Miss Cult~Fan America (PG~13)

(Note: I added Chapter 12 to this story. My computer isn't allowing me to send all the text in one box.

So I've had to split chapter 12 into two halves: one half in this text box, the other in a reply box below.

I will now post the remaining chapters (two or three more) in reply boxes. Sorry for the discontinuity. My computer is just not letting me post any more in the first text box.

I will have more up very soon. Promise!

I know the story is long. But I hope you all enjoy it. Please have fun reading it!)

Chapter 1 -- The Miss All-American Beauty Contest

There were whispers going around backstage at the Miss All-American Beauty contest.

Somehow, pictures of Deb had surfaced, or were about to surface, or something. Everybody had their own story. But Shannon couldn't stand any of the stories.

All the girls, it seemed, were ready to attack Deb as soon as something was made clear.

Of course, Deb knew. Shannon tried to talk to Deb, to get an idea from her about what was going on. But Deb shied away.

She didn't make it look like she was hiding from her friend. It was easy, backstage, amid all the hurrying bodies, male, female, glamorous, normal, to avoid people.

All the girls were dashing or being pushed here and there. To a makeup person, a hair person, a dress person. Getting pinned here, clipped here, sewn here. Powder, lipstick, satin, silk, pearls, polish -- a cyclone of it all!

How could the girls get through this obstacle course of hands, faces, lights -- and searing heat! -- and then walk slowly out onto the stage cool, calm, and composed?

They'd be out there before they knew it, in their evening gowns, to set chilled music, doing their best to match the music. But with the subtext of heat.

Never let 'em see you sweat!

Deb was nowhere to be found. Shannon was elbowing and pushing through the toothbrush bristles of humans trying to -- put another thing on her! But she just wanted to embrace her friend Deb and tell her things would be alright.

The photos that were being talked about apparently showed Deb in a number of rather involved positions with a couple other girls. These were the kind of photos that would end a girl's run.

Deb, Shannon, and all the girls knew the kind of trouble Deb could be in. Nobody really questioned it. But Shannon didn't think it was fair.

Now a man in a black t-shirt, black jeans, and a black headset was waving his thick arms at Shannon like an air traffic controller. "Come on, Miss Tanager! You aren't even ready yet!"

Shannon shot a high-heeled voice at him -- "I can't hold it in! I'l be right back!"

The statement gave Shannon an idea.

Shannon felt like what was going on with Deb wasn't fair. Partly because she thought Deb should be able to get into whatever kind of positions she wanted with whoever she wanted.

But Shannon thought, I have my own secret. How would I feel if I had my own secret exposed on a night like this?

Shannon thought, Well, now I'll find out.

Shannon grabbed her huge purse up on the way to the restroom. She was all alone in the restroom. She rustled her way into a stall, her elegant dress whisping in urgency.

Shannon pulled a size six Pampers diaper out of her purse. She took off her (almost nonexistent) panties.

With the deftness of a girl long-experienced with being an adult baby, Shannon wrapped the soft diaper around her crotch, front, and bottom. She taped the diaper around her waist and quickly pulled down her skirt.

She threw her panties into the trash can.

She looked at herself in the mirror, almost not recognizing herself. It was her, of course, the slender, copper-skinned, black-haired girl, with that comfortable, easy look in her eyes that made everybody call her a "hometown" girl -- perfect for this contest. But there was something else -- a weird glow, almost an aura -- that made her features look like someone else's.

"Is that you, Baby?" She asked her reflection.

A short, pale-skinned girl with an auburn pony-tail and thick-rimmed glasses replied from the doorway of the bathroom, "Hey, Shan, you need to let us be your mirror, babe. They'll kill you if you don't get on stage."

Shannon looked pouty at the girl, Ellie. Ellie stretched a hand out to to Shannon. Shannon took it. Ellie yanked Shannon with fury out the bathroom door and back into the swarm of people and bright light.

Shannon made it out into the wings with the rest of the girls with plenty of time to spare, although there were two mean headset-boys and one mean headset-girl trying to convince her with an almost religious poignancy that "now we're terribly behind -- because of you!"

Shannon said, "What about Deb?"

The tall, knife-boned headset-girl said, "Don't worry about Deb. One piece of talent missing is bad enough. Don't you make it two."

The girls all walked out onto the stage, displaying their evening gowns, as a beautiful, wine-voiced woman sang a luscious song.

Shannon lived in the moment. Her soul was suddenly alive in a completely different way. She gazed amorously out at the deep reaches of shadowed crowds. She stood, posed softly, her softly shimmering dress and radiant skin offsetting the blue stagelights like a diamond on deep velvet.

She knew that she was nailing it, instinctively, like a dancer.

But she was also thinking, Notice it! Notice my diaper!

But nobody said anything. What a disappointment! Shannon walked backstage.

The jungle of arms hurled Shannon out of most of her accessories to get her ready for the swimsuit competition. Of course, they would pretty quickly strip her out of her dress, as well!

Oh, god, Shannon thought. Here it comes. They'll all discover me in my diaper backstage. I wanted it to be on stage, in the public eye, as fully as possible. For Deb.

For already, people were yelling out news about the photos that had surfaced on the web.

Hannah, one of the favorites for the contest (Shannon was also one of the favorites), was standing in one spot, moving her limbs as needed for the people around her to take off her dress, while one of the wardrobe people was yelling news to her as he was getting it from his phone.

The details were pretty shocking. Hannah laughed at all the details. "Wow!" Hannah said. "I have to admit, she has balls! But balls don't belong here, ha ha!"

Even these words sounded stunningly beautiful coming out of Hannah's mouth. But they made Shannon even angrier.

Shannon yelled, "You dirty creep, Hannah! That's our fr--"

Shannon had accidentally stood still long enough for a group of wardrobe people to have the top half of Deb's dress undone.

Hannah said, "Nice chest, babe -- ha, ha! I might go Deb on you!" All the girls, and some of the wardrobe-pros, laughed.

But Shannon realized that her dress would soon be all the way off. And then... Oh -- here it comes, Shannon thought, resigning her exposure as a diaper-wearing woman to the girls (her friends, Hannah included) and the army of professionals drilling them. Not to the public.

But suddenly a tiny, white hand pulled Shannon out of the throng of undressers. Ellie! Ellie held the dress up to Shannon's waist and rushed her quickly into a back room.

Everybody was a little taken aback. But they all just made laughing calls at the two girls as they ran off. "Oh, they're going Deb!"

Great, Shannon thought. Now, apparently, being a lesbian will be called "going Deb" for the next month.

Shannon was in a small room with Ellie before she knew it.

Ellie took off Shannon's dress and began putting Shannon into a swimsuit.

Ellie asked, almost matter-of-factly, "You aren't wet, are you, Baby?"

Shannon was a little shocked. Ellie wasn't worried about Shannon's diaper?

Ellie, as if reading Shannon's mind, as she snugly fit the bikini bottom and top onto Shannon's snug body, said, "You left your purse unzipped. I zipped it back up. It was pretty hard to miss the diapers. And I saw you throw your panties into the garbage can."

Ellie made Shannon sit so she could do Shannon's hair and makeup to match the swimsuit.

Ellie said, "If you want to go out there in a diaper, good luck to you. If anybody notices, there might be hell to pay."

Shannon looked down at her bikini bottom. "The diaper's almost all covered by the bikini!"

Ellie stood Shannon back up. "Mm-hmm. It's a baby diaper, girl, isn't it? It says Pampers. I mean, you're twenty-one years old. A diaper like that is about like a bikini bottom on a girl your height -- oh. I guess there is a little sliver of the back waistline peeking out the top."

Ellie pinched the waistline. It just looked so cute! She patted Shannon's bottom. It was pretty easy to think of Shannon as a diaper-wearing girl, for some reason.

Shannon said, "I wear bigger diapers when I'm at home..." She trailed off, wondering why she'd thought Ellie would be interested in her talk about her home-life as an adult baby girl.

Ellie didn't seem to care much, after all, and she was already hurling Shannon back out with rest of the girls.

The girls didn't make any jokes at Shannon when she returned. Some were too busy being corralled to the stage wings again. Others were jealous that Shannon had -- for some reason! -- gotten a room to change into by herself!

Heck! Some of the girls thought. I don't care if it was the mop closet. She got to change all by herself while we were all out here? No fair!

Shannon and the other girls stood in the wings as the club-armed headset-boys and knife-boned headset girl buzzed sleekly and intimidatingly around them, making sure they looked perfect.

Hannah stood in front of Shannon. Hannah gently looked back at Shannon and said, "Look, babe. I'm all for Deb loving whoever she wants. You know, I think girls are hot, too. I mean, I like guys more, I think. But I can see where Deb's coming from, with liking chicks. But there's a time and a place for everything."

"But those photos weren't for this time. They have nothing to do with this show."

"Well, I mean, she knew she was going to do this show, right? Come on, with all those old, traditional people at home, watching."

"But our generation isn't traditional -- and we watch, too!"

Hannah could have kept arguing, but the Club-Arm Boys started tracking the girls out onto the stage.

As Shannon walked along, Knife-Bones heard a weird crinkling sound. Knife-Bones looked at Shannon, trying to figure out what she was wearing that made a crinkling sound.

Shannon was already on the stage before Knife-Bones could recognize the little band of diaper peeking out from under her bikini's waist band.

Knife-Bones was about to call Shannon back into the wings. But that would be some kind of sin, she knew. So she let Shannon go out to her spot on the stage.

The girls all sat in different positions on the tiered stage, which was made to look like a game-show version of a beach.

A boy-girl band started singing a punky love song that had more to do with the big city than with the beach. The band was decked out in suit-like punk gear, which actually looked quite stylish. The music was really lively.

The beauty girls had to do a light choreography involving beach balls made to look like globes. The girls then threw the beach balls out to the crowd. The crowd went crazy, cheering, as this was done.

The girls now all had to rush (smoothly, though -- looking relaxed -- and in high heels!) to the wings.

Hannah was again ahead of Shannon. A couple of nice wardrobe girls and guys were handing sheer sashes to the girls, who were lining up to make their walk down the runway.

Shannon now knew that her diaper would be obvious. The girl behind her, Karen, made a weird face at Shannon when Shannon smiled back to her as they went back stage. Shannon saw Karen's eyes dipping down to Shannon's bikini bottom, which was puffing out a little bit, despite all of Ellie's costuming expertise.

Shannon thought, Well, then. Here goes. On national TV and everything. They'll see something. They'll notice something. And they'll start throwing stuff on the net immediately.

A wardrobe guy, kind of scruffy, but, Shannon knew, excellent at his work, draped the sheer sash around Hannah's shoulders.

The girls had to go out, walk to the runway with the sash, undrape it, then trail it with them down the runway. They would then walk back up the runway, pose for the camera, and drape the sash back around themselves before walking back up to the game-show beach scene.

The wardrobe guy, Sandro, was about to drape the sash over Shannon's shoulders. But Knife-Bones reached out to stop him.

Knife-Bones grabbed Shannon's shoulders and was about to lead her backstage, when Ellie suddenly appeared.

Ellie snarled, "You leave Shannon the hell alone!"

Ellie was pretty mean, when she meant to be. And she generally got her own way. But Knife-Bones, somewhat hesitantly, continued to turn Shannon away from the stage. Knife-Bones said, "She's not dressed approp--"

Hannah now turned back, and hissed, "Get your hands off Shannon, or else!"

With Ellie and Hannah ganging up on her, Knife-Bones backed away. But she had a mean, defiant look in her eyes.

Sandro draped the sash around Shannon's shoulders. He looked down at Shannon's crotch (just for a peak -- who could resist?) and was kind of surprised to see the bulge of what looked like a -- huh?

Sandro tried to hide his bewilderment as Shannon smiled at him and turned away.

Shannon, standing at the edge of the stage, watched Hannah carry out her walk. All the girls were wearing very similar bikinis. But each girl had her own way of wearing -- or flaunting -- it. Hannah was such a tantalizing mix of down-to-earth and classically graceful.

Shannon was, of course, the "hometown girl," which made her a favorite in this contest. For the girls who won this pageant would then go on to compete in the Miss Global Hometown pageant.

Karen was -- Shannon looked back at Karen just in time to get a glimpse of her and Sandro giggling at her and pointing at her bottom. They both stopped laughing and pointing.

Shannon didn't think much of it. Of course it was funny and weird. And Shannon wouldn't have done it, if it hadn't been for Deb getting slammed out of the show before Shannon could even say goodbye.

And Sandro and Karen had always been nice to her before today. If not for--

But one of the Club-Arm Boys gently nudged Shannon out onto the stage.

Shannon pulled off every move of her walk glamorously and gorgeously. She pulled off her sash. The crowd cheered for her. She walked down the runway, feeling the soft baby's diaper crinkling between her silky, slender thighs. She felt the trim fabric of the bikini bottom sliding back and forth tautly against the bikini bottom as she swivelled her hips.

This moment was turning into something supremely erotic for Shannon! She couldn't believe she was at the contest for the most beautiful girls in the country, at the hottest moment of the contest, wearing what had always made her personally feel so hot. And still people were cheering for her! Nobody seemed to notice!

Well -- Shannon looked out at some of the crowd closer to her as she walked back up the runway. Some of them did notice. They were giving her strange looks. Some were just stunned. Others were giggling to their friends and laughing. Others were texting frantically and laughing. Some, interestingly enough, actually looked at her with arousal, interest, even pride!

But the majority of the crowd seemed completely oblivious. Shannon thought, posing and then draping the sash back onto her shoulder, Is this really how it's all going to go? The victory I wanted for Deb?

Shannon walked back to her spot on the game-show beach set, to sit in an evocative position beside Hannah on a beach towel. Shannon felt the strangest mix of disappointment (for Deb) and accomplishment (for herself and the secret she loved).

But before she could sit down, Knife-Bones came rushing out onto the stage and after Shannon! She knocked Karen down and into the crowd. Shannon tried to run away, but Knife-Bones grabbed Shannon's bikini bottom fiercely and tore it right off!

Knife-Bones ran toward the other end of the stage, holding the bikini bottom up in the air as if in victory after winning the 100 meter sprint. Shannon stood starkly in her Pampers Baby Dry diapers and bikini top.

Suddenly the Club-Arm Boys came running after Knife-Bones. They didn't want to stop Knife-Bones (after all she was already running off stage, right?) as much as they wanted to jostle through "the talent" a little bit themselves.

In their jostling, they knocked the stunned Shannon right down onto Hannah. The two girls lay straddling each other, Shannon, in her baby diaper, atop the bikini-clad Hannah.

Hannah laughed a demur version of a wild laugh and whispered to Shannon, "Geez, Shannon, now that's what I call balls!"

Shannon, so overcome with the weird emotions she'd been feeling -- and with all the sudden commotion -- just giggled brightly and, suddenly, kissed Hannah on the mouth -- hard.

Hannah pushed Shannon off and gave Shannon a very shocked, offended look.

Before either girl could say or do anything else, some of the headset-crew and a couple of medics pulled Shannon and Hannah backstage.

Chapter 2 -- Comfo-no-raifu

Television, print, web, phone, you name it, Shannon Tanager was on it. Not within days. Within seconds.

Of course -- Shannon thought, from inside a hotel room far from her house -- didn't she realize she wasn't getting away with it, even as she was walking down the runway? She'd seen the eager guys and girls in the crowd, all texting frantically, not even trying to hide their giggles.

And the real wave of media was just crammed with commentary.

"It's called a runway -- not a crawlway!" one wit crooned on his web show. "No babies allowed!"

A blunt comment below the video-screen:

4everbad-It's not a peeway, either. And I bet she was peeing her diapers that whole time. That's sick!

A defensive comment above that comment, posted a couple hours later:

tinyluv- @4everbad Why dont you just go somewhere else if you dont like diaper girls why did you even come here in the first place if you didnt want to see it youre what i call sick?

A random comment a few lines down, posted earlier on:

jeff75wazzup-She wouldn't have won. Shannon's hot. But she's not the best. She has good looks, but not like winning quality. I'm just sayin...

The squeaky clean papers, asking "What if my daughter likes diapers?" Accompanied by a black and white photo of a very serious looking Shannon Tanager, looking more like a depressed clerk than an adult baby girl.

The rags and tabloids -- "Chicks Ahoy!" with a photo of Shannon and Hannah.

"Don't go in the pool with that one!" -- the caption below a shocked, frightened Shannon standing in her diaper.

"They Call Her The Streak" -- the caption inset, in white print, in a glossy magazine photo of Knife-Bones (or Jeanette Robinson, as the papers liked to call her -- because they didn't know her) running away off the stage with the bikini bottoms in her hand.

The (well-deserved) articles, news shows, interviews, for Hannah, who had won The Miss All-American Beauty contest after the huge disaster.

Hannah to an interviewer, "I got tackled! Ha, ha! I thought they were going to have to put the pageant news in the sports section!" (Interviewers laugh audibly.)

Hannah was gracious about Shannon to the press. But Hannah would absolutely not speak with Shannon personally under any circumstances.

Shannon had tried to ask Hannah, even as the girls were being escorted off stage, for forgiveness. But Hannah was expressionless, as if Shannon no longer existed.

Shannon and Hannah were both examined with care and respect. The doctor kept asking, "Would you like to get out of that, uh... not a swimsuit..." as if Shannon were embarrassed by her diaper. But Shannon would only shake her head.

Nobody would really let Shannon talk to Hannah while they were being examined. If Shannon started to talk to Hannah, someone would brusquely interrupt Shannon with an "are you alright" kind of question.

Eventually, Hannah went back to the show, went on to win the show.

Shannon, mostly as a matter of course, asked, "Can I go back, too?"

Some suit-and-tie wearing a bluetooth said, "We're working on that right now. We'll let you know as soon as we hear."

"That's probably what you told Deb, right?"

The suit-and-tie looked about ready to slap Shannon.

Shannon said, "Why don't I go get dressed?"

Shannon didn't get out of her diaper, even though she had brought some comfy pairs of cotton panties with her. She just slipped off her bikini top and slipped on a pair of jeans, a bra, her boots, a t-shirt, and her little jacket.

She left without waiting to hear the bad news, even though she felt like she'd have some kind of hell to pay for that.

She actually hadn't had much hell to pay at all. The pageant folks just kind of pretended like she didn't exist. Like Hannah.

Ellie caught Shannon before she left. Ellie said, "Here's my card." It was a cute card, uniquely done, with subtle swirls of color and lettering in a subdued, cheerful style.

Shannon hugged Ellie and kissed her on the cheek. She stepped out into the cool air.

Shannon had presumed her agent was somewhere with the suit-and-tie.

Of course now, Shannon thought, laying on her hotel bed in a lolita-style baby dress and a big, fluffy diaper, that evasive person was no longer her agent.

Shannon sucked on her bottle. It had been two weeks. She had been in this hotel for two weeks. Time to go home. By now, Shannon was quickly fading from the news.

Shannon figured she'd always be a part of the internet, now. But plenty of people were.

But most likely people would stop (or had already stopped?) caring about her in that immediate, media-starved way. She could, for instance, go into a grocery store, most likely, without having a bunch of people, press or otherwise, stalking after her and asking her "are you going to the diaper aisle next?"

Shannon thought, packing her bags, how she had, on a couple of occasions, when there were just a few guys and girls with cameras, said, "I sure am. Wanna come with me?" Then she'd go to the diaper aisle and point out diapers.

"Goodnites -- they fit a lot of adults pretty well. Adult babies, I mean." (Giggles.)

"Pampers Baby Dry -- these fit a lot more like panties. Like bikini panties. That's why I wore them with my bikini down the runway!"

"Huggies -- some of these are good, some aren't. I avoid this kind and get this kind."

"Oh, Swaddlers! -- How I wish I was really tiny enough to fit into these! I'd feel just like a real baby!"

"Luvs -- I love these ones, too."

Looking straight at the camera once, she said, "Which ones do you think I should get?"

Shannon had gotten about 1,000 diaper suggestions within a few hours of the video's posting.

Thinking back on those grocery store trips (she was so depressed, pretty much the only time she'd gotten out of the hotel was to go to the grocery store), she realized that they hadn't been all bad.

She remembered another time, the tidal wave of press now slowed to a trickle. A Japanese couple -- a girl interviewer and her camera boy (who wore a scarf and a wool cap with Woodstock cartoons on it) walked with her up and down the aisles of the store, talking, in such a surreally intimate way, about Shannon's "diaper's fetishi."

Shannon spoke briefly as they walked down the soda aisle about how she'd grown distant with her family. They were fine. She just... hadn't meshed. Her mother was a career woman, kind of cold, domineering. She didn't at all understand why a modern woman -- her daughter -- would want to be in a beauty pageant. Her father was loving, but timid. Her big sister, a big bully.

The interviewer held Shannon's pack of diapers in her arms, even though Shannon had a basket to hold things in.

As the three talking friends walked down the cereal aisle, the interviewer asked about her friends. Did she have many? Did they wear diapers, too?

Shannon said, "I have plenty of friends. I'm basically a model -- or I was one. I guess I'm not anymore. Plenty of my friends support me right now. I don't know which ones don't. Maybe the ones that don't talk to me. Anyway, some of my friends wanted to come out here with me while I got away. But I told them I didn't want them to."

The interviewer said, "They sound like friends who are very supportive. Do they wear diapers, too?"

Shannon said, "Well, most of them don't. And most of them didn't know about my fetish. It's not that I wanted to keep it a secret out of shame. I just... didn't feel like everybody needed to know that part of my life. I can't say why, though. I'm happiest when I'm in diapers. It's -- a time in my life when I feel... comfortable."

Both the interviewer and the cameraman seemed very impressed by this statement.

The interviewer said, "Mm. Mm. So. Diapers make you feel as if your life is comfortable?"

Shannon said, "Yes."

The interviewer asked, "Mm. Mm. Ah. Are you wearing diapers right now?"

Shannon said, "Yes," and instinctively peeled down the waist of her low-rise jeans a little bit to display the cartoon characters on the waistband of her baby-sized diapers.

The camera boy did a subtle close-up for detail.

The interviewer said, quietly, significantly, "Ah. Kawaii. A comfortable life."

The camera man said, "Comfo-no-raifu. Hai, hai."

This seemed to close the discussion of diapers altogether. After this, Shannon, the interviewer, and the cameraman were just like good friends, walking through the grocery store and laughing about all the products.

The cameraman said, "I... have... grocery's store fetishi. Do you know William Eggleston? Photographs?"

Shannon nodded, "Mm."

The cameraman said, "I am very much admirer of him. He sees the dream in the real world. In the grocery's store."

Shannon nodded, "Mm."

Shannon spoke on her cell phone with one of her friends as she was packing up to go back home.

Her friend Samantha informed her, they'd have a party "for our little baby girl. I mean, an adult party, sorry. But you've always been our baby girl anyway, you know."

Shannon drove her rental car south through the wide state that separated her from her home state, California.

On her way back to her car from a roadside cafe, Shannon got a cell call from a rather shy sounding boy. "Um, er, Ms. Tanager? I'm -- I represent some people who... run a show..."

Shannon said, "Look, I'm not interested in going back into business right now."

The boy pleaded, "Please! I have... a show that's very hot right now on the web. These guys make money. They really do. And you can do alright with them, too. I mean, these guys are smart. They saw your Japanese interview."

Shannon asked, "Oh. It's a Japanese show? I don't know Japanese."

The boy said, "No. They're American. They're young, you know. I don't know. Maybe you know the show. It's called Em=C play Squared?"

Shannon asked, "E equals MC squared?"

The boy said, "No. Em=C play Squared. Look. I'm an outcast. These guys are outcasts. Maybe you don't have much to do with outcasts. Maybe the agents who are trying to publicize Deb for her lesbian make-out scenes are trying to get you, too--"

Shannon said, "No. They aren't. That's grown up sex, lesbianism. Guys understand it, I mean. It gets them hot. Apparently, at least in the agents' minds, my turn-ons only confuse the guys. Deb's agents wouldn't touch me with a ten-foot pole. I'm an outca--"

Shannon paused.

The boy said, "Just give Em=C play Squared a chance, will you?"

Shannon said, "Set up a meeting point in L.A. I'll meet you. With friends."

The boy was bursting with happiness. "Well! That's just! Okay!"

They set up their meeting. Shannon hung up her cell. She got in her car and drove the rest of the way home.

This meeting with this boy. What on earth was she getting herself into?

Chapter 3 -- Homecoming Number One

Shannon arrived home in the afternoon. She was shocked by how many of her friends showed up for the party.

Samantha had told her, "Oh, by the way, act surprised when you come in. Everybody thinks this is going to be a surprise party. But I couldn't let it. I didn't want you to come home sad, plus tired from driving, and then open your door to a bunch of people cheering."

Shannon actually didn't feel too tired by the time she got home. She felt alive after having driven so much. She realized she'd actually gotten tired by having sat in the hotel room for the past two weeks.

If I'd won the pageant, Shannon reminded herself, I'd have been thrown all around the globe in these past two weeks. I was ready for something like that. Instead, I was sitting in a hotel and going to the grocery store, and not too much else.

By this time, Shannon thought, I'd be giving my homecoming. Now I suppose I really am giving my homecoming.

Shannon opened her door to about twenty of her friends shouting, "Welcome home!"

Shannon was actually surprised! She was about to cry. For some reason, she didn't really believe that her friends would be here for her after all. Not because she had been outed as an adult baby, but... because she had lost the Miss All-American Beauty pageant.

Shannon seldom drank. She didn't really hold her liquor very well, so, after a few embarrassing experiences in college, she'd decided to forego it. She also felt like drinking erased that childlike brightness she liked to keep in her mind.

But Shannon ate and laughed and joked with all her friends. Samantha told Shannon that the party would stop as soon as Shannon got tired. Samantha and Samantha's girlfriend Vanessa would kick everyone out.

