloved hand and led her out of the room to a small soundproofed room with tiles on the walls. Angela didn’t remember what happened in there, but she did notice that it only took a few minutes.
When Audrey brought Angela back, the class was just finishing up talking about losing potty training, and they were about to move on to thumbsucking, bottles, and pacifiers. Now, when Angela looked at the bathroom, it was … just a bathroom. The toilet that she knew was in there was … just a toilet.
She still remembered how scared she’d felt earlier, but it still wasn’t really clear why she’d felt that way. She didn’t feel that way anymore, though. It was like remembering that you used to be scared there was a ghost in your closet, even though now you aren’t.
Sally noticed Angela’s return and said to the class, “Ooo now that she back, we talks about a very ‘portant thing. Mommys ‘n Daddys is very ‘portant to a baby’s life … ‘cause Mommy or Daddy know bestest. But this why a Babydoll gotsa choose carefully … does they wanna be a Babydoll for this Mommy or this Daddy? Is ‘bout … trust. Gotsa trust ‘em … or you no be happy. They gots be honest wif you … or you no trusts ‘em. They make alla decisions … but firstus you gotsa decide if you wanna give ‘em that wight. Even after they your Mommy or Daddy … issa good idea ta has some times when you can talk ‘bout things ‘n make sure you both OK.”
June raised her hand. “Me ‘n Mommy … is inna rules. We signed ‘em. Every week we gotsa time Junie ‘n Mommy is just June ‘n Melanie and we talk ‘bout anything inna rules that need fixin’. Like … tha rule ‘bout Junie always gotsa suck on her thumb or paci and when it no a rule. Like if Junie havina bottle or bathtime.”
“Uh huh!” said Sally, nodding. “That good! Not alla Babydolls ‘n their Mommies or Daddies gotsa lista rules but some does! But either ways … havinna real talk time issa good idea! But here issa magic thing … you decide to be their Babydoll. They no listens to you for reals … you can go away. We gots numbers you can call. People can helps. But … we gots dese classes to try ‘n make it so that no happen ‘cause everybody learna right way to do its!”
A boy Babydoll raised his hand. He was extremely cute and dressed like an adorable little poofy bottomed toddler boy in what looked more like a little girl’s romper. “My Daddy ‘n me hadda pwoblem a while back,” he said when Sally pointed at him and nodded. “He keeped changin’ tha rules, no asks me never. Finally me tells him for real, that no good. Now … can both change tha rules, but only when we in tha big time place wif tha big time chairs. We talk it out.”
“Oooo, special place n time both,” said Sally. “Love it! Glad you got it workeded out – that make me real happy!”
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Meanwhile, Nana Pederson was explaining something very similar. “Now, not all Mommies or Daddies have a list of rules or sign a contract, or anything that straightforward,” she was saying. “Some just have an unwritten understanding – but even so, that’s something that’s arrived at by talking and deciding. If I decided right now that we were having a race, and out of the blue I said, ‘Ready set go’ and ran to the finish line before you even knew it was happening, I’d win, right? Or would I? If you didn’t agree to have a race and didn’t even know it was going to happen? Would that be winning?”
“No, it would not,” said Melanie. Beth looked embarrassed.
“It wouldn’t,” Nana Pederson said. “I’m not dressed for running, and neither are you, and we’re not on a running track – but even if all of that were true, maybe some of us are just here for the exercise. We’d have to make sure everyone had signed up and was ready to go before starting the race.” Beth thought about how she’d assumed that Angie was all ready to go just because she had many infantile attributes, wore cute clothes, had lots of plushies, and sucked her thumb at night. She raised her hand. “Yes,” Nana Pederson said, pointing at Beth.
“Is working without written rules … kind of an advanced way to do it?” Beth asked. “I mean, if I’ve never been a Mommy before, is having everything written down better?”
“Well, I don’t want to say ‘better,’ because everyone’s different,” Nana Pederson answered, “but I’d say that working without written rules or a contract or that kind of thing is an advanced technique. It’s something you have to work toward being able to do. It’s like tightrope walking without a safety net – I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re really well practiced. You want your Babydoll to trust you, and you can’t have that unless you and they are thinking along the same lines, and I mean when you’re not Mommy or Daddy and Babydoll. You have to want the same thing, and you have to know you want the same thing. Can you do that without writing down what exactly it is you do want? Yes … but writing it down makes it easier. It makes it more likely to work out.”
“I see …” said Beth.
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Sally and June hit it off well, being almost the exact Babydoll / adult mix, and were happily playing together after the class ended. Angela so wanted to join in, but she was too old in her spirit, and not yet exactly a Babydoll … although she was trying hard.
Angela left the classroom and found where Beth and Melanie were with Nana Pederson. She came up to Beth and stood close as she quietly said, “I discovered you were bein’ sneaky wif me.”
Beth had an expression of remorse as she said, “I’m sorry, Sweetie. I was thinking you were ready to become the little girl you had described so well. When I saw you in the Babydoll nighty sucking your thumb, I … I felt like I was your Mommy.”
“But …” Angela almost replied, “But you’re not,” but she didn’t. Instead, she said, “Not yet.”
Beth replied, “I’m sorry I did that. It’s just … it seemed like something you wanted.”
Angela replied with a shaky voice, “I ... kinda do. Am scared too. It’s hard for me. I mean, I know I already dress and act like a little girl, but to actually experience an infantile fear … it was … scary, but sorta fun too.”
Beth hugged Angela and said, “We’ll talk before we get started. And from now on, let’s set up a time every month or so and discuss what the both of us want.”
Beth knew, however, that once she had run the Babydoll disc several times for her at bedtime, Angela would be eager to become more infantile. Then she caught herself. Beth would show her the disc, and they would talk about what it would do. She wouldn’t be playing any discs for Angela that she didn’t want.
Angela said, “Am sorta … scareda havinna be diaper dependant.”
Sally came up and said in a giggly voice, “It no thingy ta worry overs.” She shrugged, “But beina Babydoll has things we does.”
Sally, June, and Angela sat in the middle of the playroom and played with the toys. Angela was having the time of her life. It was as if she had finally crossed some sort of barrier and was basically on the same mental wavelength as Sally and June, without listening to any discs at all. All her adultness had vanished for an instant … until she felt a warm wet feeling trickling down to her bottom and she realized she had gotten so involved that she had wet her panties.
Sally looked up at Angela’s gasp and surprised expression and said with a loud shriek, “Angela, you just hadda accident in your pannies didn’ ya?”
All the other Babydoll trainees began to giggle as the puddle formed around Angela and the place she was sitting. Needless to say Angela was blushing beet red and had a real contrite expression.
Sally toddled over and gave Angela a big hug. “No worries over it none, silly. Little girls your age has accidents every now ‘n then. I do alla time, ‘n am sure Junie too.” Sally took some kind of strawberry pink electronic pad from the floor of the playpen and turned it on. On the screen the words Baby Rules appeared in a very flowery script. “Accordin’a Baby Rules, a Babydoll ur age is too old for diapers, but way too young for just pannies an’ has accidents sometime.
Angela looked as if she were going to cry, “This means I been messed up wif anover disc thing.”
Sally giggled, “No it don’t, silly. What it means is u awways beena Babydoll, just u finally gots inna wight ‘viroment an it comeded out … likes it supposesa. We gots ridda any discs Miss Beth playeded for you afore tonights. Wetten ur pannies was all you!”
Sally’s assistants helped clean Angela and her puddle up, but her Lolita dress would have to be washed, and it was very delicate and would need dry cleaning. Sally assured her she shouldn’t worry; they’d send it out, and meanwhile she could have an outfit from BOAA free of charge. “We gots lotsa cute stuffs! But … you way too little for pannies, Sweetie …”
“I already gotsa pack of BOAA pullups …” said Angela. “Cept I leftem at home. Gotsa buy some more anyways.”
“Oh no, you no gotsa buy nuffin tonights,” said Sally. “I takes care of it. Please, Audrey, Katie, help Angie find some appropriately thick pullups anna new dwess she likes?” Angela was wearing only a fluffy pink bathrobe for now. “An’ … maybe get her into those pullups kinda quick? No wantta little girl ta hasa accidnt wif em no on.”
Audrey and another of Sally’s assistants, who must have been Katie, giggled a little bit and came over from the sides of the room to help Angela up and escort her into the rest of the store, which was closed to the public by now.
Angela returned a few minutes later in a cute frilly babydoll dress, pale green with white trimmings and lace, with a lacy modesty panel sewn in, so it was really kind of like a skort, only it zipped up the back and snapped at the top. She had a nice thick BOAA pullup on underneath in case she had another accident. And … she had a pacifier.
June gasped. “Angie! You gotsa paci!”
“I just kinda … saw it when we went through the paci aisle onna way,” explained Angela. Audrey and Katie noticed I was starin’ attit. They asked if I wanted one. And … well, I did. They said it was OK. They are very nice girls.”
“We understand,” Katie said with a smile.
“Know what it’s like,” said Audrey.
“I was just gonna ask one question,” said June. “What am Baby Rules? How we knowed what they is?”
“Oh!” replied Sally. “Well maybe next time we oughtta bring in tha experts on Baby Rules. Nana Pederson issa Nana of two super special lil girls … they tha experts on Baby Rules. Can tells ya all about ‘em … tho … it kinda weird … nobody they ‘splain ‘em to can ever ‘splain ‘em to anyone else …”
“What, they no ‘splain real good?” asked June.
“No … that not it … is just …” Sally paused. “Is like the better ya unnerstand … the harder it is to ‘splain …”
“Ooo, super Zen,” said Angela.
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Angela and Beth agreed they would talk about it all the next day. The next morning, after taking her daily bubblebath, Angela realized that it was quite possible that she’d worn her last pair of panties. She put on one of her adorable pullups but otherwise dressed relatively adult, at least for her, in a pastel-colored skirt and a babydoll top with a Peter Pan collar. Dressed as she was, she still looked like an adorable toddler. Once she was ready, Beth was too, and they sat down to talk.
“OK.” said Beth. “First of all, I am so sorry. I’m not playing anything for you unless you know what it is and approve of it. Yeah, I’ve bought you some discs, but I’m going to return any that you don’t like. And we can go over what they have so I can get you any other ones that you might want. But that’s for later.”
“Thank you,” said Angela. “I think I’m OK for now. They had a way of … undoing whatever that other one did. Not that I object to it, now that I think of it … just I don’t want things happening to me that I can’t explain why they’re happening. If they’re happening to me because we agreed I’m going to become a Babydoll, that’s OK. If I don’t know why they’re happening … that isn’t.”
Beth’s heart kind of skipped a beat when Angela used the phrase “I’m going to become a Babydoll,” but she managed to stay focused. “That, that makes total sense to me,” she said. “But … maybe we should figure out what we both want …”
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After the next classes, it had gotten to be very late. June, Sally, and Angela played in the playpen until the three of them had fallen asleep. Angela awoke with her hiney high in the air as her bottom was being gently cleaned by Nana Pederson.
The last thing Angela remembered after that was being diapered in a thick cloth diaper then having an adorable pair of plastic lined rumba panties pulled over the diaper. Angela’s mind refused to focus after the wonderful hinney pat Nana gave her as everything drifted off in a soft fuzzy blur.
Angela had wonderfully fun and infantile dreams of being the very Babydoll she had always fancied herself being. She became so involved with the dream that she wet her diaper like any little girl too old for diapers and too young for panties.
She was perfectly prepped to have two special Babydolls teach her a class on Baby Rules. Once Angela had learned what it was she wanted to know about them, she would be even more infantile.
Angela woke to the cute protests of Sally as Nana Pederson changed her. “Nanaaaaaaa I no needa change, baby wanna pwayyyyyy!” she said, but Nana Pederson paid her no mind.
Angela sat up in her crib. Her diaper was obviously wet. She looked around her and saw an empty bottle, a very large fuzzy, cuddly Teddy Bear, and the jumbled bed clothes. Every move she made, she could hear the crinkle of the plastic lining over the crib mattress.
Angela’s eyes got large once again as she gasped helplessly. She felt it as she involuntarily wet her diaper once again. She put her hand to her mouth as she realized she had no control to stop it. As upsetting as it had been, it also felt incredibly nice and warm … and the infantile helplessness of it gave her a simultaneous scary and delicious feeling.
Nana Pederson came to Angela’s crib and cooed softly, “Good morning, Babydoll. Diddums needsa change?”
Angela felt totally helpless as Nana Pederson laid her back in the crib so she could take off her rumba panties and very soggy diaper. After cleaning her and rediapering her, Nana Pederson dressed Angela in the most adorable Babydoll sundress anyone could imagine.
Angela protested, “You … you made me listena onena them disks didn ya?”
Nana Pederson giggled as she amazingly lifted Angela out of the crib like the toddler she appeared to be. “Not at all, Sweetheart.” Nana bent and kissed Angela lightly on her cute nose. “It’s just that you have always been a Babydoll, and now the proper stimuli have been applied, causing your true self to start to emerge. I must say, you and June are the perfect subjects to learn Baby Rules, too.”
Angela asked in a most adorably infantile way as whatever continued to progress, “Whassa Be Be Wools?” Her eyes grew large as saucers as her hand went to her mouth. She couldn’t believe she was talking like that.
Nana Pederson led the now toddling and very confused Angela by the hand into the hall and to another room. When they entered, there was a large playpen with many cute infant toys. In the crib were June and Sally, who started screeching with joy upon seeing Angela, and shrieked even more when Nana picked her up and placed her in the playpen with them. All of them were in very short and cute Babydoll sundresses that showed off the ruffled panties and obviously thick diapers.
Nana Pederson cooed softly, “Baby Rules are something you and June more than likely will live by for a very long time.” With this she went to the lectern at the front of the classroom.
Neither June nor Angela believed what they saw as two bright blue flashes happened, then two of the most adorably dressed Babydolls they had ever seen magically appeared out of thin air. One was light haired, and the other dark, but from their facial features it was clear that they must be related, perhaps sisters. The blonde one had long hair in sausage curl ponytails, and the brunette had a shoulder-length long bob.
Nana Pederson put her hand on the ponytailed blonde’s head and said, I would like you to meet the Little Sisters. This one’s name is Becky Snow.” She turned and patted the brunette on the head, “And this is Trina Snow. They are the Little Sister Cherubs who have been given the important task of keeping and updating the Baby Rules. They have also been empowered to insure that infants throughout all the many variations hear and accept them.”
“Cherubs?” Angela asked. “You’re … angels?”
Becky giggled, while Trina smiled quietly. “No, not the way you’re thinking, Sweetheart,” Becky said, toddling up to the playpen and looking in at her. “You must be Angie. It’s just something our Mommy calls us.”
June gasped. “I … I think I hadda dweam about your Mommy,” she said. “She … super pwetty … n looked at me like she loved all babies … includins me …”
“That sounds like Mama, all right,” said Trina quietly, smiling at June. “You must be Junie. You’ve got a set of Baby Rules with your Mommy already. All Baby Rules like dems is shadows of true Baby Rules.”
“No worrys if you no unnerstands sooper good,” said Sally. “I no unnerstands alla way neither. They say … iffa baby unnerstand Baby Rules alla way … they no can splains it to nobody else ‘cause they no can talk no mores cuz they becomes aww baby … n they feels true infant bliss. But … couldn’t do my job for Mommy ‘Sephone if no could talk no more never.”
Angela felt a chill of fear run down her spine. “I … I don’t wanna forget how to talk!”
“Me neivers!” said June.
“We understand,” said Trina seriously. “But weally, tha kinda complete understanding of Baby Rules that Sally is talking about is quite rare and not required to obtain happiness from them.”
“Uh huh!” said Becky with a bounce. “You don’t hafta go all the way down that road! … Just … the farther you go, the more baby you become and the happier you’ll be!”
“And the farther you go,” said Trina, “the harder it is to come back.”
“But what ARE Baby Rules?” asked Angela. She looked around. “Beth isn’t here. Shouldn’t she learn about this?”
“I understand that you and your Mommy-to-be are still working out your own situation,” said Trina. “But it’s OK. This class isn’t for Mommies or Daddies or Nanas. It’s just for the Babies and Babydolls. Adults don’t need to know Baby Rules.”
“Baby Rules are the rules that babies – and Babydolls – live by!” said Becky. “There’s the Cute and Adorable Rule, for one thing – all babies are cute and adorable all the time!”
“But they’re cute and adorable because of being babies,” added Trina. “And being cute and adorable makes you a baby. Each Baby Rule has its mystery. That is this one’s.”
“Babies wear diapers and aren’t potty trained,” said June. “Is that a Baby Rule?”
“Sorta, Junie!” said Becky. “Babies are helpless and can’t do the simple things grownups do! Does this make more work for their Mommies and Daddies? Yeah, it does. But it also makes them dependent on their Mommies and Daddies, who love them very much. That’s another mystery.”
“Mommy says stuff like I’m supposed to obey her and she knows best,” said Angela.
“That is another one,” said Trina soberly with a nod. “Babies trust their Mommies and Daddies because they know best. But Mommies and Daddies must uphold that trust and never betray it. They have ultimate authority, but they must not abuse it. That is another mystery.”
“Wow, we know this many Baby Rules awweady!” said June, holding up three fingers.
“Wanna ‘nother one?” asked Becky. “Babies gotsa use their ‘maginations! But the more baby you are, the more your ‘magination becomes what’s real! That’s a mystery too!”
“‘Magination becomes real?” Angela asked. “I can think up a pony?”
“If you do, your pony becomes real to you, and you must take care of it,” said Trina. “Until the game’s over. Then she goes back to Magic Pony Land.”
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Angela and June were totally awestruck with Trina and Becky. The more they explained Baby Rules, the less adult June and Angela became. It wasn’t long before the four of them were playing with a large messy finger painting … thing. Oh, man … what a baby mess!
Nana Pederson sat back in her rocking chair and smiled. It tickled her pink to see Becky and Trina enjoying eternal infanthood. It helped her good mood a lot to think how they were helping June and Angela learn about something adults couldn’t know or even understand.
Nana Pederson got up from her chair when she noticed Becky’s strange expression. She glided over to Becky and whispered in her ear, “Did ums has a accident n needs Nana’s helps?”
Becky had obviously blushed several shades of pink then answered in an adorable way, “N …. No … I no needs nuffins.”
Nana Pederson chuckled softly as she took Becky by the hand, lifted her from the mat, made a huge deal out of checking the Babydoll, then took her by the hand as Becky toddled obediently along. “ I think baby needs attention. At least, from what I saw when I checked.”
The other three giggled until Nana said, “I’ll check the rest of you when I return with her.” Silence ruled suddenly.
The sometimes more serious Trina was less so now. She stood up like any toddler and showed off her ruffles. She held on to the side of the chair to stabilize her wobbly knees. She lifted the front of her short dress and pulled open the front of her panties and diaper and peered in. Even with the advanced pullups, she knew she too had had an accident. She giggled to herself and knew there was nothing she could do to stop it.
Nana returned with Becky all clean and changed and smelling like babypowder. She checked June and Angela next. She said softly, “It makes me so happy to see a Babydoll come into the reality of her life.” She took Angela by the hand and escorted the toddling Babydoll off to the changing room.
It didn’t take long before Nana had all the girls changed and clean as a whistle. The smell of baby powder permeated the area. The four of them sat in an intimate huddle and actually discussed losing their adulthood and living according to Baby Rules.
Becky said, “It weren’t no big deal beins in diapers. Awways wuz.”
Trina nodded until her ponytails flew. “Yups. No ever been outta our diapers. Neiver has our mommy’s brover.” Both Trina and Becky giggled while June and Angela looked on with awe and wonder.
To June and Angela’s amazement, two strawberry pink baby fliptop cell phones appeared in a small white twinkle. Trina and Becky looked at each other with surprised expressions as both phones began to ring. Turning to June and Angela, they both said, “They’re for you.”
“But who callin’?” asked Angela, while June was quickly grabbing for the one nearest her. It was just out of reach, and she was adorably making grabby hands as she reached. “Nnnn!” she said as she stretched, trying to reach it without leaving her comfy spot on the play mat. Finally she gave up and crawled closer to reach it showing off her ruffles as she crawled over to it.
Meanwhile, Trina said, “Better answer ‘n find outs.” Angela scooted closer to hers and picked it up. What both June and Angela heard when they answered the phone was a supernaturally lovely voice asking them a question that sent intense pleasurable tingles up and down their spines.
“Now that you’ve learned about Baby Rules from my very own daughters … do you accept Baby Rules, Sweetheart?”
For Junie’s part, she was only too happy to accept Baby Rules. She babbled into the phone about how much she would love to accept them, in words that no adult would ever understand. To a large degree, the question was almost unnecessary for Junie, a mere formality. “Oh my goodness,” said the voice on the phone, “aren’t you just the sweetest thing? I understand every word a baby says, of course. And you are a very welcome baby in my nursery.”
Angela, though, replied, “I … I wanna … but me ‘n Mommy gots some stuffs to figure out firstest …”
“Please, Sweetie,” said the lovely voice, “don’t worry about that. My family, helpers, and I will make sure it all works out happily for both you and your Mommy.”
There was something to the voice and the wonderful tingly feeling it gave Angela that made her want to trust this person … after all, she was Becky and Trina’s mother, and Nana Pederson’s boss, and Sally had said something about her being her Mommy too. She felt certain that everything would be all right. “I … I do accept Baby Rules,” Angela said.
With that, June and Angela were suddenly Baby Junie and Baby Angie, with no semblance of any adult in their thoughts – at least, for now. Yes, both of them had made sure to tell their Mommies that their adult minds would stay present when they were together. But this was something else, and their lives were being turned around, the trajectory of their destiny being redirected back to the nursery.
Trina and Becky looked at each other and watched smiling as Baby Junie and Baby Angie were born anew, discovering their fingers and toes, then discovering each other … and each other’s fingers and toes. There were many giggles and a lot of babbling that only those who could speak baby babble could understand … fortunately, everyone present could. From Junie and Angie’s point of view, they’d forgotten about anything but playing and enjoying the simple joys and sensations of infancy.
“I woves this part,” said Sally. Nana Pederson smiled happily and covertly checked Sally’s diaper, patting her on the behind to indicate she was OK for now. She was a bit damp, of course – she was Sally – but not enough to bother her, and her diaper was a long way from leaking.
Becky and Trina hugged each other and said, “It’s so beautiful!” Tears of joy were in their eyes. “Every time.”
They all knew that sooner or later Angie and Junie would get tired and fall asleep on the play mat, and Nana Pederson would call their Mommies to explain things to them and ask them to come pick them up. But for now, they watched the babies play, for the moment understanding Baby Rules perfectly.
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Angie awakened in sorta some vague way of a really strange state of her mind. She was being adjusted in someone‘s arms.
Beth cooed softly, “Here we go, Babydoll. Mommy loves you very much.”
Angela realized suddenly she was in Beth’s arms, Beth had her top removed, and her shapely breasts were exposed. Beth took the nipple closest to Angela and squeezed it several times. At first, only a small drop of clear fluid appeared. By the third squeeze, however, it had turned liquidy white.
Just as Angela’s mind had almost just about come out of the infantile haze she’d been in and was about to protest, a small tingly voice spoke softly to her innermost being, “Baby Rules say: a baby or Babydoll will breastfeed eagerly whenever the opportunity presents itself.” She felt it as it surged so wonderfully through her body, coupled with an irresistible urge to nurse. It was true: she had always wanted to do this, though she’d never said anything.
The next thing Angela knew, Beth’s nipple rubbed her lips softly, tasting so nice, like sweet slightly watery cream. Angela was unable to help herself as she began to nurse. She wasn’t even wondering how physically this could be happening.
Beth, on the flipside of this, wasn’t prepared for the wonderful bliss of it all, and she gasped with the sudden intensity of it. With each suckle Angela did, Beth felt her heart melt even more and even imagined she could feel it as the fluid left her body. Having her very own living Babydoll breastfeed was indeed incredible. She knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Angela was her Babydoll, and not anyone nor anything would ever change that if she could help it.
Angela eventually returned from the blissful state that the breastfeeding had induced to realize that Beth was pulling a really cute pair of plastic lined amber powder puff panties over a very thick diaper. For a vague instant, Angela realized that all she had on were the diaper and panties as she was somehow gently laid back in her crib, given an amazingly wonderful hiney pat, and given her fuzzy, snuggly, Teddy Bear. All realization faded away as her warm tummy and an infantile contentedness overcame her and allowed her to fall into a very wonderful Babydoll dream.
Melanie, meanwhile, sat in the comfortable rocking lounger in their apartment, feeling the need build ever more strongly. She had removed her top and caressed her nipples, which promptly caused them to form small drops of clear liquid at first, then white milk. Nana Pederson had told both her and Beth that the need to breastfeed their Babydolls would be urgent and strong. Both of them had chosen to try it anyway.
Ordinarily, of course, neither Melanie nor Beth could have produced milk without undergoing pregnancy first. Nana Pederson had taken both Beth’s and Melanie’s breasts in her hands and softly caressed them. There had been something like a very pleasant surge of electricity … both women even moistened their panties a bit over the intensity of it. Nana had then informed both women that they would begin to lactate. She also gave them a warning about trying to avoid breastfeeding and how large the flow could become if not tended to.
Ever since Junie had come back from the class on Baby Rules, she had acted more adorably infantile than Melanie could remember her ever being. She brought Junie out and set her at the foot of the rocker. All Junie had on was a super thick diaper and a pair of pink plastic panties with balloons and butterflies printed on them.
Melanie explained, “Mommy wants baby to know I love you very much.” She leaned over and gave Junie a kiss on her nose that made her giggle. “You have no choices now, I’m in charge – but you’ve made me well aware of what you want, and I mean to make sure you get it. Now, I know that today is our talk day, but I know you aren’t really able to just now. Next week will be different, they told me. But still, I’m going to talk, at least, and I want you to know what I’m going to do.”
She picked Junie up and arranged her in her arms. No sooner than Melanie had placed one of her nipples to Junie’s mouth, Junie was unable to resist and began to nurse eagerly. It tasted so sweet and made her tummy warm. She trusted her mommy and knew whatever she said went and baby had no more say. Baby Rules said so. But they also said that if the Baby or Babydoll was unhappy, it was Mommy or Daddy’s responsibility to make it right.
Melanie gasped at the intensity of the sensations as she finally found the thing that had been missing in her life all these years. Her very own living Babydoll. And she was feeding her with her own milk. It was like she and her Babydoll were one in this moment.
Junie was still experiencing a world of infantile ecstasy, not really understanding what was going on other than that it was amazing and felt wonderful. Her Mommy was right there, and that made her happy. She hadn’t really been told that it would be a few days before any vestige of her adult mind started to return, but she had somehow known this would happen anyway.
At the moment she had no regrets – in fact, she didn’t know what a regret was, and it would have been impossible for anyone to explain the concept to her. When she used her diaper, she didn’t really know what was happening, just that it felt wonderful. When Melanie switched her to the other breast, she just instinctively latched right back on and kept nursing, drinking the delicious milk that so warmed her tummy.
Junie’s adult awareness began to return when she was at the zoo. She had been watching a polar bear swim in its enclosure, and she’d been giggling and clapping her hands in joy. And then somehow she realized that she was in a public place in a baby stroller, wearing adorable baby clothes, including a very wet diaper, and she was acting just like an excited baby. She was suddenly terrified, not knowing how she’d gotten here or who could see her. She still remembered a world where the wrong people seeing her like this would have meant an instant end to her social life, at the very least.
But now … there were other babies, both chronological and bigger ones, enjoying the exhibit, not to mention children and adults of many ages, and none of them seemed to be paying Junie any undue attention at all. June had seized up in fear for a moment, but now she relaxed. That old world was just a memory now.
“That’s right, Junie, the polar bear’s pretty neat, isn’t he?” asked Melanie, leaning down into her field of view, and it made her very happy to see her Mommy’s face, but June felt as if she could say some words.
“Ya! Bear neat Ma-ma!” Junie managed to reply. She’d been trying to say, “Yes, the bear is very neat, Mommy,” but that wasn’t exactly what came out. Her head was still full of pink cotton candy clouds that were gradually clearing, and every delightful baby sensation was right there and not going anywhere.
“I think it’s time to feed Baby Junie and get her a diapee change,” Melanie went on in a melodic sing-song voice that made Junie smile. “Then we can go look at the lions!”
“Yay wions!” June said as her mommy wheeled her stroller toward the designated baby feeding area, where women – and some men, equipped with prepared bottles – were feeding their babies of every age. When Melanie opened her top and one of her nursing bra’s cups, June was consciously very surprised at how natural it felt and how her instincts and habits just seemed to take over. It felt incredible. She managed not to think of how she was breastfeeding in public for the entire experience. It wasn’t until afterward that she realized what had just happened and how unusual it was compared to how the world used to be. And … she was very happy about being able to enjoy it without being self-conscious.
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Becky, Trina, Sally, and Angela all wound up back at June’s house and playpen after Junie and Angie had been brought back home from the zoo. Nana Pederson had brought new plushies for them to play with when they got back home. They were very cute, soft, and made the most wonderful squeaky noises when the girls squeezed them.
The plushies looked like some kind of mix of a squirrel, a ferret, a cat, and a rabbit all mixed together in the most precious way. Of course, none of the Babydolls noticed that as they got into a really fun plushy free for all using the new plushy as a battle weapon.
Beth, Melanie, and Nana Pederson watched with large smiles on their faces as the girls screeched and tumbled, showing off their ruffles. To be honest, it was hard not to show them off, since all five of them were in just a super thick diaper, plastic lined rumba panties, and matching booties.
Nana Pederson commented, “Now, that’s what I call cuteness overload.”
Beth said, “Yeah, let’s hope someone somewhere has invented a cuteness circuit breaker.” All three of the women laughed.
Melanie said, “I really wouldn’t know how to handle it if the cute circuit overloaded and burned out.”