But, surprisingly, Shannon didn't get tired at all! The party went all through the night. Everybody walked down to a coffee shop when the sun rose. Some of Shannon's friends stumbled down the sidewalk to the coffee shop.

One of Shannon's friends, Kevin, said, "Maybe I should just crawl there."

Shannon said, "Like a baby? I'll crawl with you."

Kevin laughed and said, "Do you really crawl, Shan? I mean -- I guess you wear diapers. But do you crawl and drink bottles and stuff?"

Shannon said, "Uh-huh. I play with toys..."

Kevin said, "Well, I mean, I could play with toys. You know? I kind of miss my toys."

Shannon asked, "Your baby toys? Like stuffed animals?"

Kevin said, "I don't know. Not really. But my action figures. Anyway, action figures are dolls, anyway. My sister put one of my Transformers in a Barbie dress once. It was getting married to a Ken doll."

Shannon asked, "What did you do?"

Kevin said, "I got an annullment, what do you think?"

The gang spent about an hour in the coffee shop, eating donuts and talking life. Some of the kids (mostly early 20s, though there were a few in their 30s and 40s) were either working or aspiring models, some actors, writers, some tech crew people. Some people had day jobs, some didn't.

Samantha and Vanessa finally took Shannon home. None of Samantha's non-AB friends would have guessed that Samantha was Vanessa's AB Mommy. It was a secret -- not because Samantha or Vanessa wanted to hide from people, but... just because Samantha and Vanessa liked having their little secret.

But Shannon knew, as did a couple of her other friends. A couple of Shannon's friends came out when they found that Shannon had been outed. But not Samantha and Vanessa.

Samantha had once told Shannon, "It just adds a little bit of kinkiness to the situation, in public, to be able to speak some code-words, and watch Vanessa's AB-eyes get all excited, but nobody knows why. I mean, everybody knows we're gay. But nobody knows that I'm her Mommy, too. I love that secret sexual electricity."

But Vanessa, a quiet, but cheerful and bubbly girl, once told Shan, "I get tired of being private. I want to be my Mommy's baby in public. Maybe not a total baby, but at least... I want to potty my diaper in public and have my Mommy take me to the bathroom to change me. I know it may sound silly or trivial. But I want it so bad."

Samantha did Shannon the favor of undressing Shannon and putting her in a diaper and a baby-style nightie. Samantha lay Shannon in bed and fixed her a bottle to drink while she went to sleep.

Samantha tucked Shannon in. Samantha and Vanessa both kissed the cute AB-girl nigh-night and goodbye.

Quickly remembering her phone call, Shannon told Samantha about the boy who represented the web-show Em=C play Squared. Shannon asked Samantha if she and Vanessa could come to meet the boy with her.

"You don't need to do anything, Mommy Sammy. But I want somebody with me, in case these guys are shady."

Samantha nodded and smiled. But as Samantha and Vanessa walked to the car, Samantha said, "Well, I wish she'd have told the boy no. I think chances are he's shady."

Vanessa said, "But I've heard of Em=C play Squared. Some of the emo boys who work lighting with me love the show. Do you think this boy might really represent Em=C play?"

Samantha said, "We'll find out, Baby. If he does, your emo boy friends might get some autographs."

Vanessa clapped her hands and cheered, "Hooray, Mommy!" Vanessa hugged Samantha and kissed her cheeks fervently. She then backed away and said, "Mommy? You know who wuvvs you?"

Samantha said, "Who?"

Vanessa said, "Your baby wuvvs you. You make you baby all wet, Mommy."

Samantha and Vanessa kissed deeply and slowly out on Shannon's front lawn. Vanessa got so excited that she pottied her panties and soaked them all the way through to her jeans. So Mommy punished Baby by making her sit in her pottied panties and jeanies all the way home.

Of course, Mommy would change Baby into a big, fluffy diaper once they got home.

Chapter 4 -- Vireality

A couple days later, Shannon, Samantha, and Vanessa were all standing out in the middle of a skate park.

Shannon was wearing a sleeveless, yellow shirt, tight blue jeans, and her favorite kind of diapers -- Pampers Baby Dry.

A few skaters, boys and girls, were already out here, early in the morning, as the sun was just rising. Dedicated souls! Some were unbelievably good. Some were crashing and burning like crazy.

But the kids were staying out of the way of the three ladies, even though the ladies seemed to be standing in a terribly inconvenient place.

Samantha asked, "Why on earth did you agree to this, Shan?"

Shannon said, "I'm just going with it. I watched some of the show. Did you?"

Samantha nodded. "It's weird. It pretty much fits the situation we're in right now."

Shannon said, "I don't know why, but I feel like I'd like to be a part of it. Anyway, the guy said we should stand right here. He said we'd recognize him and his associates when they--"

A boy from atop a half-pipe of concrete shouted out, "We meet at last! Our destinies finally collide!"

Samantha sneered, "Eh...?"

Vanessa cried, "I recognize! I recognize!" She pointed to the top of the half-pipe.

The boy who had called out to them, a skinny boy in navy colored slacks, a white shirt, and glasses, with hair a little disarrayed, and carrying a small video camera, stood on a skateboard. A boy and a girl flanked this boy.

The other boy was tall, with spiked hair colored jet black and deep purple. The boy had pale skin. He wore a long, white vinyl trenchcoat. He also seemed to be wearing vinyl slacks and a black button-up shirt and purple tie.

The girl was dressed in a Victorian-style dress, black and pink, sleek and gothic looking, yet also very girly. The girl had dark-pink hair and pale blue eyes. Her breasts were quite huge. She had a silver necklace with a silver skull on it. She carried a parasol that also looked like a weapon. She was on a skateboard and in high heels.

The schoolboy-looking boy and the girl pushed off and down the concrete slope. The trenchoat boy shifted his weight a little and was suddenly skimming or gliding down the surface of the concrete slope.

It took a while before Shannon realized the trenchcoat boy was wearing skate-shoes.

The boys and girl flashed around Samantha, Shannon, and Vanessa. Shannon was a little afraid. In fact, she wet her diapers a little bit. Vanessa was a little nervous. But she was also immensely tickled to see two of the kids from the web-show, Skullrose and Vampnote. She didn't know the boy holding the camera.

Samantha was imperturbed, tolerating the strange situation. She recognized Skullrose and Vampnote as well, but she wasn't moved by their presence.

The schoolboy-like boy, holding the video camera, addressed Shannon as he and his friends skated around the three ladies, "You are beautiful, Ms. Tanager. Just like on TV. But you have one lesson to learn. And that is, how to avoid..."

Skullrose said, "... a nasty spill!" and she twirled her parasol toward Shannon's back.

Samantha saw that Skullrose was about to hit Shannon with the parasol. She tried to block Skullrose. But suddenly Vampnote appeared and caught Samantha's arms.

Skullrose rapped Shannon's back with the parasol. Shannon stumbled foward. Skullrose skated forward a bit more and caught Shannon before she fell to the concrete.

Shannon couldn't believe that the costumed girl had actually managed to -- lift her right up! Shannon was coasting along in the skateboard -- in Skullrose' arms!

Samantha charged after Skullrose to stop her. But as she caught up to Skullrose, Skullrose deftly passed Shannon off to Vampnote! Skullrose laughed in Samantha's face. Samantha tried to slap Skullrose, but Skullrose fended Samantha off with a parasol.

Vanessa cheered, even though she knew doing so would get her a big spanking once she and Samantha got home. But she couldn't avoid it. It was such a good show!

Vampnote, the trenchoated boy, skated even faster in his skate shoes. The schoolboy, who Shannon realized was Kensuke, the boy she'd been talking on the phone with, had been skating just ahead of Vampnote, capturing the action on his handheld camera. But now Vampnote left Kensuke behind.

Shannon said, "But me down, Vampnote!"

But Vampnote only laughed, "A beautiful baby girl like you? Never."

Vampnote sped toward another concrete slope with Shannon in his arms. He blasted up the slope in his skate shoes. How could he get so much speed in those things?

The trenchoated boy sped up off the top of the slope and into the air. He spun around, with Shannon still in his arms! Shannon screamed! The boy landed on his feet and speed back down the slope, screeching to a halt only a couple inches in front of Kensuke, who held steady with his camera.

Vampnote let Shannon down softly. Shannon's legs were wobbly with fear. Shannon was about to fall to the ground, but Vampnote held her up.

Skullrose was boarding over to Kensuke. Samantha chased after Skullrose, yelling, "Stop! All of you! This is absurd!"

Vanessa trotted along, too, still clapping and cheering at this whole situation.

Kensuke put down his camera and said to Shannon, "Of course, we don't have to put that scene on the show, if you don't want. I mean, you don't even have to be on the show, if you don't want to."

Skullrose said, "Oh... but please be on the show. You were so good!"

Shannon said, "I was... good?"

Vampnote looked at Shannon with narcissistically starry eyes and told Shannon, "You were a true baby star. You were so easy to cradle in my arms. It was as good for me as I'm sure it was for you."

Shannon said, "It wasn't good for me! It was scary!"

Vampnote said, "So romantic it was scary?"

Shannon said, "No -- it wasn't romantic at all."

Vampnote said, "Ah. I see. Playing hard to get."

Samantha grabbed Shannon out of Vampnote's arms and dragged the wobbly-legged girl a couple steps away.

Samantha said, "Shannon is hard to get. And you aren't getting her. What is this? This isn't professional!"

Vanessa cried, "Mommy! I mean, Samantha! Please."

Samantha looked back at Vanessa. It was a look that said, You're definitely getting a big spanking when we get home.

But Samantha relented.

Kensuke said, "Really, Shannon, you were terrific. Just as good as we hoped."

Shannon said, "I pottied my diaper."

Skullrose said, "You did? Oh, can I change you?"

Kensuke said, "Let's get sat down somewhere first, eh? She passed her screen test. Let's make her an offer. This way, Baby. We'll get you all changed and fed."

Kensuke, Vampnote, and Skullrose led the three ladies away. Samantha muttered under her breath, "Make her an offer? Why would she take an offer from these people?"

****

The six of them sat at a big, round, pink, plastic table at the Tadaima Maid Cafe. Shannon had changed her own diaper, despite Skullrose' constant insistence that she wanted to do it.

A nice maid with her hair done up behind a cute, little hat took the group's order and skipped away.

Kensuke said, "We put this maid cafe together in our first season. It's popular among the L.A. otaku, cosplayers. Even some of the Emo kids stop by. None of the cast works here anymore."

Vanessa cried, "But they look like real maids."

Kensuke said, "Oh, yeah. They're part of the cosplay culture. But they're not twenty-four-sevens."

Vampnote said, "Like us." Skullrose nodded.

Kensuke said, "So, you recognized us. So you must have done a little bit of homework before our meeting."

Shannon nodded. "I don't know everything. But, let's see... You guys started a reality show--"

Vampnote said, "Vireality show."

Skullrose said, "It's the new reality show. Viral video plus reality show."

Shannon said, "Seems to me like a lot of viral video is reality-based, anyway. It's just funny stuff that happens in real life."

Skullrose said, "Right. But how much of reality TV is like reality? I mean, real life?"

Kensuke said, "It's a bunch of celebrities living their lives, which are pretty detached from what normal people call reality."

Skullrose nodded. "Just think. Even now, Miss All-American Beauty is putting out a bunch of viral video following her around like a reality show. She went to Asia, to South America, to a couple places in the U.S. And viral video is following her everywhere."

Kensuke said, "I kind of like her. She's pretty down-to-earth. But-- is her life really reality?"

Vampnote said, "Exactly. Reality would be her marrying someone beautiful like me."

Skullrose clamped her hand across Vampnote's mouth. "Save the open-mouth mode for your breakfast, toots. So, Shannon, we just decided a couple years back that we'd play reality TV for all it was. We'd live the life of cosplay. We'd be even farther removed from reality. We'd be cartoon characters."

Kensuke, "Not cartoon characters. None of us, I think, is an actual anime character. We made up our own characters, drew the characters, made the costumes, and so forth. We aren't living as the characters, but as people playing the characters."

Vampnote said, "But we do it 24/7."

Skullrose said, "We took a kind of early Real World approach to it all. Setting up Tadaima was like our Real World project. Our plan was to do projects like this. Business projects, I guess, to see how we could do in the real world as 24/7 cosplayers."

Kensuke said, "But then we started getting fan mail from kids. You know, our vireality show was really viral. It was spreading like wildfire."

Vampnote said, "I got most of the girl fanmail, naturally."

Skullrose was about to clamp Vampnote's mouth shut again, but two cute maids now brought everybody big plates of rice, eggs, and salmon and cups of coffee.

The three cosplayers and Vanessa said, "Itadakimasu!" Shannon and Samantha wondered what on earth that meant.

Skullrose said, "It was then that some of us got the idea--"

Vampnote cleared his throat loudly.

Skullrose said, "What?"

Vampnote said, "Don't be vain, my Darling. You came up with the idea. Nobody else did."

Skullrose blushed. "Oh, fine. I got the idea that we could actually do cool stuff for kids. You know, like put on shows for kids. Play their favorite anime characters and what not."

Kensuke said, "And that's what we did. We put on shows at schools and boys and girls clubs. We did little tutorials on how to cosplay. And we'd record it all. Then we'd come home and live our day-to-day lives as cosplayers."

Skullrose said, "Oddly enough, we started being contacted by organizations, non-profits that did things for kids. Some kids who had violent home lives, or kids who were living away from home or without parents. Some organizations were there to help kids who were really sick or dying. Like the make-a-wish kind of thing. You know?"

Shannon nodded and said, "Mm." Everybody was slurping down their rice, eggs, and salmon and drinking coffee.

Kensuke said, "These guys would start inviting us to come out and visit these kids. But they'd also have us come to certain fundraising events. Some with and some without kids."

Vampnote said, "It's odd how many adults love anime. We were a real attraction for some of these events. I mean, I knew I'd be an attraction for the la--"

"Eat. Eat." Skullrose said. Skullrose smiled at Shannon and continued. "We were honestly surprised on all levels. We thought we were kind of irreverent, a little cerebral, more for the misbehaving young adult crowd--"

Kensuke said, "The Emo and Cosplay young adult crowd. That's where the name comes from. Emo and Cosplay kind of intersect sometimes. You'll notice --"

Vampnote raised his hand, then went back to his rice and eggs.

Kensuke said, "But people still think Emo and Cosplay kids are kind of weird, uncool."

Skullrose said, "Dangerous, too, though I can't say why."

Kensuke, "So I thought we should call ourselves the Emo Cosplay Squares."

Skullrose said, "That's when Vampnote had his one good idea."

Vampnote, chomping down food, looked up in surprise at Skullrose and said, "Mmm?"

Skullrose, "He just spontaneously said, 'Why don't we make it like Einstein and call it Em=C play Squared?'"

Vampnote, his mouth full of food, said, "Mm. Mm. Yah."

"Anyway, how it's all turned out has been far different than we'd ever planned," Kensuke said. "I started the whole thing. I'm 31, and--"

"31?" Shannon asked in surprise. "You don't even look 17!"

Kensuke bashfully smiled and pushed his glasses up on his nose. "Thanks. Well, you know, I hate to admit, but I worked on something else on the internet that turned out to be pretty big. I was kind of jaded by business, though, after about 5 years of it. I was 27 then. I sold the whole thing.

"It was a big business, and it was for rebel kids. So I'd made a lot of contacts in all those rebel industry worlds. I use my own money as part of the backing for this show. But some of the renegade millionaires of the world chip in, too. Of course we have to tell people how much we love their products."

Skullrose said, "And we do love them, most of the time."

Kensuke nodded. He continued. "We don't take any money from the organizations we put on shows for. And we make sure that if we're part of an event, we pay for ourselves and whatever else we can do for the organization at the time.

"And most of the cost does come in the shows, the performances, the travel, I mean, just really getting out there and giving people a good time. But it's worth every penny I and the sponsors spend."

Skullrose said, "And now you get to be a part of the show, Baby Shannon."

Shannon said, "I just -- don't think -- how could these charitable organizations want an adult baby to be part of this show for kids? You know what people think about adult babies."

Skullrose said, "I know what people think about Emos and Cosplayers. But these guys started contacting us, you know. They didn't necessarily do it because they liked us or they agreed that running around dressed like 'trash-rock-superheroes'--"

"--as one organizer called me to my face--" Vampnote interjected.

"--was sending out a positive message to the kids. But the kids loved us. They were happy because of us, because of the silly things we were doing. I don't know. You know, we say it's okay to be straight, gay, bi. That kind of stuff, too. Some of us are gay.

"And I think that's what the kids liked. We're ourselves, in the most in-your-face way you can imagine. And we accept everybody. It's what the adults like, too."

Kensuke said, "We accept adult babies, too."

Skullrose said, "We don't just accept them. We love them... And... we want to change her diaper so bad!"

Vanessa blushed and said, "How sweet!"

Vampnote coughed on his food.

Kensuke said, "I really want you to be on this show. As you. As the you who gave the interview to the Japanese television show. You're the beauty queen. The hometown beauty queen. I don't think I want you to be 24/7 sissy or 24/7 baby. But I think 24/7 diapers is an absolute necessity."

Shannon said, "I could deal with that!"

Skullrose said, "But you wouldn't mind doing baby things, right? Like being in a stroller and a high-chair?"

Shannon shook her said, "I'd love it."

Skullrose said, "Oh! Arigato! Please let me push you around town in a stroller, Baby Shan Chan!"

Samantha said, "I'm still not sure you should do this, Samantha. I mean, can you trust these people? I hear what you're saying, Kensuke. I know your story. But you misled me Shannon in your first conversation. You said you were representing some guys. But you are the guys.

"Then you send us out to a skate park, scare us silly, and videotape the whole thing. You've been tricking and tricking Shannon. How do I know you aren't just getting ready to trick her again?"

Shannon said, "Thanks for the concern, Samantha. But you aren't my Mommy."

Samantha and Vanessa blushed. Samantha said, "You don't have a Mommy, dear. I'm looking out for you in place of a Mommy."

Shannon said, "Thank you, Samantha. I am grateful to you. But I think I -- I don't know if your idea will really work, guys. I don't know if the world is ready to just open up to adult babies like that.

"But we'll see. I'll trust you. If they hurt me, Samantha, I'll apologize to you."

Samantha said, "If they hurt you, they'll have me to deal with." Samantha started straight at Kensuke.

Kensuke gently smiled and said, "Samantha, we love our beauty queen baby. Maybe not as much as you two love her. But we love her. We'll take care of her. Okay?"

Samantha sighed loudly, then sipped her coffee. She put the coffee down and shrugged. "Anyway, you guys have some great food here. The coffee's decent. And the waitresses are hot."

Vanessa gasped, "Samantha!"

Everybody laughed as Samantha embraced and kissed her secret AB daughter. It made Vanessa so hot to be kissed by her Mommy that she wet her panties a tiny bit. Oh, hopefully she'd be dry before they all stood up to leave!

Chapter 5 -- Homecoming Number Two

Kensuke drove the van. Vampnote sat in the front with Kensuske.

Shannon sat in the back with Skullrose.

"Oh, why didn't I get a carseat for you, Baby?" Skullrose asked. "I should have thought about it."

Shannon replied, "I don't need a carseat. I'm pretty adult right now, you know."

"What a drag! Oh, how's your diaper? Should we pull over for a change?"

"I'm alright. I changed when we left the maid cafe."

"What a drag! I need to change the baby!"

"Are you going to be my Mommy?"

"More like big sister, I think. But I'm a big girl. I plan on having my own baby someday. And you are going to give me plenty of baby practice."

"You're going to have a baby baby or an adult baby?"

"Oh, I don't know. I've always wanted a baby baby. But now... I just think adult babies are so fabulous! And I want one!"

Shannon watched as the car pulled up to a gate. The gate automatically opened. The car pulled along a stretch of driveway, up to a mansion.

"Wow! It looks bigger than on the internet!"

Vampnote chuckled, "That's what she said."

Skullrose said, "That is what she said. I don't get it. Oh wait. I get it. I'd slap you if you weren't in the front seat."

The van stopped. Skullrose rushingly tumbled over Shannon before Shannon could even unbuckle her seatbelt. Skullrose opened the van's sliding door and unbuckled Shannon quickly.

Skullrose quickly lifted Shannon out of the van! Shannon forgot how strong this girl actually was!

Shannon didn't resist. She didn't feel too much like a baby at this point in time, but... something about being in such a strong girl's arms made her feel a little bit more girly.

Shannon actually felt so girly that she wet her diaper, much to her surprise!

Skullrose was walking Shannon up to the front door. Skullrose said, "Oh! Do I feel a warm spot? Did you--"

Shannon, now feeling much more babyish, nodded and said, "Yes, Skullrose, I wetsied."

Skullrose stood before the door as Kensuke rang the bell. Skullrose, said, "Oh! I'm so happy!" She kissed Shannon's forehead. "And from now on, whenever you feel babyish, call me o-nee-chan! Okay?"

Shannon, now feeling quite babyish and gleeful, said, "O-ne-chan?"

Skullrose squealed with excitement. "Baby! Baby! And I'll call you Shan-Chan. I'll be your o-nee-chan." Skullrose kissed Shan-Chan's forehead.

"Out of adult cwothes, O-ne-chan. Need baby cwothes."

Skullrose said, "Of course, Shan-Chan! As soon as we get inside."

A pretty girl maid opened up the door. "Okairi," she quietly said.

Everybody took a few steps into the house. Shannon saw that the house was, oh!, so big!

Suddenly, a group of cosplayers sprung out from various hiding spots and cried, "Surprise! Okairinasai!"

Everybody threw confetti in the air and blew on horns! They all started clapping!

AB Shannon was so excited and surprised by it all, that she --

"Oh!" Skullrose cried, "Get the baby a blanket. Grab some diapers, quick! She just pottied herself big time! I think you're leaking, Shan-Chan!"

AB Shannon said, "I wore Pampers, O-ne-chan. They leak if I pottie lots."

Skullrose said, "Well, don't you worry, Baby. We got you some really big diapers. They'll make your cute bottom look all big and puffy. But I bet baby likes that. Doesn't she?"

AB Shannon said, "Oh, yes, Mommy."

Kensuke turned the camera off while Skullrose changed Shannon. It was just a private moment, Kensuke felt.

But some of the cosplayers gathered round to watch. They were all so amazed. Shannon seemed to have regressed somehow to a little baby! They saw Shannon, there, the adult Shannon. But the way she was acting, it was really like there was just a cute, little baby there!

Some of the cosplay girls and boys helped Skullrose change Shannon.

But AB Shannon was so impressed by Skullrose. It must have been her first time to change an adult baby. But she was doing such a good job!

Skullrose cleaned off Shannon so gently. She dried Shannon off and lifted up her legs to lay the big, fluffy, fresh nappy under Shanny's cute bottom. Then she snuggled Shanny into the big diaper. She powdered Shanny's bottom. Then she taped up Shan-Chan's diaper so snugly and securely.

AB Shannon felt so babyish and happy!

Skullrose then sat AB Shannon up and hugged her and kissed her. "That's my good wittle Shan-Chan," she said. "But now Shan-Chan has to get dressed up like a real adult baby girl. No more adult clothes for her today!"

"Yay!" AB Shannon said.

Two maids pulled Shannon's shirt off, then unstrapped her bra. They hooked her into a much frillier, lacier bra. Then they draped a lacy, white dress with pink ribbons on it over her.

One of the maids handed AB Shannon a pacifier. AB Shannon noticed that this maid had cat ears.

"Kitty cat!" Shan-Chan said.

Kensuke turned his camera back on.

"That's right, meow! I'm a neko maid, meow! We're so happy to have you here, baby, meow!"

Everybody agreed with the neko maid.

Skullrose lifted up Shan-Chan and introduced her to the rest of the cosplayers.

Shannon was starting to realize, she just loved being cradled in her big sister's arms! She wished o-ne-chan would feed her a bottle later on.

Shannon met the martial arts fighter boy and girl, the robo-moe-girl, the futa-girl dressed as a orange-haired schoolgirl, and a girl who looked a lot like Vampnote except dressed all in black.

With Vampnote, Skullrose, Kensuke, and the two maids, that made ten cosplayers in the house. Eleven, with Shan-Chan.

The robo-moe-girl, Lolibits, as she was called, said, "Wah! Kawaii! She acts just like a baby!"

Kensuke nodded, including the camera in his nod. He said, "I think she'll play a baby some of the time. I mean, the little girl characters. Like little magical girls. But sometimes she'll still be her well-known adult--"

Shan-Chan said, "No. Bad word wight now. Dult. Not me."

Kensuke said, "Ah... I see. Baby is really regressed!"

Shan-Chan nodded and sucked on her paci.

The cosplayers all welcomed Shan-Chan home. They showed her to her nursery, which was made up in such a babyish fashion, with everything an adult baby could want.

Then the cosplayers all went back to the living room for the party. They turned on some anime music.

All the cosplayers were over 21, but none of them drank. They instead had soda, juice, tea, and lots of fun, sweet drinks.

They ate all kinds of food and listened to anime music. They played video games and watched cartoons.

At some point during the party, Shan-Chan fell asleep on Skullrose' lap, as Skullrose was beating Vampnote at a video game.

Skullrose and Vampnote paused the game. Skullrose lifted Shan-Chan and carried her to her new room. A lot of the cosplayers followed.

The happy, little AB Shan-Chan was snoozing away as Skullrose tucked her into her new crib. Some of the girls said, "Ah, kawaii!"

Kensuke nodded and said, "Uh-huh. Comfo-no-laifu."

"Comfo-no-laifu," the cosplayers agreed.

They all walked out of the nursery and left their new adult baby friend to her sweet dreams.

Chapter 6 -- 'Casting a Spell

Shannon woke up with the sun the next morning. She sat up in her beautiful new cradle.