Nana Pederson looked at Melanie for an instant before pointing a finger at her. “Now you just watch what you’re saying. If such a thing happened, it would be disastrous for all infantdom. I mean, for one thing, who ever heard of an infant that wasn’t cute? And for another, how would they obey Baby Rules without it?”
Beth and Melanie looked at each other for an instant before all three women burst out laughing.
Beth commented, “I can’t believe that one class on Baby Rules … and my adorable Babydoll came back to me the perfect mix. Even Angie admits she’s a toddler pretending to be an adult. The mix is so good and subtle, that’s what it actually seems like.”
Nana Pederson replied, “Sally is another one. Her mix is done perfectly. She can run a cosmically large corporation, and still be a toddler doing it. Many have thought that, because she looks and acts so much like a toddler, they can take advantage. They learn very quickly how smart and capable Sally truly is. She’s quite capable of using cuteness as a precision tool.”
Nana Pederson handed Melanie and Beth each a copy of a small thin book. Its title was Care and Technical Keeping of a Living Babydoll. She said, “I think this will give both of you a better understanding of how to take care of your Babydolls. I cannot impress upon you enough that it is a large responsibility. Another thought to impress on both of you: you are responsible for them for a very long time.”
Beth asked softly, “How long is a very long time?”
Nana Pederson smiled, “A lifetime.” With this, there was a bright blue-white flash, and Nana Pederson was gone.
In the playpen, Angie and Junie were similarly startled when Sally, Trina, and Becky also vanished in a flash. “Huh?” they said, looking at each other and at the spots where the other three had just been. And then surprise turned into sorrow and the vanishment of their friends.
“Waaaahhhhhh!” they both cried.
Of course, the first instinct of each of their Mommies was to go to her Babydoll and comfort her – and that was exactly what happened. “Oh, Sweetheart, it’s OK, they’re fine, Nana Pederson just had to go, so it was time for her babies to go too. Maybe they’ll come back to visit someday. Don’t worry, they’re OK.” Before either Babydoll knew it, she was in her Mommy’s arms being gently rocked, her hiney gently patted.
Beth whispered to Melanie, “How did they just disappear like that?”
“I have no idea,” Melanie whispered back. “What was that she said about a cosmically large corporation?”
Even after the plushie fight, the plushies still made cute noises when hugged, and Junie and Angie were soon sucking their pacifiers and cuddling their plushies. “Mommy,” asked Junie, “what dis critter called agains?”
“I think they call them Floppits, Honey,” said Melanie, “but that’s just what kind they are. You can name yours whatever you like.”
“These are the Floppy Floppits, though,” said Beth, mostly to Melanie. “They just squeak. But they had another kind that seemed almost alive. A lot more expensive, of course, so you wouldn’t want to use one of those in a plushie fight.”
“Wannit!” said Junie, overhearing. “Wanna Playmate Floppit!” Angie soon joined in with the whining.
“I think it would be kind of … difficult to get the girls to remember not to play rough with them now,” said Melanie.
“We’d have to carefully teach them to know the difference,” said Beth, “and most importantly, not get upset at them if they made a mistake and broke one of them by accident.”
A few minutes later the thing Angie wanted most in the world was a box of big crayons, while the thing Junie wanted most was a diaper change, so there wasn’t a rush to buying Playmate Floppit toys for them, and after a while, it was time for Angie and Beth to go home too.
Melanie watched the video Beth posted to social media about getting Angie into her car seat, which was adorable. “A lifetime,” Melanie said wistfully. She looked at June, happily chattering to her Floppy Floppit toy, and she felt her heart swell. June had been a good friend and roommate, but now … she was so much more.
June’s language had gradually been improving back toward the grown-up range, and her thought processes were reaching a wonderful mix of toddler and adult levels again, just as it had said in the rules that she and Melanie had signed, but her inner child was far closer to the surface, both due to the strange experience she’d had and because she no longer had to suppress her inner child in any way whatsoever.
“That was a wonderful visit with everyone, wasn’t it?” she was saying to her plushie. “You remember all of them, right? Angie, and Sally, and Becky and Trina too! They’re all such great friends, aren’t they? I hope we can all play together soon, but Mommy says it’s probably gonna be easier for Angie to come and visit than the others. She says they don’t live nearby like Beth and Angie do.”
Soon the clock said it was bedtime, according to Melanie. June found it interesting that she didn’t really care to look at the clock and read it herself – it just felt right to take Mommy’s word for it and not think about what the clock said herself. So June got a loving diaper change with lots of tickles and tummy raspberries and giggles, and she got put into her warm fuzzy jammies and tucked into her comfy crib with her pacifier and soft plushies.
The lights were out, the nightlight was on, and the mobile above her crib played its soft, soothing lullaby. And soon … she was dreaming happy dreams of playing with Floppits, which made friendly noises and were clearly having a good time.
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June’s tummy did not feel good the next day, and Melanie spent some time on the phone talking to people. Melanie started giving June spoonfuls of brightly-colored medicine that tasted horrible, then sweet, then horrible again, but then washed it down with a bottle of warm formula.
“Don’t worry your little head about it,” said Melanie. “It’s making your diapers extra yucky, but you’ll get better again soon if you take your medicine.”
Junie noticed that Mommy was putting her down for naps a lot more often, and frankly, she was tired more often too, so she didn’t fight it. She felt hot and didn’t like it. She cried a lot.
“Mommy, I think I might be sick,” said Junie. “I … wahhhhhhhhhh!” she cried helplessly as she made another yucky diaper for Melanie to change. “I’m sorry, Mommy …”
“It’s not your fault, Sweetheart,” said Melanie. “Your little body is just trying to get all the yucky stuff out so you can get better. And if it doesn’t get better soon we’ll just take you to the doctor.”
The doctor! June had a sudden flash of self-consciousness. What would an actual medical professional think of all this? Was this something the medical profession considered a healthy lifestyle? For one human being to be so dependent on another? Would she be put into some kind of therapy to make her baby side go away again? It also brought up another infant fear … the fear of needles. Of course, that was only the irrational part of her talking. Still, she hadn’t seen anything to indicate otherwise, even though she knew the world was somehow different now. But she still didn’t know how or why.
The next day June still did not feel good, so Melanie took her in to see a doctor. It was a small miracle that she’d actually gotten an appointment, but she’d actually tried to make the appointment the previous day, and she’d been willing to see any doctor at the clinic. She had actually managed to find a Doctor that specialized in Babydoll and infants of all ages care.
Normally she’d have insisted on a female doctor, but the only one with an appointment available today was a male doctor, a Dr. Morrison, whom Melanie had never met – he’d had a cancellation and could fit June in. She hoped June would be OK.
“I’ll need you to fill everything out,” said the receptionist at the office. June was asleep in her stroller, and Melanie took the forms she was handed, sat down, and started filling them in. Insurance, her name, patient name, relationship …
June woke up and groggily realized she was in the waiting room of a doctor’s office. “We’re … at the doctor, Mommy?” she asked, somewhat anxiously.
“That’s right, Sweetie,” said Melanie. “The doctor is gonna take a look at you and see what kind of medicine you need to make you all better.”
“But I’m … we’re …” She looked at the form Melanie was filling out, which she could barely see from her stroller. “You circled Babydoll for relationship …” she said. “Wait, there’s a Babydoll option on a medical form …?”
“Of course there is, Sweetie,” said Melanie, continuing with the forms. “There are plenty of Mommies and Daddies with Babydolls, after all.”
Junie didn’t know what she felt about that, but deep down, she felt very warm and happy and safe, if a bit uneasy, worrying that it could all somehow be taken away, like waking up from a happy dream to find out you had to go to work or class.
“Mommy, I don’t … oh nooooo!” She suddenly needed a diaper change very badly.
“Oh dear,” Melanie said. Signing the last of the forms, she took it to the receptionist, pulling June’s stroller along behind. “Is there a place where I can change my Babydoll’s diaper?”
“Yes, right down there,” the receptionist said, pointing toward a “Family Restroom” sign that had a diaper changing station symbol.
“Oh, thank you,” Melanie said. “Let’s get you all cleaned up, OK?”
“Mommyyyyyyy I don’t like that happening … I mean … being sick like that … in public …” complained June as her Mommy got her to the restroom door, unfastened her from the stroller, and helped her toddle inside.
“I know, Sweetie,” said Melanie as she changed June’s diaper and got her all cleaned up again. “It’s not your fault. You’re not only a Babydoll, you’re sick. And we’re here to get you all better.”
“I know, but …” June began, but then she just went to sucking on her pacifier. Nobody else seemed to remember the time before being a Babydoll was OK. Well, Angie did. Maybe there were a few others too. Maybe the Babydolls and other older baby types did. Maybe she should try to talk to more of them. She didn’t like the self-conscious feelings and the worries that it could all disappear again.
With a new fresh diaper on, it was back into the stroller for Junie, where she happily distracted herself with the hanging baby toys that dangled above her until it was time to see the doctor.
“June and Melanie?” asked a nurse.
The rest was remarkably like any doctor visit. “Let’s get you up onto the table, Sweetheart,” said the nurse. Melanie helped, and June was as wobbly on her feet as she always was now. “This one isn’t a big walker, is she?”
“Nope, only with Mommy’s help,” said Melanie.
“I see she’s dry,” the nurse said. “But that’s a pretty thick diaper. Just changed?”
“Yes, just after we got here. She’s been having pretty frequent diarrhea.”
“Oh dear, poor little sweetie,” said the nurse, patting June’s head in sympathy. “Let’s see if we can get you better quick, OK?”
“That would be just fine, thanks!” June replied.
“Oh, she’s a good talker!” said the nurse to Melanie. “Hi, Sweetie. I’m told your name’s Junie. I’m Melody. I’m a nurse. I help the doctors make people better.”
“I can tell you’re a good nurse,” said June, blushing.
“Well, I hear somebody’s not feeling well,” said a man’s voice, and an older man with gray hair entered, wearing a white coat. He looked just like any other doctor – navy pants and black shoes showed under the white coat, and he had a stethoscope around his neck. He carried a computer tablet. “Let’s see, which one of you is the Babydoll?” he asked, looking back and forth at Melanie and June. June was, after all, sitting there on the examination table in a onesie with a thick and obvious diaper under it, and her hair was up in ponytails with colorful plastic barrettes in it.
“It’s meeeeee,” giggled June. Melanie smiled.
Coming up to June, the doctor said, “Now, I hear someone isn’t feeling too well today. I’m Dr. Morrison, and I need you to help me fix that. Can you do that, Sweetheart?”
“Uh huh,” said Junie. This doctor was making her feel more like a baby than her Mommy did, somehow. He … was trained in taking care of Babydolls? Was that possible?
“OK, I’m gonna look in your throat now, so open real wide and say Ahhhh for me …” Junie did what Dr. Morrison said, while the nurse took her vital signs, all while keeping June well distracted with funny toys and jokes. When the examination was over, the doctor made some notes on his tablet and said, “OK, I’m gonna talk to your Mommy for a second.”
There was quiet conversation that June couldn’t make out. She felt somehow … right about being talked over like she was a child who didn’t need to know what was being said.
The doctor told Melanie that this was probably just a gastroenteritis infection, and June should be all right in another day or two as long as she got plenty of fluids and rest. He also said that as she’d been in close contact with her, Melanie would probably be coming down with it too, so she should take care of herself as well. Both of them should stay away from other people for a few days after they got better, too, to keep from passing it on. Meanwhile, there were some medications he could prescribe that could be delivered to them to help with the symptoms. “Now, it’s up to you to decide how much to tell June about this,” said Dr. Morrison. “Mommy-Babydoll relationships are all different, I know.”
“That’s true,” said Melanie quietly, “but June’s just as smart as any adult, although she acts more like a toddler pretending to be an adult. It’s how she wants it.”
“That’s how it is sometimes, I understand,” Dr. Morrison replied. “It’s fine. That should make it easier, though. Just tell her what I told you, and both of you take your medicine and get plenty of fluids and rest. But remember you can still pass it on for days after you feel better, so be careful with that.”
“Got it, thank you Doctor!” Melanie replied. So, they soon got June packed back into her stroller with a lollipop for being a good girl, and they headed back home to find a package from the pharmacy waiting for them.
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A few days after Melanie and June got better, Beth brought Angie over to play with June. “OK, Babydolls,” explained Beth, holding up one of the adorable Floppy Floppit plushies, “This particular plushie is just that. All filled with fluff and a squeaker.”
Melanie showed the Babydolls an image on her tablet and added, “This is more than a doll and is very expensive. You can have a plushie fight with the one Beth is holding, but with this one you can’t. It will be easy to tell the difference.”
Angie and Junie looked at each other with an expression of worry.
”Buh Mommy …” started June but was interrupted as a seeming hole appeared in the floor of the playpen. Everyone stared in silence at the sudden strange phenomenon.
To Melanie and Beth’s total shock, a real live Floppit popped out of the hole, sat on his hind legs, and wiggled its nose at them before diving back into the hole, which vanished as if it had never been.
Melanie was the first to break the silence. She pointed and asked in amazement, “That … that was a real one.”
Beth replied, “They’re more adorable in real life than the dolls.”
Melanie said, “How did it make a hole in the playpen? Even bigger question, how’d it make the hole vanish?”
June and Angela were patting where the hole had been. The playpen floor was as solid as if there had never been a hole. “Huh?” they said to each other.
Beth commented, “Ya know? If the real thing is what we just got a glimpse of, I’m not so sure the Babydolls would be able to hurt it.”
Melanie asked, “How do you figure that?”
Beth replied, “I just saw. It came and went in a flash. I know it’s fast enough to stay out of the way, and I’m sure it wont allow them to hurt it.”
Angela and June stood up using the playpen rails and started bouncing up and down, “Pwease, Mommy, ken we hasa Floppit fora pet?” they said in unison.
Melanie replied, “If you girls will realize it’s alive and not a toy. You will have to take care of it and feed it. But … I know how to get Floppit smart toys and plushies, I have no idea where to find a real Floppit.”
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At the BOAA store the next day, the nice boy behind the counter said, “Well, I’m sorry, I don’t know how your adorable Babydolls can get a real live Floppit to play with … but I do know they exist. I’ve seen them. For real.”
“Uh huh,” said his female coworker, patting his bottom. “Come on, Mikey, it’s time for a change. Folks, Stephanie here will help you.”
“But Hannahhhhhh,” said Mikey, being dragged away by one strap of his overalls.
“Hi, folks!” said a girl whose nametag read “Stephanie.” She was dressed in a really cute babydoll dress and rumba panties. “I don’t know how to get a real live Floppit either – they’re smart and can talk and all, so they probably just pop up whenever they wanna – but we’ve got the next best thing!” She ushered them over to a demonstration play area. “Here’s a Playmate Floppit,” she said, taking a motionless Floppit off a shelf and setting it on the play mat. She pushed a button on a remote … and what had looked like a Floppit statue came suddenly to life. It looked around enthusiastically, taking in its surroundings.
“Ooo hi Steffie!” it said. “Who is these nice peoples? Any of ‘em babies? I bet the ones in tha strollers is babies. Can I play wif ‘em pwease pwease?”
“Hi Ginger,” said Stephanie. “Now I know we don’t want to assume anything, so …” She turned to Melanie and said, “How about you introduce your baby to Ginger first? You can be next,” she added to Beth.
“Well, hi, Ginger,” said Melanie to the Floppit, who was frisking around the play area close to June’s stroller but wasn’t leaving its boundaries. “I’m Melanie, and this is my baby, Junie. Junie, that’s Ginger. He or she is a Playmate Floppit. I know they look very real, but Ginger’s a toy.”
“Am real!” said Ginger. “OK. Amma real toy. But am real! Hi Junie! Can Junie play wif me? Is OK? Yes?” Ginger looked expectantly up at Melanie.
“Hi Ginger,” Beth said, “I’m Beth, and this is my baby Angie. Angie, can you say hi to Ginger?”
“Oooo hi Ginger,” said Angie.
“Mommy Mommy can I play wif Ginger pwease pwease pweeeeease?” Junie was clamoring, wiggling in her stroller and trying to get out.
Giggling, Melanie said, “OK, hold still for a second, let me get you out …” Junie held still only with great difficulty but was then allowed into the play area, shortly followed by Angie. Ginger ran quickly around Junie and then Angie, making the girls giggle as they tried to watch the Floppit’s fluid movements.
“That’s amazing,” said Melanie to Stephanie. “It looks so real! How does it even move like that?”
“It’s a mystery to me too,” Stephanie said. “It’s high tech wizardry to me. I tell you, BOAA hired this really smart baby to head the inventions division, and ever since, there’s been all kinds of super tech stuff showing up on the shelves. I keep hearing about more things that sound amazing but haven’t made it to market yet. I hear she’s completely reinvented the invention process itself. It’s crazy, what is even happening?”
Ginger had established that both Junie and Angie liked hugs and was cuddling with one of them, then the other, making sure they took turns. And more than once, Melanie and Beth both noticed, one of the Babydolls tried to seize the Floppit out of turn, and it easily slipped from their grasp as if they’d tried to grab water. If it wasn’t your turn, you weren’t hugging the Floppit, and that was that.
“I’d be worried June would never stop playing with it if I got her one,” said Melanie.
“You can set playtime limits,” Stephanie said. “When playtime is over, your Floppit will tell your baby that it’s time to stop for now. They’re very smart.”
Giggles and shrieks were coming from the play area, as Ginger had learned that Junie liked tickles … and Junie had learned that Ginger did too.
“OK, I’m sold,” said Beth. “This thing is the ultimate toy. I … think I’ve seen a real Floppit, and I couldn’t tell this apart from it. Floppits are real, right?”
Hannah and Mikey were coming back, presumably from the staff changing room, and Stephanie whispered to Beth, “Yeah they are, but Hannah doesn’t believe in ‘em. Mikey does, though.”
“Now, Junie,” said Melanie, “you can pick one Playmate Floppit, so which one do you want?” There was a whole shelf full of them, their photos on their boxes, each one with different fur colors and patterns.
“Oooo that one that one!” said June, pointing at one that was a bright red color like her hair.
“This one’s a girl and is named Celeste,” said Melanie, reading the box. “You sure? It says here that Celeste is going to always be bugging you for hugs and cuddles.” The box didn’t actually say that; Melanie was making that up.
“But … but I wove hugs n cuddles!” protested Junie.
“Well, then that’s fine, right?” Melanie asked with a grin. “But what if she tickles you?”
“Mommyyyyyy!” June complained, knowing when she was being teased.
Meanwhile, Beth had fixated on a very light-colored blond and white one. “This one says he’s a boy and his name is Topaz.”
“He soooo cute an’ pwetty!” said Angie.
“But he’s a boy!” said Beth. “Boys are icky!”
“Not dis one!” Angie protested. “An’ boys not all icky.”
“What? They’re not?” asked Beth, teasing her.
“Not ALLLLL of ‘em,” said Angie. Beth giggled.
So Angie ended up with a white and blond smart Floppit toy named Topaz, while June got a reddish one named Celeste. “We’ll have to bring them together soon so they can meet each other,” Melanie said to Beth.
“That’s gonna be a wild ride,” Beth replied.
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Melanie watched from the hall as Junie and Celeste played in the playpen. The toy moved and reacted so naturally it was hard to tell if it was real. Of course, Celeste had learned fast that Junie Babydoll was seriously ticklish and had on several occasions tickled her until she wet her diaper. Both of them giggled a lot about it, Celeste with her odd furry voice and Junie with her adorable little giggle.
Junie reacted like any toddler under those circumstances; she just ignored the warm wetness and continued playing until Celeste stopped the game and literally checked Junie’s diaper. Melanie was amazed as she watched this toy, seemingly smaller than Junie, not only remove Junie’s wet and messy diaper, but also did a professional job of cleaning her up before rediapering her and putting the plastic lined rumba panties back on. It was amazing.
Once the process had completed, Junie sat in the playpen and sucked her thumb thoughtfully. In her infantile thought processes she was truly amazed that her newest toy could do all of that without even being asked. Those BOAA babies were super amazingly smart.
Junie also began to have serious baby thoughts that this wasn’t a toy after all, but some kind of real living creature. But that was silly. Mommy had to plug Celeste in at night. She’d seen her do it. She was just a really good robot. But that didn’t mean Junie couldn’t love her.
The next day, Junie picked Celeste up, hugged her lovingly, and asked, “Ceweste … is you … real?”
“Am real Playmate Floppit!” Celeste replied. “Not ‘maginary!” She giggled.
“But … you know what Junie mean,” she said. “Not real live actual factual Floppit.”
Celeste blinked her large eyes and replied, “Ooo, you knows there is real Floppits? You seened ‘em?”
Junie nodded. “Uh huh,” she said. “Angie n me seed one … came outta hole inna floor … then pop right back in … an’ no more hole! Disappear! We stare like this!” She opened her eyes wide.
“Wow!” said Celeste. “You lucky! But you tell me you meeted Nana Pederson n Becky n Trina. An’ Miss Sallys! You arready lucky!”
Junie paused for a moment and said softly, “Can … can … isit possebuls for me ta meetsa real live Floppit?”
Celeste giggled and replied, “Course it is. You kinda already dids. No sure why no more come ta visit yet. Just keeps ur eyes open an’ am sures one’ll show up. Awways do. Floppits love babies.”
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Across town, Babydoll Angie was having a wonderful time pretending to have a tea party with her Floppit smart toy. Beth watched from another room as the toy flopped, rolled, jumped, giggled, and told many wonderful children's stories. “And that’s how come the sea is all salty!” said Topaz as Angie clapped for him.
Without warning, and almost without a sound, a hole appeared in the floor of the playpen and two more adorable Floppits hopped out and sat on their hind legs and wiggled their noses. The hole vanished behind them and left no indication it had ever been there.
Topaz stopped moving for an instant, then came down with a case of the zoomies as he dashed all around the playpen.
One of the Floppits waved and said in baby babble, “Hi, I’m Digger, an’ this here is Tickle.” Digger’s voice was kind of like Topaz’s … or was it the other way around? Angie figured that if Floppits were real, the toy ones’ voices must have been made to sound like the real ones.
Topaz stopped right in front of Digger and said, “Hi! Imma smart toy. My name’s Topaz, an’ I can tells ya that Angie lovesa be tickleded.” He turned and winked conspiratorially at Angie.
Angela’s eyes grew large as the two new Floppits and the smart toy all turned and looked at her. All Angela had time to do was let out a large screech of glee before the three hopped on her and began tickling away. Angela didn’t have the presence of mind to realize it, but the three of them knew exactly where her most ticklish spots were. There was a lot of squeaking and giggling.
Beth arrived in the playroom quickly after she heard the screech while the playful tussling continued. By the time Beth had gotten to the rails of the playpen, it was obvious to her that Angela was in no danger and was actually having the time of her life. But where had these other creatures come from, how had they gotten here, and why were they here? And would she get a chance to ask?
After the giggling subsided, Topaz asked, “Scuse me, Mommy Beth? Can change Baby Angie’s diaper if you bring tha diaper bag over here. She … kinda wet for some reason.” The Floppits all giggled, the two real ones and the toy one. Tickle’s voice was a bit higher than Topaz’s and Diggers; Angie and Beth both separately guessed that Tickle was a girl.
Beth picked up the diaper bag, full of fresh diapers and changing supplies, and brought it over to the playpen. “Here you go, and thanks, Topaz … umm … while you do that, can I meet the other two?”
“Sure! Mommy Beth, this is Digger and that’s Tickle, and Digger and Tickle, that’s Angie’s Mommy, Beth.” Topaz started quickly changing Angie’s diaper, getting her all fresh and clean.
“Hi!” said Tickle.
“Hi!” said Digger, at almost the same time.
“Well hello, aren’t you adorable?” said Beth, and they both giggled. “Can you just … pop in whenever and wherever?”
“Some of us can,” said Digger.
“Some of us just kinda tag along,” said Tickle. “Some of us can does stuff other Floppits can’t does.”
“Oh, you’ve all got special talents, like some of us can sing and some of us can’t,” said Beth.
“Yeah, some of us real good at singins and other ones … not,” said Tickle, looking at Digger and giggling. Digger blushed and giggled too.
“Amazing,” said Beth. “I … I wanted to know … why you’re here …”
“Becky ‘n Trina telled us ‘bout you!” said Digger.
“Well,” added Tickle … “‘bout Angie.”
“Angie’s fwiend Junie actually,” Digger added.
“She gotsa special thing she can do,” Tickle added.
“Not sure she know it,” Digger went on.
“She a ‘Memberer,” Tickle sort-of-explained.
“June’s a … Rememberer?” asked Beth.
“Yea!” said Digger. “Oh lookie, Angie’s all changed!”
“Thankoo Topaz,” said Beth.
“No pwoblems, is what happen when Floppits tickle babies!” Topaz replied.
“Know what Floppits is also good at?” asked Tickle.
“What??” asked Angie.
“Cuddles!” all three Floppits said at once, and Angie got a triple Floppit cuddle.
“Rememberer?” asked Beth, but the moment had apparently passed, and she got no answers. Angie had gotten so much tickling that the cuddles made her sleepy quickly, and as soon as she was napping, the two live Floppits whooshed into another hole that appeared out of nowhere and vanished just as quickly.
“Well … that was confusing, but also adorable,” said Beth quietly. “You wouldn’t happen to know what a Rememberer is, would you, Topaz?”
“No ideez,” Topaz whispered, trying not to wake up Angie.
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“A ‘Rememberer?’” asked Melanie on the phone. “What’s that even mean? No, I haven’t noticed that she’s got a better memory than anyone else … she forgets to eat her vegetables pretty often.” June overheard and stuck her tongue out at Melanie. “Hey, mind your manners, little Missy,” Melanie giggled at her. “Well, that’s neat that more Floppits came to visit you … I think Junie wishes they’d come see her.”
“Yeah!” added June from the playpen.
“I hope they will,” Melanie said. “Yeah, say hi to Angie and tell her she’s cute. Of course I think she’s cute! No, I don’t want to steal her. Because she just is! I just want her to know it. It’s important. OK, I will. Anyway, bye!”
“What she say?” asked June. “What she say?”
“She said you’re cute too,” said Melanie.
“Aww!” June said, blushing and grinning.
“When you’re not poopy.”
“Hey!” June said, blushing but not grinning.
“I’m just kidding, it happens to babies, it’s just a fact,” said Melanie.
“What was that about not eating my vegetables?” June asked.
“You’re a Rememberer, the Floppits said when they came to visit Angie and Beth,” said Melanie. “But they didn’t explain what that meant. They said every Floppit has things they’re good at, but they’re all good at different things. Like I can draw pretty well. But they said you’re a Rememberer.”
“I can draw pretty good too!” said Junie.
“You can! Look at all your drawings I’ve put on the fridge!”
“Rememberer … I wonder …” said June, thinking.
“What do you think?”
“Not sure,” June replied. “I hope I meet some more Floppits soon. Gonna ask ‘em somethin’.”
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Melanie and Beth drove themselves to distraction as they searched the Internet for exactly what a Floppit was. They found many references and descriptions of all the different types of Floppit smart toys – apparently there was a huge variety of them made, each with a slightly different personality and appearance – but nothing about anything living that might resemble one, except for a few stories where somebody said somebody they met once said they’d seen one.
The other thing they spent hours looking for was what a Rememberer might be. Out of all the many hundreds of possibilities, the only factual thing they discovered on this particular topic were people endowed with a photographic memory, which both Melanie and Beth knew Junie didn’t possess. Or at the very least she’d never shown any type of inclination.
Finally, Melanie banged her fist on the computer desk in frustration. “This is going nowhere. We spent all morning searching for what appears to be a needle in a haystack.”
Beth nodded as she laid her head down on her arms and sighed loudly. Suddenly she sat up and snapped her fingers. “Wait a minute.”
Melanie looked at Beth and asked excitedly, “You find something or think of something we missed?”
Beth replied, “Yeah, I realized we’d never even heard of a Floppit until we visited Babies of All Ages at the mall.”
Melanie’s eyes widened in realization. “You’re right. It would seem to me that would be the next place we should look.”
The two women agreed and dressed their Babydolls as adorably as they could. Both Babydolls were dressed in just a super thick BOAA crawly diaper, a pair of purple plastic lined rumba panties and an adorable flutter top. After packing the diaper bags and strapping the two infants into the new tandem stroller, they were off.
It didn’t take long before the both of them entered BOAA. Immediately after they had entered, an extremely adorable young woman dressed in the cutest lacy snuggle bug romper bounced up like the toddler she appeared to be and asked in a cute voice, “Can I hep yas? Can shows ya tonsa stuffs make enny Babydoll happy.”
Beth and Melanie smiled as Melanie asked, “Would you have any information of what a Floppit really is? I don’t mean the smart toy. Also, would you know what a Rememberer might be?”
The Babydoll attendant's face took on an expression of wonder. “Is ya sure ya wanna knows whatta real Floppit is an’ where it come from?”
Beth replied, “Yes, I really want to know. You see, we have seen an actual living Floppit. Two, actually. But they didn’t stick around.”
The Babydoll attendant’s eyes got large. “Ooo, you actually seed ‘em?”
Melanie replied, “Not only have we seen them, they burrowed into my Babydoll’s playpen and filled the hole they popped out of like it never existed. Then they gave her a good tickling. There was a lot of giggling.”
The Babydoll attendant said, “Come thisaways. Baby gots sompn’a shows you.”
Beth and Melanie followed the adorable toddling attendant to a long back wall that was filled with books. The attendant pushed a step stool up to the shelving, stood on top of it on her tippy toes, and retrieved a volume on the top shelf. June and Angela were falling asleep in their stroller.
Once she had the book in hand, she climbed down from the step stool and handed the large heavy volume to Beth, who almost dropped it due to how unexpectedly heavy it turned out to be.
Beth and Melanie’s eyes grew large in surprise at the title. It said, in large gold letters, History of Infantus.