How could her new friends have been so nice to have thought about her and put all this stuff together for her?

Shannon had a few lovely dressers and what looked like a big closet, probably full of some of the most babyish clothes she could imagine. There were stacks of diapers on a set of shelves on one of the dressers.

All the furniture in the bedroom was white with pink decoration. The walls were papered with a pink and white striped cloudscaped dotted with plasticky-looking unicorn-ponies.

There were a rocking horse, a big swing, a huge teddy bear, and a box full of little baby toys.

Shannon had a little mobile over her cradle. She sat up (noticing that her diaper was soggy) and batted it at it in a babyish way. The mobile made a tiny, pretty song after she had tapped it.

It was so cute! She giggled with delight as the song went. She was surprised at her own giggle. She still felt so babyish!

I s'pose I just be a baby all day today, AB Shannon thought.

Shan was drawn to the mobile. She wanted play cute song again!

So she batted the mobile again and let it play the cute song.

Shan cooed and giggled. She bounced up and donw in her cradle and clapped her hands softly at the song.

The door to Shannon's nursery opened. Skullrose and Lolibits entered.

Oh, Skullrose! She was so nice!

But look at her now -- kind of silly!

Skullrose was in just a long t-shirt, which left the crotch of her panties visible. Her lovely hair was all messy. She was yawning and rubbing her eyes.

Lolibits, every bit the robot maid, said, "Be more alert, if you please, Skullrose. If you would like to care for Shannon, you need to be more responsible."

Skullrose yawned a huge yawn and said, "Yeah, yeah." Skullrose looked at Shannon through groggy eyes. Skullrose' eyes got clearer as soon as she saw her little Shan-Chan again.

"Oh... oh, yeah. Now I remember! My little dolly! Oh, well, I don't mind taking care of her until we find her a Mommy."

AB Shannon said, "You be my Mommy, Skwwose?"

Skullrose said, "No, Dear. I'm sorry. 'Member what I told you to call me yesterday?"

AB Shannon squinted hard and said, "Che-chan?"

Skullrose shook her head slowly and gently and said, "No... O-nee-chan."

"Ne-chan!" AB Shannon said, with a bright look in her eyes and a big, open-mouthed smile.

Skullrose sighed. Ne-chan would have to do. Skullrose said, "I just love you to pieces. But I just can't be your Mommy."

AB Shannon said, "But you good, Ne-cha! You make me have baby feeling!"

Skullrose said, "I know. I'm pretty good at bringing the fantasy out in people. I can make Lolibits, here, for instance, feel just like a robot maid."

Lolibits said, "Yes, ma'am."

Skullrose said, "And I love it. I love everybody's fantasy, and I love to bring it out. And I love you. I adore you. Don't get me wrong. But... I think there's someone out there who really is your Mommy."

AB Shannon was a little bit sad. She sniffled a little bit. She was about to cry.

Kensuke walked in with his camera. He was wearing just a white t-shirt and boxers. His hair was messy, too, and he wasn't wearing his glasses.

He looked so cute, like a puppy that just woke up.

"Kisske!" AB Shannon said. Everybody giggled. AB Shannon tried so hard, but she wasn't very good at names.

"Ne-cha?" AB Shannon said, a little pouty and shy looking.

Skullrose said, "Mm-hmm, Baby?"

"I... wet."

Skullrose giggled, "Oh, goodie. I get to change you again."

Lolibits said, "I'll get the table, ma'am."

Skullrose lifted Shan-Chan out of her cradle. Kensuke got a good glimpse of Skullrose' panties as she stretched Shan-Chan up and out of the cradle.

Shan was so impressed by how strong Skullrose was! Shan felt so light in Skullrose' arms!

Skullrose lay Shannon down on the changing table as Lolibits went off to get some diapers, baby wipes, and baby powder.

Skullrose tapped on Shan-Chan's crotch while the heavy, soggy diaper was still on. Shannon loved the feeling of the soggy diaper being lovingly tapped against her crotch!

Skullrose said, "My, my Shan-Chan. You wet yourself quite a bit. You are an extra good baby!"

Shannon nooded and said, "Mm. Mm." As she stuck her thumb in her mouth.

Skullrose thought for a minute, then turned to Lolibits. "Actually, Loli, before we change her into a diaper, maybe we should--"

Lolibits interrupted, "Run a bath, madam? I already have it running."

Skullrose said, "Wow! Cute body and super-fast processing unit!"

Lolibits said, "My specialty is predicting my sexy masters' needs, ma'am."

A few moments later, behind closed doors (unfortunately for a lot of viewers, who had to use their imaginations), Skullrose was naked in the bathtub with her new little sister.

They both luxuriated in the silky bath bubbles as Lolibits, dressed in a much shorter-skirted, vinyl maid's outfit, would hand either bath tools or bath toys to the girls upon demand.

When asked, Lolibits also helped to bathe both Skullrose and Shan-Chan. She had a wonderfully soft touch, for a robot.

Skullrose stepped out of the bath, the bubbles clinging to her soft-skinned, tightly-muscled body. Skullrose then pulled her little AB sister out of the bath. The silky bubbles were also hugging onto Shanny's slim, silky-smooth body.

Lolibits lay Shan-Chan down on a table in the bathroom. She dried Shan-Chan off and then dried Skullrose off.

Lolibits handed Skullrose, who was just wearing a tiny towel, a diaper. Skullrose diapered her little AB dolly as she hummed a gentle tune, which would every now and then break into words like, "My precious little girl," or, "Oh, my cutie pie."

Shannon felt so wonderful and babyish! She was so happy to have Skullrose for a big sister!

Lolibits and Skullrose dressed Shan-Chan up in a cute sundress. It was a softish, cottony fabric. It was plain colors, yellow and pink. It had a very skinny, flat cut on top, so that Shan-Chan's chest looked flatter, more like a little girl's. But not quite. Making Shan-Chan's chest look totally flat would have been quite a big job, indeed!

The skirt spread out just a tiny bit, into ruffly pleats. It looked just like a little girl's dress, and Shan-Chan felt just like a little girl in it! But she noticed that the skirt wasn't as long as it should have been, maybe. A little bit of Shan-Chan's diapered bottom was showing, for the sake of cuteness.

Maybe it couldn't have been avoided. The diaper her big sister had put her in was huge and fluffy!

Then Skullrose brushed her darling's long, black hair down, parting it along one side of the top of her head, and giving her some cute, plastic barrettes. Skullrose then stepped Shan-Chan's feet into the most adorable Crocs, in a lovely pale-pink shade.

Shan-Chan wanted to get down off the table and crawl around, she was so happy in her outfit. But Lolibits wouldn't let her.

"The floor is all wet, little Mistress-chan. I wouldn't want you to get your knees and dress all soggy."

"Only diaper get soggy?" Shan-Chan asked.

Lolibits nodded and smiled. "You must have a super-fast processing unit, too, Baby-San."

She tickled Shan-Chan. Shan-Chan giggled and squirmed as she watched her sexy big sister undress.

Shan-Chan watched, hypnotized, as Skullrose stepped first into a fancy pair of black and pink satin panties, then into a garter belt, black knee-high stockings, and a gorgeous, satiny dress of pink and black material, with skull and rose designs on it.

In just a few quick moves, Skullrose had her own hair whipped into provisional shape. She held it in place with a pink, plastic skull barrette.

"That ought to do it!" Skullrose walked up to Shan-Chan, clapped, and stuck out her arms. "Come! Baby!"

Shan-Chan, eager as a little kitty, hopped right into her Ne-Chan's strong arms. She wrapped her thin legs around Skullrose's waist, hugging her diapered crotch as close to her Ne-Chan's tummy as she could.

So close, I'm inside her tummy! Shan-Chan secretly thought.

Lolibits was taking off all her clothes, almost automatically, as Skullrose was walking out the door.

Shan-Chan was captivated by the sight of Lolibit's tiny, delicate body. As Skullrose opened and exited the door of the bathroom, Shan-Chan said, "No, Ne-Chan! Stay! Watch Loli!"

Skullrose chuckled softly and kissed Shan-Chan on the cheek. "You certainly love cute things, don't you, Baby?"

Shan-Chan said, "Mmmm-hmm!" as if she were talking about a delicious chocolate mousse.

Skullrose said, "If we stayed in there while she was bathing, she'd just stand in the tub, constantly asking if she could help her in any way. That's just how she's programmed. We have to leave the room, so she can take care of herself for a little while."

Shan-Chan said, "Oh... Poor maid."

The neko-maid suddenly sprung into the hallway. Her hair was pale purple. She had soft, fluffy, purple neko-ears, and she wore a plain, purple and white maid's outfit with a short skirt.

"Meow! Ohaiyou, nya! I wanna feed Baby, nya! So gimme her, nya, and you can go do your hair and makeup, Skullrose, meow!"

It was a little hard to peel Shan-Chan off of Skullrose. But the neko-maid managed. As soon as she did, though, the silly baby-girl latched herself right onto the neko-maid!

My goodness! Shan-Chan thought. I guess I love my neko-nanny, too!

Shan-Chan and the neko-maid were in the breakfast room when Kensuke popped up, camera in hand. He was back in his white button-up shirt and blue slacks.

"Why, hello, Shannon! Are you still being a baby today?"

Shan-Chan nodded, "Can't hewp it. Evvybody make me feel babyish."

Neko-chan was strapping Shan-Chan into a high chair.

Kensuke said, "Good. Well, Baby, we're heading off on our first trip of your time with us. We're scheduled to perform for an audience in Las Vegas, at one of the hotel casinos for families. It's got a theme park in it, too."

Once Baby was snug in her high-chair, Neko-nanny went off to get Baby's bottle, full of yummy milk.

"How we going there?" Shan-Chan asked.

Kensuke replied, "We're taking the RV. Our motor home. It's like our tour vehicle. It's a little done up. Anime style."

Neko-chan handed Shan-Chan her bottle. Shan-Chan drank her milk happily. The milk was warm. It made Shan-Chan feel so happy that she kicked her feet up and down softly and breezily.

Kensuke said, "You really do act like a baby!"

Shan-Chan said, "Am baby!"

*****

A little while later, Shan-Chan was crawling around by her new friends in the big body of the RV.

"We have a whole day of driving ahead of us," Kensuke said. "So just relax. Make yourself comfortable."

Skullrose would usually have taken the wheel first, then Vampnote. But Vampnote decided to drive first so Skullrose could play with her little AB sister.

All the cosplayers were so impressed by Shan-Chan that they made her the center of their attention. It was, in a lot of ways, hard to keep remembering that she wasn't actually a baby. There was just something about her attitude, her aura, that made everybody see her as a baby!

The boy and girl fighter characters, Ryu and Sasori, played a game of Hungry Hungry Hippo with Shan-Chan and Skullrose. Shan-Chan kept calling the game Hunny Hippo Hippo. Every time she did, Ryu and Sasori laughed.

Then the futa-girl, Miracle, who was dressed as a school-girl, but in a very short skirt, read a cute story to Shan-Chan.

All the time, Kensuke was capturing the moments on camera. He stayed away from taking videos of Shan-Chan getting changed.

After Shan-Chan had gotten comfy with all her cosplayer friends, Skullrose felt fine relieving Vampnote for the drive.

Shan-Chan couldn't walk when she was an adult baby. For the life of her, she only knew how to crawl.

But as the cosplayers drove their anime RV through the desert, Shan-Chan stood on her knees to look out one of the windows, which was behind one of the dining table's booth seats.

Kensuke got a good view of Shan-Chan from behind, looking out the window so innocently, sticking her diaper-puffy bottom clumsily out from under her short girl-dress-skirt.

Vampnote and his black-clad, spike-haired counterpart, Demon City, thought Shan-Chan was so cute that they crawled onto the booth seats and stood there on ther knees with her.

"Big Buvver," Shan-Chan said to Vampnote, "Where we now?"

Vampnote said, "Well, Baby, I guess we're in Nevada. It's the desert."

Shan-Chan said, "Wah...! The desert... It looks sad, but pwetty."

Vampnote was moved to silence by Shan-Chan's emotional comment. He smiled to Demon City. Demon City nodded. The three of them gazed out the window in silence for a way.

Then Shan-Chan said, "My hand is a jet, and I fwy over the hills!" She showed Vampnote and Demon City. She squinted one eye closed and barely had the other eye open. She waved her hand clumsily up and down before her face.

Kensuke caught it all on camera, from a side angle.

Vampnote and Demon City started playing as well. Pretty soon the three friends were playing a game about "moon fighters" who had to fly their jet to save a beautiful princess.

Shan-Chan decided that Lolibits would be the princess.

"If you wish, then so be it, little Mistress," Lolibits said.

Shan-Chan evenutally made the action a little more real life, so that Demon City actually had to grab Lolibits and kiss her.

Demon City kissed Lolibits, and Lolibits kissed back, quite passionately! Shan-Chan squealed in girlish happiness! Aoh, they kissed!

When they finished kissing, Demon City was blushing. But Lolibits just turned mutely to Shan-Chan and asked, "Was that acceptable, Little Mistress, or shall I kiss him again?"

Demon City gulped in frustration that his enjoyment of the scene seemed not to have been returned. His face got even redder than it had been. And right when he looked like he was about to pop, Shan-Chan just broke out in the cutest, most babyish laughter.

Demon City's embarrassment and frustration melted away. Everybody started laughing, even Kensuke, who had to take the camera away from his eyes.

Shan-Chan asked Kensuke, "Why you always have camera?"

Kensuke pushed his glasses up on his nose and then put the camera back to his face.

He said, "I'm 'casting. This is my life, for now, for the time being. I 'cast. I'm a caster."

"'Cast?"

"Yeah. You know. Broadcast, webcast, podcast, tabcast, what have you. There are so many kinds of 'casting today, we all just started calling it 'casting."

"Sounds like 'cast spell."

"Well, Baby, that's right! When you put on a 'cast, or when you film for something you're going to post to a cast, you call it 'casting a spell. You know. It means, working on your 'cast for a little while. Webcasting for a spell. 'Casting for a spell, or 'casting a spell. A lot of artists think of themselves as magicians, anyway. So we call it 'casting a spell.

"But I'm casting all the time. It's my character. I'm seldom in front of the lens. Next to never, I mean. My character is kind of... everything you see. The 'cast itself."

"Your spell is forever?"

"I guess so."

"Wah...! You a bes' magician ever! Pesto!"

Everybody giggled at their AB little sister.

It was pretty late in the evening before Em=C play Squared got into Vegas.

The babies drove up to the resort where they would be putting on their show -- the Cowboy's Pyramid. It was a gigantic pyramid with a cowboy out front.

Kensuke and the two maids went and checked everybody in while everybody else took a look around.

Inside, the base of the resort was lined with a casino. In the center of the pyramid's base was a small amusement park.

In the center of the amusement park was a stage, where Em=C play Squared would be performing the next night.

Skullrose pushed Shannon through the hotel-casino in a big stroller. Shannon was doing her best to keep from nodding off. So was Skullrose.

All through the amusement park were girls dressed in skimpy "cowgirl" outfits of tassled suede or "Egyptian" white cotton skirts and bikini tops fringed with sapphire-blue sequins.

Guys dressed as "cowboys" or "pharoahs" were either playing roles, like the ladies, or shifting their eyes every which way to watch for all kinds of Vegas troublemakers.

The cosplayers didn't feel too out of place!

A boy and girl, about 12 and 9 years old, tugged on Demon City's black vinyl trenchcoat.

"Hey!" the boy said, "You're Demon City!"

Demon City and smiled down at the boy. The boy was a pretty normal-looking, clean-cut kid.

The boy said, "Wow! A purple eye and a red eye! It really is Demon City!"

The girl said, "You're my hero!"

The boy said, "You're my hero, too! I mean, right after Yuna Kim."

The girl said, "Well, you're my number one hero. And Yuna Kim is my number three hero."

Demon City asked, "Who's your number two hero?"

The girl said, "Uh... Beyonce. No. Lady Gaga. No. Justin Bieber. No -- Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber! JusBieDashian! I don't know. They're all winners. But the point is, you're number one, and I'm totally looking at you!"

Demon City saw that Kensuke had somehow materialized to capture this whole exchange.

Without warning, Kensuke tossed key cards out to people like they were playing cards at a poker table. The five cosplayers to whom he tossed the hotel room keys caught them instinctually and with almost no body movement.

Other people who had been in the amusement park were now gathering around Em=C play Squared.

Kensuke said, "Hey Skullrose, you wanna get the little girl up to bed?"

Skullrose nodded.

The 12-year-old boy said, "Who's the little girl? She's big!"

The 9-year-old girl said, "You dope! That's Shannon Tanager! But when she's a baby you call her Shan-Chan. Didn't you watch yesterday's cast? Hi Shan-Chan!"

Shannon smiled and waved. She was shy and tired at the same time, and she couldn't do much else.

The boy said, "Shannon Tanager! You're the Miss All-American Beauty Pageant girl who got cut cause she was wearing diapers!"

The girl said, "She's wearing diapers right now. That's her whole shtick."

The boy said, "Oh. I get it. Man, you really socked it to mainstream America, Shannon! Oh, hey, isn't Miss All-American Beauty in Vegas, too?"

Shannon suddenly perked up. Was Hannah here? Would she have a chance to see her? Shannon still wanted to apologize for having embarrassed so much on the night of the pageant.

Shannon thought back to the kiss she had given Hannah, after the two had toppled over each other. That kiss, between two girls, right on national television.

Thinking back on it, Shannon really liked that kiss. But she knew it had embarrassed Hannah so much. Shannon really wanted to apologize. Maybe she'd have the chance!

Shannon was about to ask the boy and girl more. But suddenly the boy's and girl's mom and dad gathered up the boy and girl. The mother said, "Come on, kids. It's enough that we have to watch these bozos with you tomorrow night. We shouldn't have to spend our quality time with them, too."

The mother was dragging the girl away as she asked, "Hey Mom, could I get a purple eye and a red eye? Either contact lenses or the real thing would be fine."

Most of the cosplayers stayed downstairs in the amusement park. They were already signing autographs and posing with people, adults and kids.

Vampnote stopped talking to a cluster of teenage girls and turned back to wave at Skullrose and Shan. Kensuke and Lolibits walked with Skullrose as she pushed Shanny's stroller to the elevator.

Shanny's stroller was placed to face the glass wall of the elevator, so Shanny could watch the elevator go up over the amusement park. At one point, Shanny got surprised by a screaming group of roller coaster riders passing the elevator!

The two maids were among the riders! They had gotten on with a throng of girls and boys who just adored pretty maid characters. The two maids had been hugging each other in absolute fear.

"Loli, we need to make sure we get those guys in bed by 1 AM. Including the maids. Otherwise they'll be posing and riding rides with people all night."

"Yes, Master," Loli replied.

"Strange," Skullrose said. "For a group of folks who don't drink, once we get partying, we don't stop. Unless we're told."

"Yes, Mistress. That's why the strong arm of Lolibits is here to keep you in check, if you'll pardon my being presumptuous."

"Not at all."

The elevator door opened. Everybody got out.

Skullrose said, "How about you, Kensuke? You going back down?"

"Of course. I'd like to get some footage of the fun. But I need to head back up here tonight so I can start editing footage for the post."

"No fair! You get to stay up all night long while we all have to go to sleep?"

The cosplayers were walking down a hallway decorated to look like pyramid corridor walls painted in an ancient Egyptian style. But the paintings were of wagon trails and herdsmen, surrounded by hieroglyphics.

"I'll be working, not partying. It's not like I'll be having tons of fun. I'm going to be cutting a bunch of clips together. And putting in music and clips from our sponsors."

"Oh, I'm only teasing. Anyway, I don't want to be up all night tonight. Me and Shanny are going to bed. Right, Shanny?"

Shan-Chan nodded, her eyelids drooping heavily. Her diaper was all soggy, too! She just didn't want to have to think about getting changed right now.

Kensuke asked, "Baby, can you do one more thing for me before you fall asleep?"

Shan-Chan looked up at Kensuke with a furrowed brow.

About 15 minutes later, Shan-Chan, changed and done up as well as could be, was sitting on a blanky, with toys around her.

Kensuke said, "Shan-Chan, what are you looking for right now?"

Sleep, Shan-Chan thought.

"A Mommy," Shan-Chan said.

Kensuke said, "Well, then, Darling, we'll put a call out to all the adult women of the world -- over 21 only, please -- to be your Mommy. We'll see if we can't find you a good Mommy, Baby. It will be our quest."

"Thank you, Kisske," Shannon said.

Kensuke clicked his camera off. He thanked Shannon and Skullrose and headed downstairs.

Skullrose took off Shan-Chan's dress and put some comfy jammies on her. Shan-Chan asked for some 7UP. Skullrose gave Shan-Chan a sippy cup full of 7UP and turned the TV on for Shanny.

Then Skullrose went into the bathroom and took a shower. When Skullrose got out of the shower, she saw that Shannon was already asleep. She smoothed Shannon's hair back against her forehead and kissed Shannon's forehead. Then she tucked Shannon into the bed.

Skullrose was half-tempted to get into the bed with Shannon. She just looked so nice to cuddle with. But she got into her own bed instead. She left the TV and the bathroom light on. She dozed off.

A few hours later, Skullrose awakened to the TV shutting off. The room was now completely dark. Skullrose felt someone climbing into bed with her.

Shannon said, "I sweep wif Mom-- or, O-nee-chan."

Skullrose sighed, "Oh... okay, Honey."

Shannon cuddled tight against Skullrose. Skullrose felt Shannon's pillowy diaper hugging one of her legs. It was pleasant. The two girls fell asleep quickly.

Chapter 7 -- What Happens in Vegas?

The next morning, Shannon swam out of a watery dream. It had something to do with her mother. She couldn't quite remember what. But it seemed discouraging.

Shannon had a few fleeting thoughts of anxiety, the same frantic thoughts always coming back to her. Had her mother really wanted her? Why had she been so disappointed at Shannon for wanting to be so girly?

Was it wrong to want to be girly? To want to be a beauty pageant girl? To want to be a baby girl?

Then Shannon also wondered whether she would ever find a Mommy. More than anything, she wanted a Mommy, a Mommy who told her was okay to be a girl, even a baby girl.

Shannon snuggled closer to the girl beside her. She realized what she was doing. She opened her eyes to see Skullrose' beautiful face. Skullrose looked even more beautiful without makeup!

Shannon felt that her diaper was wet. For her own secret pleasure, she hugged her crotch against Skullrose' leg, pressing the wetness of the diaper in on herself. For some reason, feeling the sogginess of the diaper being pressed against her crotch by a beautiful body made her feel so aroused and delighted.

Skullrose opened her eyes slowly. She looked at Shannon for a moment and dazedly smiled. Then, suddenly, she took on a mildly shocked look, as if Shannon had changed appearance right in front of Skullrose.

Skullrose quickly muted her surprise. She softly broke out of Shannon's embrace and stood up.

Shannon saw that Skullrose was wearing only a white cotton tank top and tiny, white, cotton string-bikini panties. Both items of clothing had pink fringes and a pink skull and crossbones design on them.

Shannon looked at Skullrose and thought, Oh, my Mom-- Big Sister is so sexy! I'm so lucky just to be able to see her like this!

Skullrose looked a little out of place, distracted, and stiff. She walked to the bathroom.

Shannon said, "Ne-chan, I wet."

Skullrose replied, "Uh... I'm sorry, darling. I'm just -- I don't feel like -- So when did you get into bed with me?"

Shannon felt a little less babyish. "I don't know. We were asleep for a while. I turned everything off."

Skullrose walked out of the bathroom. She had a toothbrush in her hand. She said, "Did you kiss? Did we kiss? Did -- we just slept?" Skullrose put the toothbrush in her mouth and began brushing stiffly.

Shannon felt the babyness draining out of her. Had she accidentally hurt Skullrose, like she'd accidentally hurt Hannah?

Shannon said, "We just slept, Skullrose. I just fell like I needed my O-nee-chan by me."

Skullrose said, through the foam in her mouth, "Weww," then shrugged and walked into the bathroom. Shannon watched Skullrose' bottom jiggle under the thin fabric of the white panties.

Shannon said, "O-nee-chan, I'm w--"

Shannon heard Skullrose spit into the sink, then blast the water on in the sink. Shannon heard Skullrose spit again, what sounded like a lot of water.

Skullrose said, "I'm not really your Mommy, Baby. I mean, I love the idea of you as a baby doll. But I'm just not your Mommy. I love dollies. I love little sisters."

Shannon stood off the bed and walked into the bathroom to get a look at Skullrose. "Well, big sisters can change babies, too, Skullrose. Don't you know?"

Skullrose said, "Shannon, geez, come on. You're not a baby. Can't you change your own diapers?"

Shannon thought, for a split second, that she was looking at her mother. She shook her head and looked at Skullrose again. Skullrose, not my mother.

Shannon backed out of the bathroom. She only had to swallow once to stop the tears from flowing. She gently turned away from Skullrose and went to a closet to grab some clothes.

Skullrose flicked the light on in the bathroom. She turned on the shower. She said, "Hey, I'm sorry. You know? You are a baby. You really are. But... do you think you can wait until Lolibits comes by? She'll change your diaper. She'll do anything."

She'll do anything? Shannon thought. She wanted to throw the TV at Skullrose!

Shannon loudly untaped her diaper and let it fall to the ground. She heard Skullrose walk into the shower.

Funny, Shannon thought, looking down at the huge diaper. Even not full of potty, it would be gigantic. They look even bigger when I'm not in my babyish frame of mind.

Shannon loved the thought of that.

I should throw my diaper into the shower with that creep! Shannon thought.

Shannon walked to the bathroom and tossed the diaper into the waste basket.

Shannon looked through her clothes. She found some blue jeans and a tight-fitting, pale-turquoise shirt with very short sleeves and a slight v-neck. She grabbed a soft, white cotton bra.

Shannon taped herself into a Pampers Baby Dry diaper and slid on the jeans. The waistline of the diapers peeked seductively over the top of her jeans' waistline.

Shannon slipped her bra and shirt on. She looked at herself in the mirror. She grabbed her purse/diaper bag and a bag of toiletries.

Skullrose shouted from the shower, "Hey, Shannon? Are you mad?"

Shannon didn't answer. She left the room.

Shannon walked down the hallway, to Kensuke's room. She didn't want to go to one of the girls' rooms because she didn't want to be looked for. She supposed nobody would bother Kensuke.

Shannon knocked briskly on the door. In a few seconds, Kensuke opened the door. He looked half-asleep. He opened the door slightly, saying, "Hey, Babe, what can I do--"

Shannon pushed past Kensuke and closed the door quickly. Shannon saw that Kensuke's bed was still completely untouched. The right side of Kensuke's hair was smashed flat, as if by a board. Kensuke's computer was blaring in the dim room.

Shannon walked into the bathroom and said, "Don't mind me, please. Or -- I'm sorry. Or -- I just can't be with that woman right now."

Kensuke yawned, said, "Gotcha," and went back to his desk.

Shannon took a shower, got re-dressed, made herself up. She wore her hair back in a pony tail.

Shannon thanked Kensuke, who, much to her surprise, seemed a lot more awake than he had before.

"Fine, fine. Save some hot water for me?"

Shannon smiled. She said, "I have some walking to do. When do you need me around?"

"A few hours before the show. 4 PM would be terrific. What is it, 7 o'clock? I'm gonna give these guys another hour before I rustle 'em up. Hey, I got our 'cast out about three hours ago. You stole the show, I think."

"Really?"

Kensuke nodded. "It's loaded on my computer. Take a look if you want. I'm gonna hit the showers."

Kensuke closed the door. Shannon sat in Kensuke's desk. How could this particular desk feel so stately? Shannon had one just like it in her hotel room.

Shannon watched the show. It was great! She couldn't remember being videoed so intimately!

But she also hadn't remembered the cosplayers acting with such charm! They had seemed like... well... like any old group of friends you might hang out with on a lazy afternoon. But on the screen, they had so much more personality!

Then Shannon watched the cosplayers on the amusement park rides with their fans. It was so strange to watch the cosplayers with their fans. They weren't necessarily acting like fans, but like familiar friends.

The weirdest shock was -- and Shannon couldn't explain how it happened or even why it was a shock -- that Lolibits appeared a lot cuter and girlier on the show than she did in person.

There were a couple clips of her in the amusement park, doing things for the fans or cheering on the fans in such a girly way, even occasionally giving the cutest, hidden giggle.

The 'cast ended with Shannon asking, in her baby voice, for a Mommy, and Kensuke opening up the role of Shannon's Mommy to basically all of the viewing public.

Shannon walked to the elevator. She spent a little while walking through the amusement park and casino.

She walked through both of the dining areas. Both were nice, but just a little crowded. She saw that people recognized her. She wished she could avoid that. Some guys and girls, mostly the barely-21 crowd, were looking at her diaper line, some with attraction, others sneeringly, others in disgust.

Shannon kind of wished that she hadn't worn her diaper so obviously. But she'd felt like it was the one way she could be true to the cosplayers, even if she wasn't cosplaying. Even if she didn't, now, feel like a baby.

Shannon walked out to the Streets.

Her babyish state of mind had lasted so long, she'd thought it was going to last forever. What if it would?

With some of the girls and guys she'd been with, she'd kind of found herself in that trance state, where she'd actually felt like a baby. But it was mostly during sex. The girls and guys she'd been with had gotten her to a sexually overwhelmed point, and she'd been able to forget just about everything else. Then, suddenly, she really felt like a baby.

A couple times, during romantic moments, or really trusting moments, she'd been able to let go of her adult thoughts, and suddenly she felt babyish. But those times hadn't lasted 3 or 4 hours, let alone over 36 hours!

And it had all happened so instantly, as if Skullrose had magnetized her into babyishness. It felt so perfect. She and Skullrose just clicked.

But obviously Skullrose didn't feel the same. Shannon would have to keep looking for a Mommy. She thought again of the video.

Shannon really wished she could get somewhere regular. Somewhere where the regulars had a normal, sane breakfast. She wondered if that sounded naive, given where she was -- Vegas. But she felt like she must be able to get it.

Shannon looked around. She had been in the daze of her own thoughts before. Now she felt a little afraid. She didn't know if she should feel afraid, but she did. Maybe it was just the unfamiliar surroundings.

Shannon had no idea what she would walk to in this town. She wasn't the world's biggest fan of casinos, and she didn't really feel like theme parks at 7:30 in the morning.

What she really wanted was some coffee, a good breakfast, and some time to sit down and figure out exactly where in town Hannah was.

Shannon just kept feeling worse and worse as she walked farther and farther along by herself. She didn't know why she felt such a sense of danger. She would walk past tourist families, kids, mom, and pop, who didn't seem to be aware of anything except how great this place was.

She was only a few blocks away from the Cowboy's Pyramid when she turned around to go back.

Shannon saw a man with skin about her color, curly hair, a broad face, and wide eyes, and dressed all in black walking toward her, looking directly at her.

The man had two guys and a girl with him. The girl and guys were dressed in dark blue jeans and white t-shirts. The guys wore wide sunglasses. The girl held a camera in front of her face.

The man said, "Shannon Tanager? Ms. Tanager? Can I introduce myself?"

The girl tilted the camera down to Shannon's diapered waistline.

Shannon said, "Well, I think I know you. You're James ----, the guy who does What Happens in Vegas. Right?"

James smiled and laughed a tiny bit. He said, "I hate to sound like this, but... I try to be honest when I get the chance. I had some of my contacts following you around since you've been here. I thought you'd make some sort of a scandal. But you haven't yet. What's the deal? Are you going to some place scandalous right now?"

Shannon said, "I just really want to find a good breakfast. A quiet breakfast. And I want to sit down and figure something out."

James looked glum. "That doesn't sound like scandal."

The girl put down the camera. She had a beautiful face, very thin, with a thin nose, a light brown complexion, framed by a halo of long, frizzy, dyed-blonde hair. She said, "Well, maybe it does boss."

The girl looked at Shannon and said, "Are you thinking of quitting Em=C play Squared already? Cute diaper by the way. I mean it." The girl put the camera up to her face again.

Shannon, surprised, said, "No. I'm not quitting. I just... got in a little argument. And I want a quiet breakfast."

James said, "Well, what are you trying to figure out, then? If it's something nasty, don't be shy."

Shannon looked at the camera, as if it had said something to her. She said, "No. I'm just trying to find out where Hannah ----- is staying."

The girl said, "Don't tell me she has a thing for Hannah, boss! You know, I was thinking when I saw them kiss, that that was a little too hot. It couldn't just stop at one kiss, if you know what I mean."

James said, "Is that what's going on? You and Miss All-American Beauty are secret..."

Shannon glared at James. "No! I just want to apologize! She didn't have anything to do with that kiss, by the way."

The girl chuckled out her nose.

Shannon glared rudely back at the camera. "She didn't! It was me! I mean, so she's here. And I want to apologize to her. Not everything has to be scandal, you know!"

James said, "It doesn't have to be. But, usually, it is. Look. We got off on the wrong foot, I think. I tend to do that to people. I'm sorry."

James offered his hand. The two enormous, pale-white men watched Shannon's hand very carefully as she shook James' hand.

James continued, "I can offer you some breakfast. I know where Hannah's staying. I have to. It's happening in Vegas. And it could lead to something."

"Like me," Shannon said.

James shrugged a bit... "Maybe not. Anyway, we can go to a good place and get you some good breakfast. I mean good, sorry. Not greasy spoon, which, unfortunately, sounds like what you were looking for."

Against what most would have called better judgement, Shannon went with James. She found herself in an enormous (and empty-feeling) restaurant at the top floor of a monolithic building in Vegas.

Shannon let James order for her. James got them each a coffee, an assortment of fruits and pastries, and a light asparagus omelet with toast.

James told Shannon what casino Hannah was staying at. She would be performing there at night and staying overnight.

"But I don't think she's there right now. I think she's in the air. She was out entertaining the troops. Poor girl. She goes to all kinds of places, gets a few winks of sleep, gets on a plane or a bus or whatever, and does it all over again."

"Poor girl. Could have been me."

"Yeah. She loves it you know. Not that I mean to rub it in."

Shannon felt a little hurt by James remark, but tried not to take it personally.

James said, "She really does love it. She's so personable, too. People really like her. I mean, the problem with you wasn't the diaper so much. I mean, that was the problem. But I don't think you would have won."

"Hey!"

"Sorry, sorry. I just mean. I could tell when you answered your question. I mean, you sounded too--"

"Smart?"

James nodded.

Shannon said, "I kind of hate that, by the way. When people say that. People always say that the girls have all kinds of ditzy answers to questions. And some do. But I think a lot of the girls are smart.

"I mean, the questions you get asked, they sound normal, like things people talk about every day. But think about when you really ask people questions like that in real life. If you weren't looking at, say, a six-foot-tall, overweight, bald man, you might confuse the response with one given by a beauty pageant girl.

"I think the beauty pageant girls, with some obvious exceptions, sound a lot like the average person, the average intelligent person. And that's what ticks people off. That girl up there can be pretty and sound like them. Not that they sound all that great. But I mean... you know what I mean?"

Shannon kind of trailed off in embarrassment, seeing James smirking silently and staring intensely down at his toast.

James composed himself and said, "Yes. I know what you mean. And what you just said proves exactly what I mean. You are not mainstream. I mean, you stand up pretty passionately for the mainstream. That in itself isn't very mainstream, paradoxical as that sounds. Yeah. You aren't very mainstream. But you are pretty cool. I can see why Ken likes you."

"Kensuke? You know him?"

"I know him. I guess we have professional respect. But I don't think we're in complete, um... artistic agreement."

"You mean that you think his style is..."

"I mean, I think he's a geek and a goody two-shoes. People call him Kensuke and I call him Ken Suck-up."

Shannon frowned angrily and was about to protest.

"No, no. I know, I keep saying the wrong thing. I should have kept Jill here. Jill always keeps me in check. The flipside is, she would have insisted on videotaping you. Look. I don't like Ken, but I respect him. I like you. And I can see why Ken likes you. Does that work?"

Shannon smiled uneasily. James smiled at Shannon. She couldn't resist his smile. All her unease melted away.

The two talked some more as they finished their breakfast. Shannon spoke about some of the wild things that happened behind the scenes at her various beauty pageants. James talked about some of the weird things that happened to him as he filmed What Happens in Vegas.

The two ended hanging out in the building-top restaurant until 10 AM. James called his driver to pick him up. He insisted on taking Shannon back to the Cowboy's Pyramid.

Shannon called Kensuke and told him she was coming. She didn't say who she was with, although she felt like maybe she should have.

Kensuke told her she didn't need to be around until 4 PM. The cosplayers were all training. That was going to keep them busy until the show.

"Shouldn't I train?" Shannon asked.

"We'll see," Kensuke said. "I think we like you being kind of helpless. That's what we tested you for at the skate park. But we'll see if we want you to have a few moves as well."

"I don't even know the lines I'm supposed to say."

"Yeah. You're pretty much going to be flying by the seat of your diaper on this one. But just be yourself. You'll do great."

Shannon hung up the phone. James said, "You don't know your lines?"

Shannon said, "I haven't been given any lines! I don't know what they want from me!"

"But you've seen their shows, right?"

"Sure."

"And you've watched plenty of anime?"

"Uh... not... on purpose..."

"Oh my god. Your one failing. This is something, by the way, that Kensuke would never consider. Look. What time does he want you back?"

"4 PM."

"Okay. That gives us time. You can watch some movies in my room..."

"I'm not..."

"Neither am I."

So James dropped Shannon off at his suite. He said he'd be back after he took care of some appointments. He told Shannon, "Watch the movies, Shannon. I want her to watch the movies, guys. Okay? No funny business."

The girls and guys nodded.

A couple of cute girls and a couple of big guys were there. As soon as James left, the cute girls made some pretext to get the big guys out of their hair.

One of the hot girls asked Shannon if she could change her diaper. "You look really wet," the girl said in a sexy voice.

Shannon thought she should have said no. But she said yes. The TV was already playing an action anime about a bunch of kids apparently taking a gigantic boat to some new school.

The hot girl was trying to change Shannon's diaper in a really sexy way. She was doing an okay job. Shannon figured that, at least she wouldn't leak. Probably.

The hot girl said, "Would you crawl around for me? In just your diaper?"

Shannon was getting a little freaked out, for some reason, by the hot girl. She said, "I have to study."

"Oh my god! A chick that studies! Have you ever studied fun?"

Shannon slid her jeans back on and sat on the couch. The two hot girls immediately cuddled up beside her.

The second hot girl immediately launched into a discussion of what was happening in the various anime shows. Shannon was really impressed. She was learning a lot!

But she had to keep slapping the hot girls' hands off her chest and diaper.

A while later, the big guys came back in and sat on the couch, too. The girls cuddled up to the big guys, while continously trying to fondle Shannon with their feet.

The big guys also began discussing some of the elements of the anime show. Shannon listened closely and watched the images on the screen. She particularly watched the anime little girls, trying to get as much of an understanding of them as she could.

She was surprised by how she could easily imagine herself to be one of those girls.

After about three hours, when the girls and one of the guys were asleep on the couch, James walked in. He was sweating.

"James! Are you alright?"

"Sure, sure. Time to go, no? Did you learn much?"

"I did!"

As Shannon was leaving, the two hot girls were trying to draw her back onto the couch. They were just like little kids, or little kittens, Shannon thought!

But Shannon managed to get out the door. She was back in the car with James.

"Are you alright?" Shannon asked.

"I said I'm fine!" James grunted. He sighed. "I -- you don't need to worry about it. You're too... sweet."

"You're sweet, too, James."

"No, I'm not actually. I had to run away from a group of very angry people just now, because I did something not very sweet."

"What... did you do?"

"Nothing illegal. But nothing -- sweet. Oh... I'm so glad you are who you are, Baby."

Baby? Shannon thought. That's just what Kensuke would call me!

James said, "Look. You'll meet up with Hannah tonight. Okay? I'm gonna make it happen. It'll be one point for my karma, anyway."

Shannon wanted to hug James or at least say something really kind to him. But she knew if she said something, he'd just get angry. He was virtually steaming already.

They stopped in front of the Cowboy's Pyramid. Shannon was about to get out. James grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him. She gave her a kiss on the cheek and said, "Good luck, Baby. I hope you find a good Mommy to take care of you."

"I wish I already have," Shannon replied, unsure if what she'd said even made sense. The shock and passion of James' action had stunned her into an almost dreamlike state.

Shannon got out of the car and turned around slowly. She waved to James. James waved as his driver closed the car's door. Shannon watched the car drive away.

Shannon was about to walk into the Cowboy's Pyramid when a voice called her. "Hey, Shan!"

The voice sounded familiar, but Shannon couldn't quite place it. Shannon turned around to see Ellie walking down the sidewalk. Ellie! The wardrobe girl who'd been so kind on the night of the pageant to help Shannon get into the swimsuit in a diaper!

Ellie was wearing a black, short skirt, black fishnet stockings, red boots, and a form-fitting white t-shirt with black lettering saying "Knockin' on Heaven's Door."

Shannon said, "Ellie!" The two girls hugged happily. Shannon asked, "What are you doing here?"

Ellie said, "I saw the episode of Em=C play Squared this morning. I don't know what made me do this. But I just bought a flight to Vegas first thing. I just felt... that... something coming out here was right."

Shannnon said, "You mean, the request at the end of the 'cast? Where I asked for a Mommy?"

Ellie said, "Yeah. I saw that. I feel like I could be a part of things. I mean, it seems like I'd be good for you, right?"

Shannon thought about it. Ellie was smiling at her. Shannon and Ellie were both so happy to see each other. But Shannon still felt like she was, somehow, in a dream. James' actions had shaken her so much.

But Shannon felt like something about Ellie's sudden attraction to the situation was right. She couldn't say what. She figured it had to be that Ellie would be a good mommy for her.

She tracked down Kensuke and the rest of the cosplayers. Ellie came with her. Shannon introduced Ellie to everybody and told Ellie's story.

Shannon said, "The thing is, I think she might be a good Mommy. I mean, she was understanding of me. She got me focused. She got me on stage. She took care of me and she supported me. Isn't that what a Mommy's supposed to do?"

Kensuke said, "Well... Do you really feel like she could be a Mommy to you?"

Shannon said, "I think we should at least give it a shot."

Kensuke said, "Okay."

Shannon had been straining to look only at Kensuke, for some reason. But as soon as Kensuke said "okay," Shannon's eyes went involuntarily to Skullrose.

Shannon saw that Skullrose looked immensely relieved.

Immensely relieved? Shannon tried not to admit that she almost felt her heart -- break -- when she saw Skullrose' reaction.

She was about to cry. But instead, she fell into Ellie's arms and hugged her, saying, "Oh, I'm so glad to have you aboard, Mommy!"

"Hey, Shan, it's my pleasure," Ellie said.

The cosplayers all greeted Ellie. Everybody headed to one of the hotel's restaurants to grab some food.

Ellie was getting along exceptionally well with everybody, Shannon noticed. She seemed to know a lot about Em=C play Squared.

The cosplayers spent some time meeting more fans at the amusement park. They made a point of showing off Shannon (even though she wasn't dressed as a baby) and her new Mommy.

Skullrose stayed away from Shannon all the time. Shannon kept trying to talk to Skullrose, but Skullrose stayed cheerfully aloof.

An hour before the show began, everybody went to makeup. Lolibits helped Ellie get Shannon made up.

Lolibits and the futa school-girl Miracle watched Ellie make up Shannon as a magical little girl (wearing a diaper, of course).

Miracle said, "Kawaii! Sugoi!"

Lolibits said, "Your makeup functionality is impressive, Mistress Ellie. I am pleased to have assisted you."

Shannon had to admit, just the skill with which Ellie had done her up had made her feel babyish. She looked and felt so cute!

Kensuke said, "I'm sorry, Shannon. But for tonight, your new Mommy is going to have to stay off stage. I just don't have enough time to figure how to fit her into this show. But we'll definitely get her into the next show with you. Okay?"

Shannon said, "Who's going to be my Mommy?"

Skullrose said, "I am, Baby." Skullrose smiled at Shannon.

Shannon already felt babyish. But Skullrose' smile instantly swept all of Shannon's adult thinking away. Oh, Shannon thought! I've been waiting for that smile all day long!

Shan-Chan said, "Mommy care of me?"

Skullrose said, "Kind of. In this show, I'm a bad mommy. The good guys have to rescue you from me, before I use you to destroy the world."

Shan-Chan tried to ignore all that. She said, "But Mommy? You my Mommy?"

Skullrose said, "I sure am -- on stage. Now get into your stroller and let me push you out there."

Shan-Chan obeyed her Mom-- her O-nee-chan. She crawled into the stroller. Skullrose pushed Shan-Chan out onto the stage, with her cosplaying friends, out to her very first show!

Chapter 8 -- Maternal Rivalry

Shan-Chan was no longer aware of the training which James had given Shannon. She could hardly remember anything now, except for her ne-chan's lovely face.

The lights on the stage were a mix of white, pink, and a reddish purple. They dazzled Shan-Chan at first. Then Shan-Chan's eyes slowly adjusted to the light.

People were cheering. It sounded like an ocean to Shanny! But she couldn't see anybody!

It was warm on stage. Shanny felt somehow nice in the different colored light, being pushed to the front of the stage with the rest her cosplay friends.

All her friends bowed. Kensuke kept the camera running in front of his face. He introduced Shanny to the crowd.

Shanny was surprised to hear the crowd cheer for her loudly! She tried to bow, like her cosplay friends had done. But she was buckled in her stroller snugly, and she couldn't move too much. So she just waved.

Everybody laughed. Suddenly all the cosplayers did a lot of fast, complex moves, ending at various places across the stage.

Skullrose powered Shan-Chan toward the back of the stage. The stage was a series of ramps, steps, and twisting walkways. The set pieces were mostly black. But some of the pieces were brightly colored. There were gleams of chrome in various places.

Skullrose powered Shan-Chan up a back ramp and ended atop a very steep ramp. Shan-Chan looked down the steep ramp. Her stroller's wheels seemed to totter at the very edge of the ramp! Shan-Chan felt all dizzy and woozy.

Vampnote cried, from atop another tall ramp, "Give the child back to us, Skullrose! You don't have the code to unlock her power, anyhow!"

Shan-Chan cried aloud, "I have magic?" She seemed very impressed by the prospect of this. She tried to perform some kind of magic with her hands. She threw her hands with a little too much force and almost sent herself flying down the tall ramp.

Shan-Chan wobbled forward, trying to throw herself backward, until Skullrose caught firm hold of the stroller and pulled her a few steps back from the edge of the ramp.

Everybody in the crowd was laughing at the near mishap, which had gone so smoothly, they had thought it was all scripted.

"Whew!" Shan-Chan said, "Thanks, Ne-Chan!"

Skullrose said, "I'm not your O-nee-chan, darling. I'm your Mommy!"

"You my Mommy? I so happy!"

Vampnote cried, "But Shan-Chan, she's a bad Mommy!"

Shan-Chan, "She's not bad Mommy! She's pwetty!"

Half the crowd was laughing, while the other half was awwing at how cute they thought Shan-Chan was.

Vampnote said, "She's evil, Shan-Chan! She's trying to get you on her side!"

Shan-Chan said, "I on her side! I wanna be jus like you, Mommy!"

Skullrose blushed and looked away from the stage for a split second. She looked back toward the stage and crowd. She addressed Vampnote.

"See, Vampnote! Good doesn't always convince the innocent! My daughter may be innocent. But she wishes to train herself in darkness, not in light!"

Vampnote yelled, "You've brainwashed her. You can't control her magic, anyhow. And now we're going to get her back!"

Vampnote suddenly brandished a tall, silver staff. Holding the staff horizontally, he did a forward flip, about three feet out toward the ramp's slope. He landed perfectly, gracefully, on his skate shoes, gliding swiftly down the slope.

Skullrose pulled her umbrella out from behind the stroller. Her skateboard, a white skateboard with a black skull and crossbones and bright pink wheels, was right beside Shanny's stroller.

Skullrose leapt onto the skateboard, somehow giving it a surge of momentum. She popped up into the air, out of nowhere, doing a spin, landing on the slope, and speeding down toward Vampnote.

The two met in the trough of the two slopes. They clashed their weapons a few times. Vampnote sped up the slope atop which Shanny was perched. Skullrose had headed about halfway up the other slope, only to pull a quick spin, coast down, and speed back up the slope.

She caught up with Vampnote and tripped him with her umbrella.

Shanny was so happy that her Mommy had beat Vampnote at their game that she cheered wildly.

Everybody in the crowd was laughing. The innocent Shanny should have been going for Vampnote. He was the good guy, after all. But she just loved Skullrose so much that she couldn't help cheering for her.

Vampnote recovered quickly. He stopped Skullrose from ascending the slope again.

The two slowly rolled back down to the trough of the slopes. They began fighting on foot with their weapons.

Vampnote almost had Skullrose beat. She was down on the ground, panting. But suddenly Skullrose called, "Demon City! Arise!"

Vampnote cried, "My... twin brother Demon City!"

In a blast of smoke and fire, Demon City appeared! He knocked Vampnote's weapon away from Skullrose.

Skullrose stood up and backed away as Vampnote and Demon City began to fight.

Shanny was so happy to see her Mommy (at least on stage, tonight, she was her Mommy) okay that she cheered wildly.

Shanny was so rambunctious that she threw her weight a little too strongly. She ended up rolling back toward the edge of the slope. She noticed that she was about to go down again. She tottered back and forth, trying to stop herself.

But she only managed to throw her weight forward. She ended up rolling right down the steep slope!

She was so afraid! She wished she could jump out of her stroller. But she was buckled in too tight! And now, she was heading right toward the fighters! She didn't want to crash into them!

She still thought she would. But, suddenly, she was steered, powerfully, away from the fighters.

Shanny sped past Vampnote and Demon City, then past Skullrose, who looked quite surprised.

Shan-Chan whizzed right up the next slope. She noticed now that she had pottied herself on the way down the slope, she was so afraid. She had pooped her diaper a little bit, too!

Shan-Chan thought she was going to go all the way up the slope. But instead of going up, she was spun around and made to head back down.

Who was controlling her stroller?

She saw that Vampnote and Demon City had stopped fighting. Vampnote was lying on the ground, trying to get up. Demon City was rushing up toward the stroller.

Suddenly, an arm clothed in a cute, flowing, frilly dress stretched out over Shannon, from behind the stroller. The hand swung something that looked like a mix between a charm bracelet and a whip.

The charm-whip knocked Demon City over. He tumbled back down the slope. He appeared to be knocked out.

The stroller slowed to a stop as it approached Vampnote. From behind the stroller, Lolibits, the robo moe girl, ran toward Vampnote.

In a cute, faint voice, Lolibits said, "Master Vampnote, are you injured? How can I make you feel good?"

Shan-Chan, in the meantime, was very worried about her Mommy, or her Ne-Cha, or whatever Shanny was supposed to call her. All Shan-Chan knew is that she wanted to see Skullrose really bad.

As Lolibits was helping Vampnote stand up, she suddenly stopped, as if she were frozen.

Vampnote said, "Lolibits! Lolibits!" He looked over to Skullrose. "You've blocked her controls!"

Skullrose laughed a high, operatic laugh. She stepped into Shan-Chan's field of view.

Shan-Chan said, "Mommy! You okay! I happy!"

Vampnote said, "No, Shan-Chan, don't be happy! You're a good guy!"