Melanie said in a soft amazed whisper, “Infantus? What’s that? Or who? Or where?”
The Babydoll attendant giggled, then replied, “Is where tha Floppits comes from and lives. Auntie ‘Sephonie cares for ‘em an alla babies, an’ that’s tha infants play planet all just for Babies of all sizes an ages.”
“Wait,” said Melanie, “you’re trying to tell us that Babies of all Ages … is from another planet? That’s gotta be some kind of story. Some kind of marketing gimmick. An ARG.”
“I dunno,” said the attendant, shrugging cutely. “Is what they tells us. Maybe real … maybe not? But it say tha Floppits are from planet Infantus.”
Beth had been paging through the huge book. It looked as if it were handwritten by a master calligrapher and had many artistic drawings. She stopped when she found a drawing that was clearly a depiction of a Floppit, standing up sinuously on its hind legs and looking at the viewer curiously with its adorably large eyes. “The Floppit is a furry, warm-blooded species native to Infantus,” said Beth, reading aloud. “Colonies of them live in underground warrens all over the world. They are friendly, curious, and playful, and quite intelligent. Some have learned to speak the languages of other races, but all Floppits can understand babies of any species, age, and size, and the babies, interestingly, can understand any Floppit. It appears that each Floppit has some sort of unique gift or ability that is never quite the same as that of any other Floppit. Floppits are often named after this talent or ability. Floppit warrens appear to be loosely governed by the oldest living member of the warren or an elder council …” She paged through the book some more.
“So … even if we believe this,” said Melanie, “that’s some other planet. What would they be doing on Earth? And how would they get to Earth? Are there … spaceships that give them rides? We saw Nana Pederson and the rest just vanish … maybe there are people who can just zap them from one world to another. Or … it says they’re intelligent; do they know how to build spaceships?”
“Uh … dunno?” the attendant said. “Guess somma them could … says each one gotsa special talent. Maybe makin’ spaceships is their talent?”
“Or maybe making portals through space,” Beth added, pointing at a chapter of the book called “Rise of the Floppits.” “Says here they came to a planet called Earth to help the babies and Babydolls there.”
“Help the babies and Babydolls?” asked Melanie. “Why? Did they need help?”
Beth frowned and said, “I don’t recall their needing help. How long ago was this? It doesn’t really say.”
June and Angela started making adorable snoring noises in their stroller, which got Beth and Melanie’s attention, and both of them burst into laughter when the two Babydolls’ snores woke each other up simultaneously. “Huh? Wha?” said Junie.
“You are too cute and funny,” said Beth. “Look, Junie, it’s a picture of a Floppit in this storybook.” She held the heavy book up as best she could to show June.
“Oooo, stowybook ‘bout Floppits,” said June. “Can we gets it Mommy?”
“Is it for sale?” Melanie asked the attendant. They started discussing it.
“See, girls,” Beth said, showing them the page, “this says ‘Rise of the Floppits.’ It says the Floppits come from Infantus and came to Earth to help the babies and Babydolls.”
“Yeah,” said June, “that’s when people started ta unnerstand that other people could be babies, an’ Babydolls, even ones whose bodies were big.”
Beth blinked. “That … wasn’t always true?”
“No,” June replied. “It usedta be that people thought real bad things ‘bout tha Adult Babies n stuffs. So they hadda hide ‘n pretend they were regular normal ‘dults. No way ta be a big baby ‘cept in super secret private places.”
“Don’t ‘member that at all,” said Angie, “cept … maybe kinda …?”
“Come on!” said June, getting frustrated. “All happened justa few years ago! Why comes nobody blieves me?”
“Wait,” said Beth. “Junie. This book believes you. And … just a minute. You remember something nobody else does. You remember. You’re a Rememberer. This has got to be what that means!”
“Huh? That’s what the Floppits meaned?” June asked.
Melanie turned around. “What? June? There’s something you remember?” It turned out there wasn’t a record for the book in the store’s computer system, so there was no price for the attendant to look up.
“So … most peoples no ‘member the time bfore?” asked June. “Cept for me an’ … maby other ‘Memberers? Why comes?”
“I … guess?” the attendant said, shrugging again in confusion. “I jus’ works here. Can asks ‘bout that when I asks ‘bout tha book price.”
“I don’ gets it,” said Angie.
“Me neither,” June added.
“The Floppits … changed the world to be more accepting of Babydolls?” asked Melanie. “But I’ve always been accepting of you, June.”
“Umm,” June said uncomfortably. “Not weally. When we first moved in togevver … you saw alla my plushies an’ toys an’ said it was weird an’ I needed ta grows up. An’ my fwiend Max, usedta come over an’ watch cartoons, you acc’dentally saw his pacifier an’ said he some kinda weirdo an’ you didn’t want him comin’ overs anymore.”
“I what?” said Melanie, shocked. “But … I never said those things! I never did that! Or … I don’t … remember … why would I think those things about Max … or … about you?” Melanie started to cry. “Poor Max! … He was your friend and I made you not see him anymore …”
“I … hope I never did things like that …” said Beth. “But … I wonder if I did …” She was pale as she thought of what she might have done that she didn’t now remember.
The attendant returned, looking rather surprised and serious. She held a piece of parchment paper edged in metallic pink trim. “I … just calleded in to tha office … an’ this just appeared on tha desk in fronta me – poof!” she said. She held it up. There was writing on it, in the same calligraphic style as the History of Infantus book. They could have been written by the same person.
Melanie read it aloud. “If we want things to stay better, there must be some who remember when they were worse.”
“What’s onna back here?” the attendant asked, turning the page over. “Oh, gots tha pwice of tha book.” She told Melanie what it was.
“So … this is like ‘Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it?’” wondered Beth.
“Something like that,” said Melanie.
“Why me, though?” June asked. But nobody knew.
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Several weeks had passed and Melanie nor Beth had come up with any way to meet another living Floppit. The doting mommies watched their adorable Babydolls as they played with their Floppit smart toys. Both women sat as the joyful screeches and giggles filled the room. It amazed them to no end how smart the Floppit toys truly were. Not only did they babysit perfectly, they could feed, change, and tell marvelous stories that seemingly enthralled the two Babydolls.
Beth commented, “Those smart toys make very good babysitters.”
Melanie replied, “I agree. The only issue I have with it is that the basic electronics and the operant AI are currently beyond our abilities.”
Beth said, “You mean … human abilities? I guess that would make sense … from what that book said, Babies of All Ages and Floppits themselves come from another world, and we don’t have a clue where it is.”
Celeste and Topaz suddenly stopped what they were doing and looked at Melanie and Beth. They stood on their hind legs for a minute and wiggled their noses before they both said at the same time, “No bes feareded, but a visitor is comin ta sees ya and gots presents for tha Babydolls.”
Melanie asked with surprise obvious on her face, “Who’s coming, and what kind of gift?”
Celeste giggled, “Sommun that’ll really takes ur breaf aways.”
Topaz added, “Anna gif is sompin your sure ta wants.”
Without warning, a bright blue-white flash happened. Standing there was a very beautiful young woman dressed in a white gossamer gown bordered in gold. In her arms were the cutest and most adorable baby Floppits.
The woman smiled a beautiful smile and said softly, “I have come to understand that there are two Babydolls who really want to have live Floppit friends.” She walked to the playpen with Angie, Junie, Topaz, and Celeste. She bent over the top rail and placed two of the cutest infant Floppits in front of the Babydolls. They wiggled and squeaked adorably, looking at everybody with their big eyes.
Angie and Junie gasped as one of the infant Floppits said in perfect baby babble, “Hi, ken we bes fwens? My name’s Amethyst. It pointed to the other, “An his name is Flashback cuza what he can does.”
Junie reached over and scratched behind Flashback’s ear, “Baby gonna calls ya Flash. Umm … why comes ya calleded Flashback?”
The cute little Floppit replied , “Cuz, I can does this …”
Suddenly, Angie experienced a waking real dream about an incident when she was experiencing involuntary diaper usage for the first time. The real-time hallucination passed, and all was as it was to begin with.
Flash said with a giggle, “I can makes people remembers things an’ makes it seems real.”
“Whoa!” said Angie, amazed. “Does you do somepin cool too, Amethyst?”
“Dunnos,” Amethyst said, a little sadly. “Am jus called that ‘cause I gotsa purple spot.” Indeed, she did have a spot of deep purplish fur right in the middle of her otherwise white back. It did look like she wore some sort of amethyst decoration.
“No worries, li’l one!” said Celeste. “Alla Floppits gotsa special thing they can does! Some no ‘scover it till they all growed up!”
“But whatif … whatif is havina purple spot?” Amethyst almost cried.
“Awwwww no worrys!” said Junie, softly petting Amethyst. “I awweady woves you!”
The young woman in white and gold gently said, “These two poor little Floppits are orphans – something unfortunate happened to their parents. Everyone is very sad. They will be happy to hear that some loving humans have taken them in.”
Thinking practically, Melanie said, “I … have no idea how to raise baby Floppits …”
“Try not to worry,” said the young woman. “You already have access to all the information you’ll need to know, because all Playmate Floppits are fully programmed with complete information about the care of real Floppits. Just ask them.”
“Ooo Celeste you knows how to be a Floppit Mommy?” asked Junie.
“Yea!” Celeste said. “They likes fruits ‘n veggies ‘n nuts. But these is baby ones so they needs milk. I … knows a recipe to make Floppit baby formula! Needs milk ‘n some honey ‘n a coupla vitamins. Is easy peasy.” The recipe appeared in the air next to her, printed in glowing blue letters by Celeste’s built-in holo projector.
“Wow!” said Beth. “OK, these guys were expensive, but now I’m starting to think we got way more than our money’s worth.”
“Oooo you can makes blue lights!” said Amethyst. Suddenly the purple spot on her back lit up, and there were purple squiggly lines in the air around her. “Ooo, purple lighty thingies!” She tried to grab for them, but her paws just went right through them. “Aww, they just lights.”
“Ammathist!” said Junie. “You maked purple lights!”
The lights went away. “I … dids?” she asked, startled.
“Yea!” said Beth. “The purple spot on your back! It lighted up!”
“Wha?” wondered Amethyst. “How I …” The purple spot lit up again, and now there was an orb of purple light floating in the air in front of her tiny face. “Ooooo …” Amethyst played with making it move around, change shape, and run away when she chased it, squeaking and giggling all the while.
“Guess we know what Amethyst can do now,” said Beth. “I bet she can make any image she likes, as long as it’s purple. I really don’t know what to make of all this. I’m like … way beyond knowing what my life is now.”
Melanie replied, “I know … things are so crazy.”
“You won’t be alone or without help,” said the woman in white and gold. “If you accept this responsibility, you will have support.”
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Later that day as Beth and Melanie watched their precious babydolls screech, tumble, show off their ruffles, and giggle a lot as they played with their new infant Floppit pets along with their Floppit smart toys, they began to wonder about the amazing way they had seen the woman come and go. The exact same way Nana Pederson, Sally, Trina, and Becky had vanished.
The woman who had appeared was beautiful beyond their meager attempted descriptions of her. Melanie sat at the computer and did as much research on BOAA as she could while Beth added as many suggestions as possible to the search.
The many myriads of clothes, adorable infant items, toys for infants of all sizes and ages, a full library of binaural mind entrainment regression disks including custom made ones to order, and even transgender services that were available to go either direction. There was one item that sparked their imaginations called a babylator. According to the item descriptions, it translated baby babble into adult language and vice versa. This was incredible.
A page opened that gave limited data on the president and vice president of BOAA. Now the comment about running a cosmically large corporation made sense when the very adorable picture of Sally Stevens came up with the title of vice president.
Both women’s mouths fell open. That adorable Babydoll who had spent all that time playing with Junie and Angela was in fact second in command of all of BOAA and performed her function to perfection. The data on the page described the overwhelming shock to those who thought they could take advantage of her, only to discover suddenly that it was she who had taken great advantage of them without their even realizing it until it was too late to do anything about it.
The picture of the president made them wonder, as it was the image of the woman who had magically appeared with the two adorable infant Floppits and just as mysteriously vanished once Beth and Melanie had joyfully accepted the privilege of raising two live Floppits. Neither woman was sure that calling them pets was appropriate, since even as babies, Floppits were incredibly smart and could apparently talk – though it was babytalk. Floppits might have been more intelligent than humans.
No matter how many different search terms they looked for, the only real data on Persephone Pandemos was that she was president of the entire corporation, but no other pertinent data was found. Persephone was still a complete mystery.
Searching for Floppits brought up a wide variety of plushies and smart toys. The smart toys were described as a mother’s best helper. There was a wide variety of some type of robotic infant caregiver called a Nanabot, along with something called a companion doll that could perform all the necessary functions of any professional nana and still be a toddler babydoll.
Beth commented as the next page of data came up, “Best I can tell, the woman who brought us those infant Floppits is named Persephone.”
Just on a whim, Beth typed into the search bar, “who is Persephone.” The response, along with several hundred thousand links, referenced Greek mythology. According to myth, Persephone was either the daughter of Zeus, god of thunder and the sky, and Demeter, goddess of fertility and the harvest, or the daughter of Ares, the god of war, and Aphrodite, the goddess of love. Another link led them to an in-depth discussion of Eros, also called Cupid, who was also the firstborn son of Ares and Aphrodite.
Melanie commented, “I see that in mythology, Persephone had a brother, who never was able to be potty trained – or at least he’s always depicted wearing a diaper. He was also given the task of causing people to fall in love.”
Beth replied, “Yeah, and create more babies.”
Melanie shrugged. “As long as my baby is happy, it looks like that bill was filled.”
They both laughed. Beth replied “Yeah, seems we’ve discovered a secret conspiracy to make as many infants of all ages as possible.”
That was when their computer made a noise they’d never heard before. An amazing kaleidoscopic burst of colors spread across the screen. When the image solidified, they were observing a beautiful world from orbit that was more than obviously not Earth. The title of the data stream read, “The World of Infantus.”
The huge data stream described an entire biosphere dedicated to the care and safe keeping of infants, toddlers, littles, and babydolls of all species, genders, and ages. There were references to other manuscripts such as “Dawn of Infantus” and one titled, “Legend of Infantus.”
That link led them to discovering that Trina and Becky were Persephone’s daughters and were known as the Little Sister Cherubs. The two women’s eyes hurt from how large they became at this startling discovery.
“I just … can’t wrap my head around this,” said Melanie.
“Is super simple, Mommy,” said June. “Specially now I unnerstand bout tha Floppits. They makes babies … babies. Was lots babies on Earth in tha time afore they thought they growedups. They hide it from themselfs. An there was lots babies that knowed they babies, but they hided it from everybody else. Then … lots Floppits comed here fwom Infantus an’ make it aww betters. Now babies kenbes babies an’ tha other peoples no scareda ‘em or hate ‘em. But Infantus … it been round fora long long time. Is home of Persephone. She kinda maked it what it is. ‘Cept there was already Floppits there afore she finded it. Or she kinda maked it a good home for tha Floppits ‘n they comed to be. Time kinda … mixed up there.”
“Infantus is a planet of babies?” asked Beth.
“Noooooo but it a planet that gots lotsa babies,” said Angela to her Mommy. “It gots babies ‘n growdups ‘n everthin … but is like … I dunno … babies from all over tha galaxy come there?”
“It’s Space Las Vegas for Babydolls?” asked Melanie, making everyone else giggle.
“Sorta kinda?” replied June once she was done giggling. “But … guess most people on Earth dunno ‘bouts it … guess Miss Persephone no think Earth ready to know there is other planets out there wif peoples onnem yet. Just a few on Earth know … and they all babies or Babydolls, or Mommies or Daddies or Nanas of ‘em.”
“Can we visits Infantus?” asked Angela. “Can we can we?”
“Sounds like that would be up to Persephone, Sally, Nana Pederson, and the rest,” said Beth. “I mean, we’ve only got rocket ships that can go into orbit … maybe the Moon. Maybe Mars, someday. Sounds like Infantus is somewhere across the galaxy. We’d need help from someone who knew how to travel in space really fast and far.”
“Or Floppits,” June said. “Not all of ‘em can make holes that go across space, though. Some can.”
“I have a question, though,” said Melanie. “What would we do if we went there? It seems instead that they sort of want us to make a little patch of Infantus here. Just you two and us two.” She pointed at Angie and Beth, then herself and June.
“There more babies ‘n their Mommies and Daddies here tho!” said June. “Not just us! They makin’ their own lil Infantus too …”
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Melanie and Beth agreed that they both harbored a desire to visit Infantus, although they weren’t sure what they would do if they went there and thought perhaps the goal was to make their own little patch of Infantus together with their Babydolls – because how could they do that without ever visiting the real thing? The only issue was how to ask. Those strawberry pink flip phones had somehow vanished after Junie and Angela had accepted Baby Rules, so that option wasn’t available.
Beth commented, “If I recall, there’s a Floppit named … ummm, hummm … Digger or something of the sort. He seems to be able to make portals through space as easily as digging a hole.”
Melanie nodded, “I remember, I also remember we have no way of contacting any of them.”
Beth looked over at the large playpen. The infant Floppits were playing peek-a-boo with the Babydolls. She said softly, “There may be a way,” as she looked Amethyst over, taking notice of her spot.
Melanie asked with an expression of curiosity, “How can we possibly get a message to them? The only way that comes to mind is BOAA, the same way we did it last time.”
Beth replied, “I’m thinking of Amethyst. She makes images out of purple light. That makes me think of ultraviolet. But that’s still light, and still travels at the speed of light, so it would still take years to get to even the nearest other star … but I’m just getting a gut feeling.”
“Let’s just ask her,” said Melanie. She walked to the playpen, gently picked up the infant Floppit, and asked her, “Hi, Amethyst! Can you contact other Floppits?”
Amethyst nodded adorably, “Yups, shur ken!”
Melanie asked, “Can you, somehow, contact someone that could perhaps … take us to Infantus?”
Amethyst nodded until her long floppy ears flopped in a most cute way. “Is easy! Can make purple pitchers anywhere.”
“Wait, anywhere?” asked Beth.
The little Floppit nodded again. “Yups! Make pitchers on Infantus, here, anywheres!”
Melanie blinked and asked, “You mean … at the same time?” Amethyst nodded again. “You think of them now, and the pictures appear on Infantus now?” Once again, the infant Floppit nodded, and her ears flopped.
Beth said, “That’s … information traveling faster than light. That’s not supposed to be possible.”
“Must have something to do with how their abilities work,” said Melanie, “but I couldn’t begin to guess how.”
“Only poblems,” said Amethyst in her tiny, fuzzy, cute voice, “Just pitchers. No hears. Also … dunno how ta writes Floppit yet. No go ta Floppit school till later.”
“Well guess what, Sweetie,” said Melanie, “we don’t know how to write Floppit either. Or whatever language the Infantus government uses.”
“‘Scuse me,” said Celeste. “I gots Floppit language in my database. Also Common Infantian. What if … I makes a picture … then Amethyst make it appear in her burrow back home?”
“That … might work,” said Beth.
“OK,” asked Celeste, “what you want the message to say?”
“Can the four of us … and maybe you two Playmate Floppits and the two baby Floppits … get permission to visit Infantus?” asked Melanie.
Celeste nodded, thought for a moment, and then looked at the playpen floor. Several rows of glowing blue characters appeared there.
“Ooooo I kin makes pitcher of that back home!” said Amethyst. “Lemme see …” She stared at the message, and the purple spot on her back lit up. There was no purple image that anyone could see, but they all supposed that was because the picture Amethyst was making was on Infantus, many light years away. “No kin read but … kin make tha pitcher justest like that there!”
“How long should the message stay there?” asked Beth.
“Good question,” replied Melanie. “There’s no way to know when they’ve seen it, is there?” she asked.
“Naaaah,” replied Amethyst. “Dunno when they see. But … is glowin’ purple letters. Somebuddy gonna see.”
So Amethyst kept the message up until she got bored and lost interest, in about five minutes. Melanie and Beth had just about given up on this strategy when, about two hours later, a large tunnel just appeared in the wall and the Floppit they’d seen earlier, Digger, emerged. He said, “Hi! Somebodies wanna come visits?”
Surprised, Melanie looked up from where she was playing with June and gasped. “Look!”
“Oh! Hi!” said Beth. “You’re … Digger, right? Can we get permission to visit Infantus?”
Digger replied, “Um … wanna come asks in person? Can go right through there.” He pointed at the tunnel, which was still open. It looked like a tunnel had appeared in the wall, a tunnel with dirt floor, walls, and ceiling.
“Err … I don’t want to leave my Babydoll alone,” said Melanie. “Can I get her ready?”
“Sure,” Digger said. “Is OK.”
So Celeste and Topaz got June and Angie’s diapers changed, and Melanie and Beth got them put into their tandem stroller, and they all came along, with Celeste and Topaz giving rides to Flashback and Amethyst. Through the tunnel they went … emerging in a brightly-lit room that was mostly white, with the floor, ceiling, and walls apparently made of large square glowing tiles separated by thin silver framework. In it was standing a beaming Sally. “Ohhhh it’s you!” she said. “I gets to see you all again! Yay! The Floppits say you wanna come visit Infantus for a while! Also yay!”
“Uh …” Melanie began. “We get the impression that what you want us to do is make a little bit of Infantus on Earth for us. But we can’t do that if we don’t know what Infantus is like …”
“Well …” replied Sally, “is not the plan to make Earth into another Infantus … ‘cause there’s already an Infantus and Earth is Earth. But we do want you an’ your Babydolls ta be happy in a human Babydoll way! Also … I hear you’re raisin’ some orphan baby Floppits! Want them to grow up to be happy Floppits too! Anyway we can show you what Infantus is like, sure!” She looked up at the ceiling and said, “Hi Ellie, can you make tha form thingies so they can all visit Infantus for a lil while?”
A disembodied but pleasant feminine-sounding voice replied, “Tourist visa applications for two Babydolls and their Mommies. Infant Floppits are Infantus natives and will not need paperwork. BOAA Playmate Floppits are simulated life-forms and will not need paperwork.” A stack of four solid glass-like rectangles about the size of pieces of Earth paper appeared in Sally’s hands. She handed two of them to Beth and two to Melanie.
Looking at them, Beth and Melanie saw that they had letters printed in white, in some language they didn’t understand. Then the language shifted to English, and they could read them. As they read, the blanks were filled out as they thought about what should be filled in. They each looked at their Babydolls’ forms and filled them out for them. They could see that there was a spot at the bottom of each form to touch with a fingertip to sign. And as soon as they had done so, the transparent frames vanished.
“Forms submitted,” said the voice.
“Um, thanks …” said Melanie, “... Ellie?”
“Ellie’s an AI assistant,” Sally said. “Or … she was an AI. Until she sorta came to life. She still inside the computer. But now she a special employee. She gets paid like tha rests of us!”
“What is even going on?” asked Beth, nonplussed. “Where … are we?”
“In my office on Infantus!” said Sally. “Oh! Ellie, please open the window!”
“Sure thing,” said Ellie’s voice, and all the tiles on one of the walls sort of rotated out of existence, showing that they were high up above a colorful city, with a striking blue sky above containing a yellow moon and a green moon. A gentle sweet-smelling breeze blew in.
“It’s Infantus City,” said Sally. “Kinda hard to see from here but it’s really great! An’ out inna distance issa Plains of Persephone … umm … anna Mountains of … err … I forgets. Anyways is beautiful! Hope you can see it all soon!”
“Unfortunately, you’re currently restricted to this office,” said Ellie, “which is designated a temporary diplomatic processing area via Form A1684J, so that’s all legal. Your visas will allow you to travel once they’re processed … oh. It’s done. You’re all set!”
“Already?” asked Beth.
“Yeah it’s pretty fast,” said Sally. “All done wif computers. And they gots computers here way better than Earth ones. Anyway … wanna be showed around?”
“I do I do!” said Junie.
Ellie interjected, “Miss Sally, I feel that I must remind you about your board meeting in 45 Earth minutes.”
“Aww,” pouted Sally, disappointed.
“However, any member of the Infantus Tourism Bureau would be happy to give our guests a tour,” Ellie’s voice added.
Sally giggled, “Sure. Let Vickie give ema tour. She a goo Babydoll little.”
In another room in the building, Ellie’s android form pushed a button on what looked like a watch on her wrist. Lately she’d been trying to seem more organic, even when no one was watching her. She said, “Will Vickie Moonbeam please report to Sally’s office? We have some VIP guests that desire a tour of Infantus.” The sound of her request could be heard faintly from many places throughout the building as the announcement went out.
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Melanie and Beth were tending to their Babydolls and checking their diapers when an adorably dressed young woman bounded in. She was dressed in the cutest Lolita Babydoll dress either woman had ever seen. It had poofy sleeves with periwinkle lace that matched the Peter Pan collar. The hem was short enough the that lace and ruffles of her matching rumba panties peeked.
She appeared to be either old enough not to be in diapers or pullups, or whoever her caretaker was wanted her to have an accident in her panties so they could make a huge deal out it.
She waved and said in a really cute voice, “Hi, I’m Vickie! Imma little. That bigger than a toddler.”
Melanie and Beth both smiled as the little went to the stroller and unashamedly bent over, showing her ruffles, and patted both Junie and Angela on their heads.
Beth asked, “Do we have to go far?”
Vickie bounced up and down and clapped her hands, “Nope! But I thinks ull lovesa hasa cloud for your Babydolls.”
Melanie had a curious expression on her face, “A cloud?”
She nodded until her ponytails flew, then brought out some type of whistle and blew it, producing a sweet, resonant musical tone. Suddenly, from one of the halls came a … pink fluffy floating thing that glided up to Vickie and stopped. The wonderful fresh smell of strawberries drifted through the room.
Vickie held her hand out towards the pink cloud looking thing and said, “This is a cloud stroller. Jus sos ya kno … it alive and has one thought, takin’ babies safely wherever Mommy or Daddy wanna go. It will follow faithfully likesa puppy and make absolutely sure its passengers is safes.”
Beth and Melanie watched in total amazement as the pink … cloud turned towards them and squeaked adorably while Vickie unstrapped Angela and Junie from the tandem stroller, picked them up like the toddlers they were dressed as, and effortlessly placed them in openings that appeared in the cloud.
Junie and Angela squealed with delight as Junie said, “It smell like fresh stawberries, Mommy. And it warm n cools atta same time.”
Vickie giggled and said, “No worries, ur babies is safes. Tha cloud stroller will defend em with its life – tho there noffin’ to defend em from ‘round here. Now, is ya follows me, we shows you Infantus.”
Beth and Melanie followed Vickie, looking behind them frequently and warily at first. They both saw the cloud do just as Vickie had said, following them like a puppy all the while keeping their precious Babydolls safe. The two Playmate Floppits were giving the infant Floppits rides and following along behind.
The first place Vickie took them to was the dancing fountains. The fountains created a beautiful multicolored dance created by many different colored jets as they spurted out, moving all about and becoming a mist filled with beautiful rainbow colors.
Vickie pulled a bottle from some kind of pocket on the cloud stroller, put it under the red stream, and filled it. She turned and said adorably, “Whicha yew Babydolls wanna has red berry juice?”
Of course, this being Junie’s favorite, she began waving her arm and saying, “Me me me I wannit!”
Angela whimpered, “No gots no gwapes?”
Vickie said, as she got another bottle from the same place on the cloud, “Yups I does.” She filled the bottle under the purple stream and handed it to Angela, who began nursing immediately.
Beth and Melanie had been looking all around. They were in amazement. They saw things floating in the air that resembled balloons more than anything else, yet it didn’t take but a few minutes to realize they were not only alive, but were insuring the infants that obviously were under their supervision stayed right there in the sandbox.
Everywhere the women looked was like a huge beautiful garden full of flowers, trees, bushes, and of course Floppits. They saw something that appeared to be some kind of flowering vine transform itself into a swing, a rocking horse, and even a climbing jungle gym at the whims of the toddlers at play in their area.
The buildings all around were not only extremely modern and esthetically pleasing to the eye, they formed some type of synergy with the rest of the area and blended in inhancing the beauty.
Having finished their bottles, Junie and Angie really wanted to get out and play with the balloons and the garden, but as their Mommies hadn’t said they could, the cloud was keeping them securely in place, even if they both struggled until they wet their diapers – of course, they would have wet their diapers sooner or later anyway. “Mommy Mommy we wanna playyyy!” they started clamoring.
“Babies who want to play often come here,” said Vickie as they turned another corner and came to a large park area. There was a wide variety of play equipment, if equipment it indeed was. “Thissa public park, open to evvybody. You can see they gotsa dry swimmin’ pool, lotsa playvines, a Floppit zone, and lotsa other stuffs.”
Melanie and Beth noticed that the signs were in several languages, none of them English. They all noticed that there were people of all sorts there – some looked more human-like than others. But they were all wearing something that looked like diapers.
“Dry … swimming pool?” asked Beth, but she soon saw it … a large, deep depression in the ground lined with some sort of smooth material, and babies were seemingly swimming in it … but there was no water. They dove down, they swam on the surface … but nobody could drown in air. How it even worked she couldn’t fathom. “I guess it’s more sanitary, with all the diapered babies …”
“Oh we gots lots stuffs that no been ‘vented yet on Earth,” Vickie said. “Even the diapers … well there no reason they gotsa be thick. Can be thin as panties or sooper dooper thick – is all ‘bout what tha Mommy, Daddy ‘n baby wants. Sometimes they even want a diaper that no need changins – can keep itselfs clean. Or sometimes they wantsa diaper that need to be changed ‘cause they likes tha nice together time – or the baby like the feelin’ of needin a change or the Mommy or Daddy want the baby to feel it. Is up to thems!”
“Is that why you …” asked Melanie.
“Oh! Um yeah,” said Vickie. “Looks like I no gotsa diaper … but my Daddy say I gotsa tell everyone I notta big girl. I still a little. Issa sooper thin diaper, an’ it no need changins, but … I still no potty trained. I looks big but needs diapers alla time.” She blushed a little, but it was obvious she enjoyed telling people this.
“Oh hello Vickie,” said a nearby person, who was very thin and had blue skin. They wore a green top and a white skirt. “It looks like you’re giving a tour. My baby Hemirix is playing over there.”
“Oh!” Vickie replied. “Hi Ms. Lumirix! Yup these are Melanie an’ Beth fwom Earth, an’ their babies Junie an’ Angie, an’ they gots Floppit fwiends too!”
“Well the big ones are Topaz and Celeste, but they are actually Playmate Floppits from BOAA,” said Melanie. “You know BOAA here?”
“Oh yes, Babies of All Ages is really big,” said Lumirix. “There are other purveyors of baby gear for various ages, sizes, and species, some of them artisanal, producing very unique wares, but only BOAA attempts to cater to absolutely all. I’m surprised there’s a branch on Earth. Isn’t Earth still pre-FTL?”
“Oh yea,” said Vickie, “is only ‘cause they fwiendsa Miss Sally that they here. Plus Junie ‘n Angie ‘cepted Baby Rules fwom Miss Persephone.”
“Oh, of course, making them honorary Infantus citizens,” Lumirix said, nodding. “So their Mommies are allowed too. And of course it’s the Floppits’ native planet. Are the baby Floppits real? Not smart toys? I thought so. I hadn’t heard of baby Floppit smart toys. You must be honored to be entrusted with the care of those adorable little orphan Floppits, poor things. I read about the accident, so unfortunate. I’m glad the little ones survived and have a good home.”
“I certainly feel honored,” said Beth. “Especially since Earth was so … well, so adult until recently. I understand there was a Floppit visitation that changed it, but I’m afraid I really don’t remember. The only one who does is June.”
“One of the Rememberers, eh?” asked Lumirix. “She’s special, then. But also, she’s needed on Earth. Remembering the past is important.”
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Vickie had made sure to take them to all the special places on their tour. Lunch had been an incredible experience for both the adults as well as the Babydolls. The infant Floppits along with the robotoys were kept occupied by many real Floppits, who also did their best to tickle the Babydolls.
Neither Melanie nor Beth knew what the food had been, but it was absolutely fantastic. There were fruits, vegetables, and spices on Infantus that had never been seen on Earth. Neither woman could figure out the multiflavored dancing fountain. How in the world each of the many flavors could be kept from mixing in the retaining pool was beyond them, as was the fact that every flavor tasted so sweet without drying into a sticky mess.
A group of the balloon-like creatures floated by. They were called Floatiepies, and they even introduced themselves. Beth and Melanie were totally shocked when they found out the Floatiepies could actually speak. They even helped keep the Babydolls and infant Floppits corralled in the play area as Celeste and Topaz insured Angie and Junie were clean and dry.
For Angie and Junie’s part, they were kept entertained so expertly that they were entirely in their baby frames of mind, thinking only like babies, with no need to worry about anything grown up at all.
The dry swimming pool was a miracle as far as Beth and Melanie were concerned. Since it was within the boundaries of the play area, the Floatiepies didn’t keep the Babydolls away from it. Because of that, there was one scare. Melanie looked up, jumped to her feet, and screamed loudly as she saw Junie and Angie disappear over the edge. Beth jumped up too and started to run towards the pool.
Beth screeched, “I thought you all were supposed to make sure our Babydolls were …”
She stopped midsentence when she saw the two of them suspended in midair, flopping around as if they were the tub or something. They were in absolutely no danger. Angie tried to splash Junie, but there didn’t seem to be anything to splash with. Melanie and Beth relaxed.
After many hours of amazing discoveries, it had started to get dark. Another strange type of floating creature slowly arrived. They sort of looked more like a jellyfish with tentacles, except they glowed with a beautiful blue-white luminescence that pushed the ever encroaching darkness away.
Vickie giggled as she explained they were called Luminaries. Their seeming function was to provide a guiding light to all in the coming night, although there were other things they did as well, such as being lamps along the many streets insuring no shadows were present, or nightlights for those babies needing one.
By the time Vickie had escorted them all back to their magnificent rooms, it had gotten to be late. Angie and Junie had been asleep for some time, all cuddled with the slumbering infant Floppits. Celeste and Topaz seemed to be keeping guard over the bunch of them.
Beth asked, “Are you guarding them from something dangerous?”
Celeste nodded her head until her floppy ears flopped, “Yups. Fromma mostus fearded monser in alla babydom.”
Melanie asked, “Is that so? And just what monster might that be, pray tell?”
Topaz replied with what sounded like real fear in his tone, “Tha horrid Potty Monser. It bites babies onna hinney.”
Melanie and Beth looked at each other, then burst into laughter. “Well,” said Melanie, “I don’t think either of them is going to be going near a potty for a long time!”
“Yes,” said Beth, “good thing the only potties on Infantus are for the grownups, and they’re hidden from the babies!”
There were indeed toilet facilities for adults on Infantus, but due to ingenious architectural design, they were hard to find for anyone who didn’t already know where they were, and the adults shared their locations with each other but kept them secret from the babies, like an Adult Conspiracy. Not that the babies wanted to find them – fear of the Potty Monster was a fairly widespread cultural phenomenon among the baby population – but this arrangement made it possible for the adults to truthfully tell the babies that the Potty Monster was lurking around every corner, ready to pounce on any baby who didn’t keep their diapers well used.
Finally everyone went to bed, and the Playmate Floppits plugged themselves in to recharge – naturally they’d been made compatible with Infantus-style power outlets – and the night passed quietly, the pink moon silently drifting across the sky to be joined by the blue one in the early morning hours. The bright Infantus sun rose, and both the real and robotic Floppits awakened and entertained each other as quietly as possible until the humans awoke.
“Mommyyy,” said Junie sleepily as Melanie woke her up and started to change her diaper, “can we stay on Infantus forever an’ ever?”
“I’m afraid not, Sweetheart,” Melanie told her as she cleaned Junie up and powdered her, “because Earth needs you. You’re a Rememberer. You have to go home.”
“Awwww,” Junie said, sad. “Why comes I gotsa be a Memberer? Wanna stay here.”
“I know, Honey,” replied Melanie. “But what we can do, now that we’ve seen Infantus, is try to make our own little piece of Infantus on Earth, just for us. Well, and for Beth and Angie too, when they come over. And maybe for Cindy. It depends how she feels about it.
“Cindy would be a cute Babydoll,” June said. “But dunno if she gotsa Mommy or Daddy.”
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Several Months Later
Melanie and Beth and their respective families had returned home to their mundane places. After the fantastic fantasy they had lived on Infantus, even with real live infant Floppits to care for, being back home was nice, but they missed Infantus, especially Junie and Angie and their adorable infant Floppits.
Much to the delight of a beautiful (after a bath and a meeting with a groomer) Angora kitten that had taken up with Amethyst and Flash, the three immensely enjoyed racing around zoomie style. Even when the Floppits and kitten got to playfighting and tussling, the kitten had perfect manners and did nothing to injure one of them, nor did they in turn do anything to hurt the kitten. They did, however, seem to know where the animal’s tickle spots were and did a lot of back rubbing, ear scratching, and tummy tickles to where the kitten became a complete part of the tussle pile including Junie, Angela, Topaz, and Celeste as well.
Neither Melanie nor Beth had the heart not to keep the kitten, and much to their delight it fit right in with no issues like a missing piece to an adorable puzzle.
Melanie asked, “You think if we invited Cindy over and allowed her to get a taste of Babydoll life … she might be interested?”
Beth replied quickly, “I’m sure she would, but even if not, it couldn’t hurt to try it. The only issue is, who would be her mommy or daddy?”
Melanie twirled her hair in thought for a minute before she got up, walked to the computer, and turned it on.
Beth asked as she came over with a chair and sat next to her, “You got an idea?”
Melanie replied, “Maybe. I’m not sure if it’s financially viable, however.”
The Babies of all Ages webpage came up as Melanie entered “Nanabot” in the search bar.
Melanie said, “I saw those android Nanabots in the store. I’m not sure how much they would cost, and if Cindy becomes a Babydoll, there are other financial things to think through.”
What looked like an extremely beautiful young woman appeared on the screen, dressed in exactly the same black and white outfit with lace cuffs and collar they had seen Nana Pederson wear. It was labeled “custom made to order nanny or babysitter bots.” No pricing was listed; however, there was a questionnaire, and a request for the person wishing to acquire one to contact a certain individual either by phone or by various other means.
Beth said, “We could leave Celeste and Topaz in charge of our Babydolls for the time we visit BOAA. They have proven more than adequately that they can handle it.”
Melanie replied, “I’m sure they could, but shouldn't we at least … check out Cindy first before going? Besides, they do allow online contact. We could do the interview with Cindy here; she would be privy to the whole thing.”
Beth stopped for an instant as she remembered her doing things for Angie before it was agreed. She didn’t want to scare Cindy away from Babydolldom; she would be as perfect as Sally. “You’re right, let me invite her over and say we are going to show off our Babydolls.”
Beth called Cindy on her cell and invited her over to Melanie’s for tea and homemade buttered crumpets with jam. Cindy couldn’t refuse. She loved buttered crumpets and strawberry jam.
When Cindy arrived, she was in a cute and very short fairy jumper with puffy sleeves. The hem of her dress was short enough that every now and then the lace around the legs of her panties would peek out. Both women knew she wasn't in a diaper or pullups, but the outfit she had on made her look about 5 years old.
Melanie said, “Hi Cindy! Come in, sit on the sofa, and I’ll bring out the tea and crumpets.”
Cindy bounced over to the sofa and flopped like the little girl she appeared to be as Beth sat in an armchair next to the sofa and Melanie entered with a big tray holding a large pot of aromatic tea with a platter of crumpets smothered in strawberry jam, which she set on the coffee table within easy reach.
A cute infant themed movie was playing on the TV, Hunt for the Mighty Snuggle Critter. Cindy wasn’t shy as she stuffed a messy strawberry jammed crumpet in her mouth just like a 4 year old might. Of course, her face and hands became a huge mess as Beth and Melanie watched. There were napkins nearby, so perhaps she planned to clean herself up, but Melanie had a test in mind.
Since both women already knew this about Cindy, Melanie had a warm damp cloth ready and cleaned their friend’s face and hands just as she would Junie or Angie’s face and hands. Cindy sat with her eyes wide in surprise as Melanie worked.
Once Melanie had finished she said, “I have a rather important question to ask you. Don’t be afraid, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Cindy asked in a cute little girl’s voice, “What kinda question? Will it hurt?”
Melanie and Beth laughed as Melanie repled, “No, Sweetheart, it won’t hurt. What I want to know is would you like to become a Babydoll like Junie and Angela?”
It was obvious that it was something she was interested in, as she started to wiggle and fidget. She asked, “Who … gonna take carea me?“
Beth walked to the computer and turned on the monitor. “How about your very own custom made Nana?” she asked as she turned it so Cindy could see.
Cindy sat wide-eyed and open-mouthed. “You mean like … for free? Who gonna pay for it? And for … well, food, and a place to live, and all that stuffs?”
“There are plenty of Babydolls who have jobs doing exactly what they were doing before they started living a Babydoll lifestyle,” said Beth. “It’s just … we were all friends, then Junie became Melanie’s Babydoll, then Angie became mine, and we were worried about you feeling … well, left out. We don’t want to stop being your friend.”
Melanie added, “If you don’t want to be a Babydoll, we still want you to be our friend and have the option to come play with Junie or hang out with me … or play with Angie or hang out with Beth.”
“I … I was a bit worried when you all started spending less time with me,” said Cindy, “but I just thought to myself that you were just busy with your new lifestyle and you’d come around again. I guess you did … but I didn’t think it would happen like this!” She looked at the computer again. “How much does onna those costs?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” said Beth, “but they have a questionnaire and want to interview you before they’ll let anybody get one. They’ve got all different models of them – you could have one that looks like a mature woman or man, or one that looks like a teen babysitter, either a boy or a girl. They can be any color, any hair color, any hairstyle, whatever you like.”
After making sure that there was no commitment even if she went through the whole questionnaire/interview process, Cindy said she wanted to try it. She sat at Melanie’s computer and filled out the questionnaire while Beth and Melanie played with Junie and Angela in the play area. Junie occasionally watched as their friend filled out the form. “Well, that’s it then,” said Cindy. “Now I wait for ‘em to innerview me I guess?”
Cindy’s phone rang. “I gotsa call already!” she said, answering. They set up an interview via video chat, right there.
“Well hi there, Miss Cindy!” said a friendly teenage boy on the screen. “I’m a babysitter, and my name’s Justin! But this doesn’t mean I’ll be your babysitter. I’m just here to figure out what kind of baby or Babydoll you are, and what sort of Nana or sitter would work best for you.”
“You mean … YOU are a sitter bot?” asked Cindy. “I can’t even tell! You look like a real human type person!”
“Well, thank you!” said Justin. “I’m just doing my best. So first of all, I see from your answers that you’re friends with some of our friends. Do you ever play with Junie and Angie? Do you find the toys and games they like to play are too old for you, too young for you, or just about the right age?”
“Well …” replied Cindy, “sometimes I think their toys and stuff are maybe too little for me, but sometimes just right. It depends.”
And so the interview went. When it was over, Justin said, “Well, that’s just about everything we need to know! Give us a little time, and we’ll customize a unit for you and you can start your trial period. You can adjust anything at any time!”
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Several Days Later
Cindy was at Melanie and Junie’s apartment with Beth and Angie visiting, and both types of Floppits were playing in the huge area in the den. Junie and Angie were both dressed in a soft velvet babydoll dress and matching rumba panties. It was also more than obvious that both of them were in a very thick diaper. Cindy was dressed in an adorable lacy romper that tied behind her neck. She didn’t have a top on at all, and she looked as adorably sexy as any young woman could. Cindy didn’t look like a toddler per se. She did, however, look like an absolutely cute Babydoll. Then three loud knocks sounded at the door.
Melanie went to the door and pressed a button on the security panel. On the screen was the image of a beautiful brunette woman dressed in a smock top, leggings, and a pair of comfortable looking flats. Her most notable accessory was the huge bag she had draped across her shoulder. “I think it’s for you, Cindy,” said Melanie, and Cindy got up and went to see.
Cindy saw what must be her new Nanabot, and her stomach did a flip-flop in excitement. She touched the speaker button and said, in more of a cute voice than she had intended, “Kenna heps ya?” She slapped a hand across her own mouth. Some kind of mysterious feeling was sparkling all through her, and it took her a moment or so to regain control.
The image on the screen smiled and said, “Hi, I’m looking for a little girl named Cindy – a very little girl in need of some special care. I’ve been sent by Babies of All Ages.”
“That … that me,” Cindy stammered, her brain still simmering in the cloud of cotton candy and Pixy Stix that she could have sworn had replaced her bloodstream.
“Hello, Sweetheart,” said the Nanabot. “You can call me Nana Trixie. I’m your custom-built Nanabot. I hope you’re a big enough girl right now, because I do have some documents for you to read over and sign.”
Melanie said, “Excuse me little girl,” as she reached around Cindy to unlock and open the door.
The Nanabot saw Melanie and said to her, “Ah. Good evening, Ma’am. Is it permissible if I come in? I don’t want to overstep some boundary."
Melanie replied as she put an arm around Cindy like the little girl she appeared to be and replied, “By all means, please do.” Melanie gestured with her free arm.
Trixie entered the apartment, then stopped as she took a good look around, asking, “Are you Cindy’s Mommy?”
Melanie replied, “Oh, no, at least, not yet. I’m only Mommy to those snuggle muffins in the other room.” She indicated Junie and the Floppits, all tussling on the room-sized playmat. “The other belongs to Beth.” Melanie pointed to her friend. “This one belongs to you, I believe.”
Trixie then somehow managed to stoop as if she were talking to a little girl even though she was only slightly taller than Cindy. She gave Cindy a small peck on her nose and said in a very mysterious sounding coo, “And you must be Cindy.”
Cindy couldn’t help it. Something about Trixie’s small kiss on her nose and Nana’s tone sent the most amazing sparkling tingle all through her, even more irresistibly intense than before, somehow causing her to wet her panties uncontrollably.
Melanie looked surprised as Cindy made a rather impressive puddle on the linoleum in the hallway. Trixie, on the other hand, took hold of Cindy and carried her off like the little girl she was dressed as to a nearby changing table.
Nana said in a cooing sing-song voice as she undid the snaps between Cindy’s legs and began removing her soaked clothes, “It would figure you wouldn’t be properly diapered. I suppose Babydoll is afraid of the potty monster too, aren't you? If not, I’m positive it won’t be long.”
Melanie watched as the Nanabot stripped, professionally cleaned, and even tickled and played with Cindy to take her mind off the fact that she was now in one of BOAA’s top of the line extra-thick diaper combinations, the cutest powder-puff plastic-lined panties, and a short matching strappy top with a large picture of a googly-eyed rabbit on the front. Melanie also noticed how Cindy seemed to become more regressed the more she interacted with Trixie.
Cindy didn’t seem to come back to the frame of mind she had been in prior to Trixie’s arrival until she managed to fall on her well-padded bottom, and then only long enough to realize that she was dressed just like an infant before the powerful waves of tingly sensations ran all through her intensely once again, washing away more adult with each shiver and taking even that adult realization away.
Melanie walked up and asked, “Would it be against some rule if I looked over the papers you mentioned?”
Trixie unzipped a pouch on the side of the large bag she was carrying, which turned out to be a fully-stocked diaper bag. Out of the pocket she pulled several dozen papers and handed them to Melanie. “I was so hoping you would. You currently seem to be the only adult here other than your friend Beth.”
Melanie looked around at Cindy. There was no doubt at this time that Cindy was definitely not a Little but had to be classified somewhere barely older than a pre-ambulatory baby. Every time Cindy would attempt to stand, her wobbly knees would collapse, and once again she would adorably fall down go boom.
In her mind, Melanie knew something was afoot as she turned past all the introductory material to the first business page. Basically what it said was that the Nanbot was a special gift from the president of BOAA. Trixie was endowed with certain abilities according to the custom request, which was also included.
Melanie raised an eyebrow as she read that Cindy was guaranteed to be the exact infant she had asked to be for so many years. Nana was there and would take care of everything else. Babydoll Cindy’s only worry from this moment on was if she needed to be changed or not … which would happen many times over a long period. Melanie got the distinct impression that this meant for life.
Even though Melanie was classified as a Mommy, when she read the last page, the part about accepting Baby Rules was still severely electric to read and tingled all through her. There was no compulsion to accept Baby Rules, but she got the full benefit of the rest of the effect and now understood what Junie had felt.
“Wow,” said Melanie, “Ms Persephone isn’t messing around, is she?”
“Not at all,” replied Trixie. “The babies of Earth are under her protection, large and small, and she wants them safe and happy. Am I correct in assuming that you are Melanie Jocelyn Tremont, Mommy to June Grace Patterson?”
“Yes, that’s correct,” Melanie replied.
“Then,” continued Trixie, “your baby’s status as a Rememberer is considered of extra importance, and her friends’ happiness is paramount. She needs emotional support, which is supplied by her friends, including dear little Cindy, and my job is to support Cindy.”
“Does … does that mean that things might happen that require my Junie to …” Melanie began to ask.
“Experience a state of mental agitation?” asked Trixie. “I’m afraid that’s going to happen from time to time. But that’s where you and her other support come in, including Cindy’s, and I’m here to support her. My support is unwavering.”
“So … is Cindy going to have to be brought back to adult status so she can sign these documents?” Melanie asked. “Legally speaking I’m not sure she’s in sound mind right now.”
“She will,” said Trixie, “and the adult side of her mind will return on a regular basis for evaluation. We Nanabots take consent very seriously.”
“That Baby Rules question at the end is a real doozy,” said Melanie. “With all those feelings that come with it, is it really consensual?”
“I understand it’s even more effective on a Babydoll,” Trixie replied, “but she’ll be fine. By that point, the question is only a formality. She wouldn’t have gotten this far if Ms. Persephone didn’t sense the baby in her heart, and she won’t be asked if she doesn’t sign the other documents in the packet.”
“Which you’re sure she will,” Melanie replied. “I mean, your presence, and those documents, are all here because of a careful interview process that was conducted the other night.”
“I’m 99.99999% certain that we’ve made no mistakes, meaning myself and the BOAA staff who custom-programmed me,” said Trixie, “and I’m 100% certain that Ms Persephone hasn’t made any.”
“Well, all right then,” said Melanie. “I’m just trying to look out for my friend Cindy.”
“Your diligence does you credit,” said Trixie. “I’ll let her sleep until she wakes up, and then I’ll present her with the documents. In the meantime, I can answer any questions that you and Cindy’s other friends might have.”
Junie peeked around the corner, having apparently crawled away from the play area. “M-Ms Twixie?” she asked.
“Oh, and here is little Junie,” Trixie said. “I’m so happy to meet you. I’ve just met your Mommy. How are you, Sweetheart? And do you have questions for me?”
“Um am fine but yeah,” said June. It wasn’t as if June wasn’t able to think; it was more that her preferred mode was very babylike. “Cindy onna tha bestus flute players I ever heared. She no gonna lose alla that? She be ‘llowed ta play ‘n pwactice?”
“Absolutely, Junie,” said Trixie. “Music is part of Cindy’s soul, and not only would we never want to take it away, there’s no way we could do that anyway. She’ll have a bit of an adjustment period after accepting Baby Rules, just as you did, but after that she’ll still be able to play, practice, and even perform – though I’ll be making sure she’s well padded under her concert dress when she does. In fact, I understand that musicians who accept Baby Rules become more in touch with their inner child and thus even more expressive than they were before.”
“Oh okay!” said Junie with a big smile. “Would miss hearin’ her play. Is so pwetty!”
Trixie reached into a fold under the front of her top and somehow pulled out a sparkling flute that appeared to be made from some type of crystal that had a soft glow coming from within. She handed it to Melanie. She said softly, "That is a special flute.”
Melanie looked it over. Just holding it caused a nice wave of well-being to spread all through her. “Why special?” she asked. “I do agree that I've never seen anything made of material like this.”
Trixie replied, “One could say that it’s magical.”
Melanie said with astonishment, “Magical? How so?”
Trixie said, “It was hand made by Pan himself especially for Cindy. Ms Persephone wanted to insure that Cindy would play … let us say … heavenly music.”
Melanie had no clue what to think. She remembered many of the ancient myths, and she had already met beings who had been referred to as gods that were mentioned in those myths. She totally couldn’t believe it. She had played flute a bit when she was in school. She put it to her lips and played a riff. The music that came from it was mesmerizing. True to Trixie’s words, it was heavenly. Melanie’s hands were shaking when she gave it back to Trixie. “Why … why have we been chosen for whatever great purpose is in our future?”
“I don’t know,” Trixie replied. “Not even Ms Persephone knows why Junie remembers the world being afraid of babies, before the coming of the Floppits. Some humans just do, and most don’t, though those who do are all babies or Babydolls. Maybe there is some sort of fate or destiny. Maybe it’s just something in her genetic makeup. But what I do know is that Ms Persephone deliberately made her planet, Infantus, a heavenly place for babies, Babydolls, and their carers. She wants Earth to be like that too, at least in spots. There are those who don’t want this, of course. But they won’t object too strongly to a few pockets of Infantus-like bliss here and there. And my logic functions correlate Junie remembering the real past with the intent to set up such a pocket here, in this town, with Junie at the center. Each such enclave has at least one Rememberer.”
“How many of these pockets are there on Earth? Can I ask?” asked Melanie.
“I was not explicitly given that information,” replied Trixie, “but again, I can logically infer from the evidence I have that there are between 10 and 100 worldwide at this time, in different stages of development.”
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Beth and Melanie sat at the table and played cards as they marveled at the skill and efficiency Trxie cared for and tended to Angie, Junie, the newly added Cindy, and the Floppits, both real and robotic. They also started discussing what-ifs they had no memories of.
Melanie stated, “I seem to have memories before the first Floppits arrived here on Earth. But if I try to think of specifics … all I get is a big blurred jumble.”
Beth nodded as she added, “I have the same problem. Now, I discover there’s a whole other reality I had no idea existed.”
Melanie replied, “I know. How is it that we seem to be chosen or something?"
“Yeah,“ agreed Beth as she looked into the playroom once again and marveled at Trixie. “How did Cindy ... and we … manage to somehow become celebrities?”
Melanie said, “I forgot to tell you, I got a full refund from BOAA on the purchase of the robo-Floppits. According to the accompanying letter, all would be auto deposited into our bank account. And the next day, it happened."
“I suppose it was signed by none other than Sally Stevens?” asked Beth.
“Yes,” Melanie replied, “and not even in crayon!”
The two women looked at each other for an instant before bursting out in laughter.
Melanie nodded her head between gasps for air, “From the best I can tell, we all have somehow formally been adopted by Persepone with all the perks. Not exactly sure how or why this happened, but all the infant care products and items are free of charge to us now.”
“So does BOAA consider us somehow an investment, or …?” began Beth.
Cindy came bounding out of the playroom just like the toddler she was dressed as. She only had on one of BOAA’s thickest diapers and the cutest grape-colored plastic-lined rumba panties. Her hair was tied off in cute ponytails with matching ribbons. The only other thing she had on were matching slippers that looked just like crocheted booties. Beth and Melanie had to agree that Cindy made the perfect Babydoll.
Cindy immediately plopped on her thickly diapered hiney and sucked her thumb in what looked to Beth and Melanie as a thoughtful way.
Then she said in a really cute voice, “Baby ‘members am supposesa see sompin’ … ummm … like papers or sompin’?”
Beth and Melanie looked at each other as they put their cards down.
Melanie asked, “Are you sure you are in your right enough mind?”
Cindy replied in her adorable voice, “Dunnos how or why, but am ‘comina toddler awways dreameded bout. If baby no does it now, not gonna be abla soon.“
Melanie replied, “I see what you mean.” She got up and walked to a teakwood desk and opened the top. She took out a large manilla envelope and closed the desk’s top, then returned to her chair. She handed the envelope to Cindy, “Forgive me, Babydoll, but I want you to read each page and tell me and Auntie Beth about it, so we know if you really understand. I know that Trixie is recording this conversation so it’s all official.”
Cindy giggled as she opened the envelope and removed the small stack of papers. They went through all the pages, and Cindy had the gist of it all the way. Finally they came to the very last page, the one about accepting Baby Rules.
It was as if Cindy had been zapped by static or something as her eyes grew large and her thumb went right back in her mouth for a bit. The next thing that happened was something that neither Beth nor Melanie had expected. Cindy began to screech, “YES!! YES!!!! Ya awweady no dfaetglre tmd . rtju ukiuiu Jtmuj thhhhhh.” as Cindy’s mind became that of the toddler she had always fantasized about and began to adorably babble.
Beth and Melanie watched in total amazement as Cindy actually turned all the way into the the toddler she had always wanted to be. She didn’t shrink to baby size, but it was more than obvious that she was now the infant she appeared to be. One of her thumbprints appeared on the last page in the box clearly marked as YES as the page vanished in a sparkle of blue-white light.
“I … guess that was an accepted Baby Rules offer,” said Beth, still looking on in awe.
Trixie stepped out of the playroom to collect Cindy and bring her back in. “Oh, and I thought you were adorable before, Sweetheart,” she said to Cindy, who didn’t act as if she understood a word. Trixie easily picked Cindy up and carried her back into the playroom.
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Junie looked at Angie after seeing Trixie carrying the transformed Cindy into the playroom. “Was like we tha little girls an’ Cindy tha big one,” said Junie. “But not no mores.”
Angie nodded. “Now Cindy … a lil baby …” Across the room, Trixie checked Cindy’s diaper and carried her to the changing table.
Junie nodded. “Now we tha big girls,” she said. “We gotsa looks out for her.” Junie realized her diaper was wet, and as usual she had no idea when it had happened. “But we not sooper big tho.”
“Noooo, we still pwetty little,” giggled Angie.
“Where Cindy gonna lives?” wondered Junie. “She gots her own place. She only visitin’ todays.”
Setting Cindy down in the middle of the playroom, Trixie replied, “I’m taking care of it. Cindy’s things are being moved into the vacant apartment downstairs. Do you girls remember what ‘vacant’ means? It means nobody’s living there. But soon, Cindy and I will be.”
“You means … Cindy be my neighbor soon?” asked Junie.
“That’s right,” said Trixie. “This little cutie can come play with you a lot. And … maybe Ms. Beth can find a way to move into this building too. If a lot of babies and their Mommies and Daddies move into this building … maybe it can become like a little tiny bit of Infantus.”
“Infantus …” said Angie. “Wow …”
“Now, I said maybe,” said Trixie. “I’m not certain this will happen, or if it is the plan. I have not yet detected any effort by BOAA to purchase this building from its current owner, Southside Properties, LLC. Perhaps that is not the plan. This is entirely speculation. But what is not speculation is that I am going to move Cindy and myself into the apartment downstairs.”
“Uh …” said Junie, having had to switch uncomfortably out of baby mode to understand that last part.
“My apologies for invoking the grownup parts of your mind,” Trixie said sheepishly. “I should know better than to do that. But … of all the babies, Rememberers like you need to know things.”
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Several Months Later
Melanie and Beth sat at their usual card game, only this time there was an additional player … Trixie. Both women marveled at the fact of how easy it was to totally forget this wasn’t a living young woman. To the best Melanie and Beth could tell, she ate, drank, and had other functions just like a living person. She was also an ace at most card games.
The entire apartment complex had been purchased by some multitrillion dollar corporation that had immediately began sending out questionnaires asking if any of the families had Babydolls in them. And then the remodel had begun. For those who had answered yes, either a room was turned into a wonderful nursery during the remodel or an entire nursery room was added on. “I don’t understand how they’re making money on this,” said Beth. “It means fewer units overall. Fewer renters. But they aren’t raising rent – not yet, anyway.”