Shan-Chan said, "I not a boy! I a baby girl! And babies are happy!"

Vampnote said, "You don't understand, Shan-Chan. Skullrose is your Mommy. But she's evil!"

Shan-Chan said, "Does evil mean pwetty! Cause my Mommy is vewwy pwetty and cute!"

Everybody in the crowd laughed again.

Vampnote said, "No. Baby. She's not good. She's--"

Vampnote was about to explain more. But Demon City, now recovered, walked up to him and jabbed a device fully of streaming LED lights into the nape of his neck. An electrifiying sound effect came from somewhere. Vampnote screamed and then collapsed, apparently unconcious.

Demon City picked Vampnote up and carried him off stage.

Lolibits remained frozen on the stage. Skullrose walked in front of Lolibits. Skullrose keyed some commands into a device that looked like a remote control.

Lolibits stood up and said, "My every wish is your command, Mistress." Lolibits giggled. "I only desire to do as I'm told and give you comfort."

Skullrose nodded her operatic laugh. "My comfort will be watching Vampnote and his men destroyed once and for all. Then I can fulfill my destiny, which is to rule this universe with an iron fist."

Shan-Chan said, "That not sound vewwy nice, Mommy!"

Skullrose said, "I'm not trying to be nice, Shan-Chan."

"Be nice. Gimme hug. And kiss!"

Skullrose said, "I don't have time for that stuff, little girl. I have more important things to do."

"But you my Mommy!"

"I might be your Mommy. But flesh and blood, the fact that I gave birth to you, doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is the magic spell you possess, which--"

"You borned me Mommy? I came from your tummy? I so happy I did that! I always wish to be born as your baby!"

Skullrose blushed again. She looked like she might cry, or like she might not be able to speak any more lines.

But she pulled herself back together and looked at Lolibits. "You're in my command, now, Lolibits. Silence this nuisance. We'll wake her when we need her."

Lolibits nodded, "Yes, Mistress." Lolibits, looking hypnotized, bent over Shan-Chan, reaching her arms towards Shan-Chan's mouth and neck.

"What you do to me, Lolibits?" Shan-Chan asked.

Lolibits replied, "I'm going to render you unconscious. I'm going to knock you out."

Shan-Chan got afraid. She cried, "No! No! Lolibits! It's me! Shan-Chan!"

Shan-Chan was truly afraid. Even though she knew that this was all playing, it also all seemed so real to her. She didn't know whether she was really going to be knocked out.

Lolibits's eyes suddenly changed. She was still reaching toward Shan-Chan. But now her charm-whip suddenly dropped down from her wrist.

With a flick of her wrist, Lolibits snapped her charm-whip at Skullrose. It knocked Skullrose over. Skullrose seemed to be unconscious.

Lolibits said, "Mistress Shan-Chan, you must have woken me out of Skullrose' command. Thank you. Now we must find Master Vampnote. And we must also find you a new Mommy."

Shan-Chan said, "But I want Skullrose for my Mommy!"

Lolibits said, "But Skullrose is evil, Shan-Chan."

"Well, then, let's make her good!"

Lolibits sighed. "I wish that were possible, Shan-Chan."

Shan-Chan started crying, "But I love her! I love Skullrose!"

Lolibits pushed Shan-Chan off the stage. The lights went down.

The audience cheered wildly. Some people even roused up a cheer of "Shan-Chan! Shan-Chan!"

Lolibits, now in the back room, was about to push Shan-Chan back out on stage.

But Shan-Chan, now feeling less babyish than she had while she was out on stage, cried, "No. Lolibits. I can't go back! I can't."

Lolibits saw that Shannon was really crying. She asked Shannon, "Are you distressed, Mistress? Is their any way I can alleviate your tension?"

Shannon wiped her eyes and nose and said, "No. Just leave me. I'm done on stage for tonight. My diaper is really wet and dirty. I can't go back out."

Lolibits, ever willing to follow commands, said, "Yes, Mistress. If I may be so bold as to venture this comment, I would like to observe that your performance tonight was spectacular."

Shannon smiled. She almost said that it wasn't exactly a performance. But, instead, she said, "You were wonderful, as well, Lolibits."

Lolibits bowed slightly and said, "Yes, Mistress, thank you very kindly. If there is nothing more you need, I'll take my leave."

Shannon nodded. Lolibits vanished out of the dressing room.

Ellie walked in front of Shannon's stroller. She said, "Did you say you had a dirty diaper, Shan?"

Shannon nodded, "I'm dirty, M, Mo, M--"

Ellie asked, "May I change you?"

Shannon felt a little bit of her emotional burden lift. She smiled at Ellie and said, "Please, Ellie."

Ellie smiled and unbuckled Shannon from her stroller.

Even not being in her babyish mindset, Shannon loved the feeling of being in her stroller. Being unbuckled and having her freedom again was nice, but it did come with a feeling of regret.

Shannon crawled out of her stroller. She could have walked. But as long as she was being treated as a baby by Ellie, she figured she might as well crawl.

Ellie put together a bit of a changing area quickly for Shannon.

Shannon saw Miracle stand up from a make-up chair. The newhalf schoolgirl looked girlier than ever before! Shannon had trouble even remembering that Miracle was a boy.

Shannon said, "Miracle, you look fabulous!"

Miracle smiled and giggled in a faint, little, embarrassed voice. "Oh, Miss Ellie has done so much for me! She's made me feel so feminine! I saw how her makeup magic babyfied you."

Ellie smiled, "I saw how interested Miracle was in my work on your makeup. So I decided to try a little on him-- her. I did a pretty good job, I think."

Miracle giggled in a voice that sounded just like an anime schoolgirl's voice, "You really put me in the mood, Ellie. I mean -- you set the mood." Miracle blushed. "I have to get on stage for our set of songs."

Miracle ran out of the dressing room with tiny steps. Her little skirt fluttered as she ran, revealing the bottom of her skimpy, white cotton panties.

Ellie giggled and gazed after Miracle. She then looked down at Shannon. "Now, little Missy, let's get your diapee all changed!"

Shannon was charmed by how motherly Ellie was acting toward both Miracle and her. She layed on her back, actually feeling a little babyish again.

Shannon was surprised by how well Ellie changed her diaper! She seemed like a real pro!

Ellie cleaned up Shannon's dirty bottom, too, without being disgusted or upset or surprised.

Ellie cleaned up Shannon's bottom and crotch so well. Shannon felt so fresh and cool!

And Ellie taped Shannon into her big, fluffy diaper, just like she would fit a sexy model into a gorgeous dress. Shannon actually did feel sexy and gorgeous in her diaper after Ellie was finished.

Ellie gave Shannon a pacifier. Shannon was so impressed by Ellie! Shannon was surprised by the fact that, even still, she felt a little bit babyish!

From behind her paci, Shannon said, "Ellie, you a weal pwo!"

Ellie giggled and blushed. "I kind of like this job. Putting boys in miniskirts and makeup, and making sexy girls look like little babies. It's all a big turn on for me. I'm feeling really happy I came here."

Kensuke said, "We're really happy you came here, too, Ellie."

Both Ellie and Shannon were shocked. Where the heck had Kensuke come from, and how long had he been there?

Kensuke said, as if reading Ellie's and Shannon's mind, "I'm just there when a scene gets good. But, seriously, Ellie. You've done a magnificent job on Miracle. And whatever magic you've worked on her, she's giving her best performance.

"I wonder, would you mind doing makeup for all of us?"

Ellie, sitting cross-legged beside the crawling Shannon, asked, "Do I still get to try and be Shan's mom?"

Kensuke said, "Sure! I mean, that's why you came. I don't know if you're ready for the stage, yet. For the role you'd play, you'd have to be in shape, you know. My guys are pretty well trained, and --"

Ellie said, "I'm not terribly interested in being on stage."

Kensuke seemed relieved. He said, "Yeah. You know, Shan-Chan and Skullrose have a really good stage dynamic. I think if you could be Shan's Mommy in real life while Skullrose--"

Shannon had to interrupt. Hearing Skullrose' name again and again hurt too much. She blurted out, "Hey, Ellie, push me in my stwoller?"

Ellie said, "You mean, around the casino?"

Shannon said, "Sure. I'll show you my room."

Shannon crawled into her stroller. Kensuke walked back out of the dressing room. Ellie buckled Shannon back into the stroller. Shannon felt a lot better buckled back in.

Where Shannon really wanted to be right now was in an adult-sized crib, under a soft blanket, cuddling with a stuffed animal and just dozing off to sleep with a bottle in her mouth. She didn't want to have to think about anything at all.

Ellie pushed Shannon through the casino's amusement park, where rides were still running. A few straggling fans waved to Shannon. Shannon gave a half-babyish wave to the fans.

At different points, a couple women and a man, all very good-looking, walked up to Shannon and Ellie. They told Shannon how cute, and even... attractive... she was as an adult baby. But they seemed too embarrassed to say or do anything else.

Shannon and Ellie took the elevator up to Shannon's and Skullrose' room. Ellie changed Shannon out of the somewhat stagey baby-doll dress and into a tiny, fluttery, yellow and grey dress with a u-shaped, slightly ruffly neckline.

Shannon felt like a little girl, except for her big diaper, which she'd already pottied in a little bit by now. Shannon pointed to her bags and asked for a favorite teddy bear of hers. Ellie got it and handed it to Shannon, who was lounging around on Skullrose' bed.

Ellie put Shannon back in her stroller and buckled her in. Shannon's mindset was pretty much adult. She felt clear. She even wanted to talk a little seriously with Ellie. But she still wanted to be pushed in her stroller.

If I could find my Mommy, Shannon thought, I probably would never walk like a big girl ever again!

Shannon thought, Well, who knows? Maybe Ellie really will turn out to be my Mommy. She's pretty fantastic, I think.

On the elevator back down, Shannon's stroller was faced so Shannon could see down, through the glass walls, to the cosplay show as it ended.

Shannon asked Ellie, "What about Vampnote and Demon City? Do you think you can do your makeup on them like you do for me and Miracle?"

Ellie giggled, "I think so. I mean, I prefer doing the sissy girl make up and the babyish makeup. I just love sissfying people. I found that out some time ago. But it really hit home tonight.

"But I love putting anybody in costume, making the fantasy come true. And I've seen this show. I've watched it. I love it. A lot of people do, even though it's not something you hear a lot of people talking about.

"And I know what Vampnote and Demon City and Skull--, or, Ryu and Sasori, are all about. I kind of feel like Vampnote and Demon City, in a lot of ways. So I think I'll be pretty good at making that fantasy come to life."

The elevator doors opened. The crowd was shifting, away from the Em=C play Squared show and back toward the rides.

Shannon listened as some of the little kids and older kids were talking about the drama part of the show (of which Shannon had been a part), the song and dance part of the show, and the skateboard and martial arts part of the show.

It was almost uncanny to watch -- apparently, a new dance number had been unveiled by the two maids and Lolibits. Shannon saw a couple sets of kids (some of them boys) already pulling off the moves with what appeared to be perfect precision!

And suddenly, before Shannon, stood Hannah, the year's reigning Miss All-American Beauty, and her entourage.

Shannon pulled her pacifier out of her mouth. She was about to apologize to Hannah. But Hannah spoke first.

Hannah said, "Shannon, do you like being pushed around like that?"

Shannon's entourage laughed. Hannah blushed a bit. She cut her eyes at a couple of the guys in the group. That seemed to stifle the laughter in everybody.

Shannon said, "Hannah, may I apologize to you?"

Hannah was a little taken aback. She shook her head. Shannon thought Hannah was going to express surprise at being apologized to.

Instead, Hannah said, "I thought you only talked like a baby nowadays."

Hannah's entourage laughed again. Hannah blushed deep red. She said, "I didn't mean anything bad by that. I mean, I think it takes bal-- real guts, to do what you do. And, besides, you look, kind of..."

One of the men in Hannah's entourage coughed a little bit. Hannah looked at the man, who pointed to a camera, which, Hannah should have remembered, was constantly focused on her.

Hannah said, "You look the part. In a good way."

Shannon asked again, "Hannah, can I please apologize to you for the scene I made?"

Hannah laughed her full, blunt laugh, "Apologize for the scene, ha, ha! Please don't! It was the blooper of the century! I won, anyway, right? You're different, right? And you have guts enough to show it to the world. More power to you, ha ha!"

Shannon said, "Well, why wouldn't you talk to me for so long?"

Hannah looked down at her feet, "I... I've been busy."

Shannon said, "But you wouldn't even talk to me at the pageant. You acted like I didn't exist."

Hannah said, "Well, Shannon." She looked up a tiny bit, just peering at Shannon. "When you kissed me, I realized something--"

The man coughed again. Hannah mumbled, almost inaudibly, "I can't say anything, can I?" The man shook his head.

Hannah said, "I realized... that I just don't judge people. Especially my friends. I mean, I could imagine being your Mom--"

This time, Ellie coughed loudly. Hannah looked up at Ellie and blankly asked, "Can I help you?"

Ellie said, "No reason to imagine being her Mom. She already has a mom."

Hannah said, "You?" Hannah looked back down to Shannon. "But I thought James -- I mean, I thought that I heard somewhere that you were looking for a Mommy, Shannon."

Shannon said, "I hadn't been, until today, then Ellie came along. I mean to say, I had been, until today, when Ellie came along."

Hannah got a sour look on her face. She looked at Ellie smugly. "Weren't you wardrobe at the Miss All-American Beauty pageant? What, did you think it was time for a change, so you decided to start changing diapers?"

Hannah's entourage laughed. This time, Hannah didn't stop them.

Ellie said, "I change Shannon's diapers, yes."

Hannah's eyes got fiery.

Ellie said, "It's a lot cleaner than putting up with the crap that comes out of the mouths of girls like you."

Hannah was about to fling another insult at Ellie, but Shannon said, "Please, please don't fight, Ellie and Shannon!"

Hannah said, "Oh, right. You don't want to cause drama. You just want to kiss someone, and then expect -- there to be no -- drama?"

Shannon said, "No. Please, Hannah! I apologized! It wasn't entirely my fault!"

Hannah said, "What, are you saying you didn't want the kiss, now? Like it was all me?"

The lead man in Hannah's entourage had had enough. Now he was forcibly turning Hannah away from Shannon and Ellie. It took a number of men to push Hannah back through the casino. The camera man had turned the camera off.

But Shannon saw a familiar tall, brown-skinned girl with a halo of frizzy, blonde hair filming from a covert angle in the distance.

Hannah turned back and yelled at Shannon, "That's why you act like a baby! You don't want to take responsibility for who you are! That's why I won and you didn't!"

Hannah looked like she was about to cry, even though her voice sounded as prideful and strong as ever.

Shannon, herself, was already crying. Ellie had started to push Shannon back toward the stage, when she saw Kensuke and Skullrose run up.

Kensuke's face was bright red. "I missed it! Damn! I would have stopped it. Damn!"

Skullrose looked down at Shannon. She was about to kneel and hug Shannon. Shannon saw it, and wanted it so much.

But Skullrose stopped, straightened back up, and looked at Ellie.

"Your daughter's crying, you know. What are you going to do?"

Shannon stopped breathing for a moment. Her mouth opened into a big "O." Then she gasped and cried with full, wet tears.

Skullrose said, "We'd better get her upstairs, quick."

Ellie pushed Shannon to the elevator. Skullrose and Kensuke followed. From behind them, Demon City, Vampnote, Lolibits, and Miracle all ran up. They were all asking Shannon if she was okay.

At first, seeing all her new friends around her, so concerned about her, made her feel confused and overwhelmed, so that she was crying even more.

But then, when she realized how much everybody cared for her, she stopped crying. She calmed herself down, even though she still felt terribly sad.

She realized that her diaper was really wet. She couldn't even say when she'd pottied.

Shannon was finally in her room. She crawled up onto Skullrose' bed and curled up on it like a kitty.

Her big diaper was showing under her tiny dress, and it was pretty obvious that she was wet. On top of that she even began to poop a little bit more in her diaper.

When Skullrose could smell the poop, she instinctively (if not excitedly) sat down next to Shannon. Skullrose said, "Lolibits, would you lay out some stuff for changing Shan-Chan? This little baby needs to get fixed up and ready for bed."

Lolibits replied, "Yes, Mistress."

Shannon looked up happily at Skullrose.

Skullrose said, "Hey Kensuke, Vamp, Demon, out."

Kensuke shut his camera off and pulled it down from his face. He said, "Yeah, I'm sick of filming tonight. The time I should have been somewhere and not filming, I was missing."

Skullrose said, "Hey -- don't beat yourself up. You want to have perfect omnipresence, man. But you aren't a god."

Kensuke shrugged sullenly and left with Demon City and Vampnote.

Ellie and Miracle sat next to each other, near the blanket, diapers, and baby wipes Lolibits had just laid out.

Shannon was about to crawl onto Skullrose' lap, in hopes of being carried to the blanky for her wet and dirty diaper to be changed.

But Skullrose said, "Hey, Ellie, what are you doing? Your daughter needs a change!"

Shannon cried loudly again, "No! No! I want you! Change me, change me Skullrose!"

Ellie was stunned. She looked to Skullrose, as if Skullrose would tell her the right thing to do.

Skullrose just stood up and shouted, "Get out of here, Ellie! Get out of here, Miracle! You're useless! You have a lot to learn, if you want to be Shan-Chan's Mommy, Ellie. Defend your adult baby and keep her clean!"

Ellie looked terribly ashamed. But she and Miracle hurried out of the room.

Skullrose said, "You can go, too, Lolibits. Thank you."

Lolibits left the room.

Shannon was still crying. Skullrose pet Shan-Chan's hair softly and calmly. Shan-Chan smelled like she had made a big mess. Skullrose waited until Shannon sounded calm. Then she lifted Shannon up and carried her over to the blanky for her change.

Shan-Chan hadn't even realized how she'd regressed back into her baby frame of mind. But as she calmed down, and her cries became wet sobs, she realized that she felt completely babyish again, in Skullrose' arms.

Skullrose lay Shan-Chan down. Shan-Chan felt the stickiness of her mess as the diaper was pulled off her bottom.

Skullrose said, with a quiet satisfaction, "You went a lot in your diaper, Baby. You are such a good adult-baby girl."

The diaper change felt so good. Shannon wished she could have her Mommy cleaning and caressing her forever. But Skullrose wasn't her Mommy, was she?

Skullrose pulled Shan-Chan's dress of. She carried Shannon to her bed and lay her down.

Skullrose said, "Maybe if your Mommy is really nice tomorrow, she'll give you a long, long bath."

Shan-Chan moaned sorrowfully, "Oh... ne-cha, I wish you my Mommy!"

Skullrose tucked Shan-Chan into the bed. She said, "I'm just not your Mommy, Darling. I -- just, can't accept something like that yet."

"But you like 'dult babies."

Skullrose nodded. "I do. But like a big sister likes her little sisters. Or like a little girl likes her dollies. Not like somebody -- responsible."

Shan-Chan started crying a little bit again. Skullrose began petting Shan-Chan's hair and stroking her naked shoulders. Both Shan-Chan and Skullrose were feeling warm and comfortable.

Impulsively, Shan-Chan lifted up her head and kissed Skullrose' right breast.

Skullrose gasped shallowly. She stood up immediately and said, "No."

Without any other words, Skullrose left the room.

Shannon was so sad, she could barely even cry. She lay alone on her bed for five minutes, even though it seemed like an eternity.

Finally the door opened. Shannon looked up, excited. But it was Ellie. Behind Ellie was Miracle. Miracle stayed outside the doorway and handed Ellie a suitcase.

Ellie said, "Nigh-night, Miracle."

Miracle said, in his cutest girly voice, "Goodnight. I mean, really have, just a good, good night, Ellie-chan."

Ellie softly shut the door. She looked at Shannon with a mix of pity and resentment.

Ellie said, "I'm just going to get changed, okay, Darling? And then, maybe you and me can lay in the same bed together. I think that makes you feel more secure."

Shannon smiled as well as she could and nodded.

After a few minutes of using the toilet and sink, Ellie came back out of the bathroom. She wore a white belly-t-shirt with the word "Playa" written on it in pink cursive and a pair of white, cotton, boy-short panties. Ellie had a really cute, compact, vivacious body.

Ellie climbed into bed with Shannon. She snuggled warmly with Shannon. Shannon snuggled back, happy to have a nice, cute friend like Ellie to keep her company.

Shannon gave Ellie a good, tight hug. Then she finally relaxed. She told Ellie, "You could be a good Mommy."

Ellie kissed Shannon's forehead softly.

Chapter 9 -- The Innocents Domestic

Shannon woke up the next morning feeling like an adult again, but comfortable in Ellie's arms.

The two had gotten up at Lolibits' call. Lolibits gave the both of them a bubble bath, as she had given a bath to Shannon and Skullrose only a couple days ago.

Shannon dressed up in youthful adult clothes and a Pampers Baby Dry diaper. She and Ellie met everybody downstairs.

Kensuke was already in the front seat of the RV, with Vampnote, snoozing away.

Demon City said, "He was editing the 'cast last night, again. He really liked your performance, Shannon."

Shannon got into the back of the RV, with everybody else. She said, "I really had no idea what I was doing."

Demon City said, "I know. None of us did. But I think that's the way Kensuke wants it -- at least for the time being."

Vampnote pulled the car out of the Cowboy's Pyramid and onto the strip. The RV drove through the desert.

Sasori, the female martial arts cosplayer, said, "Put on Driver's High by L'Arc en Ciel. That song is perfect for leaving Vegas."

Ryu said, "I thought Leaving Las Vegas was a good song for leaving Vegas."

Sasori said, "I mean, that's a sad song. Driver's High is a happy one."

The RV sped on into the vast desert.

The cosplayers had a busy four weeks ahead of them.

Over the next four weeks, Em=C play Squared had shows in twenty different cities. They played in hospitals. They played in community centers or homes for displaced families or families in transition. They played to charity groups.

There were autograph signings and meetings at the malls in between.

Local anime festival promoters would pull together little shows centered around Em=C play Squared and other cosplay acts. Em=C play Squared would either do these shows for free or have the proceeds of these shows donated to a local charity.

The cosplayers loved to see other cosplayers. They had become familiar with some of them. There would be cosplayers who dressed as their favorite characters and went to a handful of different cosplay events throughout the year.

The Em=C play Squared cosplayers put on shows on college campuses. They met with some of the cosplayers on campus, as well.

Always, the Em=C play Squared cosplayers were in character. They went to the grocery store in character. They went to restaurants in character.

Almost everywhere they went, somebody noticed Em=C play Squared. Also, almost everywhere they went, people acted a little afraid of the cosplayers. Other people acted smug and would give the cosplayers the cold shoulder.

Kensuke told Shannon while they were walking around in a grocery store in Iowa, being avoided, "We're kind of like the 21st century's hippies. I mean, we're all about having fun, we're all about peace. It's a weird thing to say, considering that our characters are all fighters in some way. But we are all about fun and peace."

Shannon said, "Well, I guess the hippies also didn't do all the stuff we do. Weren't they all about the environment, or saving the earth? We use makeup and hairspray like it's going out of style. It probably is going out of style. Or it probably should go out of style.

"And think of me. I'm always using diapers. It kind of staggers me to think of the pollution I'm causing with my diapers. I feel like I should stop. That's really when I think to myself, all this adult baby stuff, it's just -- shouldn't I try to grow out of it? It's just one more thing that's hurting the environment."

Kensuke said, "Maybe you could use cloth diapers."

Shannon said, "No way. I can't stand cloth diapers."

Kensuke shrugged. "I don't know a way around the environmental issue. Or -- I do. We can, maybe should, stop doing a lot of things that we do. You, using diapers. All of us, drinking soda, or grabbing a coffee from somewhere. Going to restaurants. None of our group really eats a ton. But, still, we eat packaged food. I guess we could stop that.

"I guess we won't, or, at least, I won't, for the time being. Maybe someday I will. In the meantime, I guess I'll feel bad about it, just like you. So, we don't seem so enthusiastic about saving the environment. But we do try to go out and do good things for others. I suppose that's doing something, anyway."

More and more people were starting to recognize Shannon, or Shan-Chan, and to recognize her as a part of Em=C play Squared. As time went on, Shannon developed a following. She became known as a sweet, little baby, which she was whenever she was on stage.

Just like there were groups of people who would approach the group specifically to say hello to Vampnote and Demon City or Ryu and Sasori, a group eventually gathered of people who would approach the group specifically to say hello to Shannon.

Some of Shannon's fans were women or men who were attracted to Shan-Chan, who were turned on by her babyishness. Some of these people didn't quite grasp the fact, however, that she wore diapers, and that she would potty or poop in her diapers, and that she would need changing.

These people would see Shan-Chan in person, possibly wearing extremely babyish clothes and a large, fluffy diaper. Their eyes would focus on the diaper. Shan-Chan could see something in their eyes -- a sudden realization that that really was a diaper. The people's faces would become blank. The loss of attraction would be visible.

Others were attracted to Shan-Chan because she was an adult baby. Some of the cosplayers were surprised to see how many of these people there actually were -- women and men whose fantasy it was to have an adult baby girl to take care of.

Shan-Chan got gifts every now and then. Shan-chan got roses, stuffed animals, bottles, pacifiers, and packs of diapers (baby diapers, adult diapers, and adult diapers made to look like baby diapers).

Occasionally, she'd get a sex toy, or a few feet of rope or lace with the message "I want to tie you up." She might get a bottle of soap or a bar of soap, with the message "For baby's dirty mouth."

A lot of stuff that Shan-Chan got she would try to donate to places. She kept the roses, usually, to make the RV look nice. And she kept the adult diapers that looked like baby diapers, because she couldn't think of a place to donate them to.