Major upgrades to the rest of the grounds turned the place into something that looked like housing on Infantus, at least on the inside, although it still had much Earth architecture mixed in. The rapidity with which the entire complex had been transformed amazed them as well. “It suggests that the goal is not raising money,” said Trixie. “Again, I am not made privy to these decisions, but I would not be surprised to learn that the complex’s new owner was related to BOAA in some way.”
Melanie threw down a king of diamonds. Beth threw a King of Spades on top of that with a mischievous smile on her face. To the amazement of the two women, Trixie threw the Ace of Spades and called trump.
Melanie said in mock anger, “Damn, girl. If I didn’t know better, I would think you’re cheating.”
Beth agreed playfully, “Yeah. How on earth do you keep coming up with the trump?”
Trixie picked up all the cards in a neat stack and handed them to Melanie. “Count them, check them out. They are the same cards we started with. Now, if you two would learn how to play cards and count …”
Melanie laughed, “Damn. Figures she would be counting the falls.”
Beth replied, “Only fall I see is my pride. I thought I was the best at this game. Now I know how the others feel.” All three of them laughed.
Melanie asked, “How do you like the apartment now, Trixie? I know they renovated yours, same as they did ours.”
Trixie replied as she shuffled the cards and dealt, “I love what they did to create a nursery. Cindy is almost to her milestone where the toddler begins to pretend to be an adult, and the nursery always makes her lose it in the most precious way.”
Melanie replied, “I can relate to that. It has helped with Junie tremendously. Having Floppits around, both robo and real, helped a lot too. Although Junie has already reached that milestone.”
Beth added, “Angela loves to come play. The longer she stays in the nursery with the rest of them, the closer she comes to her milestone.”
One of the infant Floppits tumbled out of the playroom in an adorable ball of fur. When it stopped rolling, it stood on its hind legs in a wobbly sort of way and looked around. Then it balled itself back into a furball and rolled back into the playroom. Screeches of delight could be heard on its arrival.
Melanie and Trixie stood and peered into the playroom to see what might be going on. The best they could tell was that one of the infant Floppits was playing the ball and being rolled from one Babydoll to the other. It was more than obvious that neither of the robots or the other infant Floppit had any concerns over this, as they were taking part in the fun, so they clearly weren’t concerned.
Trixie took it upon herself to check all the Babydolls’ diapers. When Floppits were involved, considering that they know all the best tickle spots … well, needless to say, of course they were all soaked.
One by one, Trixie efficiently changed them and put them in adorable plastic lined rumba panties over their diapers, nothing else. When asked, Trixie merely said they were still babies, so she dressed them that way. This made perfect sense.
“As long as they aren’t getting cold, from wearing so little,” Melanie said.
“Am fiiiiine,” said Cindy.
“Ambient temperature is sufficiently high,” Trixie said.
“Me toooooo,” said Junie.
“Me freeeeee,” Angie added, giggling. She gently rolled the giggling baby Floppit toward Cindy.
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The next night, though, it was just June and Melanie in the apartment – although Celeste and Amethyst were there too, of course. Yes, Cindy lived downstairs with Trixie, and Beth and Angela had moved into another apartment in the complex, but they couldn’t play together every single day. But tonight was homework night. June still had classes, so she had homework and studying to do.
June felt like she was a toddler playing pretend that she was a college student, but she was getting the work done, in between occasional bottles and diaper changes. She sucked on her pacifier and read the assignment. Then she started preparing for her term paper, doing some research using the university’s academic AI.
“Wait,” she said, “this says there’s no data about public opinion about Adult Babies or Babydolls or anything like that – not recently, and not even before when I know the Rise of the Floppits happened, a couple of years ago. Is that right?” She thought about it. “Yeah. That makes sense. Before the Rise of the Floppits, hardly anyone knew Adult Babies were a thing at all, and those who did either were Adult Babies or had friends or partners who were. There weren’t enough people for any major polls to ask. After, there were lots of us, but there was suddenly a shift in opinion. There were plenty of people to ask, but no reason for major polls to ask the question, because of the effect of the Floppits. Except … what’s this?”
There was one poll. Just one, right after the Rise of the Floppits began. “This must be during the transition period,” said June to herself. “It’s … super divided. And this question … ‘Do you believe that Adult Babies are a threat to real children?’ That’s terrible! I know what side whoever wrote the question was on. No threat at all … 52%. No, but keep them away from children just in case … 0%. No opinion … 0%. Yes, they need to be arrested and forced to undergo therapy until they’re normal … 36%. Yes, they all need to be thrown in jail forever … 12%. Yikes.”
Celeste came over and looked at her screens. June said to her, “People were really messed up before the Floppits came.”
“Yea …” replied Celeste, quickly checking June’s diaper. “Is just people scareda anything different. Also pointin’ out bad guys to hate gets votes. No gotsa be true. Didja looks up trans babies n trans ‘dults?”
“Oh, opinions about trans babies and Babydolls vs. trans adults who aren’t babies?” June asked. “That’s a good question.” She started asking the computer system what it could find. There actually were recent polls about that. “Oh my g … look at this! Everyone is OK with trans babies, but … trans adults, especially trans women, people are just as hostile to them as ever. What?”
Celeste replied, “The Floppits, they does kinda like hypnosis or mind controls, just a little bit, ‘til people forget they hates something. But … they only changeded people’s minds ‘bout trans baby girls. Anybody else trans … they no do nuffin’ ‘bouts ‘em.”
“So the politicians keep making hay out of trans women’s misery, even today,” said June. “That isn’t fair at all. Of course, they do the same with Muslims, people from south of the border, and whatever else works right now. And then … the other party figures that since this works so well, people must really hate all those people, so standing up for them must be a losing proposition, even though only a few really noisy voters are hateful and the rest just agree to get along. So nobody stands up to the haters. People … are sheep. Poke them in a certain direction and lots of them go that way.”
“Is how come the Floppits could does what they dids,” remarked the lifelike robotic creature. “Mosta peoples like that. People gets along in groups. People no gets along, they pushed away, nobody listen to ‘em.”
“The bandwagon effect,” said June. “Well, I’m not going to solve that problem by myself. But I can still write a paper on it. I’m still surprised by how many people are surprised when they look at historical records from before the Rise of the Floppits …” She started looking up more sources and making notes.
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June couldn’t believe it, but according to the documents she had discovered, there was a huge social upheaval going on at the time the Rise of the Floppits happened. There was great upheavals and major conflicts over transgender people, though, Adult Babies and Babydolls were largely ignored – though when they got any attention, it was entirely negative. From the best the data showed, those who participated in those lifestyles did so mostly in secret – except nobody remembered that anymore.
June discovered there had actually been many specialty places where Adult Babies, trans people, and others who were into what was typically termed as fetishes could purchase their clothing and other items to aid in their fantasies.
The amazing thing was the suddenness which all the contention had ended once the Floppits had arrived – well, at least the contention about Adult Babies and such. It was at this particular time that BOAA had appeared as if by magic and the very first mentions of Nana Pederson were found.
When she mentioned remembering this time to her history professor, Junie was totally mind blown to discover that being a Rememberer made her an actual celebrity. Now it had become clear why she and her friends had all been adopted by Persephone. Apparently Junie and others like her were now the archive of how bad things had been.
Junie looked around and asked Melanie, “Does Mommy ‘members …?”
Without warning, a large blue-tinted patch of air appeared before her, and it seemed to June as if she was looking through a window into another world. They were still in the same apartment, but it was as if it had been before the remodel. Everyone stared open-mouthed and wide-eyed as they saw this. In the vision, they all saw Melanie giving one of June’s Adult Baby friends the worst scolding, sending him home and insisting that he not come back.
Melanie herself was totally horrified at seeing herself behave this way. “I … don’t remember that at all … why would I say that? … Did I really do that …?” Just as the version of June within the vision began to whimper and cry, the blue window faded away, and reality returned to normal. Melanie got out her phone, searched for Max’s number, and said, “Don’t worry, Sweetheart. Mommy’s going to try and fix this.”
The phone rang three times before a young woman’s soft voice answered, “Hello? This Mary, can I help you?”
Melanie replied, “I so hope so. My name’s Melanie, and I’m Junie’s mommy.”
Mary’s voice took on a bit of a dreamlike tone, “I … see … it seems like Maxie might have told me about you, but … I’m not sure … something about him being … upset, maybe? He’s told me about his friend Junie and how he misses playing with her and is sad he doesn’t see her anymore, but I’m not completely sure why he doesn’t …”
Melanie interrupted, “Yes. It was some time ago. I’m not sure how much Max remembers, but I said some unkind things that I’ve come to regret deeply. I’m truly sorry and have grown since then. I have no excuse except to say to Maxie that I’m sorry, and that if he wants to come over and play with Junie, he can any time he wants to. I have a robo-Floppit smart toy and am caring for a growing young real Floppit, and every now and again, some real live adult Floppits drop in.”
Mary’s voice this time had a tone of wonder and excitement, “Really? Would it be too much of an imposition if we come over for a little while so Maxie and Junie can ... get reacquainted? I wasn’t there when any of the … unpleasantness happened; I didn’t even know Maxie was a baby at the time."
Melanie replied with relief in her tone, “It wouldn’t be an imposition at all. I know Junie really misses Max, and I wanted to finally try to fix the rift I caused. As a matter of fact, I’ll have snacks out for the Babydolls, and we can watch that new sci-fi series, Ghosts of the Night.”
Mary replied, “Excellent. Are you free tonight? Give me a bit to change and get Maxie ready. We can be over within the hour.”
“That’d be great!“ replied Melanie. “That’ll give me time to bake the cookies. See you in about an hour!”
“Max?” said Junie. “Max gotsa Mommy now? They comin’ over?” She bounced in her diaper on the play mat excitedly.
“That’s right,” said Melanie after getting off the phone, “and as soon as I get the cookies in, we’re going to talk about this thing you did with the vision of the past. It’s kind of like what that baby Floppit Flashback can do. Is this because you’re a Remember, I wonder? Maybe Flashback is like a Floppit version of a Rememberer.”
“I … dunno …” said Junie, but Melanie was already in the kitchen, getting out the mixer and baking sheets. She thought aloud, and Celeste listened. “I ‘membered … somethin’ that happeneded wight here, where we is now.”
Celeste nodded. “An’ it somethin’ other peoples forgotted … maybe ‘cause of the Floppits.”
“Yeah, maybe,” said Junie. “And Mommy … well, she not Mommy then. Not yet. Just roomie.”
Celeste replied, “Now, Max was your friend? An’ you ‘n he knew you both Babydolls? But … not Melanie?”
Junie nodded. “Max ‘n me … we both Adult Babies, Babydolls, whatever. We liked playin’ like we babies again. But I hided it from Mommy … she no Mommy yet then. Max gotted a new pacifier. He wanted to shows it to me.”
“And Melanie seed it atta wrong time,” said Celeste, nodding solemnly. “She did what alla humans usedta do if they seed Adult Baby stuffs … they get all weird ‘bout it. Maybe she think Max wanna hurt real babies … when he really just wanna be the baby. Is sad. But how comes you maked a picture? Was real light ‘n sounds. Like a movie in the air.”
Delicious aromas began to waft through the air from the oven in the kitchen, and Melanie returned to the playroom. “That’s exactly what I want to know,” she said to them. “It’s like what little Flashback can do … only not quite the same. That’s like actually being there. This was like watching it on TV. Well, if the TV was all blue.”
Celeste added, “An’ Flashback can’t do it to me or Topaz, ‘cause we Playmate Floppit toys. Think it only work on alive brains. But I sawed what Junie did just fine.”
“So there were photons for your eye cameras to pick up, and sound waves for your ear microphones,” said Melanie. “That’s kind of like what little Amethyst does, only she can do anything, including made-up pictures and abstract patterns.”
“An’ they purkle,” added Junie.
Melanie chuckled. “Yes, her images are all purple, instead of blue.”
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Junie sat in the playroom with her robotoy and the real infant Floppit. Nothing she could do would bring another of those blue window things. Amethyst said in her cute baby babble, “Whas ifn it only workted onna ones who no member afor we comded heres ta helps?’
Junie thought this over while she sucked her thumb. It didn’t take but a few seconds and her mind was totally engrossed in having a tickle fight with the Floppits. What she was attempting to reason out was replaced by the infantile joy of the game.
Beth and Angie arrived. Beth was having an adult chat with Melanie while the two Babydolls babbled happily along and played with the Floppits ... of both kinds.
Beth walked in and patted Angie and Junie on their thickly diapered bottoms, “And how are my two most special Babydolls doing? Having fun?”
Suddenly, Junie came back to the state of mind where the toddler in her was pretending to be an adult. She sucked her thumb thoughtfully for a minute then babbled just coherently enough that Beth understood, “Does ya members afore babies ‘cepted?”
Immediately, one of those blue clouds appeared and what looked like a streaming video showed clearly, but still blue. In it, Beth was at a club, berating a girl who seemingly had a regression fetish. She was dressed as adorably as any Babydoll ever did – evidently someone she was acquainted with but didn’t know well. “And what kind of outfit is that? Lolita? What kind of guys do you think you’re going to attract dressed like that? What kind of guys come to a place like this who would be interested in somebody who looks like you? Are you even thinking?”
Beth pointed at the image and said in shocked surprise, “Wow, I had totally forgotten about that. But … it really happened. I know it did.” She held her head as the incident became clear in her mind. It sat like a lump of lead. “I am so sorry. I really let Olivia have it that night. I haven’t seen her in years. I don’t even know where she is now. I’m the one who wasn’t even thinking … she wasn’t there to meet guys. She was there with two other girls. If I’d only known what I know now. I’m so glad I don’t think that way anymore.” The blue window vanished.
Beth called, “Melanie? I have to tell you something.”
Melanie walked into the playroom, “What’s up, girl? You look upset.”
Beth replied, “I am upset, with myself.”
“Why? What happened?”
Beth pointed at Junie. “She did something again. She made some kind of blue holo-cloud streaming video of memories I had that were negative about the Babydoll craze before the Floppits arrived.”
Junie said in an infantile squeak, “I no can makesa bluescreen if no memories awweady. Tried it lots an’ it no workted till Auntie Bef comded. Then it workted.”
“And what did she show you?” asked Melanie. Beth briefly explained, embarrassed by the person she had been in the past. “Ophelia? I don’t think I ever met her.”
“She was somebody I knew from high school,” Beth said, “and I’ve seen less and less of her with time. Gee, I wonder why she’d want to stay away from me. She probably moved away.”
“We can try to find her, if you like,” said Melanie.
Beth still looked upset. “I think I’d only upset her again,” she said. “I’ve done enough to her. I don’t want to do any more harm.”
The intercom played its little musical tone, and Melanie answered. “Hi, it’s Mary, and Max and we are here to see you and Junie!” came the electronically-muffled voice that Melanie had heard over the phone earlier.
“OK, I’m hitting the buzzer, come on in!” Melanie said.
The doorbell rang a moment later. “Wow!” said Mary as they opened the door to greet their guests. “Your building … it’s kind of looking like … I’m not sure. Someplace like a big playground or spaceship. Or a play spaceship.”
“I know, they’re remodeling,” Melanie said. “Come in, come in! Beth, this is Mary, and this is little Maxie.” Max was an adorable Babydoll boy wearing a blue and white striped shirt that was probably really a onesie, with a big blue whale on the front. He had blue elastic expandable shorts that made it obvious that he was thickly diapered, and he was sucking on a cute pacifier. Mary brought in a foldable stroller and laid it against the wall by the door. “Maxie, you probably want to see Junie – she’s over in the playroom there, and you can meet Beth’s Babydoll, Angie, and our Babydoll friend Cindy, and the Floppits too!”
“Whoa, Floppits? Really? Wow!” Max said, trying to toddle toward the playroom, but as soon as he let go of Mary’s hand he lost his footing and flopped to the floor on his padded bottom. “Whoopsies … Oh well …” He crawled the rest of the way to the playroom.
Junie gasped when she saw Maxie crawling in. “MAXIEEE!” she shrieked and crawled over to hug him. “Misseded you soooo muchies! Thiiiiiis muchies!” She held her arms out wide as she could.
By this time Topaz and Celeste had curiously hopped over to see the newcomer, followed by Flashback and Amethyst, who were just slightly slower because of being smaller. Angie and Cindy crawled over a bit more shyly. “Oh gosh, is you Floppits? Wow! You sooper cool!”
Introductions happened in a way that would have been confusing if everyone there hadn’t been a Babydoll or Floppit of some description, but as it was they all made do.
Junie said, “Huh … Maxie coulda beened our fwiend all this time … could even have gone to Infantus wif us … if Mommy hadn’ta gotted mad ‘n kicked Maxie outta the ‘partment back then.”
“Yeah,” Maxie said sadly. “Guess she better now, huh? But what issa Infantus?”
“Issa … place,” said Angie. “You’d woves it. It all for babys. They … kinda twyina make this buildin all for Babydolls n their Mommies n Daddies.”
Trixie came up and introduced herself. “My name’s Trixie, and I’m Cindy’s Nanny, but I love taking care of all babies. Nice to meet you, Maxie. And I understand there are plenty of buildings like this popping up all over. Not everyone’s a Babydoll, Mommy, or Daddy, but there are places for them to live now, places where they can be extra happy.”
“Just gonna warns ya,” said Cindy, “Twixie gonna check your diaper a lot.”
“Why, whatever do you mean?” asked Trixie as she checked Junie’s diaper. She was used to it. So was Angie, who was checked next.
“Yeah, my Mommy do that to me a lot,” Maxie said. “I kinda like bein’ wet tho. ‘Minds me amma baby now. Fora long time wasn’t OK to be a baby. Now it OK. Wish it coulda always beened OK.”
Junie gasped. “You … you ‘member the time afore it was OK? To be a baby?”
Maxie nodded, his mop of brown hair bouncing everywhere. “Yeah. Then it change. Think it was Floppits ‘cause I started seeinem everywhere alla sudden. Never was Floppits round afore.”
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The three mommies jumped up simultaneously in near panic when all the Babydolls started screeching. Trixie didn’t seem to be fazed, however.
Beth asked, “Aren’t you going to see if one of them is in trouble?”
Trixie replied, “They aren’t.”
Melanie asked with a strange expression on her face as the screeching became louder, “How do you know that? With such confidence?" She got up and went to the playroom to check things out.
Trixie replied, “Somehow, I think two smart-toy Floppits, two infant Floppits … and, as it appears, several other Floppits, are all having what looks like a wonderful tumbling tickle snuggle.”
Melanie returned with a smile, “You are exactly right. How could you tell?”
Trixie replied, “I can speak baby babble, and the sounds of their screeches told me that they were having a wonderful time, not in some type of trouble. Besides, I’m datalinked with the Playmate Floppits and can see what their eye cameras see.”
Melanie and Beth looked at each other for an instant before Beth asked, “It would be so nice to be able to understand baby babble. How would one learn such a thing?”
Trixie smiled, “Perhaps by accepting Baby Rules, for one.”
Beth protested, “We can’t do that; who would take care of our Babydolls?”
Trixie smiled, “I adore taking care of Babydolls.”
Mary said, “That might be so, Trixie, but we feel the same way, and I personally have no desire to become a Babydoll.”
Trixie replied, “I’m not sure if you can be taught easily. The Adult Conspiracy makes it almost impossible.” Trixie rummaged in one of many deep pockets and brought out a small book. Its title was Baby Babble Dictionary. She opened it and handed it to Beth.
Beth looked at the jumbles of incoherent letter groupings ... and to her amazement, there were actual definitions for them.
Topaz left the playroom and zoomied over to Beth, stood on its hind legs, and wiggled its nose for a minute before saying in its cute voice, “I coulds twy n teaches ya. But an adult gotsa bes carefuls. Is they get too much foresight … has weird consequences.”
Mary asked, “Why would something like that happen?”
Topaz replied before hopping back into the playroom, “Cuz, jus cuz ur adult onna outsides, no meansa secret baby no live inside.”
The women watched as Topaz zoomied back into the playroom and joined the tickle snuggle.
Trixie stood up from the chair she was sitting in and said as she moved towards the playroom, “I know we probably have some Babydolls who need changing really badly.”
Mary asked as she and the other two followed, “How would you know that?”
Beth laughed, “Whenever Floppits and Babydolls get into a tickle tussle, you can count on it.”
Melanie and Beth both laughed as Mary looked on in wonder while they all helped Trixie check and change their very wet Babydoll’s diapers while the Floppits continued to zoomie all around and tussle in a snuggle pile.
As she taped up Cindy’s dry diaper, Trixie added, “I understand baby babble because of Babies of All Ages’ patented Babylator technology. BOAA has Babylators in many of their products, including the Playmate Floppit robo-toys and Nanabots such as myself, but you can get a stand-alone device if you like. However, considering that all of you but Mary already has either a BOAA smart toy or Nanabot, owning a separate device would be somewhat redundant. It might be useful for you, though, Mary, since you don’t have any of these at present.”
Mary was finishing up with changing Max, and she asked, “It’s true, sometimes Max gets downright impossible to understand, depending on how little he feels at the moment.”
Max added, “Uh huh, sometimes I gets sooper little ‘n thinkin’ like baby … feel so nice really … wish it happen more. Is kinda hard ta gets inna mind set sometimeses.”
“Awww …” said one of the new Floppits. “That sad. You must notta ‘cepted Baby Rules.”
“No …” said Max. “Hearda that, but not gotted lucky sofar. Not been askded.”
“What’s this?” asked Mary.
Melanie explained, “It appears to be some sort of process that Babydolls can go through if they’re invited. If Maxie is asked, and it’s likely now that you’re associating with all of us, prepare for a period of days to weeks when Maxie’s mindset will be indistinguishable from a real baby’s, during which he’ll be having the time of his life, and once he readjusts, he’ll be able to pretend to be an adult again, but he’ll always be his real Babydoll self on the inside from that moment on. Also there will be no going back to potty training after that point.”
“But what are Baby Rules?” Mary asked. “What does that mean?”
“I’m … not sure we can understand,” said Beth. “Only real babies and Babydolls can really get it.”
“Oh,” said Mary. “Maybe I’d better get one of these Babylator things before that happens, then.”
“If I may,” said Trixie, “I suggest either the hands-free earbuds version or, if you’re thinking of being more high-tech, there’s an entire headset that can translate both ways and even has augmented reality to constantly update you on Max’s status. It basically gives you many of the informational abilities of a Nanabot such as myself.”
“Oh, interesting,” Mary replied. “I’ll look into that. At the very least it would be nice if it left both hands free, because this one can be more than a handful!” She tickled Max, who giggled.
Melanie said, “Mary … Max … I really seriously apologize for what I did back then. I didn’t know. I didn’t really know about Babydolls.”
Mary looked at Max, who looked back. Max turned to Melanie. “You just saidit. You diden know. Gotta tell the truth … I feeled really really bad. Cried a lot. Missed my fwiend Junie. She wassa only other AB I knowed in real life. ‘N now couldn’t never see her again. But … been a long time and it feel real goo now I know I can play wifs her again and gots new fwiends too … also know you is a fwiend who just no unnerstood. Can all start over togevver.” The Floppits, real and robotic, were all listening carefully, forming a circle around the humans and the Nanabot and watching with their big eyes.
Mary nodded, tears in her eyes after hearing that. “I met Max and he told me about that, and all I could think was that you were a terrible person – after all, as I saw it, you weren’t in any kind of relationship with June, other than a roommate, so you didn’t even have a right to throw Max out. But I knew I wasn’t getting the objective truth, just Max’s view. I knew you couldn’t be that kind of person.”
“I … hope I’m not,” said Melanie, tearing up. “I was … I think even then I was kind of protective of June and thought Max was … I don’t know. Some kind of … I’m not going to say it. The fact is that I didn’t know anything back then. I was so ignorant. I’ve got to accept that there are things I don’t understand.”
June said, “Now I gots my fwiend Maxie back!” She hugged him. “And maybe Maxie gots more fwiends now too!” The Floppits cheered in their fuzzy, squeaky way.
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The next morning, Melanie called Mary and invited her to come with Beth and her to the BOAA store to see what they could find. Mary was somewhat concerned about cost until Beth explained that for some reason unknown to either Melanie or herself, all costs had been deferred.
At that point, Mary agreed and told Melanie she would be there in about a half hour after she dressed Max for the outing.
In about 45 minutes, the doorbell rang. Beth had come upstairs by that time, and she answered the door. Max was in a romper that looked more as if it was for a girl than a boy and an obviously thick diaper. The robo-Floppits agreed to take care of the infant Floppits until everyone returned. As Melanie shut and locked the door she saw this huge adorable bundle of fur rolling all over the living room in what looked like a really fun snuggle / tussle.
As soon as they entered the BOAA store, an extremely pretty girl dressed in rumba panties with a matching purple babydoll dress that showed off her ruffles bounded up to them like the toddler she was dressed as.
She giggled pleasantly and asked in a really cute voice, “KennI heps ya?? Gots lotsa stuffies Babies n Babydolls love.”
Melanie couldn’t help herself as a huge smile crossed her face. This young woman was as cute as they came. “What we’re looking for are those Babylator earbuds that go two ways.”
The girl began bouncing on her toes and clapping her hands like the excited toddler she appeared to be, “Oooo wunnerfuls, ‘ceptins we no gotsa two-way inna bud. Gots earmuffins, tho. Faller me, will shows ya.” She toddled off, and the women followed, pushing their Babydolls in their strollers.
The employee took them into a side room that looked for all the world like an electronics store, went to a large counter and opened it, then removed a headset that appeared to be two earbuds connected by a flexible plastic band with a long black cylinder in the middle.
The girl asked, “Who gets ‘em? We needa fits it on em sos ey works properlies.”
Mary said, “That’s me. I need them to understand my Babydoll.”
The girl toddled over and adjusted the headband after she had placed the buds in Mary’s ears. Junie and Angela were having a baby babble conversation. As soon as the set was turned on, the babble became clear English. When she spoke, what came out sounded like baby babble. Angela, Junie, and Maxie gasped, because they could all understand it.
Mary asked, “How much are these?”
The girl looked at Melanie and pointed, “Is ya wifs them, is free. Miss ‘Sephone say so. Wanna looks at ennyfin else?”
“Well … what other things might you suggest?” asked Mary.
“Gots lots new stuffs!” the representative said enthusiastically. “Just twaineded on somma it!” She paused. “Twained like … showeded how ta works it. Not like potty twained. That no happenins.” She giggled. So did Melanie, and so did Junie, who chanced to overhear her. She took out another package. “This called Cyber Eyes. Is Cyber Mommy Eyes, Cyber Daddy Eyes, lots versions. Shows you lots things.”
“They’re … smart glasses?” asked Mary. “I wear contacts …”
“Oh! We gots contacts one too,” said the girl. “But glasses more easy to show.” She held up a pair of light glasses. Unlike commercially available smart glasses, there was really no way to tell they weren’t just glasses. Mary tried them on.
“Oh!” said Mary, looking around. “I see … gosh! Max’s diaper bag has three diapers left, and two bottles. Max’s diaper is at 35% of capacity. And …” She looked at the store girl and said, “Your diaper is at 85% capacity, young lady. I really wouldn’t mind if you took a quick break before you leak.”
“Huh??” said the employee, looking down at her rhumba panties and the thick diaper beneath them, as if she could somehow see how badly she needed a change.
Just then a Nanabot sidled over and took her hand. “Time for a change, Miss Lizzie,” she said.
“Awww but cust’mers …”
“I’ll have you back so quickly they’ll hardly notice you’re gone,” said the Nanabot, taking her around a corner, presumably to a changing area.
“So adorable,” said Melanie.
Mary was still looking around. “I realize that this is a demo model and a lot of this is sample data,” she said. “Max’s got 4 diapers in his diaper bag, not 3. And I only packed one bottle. But that’s probably because it isn’t calibrated or isn’t a smart diaper bag or something. But the store girl’s diaper might be connected up to the system, so that might have been accurate.”
Max heard her and blushed. “The glasses … can shows you how wet I is?” His mouth hung open in amazement and embarrassment.
“What’s that,” replied Mary, “don’t like the idea of my knowing the exact state of your diaper at any moment?”
“Uh .. um … didn’t say that …” said Max, blushing more.
The girl was back, led by the hand by the Nanabot. “Sowwy!” she said, blushing but smiling.
“Quite all right, dear,” said Melanie. “I believe Mary had more questions.”
In the end, Mary got the Babylator earphones and a pair of contact lenses, with her prescription, that showed her exactly the information she needed to know as a Mommy at all times. She also got a smart diaper bag that could keep track of its contents, and a case of smart diapers that could monitor just exactly how wet or messy Maxie was at all times so she’d know just when to change him. Max seemed to like the idea of her basically constantly checking his diaper without his knowledge.
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A month had passed and brought great changes to the apartment complex. The playground had equipment for the children to play on that Melanie had only seen on Infantus. The living jungle gym and swingsets were marvels. If one of the children fell from the jungle gym or jumped from the swing, a vine would instantly catch them and place them softly on the ground.
Mary and Max had moved into one of the apartments and not only had an elaborate nursery for Max, but a huge playroom. When rent came due, they all knew instantly that the new owner of the complex wasn’t interested in money, since none of them were required to pay rent by direct order of the mysterious owner, whom no one could call by name. Junie suspected it was either Persephone herself or Miss Sally.
It was a bright sunny Saturday, and all the Babydolls and Floppits of both kinds, including a few who had dropped by to play, were in one of those tickle snuggle matches that caused wet diapers as sure as the sun rises, when a firm knock came at the door.
Beth, being closest, went to the security station and turned on the camera. The person standing at the door was so beautiful that she appeared to be angelic. She wore an almost see-through sarong that left nothing to the imagination. In one hand, she carried a small basket with several apples that looked to be made of solid gold. In the other hand, she held a small box made of some kind of material that Beth had never seen before.
Beth asked, “Can I help you?”
The woman laughed a tinkling laugh, “Hello, Beth. Yes, I know you, and all who live in this complex. I have brought gifts for the Babydolls.”
Beth asked suspiciously, “Who are you? What’s your name?”
The woman smiled a smile that seemed to radiate light, and replied, “You probably won’t believe it, but my name is Aphrodite. I’m Persephone’s mother.”
Beth was totally flabberghasted as she called, “Melanie!! Come here quick!!”
Melanie dashed into the living room, “What’s wrong?”
Beth pointed at the extremely beautiful image in the monitor and said, “She … she says she’s Aphrodite."
Melanie’s eyes grew as large as saucers as her mouth fell open. “Let her in. I’ve seen things on another planet. There’s no reason this can’t be real.”
While this had been going on, about a dozen Floppits had all gathered around and began tumbling and being silly. One of them stood up on its hind legs and said, “Lets her in. She Sephonie’s mommy.”
Beth opened the door. Immediately the aura around the woman permeated everything. A feeling of loving euphoria washed through Beth and Melanie. Mary walked in about that time, and it was so intense that she almost wet her panties. As it was, they were rather damp.
Once Mary had regained some composure she whispered to Melanie, “Who is this? Man, just being around her is intense.”
Melanie replied in a tone of total amazement, “You won’t believe me, Mary, but this is Aphrodite … the real one. Like from the ancient stories.”
Aphrodite said in a tinkling voice, "Glad to meet you. Now where is that adorable little boy Babydoll, Maxie.” She opened the box and removed a strawberry pink cell phone with a pink bow on it. “I have a present for baby Maxieeee.”
Mary said, “You … you want to talk to Maxie? Should I be worried?”
“Absolutely not,” said Aphrodite, smiling an incandescent smile that could light up five cities. Mary went to get him. In a few minutes probably after a quick diaper change, Maxie came toddling in.
Aphrodite cooed softly, as somehow it appeared she had knelt in front of Max, “Auntie has brought you a gift straight from Pesephone’s hand.” She handed the beribboned device to Maxie, who looked at it curiously.
Angela, Cindy, and Junie all knew what was coming and began to giggle.
The phone began to ring its nursery rhyme ring tone. Aphrodite cooed softly, “Answer it, Babydoll. I know it’s for you.”
Max opened the flip top, “Hewows?? Am Maxies.”
The mystical cooing voice from the phone replied, “Hello, Sweetheart. Is Baby old enough to answer a question?”
Max's eyes grew large as he nodded his head.
It didn’t matter that nods don’t make any sound over the phone. Somehow, the person on the other end of the connection knew and said, "That's wonderful. Now, all I want to know is … Does Maxie accept Baby Rules?”
It was like electricity as the question surged all through him intensely enough that he wet his diaper. Immediately Maxie plopped on his squishy bottom, dropped the phone, and began speaking in perfect babybabble.
The cooing voice from the phone said, “Of course you do. Now, Sweetie, just be yourself. You’ll be just fine.”
The line went dead, and it seemed as if some kind of light had turned off … or perhaps on. Maxie was now the toddler in his mind that he had dreamed of being. It would be a while, but soon he would reach a milestone where the toddler in him will be able to pretend to be adult. Until that point, Maxie was the newest Babydoll.
Mary had been watching this with her BOAA Cyber Mommy contacts and gasped. “I can tell!” she said. “I can see that he’s … well, the Maxie he’s always wanted to be. He’s got the same little pacifier icon next to him that the others have.”
Aphrodite smiled. “Well, I don’t know about all that newfangled gadgetry that my daughter’s into, but please don’t worry about Maxie. He’ll be very much a little baby boy for a while, but soon he’ll be able to play at being an adult sometimes. Just take good care of him, and it’ll all come out all right.”
“Ma’am,” asked Melanie, “if I may ask, why did you come here instead of your daughter Persephone?”
“Because,” she said, “I was coming here anyway on another errand, and she asked me if I could bring Maxie her gift while I was at it. As for the other errand …” She straightened up and closed her eyes. Setting down her basket of golden apples for the moment, she raised her arms and said in a voice that seemed to resonate through the walls, “I hereby bless this home. Let it be a place of love.”
At that moment, Maxie said something that sounded like “Ma-ma!” and Mary was full of an intense feeling of love for him. She went to him, and they hugged each other. Simultaneously, Melanie was filled with a need to be with June, and Junie said, “Mommy!” as she crawled toward Melanie. Beth and Angie were hugging. Cindy felt a bit left out in a way, but she also felt very happy. Trixie read the room and went to pick Cindy up and hold her. Even the Floppits – the real ones, that is – were cuddling all in a big pile.
Aphrodite smiled. “This is happening in every apartment in this building now,” she said. “I wish love to you all.” And she left in one of those mysterious blue/white flashes, taking the empty basket with her. The rest barely noticed, other than Trixie and the robotic Floppits.
“Where did tha apples go?” Topaz asked Amethyst, who shrugged in a Floppit way.
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Mary sat at the table with Melanie and Beth and had a nice soothing cup of tea and honey with them. After taking a sip she said with wonder in her tone, “I can’t believe I actually met the real Aphrodite."
Beth took a sip of her tea and said, “I can’t believe I actually met a Cherub.”
Mary looked at Beth with wide eyes, “A Cherub? One of those baby angels with the cute little wings?”
Melanie laughed. “Sort of? Not exactly? More to the truth would be the children of an advanced people well beyond our ken.”
Trixie waved her hand. “Don’t forget. I’m not real, although no one can tell without a super advanced diagnostic.”
Mary looked around at the two infant Floppits and the robo-smart toys. In her mind, there was also no way to tell them from the real deal. She even had two living examples to compare them to. She looked at Trixie and was still awestruck, but accepted the fact that what had happened had really happened. She had even seen it with Maxxie when he had accepted Baby Rules.
Trixie had walked to the sliding door and gone onto the huge patio. It was like a garden oasis, complete with a small pool and a small apple tree growing in the very center. Of course, there were comfortable looking benches spread tastefully around the garden.
That was when Mary realized that the tree hanging over the pool was an apple tree full of golden apples … just like the ones in Aphrodite’s basket …. Her eyes grew large with realization. That was a real tree of love.
That meant that the patio was some kind of magical place. Mary got up and went out to the pool. She looked in. What she saw in the water appeared to be some kind of … fog? It spread all through the pool. In the exact center of the pool a large round space cleared and glowed blue-white for an instant. Then the image of Nana Pederson appeared.
Mary gasped and stepped back.
Nana Pederson’s image said, “Now, now, child, don't be afraid. This is just a pool of knowledge, I have come to teach you how to use it. It’s very easy. My name is Nana Pederson. You can ask Melanie or Beth about me; I’m sure they have a lot to tell you.”
Mary came to a decision. She stiffened her back and came to the edge of the pool. “OK, Nana. I want to go to Infantus with Maxxie. I want to see this fantasy place all these Floppits are talking about, not to mention June, Melanie, Beth, and Ashley.”
The image of Nana smiled, “And here I thought you were going to ask something weird.”
Suddenly, beside the pool a hole formed, and out popped an adorable Floppit. It stood on its hind legs and wiggled its nose at Mary cutely.
Out of the playroom came several screeches, all with the same words. “DIGGER YA COMDED BAK!”
Digger giggled, “Yups, an’ I comded ta get Mary here an’ her boy Babydoll. They gonna meets miss Sephony.”
By this time, Angela, Cindy, Junie, Max, and the Floppits had waddled, toddled, rolled, or maybe even crawled over to where Digger was. “If ya wait, we getsa diaper bag ready for Maxie,” said Amethyst.
Digger giggled, “No need. Everthin’ on Miss Sephony. Mary wanna see Infantus. OK, she gonna see Infantus. Follow me!” Digger impossibly dug a hole in the surface of the water, but there it was, the sun shining down into the hole.
Mary stared for a moment, but then she turned to Max. “Come on Maxie, we’re gonna go to a fun place for babies, OK?”
Max, whose mind was still fully in baby mode because he’d just accepted Baby Rules, giggled and somehow knew to crawl toward the hole … which was fortunately very near the edge of the pool. Mary made sure he crawled down into it before stepping in herself … and the two of them found themselves in a low, dark tunnel beneath the ground, or that’s what it seemed like, anyway. It wound and twisted, but soon there was a bright light around a corner, and they emerged into a white room.
The room had a shallow square pool of water in the center, surrounded by four gold-trimmed columns, each painted a pastel color, pink, blue, yellow, and green. The ceiling was white with a square mural of a blue sky scattered with fluffy white clouds in the center, just above the pool. Digger sat nearby, his nose wiggling.
“Ah, here you are, my latest baby and his wonderful Mommy,” said a voice that immediately got Max’s attention. “Ah, yes, you know my voice, don’t you, Sweetheart? You recognize me from the phone.” The owner of the voice was a beautiful woman with long, elaborately braided hair bound with a gold clasp. She wore an almost opaque shining white classical chitin with gold trim that left nothing to the imagination and golden sandals on her feet. She turned to Mary. “You may have guessed, but I am Persephone. I am happy to meet you, Mary.”
“It … it’s an honor, I believe, Ma’am,” Mary said respectfully.
Persephone smiled. “You’re welcome to call me Persephone, but the respect is appreciated, of course,” she said. “I’m just happy that more babies from your world are finding their way to me.”
“Max … will be OK, won’t he?” Mary asked.
Persephone nodded, smiling an understanding smile. “Yes, of course he will,” she said. “For his entire life he’s dreamed of being able to let go and be the baby he is within. Now he is that. But nothing has been damaged, nothing taken from him. He will seem just the same as ever, but you see, before, it was so hard for him to reach a babyish state of mind. Now, it will be more than second nature. For now, he is in that state all the time, but soon, when he chooses, he’ll be able to reach an adult state.”
Mary nodded. “I see,” she said. “The baby state’s his default now.”
“Precisely,” agreed Persephone. “You’ve seen others who have been through this transition. Junie, Angie, Cindy … they’re all now empowered to be their true selves, their really true selves, whenever they wish. I want them to be happy. But I also want you to be happy, and I hope that this explanation has helped. I could sense your worry. Yes, I do have the power to take all the adult from someone, unless they truly have no inner child left at all, but I will not do that except in the most extreme circumstances – in self-defense, or to save a life, or … well, I must confess that I can become quite angered if someone harms one of my little ones.”
“I’m sure I wouldn’t want to see that!” said Mary. “I don’t want anyone harming any little ones either.”
“But you’re here to see Infantus,” said Persephone. “You are here – these are my apartments there. Through those doors you will find the guide I have summoned, someone who has met your friends. She will show you the sights. Please, enjoy your visit as my guest. You and Maxie may discover new things about yourselves. We shall see.”
Mary said, “Come on, Maxie, we’re going for a walk to a pretty place.” Max crawled after her as she walked toward the door. “Thank you, Miss Persephone,” she said. Persephone inclined her head and smiled.
The doors opened before Mary and Max …
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“So there was a girl there named Vickie Moonbeam,” said Mary when they returned a few days later.
“Oh, we met her!” said Melanie.
“She showed me how to put Maxie into this weird stroller device made out of … clouds, I guess?” Mary went on. “Or … maybe cotton candy? It smelled like fresh strawberries, but Maxie tried to eat it and couldn’t. But he didn’t have to crawl everywhere that way, and I didn’t have to worry about him following me because this thing just … I don’t know whether it was a machine or alive. But it followed along and carried Maxie, and it must have been comfy, because he certainly seemed to like it.”
“Yes, those cloud strollers are so nice,” said Beth.
“Wove those!” Angie said.
“I no getted to see ‘em,” pouted Cindy.
“Soon,” Trixie told her.
Mary went on, “And we saw all sorts of amazing things. The playground with the intelligent vines – and the swimming pool with no water – and the rainbow slide made of solid light, I guess? And the glitterbugs that can make you fly? The technology is beyond belief. And I … well … I got some things.”
“Oooo whadja gots?” asked Junie.
“They had some … improvements they said it was OK for me to get,” said Mary. “Back at BOAA I was intrigued by the earpieces and the contacts … and I don’t need those now. I can always see and hear Maxie wherever he is … I can always tell by just thinking about it if his diaper needs changing … I can pick him up really easily now, so it made me a lot stronger … there’s so much that’s better and easier now!”
“Interesting,” said Trixie. “I know of no such improvements. They must not be available on Earth, or not yet, at any rate. It sounds as if you are more or less part Nanabot now.”
“It’s … very fascinating,” Mary said. “And … at times quite enjoyable.” She blushed a bit. “I’ve kind of always dreamed about something like this.”
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Melanie and Beth had left their Babydolls in the capable hands of the horde of Floppits and Trixie while they went to BOAA to gather more supplies. The walk over was quick and enjoyable, except that when they had almost gotten there, a summer cloudburst caught them.
Even though they’d started running, by the time they arrived, both women were soaked. When they walked in, a precious young man in a diaper, plastic panties, and booties met them at the door.
He giggled and clapped his hands as he said, “Is ya wanna, gots som stuffies ya ken change inta and we’ll dry ur stuffs.”
Beth looked around with worry on her face, “I … don’t know about that. I’m not really into dressing like an infant.”
The boy waved his hand dismissively, “Baby ken find ya sompin no look baby. Might look likesa little ... but noa baby.”
The attendant toddled to a clothes rack and removed two brown rompers. They didn’t look much like infant wear. He also grabbed two pairs of cute panties and brought them to Melanie and Beth. They looked the items over. The panties were cute, but not infantile.
Melanie held up the brown romper and asked, “What’s this called? I don’t think I have seen a romper like this before.”
The attendant giggled like the toddler he appeared to be, “Is called Billabong rompers. Is fora big girl, noa baby.”
Beth said to Melanie, “This is cute. I think I might try it on. What I have on now is wet and soggy.” Beth took the dry panties and the romper. “I’ll let you know,” she said as she vanished into the changing room.
Melanie was impressed when Beth came from the changing room. Beth looked very sexy in the romper, not infantile in any way. Beth walked to the large mirror beside the changing room and turned slowly from side to side looking herself over.
Beth said, “This is not only cute, but it’s comfy too, and it doesn’t look like something a Babydoll would wear.”
Melanie grabbed the other romper and dry panties, saying, “I think so too,” before she entered the changing room. On the way in she did grab a cloth zip-up bag and several plastic bags. When she came out of the changing room, she too looked very cute and sexy in the romper.
Beth commented, “I’ve seen these advertised. This isn’t for infants; it’s for adult women.” She turned to the Babydoll attendant and asked, “Is there some type of top we can get too? I don’t feel exactly right with just the bib.”
The attendant waddled over to another clothes rack and took out two tops. They were the same color as the romper and actually had a built in bra, and poofy sleeves.
Melanie took one of the tops with her as she went back to the changing room. When she stepped out, she didn’t look anything like a toddler or infant, but she looked very sexy in the romper. Beth grinned as she took the other top and changed into it. Their wet clothes were placed in plastic bags, and packed in the cloth zipper bag. This made it easy for them to carry their soaked clothes with them.
Besides what they were now wearing, both women gathered some super thick “crawly diapers,” and several specialty regression disks that were well within the agreement they both had with their Babydolls. As usual, they didn’t have to pay, because all items’ prices were deferred by Sally Stevens.
On the walk back home, Beth and Melanie did notice the sly looks they were getting from the men who saw them.
As they both entered the apartment, Beth said, “This is a really comfy romper, and it looks great on us.”
Melanie replied, “I agree. I haven’t worn a romper since I was a little girl. This one is cute and sexy, but obviously not meant for a Babydoll. Maybe they have those there specifically for us Mommies.”
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None of them knew it, but sometime later in Sally Stevens’ office, her assistant Phil came in and said, “Miss Sally, these are the sales reports on the new line of clothing for Mommies and Daddies that we’ve put in the stores.”
“Oh yay!” said Sally. “Now we can see if they likes them! What’s they say?”
“Well, there’s been slow uptake,” said Phil. “I think this is because most people don’t know they’re there. It’s possible we may need to advertise a bit more. But look at this.” He pointed to a date on the chart where the line suddenly started climbing faster.
“Ooooh, what happeneded that day?” Sally asked, looking at it with interest.
“Well, we didn’t do anything,” said Phil. “The only thing I can figure is that, well, you know the Crestview property? Melanie, June, Beth, Angela, and so forth?”
Sally smiled immediately. “Yeah! Ohh, I love them so much! They are so awesome! I wish I could visit them again!”
“Perhaps we can arrange for that,” said Phil. “But anyway, it seems Beth and Melanie ran into a bit of a rainstorm on the way to the BOAA store and got drenched, and needed a change of clothes. The salesperson directed them to the new clothing line for Mommies, and of course everything they got was comped. But, you see, they picked out such eyecatching outfits that everyone started wondering where they’d gotten them even before they’d left the store. Word got around.”
“Ooooh!” Sally exclaimed. “I knew it would help to make sure they gotted everyfing they wanted!”
“Yes, well,” said Phil, “we still haven’t broken even financially from that decision yet, but this helps, at any rate, and we may profit in other areas. They’ve certainly increased interest in the Playmate Floppit smart toys and Nanabots. And … well, they’re attracting more babies and their carers to the building, so it’s good for that project too – though that’s difficult to measure in dollars.”
“Mommy no care abouts the dollars for that,” said Sally. “Not yet, anyways.”
“And the plan to explain the appearance of the Floppits some years ago as merely appearances of early prototypes of Playmate Floppits seems to be working,” said Phil. “Today, nobody can tell the Playmate Floppits apart from real ones anyway. Not without close inspection.”
Sally nodded. “That goo. Mosta tha Earth peoples not sposedta know bout Infantus yet. But when can I play wifs Junie ‘n Angie again?”
“I’ll look into that, Miss Sally,” said Phil. “Do you want to meet Cindy and Max, friends of theirs who are also Babydolls?”
“Yay new friends!” Sally exulted.
“I’ll put that down as ‘yes,’” said Phil.
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Melanie was taking Junie out for a walk in her stroller when they met a new couple before they’d even left the building. “Oh, hello,” Melanie said to the man, who had close-cropped red hair and beard. He was pushing a hand cart full of boxes toward the elevator from a pile of other boxes that was sitting in the building’s lobby. A happy-looking blonde girl was following after him holding a carrying case of some sort with a handle. She walked with a bit of a waddle because of the diapers Melanie and June could both clearly see the outline of beneath her bright pink overalls. She was tall, possibly a bit taller than her Daddy.
“Oh hi!” he said. “I’m Ron. You look as if you’re a Mommy! This is my baby girl, Stephie. We’re just moving in.”
Melanie replied, “I certainly am – I’m Melanie, and this is my Babydoll, Junie. Do you want to say hi, Junie?”
“Hiiiiii!” said Junie from the stroller. “I Junie! Hi Misser Won, hi Stephie!”
“Well, hello,” Ron said to Junie, looking down at her. “Aren’t you cute? You look like a happy Babydoll!” Junie nodded and giggled.
“Daddyyyyy,” said Stephie.
“C’mon, say hi to Miss Melanie and Junie. She’s a Babydoll like you!”
Stephie blushed. “H-hi,” she said.
“Looks like she’s having a shy day,” said Ron. “It’s OK, Punkin.” He patted her lightly on her padded behind.
“Well, we were just going out for a walk, and it looks like you have work to do,” said Melanie. “Do you need any help? I know some people who could … oh!” The elevator doors opened, and Mary came out, pushing Max in a stroller. “Mary and Maxie, these are Ron and Stephie, just moving in.”
“Oh gosh, welcome!” said Mary. “Can I help you with anything?”
“Well, I think I’ve got … it …” Ron began, and then Mary picked up a large box that could have contained a full-sized microwave oven as if it weighed nothing. “Well! You’re a strong one,” he said. Stephie stared in amazement.
“Mommy stwong now,” said Maxie, giggling. Stephie looked at him and nodded. “Hi Stephie, am Maxie. You Babydoll too?”
Stephie nodded shyly. “Uh … uh-huh,” she said. “Just … not usedta talkin’ ta others, I guess.”
Mary had stacked a few of Ron’s boxes in the elevator, then said, “More than that and it’ll overload with what you’ve got, plus your weight and Stephie’s. Oh gosh … I can tell what things weigh by looking at them. And I remember exactly what the elevator’s weight limit said. And adding them up was easy.”
“Great!” said Ron. “We’ll just go up with this load, then unload it and be back with more. C’mon, Sweetheart,” he said to Stephie, who toddled over to him and took his outstretched hand.
When the elevator had carried Ron and Stephie upward, Melanie asked Mary, “Still getting used to the upgrades?”
“Oh gosh!” Mary replied. “There’s so much that’s different! I didn’t know how many things would get easier! But they look nice, though Stephie seems a bit shy.”
“She pobly no meets lots other babies,” said Maxie.
“We fix that,” said Junie, giggling.
“I was just taking Junie for a walk,” said Melanie. “Not going anywhere in particular. Want to come along?”
“Sure!” said Mary. “We were just going to walk around the park.”
“Sounds good.” The two Mommies went onward, chatting, while their Babydolls babbled and chattered at each other happily.
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When they had left the building and entered what used to be the courtyard, both women stopped and marveled. It was no longer just a courtyard with an expanse of grass and some trees with a few flowers planted around it. It had become a huge and very beautiful garden park the likes of which neither had seen on Earth.
There was a shallow pond with many exotic types of aquatic creatures giving the pool a wonderful splash of rainbow colors. Several benches sat conveniently about so a passerby could stop and enjoy looking at the fish, or just to sit comfortably and look around.
Melanie actually was tickled when she saw another magic dancing fountain. Neither woman could figure how each separate flavor could be isolated once it fall back into the fountain’s pool. It amazed them that the flavors would change randomly every so often and a different colored water jet would spring out and join the colorful dance.
Of course, there were many Floppits doing what they normally did, keeping watch over the Babydolls who were there and insuring they were having fun and not getting hurt. Of course the vine plant swings, jungle gyms, seasaws, and twirl abouts were well represented.
Melanie looked around and commented, “Ya know, Mary?”
Mary looked up from the exotic flower she was examining and replied, “What? That this place is amazing?”
Melanie replied, “No. Didn’t you notice? This park is way larger that the area it occupies.” She pointed, “If we go over there, I bet that archway will lead us to the parking lot.”
“OK?” Mary said with a shrug as she took her Babydoll from the stroller and set him down in a sandbox that looked exactly like a large turtle.
Melanie said, “Think about it. There isn’t enough room between the exit into this park and the parking lot.”
Mary’s eyes became as large as saucers as she realized, “You’re right.” She turned and looked at the arch that had brought them in. In her mind she remembered that in the past it had been only a short few steps to the lot. Now, there were what seemed like several hundred yards before the next arch that would take them to the parking lot. “How … does that even work?”
Maxie and Junie began building sand castles for imaginary tiny people they named Sandikens. That is, before a group of Floppits showed up and it became a wonderful snuggle pile with lots of giggles, happy screeches, and of course wet diapers.
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Aphrodite and her daughter Persephone sat on a very plush golden dais beneath an apple tree full of golden apples. They gazed into their divining pool and watched Melanie and Mary. Of course, they paid attention to Maxie and Junie as well.
Aphrodite said, “Sweetheart, I’m not so sure if we should put so many advanced items in our special places.”
Persephone asked, “Why not, Mom? It not only allows the children a safe and guarded place to play, but it also gives those who are mommies and daddies a quiet and relaxing place to get rid of the day’s tensions.”
Aphrodite said softly, “You have forgotten something, daughter of mine.”
Persephone looked at her mother with a questioning expression. “Mom, I’ve done all I can to insure that those who are adult infants and Babydolls have the safest possible place to play and live without harassment.”
Aphrodite replied, “This is true, and you have done a remarkable job. But for all the acceptance you have fostered among the humans of Earth, and the forgetfulness about the past stigmatization of those who are different, you have only bolstered acceptance of those you call Babydolls … not of those different in other ways, nor of strange creatures and technologies that are unfamiliar to Earth. Indeed, to do so would be outside your bailiwick.”
“Well, the Floppits can usually take care of themselves,” said Persephone, “but … I see what you mean about the technologies. I must take careful measures to limit those. The seeds must not grow outside our enclaves.”
“See that they don’t. And do not forget,” Aphrodite reminded her, “that where bigotry and hatred once grew, it can grow again, whether or not anyone remembers where it once grew.”
Persephone continued, “Yes, and that’s why there are Remembers, but … you’re right, I haven’t done much for those who are different in other ways. Acceptance of same-sex relationships has grown, but not everywhere. And what little acceptance of humans who are transgender once grew has been beaten back to nearly nothing. But if they aren’t babies, my powers don’t extend to them. Your powers do, Mom – at least, for same-sex couples, because love is involved. But for someone whose powers can reach transgender humans? Well …”
“My daughter,” said Aphrodite, “it really isn’t your job to worry about all the others. For some of them, you’re correct, it’s my job, and I’ve been doing what I can, though my approach wasn’t as drastic as yours has been. But you’re right, others who are different need help too. I’ll see what I can do. Perhaps, just as you did with Nana Pederson, I should find an ideal representation or two … or more … but if you worry yourself about that, you won’t be paying attention to the babies that are your true calling.”
Persephone sighed. “You’re right, Mom. I should focus on the babies.”
“As I said, I’ll see what I can do,” said Aphrodite. “Meanwhile, your inclusion of Rememberers among your Babydolls is brilliant. They can remind those who have forgotten what they and others did in the past.”
“I just made a deal with Mnemosyne,” Persphone said. “In return, I get to take care of her new baby once they’re born. New baby, Mom! Muse number 10!”
“Yes, I know you love babies,” Aphrodite replied with a smile.
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One Month Later
Melanie, Beth, Mary, and Trixie all sat on the comfy pillow chairs watching the news on TV.
A handsome young man and an equally beautiful woman sat at a desk emblazoned with FAUX NEWS TONIGHT.
The young woman looked up and smiled, “Good evening , ladies and gentlemen, My name is Callie Howard, and I’ll be bringing you today’s top story.” She looked down for an instant and shuffled the large stack of papers in front of her before she looked up and continued, “Senator Crabbe of Indibama has just entered a new bill addressing the very serious issue of transgender people. According to the new bill, once a trans citizen has successfully transitioned, they would be legally considered to be whatever their new gender is. Any and all who, from that day forward, discriminated against one of these individuals would be punished under the existing antidiscrimination laws currently in force. I’ll say once again that this includes all trans Americans who have medically transitioned. They will be henceforth treated as their preferred gender with no discrimination or harassment. This bill seems to have a lot of support, but not quite enough. It only needs one more vote to become law …”
Beth said, “That means that Timmy boy can now be Teresa legally if he still wants to.”
Mary interjected, “Only if they can scrounge up another vote.”
Melanie replied, “That may be a lot harder than you think.”
Beth and Mary both said at the same time, “Why is that?”
Melanie replied, “I still see the hatred and contention a trans person arouses among certain people. Not sure if any conservatives on the Hill would be willing to risk it all over that vote.”
Melanie twirled a lock of her hair in thought. “I wonder if the Floppits might be able to help.”
Trixie stood and went into the playroom. “I don’t know, but I will ask. I know there are at least 3 real Floppits in that tickle pile.”
Trixie entered the playroom. All she could see was this big tussling ball of fur, ruffles, and floppy ears. Many shrieks of joy and lots of plushy swats abounded. Trixie reached in and gently picked up one of the Floppits, lifting him over to her.
She said softly, “Sorry to interrupt your fun, but we have a question, and we wonder if you or someone you know might be able to help.”
The Floppit stood on its hind legs and wiggled its nose, “Ken heps prollies. Whacha needenta knows?”
Trixie smiled at the adorable creature. “There’s a bill pending one vote of passing that would be rather important to many on this world.”
The Floppit replied, “Isittabout babies?? Ken does sompin now.”
Trixie replied, “Not about babies, but about girls that want to be boys and boys that want to be girls.”
“Oh.” replied the Floppit sadly, “I ken does nuffins ‘cause we alla bouts tha babies ... but thinks I knows somon who can. DIGGER!!! Come here. We gotsa gota sees Miss Sephonie.”
Immediately Digger hopped out of the playroom and dug a hole in the middle of the living room. Trixie and Digger vanished into the hole.
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“So you see,” Persephone explained to Trixie, with Digger looking interestedly on, “that isn’t really within my realm of influence – I can help babies who are also transgender, but if they aren’t babies at all, there isn’t much I can do. But I actually talked to my mother about this recently, and she says she’s working on it. There are members of the family whose sphere of influence comes close, but not quite, and that’s probably why trans humans are in such dire straits.”
“I understand,” said Trixie. “Your purview is babies, so your power is over babies, whether in reality or at heart. Your mother’s purview is love, so her power is over love, no matter the lovers. But whose purview is men, no matter the body? Whose purview is women, no matter the body? And what about those who see themselves to have no gender or both genders, or to be of variable gender?”
Persephone nodded. “You do see the problem,” she said. “Goddess of childbirth? Artemis. Goddess of babies? Myself. Goddess of youth? Hebe. Goddess of young women? That’s Artemis again. Goddess of married women? Hera. God of boys and young men? Apollo. God of grown men? Confusing. Zeus is god of ruling men, Ares is god of men at war, and Hermes is god of men exercising their athletic prowess.”
“But without one single god of men, no one focuses on masculinity itself, no matter the body it resides in,” Trixie said. “And without one single goddess of women, it’s the same.”
“Exactly,” Persephone said. “There’s Dionysus, who often dresses as either a man or a women and can even take female form, but he does it for pleasure, not for identity. Mom had an affair with Hermes and had a son, Hermaphroditus, who was pursued by a nymph named Salmacis but spurned her love, so she prayed to the gods, and somebody – whoever it was hasn’t admitted it – merged the two into one body, so now they’re both, but it was never really their identity. There was a woman named Mestra who Poseidon gave the power to change form into anything and sometimes took on male form, but she was mortal, and she died long ago.”