But she would give away the stuffed animals, baby diapers, adutl diapers, pacifiers, and bottles to different community centers. The community centers often also had uses for rope, soap, and even the lace. So Shannon would give those items away, too.

Ellie seemed interested in some of the adult toys. Shannon and Skullrose once walked into the RV as Ellie and Miracle were hugging each other and giggling like two virginal schoolgirls over an assortment of some of the adult toys Shannon had received.

Ellie stopped laughing and explained to Shannon, "I was telling Miracle how I wouldn't mind using some of these on... myself. Miracle said she wished she had girl parts, like I do, so she could play with the toys as well."

Mircale said, in an innocent, hyper-feminine voice, "But Ellie told me... I have at least one part already that might enjoy some of these toys."

Ellie and Miracle laughed again, toppling over each other. Then Ellie stood up and checked Shannon's diaper. Shannon needed changing, so Ellie changed her.

Shannon thought it was flattering to get the presents. She thought it was also pretty fun to have admirers who were attracted to her. More than anybody else would have thought she'd have!

But Shannon really liked the girls and boys who would write her letters or send her emails, or would meet her in person, saying how because of Shan-Chan, they were no longer afraid to come out as adult babies. Some girls and boys weren't adult babies. They just liked wearing diapers.

Many of the girls and boys were college aged, out of their parents' houses for the first time. They were experimenting with sexuality, trying to figure out who they were. Shannon hadn't realized, but Shan-Chan had given these girls and boys a different kind of way to explore their sexuality.

Shannon was interested in how a lot of the college girls and boys she met liked the idea of wearing diapers because it made them feel sexually innocent. They maybe weren't incredibly interested in wearing diapers and being babies. But they felt so uncertain, not just about their new adult sexuality, but about their new adulthood overall, that wearing diapers and doing baby play allowed them a way to ease into adulthood while still holding on to their childhood for a little while longer.

One girl told Ellie, who was pushing Shan-Chan's stroller on a day when Shan-Chan was pretty far regressed into a babyish mindset, "It's all so cut-and-dry once you go away to college. You're an adult now. You're on your own. But when I play in diapers and I have a Mommy to take care of me, I don't feel so scared or depressed or homesick."

Some of the college-aged boys absolutely idolized both Shan-Chan and Miracle. They would tell Shannon, when Shannon could understand them, how they loved Miracle because she was a boy like them, but that they idolized her because she was like "a return to babyhood."

"It's like you're reborn! If I could be re-born, I would. I'd love to be born as a girl -- or even a boy as feminine and hot as Miracle!"

Shannon met a few other adult babies. Some adult babies, girls and boys, had gone out in public as babies for a while. Others now felt brave enough to do it, since Shannon had done it.

It was interesting to see all the different kinds of adult babies there were. Some boys dressing and living, full time, as baby girls and boys, with Mommies, Daddies, or both. Some of the adult babies were older, and some were younger. All of them struck Shan-Chan as pretty, even beautiful, in some way or another.

Shannon was also shocked at how childlike some of the adult babies looked. None of them looked like babies, of course. But some of them were so short and tiny that they looked like -- something else, something new, neither child nor adult. It really was a look pulled off so well that it seemed to form a completely new kind of sexuality.

Shannon didn't think of herself like this. She would regress -- she really didn't know how -- into a babyish mindset. And when she was in that mindset, it would be very easy for other people to think of her as a baby. They sometimes thought of her and acted toward her as a baby in spite of themselves.

But Shannon knew that she really did look like a young woman dressed as a baby. Whereas some of these -- almost mystical! -- adult babies she'd seen just had their very own look: a look that seemed somehow to defy age and even gender.

Yet even these fabulous adult babies looked at Shannon as some kind of hero.

As part of Em=C play Squared's overall story, as an Em=C play Squared character, Shan-Chan also had fans. They were fans who just liked her story, her lines, the cuteness of her character. They were regular anime fans, manga fans, cosplay fans, and festival or convention fans.

Of course, there were also jokers who came to the various Em=C play Squared events to laugh and joke at Shan-Chan. Some were crueller than others.

Some just thought Shan-Chan was a caricature, and so they acted like caricatures around her, either pretending to be babies or acting like they needed to go to the bathroom really bad. But if Shannon actually talked to them, they would be kinder and more easygoing, even if they still kept a little bit of their jokey attitude.

When the really cruel ones came by, saying all kinds of different dirty things about Shan-Chan's clothing or bodily functions, or even calling Shannon nasty names that would have more to do with promiscuity, Ryu or Vampnote or Skullrose or Sasori would get them out of the way. Or somebody would call security to take care of things.

But Em=C play Squared couldn't always trust security. Security sometimes seemed to have something, or a lot of things, against cosplayers. And Shan-Chan was even further outside their comfort zone.

It seemed weird to Shan-Chan that she should often feel less secure around security guards.

But there were also a lot of nice security guards, or, at least, security guards who were aware of and observant of the functions of their position.

Shan-Chan gained popularity on another level, as well. It turned out that a lot of the exchange between Hannah, Shannon, and Ellie in Vegas was caught on tape. Some of it was caught by bystanders. But a good portion of it was caught by Jill, the camerawoman and creative colleague for James on the show What Happens in Vegas.

Because of the footage Jill caught, James had split with Jill. He hadn't wanted to get Shan-Chan on his scandal show. He'd wanted to preserve her innocence from scandal.

Jill knew this. So she "leaked" the footage to another scandal show that was looking for a foothold.

James had been terribly upset with Jill for both her catching Shannon on tape and her helping another show. So he dropped Jill from the show.

A web-based news show snapped Jill up as a camerawoman and writer. The news show, Everything Is Image, ran with the Shan-Chan and Hannah story.

The angle they took seemed a little bit like nonsense to Shannon. The story between the two was billed as a rivalry. The things that Hannah had said, mostly to Ellie, and mostly out of jealousy regarding her relation as Mommy to Shannon, were edited to seem more like a challenge made to Shannon.

Everything Is Image now followed Shannon and Hannah across the country, or, in Hannah's case, around the world, tracking everthing the two girls did and tallying up scores for who was doing more cool stuff, who was sexier, etc.

Viewers could vote for who they thought was better, sexier, cooler, more cutting edge: Shannon or Hannah. "Who really is the American girl out of these two?" the newscaster would ask.

Statements made to or in the presence of various news sources by Hannah and Shannon were then mangled to seem like veiled barbs from one girl against the other.

Rumors, mostly completely founded in the imaginations of their propagants, intensified this fantasy-rivalry. False rumors even spread about one of the girls spreading false rumors about the other.

People could sense that a lot of this stuff was nonsense. But they still followed it, just because they found it all so entertaining.

It was a pretty good story. And most good stories are lies in some way or another.

So Shannon got a lot of popularity because of these stories, as well. She had people who followed her because she was part of one of the strangest scandals of the year.

Some people followed her, "voted for her," even, because she was, in their minds, a renegade, against the mainstream. Some people just didn't like beauty pageant girls, especially beauty pageant winners. And they stood behind Shannon because she wasn't Hannah.

Shannon thought, Don't these guys realize I wanted to be where Hannah is right now? I wanted to win the contest? I wanted to be the girl they hate? I wanted to be the pretty princess? I wanted to be mainstream -- and, really, I still do!

But Shannon wasn't too upset about these people, because they seemed to like her just fine, and they seemed to get something positive out of backing her -- however it was they were backing her. Voting for her in some contest that really had nothing to do with her, sponsored by some web show that never made any attempt to get into actual contact with her.

But Shannon did feel bad for Hannah. Shannon thought, Whenever I get involved with Hannah, I seem to do nothing for her but cause trouble.

Shannon assumed the people behind Miss All-American Beauty must be having trouble and a half trying to keep Hannah's reputation insulated from these wild web cowboys.

Hannah herself acted, ninety-nine percent of the time, like the show (by now, shows) pushing the false conflict between the two women didn't even exist.

Shannon followed Hannah's travels on her way to the Miss Global Hometown beauty pageant. Hannah was all over the world, presenting at different events, entertaining the troops, trying to be a positive role model for some of her admirers, and pushing the "Miss Global Hometown brand."

The Miss Global Hometown brand was actually part of a large conglomerate of businesses, mostly leisure and entertainment businesses, consumer-centric, in the sense of the somewhat dated philosophy that the most profitable kind of consumer-centricism is a consumer module aggregated in the form of a nuclear family.

But the Miss Global Hometown contest was, as silly as it might sound, like the Olympics, a chance for a lot of different countries to get together and celebrate something about the ideal being of humanity, the ideal form or abilities of humanity. It got a lot of people from a lot of countries together for a peaceful, fun, if -- yes -- mindless, occasion.

Hannah pulled it all off well. She did a great job pushing the brand, so to speak.

But Shannon knew Hannah had tough competition. She followed some of the girls from the other countries on the web, as well. Some of these girls were incredible Lawyers, doctors, competitive bikers and snowboarders -- impressive! And they all looked really hot in swimsuits!

Hannah would have enough of a job competing against these women. But also having to contend with the gossip 'casts and the weird reputation of having some kind of vendetta against an adult baby was added stress.

But you couldn't see it in Hannah. She was focused on being who she was, giving her all to the events she attended. And she did it all with her down-to-earth sense of humor.

Shannon was slowly coming to terms with Skullrose' wish not to be Shannon's Mommy. Ellie was a good Mommy, and Shannon was grateful enough just to have Skullrose as a Big Sister.

Ellie never got on stage. She was always backstage, working as makeup artist for all the cosplayers. So Skullrose always played Shannon's Mommy on stage.

Sometimes, Shannon had to act like a baby. She didn't mind. Even when she had her adult mindset, she often preferred to act like a baby. There would be days when her adult mind was crystal clear. But she would still get into the most babyish clothes she could find, get into a big diaper, and crawl all over the place or get pushed places in a stroller. She would eat her meals in a high chair, or she would drink from a bottle. She would sleep in a crib.

So, on stage, acting like a baby wasn't much of a challenge.

Skullrose' effect on Shannon, making her regress into a babyish mindset, wasn't as powerful as it had been on her at first. Shannon thought a little bit about it. She realized that when she'd first met Skullrose, she'd thought that Skullrose had really wanted to be a Mommy for Shannon.

And then, Skullrose was so strong! She could stand up for herself, Shannon thought. It would be easy for her to stand up for Shannon. Plus, she was so good at doing Mommy things. Shannon still felt that nobody could change her diaper so well as Skulllrose. Shannon even felt like she herself hadn't done such a good job on her own diapers.

All of that goodness came to Shannon as a shock. She'd never met a man or a woman who could do everything like Skullrose could. It was so easy for Shannon to allow herself to feel a babyish dependence on Skullrose. Shannon had been surprised into doing it, and then she had just become comfortable doing it.

But not having Skullrose' full heart in the relationship took something away, a little bit of the trust of the situation. And it was just enough trust, just enough security, gone, so that Shannon couldn't quite let herself fall confidently into that full regression into her infantile mindset.

Shannon had been terribly hurt for a few days. For a couple days, she couldn't even talk to Skullrose.

This might have been good, however, for her relationship with Ellie. She was able to connect with Ellie as her Mommy.

Ellie was a good enough Mommy. She was really kind, understanding. She changed Shannon's diapers proficiently, and she never had a problem changing Shannon's diapers.

Ellie also seemed devoted enough to her task, being a Mommy. She looked at being Shannon's Mommy as a minor but important role on Em=C play Squared.

But she seemed to like being the makeup artist for the crew more than being Mommy to Shan-Chan. And when Shannon was in a totally adult mindset for the day, even to the point of wanting to go off and be by herself, Ellie would often be extremely relieved.

Ellie had been a fan of Em=C play Squared for a while. A lot of the characters had been her idols. So she was happy to be admired by them as an artist.

She loved getting her own chance to hang out with them and have fun. She often felt like an uncommonly lucky fan, getting to hang out with her favorite stars. She especially liked Miracle, became something like best friends with Miracle. Ellie would often hang out with just Miracle, whenever Shannon didn't need her.

So Shannon found herself in a satisfactorily comfortable place with Ellie. She seemed content with the Mommy that Ellie was for her.

Oddly, however, it was at the moments when Shannon almost seemed to forget that Skullrose could have been Shannon's Mommy off stage that Skullrose became so wildly enthralled with Shannon as a baby again.

"Oh! You're just like a baby doll! You could be my little baby doll! Oh, my gosh! I want a little adult baby girl just like her! I'd change her pottied or poopy diapers. I'd give her bottles and pacifiers! I might even breast feed her!"

Sometimes Skullrose would do this when Shannon was feeling like an adult. Skullrose would see the bulge in Shannon' jeans or denim mini-skirt and know that Shannon had a full diaper.

Shannon would usually take care of her own diapers when she was in a totally adult mood. But Skullrose couldn't stop pawing and cuddling with Shannon at some of these moments.

Skullrose would say things like, "That's right! Get out of those adult clothes! Let me put you into some little baby clothes! Let me make you into Mommy's little baby!"

Sometimes this would annoy Shannon. Other times it would hurt Shannon. She felt like, after all Skullrose' protests, that her pawing and cooing over Shannon must be some kind of ridicule, not honest emotion.

But Shannon and Skullrose also got to know each other better. Their first day together pretty quickly turned into a Mommy-Baby relationship. For Shannon, it was heaven. But she couldn't have said she'd gotten to know the whole Skullrose very well.

As two adults, Shannon and Skullrose spoke more in depth. They spoke seriously, laughed, and came to understand that they really liked each other as people.

Shannon, who at first would spend a lot of her free time by herself, eventually ended up spending a lot of time with her Big Sister, Skullrose.

Shannon also developed her character with the assistance of Skullrose. The overall show only made a little bit of sense to Shannon.

The show didn't quite have a solid narrative. It wasn't supposed to, apparently. The point of Em=C play Squared wasn't to put together a narrative show. It was more to do something like be cosplay, with an emphasis on play. Em=C play Squared would cosplay in front of their audience, doing something akin to what their fans would do when they played around with each other.

Shannon checked out some of the cosplay scenes that various college groups had posted to YouTube and found that Em=C play Squared's shows really did work along those lines, except in a little bit more polished a way.

Shannon developed her own ability to play in this way. She actually found it to her advantage when she wasn't totally immersed in her infantile frame of mind. Because then she could think of herself as a young adult, a college student, putting on one of the cosplay shows.

Shannon didn't perform in the more acrobatic, non-narrative, skateboarding and martial arts fighting-exhibition portions of the show. She did, however, learn some of the songs and would sing with Em=C play Squared during the musical portion of the show.

Lolibits was even putting together a solo song for Shan-Chan. Lolibits loved the prospect of "calculating an appropriately kawaii melody for the only person in our troupe whose moe-manufacturing-unit is more powerful than mine."

Vampnote replied to that statement, "Well, I don't know about moe. But if you're looking for kawaii, cute, you don't need to look any further than me."

Lolibits giggled in a girly way, then said, like a silky-voiced computer, "Your cuteness factor is above average, unmistakenly. But Demon City's level of cuteness is a grade or two superior to yours."

Vampnote panicked in vanity. "What? How could you make such a preposterous--"

Demon City, meanwhile, was blushing four or five different shades of red. "Lolibits! Does that mean you -- you --"

"Process data objectively and indifferently? Yes. I do." Lolibits giggled a girly laugh again.

Demon City, exasperated, collapsed back onto the couch in the RV, causing Lolibits to giggle gently again.

Toward the end of the current tour, Kensuke got an unexpected call.

"Do you remember the Japanese web show interviewers you met in the grocery store after the pageant, Shan?"

Shannon nodded.

"It sounds like they want us to come to Japan. Well -- you, mostly. I wonder. You do realize you've garnered quite a bit of popularity on your own, right?"

"Mm. I mean, I guess. Not to sound..."

"Well, you know, they want the whole crew to come to Japan. They want you to be part of a diaper ad. Japan has a diaper brand called Cutey's Co. They specifically told me the 'Co' is pronounced 'Koh,' not 'Company.'

"So, Cutey's Co wants you to be part of their new ads. They want you to model their new line of diapers."

"Adult diapers?"

"No. Baby diapers. They figure you look so good in baby diapers. You know, there have been a few episodes with you crawling around in nothing but Pampers Baby Dry diapers and a tank top."

"Yeah, those are my favorite times of the whole show."

"Well, you do look pretty sexy in them. So Cutey Co wants you to model them. And they're going to use the slogan 'comfo-no-laifu.' I don't know -- again: do you realize that phrase is like a cult-phrase nowadays? Not just for diaper wearers. But for anybody who does what makes them feel good?"

"Well, I didn't make up that phrase."

"True. But if it weren't for you, the phrase wouldn't be around. You've ended up being pretty cool!"

"Are you surprised?"

"Not me. I snapped you up before anybody else could, because I knew what you would be. I just want to make sure you know what you're becoming as well as I do."

"I don't know, Kensuke. You seem to have a different sense for things than... any of us do, I think."

Kensuke smilled shyly and pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose. He continued. "So, I think all of us are heading back to California. Then from there, we're heading to Japan. I'm gonna try to make a few arrangements for some other spots in Asia. Maybe Europe, too."

"Asia! Europe! Really, Kensuke?"

"Hey, what's an American girl if she ain't a tourist?"

"Oh, an international tour! Will you buy me a beret?"

"A powder pink one?"

"Sure! And a matching paci! I'll be the happiest adult baby girl ever!"

"Game on, dame. Let's do Japan."

Chapter 10 -- Love's Labours Lost in Translation

The cosplayers had come round trip, and they were back in their house in California.

It was only for a night, just enough time for the cosplayers to get packed and ready for the next day's flight.

Shannon's diaper was wet. She needed changing. But Ellie had been dragged off by Miracle as soon as the cosplayers got in the door.

"I wanna give you a tour, Ellie-o-nee-chan! I'm so happy you've come to live with me!" Miracle cheered.

Shannon thought she would change her own diaper. But Skullrose decided to change it for her. "After all, I'm your o-nee-chan. I didn't know Miracle looked at Ellie as a big sister, though."

Skullrose and Shannon helped each other pack. Lolibits helped the two women while.

The two maids whirled around, one tending to some administrative tasks ahead of the big trip, and the other doing a super-quick washing of the cosplayers' dirty clothes.

Kensuke drifted here and there, catching the darling cosplayers on video.

Shannon was surprised at Skullrose' wardrobe. "How do you have so many variations on black and pink and skulls and roses?"

Skullrose said, "I make some of my stuff, and I'm a collector at other times. Chicks dig skulls. So you can find plenty of skull fashions."

Skullrose and Shannon next went to Shannon's nursery. To think! Shannon had only spent one night here. She was so eager to be able to sleep in her cradle tonight!

Skullrose and Shannon went through Shannon's clothes. Shannon preferred to pack mostly baby style clothes for this trip, with a few changes of really adult-style clothes. But she didn't want to take many Loli-style clothes with her.

Kensuke, standing behind his camera and before Shannon's closet, insisted that she take some Loli-style clothes. "You at least need to take your Loli school girl dress. Also the Loli blue gingham and lace dress. And the Loli satin white dress with the lace heart on front. If you take those three, that should be fine. That way you have the magical school girl, the Alice in Wonderland/Wizard of Oz, and plain old Loli-girl styles down."

Shannon actually preferred her baby style clothes that looked more like clothes a baby girl or little girl would wear: the sundresses, tiny, polka-dotted tank-tops, breezy, and little skirts.

Shannon liked the loli-style clothes for lingerie or sexual situations, as a kind of foreplay. The silkiness and frilliness of a lot of the costumes made her feel so erotic and aroused. But they didn't make her feel like a genuine little girl, which was what she really wanted to feel like.

Besides, Shannon was feeling like sex was a non-existent part of her life right now. Shannon wanted a romantic relationship with a Mommy. But Ellie, even though she was a good Mommy when she was around, was still rather non-committal.

Shannon thought about her Loli outfits again as she put them in her suitcase. She looked at Lolibits, who was, in many ways, the embodiment of moe and Loli-style.

But, Shannon thought, Lolibits' outfits never really quite looked Loli-style. They always had something long and flowing, slender, wispy, about them -- just like Lolibits' long-flowing, whisper-soft hair.

Lolibits caught Shannon evaluating her and mistook her look. "Yes. Your Mommy has been absent for a prolonged time, hasn't she? And Miracle has not yet begun packing. Demon City-chan!"

Demon City trotted into Shannon's nursery. "Yes, Loli?"

Lolibits said, "Please inform Miracle that she must prepare her schoolgirl outfits for our trip. Otherwise, we will be going to Japan and Korea without her."

Demon City said, "Geez! Strong arm of the Lolibits! Okay, I'll go find them." Demon City trotted out.

"Them?" Shannon asked. As if Miracle had to be with somebody else? Shannon didn't want to think about it.

The maids and Lolibits (as well as Ryu, who was also a very good cook), prepared a huge meal for the cosplayers. It was the first home-cooked meal they'd had in weeks. They made green chile, fajitas, enchiladas, guacamole, and even horchata!

So strange, but you go all over the country, and you get back to the west coast, all you want is some good Mexican food. Ryu had learned some good recipes from his Mexican grandmother, so he could oblige.

The cosplayers were all excited about their trip to Japan and Korea. But they were also a little sad. Life on the road was always interesting. But sometimes being away from home so much got to be a real strain.

The cosplayers had all talked about how they wished to stay up all night. They would watch Paranoia Agent or Last Exile all the way through; they would play video games or card games; they would practice their moves or practice their lines.

But by a little after 9 PM, the cosplayers were all in bed (except Shannon, who was in her adult-baby-sized cradle, having been tucked in by Ellie, Skullrose, and Lolibits). The cosplayers went to their beds as if they were going to visit treasured, old friends. Even Kensuke fell asleep on his bed (though he hadn't managed to get out of his clothes or under the covers).

Lolibits woke everybody up on the wrong side of the crack of dawn. Everybody grunted and moaned as their cosplay robo-moe girl strong-armed them out of bed.

The cosplayers flew out of LAX a few hours later.

Kensuke and the neko-maid had booked a date on a Tokyo television show called Pop-Tun, as well as a benefit for a Japanese hospital and a showing at a big bookstore in Akihabara. They also got two performances in Seoul.

After the interminable flight, the jet-lagged cosplayers arrived at the airport.

A tall, muscular, black man called out, "Hey Kensuke!"

Kensuke was taken a back for a second. "Saj?"

Saj said, "It sure is, my friend."

Kensuke peered through squinted eyes, "Friend?"

Saj swayed his head a little to the side, then back up as he said, "Come on, Kensuke. Just because I do the occasional favor for James --"

Kensuke said, "Exactly. What's going on here?"

Saj giggled a little mischievously, his rich, brown eyes gleaming happily, "Well, you asked for a translator. Right?"

Kensuke, said, "What's the gag, Saj? How is James planning to punk me?"

Saj said, "He's not. Dang it Ken, put down the camera for a second and shake my hand!"

Kensuke did so.

Shannon, holding Skullrose' and Ellie's hands like a little girl, saw Kensuke's face slowly ease into a smile. Saj smiled back now, less mischievous, more natural.

Saj had beautiful dredds that flowed from either side of his head, about down to his shoulders. He wore a stylish, black-mesh shirt and long-sleeved, unbuttoned overshirt, green slacks, and thick boots.

Kensuke said, "Why are you here Saj? Is it something to do with James?"

Saj nodded. "It's more of an apology kind of thing. You know that Jill was the one filming all that crap that got posted to the web."

Kensuke nodded. Kensuke had to know that James hadn't been a part of that whole thing.

Saj said, "James isn't your biggest fan, Ken. But he is head over heels for you, Shannon. I apologize. Nice to meet you."

Shannon let go of Skullrose' hand so she could shake Saj's hand.

Saj said, "I have trouble introducing myself to people I've seen on the web. Sometimes I feel like I already know them. Honestly, though, Shan-Chan, I see why he's head over heels for you.

"Anyhow, Shan-Chan, Ken, James wanted me to show you guys a good time, make sure you were getting good treatment. I've booked your crew six suites at the Drayton --"

"Six suites???" just about everybody gasped.

"Yeah," Saj said. "For someone who's only super-rich, James sure likes to act like he's super-duper rich."

Kensuke said, "What do you mean by 'suites?'"

Saj said, "I mean, when you ladies and gentlemen look at them, you'll be like, 'sweet!'"

Everybody giggled at Saj's joke. But when they got to the Drayton International Arms, the joke became a silence-inspiring reality...

...until, finally, Vampnote squealed, "Sweeeet!"

Everybody, including Saj, roared with laughter.

Saj let everybody get unpacked. Then he took them to a sushi restaurant near Shibuya, where they had a huge, private room.

Saj said, "You guys don't drink, do you? Too bad. The sake here is unbelievable."

The room was dim, placid, clean.

Shan-Chan was dressed in her favorite white dress with pink polka dots and a slender ribbon at the waist. She wore white slippers and had her hair done to be just a little wavy.

Shannon was feeling little-girlish, but not quite babyish. She wore a Pampers Baby Dry, not a big diaper. But her skirt was still short enough that it would show the diaper-crotch if she wasn't careful.

Skullrose and Ellie took turns helping Shannon eat her sushi. "Chopticks are hard!" Shannon would exclaim.

Shannon saw Skullrose take a couple of quick peeks at Shannon's diaper when Shannon wasn't careful. Shannon would smile to herself. But she wouldn't say anything, for fear of making Skullrose self-conscious.

Shannon said, "Saj it a pretty name, Saj."

Saj smiled. "My name is actually Mark. But when I was young here, I got really into astrology. I'm a Sagittarius. I don't know. Being focused on astrology made me feel American somehow. I really wanted to have an American identity.

"But the kids all called me Saj after a while, because I was so obsessed. I didn't mind it. It sounds mystical. Indian, I guess. Plus, Saj sounded to me like Sarge. As silly as it sounds, I liked that, too."