“The prophet Tiresias was cursed to become female for seven years, but that was a curse, not of his own volition,” said Trixie. “And he also died long ago.”
“Yes, you’ve heard of him,” replied Persephone. “Mom says she’s working on it, but it’s anyone’s guess what she’s got in mind or how long it’ll take.”
“There’s currently an opportunity in one nation on Earth to make transgender humans unchallengeable under federal law,” Trixie said. “The vote will be close. If this fails, it’s unclear how long it will be before the next opportunity like this.”
“I see,” said Persephone, “but if it’s that close, will the people who oppose it really respect the terms of the law? Those who oppose the mere existence of transgender humans are unwise – how does another’s expressed gender affect them at all? – but their unwise opinions are unlikely to be affected by a law. Still, such a law could protect victims of discrimination or violence.” She sighed. “There is one being. Some say they were the first god, or goddess, but others say they were the child of Chronos, Titan of time, and Ananke, Titan of necessity and fate. Phanes gave birth to the cosmos and is both male and female. But they gave up their scepter of power to Nyx, goddess of Night. Zeus has it now – he took it from his father Cronus.”
“The Titanomachy,” Trixie said.
“Your programming is quite impressive,” said Persephone. “And of course I know who’s responsible for it, and I’m very impressed with her as well. But at any rate, Phanes is the oldest hermaphroditic deity I know of. They’re still around somewhere, as far as I know. Maybe I can get a message to them. Maybe they’d be willing to be the guide of trans people. I can’t promise they’ll agree, though.”
“Of course not,” said Trixie. “I merely wanted to ask if there was anyone.”
“I’ll try, and we’ll see,” Persephone said.
“Thank you,” said Trixie.
“Travel well back to Earth,” said Persephone, looking at Digger and smiling.
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Phanes leaned back on their comfortable lounge pillow and took a long draft of their large flagon. When they dropped it, they had a moustache of white above their lip. Phanes wiped with a sleeve and burped loudly, “ That was the absolute best ambrosia I think I ever tasted.”
They put the flagon on a small table just as they noticed a hole appear in the floor in front of them. Out popped an adorable Floppit with a scroll in its mouth, tied with a red ribbon. It promptly scurried up to Phanes and gave them the scroll.
Phanes untied the scroll as they watched the Floppit jump back into the hole and it vanish as if it had never been there.
Phanes thought to themselves, “That’s a cute trick. And quite useful, I’m sure.”
They started reading the scroll. “I see, yet another request for me to get involved in this universe that doesn’t need me,” they said dismissively, but they read on. A nasty kind of scowl came to Phanes’ face as they snarled, “Is that so?” They stood, wrapped their gold-trimmed white cloak around themselves and vanished in a flash of blue-white light.
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An intern poked his head into the office. “Hurry, Senator Kua, they’re calling for all members to return to the chamber. The transgender bill is up for a vote. If it’s going to be voted down, the party’s going to need you – that’s what the party whip said.”
The Senator looked over, flipped his hand dismissively, and said in a snooty tone, “I’ll be along in a minute. I’m busy.”
The intern looked at the Senator with a blank expression, but in his mind he held many derogatory thoughts. He mentally shrugged and left, closing the door behind him.
Senator Kua sat for a few minutes longer to make sure he would be just late enough to be irritating, but not so late as to be excluded from the vote. He stopped looking at the transgender website he’d been reading and closed his incognito browser window. “I don’t get to be who I am,” he muttered to himself. “I’ve got duties. Don’t see why anyone else should get to.”
Just as the Senator turned to leave, a flash of blue-white light appeared, and within it stood an androgynous individual, dressed in what looked like a toga with a bright white cape trimmed in gold about their shoulders and wrap-up sandals that appeared to made of gold as well.
Senator Kua trembled in fear at this apparition, he actually wet the hidden panties he had on, “W-who … are you?”
The individual replied in a soft, mystically reverberating voice, “I have come to inform you that a yes vote on the coming matter will earn you a real dream come true.”
The Senator’s heart pounded. He didn’t know where the surge of hope he felt came from, but it almost made his heart leap out of his chest, or that’s how it felt. He managed to ask, “What makes you think you can bribe me into voting yes?”
Phanes replied, “I know what your family name used to be until a few generations ago – Kuaxingbie. Might this be an incentive, perhaps?” They waved their hand, and there was another flash of light.
The Senator felt like he had been hit by lightning as intense surges washed all through their body. They looked down. Their expensive tailor-made suit was several sizes too large, and their shoes were way too big for their feet. It dawned on the Senator that they were no longer male, just before this vision or experience ended and they returned to what they had been.
Phanes said, “For a yes vote on the upcoming bill, your reward will be to be the gender you have always dreamed of. No need for whatever surgeries they have on this planet, you’ll be as if you’d been born female.”
There was another blue-white flash, and the Senator was all alone with his very damp panties.
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“So, with Senator Kua of Texafornia casting the deciding vote and announcing his resignation at the end of the session, the bill moves on to the White House, where it’s expected to face a Presidential veto. Experts are split about whether there may be enough votes to override President Chump, but this story is expected to develop quickly over the next 24 hours.”
“Pweeeease, c’mon, pwease let it happen,” said Stephie. Her Daddy didn’t usually let her watch the TV news, but this was important to her.
“Yeah, I hope it can happen,” said Junie. Stephie and her Daddy, Ron, were visiting Melanie and June, and Stephie was in the playpen in the living room instead of in the playroom. Junie was watching from the playroom nearby.
“Now Stephie,” said Ron, “remember, even if it becomes law, it won’t change anyone’s mind. There will still be silly gooses out there, just like there will be friends.” Stephie nodded.
Melanie replied, “But if they try to take out their silly notions on trans people, the law means they can be punished for it. So maybe it will help make things better.”
“Iffit happen!” squeaked Stephie, her fingers crossed. She had socks on, but she probably had her toes crossed too.
The TV said, “And, as expected, the President has vetoed the Transgender Equality Act, so it goes back to Congress to see if there are enough votes to override. We go to John Excovetes, our political analyst. John?”
The analyst said, “Yes, well, it wouldn’t have passed the Senate without the two-thirds majority it needs anyway, so the question is whether there will be enough votes in the House. And let me just say that I’m sure every Representative from both parties is hearing from their party leaders and their constituents … and probably from the White House as well. This President isn’t fond of having his authority questioned. Even if it passes, from what we’ve seen of President Chump’s actions in the past, he’ll probably call for law enforcement and the judicial system to ignore it – so it’s anyone’s guess what effect it’ll have.”
“And that’s the question on everyone’s mind,” said the anchor. “If it actually becomes law, what real effect would it have?”
“The nation’s so divided on this issue,” the analyst replied. “It seems that anytime one party tries to do anything, the other party suggests that what we need to do is attack trans people. Then if they propose anything, it’s always got some attack on trans people in it. It’s as if there’s some kind of – what’s this?” He read something on the screen in the desk. “Are you seeing this?”
The anchor replied, “Yes, John. I’m not sure why it’s happening, but several Representatives of both parties have announced that they will change their vote to override the President’s veto, and that they will be resigning at the end of the Congressional session, just like Senator Kua. This is very unusual. Does this mean we’ll see a veto override?”
“I’m seeing no fewer than 17 no votes turning to yes,” said the analyst. “That’s more than enough. I have no explanation for this, but perhaps the story will come out over the next few days. Unless something even stranger happens, I think we’re seeing a rare override of one of this President’s vetoes, and with blinding speed.”
“Yay!” said Stephie. “Was hopin’ an’ prayin’ … an’ it happen!”
“Oooo yay!” echoed Junie from the playroom, where she sat behind the baby gate in the door. “Is goo, right, Mommy?”
“It can be,” said Melanie. “We’ll see. We’re lucky, we live in this amazing complex. I wonder if the others know about this. I’m going to text Mary, Trixie, and Beth.” She looked at her phone and paused. “That’s odd,” she said. “I already had a text from Trixie. She said that we may or may not see something happen. I wonder what she meant by that.”
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Junie sat in the playroom, having a tea party with Amethyst and her robo-Floppit Celeste, when a hole appeared in the floor of the playpen. Out popped Digger, followed by something that looked more like a bright red balloon with small tentacles than anything else.
Digger stood on his hind legs and said in baby babble, “Dis hera Floaty Pie. It wanna comes pway too.”
Digger bounded over to the small tea table and took an empty place. The Floaty Pie drifted over to another empty location and pretended to pour itself a cup of tea.
Junie said with amazement in her voice, “Babydoll no ever seeda livin’ balloon afores.”
Digger giggled, “Is no balloon, silly baby, isa creature. It wanna pway wif you. It goo at takin carea Babydolls.”
Melanie came into the playroom with a large platter of freshly baked cookies and a large container full of red berry juice. She stopped and looked on with surprise. She saw Junie, Celeste, a Floppit, and what appeared to be a balloon all seemingly having a play tea party.
She shook her head slowly and said, “I brought some cookies for all of you, and some juice to pour in your cups.”
Melanie walked over to the small table and placed the tray on top. She then put a cookie on a small saucer in front of all of them, including the Floaty Pie. She looked at the real Floppit for a minute, then asked, “Digger? Is that you?”
Digger replied in his adorable voice, “Yessum Mommy Melanie, is. And brunga new playmate wifs me. Is fwoms Infantus. Is called a Floaty Pie. Dis one name is … uh … well they gots their own language but it mean light ofa sky.”
Melanie nodded. She remembered seeing them when they had visited Infantus. “Why’d you bring one here? I’m not certain, but I would think anyone seeing it would … kind of have a reaction.”
Digger replied, “No worries. It no gonna go onna trips. Jus wanna be fwends wiffa Babydoll sall.”
Melanie didn’t reply; she turned and went back to the kitchen, picked up her cell, and called Beth.
The phone rang twice, “Hello, Melanie, what’s up?” came Beth’s cheery voice.
Melanie said softly, “You might want to come up here and bring Angie.”
Beth’s surprised voice replied, “Well, we were going to come in a little while, because Miss Sally’s coming over later, but sure, we can come early if you like. But what sparked this?”
Melanie replied, “Digger brought something with him I think you should see.”
Beth replied, “Really? I’ll be there as soon as I dress Baby.” The phone went dead.
Amethyst and Flashback were having no issues blending and having fun. Of course, it wasn’t long before the doorbell rang. When Melanie answered it, an adorably dressed Angie bounded in like the excited toddler she was dressed as, “Wha issit Auntie? Isa new toy?”
Melanie smiled as she took Angela by the hand and led her into the playroom. Angela’s eyes became big as dinner plates when she realized what was floating over one of the chairs.
“Aww! Floaty Pie!” gushed Angie. “I ‘members seein’ ‘em! So pwetty!”
Digger said, “It say thank you. Can unnerstands you but can’t talks in way human babies can hear. Floppits can hears em … though not alla Floppits learns Floaty Pie talk.”
“Well you is a pwetty red Floaty Pie,” said Junie. “You can have cookies ‘n juice if … um if you like ‘em. Does Floaty Pies like those?”
Digger nodded. “They does,” he said. The cookie on the saucer under Light of the Sky did indeed have some small bites taken out of it, though nobody had seen it happen. “They wants to meet more babys,” said Digger.
“Well there is Maxie an’ Cindy an’ Stephie,” said Angie, counting them out on her fingers, “There is new ones comin inta tha buildin’ alla times.”
“Yeah!” said Junie. “But … dunno alla thems yet.”
Meanwhile, outside the playroom, Melanie came back to the couch with a cup of hot tea for Beth. It was a cold winter day by this time, but Beth and Angela hadn’t had to go outside to visit; they had just come down the hallway. Still, Beth smelled the tea’s spiciness and warmed her fingers on the cup. “So … there’s one of those Floaty Pies here,” said Beth. “Looks like a red balloon if you don’t look too close. I remember we got introduced to a few of those when we visited Infantus.”
“That’s right,” said Melanie. “They’re intelligent and can talk, but not in a way humans can hear. I guess they communicate ultrasonically? Apparently Floppits can hear their voices, and some of them learn their language, but not all Floppits know it. All I know about why this one is here is that it wants to meet Babydolls. I think it’s just curious.”
“OK,” said Beth, “but it’s probably not safe for it to be out and about. Floppits look kind of like some Earth creatures, but not exactly – still, they’re cute and fuzzy. And the fact that BOAA has robotic Floppits that look exactly like the real thing means that nobody will know that real Floppits aren’t just robot ones. But Floaty Pies are … well, if you know they’re alive, they’re obviously aliens.”
“Exactly,” Melanie said. “I don’t know how many of them want to visit Earth at any given time, but it’s going to have to be very limited. They’ll have to be told to disguise themselves as balloons if they go out in public, and that’s a big if. They shouldn’t, if it can be helped at all. Not where just anyone can see them.”
“Right, maybe in the central courtyard where the Tree of Love grows,” said Beth, “but everywhere else on the complex grounds is visible from the street in one direction or other.”
“I’m not sure who we explain this to,” Melanie said.
While the Babydolls had their tea party with the Floppits and the Floaty Pie, Melanie and Beth talked about this and other matters, until Melanie got a message on her phone. “Oh, it looks like it’s close to time for Miss Sally to come over,” she said. “This is from one of her assistants, Nana Jennie. She’ll be here soon.”
Soon the doorbell rang, and Melanie buzzed them in. Miss Sally was at the door soon, in all her cuter-than-humanly-possible adorableness. Her hair was up in twin pigtails that seemed to defy gravity, and she wore pink overalls with obviously thick diapers under them, and an obvious zipper that went around from leg to leg to help with changing her. The redheaded Nana Jennie came in after her, smiling and carrying Sally’s large diaper bag over her shoulder. “Oh hi Miz Mewanie an’ Miz Beff!” Sally bubbled, toddling up and hugging each of them. “Is makes me weal happy to sees you! Oh gosh! Is you doin’ okays? Issa babies inna playroom?”
Melanie let Nana Jennie in and closed the door. “Would you like a cup of tea?”
“Oh, yes please,” Nana Jennie said. “Let me just get Miss Sally settled in the playroom, and I’ll be right back.”
“Yes, they are, and it’s great to see you too, Miss Sally,” Beth was saying. “I’m glad you’re still the bundle of energy you’ve always seemed to be. Want to join the girls? And Floppits? And …”
“Oooo! Floaty Pie!” said Sally enthusiastically, the moment she saw the red balloonlike creature. “Is … Light offa Sky? Yay! Hewwo!” Beth opened the baby gate and let Sally toddle into the playroom and flop herself down on the soft padded floor. Nana Jennie kept an eye on her until it appeared she was occupied, then turned toward the couch, where Melanie had placed a steaming hot cup of tea on the side table next to an open seat that had a view of the playroom.
“Oh, thank you so much,” Nana Jennie said, sitting down and setting the diaper bag down on the floor next to the couch. “This is welcome. You’re right, Miss Beth – she’s a ball of energy all the time! I don’t know how she does it.”
“How do you keep up with her?” Beth asked.
“As best I can,” said Nana Jennie, “but fortunately I only have to look after her for half the day. Nana Miki’s got her in the morning, and she’s got other help after hours. She does go to bed early, so that may be why she has so much energy. She’s just like a real toddler – all go go go, then she gets sleepy and naps, then it’s back to go go go!”
“Do you know anything about the Floaty Pie?” asked Melanie.
“Oh – yes,” said Nana Jennie. “Certain individual ones have been granted limited permission to visit only certain areas of Earth, not in view of the general public. This must be one of them. Some of them have visited private areas of the BOAA headquarters building.”
“So this apartment complex … is it owned by BOAA?” asked Beth.
“I’m not sure,” Nana Jennie said. “It’s possible that it’s owned by a corporate entity that Miss Persephone owns. I know BOAA is only one of her business interests.”
“Ahh, all right, then,” said Melanie. “That would explain a few things.”
“Like the resemblance to certain areas of Infantus?” Nana Jennie replied, nodding. “Yes, that’s happening in different places. I’ve visited some of them with Miss Sally. As I understand it, she and Miss Persephone want there to be safe havens for Babydolls and their Mommies, Daddies, Nanas, and so forth.”
“Is there … a worry that there’s going to be some kind of danger?” Beth asked, concerned.
“No, at least nothing specific,” said Nana Jennie. “But … before the Floppits came, there were several strange incidents. I don’t know all the details, but it did endanger several Babydolls. It was somehow taken care of, and no such thing has happened since, but I’m guessing this is just in case. We all want you to be safe.”
“I see …” Melanie said. “But there’s no chance of Floaty Pies suddenly being sighted all over the world by skittish humans, who would know they were from outer space?”
“Yeah, that’s not going to be happening, that I know of,” Nana Jennie said. “I know it’s a very limited number of individuals at a time, and they’re restricted to private areas. If they’re allowed outdoors, it’ll be enclosed areas like this complex’s central courtyard. Even drones and satellite surveillance have … a hard time imaging the area. Don’t ask me how it works. I can’t even explain how it is that I’m able to lift Miss Sally.”
“Oh, was there some kind of … augmentation?” Beth asked. “Our friend Mary had something similar.”
“Did she go to Infantus?” asked Nana Jennie, and when they nodded, she continued, “Yes, the problem has always been how an adult can carry another adult around like a baby, but it’s so much easier with certain biomechanical augmentations that they can do there. The technology’s very restricted here on Earth, though. And I’m not supposed to talk about it with anyone who hasn’t been to Infantus, but that’s clearly not a problem here.”
“They gave you physical augmentations for your job?” asked Melanie.
“Oh – it’s a special program. I’m not just a Nana for Miss Sally; I’m also kind of an ambassador? I’m … well, I’m not originally from Earth. I’m from Regulus Minor originally, but I went to Infantus to get my Nana certificate. I earned top marks at the academy and was lucky enough to be noticed by Miss Persephone herself.”
“You’re … an extraterrestrial?” asked Beth.
“Oh! Well, I guess I technically am,” said Nana Jennie, “but I’m as human as you are. Everyone here assumes Earth is the only world where humans live. Now, of course there are people of all sorts of species out there, but BOAA obviously only assigns humans to Earth, to blend in.”
“Is Miss Sally …?” Melanie asked.
“Oh, she was born here on Earth,” Nana Jennie said. “Originally hired as an assistant to Miss Persephone. She rose in the company as she continued to prove her talents.” They continued to talk, while in the playroom the Babydolls played.
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Junie and Angie were in the playroom playing with Sally, the Floppits, and their new friend the Floaty Pie when there were suddenly two very bright blue-white flashes of light. Standing there were two of the most adorable little girls one could imagine. They both were dressed in lacy fairy princess dresses with puffy sleeves with matching rumba panties peeking beneath the very short hem. Of course, all three Babydolls recognized them.
Sally shrieked as she toddled over to them and gave them a big hug. “Beky, Twinas!”
All the Floppits and the Floaty Pie gathered around them. “We’re happy to see all of you again,” said Trina. “This place is getting to have more and more of an Infantus touch, isn’t it?”
Becky made a beeline out of the playroom and into the living room, somehow just hopping over the baby gate, and went up to the three women who were sitting drinking tea. “Is so goo ta sees ya agins!” she said as she bounced on her toes like the toddler she appeared to be.
Beth said, sort of in shock, “You … you’re a cherub ... right?”
Becky replied, “Is what Mommy calls us, me an my sisser Twina. Gotsa uncle morea cherubs than us.”
Beth asked without thinking, “Who might that be?”
Becky replied with a giggle, “We calls him Eros .. he tha baby that hasa bow n arrows of love. Our granmom giveded ita him.”
Beth almost dropped her cup of tea. Melanie leaned over and said softly. “Warned you about asking certain types of questions. The answers might .. surprise you.”
Beth gasped out, “Y … you … you mean Cupid is for real?”
Becky giggled adorably, “Course, silly. How else alla boys n girls fawws in love?”
Becky turned and toddled back into the playroom. It didn’t take but a few seconds before all of them were in a wonderful plushie fight that no one was trying to win.
Beth looked at Melanie and said, “I knew some of those people we learned about in mythology were real … now I find .. they all are?”
Melanie took a drink of her tea, “The best I can tell, yes. I’m not sure, but I don’t think they’re deities, as in supernatural beings, but they do have technology so far beyond ours, and even beyond the rest of the galaxy’s, that they might as well be. From my understanding it was easier for them to allow primitive man to think of them as gods. It solved many problems. The only issue was that some of their kind had problems, and since they had power ... the explanation was simpler for a simpler time.”
Neither Sally nor any of the others were in any way bashful and showed off their ruffles as if they were a point of pride, and not because they were tussling all over the floor.
Nana Jennie put her tea on the side table and said, “Since there are Floppits in that tumbling mass of giggles, I’m positive there are some little girls who need their diapers changed.” She grabbed Sally’s huge diaper bag and slung it over her shoulder. She took the protesting Sally by the hand and pointed at Becky and Trina, “Follow me – I know you’re just was wet as Sally. At least the Floppit named Tickle isn’t here – her special ability lets her tickle anyone from far away.”
“What? Wow! Do you knows more ‘bouts Floppits?” Nana Jennie kept telling stories about different Floppits, and the Babydolls obediently followed her into the changing area for their change like good little girls, just so they could hear more.
Nana Jennie changed all the Babydolls’ diapers quickly and professionally enough that Melanie and Beth were impressed. They slowly sipped their tea as Nana Jennie finished up, washed her hands, sat back down, and took her cup.
Beth said, “We … aren’t exactly living normal lives anymore, are we?” She grinned. “I mean, right now there are aliens in the other room along with two daughters of a goddess, and we’re talking to a woman from another planet. How exactly does this happen?”
Nana Jennie smiled. “These things happen,” she said. “I think it’s just a matter of being open to unusual possibilities.”
The doorbell rang, which was unusual, as they hadn’t buzzed anyone in, but not that unusual, as it could just be one of their friends from elsewhere in the complex. Melanie looked through the peephole and said, “Oh – it’s Trixie and Cindy, and … someone else?” She opened the door.
Trixie had Cindy in a stroller, but the Babydoll could tell that fun things were going on in the playroom and wanted out. As soon as Trixie unbuckled her, Cindy was off like a shot, crawling toward the baby gate. Nana Jennie deftly opened it to let her in, then closed it again. Meanwhile, Trixie was saying, “Hello, Melanie, Beth … may I introduce Phanes?” She pronounced the name like “Fay Knees.”
Phanes looked like a tall person with a figure like a woman but an androgynous face. Their long chestnut hair fell in curls upon their shoulders but was held away from their face by a golden band. Their outfit was a gold-trimmed white chiton, similar to what they’d seen Persephone wear, and they wore golden sandals. As Trixie introduced everyone, including Nana Jennie and the Floaty Pie named Light of the Sky – apparently her database was quite complete – Phanes entered the apartment.
“May I get you a cup of tea?” Melanie asked, figuring that the best way to proceed was to play the role of dutiful hostess.
“That would be wonderful, thank you so much,” Phanes replied, their voice also sounding androgynous, and Melanie offered them a seat as she went to pour another cup.
“Phanes doesn’t socialize much,” said Trixie, “but has been quite busy here on Earth lately.”
“What is wrong with this planet?” Phanes asked. “Oh, not you – it seems quite nice here, a bit noisy perhaps, but I definitely sense the influence of Persephone, so it’s to be expected. At least the sounds are joyful. But there are so many people pretending to be things they’re not, specifically genders they’re not.”
“Earth has … a long history of hangups,” said Beth, as Melanie returned with a steaming hot cup of tea on a saucer, offering it to the new guest.
“Oh, honey, so many planets do,” said Phanes, sipping the tea and seemingly not at all minding its near-boiling temperature. “Ah, thank you, so refreshing. But Earth is something special, and I don’t mean that in a good way. Sorry, I’m sure your planet has some good points too.”
Trixie explained, “Phanes has been interfering in human politics recently. So many Senators and Representatives needed convincing to pass that transgender bill.”
“Veto overridden!” said Phanes. “You’re welcome. So many of those elected officials were either closeted or had close family who were.”
“So are you –” began Melanie.
“Both granddaddy and grandmama of them all,” said Phanes, “and then some. I’m told the stories say I brought the whole universe into being, but hardly. It was already here when I came on the scene. A lot smaller, mind you. Less space to stretch my legs. But how could there be men, women, and all the other genders if the one who started it all wasn’t … all of them?”
“You’re … the first one?” asked Beth.
“Oh, no, no,” Phanes said. “Just the last one still around from those times. Mostly I’ve been content to just stay back and watch things unfold, but I just got a special message from Persephone. Lots of her babies on Earth have gender issues, and she helps them with that, so I was fine, but it turns out there are non-babies who aren’t allowed to be themselves just because of the body they were born into? Imagine! Again I ask, what is wrong with this planet?”
Nana Jennie said, “I’ve noticed a lot of Earth humans think not just that biology is destiny, but that it must be so – that there’s no other possibility. Um, humans have been manipulating biology for thousands of years. Just look at dogs, and basically all of agriculture. If biology were destiny, humans would have wolves in their homes and be farming some very primitive low-yield crops.”
“Bodies are all just made of cells, and cells are just made of molecules,” said Phanes. “One arrangement is as good as another. Why not one that says, ‘This is who I am?’ But never mind simple molecular rearrangement – humans who think destiny chose them apparently quibble about how others decorate their bodies. Honey, if you don’t like what you see, look somewhere else!” They took a deep breath and inhaled some of their tea’s aroma. “Molecules can be quite enjoyable.”
“Well, good work with the politicians,” said Melanie. “It’s been hard to get them to do anything that’s really good lately. Everyone seems to actually want them to be terrible.”
“Oh, that’s due to decades of manipulation of all forms of media and the system by the international ultra-wealthy,” said Trixie.
“At any rate, perhaps you just need to relax a bit,” said Melanie. “You’re welcome here, as long as you don’t mind the … merriment going on in the playroom.”
“Sounds like a bunch of Persephone’s babies,” said Phanes, “perhaps with some creatures from her planet thrown in. Beautiful music compared to politicians wrangling.”
“I’m going to check on certain babies’ diapers,” said Trixie, heading for the playroom.
“So how did you come to interfere with politics on this little planet?” asked Nana Jennie.
“Oh, I was just hanging around doing nothing as usual, when I got a message from Persephone,” Phanes replied. “It described quite eloquently the plight of certain people on this planet, especially lately. She put me in touch with that Nanabot over there, Trixie, who is quite a font of information. She told me all the details.”
“Well, she is basically a computer,” Beth said. “One with a personality, but still a computer. She’s got all the data.”
“Of course, of course,” said Phanes. “Alive enough for others to invest emotional attachments with, and that might be enough.”
The doorbell rang again, and Melanie soon announced, “Oh! It’s Baby Stephie and Daddy Ron. Probably they’re happy about the law.”
“Should I go?” asked Phanes.
“Not at all,” Melanie said. “They live here, so I assume someone’s vetted them.” She opened the door. “Hi, c’mon in!”
“Thank you, thank you,” said Daddy Ron, leading Stephie in by the hand. She was in a short dress that was baby pink, white, and baby blue, and she had a similarly-colored party hat on her head. She looked very happy. Ron wore simple jeans and a pride-themed T-shirt; he had a diaper bag slung over his shoulder for Stephie.
“You look happy, Stephie!” said Beth.
“Am happy!” she said. “I knows one law not gonna fix all tha bad stuffs, but … gotta be happy when ya can, yeah?”
“I agree,” Beth replied as Melanie poured Daddy Ron some tea.
“Oh look!” said Stephie. “Alla other babies is havina big tickle fight! Can I go in? Daddy? Can I? Pwease?”
Chuckling, Ron told Stephie, “Go on, Sweetie. Have fun. Looks like a big Babydoll party in there.”
“Yay!” shouted Stephie and toddled toward the play room.
Phanes looked at Stephie and arched an eyebrow slightly. They took Ron aside for a moment of whispered conversation.
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Meanwhile, in the playroom … the plushie tickle fight to beat all was in progress. The screeching and commotion got to the point that Nana Jennie became concerned and went to the baby gate leading into the playroom. Just as she got to the gate, a soft snuggly plushie smacked her right between the eyes.
Nana Jennie’s first inclination was irritation, but once she saw exactly what was happening, her anger instantly melted, and a large grin crossed her face. She picked up the plushie she had been hit with, took careful aim, and with an expert toss smacked Sally right upside the head.
Sally’s eyes got as big as saucers as she looked around for who had done it. The closest one to her was Angie, who caught a soft snuggly plushie upside her head. That one hit to Sally sparked a chain reaction. Suddenly the air filled with ballistic plushies.
Slightly off to one side, a hole appeared in the playroom floor. Out popped Digger, Tickle, several other Floppits, and six Floaty Pies. The Floaty Pies proved they could use their tentacles and toss with the best of them.
Once Tickle got smacked, that was it; she began using her abilities to their fullest, and before too long all the Babydolls were screeching and giggling and had very wet and droopy diapers. Of course, Nana Jennie immediately grabbed Sally’s large diaper bag and started back to the playroom. By the time she had opened the gate, Trixie was already there with another huge diaper bag and all the necessary items.
Beth watched the goings on and shook her head slowly.
Melanie asked, “What’s wrong? From where I’m sitting, the babies are having the time of their lives, and the two Nanas are doing an extremely professional job assembly line changing them.”
Beth pointed at Tickle and said, “Yeah, they are, but that one seems to have made it her mission to insure their diapers remain wet.”
Phanes giggled more like a woman than a man, “What did you expect? I mean, how many Floppits does it take to make a tickle tussle? And if everyone will notice, we have Floaty Pies in the mix. A baby doesn’t stand a chance under those conditions.” Then Phanes stood, walked to the baby gate, and specifically looked at Stephie. Phanes spoke, so softly that no one could hear – but Stephie heard loud and clear, “Hello, Baby. You’ve always been a girl, haven’t you? I can tell. You somehow got born into a boy’s body, but you’ve had things done so you look more like you feel inside, haven’t you? But what if, back when you were born, someone had given you a choice – boy or girl? I mean, there are more choices, but let’s go with the easiest question, since I think I already know the answer.”