Shan-Chan asked, "Why, Sajjy?"

Saj grinned, then got a little more serious. He sighed. "Ah... My grandpa was in the military here, after the war, in Okinawa. He wasn't a big guy, no Sergeant.

"But I've always admired the fact that he was in the military. I wouldn't be in the military. It just doesn't match me. But I definitely admire my grandpa -- and anybody in the armed services. So when the kids started calling me Saj, I thought, Yeah, Sarge. That's me. Silly, right?"

"No, Sajjy! It's a pretty story!"

Saj smiled seriously at Shanny.

Shan asked, "Your Daddy and Mommy in the military, too?"

Saj shook his head gently. "My mom's a photojournalist. My dad's a professor of English lit. Thank god I didn't have to go to his university."

Shan-Chan asked, "Where you go'ed, Sajjy?"

"Me? Tokyo U!"

Sasori suddenly gasped, "Wah! Sugoi!"

Saj fleetingly scowled as if he were just about to ask, "Why do you think that's so special?" But he smoothed out his face instantly.

He said, "Hey, Sasori, you look -- well you look like Sasori. You know, right out of the prison girls movie. Are you Japanese?"

Sasori said, "I'm Hopi."

"Hopi?" Saj was evidently shocked. He steadied himself, then asked, "What mesa did you grow up on?"

Sasori smiled, "Costa Mesa."

Saj said, "Costa Mes-- Oh." Saj blushed a little. Sasori giggled behind her cup of tea.

Saj did the wise thing, keeping his new friends up until it was a real hour for bed time. He dropped them back off in their sweet suites.

He pulled Shannon, Skullrose, Ellie, and Kensuke aside, into Kensuke's room.

"So Shanny has her photo shoot tomorrow, starting at 9 AM, right?"

Kensuke nodded.

Saj sighed a little bit. "Look, Ken, Shan. Ugh. Now I'm telling people to look. Just like Jim.

"But look. The truth is, you know, or, at least Shanny would know, when she's feeling a bit more adult, that James did have a lot to do with Shannon meeting Hannah that night.

"He orchestrated everything. He really liked Shannon."

Kensuke glowered silently. Shannon had told him, over time, bits and pieces of the morning when she'd met James. Kensuke wanted to tell Shannon never to see James again. But he couldn't do that. It wasn't right. But he definitely had let Shannon know he didn't approved of anybody meeting James.

"He told Jill to stay away. She felt like she'd been told where to be for long enough that day. So she went to the Cowboy's Pyramid and filmed Shannon. I don't necessarily blame her. She had talent. She needed to break free. That helped her break free."

Kensuke said, "That's a lame excuse--"

Saj continued, "But James feels like the whole thing is his fault. He really wanted to do something good for you, Shanny."

Shannon was suddenly feeling a lot more adult. She nodded, but didn't say anything. Her diaper was soggy, and it felt pretty cold.

Saj continued, "So, Hannah's here. It's complete chance, luck of the draw. She's meeting some of the fellow contestants for the Miss Global Hometown pageant. They're going to be part of a photoshoot in Autralia, after doing a few things together in Southeast Asia.

"So... I'm here to arrange a little bit more... controlled... a meeting between you two. I've informed Hannah about what's going to happen. She's fine with it. She thinks the weird competition hype going around in the media is just silly. She wants to patch things up with you.

"We have dinner booked at a small, private restaurant near the studio where you'll be doing the diaper commercial. I have space for Shan, Ken, and one other person. I guess, either Ellie or Skullrose."

"Well, me, of course. The Mommy," Ellie asserted.

Skullrose nodded somewhat reluctantly.

"That is," Kensuke said, "If Shan wants to show up at all. Do you, Baby?"

Shannon was feeling a lot more adult now. She played with the hem of her pretty dress. "Of course I want to go. I want to meet with Hannah. I haven't been able to apologize to her yet. But, Kensuke, what about the other cosplayers?"

Kensuke said, "Well, they have to rehearse. After that, they were planning to hook up in whatever ways they could with the cosplay culture in Akihabara. You know, shake hands, find some dances to be part of. They'll be having fun."

Saj said his goodbyes and left the cosplayers. Skullrose and Ellie were on their way to Shannon and Ellie's room, when Miracle popped out of her and Lolibits' room.

Miracle said, "Hey Ellie. Tuck me in, onegashimasu?"

Skullrose said, "She has her baby to take care of, Miracle."

Miracle frowned a little and nodded. She backed into her room and shut the door.

Shannon said, "I can take care of myself tonight. I don't need anybody to change me or tuck me in. But I do need to change. I am very wet."

In the hotel room, despite Shannon's protests, Skullrose insisted on changing Shannon. Shannon mainly protested out of principle, since she'd said in the hallway that she could change herself.

But once Skullrose began changing Shannon, Shannon felt really good.

Ellie was irresolutely helping Skullrose with the diaper change. She said, after a few seconds, "Hey, anybody need a soda from... downstairs? I think I need to get some fresh air."

Skullrose and Shannon both said no.

Skullrose tucked Shannon into bed and sat with Shannon. Ellie came back into the hotel room a few minutes later.

"I got down there and decided not to get a soda after all," Ellie said.

Ellie got into her own bed, after making sure Shannon didn't need her in bed with her tonight.

Shannon wondered when, if ever, her Mommy might try to be with her.

Shannon wanted to make love with somebody. She was feeling the pressure of her desires. At night, she might please herself a little, or in those rare occasions when Lolibits or Ellie or Skullrose weren't trying to give her a bath, and she could be in the bathroom by herself.

Damn the diaper! Shannon would occasionally think. At least pottying in the toilet would give me an excuse to get into the bathroom by myself, so I could get off a little bit!

But what Shannon really wanted, more than anything else, was human contact. Love. Sexual contact with another girl.

At nights when she'd absolutely needed Ellie in the bed, she'd cuddle her diapered crotch against Ellie's leg or waist, pushing tight, but not getting any response out of her Mommy. Without response from her Mommy, Shannon couldn't get any feeling for herself.

What does Ellie want? Shannon would think. What do I need to do, or say? Do I need to be more babyish? Less babyish? What?

Shannon tossed and turned for an hour or so. Her nightie rubbed softly against her diapered hips and bottom. She felt soft and lovely, and she wanted to feel that way with somebody else.

She crawled out of bed and found a favorite teddy bear of hers. She held it close as she pottied herself a little bit. She then felt a little bit more relieved. Along with the jetlag, that helped her finally drift off.

*****

The commercial shoot was actually a lot of fun. Saj took Kensuke, Skullrose, and Shannon. Oddly enough, Sasori, came along in place of Lolibits.

The commercial directors had chosen a blonde, blue eyed woman to play Shannon's Mommy.

Shannon had come to the shoot with a soggy, dirty diaper. Skullrose cleaned and changed Shannon, without any scruples, right in front of everybody.

The directors watched Skullrose change Shannon without saying anything, just mumbling back and forth to her in Japanese, as Saj listened in and laughed.

When the makeup and wardrobe person saw Ellie, she got very excited. "Ellie-San! Yoroshiko! I'm so happy to meet you! I love you on your show. You are a great makeup artist."

The makeup person, Kayoko, started frantically texting on her (glamorous!) smart phone.

When Shannon was all cleaned up and in her fresh diaper, the directors tapped Saj on the shoulders, bowed to him, and, saying a few things, while laughing, motioned to Shannon and Skullrose. The directors and Saj walked over to the two women.

The director said a few things, then Saj said, "Yamamoto-san... um... heh-heh... said that it's nice you've gotten Shannon into a clean diaper. But we actually need to change her into a Cutey's Co. diaper right now for the shoot."

The director spoke again. Saj translated, this time as Yamamoto-san spoke, "But Yamamoto-san wonders, would you mind playing the Mommy, Skullrose? They're going to pay Leslie over there for coming in. But they'd gladly pay double just to have such a charismatic relation like the one between you two advertising their product."

Ellie, who had been about fifty feet away, fumbling through a bunch of makeup and speaking in fluent English with Kayoko, suddenly stomped over to Saj, grabbed his muscly arm hard enough to make him stumble backward a bit, and said, "I play Shannon's Mommy! Tell them! Watashi wa oka-san!"

Kayoko quickly jogged after Ellie, reaching out for her as if to stop her.

Yamamoto-san giggled a bit, and said in English, "Oh, I love! She is American way!" He released a few belly laughs.

Ellie was about to protest, when Kayoko actually embraced Ellie closely (causing everybody a bit of confusion, including Ellie) and said, "Ellie-san. You're such a terrific make-up artist! Why don't you do makeup for Shannon and put on her diaper before the shoot? I could learn a few things about makeup from you."

Kayoko suddenly spoke in very fast Japanese to Yamamoto-san. Yamamoto-san would listen, grunt, say, "Mm," or, "Sou, sou." Then he spoke a couple slow words to Saj.

Kayoko protested in rapid Japanese again, but Yamamoto-san was very firm and slow, speaking to Saj again.

Saj said, "Kayoko wants her pay to go to you, Ellie. Yamamoto-san says he's surprised. He thought he was paying two paychecks today, between the Mommy and the makeup artist. But now it looks like it's four."

Kensuke said something in Japanese to Yamamoto-san. Yamamoto-san replied. Saj said, "Well, if Ken wants Ellie and Skullrose to work for Yamamoto-san free of charge, like Shannon's doing, Yamamoto-san is happy to oblige."

Kayoko said, "Ellie-san, my teacher in makeup is coming to see you. I texted her. She's younger than me. But she's my teacher."

Saj said, "Your teacher? But isn't that --"

Kayoko said, "Keep Dreaming. Yes."

Kensuke, Sasori, Skullrose, and Ellie, said, "Keep Dreaming? Wow!"

Ellie said, "I couldn't possibly work in front of her! Her cosplay makeup makes her look just like an anime or game character! She's unbelievable! And beautiful! Even in un-digitized photographs! She's -- better than me! I can't work in front of her!"

Kayoko said, "Please do so, Ellie-san."

Keep Dreaming's high heels clicked against the concrete floor. She said, in a beautifully strong, feminine voice, "I got here as quickly as I could."

Keep Dreaming was dressed in something resembling a space suit, bodysuit, and swimsuit combined, with white, black, and pink designs on it. Her hair was pale blonde, and her eyes had pale pink contacts in them.

Even Kensuke was stunned to have Keep Dreaming present. Saj was about to fumble out some introductions. But Keep Dreaming simply turned to Ellie, and said, in a cheerfully calm, delicately Japanese accent, "Well, darling, I'm here to observe. Are you going to get this beautiful, little adult baby ready?"

Ellie caringly set to the task of making Shannon up for the shoot. As Ellie dressed, diapered, and made up Shannon, Kayoko, Keep Dreaming, and Yamamoto-san spoke in low tones with each other.

Shannon looked fabulous, a splendid mix between an adult and a baby, between being sensuous and attractive and innocent, pure, and pretty.

Yamamoto-san also had Ellie make up Skullrose. They made Skullrose' hair look shorter, a little deeper colored, more maroon than pink, feathered, like an androgynous cut tending toward the maternal. They dressed Skullrose in black slacks and a slightly pale pink sweater and white undershirt, like something a conventional mother might wear.

"No. This won't do," Skullrose said. "I need a skull somewhere."

Keep Dreaming reached into her space-purse (!) and pulled out a skull-scarf. She draped it perfectly around Skullrose' neck.

"Chicks dig skull," Keep Dreaming smiled. "That was on your show."

For Shannon, there were two sequences to film. In one sequence, she was by herself, in a bedroom, looking at herself in a mirror. She was wearing a very short and free-flowing skirt, revealing the bottom of her diaper as she looked at her back in the mirror.

This took a couple hours to get right. First all the technical stuff: the lighting, etc. Then to get just the right shot of Shannon turning around to look at her back in the mirror, twirling with enough momentum to get her dress to show a decent amount of diaper-bottom.

In the second sequence, Skullrose was pretending just to have finished changing Shannon. Shannon, in this sequence, acted a lot more like a baby. Skullrose would finish changing Shannon. Shannon would roll over onto her tummy, then crawl away as Skullrose looked on lovingly.

A final sequence was just a close-up on Skullrose as she stood in a living room, clasping her hands to her chest and smiling lovingly.

Yamamoto-san was very impressed with Skullrose' and Shannon's performance.

The final edit, Saj explained through translation, would show a baby growing into an adult. The baby would first be in Cutey's Co diapers. Then there would be a scene of a little girl in front of the mirror, a teenage girl in front of the mirror, and finally Shannon in front of the mirror.

The mirror scene would fade to a "memory" of Skullrose changing Shannon (as the adult baby). Then the scene would fade back into Shannon before the mirror, turning just enough so that the skirt would lift to reveal Shannon's diapered bottom.

Saj said, translating Yamamoto-san's speech, that the narration of the story would basically run, "She's your little girl right now. But she'll grow up fast. She'll remember all your loving care. You always want her to look good and be comfortable. You want her to have a comfo-no-raifu. With Cutey's Co. diapers, it's the best way to start. She'll always be your little baby. Cutey's Co. diapers. They give her a comfo-no-raifu."

Saj stuck around for the entire shoot, like he'd promised. He was extremely attentive to Yamamoto-san. But Sasori was extremely attentive to him, and he returned her attentions whenever he could.

Shannon saw Sasori and Saj laugh and giggle and have a lot of fun together between takes. It was obvious that something was developing between them very quickly.

Shannon watched Ellie involved in very serious conversations with Kayoko and Keep Dreaming. They were playing with different makeup kits, different pieces of fabric and other material.

A couple different times, Shannon saw Ellie and Skullrose arguing quietly, off to the side. Shannon also saw Ellie texting on her phone a few times, giggling, making "aww, cute" faces, and so forth, to her phone.

When the shooting wrapped, and Yamamoto-san congratulated and thanked everybody, Skullrose finally said, "Well, have fun, Mommy, playing makeup with your new friends."

Shannon said, "Ellie? Aren't you coming--"

Skullrose said, "I'm coming with you, Shannon, to meet Hannah for dinner. Ellie apparently thinks it's better to play makeup--"

"I'm not playing makeup! That's an insult to Keep Dreaming! She's a master and you know it."

Skullrose calmed down. She bowed down and said softly, "Gomenasai, Kipu-san."

Keep Dreaming said, "Please don't bow, Sweetie. We're friends. There's no san for us. Only chan."

Ellie said, "I won't be in Japan forever. Keep Dreaming can teach me a lot. Besides, Shannon, you know how Hannah and I acted around each other. I just think there's too much rivalry between us. She might act better if Skullrose is there, not me."

Skullrose, a little embarrassed after having lost her temper in front of Keep Dreaming, relented. "Is this okay with you Shan-Chan?"

Shannon nodded. "It's fine. But can you make me up a little less babyish before you leave, Ellie? Maybe more little girlish?"

Ellie smiled. "My pleasure. How about you, Skullrose?"

Keep Dreaming said, "Let me make you up, Skullrose. It would be an honor."

As the girls were getting made up, Sasori and Saj inched toward Kensuke. Saj tried to act cool. "Hey, Kensuke, buddy. What's happening, my brother?"

Kensuke said, "Yeah. You never call me your brother. What do you want?"

Saj said, "Look. It's going to be, like 75% Americans at this dinner. And a lot of those guys can do a passable job of translation. I don't think someone of my skills would--"

Kensuke said, "You and Sas wanna split?"

Saj said, "You read me like a Kindle."

Kensuke said, "Go! Go! Just be back to the hotel by curfew. Please."

Saj slapped Kensuke on the back so hard Kensuke coughed. "Thanks, Ken. The driver knows where to take you."

Saj and Sasori were gone. Everybody else left the shoot together. They split into their separate groups after reaching their cars.

Shannon heard Ellie say to Keep Dreaming and Kayoko, "Oh, my friend Miracle says she's sick, so she couldn't do anymore stuff with the cosplayers, and could we go pick him up?"

*****

Kensuke said, "James is apologizing to you big time, dear. This place is super exclusive!"

Hannah was a vegetarian, so the dinner had to take place at a vegetarian restaurant. This was one of the best in Tokyo. But it was also very intimiate and quiet.

Shannon thought, recalling the lack of space and the immense amount of people on the street, that quiet and initimacy like this must come at a huge premium.

Hannah was dressed in a beige, cotton dress which draped over her left shoulder and then under her left armpit. The blouse had a billowy waist and a slim, but flowing skirt. The fabric looked soft, yet sturdy.

Shannon told Hannah, "I am so sorry, Hannah. For everything. I really admire you. I think everything you've done over the past few weeks is really cool! I wish I could have done it. But I'm happy you got to do it."

Hannah told Shannon, "I envy your life in a lot of ways. Not the diaper way. I mean, no offense, but I really don't want to wear diapers. I don't quite see why you'd want to do it. Or pee yourself. But really, it takes --" she had to look around to make sure there were no cameras. "It takes balls."

Hannah giggled her deep giggle, spontaneously, almost surprised by herself.

Hannah said, "I haven't said balls in a long time, ha, ha! Everybody's always coughing when I say it! I thought I'd get a sore throat if I actually said the word! Ha, ha!"

Shannon, Skullrose, and Kensuke laughed.

Shannon said, "Has it been so constrictive?"

Hannah said, "It's like being a frigging princess sometimes, Shannon. You can't do anything. You want to hurt people below you, just so you feel like you aren't always listening to everybody else. Everybody forces you to be put on a pedestal. They judge you. They're like a bunch of -- mothers-in-law, ha, ha!"

Shannon laughed again, suddenly remembering some of the fun times she'd had at the Miss All-American Beauty pageant, laughing and giggling with her girlfriends from around the country.

She sighed and gave Hannah the sweetest look, as if to say, "Remember how good it was for us to be sisters?"

Shannon thought of Deb. That had really started all this. The photos of Deb in all kinds of adventurous positions with another woman, in some big club, with too much booze in her. But she'd been ran out of the pageant like a witch out of Salem.

Shannon still didn't think it was fair. She was glad she'd done what she'd done to stand up for Deb.

Shannon blurted out, "Is Deb alright?"

Hannah said, "Yeah, you were never one to obsess about gossip or the media, were you? She's trying to latch onto something. She's got an agent. She was on a reality show that didn't pan out. But they had to pay her for a whole year, anyway. That was the contract.

"So, she hangs out in New York and LA, trying to get more work in something legit. But, then, she has all this money from the failed reality show. She'll just up and go to the Bahamas for two weeks. Come back, try to get back into the swing of looking for a job. Doesn't quite work.

"But she stays clean while she's out partying, which is half the battle for celebs, you know. I think if she just parties out all her paychecks, then snaps out of this funk she's in, she'll be clean, focused, and ready to go on something new. She'll be alright. In the meantime, it's all fun and no luck."

Something of the beauty-pageant girl sisterhood chemistry swirled into life between Hannah and Shannon again. Shannon was so happy that could happen!

Hannah suddenly decided, "You know, Shannon, I watch your show! I was never into cosplay, anime. You know, I liked Sailor Moon and Pokemon and Miyazaki. But I think, watching you guys all play, I think it's a lot of fun! It's not all stuffy, like I have to deal with!

"Crap! Kensuke, you can't film me and 'cast it, obviously. But -- crap! I wanna go to Akihabara with you guys! Let's go! Let's go right now! I wanna go to a maid cafe, computers stores, manga stores! I want doujinshi! I really need to get my hands on a few volumes of BLK! That stuff is hot!"

*****

So Kensuke, Skullrose, Shannon, Hannah, and some of James' "string pullers" (the guys who came with Hannah in place of the Miss Global Hometown guys) went to Akihabara.

They went to a maid cafe, but they were so full, that all they had were some sweet drinks and some bubble tea.

One of the maids in the cafe, who called her self an "Otaku-plus," recognized Shannon. She told Shannon, "Please service our honor by using our restrooms to changing your adorable diapers."

So Shannon serviced the maid cafe's honor. Skullrose went. So did Hannah. "I actually want to see what it's like. Changing an adult's diaper.

But when Hannah saw that Shannon wasn't just wet, but also soiled, she grimaced, "Whoa! Sorry. Nope. Not my style! Gotta go. Keep Kensuke and the big guys company."

Shannon and Skullrose smiled gently to each other as Hannah closed the door. The smile shared between Shannon and Skullrose was so tender that Shannon felt her adult mindset just drain away. She felt completely babyish all over again.

She actually, however, struggled to keep her adult mindset. She had to be somewhat adult around Hannah. She could only balance a little bit of her adult mindset back into her babyish heart, though.

"Help me be steady, Mommy," Shannon said.

"I will, Baby," Skullrose said, apparently unaware that Shannon had called her Mommy.

But Shannon definitely couldn't walk anymore. It was hard enough getting back out to the table. Kensuke and Shannon were always smart enough to have a stroller with them. It was in the car, which was a long walk away. But Kensuke was gentlemanly enough to get it.

Skullrose explained a little bit about Shannon's babyish mindset. Hannah understood. "I think it's kind of cute!"

The cafe maids were overwhelmed with Shannon's sudden change to her cute baby mindset. They suddenly all wanted pictures with Shan-Chan.

They tried to get autographs from Shan-Chan, but she couldn't write as she was. Instead, she drew them a cute picture of a purple kitty playing with a pink ball of yarn. The cafe maids all squealed, "Kawaii!!!"

As the group left, the cafe maids all ran to the door, hugging and kissing their dear baby one last time, then waving frantically at her through the window.

Skullrose pushed Shannon, and Hannah walked beside them. They went, in accordance Hannah's request, to the first Doujinshi shop they could find.

The girls all had had no ideas how many kinds of kinky comic themes there could be.

"It's paradise!" Hannah breathed. "Get me to the boy on boy."

As time went along, Shannon got back her adult mindset. She wet herself again and went for a change in the bathroom of a computer shop.

Skullrose said, "I wonder if they're taping us. This place is so non-descript. But it feels like it's just teeming with technical savvy. It's no big deal to get a camera in the ceiling. Or something even smaller."

Shannon said, "So what if they are? We could shock them by kissing."

Skullrose stiffened a little. Shannon suddenly wished she hadn't said that. But she really wished Skullrose would have agreed.

Skullrose finished changing Shannon. She smiled. "Well, Baby? Are you ready to get back in your stoller?"

Shannon said, "I could be in my stroller all day long, o-nee-chan. But I think I'm able to walk now."

The group headed down the corridors of a series of booths selling all kinds of raw electronic components. Hannah called them "the guts of video games."

Skullrose, holding Shannon's hand like a Mommy would (or a big sister, Skullrose thought to herself), replied, "Guts or balls?"

Hannah guffawed, "Ha, ha! Right! That's my kind of joke, ha, ha!"

They went to a Pachinko parlor. It was tame, compared to some of the other parlors. Skullrose won a few hundred yen and bought Shannon and Hannah the cutest stuffed Hello Kitties ever!

Hannah told Shannon, "Now we have sister kitties. We're like sisters. For some reason, after I watched a little of your show, I was sure I could have been your Mommy. But maybe I'm more like your sister."

She paused, thinking about what she'd just said. "Please don't tell anybody I said I thought I could be your Mommy."

Shannon nodded girlishly, "I won't, Sis."

The two girls smiled at each other.

The group saw a performance of dancers in front of a man who was playing Guitar Hero.

As the man played Guitar Hero, the song an opening song for an anime, the people around him danced the dance from the opening animation.

There were people in the crowd dressed up as characters from a lot of different anime shows.

When the song stopped, the crowd cheered the man who had played Guitar Hero. He had gotten a 100% score.

Shannon, feeling a little girlish, clapped chipperly and cried, "Good job! Good work!"

At hearing such a cute American voice, the crowd turned to look. They saw the group and suddenly started murmuring, "Shan-Chan! Skull lose! Kensuke! Cosplay Squared!"

The crowd was suddenly cheering loudly. They all gathered around Skullrose, Shannon, and Kensuke. They pushed Shannon up onto the stage.

"Sing! Sing! Karaoke!" They cheered.

Shannon looked, achingly embarrassed, to Skullrose for help. But Skullrose was already signing autographs.

A young, skinny man with hair spiked about eight inches high handed a microphone to Shannon. "Is there a song you'd like to sing?"

"I don't know many songs. Sorry. How about Gakuen Alice?"

The young man smiled loosely. "Ah, that's perfect for you."

Shannon said, "But I don't do Japanese in a very correct accent."

The young man said, "That's okay. You have the American style. We're cool with that."

Shannon sang the Gakuen Alice opening song. She was surprised to see all the people in front of her begin dancing, even as Skullrose was signing autographs for one of them.

What surprised her even more was that Skullrose also began doing the dance. She knew exactly what was going on! Brilliant!

Kensuke was catching everything. Hannah was clapping enthusiastically. A couple pretty, shy girls stood behind Hannah, trying their best to clap as pretty and dignified as she did.

When Shannon finished the song, everybody cheered at the top of their lungs.

A group of moe girls (and boys dressed as moe girls) who had been performing down the street to see what was going on.

When they saw Shannon and Skullrose, they began crying in happiness! They wrapped Shannon and Skullrose in hugs and showered them in kisses and tears.

Skullrose and Kensuke got the crowd under control. The Akihabara cosplayers took the American cosplayers to a nearby cafe. They all talked and laughed in a mix of English, English-Japanese, and Japanese.

Finally, Shannon, who was still feeling a little little-girlish, felt like it was getting to be her bedtime. They drove out of the brightly lit Electric Town.

Hannah said, "I'm heading to a club near here, I think. I found a show that looks cool. I think Saj is showing up there, too. So, if you don't mind, I'll see you guys later."

Shannon and Hannah kissed each other's cheek.

Hannah said, "It was really good to see you again, Shannon."

Shannon said, "You, too, Sis."

Everybody got into their cars and parted ways.

*****

Kensuke, Skullrose, and Shannon got back to the hotel.