Stephie had no idea who was talking or what was happening to her. She felt as if some kind of energy was rushing all through her body like sparkling electricity. She turned, looked at Phanes, and babbled, “Amma girl … you wight … but who …?”
Phanes gently cut her off and said, “That doesn’t matter, Honey. I can tell you’re a Babydoll – but are you a baby boy, or a baby girl?”
Stephie held out her arms and looked down at herself. She’d been on hormones for years and looked very much like a girl by now, though her breasts had never grown terribly large, but she knew that some of her facial structure didn’t look quite natural, and her Adam’s apple was still prominent. She’d had bottom surgery, but there was still that nagging doubt about whether she’d really ever completely be the girl she felt she was. Stephie looked up at Phanes seriously and declared, “Amma girl. Awways beena girl. Awways bea girl.” Then, with a tiny nod from Phanes, a feeling struck her as intensely as lightning. She felt things change; she realized that she had gotten smaller, more petite, and her insides felt … odd. She felt the front of her neck and gasped, looking at Phanes with intense gratitude.
Phanes smiled and said softly, “Relax, Stephie. You’re now the girl you would’ve been. I’ve talked to your Daddy, and he didn’t believe me at first, but he wanted this for you. Be happy, Sweetheart. Give it a few days to settle in.” Again, nobody else heard them speak, just Stephie.
Phanes returned to their seat, picked up their cup of hot tea, and took a long drink, while Mary, Ron, Melanie, and Beth stared in total amazement. They could tell that Stephie had just gotten shorter, even though she was sitting on the floor of the playroom, and her face was softer, rounder, more delicate, and the fact she was now female was more than obvious but still recognizably the same person. She looked mystified and put a hand on her diaper, over her abdomen.
“I didn’t believe you,” Ron said to Phanes, eyes wide, “but now I do.”
“Belief matters,” Phanes replied. “I think she’ll be happier than she’s ever been. I doubt her political feelings will change, though, even if the new law technically won’t apply to her anymore. Don’t worry, I’m sure some of the more twisted humans will find a way to discriminate against her.” She looked at the Floppits playing happily with the babies. “I wish I had a cadre of cute critters with unusual powers I could send here, as my five-times-great granddaughter Persephone did. Hmm. Maybe I should work on that. Or something like it.”
“Wha happen?” asked Maxie, looking across the playroom at Stephie during a momentary lull in the tickle fight.
“Oh, is just Stephie,” said Junie. “She can feel gooder ‘bout her baby girl selfs now. Also maybe gonna hafta go onna pill.” She giggled and crawled over to Stephie. “C’mon Stephie, us girls gotsa outnumber Maxie even more!”
“Hey, Flashback issa boy!” said Maxie. “An’ so’s Digger! An’ …” He looked at the Floaty Pies. “Uh, I dunno.”
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Phanes sat in their very comfortable and thickly padded chair at their conjuring workbench. They thought a really adorably cute little critter with differing powers to help with those born zweishema was a superior idea, It had been many a century since they had manipulated a new creature into being. Phanes smirked at the thought of how deep mortals’ issues would be with 5 or more sexes, as they had.
Phanes took a deep breath as they sat forward and manipulated the magical looking device on the bench in front of them. In the misty cloud screen danced sharp images of DNA-RNA interactions and how sulfates and potassium salts aided in the recombination process.
He looked over the Floppit genetic map and smiled. Yes, he wanted an eager and very smart independent creature of more than one sex that enjoyed swapping others and could modify mortals’ sense of normality. Of course, the cat and ferret had to be in the mix. Their sleek movements insured it. They liked the way the interface mixed the cat and ferret facial features. They hit the encode on the mix; it was too adorable not to.
Phanes wanted to add a Teddy Bear sort of creature to the mix, and not a lowly rabbit. Phanes was already absolutely certain a rabbit was not adequate to fill the snuggle quotient. Phanes had certain opinions about rabbits, but they were aware that Persephone’s opinions differed. Tastes varied.
As Phanes looked around their workshop, their eyes fell on a mounted trophy Phanes had inherited from the being who had claimed, but had never been able to prove, was their great wizard father. Some stories said that Phanes had hatched from the great silver universal egg crafted by Chronos, the Titan of Time. Phanes loved that story.
The trophy was perfect, though, a mounted specimen of a creature that would have looked to Earthly eyes like a raccoon / red panda mix. The black, whites, and reds mixed and matched perfectly. It had long hair, and with a little poetic tweak, due to the long thick hair gene it would inherit from the feline side ... if they could just find the right buttonhole, this would be excellent.
Phanes sat hunched over their self-built genetic manipulation device and played with the many trillions of combinations like a master chef inventing a new type of confection. After many hours and having to refill the light sconces with oil, Phanes was finally satisfied with their work and hit the CREATE button.
Many weird thumping noises and flashing multi-colored lights filled the shop as the machine activated. Within the mystical Isofarian Crystal chamber an object suddenly took form amid the colorful light show. What materialized surprised Phanes. They had thought the end result was going to be quadrupedal, but what appeared in the crystal chamber had no feet at all and looked like a huge fluffy Persian cat tail with a face. The face had an adorable mixture of feline and ferret features.
Then came the species’ reproductive roles. From the creature’s genetics, Phanes could clearly see that the species had three sexes – male and female of course, but the third one made them smile. Phanes was sure Earth wan’t ready for this, but here it came anyway. That meant three genders, but at the same time much blurrier lines between them. That was just perfect.
Phanes kept the six-foot-long fuzzy snuggly “cat tail,” as they provisionally called it, with them as they did more research. Phanes was determined to endow his new creation with the proper powers to aid all those who wished to change genders for whatever reason.
The cat tail snuggled and tickled Phanes playfully, but the show stopper was when it started to purr. It was better than any massage had ever been, and the soft thrumming sound actually induced relaxation.
Phanes giggled and said, “I’ll call it a Snuggle Worm. Now, let me go through the arcane library and see what cute little powers I can bestow on you and your … fellow Snuggle Worms. Then we’ll need somewhere nice but out of the way for you to call home.”
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The babies had played themselves out. Trixie had set them all up with nap mats in Melanie and Junie’s large playroom, and they were all sleeping. The Robo-Floppits were vigilantly watching over them while recharging. The Floaty Pies and adult Floppits had gone home, and the two young Floppits, Amethyst and Flashback, were sleeping too. Sally had gone back to her domain at BOAA headquarters.
But the adults were at a meeting, called by the apartment complex management. “Ladies and gentlemen, we knew it would happen,” said the man who had introduced himself as the complex’s new supervisor. “The building’s been suffering a spate of vandalism attempts. Bricks thrown at windows, spray paint – the fact is that the exterior windows are shatterproof and the new siding’s paint-repellant, but that might only encourage some people to try new things.” He flipped through a stack of images on the projector, showing security camera stills of would-be vandals and exterior shots of what weren’t even graffiti attempts, just defacement.
“I’m not here to panic you,” said the super, whose name was Bill, “just want to let you know it’s happening. Keep your little ones safe.”
“What’s motivating this?” asked Melanie. “Is it because of the Babydolls? I thought they were accepted now.”
“Who knows?” replied Bill. “But the fact is … this building is pretty unusual looking from the outside now. Not like most buildings in the city, or even on Earth. I’ve heard rumors going around that it was built by aliens. Yeah, crazy, right? But it’s getting attention, and with good attention comes bad attention too.”
“I thought the building was beautiful,” said a male resident Melanie and her friends hadn’t met yet. “It’s one reason why I moved here with my Babydoll. But I guess not everyone feels the same way.”
Bill replied, “I think it’s beautiful too. Mind you, I’ve got no idea how a lot of the renovations were done, especially as quick as they were. The ceramic composite exterior with the color mixed right in to form those bright, indelible patterns? I’ve never seen that technique before in my life. Innovative architecture on a scale that I’ve only ever seen in a new building, not a renovation.”
“Do you expect it to escalate?” asked Beth.
Bill shrugged. “It’s a building,” he said. “Some people will like it, some won’t, but the ones who don’t will eventually get used to it. It always happens. Just a moment.” He seemed to be hearing something in an earpiece that everyone had assumed was a hearing aid. He took out his tablet and tapped it. There was a shout, a honking of car horns, and a scream outside, but Bill had already run out of the room, followed by several residents, Mary first among them. Fire was burning in one of the breezeways leading to the central courtyard – they were fenced in, but apparently a fleeing figure had thrown a firebomb over the fence. Traffic was stopped as drivers stared at what had happened.
Faster than most humans would be able to run, Mary was on the fugitive, catching him in seconds and carrying him back over her head, somehow holding him there despite his attempts to free himself. “I didn’t do nothin’!” protested the young man, but as Mary brought him back to the complex, Bill came out, holding his tablet and showing security camera footage, which was remarkably clear. The fire was already out, and the video clearly showed that this young man had thrown a Molotov Cocktail, run away, and been immediately captured.
“Yeah, punk, police are already on their way,” said Bill. “What’s up with you, anyway? It’s just a building.”
“Some kinda weird alien building,” he said.
“Yeah, right, you saw a crazy building and just up and decided to make a bomb to throw at it. Very funny. Tell me another one.”
“I ain’t sayin’ nothin’,” said the young man.
Mary interrupted this, having put him down but continued to hold both hands behind his back with superhuman strength. “Look, Timmy – don’t try to lie to me, I know your Mommy calls you Timmy, no matter what nicknames you have among your friends – I know you aren’t a bad kid. You look after your Mommy and miss your Daddy. I know.”
“H-how do you know that?” he protested.
“You’re not making your Mommy proud here, you know,” Mary told him as the police sirens approached in the distance. “You’re about to be arrested, and that’s going to make her very sad. We all live in this building, and we all have people we love, so why are you trying to make us afraid? Would your Mommy want you to do that? Would you want people doing that to the apartment where your Mommy lives?”
“N-no, I love Mom!”
“So why?” Mary asked. The first police car had pulled up to the curb, and cops were coming toward them. “Why do things to make people afraid? You didn’t make that bomb, did you? Who made it? What did they tell you? Why did you do it?”
“We’ll take it from here,” said the first cop. “What happened?” Bill explained to them and showed them the security camera footage.
As the first cop handcuffed the youth, read him his rights, and complimented Mary on her firmness of grip, his partner looked at the footage and said, “Can we have a copy of that video, sir?” Bill already had it on a data chip and handed it to the officer.
As the cops took the young man away, Bill said to Mary, “The fire didn’t do any damage. It landed on cement. All that burned was the gasoline in the bottle.” Other cops were taking photos of the scene and putting bits of broken glass into evidence bags. “I just wish we could’ve found out why he did it.”
“He did it to get into a street gang,” replied Mary as they walked back inside. “Somebody else made the bomb, gave it to him, said he had to do this or he wouldn’t get in. But it’s all because buildings like this get attention. If it looked like every other building in town, it would’ve been something else, somewhere else.”
“How do you know all that?” Bill asked.
“I’ve … got connections,” said Mary. “Data connections, I mean.”
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Phanes had created several bio-construct smart toys that looked just like a Snuggle Worm, same as the Floppit robotoy. Persephone and Sally both agreed it was adorable enough and capable enough to join the many robo products BOAA sold.
Phanes tried something sneaky. They had real Snuggle Worms placed in the display cabinet at the BOAA flagship store. There was no visual or tactile way to tell the real ones from the robo toys because of how meticulous Phanes had been. Now, all they had to do was stand around while invisible and wait to see what happened.
Many Mommies and Daddies with their adorable Babydolls came in and browsed that day, just as the day before. Many were males dressed as adorably as any girl, but the Babydoll knew he was a boy and had no issues with it. There were, perhaps, as many little girl Babydolls dressed as cutely as any baby boy, but they too had no issues. Both groups knew they were babies, and Mommy or Daddy could dress them however they wanted.
Phanes was starting to get bored when a gorgeous woman in a skin-tight black leather romper, black fishnet hose, and shiny black stiletto heeled boots arrived. In her hand, she held one end of a golden leash. The other end was attached to a very expensive-looking diamond collar. And wearing that collar was …
Phanes knew immediately that this wasn’t a regular Babydoll; it was a Babydoll pet. The thing that piqued Phanes’ interest, was that the Babydoll pet had been assigned male at birth, although she had obviously had much expensive reconstruction. The only reason Phanes knew she wasn’t genetically female was due to his talent. Now to see if the Snuggle Worm had the same knack.
The woman slowly led her pet to one of the robo-toy counters. Both of them began looking over the large assortment of toys available until they came to the last one in the display case. The adorably plush Snuggle Worm sat up and raised its head. The little pet went nuts, purring and undulating at them.
“Missy wanna has one, pwease,” said the Babydoll. “… Oh, oh, pwease cannI?”
The woman smiled a broad smile as she patted her pet on the head. The Snuggle Worm crawled to the front glass of the case and said in a cute voice, “Hi, Imma Snuggle Worm. Wanna cuddles n snuggles wif me?”
The little pet had no clue what had hit her as a wonderful surge of tingly sparkles washed all through her body. The woman had called one of the adorably dressed attendants over and had a short conversation. The attendant opened the case, removed the Snuggle Worm, and handed it to Missy.
Immediately, the Snuggle Worm did just that. Missy found herself in one of the most sensual snuggles of her life. The surging tingles were pleasantly intense. Missy realized suddenly that she was changing. Something about her had been drastically altered. The Snuggle Worm said in a way only Missy could hear, “You no gotsa worries no mo. Cuz now you a real one.” Then it quickly slipped back into the case.
The woman quickly bent over Missy and asked worriedly, “Are you all right, Sweetie? Did that thing hurt you?”
Missy replied, this time in a cute little girl’s voice, “It no hurted me, Mommy. It … it ... changeded me. Am … all girl now.”
The woman gasped as she checked Missy over as best she could, here in public. It was true – all the residual maleness that would have taken time to be rid of were gone, along with the addition of several accoutrements Missy had yet to have surgery for. The woman looked around; she couldn’t see the one that had cuddled Missy anymore, although she did see a complete line of Snuggle Worm toys.
Invisibly and inaudibly, the observing Phanes said, “Ah, lovely! The gender of the heart, realized at last in the body.”
Persephone replied, “What of those who feel differently at different times?”
“A more difficult issue,” Phanes said, “but I believe I’ve designed the Snuggle Worms to be attracted only to those whose gender is fairly strongly fixated.”
“Of course, the real issue is that the more conservative humans see transgender people as a grave threat, egged on by politicians who care only about cheating them out of their votes,” Persephone added, “and the fact that those less conservative would rather throw the transgender people to the wolves than die on that political hill.”
“Well, clearly, society needs to see the gender rainbow as an asset, not a threat!” said Phanes. “We shall see what we can do.”
“Ifs ya change their minds like tha Floppits did,” said Sally, “yer gonna needa has Rememberers.”
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Melanie took Junie out for a walk in the neighborhood, risky as it was. Considering what had happened, Mary wouldn’t let them go alone, though, and brought Maxie with her. The Babydolls were in strollers.
They’d gone out to one of the public parks and turned around, and were now heading back toward the apartment complex. The sunlight was catching it in the late afternoon. Junie saw it and realized how different it looked. “Tha buildins …” she said, “they looks like a big … toy. Nexta alla ones around.”
“You’re right, Junie,” said Melanie. “The apartment complex has no sharp edges, all rounded corners. Its pastel pink, green, yellow and blue segments with the gleaming white highlights look like it’s some kind of giant plaything. It really doesn’t blend into the neighborhood around it.”
They walked past a youth leaning against a wall who said, “Oh, so it really is babies and their Mommies who live in that thing. It’s what I’d heard. Don’t know if I want ‘em livin’ in my neighborhood.”
This sounded all too familiar to June, but Melanie replied, “Excuse me? Who don’t you want living in your neighborhood?”
“Oh, don’t get me wrong,” the young punk said. “I got nothing against babies. It’s just people that’s different. We don’t like ‘em. Don’t want ‘em here.”
“I liveded here before!” said Junie, standing up for herself without actually standing up. “I didn’t cause no trouble, an’ nobody said nuffin’! Somebody else changed the building.”
Mary added, “There were babies living around here, and there still are. There are people of many ethnicities, many gender identities, many sexual orientations. Throughout this neighborhood, and throughout the entire city. Just because the building reminds you of that, you suddenly decide you don’t like people who are different?”
“Hey, why they gotta make a big deal of bein’ different?” asked the youth. “I’m mindin’ my own business and they’re gettin’ all up in my face about whatever.”
Suddenly June’s eyes lit up with a recognition she didn’t understand. “Here,” she said. “Was here … where it happen.” And everyone saw a huge blue-tinged hole seem to open up in the air. The youth was astonished – so were the others, though they’d seen this happen before.
The “hole” enlarged until it filled the entire block-long length of sidewalk. In the blue-tinted vision, a young woman was walking down the street – she couldn’t see any of them, so she walked right through them. They could tell she was a trans girl – her facial features and Adam’s apple were clear, though otherwise she looked very feminine. And then she started to approach a building where a number of young adults were sitting on the steps, clearly with nothing to do, drinking beer from bottles. They started pointing at her and talking about her as she approached them, and then they started verbally harassing her.
“What … what’s this?” asked the youth. “I hearda this. I was just a kid then. Wait … this really happened?” He was confused. The girl tried to walk faster. The young men stood up as the girl passed, walking faster and looking more worried. She ignored them as they started to shout at her. Finally she broke into a run, scared, and the young men ran after her. The action was getting farther away, but somehow they could all see it as if they were standing right there. She tripped and fell, her dress tearing and revealing a diaper underneath. She kept running, crying and desperate to escape. They kept running after her and shouting something in the silent scene. The vision faded.
“She got somewhere safe, but this traumatized her,” said Mary, “and they never even laid a finger on her. It happened. But people don’t remember it. Except for a few.” She looked at June.
“What just happened?” the young punk was wondering. “How … how’d I see something that happened in … the past? Like it was happening right now, only quiet?”
“You saw it because it really happened,” said Melanie.
“I heard about this,” said the youth, “but I forgot. But now I remember again … and I feel bad about it. Those guys, they shouldn’ta oughtta done that. She wasn’t doin’ nothin’. Just walkin’ down the street.”
“Yeah, they were meanies!” said Max.
“They had their ideas about what was normal,” said Mary, “but not even that girl, who was trying her hardest to fit into those ideas, was doing enough to satisfy them. They seized on the slightest infraction of the rules in their heads and chose to police her themselves. And the other day, someone tried to firebomb our building.”
“That … that ain’t right,” said the youth, somehow shaken. “I’m … I’m gettin’ outta here.” He turned and walked down the street, in the opposite direction from where Melanie and Mary were pushing June and Max’s strollers.
“That was … was weird,” said June. She didn’t know how she’d done that. She never knew when it was going to happen. But when it did, the visions always had a disturbing effect on those who saw them. Like someone was holding up a mirror that showed them the truth, all the truth, with all the blemishes, nothing airbrushed out.
“I think,” said Melanie, “that it’s important for us to do what we want and not hide in the building.”
“Perhaps you’re right,” Mary replied. “But not alone.”
“Am never alones,” Junie whispered so only Maxie could hear. “Always gots tha past wifs me.” A chilly breeze blew by as they returned home.
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Phanes leaned back into the thick plushness of their chair as they observed the completion of something in their cosmic-viewer they had not accomplished in many centuries. A brand new world orbited a baby star that had never known planets before. Phanes shook their head slightly as they carefully balanced all the massive cosmic equations necessary to produce a stable orbit for their new system. It had been too many centries for them to count since the last time they’d had to calculate mass/orbit, tidal balance ….
The newly created biosphere would be named Ardhi Yenye Minyoo - Wormy Earth. Since they hadn’t been able to locate a suitable star system or planet for their new Snuggle Worms, they’d created one. Besides, they needed the practice, after this length of time.
Phanes had endowed one of the Snuggle Worms to have the same abilities as the Floppit named Digger, and for the same reason. They named this one Drey, which was just another way to say tunnel. It had a special mission. It was to seek out all the secret boys, girls, and others, and make them the reality of their hearts. Maybe technically they could be called transgender, but genetically they would be the gender they most felt in their hearts.
Phanes did contemplate many issues that such a sudden sex change would produce, so they gave several of the others the ability to twist reality a bit. It wasn’t the perfect solution, but it was one that would work, even as crude as it was. Persephone had had such a great idea with the Floppits. Phanes had given them all the ability to suppress the fear of the Other that remained in so many intelligent species long after it had ceased to be a survival trait.
At the BoAA store, the adorably cute and extremely soft snuggly Snuggle Worm Robo-toy had hit the show case. It didn’t take but a few days before the Snuggle Worm toy was selling as fast as the Floppit toy. The truly remarkable thing about the Snuggle Worm was that not only did it give a Babydoll the very best snuggle they’d ever experienced, but they purred. This drove many Babydolls to joyful distractions.
In a really bad neighborhood, a hole appeared in the ground. Out popped four multicolored things six feet long that looked like a Persian cat’s tail, with the adorably cute face of some unknown creature.
They all raised their heads up and looked around. One of them said, “Are you sure this the right place, Drey? I mean, this is a horrible place for a zweishema to live.”
Dray looked around for a bit then replied, “This is the right place. Why don’t you go Zoomies, like your name, and see where she might be. We know she might well be in hiding. But Phanes gave us very good senses.”
Zoomie said, “Be back inna flash!” then vanished in what almost looked like a sparkle. It wasn’t, but a minute or two later when Zoomie reappeared, they said, “She over thar. You gotsa dig, I think. Too many meanies in the way otherwise.”
Dray smiled and dove back into the hole with the others right behind her. Her tunnel twisted and turned for a few minutes, then suddenly the four of them popped out of a hole in a hardwood floor. A trans girl named Leah who was just becoming very pretty gasped, “How ... how’dja do that?"
Cuddles, a cream-colored Snuggle Worm with soft brown stripes, said, “We come ta answer a prayer you have.”
The girl smiled. “I do have to admit all of you are so adorable."
Zoomie said, “Aww, thanks!” before they wrapped around the girl and gave her the very best snuggle she’d ever had.
Leah had no frame of reference to describe what happened to her. It was like being hit by lightning, although in an extremely pleasant way. She no longer felt the tightly bound and tucked gaff. The usually droopness of her bottom had been filled with a really cute round bottom. Zoomie released her from the snuggle and allowed her to go to a mirror.
Leah had no words as she stood and gaped at her new self. She’d never need surgery, Leah realized as she pulled open the front of her pants and panties. A thrill of joy went through her, and a tingle of fear, too, as she realized she was a real girl, not just looking like one. How would she explain this? What would doctors say? How would she explain that her ID photo didn’t look the same? What if she couldn’t access her bank account?
And wait, what were these creatures who had just done this? She backed away. “I - I’m really grateful,” she said, “but … I don’t know who or what you are …”
“No worries,” said Zoomie. “We tells ya the truth. We called Snuggle Worms. We … no comes from Earth. We sent to helps the people on Earth … the ones you call trans I think … and we can helps more. You go to … um offices? Places you gotsa go to. We help ‘em unnerstand. They no see us, but we be there.”
“OK …” Leah said, picking up her winter coat. It was really big for her now, but as a winter coat, it didn’t really matter much. She adjusted her clothes, put her coat on, and grabbed her purse. The Snuggle Worms followed her and hid in her car, occasionally peeking to look out the windows as she drove. She decided to go to the bank first, because she wouldn’t get far if she lost access to her money.
“We stay out here,” said Zoomie, and the others agreed. “We help you from here.”
“Oh … kay …” said Leah, still not used to her higher-pitched voice.
“Leah Hamilton,” the teller said, looking at her ID card.
“Yeah, I have to get that photo retaken,” she said.
“Well, I believe it’s you. You have all the documents. But we’ll have to redo your bank card photo. I assume your address hasn’t changed …” Leah couldn’t believe it. It had all gone without a hitch. She’d already changed her legal name and her documents all said F instead of M now, so at least there was that. The new federal law wouldn’t let the state prevent her from changing her documents anymore.
She went to the drivers’ licence bureau, the doctor’s office, everywhere – she couldn’t get in to see her doctor, but she got re-weighed and re-measured by the staff. She went to her workplace, even though it was her day off, and made sure everything was OK with Human Resources. Not a single problem or objection, even though she’d changed in ways that were by all human measure completely unrealistic.
Leah returned to her car. “I don’t get it,” she told the Snuggle Worms, “but you somehow did it. You made everything work out. I … don’t know how to thank you.”
“With snuggles!” they all said, and she found herself in a mega-purring-cuddle-pile inside her own car for a moment.
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The nightly news commentator for FAUX News shuffled the pages in front of him before looking at the camera and smiling, “And for more breaking news. There have been many accounts where male senators and congressmen changed their no votes to yes on the new Gender Rights Bill. Shortly after that, all of the noted suddenly, without warning, all retired.” He looked down and took a top sheet off and laid it beside the rest, “Now, no one can find some of them. Reporters have been able to locate their nieces, who had all assets mysteriously transferred to them. Anyone with any type of information, regardless how foolish it might seem … it might be nothing .. but it also might be something.”
Two very pretty young women sat cuddled together with a very adorably cute softly yellow Snuggle Worm wrapped around them in loving cuddles while it purred in its heavenly manner.
One leaned over and gave the other a smooch on her lips, saying, “Ya know, Mallory? For the life of me I think this was the best vote bribe I ever had.”
Mallory giggled as she turned towards the first. “I know what you mean, Jessy. I really don’t understand now why I wanted so much to vote no … then all of a sudden, this … person pays me a visit, and I lose it and become a real girl. Not just any girl, either, the one of my deepest fantasies."
Jessy nodded. “Same here. I had this overpowering urge to vote no. For one thing, there was all the pressure from the party. But also, well, if I couldn’t have my dreams, why should anyone else?” She snuggled closer as she gently placed her hand between Mallorie’s legs and squeezed softly. “And we never would have discovered we could be the lovers we wanted to be.”
Before Mallory became lost in Jessie’s ministrations, she gasped out, “W .. wa … was sucha … good idea .. to transfer everything to us as girls ...”
Jessie replied, “I’m amazed at how easy it all was. No one questioned anything.”
By this time, the Snuggle Worm had both girls at its mercy. Neither one had the will or the frame of mind to even question the wonderful emotions and deep desires that flooded them.
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Off in another spatial orientation many light years / dimensional shifts away, not to mention quite possibly twisted reversals of time never before encountered, a brand new world orbited its infant sun. The surface was as well tended as a garden. There were many rolling hills, waterfalls, flowers … and floating amazingly colorful creatures.
In an area seeming cordoned off from the rest of the planet by a deep valley with high side ridges grew a peculiar variety of plant life. Off to one side from out of a crag fell a large flow of lava. It fell into a huge lava lake that held many even stranger types of fauna that could survive that environment.
As incongruous as it seemed, around the lake of fire grew what would come to be known as Hydrogen Trees. When one of the large balloon looking fruits became ripe, it would detach from the tree and drift over the lake of fire, where it would spectacularly explode in a miasma of sparks and seemingly living flames.
From one of the many serene park-like areas, a huge hole appeared in the side of a cliff. Many hundreds of Snuggle Worms crawled onto the surface of their new world and began populating it.
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“I’m not sure about this,” said Melanie. June wanted to travel. She wanted to show people what they’d forgotten.
“I gots to,” said Junie. “The Floppits gonna visits now ‘n then, but isn’t gonna be tonsa them here alla time. They gots stuffs to do on other planets. They no gonna stop people from bein fraids of people who is different. Like Babydolls. An’ trans peoples too. An’ others even. Only way peoples is gonna think we OK is if we shows ‘em what happen if they stop thinkins it. Like they did afore there was Floppits, or Snuggle Worms.”
“But why does it have to be you?” asked Melanie. “And if it’s you, it has to be me too, because I’m not leaving you alone to travel around the country … or the world. Somebody has to change your diapers, Babydoll.”
“Gotsa be me ‘cause amma ‘Memberer,” said Junie. “Other ‘Memberers gotsa do it too. Know how many ‘Memberers there is inna whole world?”
“65,” said Melanie. “Miss Sally told us. That’s how many her computers told her there were, anyway. There might be more.”
“Is notta lot for tha whole world!” said Junie. “If alla us ‘Memberers no does it … we gonna be right back to how we was before!”
“Why aren’t all the Babydolls Rememberers?” asked Melanie. “It would be so much easier if there were Remembers everywhere.”
“Mighta well ask howcomes only Babydolls is ‘Memberers,” replied June with a shrug. “Is just how it happeneded.”
Trixie entered the room. “It is because Persephone made a deal with Mnemosyne. It was only Babydolls because Persephone can only influence Babydolls, and it was only this many because Mnemosyne only had so much energy to spare. She’s quite busy.”
“So Miss Sally gots a plan figured out ‘n stuffs?” asked June.
“Well, her company does,” replied Trixie. “Her computers have planned what the machine learning algorithms have worked out are the optimal itineraries for you – optimizing for maximum effectiveness but also for your safety. Given that those who experience the visions you reveal need not connect them with your presence, risk to you can be minimized.”
“But not entirely eliminated,” interjected Melanie.
Trixie nodded ruefully. “Not entirely,” she echoed. “It’s not possible to completely eliminate any and all risk in any endeavor – even the endeavor of staying home. There was an attack on this building just because it looked different. Imagine if the hearts and minds of humanity turned again and someone decided they could win elections by designating Babydolls as the one and only cause of all the world’s woes?”
“You really think that a few dozen people traveling around the world and showing them visions can stop that from happening?” asked Melanie.
“It is not my plan,” Trixie said, “but I know one thing, and that is … if the world’s Rememberers do nothing, it is inevitable.”
---------------------------------------- Melanie and Junie Will Return ----------------------------------------