Shannon felt so good, now that she had things patched up with Hannah! Even though she had been tired, as soon as she got back to the hotel, she felt like she could talk forever and ever.

She asked Skullrose, "Can't we go into your room and watch TV and talk for a while? While everybody else is still out?"

Kensuke said, "Everybody who was with Lolibits is already on their way back. They took the train. I think it's going to take them a little while to get back here. But they're coming."

Shannon said, "Then let's talk while we wait, Skullrose!"

Skullrose smiled, but she was visibly tired. She said, "I'll tell you what. I'll change your diaper and get you dressed for bedtime."

Shannon said, "In your room?"

Kensuke waved goodbye to the girls. They said goodnight.

Skullrose said, "Your room. Ellie isn't back yet. She couldn't be."

Shannon moaned, "Oh, I don't wanna be there when Ellie gets back. Can't I have a sleepover with you? In your room?"

Skullrose said, "I'm not your Mommy, Shannon. Ellie is. We'll get you ready for bed. I'll hang out in your room and watch TV and talk with you until Ellie gets back."

Shannon said, "Well, maybe I'll fall asleep while you're still in my room."

So they went to the room. Shannon gave Skullrose the key so she could open the door. Shannon and Skullrose quite quickly walked into the room.

They didn't quite realize what they'd seen before Ellie and Miracle shouted, "No! Shannon! No!"

Shannon and Skullrose quickly backed out the door.

Shannon was pale as a sheet. Skullrose was deep red with fury.

Skullrose balled her hands into fists. She was about to start cursing Ellie, when Shannon said, "No! Don't you say a damn thing!"

Shannon ran down the hallway, toward the elevator bank. Skullrose was a little shocked. But she started running and caught up to Shannon as she reached the elevator bank.

Shannon kept typing and re-typing "1" and "Enter" on the elevator, muttering, "Kso, kso, kso, kso."

Skullrose said, "Shannon! Please!"

Shannon said, "This is all your fault! We didn't have to go to my room! We didn't have to see them! You have my diaper bag, not Ellie! We didn't have to go into the room!"

Skullrose pulled the diaper bag down off her arm slowly, as if it were something foreign. The elevator door opened. Shannon tore the diaper bag out of Skullrose' hands.

Shannon got into the elevator. Skullrose tried to get in, but Shannon shoved her out with all her might. Skullrose stood staring blankly at Shannon as the doors closed.

The elevator was quick. Shannon couldn't think of anything to do but run out of the hotel. Tears were streaming down her face.

A block away from the hotel, Shannon pulled out her phone. A pink, plastic kitty jingled off the bottom of it.

Shannon texted Hannah. "Where are you?"

Hannah texted back, "Im at the club Newspeakeasy."

A few seconds later, another text from Hannah, "Whats wrong baby?"

Shannon texted, "Can I come? I can take the train."

Hannah texted, "No train. Someone can get you. Where are you?"

Shannon had been running again. She saw something that looked like a convenience store. She could read hiragana, so she did her best to tell Hannah where she was.

Hannah texted back, "Saj knows what you mean. Hes sending someone. Hell be there in 15."

Shannon went inside. A pretty girl sold her a Calpico and some Pocky. Shannon didn't want any more fluid. Her face and diaper were both wet. What she wanted was someone to change her diaper, even though she knew she'd be doing it herself.

Shannon stood outside. A drunk man approached her, but she brushed him off.

The silver Mercedes took Shannon to Newspeakeasy.

Shannon was taking turns, for a little while, crying into Sasori's shoulder and then Hannah's shoulder. Sasori was getting a little annoyed. Eventually she switched places in the booth with Saj. Shannon kept her head against Hannah's shoulder for a while.

Hannah's breath smelled like cocktails, and Hannah was definitely a lot more welcoming, bodily, than she had been only an hour or so ago.

Shannon cried, "Ellie and Miracle! I should have known! I should have seen the signs! I did see them. I just didn't want to believe it."

Hannah rocked Shannon back and forth a little. "Shush, shush, baby."

Shannon said, "But seeing them -- that way, with Ellie -- Ellie --"

Hannah just blurted it out: "Giving it to Miracle like a boy would?"

Shannon lifted her head up in amazement. "How did you know?"

Hannah said, "Ha, ha! She made a few suggestive moves at Miracle on the show, using different objects to look like -- you know, a... thing. Miracle always looked so excited."

Shannon asked, "How could Kensuke have seen that and video'd it and not told me?"

Saj interjected, "Kensuke has a hard time thinking about that stuff. He thinks if he sees it, everybody else must have known it for a long time. He doesn't ever think of himself actually seeing things, realizing things, and making them clearer. I have a hard time, sometimes, figuring out whether he thinks of the camera as an extension of himself or of himself as an extension of his camera."

Shannon was surprised by such a heartfelt observation of Kensuke, who was always, to Shannon, a figure of extreme interest. Shannon asked, without thinking of what she was saying, "Why aren't Kensuke and James friends? And why does Kensuke have hard feelings toward you?"

Saj smiled a little sorrowfully. "You need to ask Kensuke, not me."

Shannon felt a lot better now. She looked up to the stage. Had people been playing all this time, and she hadn't even noticed?

The band was a female lead singer and three male instrumentalists. The lead singers all wore elegant, dark-colored kimonos. But their hairstyles were multi-colored, spiked, sprayed, and dotted with things like bright pieces of plastic.

The music had a strange, thrashy, boppy feel to it, but with a smooth feeling of classical Japanese music.

"What is this music?"

Saj was about to say, but the man who had driven her here suddenly explained, "They're named Kimono P'unk. With an apostrophe after the P. We young Japanese love new things. But we're also trying to get back in touch with our traditions. Kimono P'unk has a motto: 'Take punk back on time.'

"I keep on trying to explain to them that they mean 'back in time.' But they don't ever want to change it from 'back on time.'"

Shannon asked, "Why the apostrophe after the P?"

The young man was about to explain. But Sasori butted in. "You should know this, Shannon. L'Arc en Ciel. P'unk en Ciel. Kimono P'unk. That's why the apostrophe after the P."

The young man laughed and nodded, "Honto, honto, ne." He turned back to Shannon and said, "But my favorite use of the apostrophe is from a L'Arc en Ciel cover band here. They call themselves L'emon P'iel."

Shannon asked, "With an apostrophe after the P?"

"And the L," the young man laughed.

Two girls, one on either side of the band, caught Shannon's eye. They turned her on a lot, for some reason. They looked like the blonde-wigged girls in Wong-Kar Wai's Fallen Angels. But they were dressed in skimpy, silvery shorts, white, latex-like tank tops, and bright-colored sunglasses.

They did sexy dances to the music. Shannon wished she could just cuddle with the both of them.

As if reading Shannon's mind, Sasori said, "Hey, Saj. Can you get me and Shannon up there to do some sexy dancing with those girls?"

Shannon said, "What are you talking about? Have you been drinking?"

Sasori said, "I don't drink. Neither do you. Except from a bottle. Or boobs, I guess. Have you done that yet? I guess not. Not with Ellie."

Saj nudged Sasori lightly and said, "Hey, stop it, Sas. Why are you being so edgy with Shannon?"

Sasori muttered, "I thought it was just going to be you and me tonight, Saj."

Shannon stung at that remark. She straightened up. She said, "Hey, Hannah, I need to go to the restroom."

Sasori laughed through her nose a little. Saj elbowed Sasori and gave her a mean look.

Hannah grabbed Shannon's hand and dragged her to the restroom.

Shannon said, "I kind of hate bars."

Hannah said, "Me, too. I always come for the music. I love music. But I always regret having come. Tomorrow I'm definitely going to regret it. Headache."

The two ladies entered the restroom. There were two Japanese girls at the mirror. Both girls looked like office professionals, both done up for a night of partying.

Hannah said, "I can't change you, dear. But..." she grinned sexily, "if you stand in the stall, can I take your diaper and give you another diaper?"

Shannon smiled patiently. "Sure. I'm not dirty. Just wet."

Hannah stood outside the stall. The two Japanese girls watched as Shannon passed her used, wadded up diaper over the stall. Hannah reached into the diaper bag, pulled out a new diaper, and passed it over the stall. Hannah, holding the diaper as if it were a valuable gem, tossed it, almost reluctantly, into the trashcan.

The two Japanese girls laughed and said a few things back and forth quickly with each other.

Hannah could tell the girls were now actually done with their makeup, but that they were just kind of waiting until Shannon got out of the stall, so they could see who the "hentai" was.

Some things were the same in Japan as they were in America, Hannah guessed.

But when the two Japanese office women saw Shannon walk out of the stall, they had, first, a glimmer of recognition, then a realization.

One of the women said, in perfect English, "Oh my god! Shannon Tanager! You're on the American otaku show!"

Shannon nodded. She saw a little bit of herself in the mirror. Her makeup was in shambles. She looked like the woman on the cover of Hole's Live through This.

Both women looked pityingly at Shannon. The first woman said, "Oh, baby. Let me get you cleaned up."

The second woman mumbled something in Japanese to the first woman. The first woman said, "Oh! Sou da ne! Hey, aren't you Miss All-American Beauty?"

Hannah nodded.

"I thought you two ladies were enemies! You're friends!"

Hannah nodded.

"Hey, Hannah, do you know Miss Japanese Beauty?"

Hannah said, "Yes. I met her just yesterday. We're taking a flight together in a couple days."

The two Japanese women were focused on cleaning and making up Shannon's face. The first Japanese woman said, "Is Miss Japanese Beauty just as beautiful in person as she is on television and the web?"

Hannah laughed and said, "More beautiful."

The woman said, "Wow! Io na. I'm so jealous!"

The two Japanese women had finished making up Shannon's face. The second woman said, "Kirei, Shan-Chan!"

Shannon blushed and said, "Arigato, gozarimasu."

The four women walked out of the restroom, with Shannon and Hannah up front. The second Japanese woman actually patted Shannon's diapered bottom. She said, "Cute diapers baby!" and laughed. The other three girls laughed.

Shannon saw Sasori up on stage, writhing with one of the blonde dancers. Oh, god, she thought. She grabbed Hannah's arm and ran out of the club.

The two women ran and ran. A couple blocks later, they were in a busy square. They sat down on a fountain's ledge.

Hannah said, "I have to go back! I have to get my purse! Saj's friends are dropping me off!"

Shannon laughed, "You should get a diaper bag."

Hannah laughed, "Ha, ha! I should! I'd love to carry diapers around. Diapers smell so good. They smell like -- babyish!"

The two girls, now giddy, giggled uncontrollably, for apparently no reason.

Shannon laughed, "Oh, god, Hannah. When I saw Ellie and Miracle like that, I just got so mad at Skullrose!"

Hannah said, "I know you did, Baby."

Shannon said, "How did you?"

But Hannah put a finger to Shannon's lips. Hannah drew Shannon's head to her chest and rocked Shannon back and forth.

Shannon was silent for a second. Then she said, "You know, Hannah, I just want a Mommy to love me. To make me feel sexy--"

Hannah swayingly put her finger back up to Shannon's lips. She breathed down on Shannon again. Shannon could smell the sugary alcohol on Hannah's breath.

It might be sweet inside Hannah's mouth, Shannon suddenly thought.

Hannah didn't take her finger away from Shannon's lips. Instead, she began caressing Shannon's lips gently with her finger.

Hannah bent her head down. She said, "Hush, little baby. Hush, little baby. Mommy makes you feel all better."

Hannah slowly put her lips to Shannon's.

The two kissed for a passionate thirty seconds, before they finally heard Saj say, "Hannah! No! Oh, man, James is going to kill me!"

Hannah and Shannon, as if broken out of a spell, sat straight up. Hannah was suddenly acting quite sober.

Shannon looked to her left and saw Saj and the young Japanese man running up to the fountain.

The young man lifted Hannah by the arm and politely led her away. He had Hannah's purse on his arm.

Hannah said, "Wait! Shannon's diaper bag!"

The young man gently took the diaper bag from Hannah and tossed it to Saj. Saj handed the diaper back to Shannon.

Saj said, "We gotta get you back to the hotel dear. Man, oh, man. James is going to kill me. Ken Suck Up's never going to talk to me again."

Shannon and Saj were walking quickly to the car. Shannon said, "But we -- nobody saw us, right?"

Saj said, "Oh sure, nobody except the five or six people with their phones totally staring directly at you guys. Here's my car."

Shannon said, "What about Sasori?"

Saj said, "She's fine. She's pretty much making out with those dancer girls. She seems to like chicks more than guys. Or else she's trying to punish me. Anyway, I'll give her half an hour of being by herself to make up her mind whether she wants to go home with me or the blondies."

Shannon said, "I wanna go to Akihabara."

Saj said, "What?"

Shannon said, "I was there today. I know my way around. I'll be fine."

Saj sighed. "Fine." He let Shannon off a few minutes later in Akihabara. Before Shannon got out of the car he told Shannon, "Well, this is probably the last time you'll see me. So -- it really was nice to meet you. And I can see why Ken and Jim like you so much."

Shannon shook Saj's hand.

Shannon walked the streets of Akihabara alone for only a couple blocks. She felt ragged and distraught. She thought she would even just sit down on the curb and maybe fall asleep, if everybody let her.

But she saw a hotel up ahead. She had money and credit cards in her diaper bag. She walked to the hotel.

A woman at the front desk gave Shannon instructions on how to get to her capsule.

Shannon walked through the hallway, into the room where her capsule was.

The room looked like a room full of locker walls. But, instead of lockers, the walls were actually bamboo-doors. Behind each bamboo door was a "capsule:" basically, a bed with a little bit of walling all around it, encapsulating it.

Shannon had heard of these hotels. When she was a kid she'd always thought they would be pretty cool. They'd seemed like luxurious sleeping bags to her.

Now that Shannon was actually crawling into one, as an adult, she felt like she'd pretty much been right about her intuition.

She'd heard how a lot of people didn't like them. But she really did like the capsule bed. Especially tonight. It was just how she felt. She felt alone. But she also wished she could just be in a womb again. And in both ways, this matched. All by herself, in a womb-like space.

Shannon awkwardly took off her clothes, leaving on her diaper. She put some money in a slot and turned on the television at the foot of the bed. She turned off the light and let the television glow illuminate her capsule.

By the time the TV shut itself off, an hour later, Shannon had already been long asleep.

Chapter 11 -- Mischievous Kiss: Plan B

Shannon awoke from a dream (where she couldn't tell her mother (or Ellie?) apart from Skullrose (or Hannah?)) to a knocking on the bamboo screen of her capsule.

Shannon was groggy. She slipped her shirt over her bare chest and pulled up the screen.

Lolibits peered into the capsule. "Mistress Shan-Chan. It was a long night. You must be in need of a change."

Lolibits and Kensuke had come to pick up Shannon from the capsule hotel. Lolibits took Shannon into the restroom while Kensuke waited downstairs for the two women and had a coffee.

The restroom and washroom were communal. But nobody was around at the time. The washroom was quiet. Lolibits got Shannon undressed and washed her gently.

Shannon was so impressed by Lolibits' beautiful, wispy body, but also with her ability to use her body so gently yet effectively. Shannon felt like she was being scrubbed -- massaged, even -- by a feather!

The two women used the washroom in silence. The running of the water, the splashing of the soap and sponge, and the pale morning light were all so soothing to Shannon.

Lolibits dried Shannon with an enormous, thick towel. She sprinkled Shannon's bottom generously with baby powder, and then put a big, thick diaper onto Shannon.

Lolibits put Shannon into her pink babydoll outfit with a lace heart on the front. She also snapped a garter belt and white knee-high stockings onto Shannon's smooth, thin legs.

Lolibits spent a short amount of time putting together Shannon's makeup and hair. When Shannon looked in the mirror, she thought she looked just like a babydoll.

Shannon was kind of spent from the night before, and just the sight of herself as a baby was so relieving that she almost regressed then and there into a crawling, baby-like state.

Lolibits sensed this and steadied Shannon until the two could get back into the dry hallway.

Shannon crawled down the hall and onto the elevator. Lolibits kept an eye on her, walking behind her, watching her diapered bottom waddle back and forth.

A couple of unruly-looking American boys caught a glimpse of Shannon. They were about to start making jokes at her. But they saw Lolibits. They recognized Lolibits, then they recognized Shan-Chan.

They were quiet until Lolibits and Shan-Chan got to the elevator bank. But then they started laughing quietly to each other.

Lolibits insisted on carrying Shan-Chan to the car. It was surprising how easily Lolibits could carry Shan-Chan. Shan-Chan felt light as a feather in Lolibits' arms.

The two picked up Kensuke and then walked to the car. As soon as they got in the car, Shan-Chan drifted off to sleep.

When Shan-Chan awoke, she still felt like a baby. She was surprised to find Lolibits unbuckling her from her seat belt -- she couldn't quite remember even having been buckled in!

Kensuke looked over Lolibits' shoulder. He said, "Hey, Baby! I hope you're doing okay. We have our interview with KAT-JAM this morning. That's where we are right now. Do you think you're alright for being on TV?"

Shan-Chan was curious about what had happened, how Kensuke and Lolibits had found her. But she was in too much of a babyish mindset to want to ask. She just wanted to be toted around and cared for like a little dolly.

"I fine, Kesske," Shan-Chan said. "I like TV shows."

Lolibits carried Shan-Chan out of the car while Kensuke unfolded Shan-Chan's big, pink stroller. Lolibits sat Shan-Chan into the stroller and buckled her in firmly and lovingly.

Kensuke said, "Are you awake, then Baby? Can you understand me alright?"

Shan-Chan nodded softly.

The man who had been driving the car closed the car door. He told Kensuke, "I'll have the van ready for the troupe when the interview is over, sir."

Kensuke nodded. The driver left.

Kensuke now had his camera out. He said, "You know that everybody is here, Shannon. Everybody. Alright?"

Shan-Chan felt a little uneasy. But she nodded. "I fine, Kesske-chan. I not mad."

Shan-Chan wasn't quite sure that was true. But she hoped she could at least act like it was.

While Shan-Chan had been getting washed so caringly by Lolibits, she had wondered how wonderfully selfless the robo-moe girl was with all the cosplayers.

Shan-Chan couldn't hold a grudge against anybody else when she thought of how good Lolibits was to everybody.

Shannon could understand Ellie and Miracle being in love with each other. She even thought their relationship was cute, with Ellie as the "boyfriend" and the futa-girl Miracle as the "girlfriend."

Shannon hadn't wanted Ellie to begin with, and her hope of being with Ellie was more for some kind of comfort than for anything like real love.

Skullrose, on the other hand -- Shannon wished she didn't have to see Skullrose for a very long time. For being so tough and self-assured as Skullrose was -- why was she having such problems just saying okay to love?

It was possible, Shannon knew, to avoid Skullrose. So she would. At least until the night's performance.

Kensuke, Lolibits, and Shan-Chan got up to the dressing room. A very nice, skinny, Asian boy named Shutaro did Shan-Chan's hair and touched up her makeup for the TV cameras.

"Very good makeup job!" Shutaro said. "Did you do this, Shan-Chan?"

Shan-Chan shook her head. "Loli-san did. I can't put makeup on me. But I can color pretty!"

Shutaro laughed gently. "Good baby."

The show would begin in about 30 minutes. Shan-Chan and Lolibits met everybody else in the green room.

The host for the show, Tanaka-san, a famous musician, came in for a few moments, with a Japanese female translator, to introduce himself.

Tanaka-san was very kind, but kind of silly. Most of the cosplayers knew him. Shan-Chan was more focused on the woman, who spoke English with what sounded like an American accent, but with an extra layer of style. The woman sounded so stable, strong, yet welcoming.

Finally the woman saw that Shan-Chan was staring at her from her stroller. She knelt down to the stroller and gave Shan-Chan a big hug. Shan-Chan was filled with warmth as the woman's soft breasts pressed against her.

"It's so nice to meet you, Shan-Chan."

The woman smiled at Shan-Chan, then stood up and left with Tanaka-san.

Vampnote said, "Looks like the translator is attracted to me. Oh well. She can't avoid it."

Sasori said, "She hardly even looked at you! Shan-Chan was the only one who even got a hug from her, mind you." Sasori looked pointedly at Shan-Chan. "Is she going to be your next video conquest, Shannon?"

Shan-Chan was a little wounded, but she asked, "What is my comkess, Sasori-san?"

"Hannah! Hannah! Don't you get anything? You're so dense. Sometimes I think you and Hannah are rigging this stuff. But then I see how dense you are, and, there's no way you could be rigging it."

"Rigging?"

"Yeah. Making publicity stunts! You and Hannah making out on the fountain last night. There were phone-cam shots that went viral overnight. The two of you frenching each other right in front of everybody. It's obviously in the news, now, too."

Vampnote snorted a bit, trying to suppress a laugh, and said, "One American paper gave a photo the caption 'Quarrelers' Love.'" I liked that one.

Ryu said, "How about the web show host who said, 'Two little lovers in a nappy, K-I-S-S-I-N-Pee.'"

Vampnote said, "Yeah. That was funny. But 'nappy' and 'pee' sound too much alike for my rhyming tastes."

Sasori yelled, "That's not the point! The point is, that Shan-Chan -- can't you stop filming for once, Kensuke? Shan-Chan just walked onto our team out of the blue, because she caused a scandal with her fetish.

"I don't know if you have sympathy with her fetish, or what, Kensuke. But that's the only reason she's here. Cause she wore diapers and kissed Hannah on national television!

"And now last night she's caught kissing Hannah again. And what do you think happens? She gets even more famous! I mean, sure, people are laughing at her. But everybody just laughs at her and then wants to take care of her! Why should she get all the spotlight?

"And why wasn't anybody filming me? I was up there in my 'martial arts' miniskirt and my -- I guess it counts for a top, it barely holds in my chest. I was up there on stage last night basically making out with those dancer girls!

"I'm tired of wearing my Hopi hair dress and pretending it's Chinese, and acting like some kind of American conception of a Japanese conception of a fantasy Chinese martial artist who obviously never existed. But I'm really -- sick! -- that this girl with no talent except for crapping herself and frenching chicks can steal all my thunder!"

Shan-Chan was really trying to get her adult frame of mind back in order. But she couldn't quite focus. She was just tired. She'd held back from letting herself get too babyish all day yesterday, for Hannah's sake. And now it all seemed to be catching up with her.

All Shan-Chan could manage to say was, "I sorry, Sasori-san."

Sasori glared at Shan-Chan. "You aren't a baby! You're an adult! Just -- grow up!"

Skullrose quietly said, "Come on, Sasori. Calm down. We have to go on camera."

Sasori said, "I'm not going on set! And you can shove off, Skullrose! This is partly your fault, anyway! You should be giving it to Shan-Chan like Ellie's giving it to Miracle!"

Everybody gasped a little. Ellie was now about to start a fight with Sasori. But Miracle pulled Ellie back, hugging her delicately.

Sasori said, "You know what, Kensuke? James is right. So is Saj. You're just a suck-up. I'm out of here."

Kensuke's camera faltered a tiny bit. Sasori stomped out the door. Demon City was about to follow Sasori, but Lolibits grabbed his arm.

"Please don't, Darling. Or -- Master Demon City."

Both Demon City and Lolibits blushed momentarily.

Lolibits said, "Sasori will return. She will likely have a visit with Saj, who will convince her that it is correct for her to remain with us cosplayers."

Shan-Chan asked, "Are you mad at Saj, Kesske-san?"

Kensuke said, "Yes. But I'm not terribly worried. The only thing I'm really worried about is -- I didn't make a 'cast last night."

Shan-Chan was taken aback. "No 'cast? Why?"

Kensuke laughed a little. "I had too much footage of Hannah. Almost all the good stuff had Hannah in it somehow. I don't think I could possibly get permission from the Miss Global Hometown people to put her in our 'casts. So I just didn't have any footage.

"But I do hope you'll at least try to stay out of bars, Shan-Chan. I don't think it's bad for everybody. None of us drink. It's a coincidence that you don't, either. But I have a feeling that, with you, the bar itself could be a source of trouble.

"I hate to put limitations on you. I know I already make you wear the babyish dresses when you don't always want to. But I think I'm going to ask you, while you're part of our show, to refrain from going into places like bars -- places that are too adult for a baby like you."

Shan-Chan said, "Can I see Saj again?"

Kensuke nodded. "If I'm around. Or if Lolibits is around. Sure. But I have a feeling -- I hate to say this, but -- we might get a real good talking to, if not worse, from the Miss Global Hometown people. They might come down on us hard. And I'm rich. But the guy who runs that thing is a whole lot richer than I am.

"Man! The second I saw Saj at the airport, I should have told him to stay away. Saj is fine. But, you know, if you do something for James -- if you try to do something good on James' behalf, I should say -- it always ends up in a mess.

"Go aim to film some college girls lifting up their shirts on James' behalf, and you have all the luck in the world. Try to do something good, and you botch the whole deal. Don't ask me why.

"But Saj is good. I mean, he dropped you off, then he followed you until you got into your hotel. After that, he came back to the hotel and told me where you were.

"Poor Sasori, though. He didn't get back to her for a whole hour! By that time, she'd gotten bored dancing with the girls. She was getting tired and bored, and tired of guys and girls hitting on her or asking her if she was selling cigarettes.

"Even worse, as soon as Saj got back and Sasori was ready to jump back into Saj's arms, Saj decided he'd better get Sasori back to the hotel. Sasori was totally put out. But I think those two will get along alright."

*****

The cosplayers did their interview with Tanaka-san and two of his friends. They sat at a table that looked like a booth at a 1950's diner. Tanaka-san and his friends asked some questions that were serious and some questions that were silly.

Shan-Chan's favorite part of the interview was when Tanaka-san had the cosplayers draw responses to questions in magic marker.

Shan-Chan drew a very cute picture of two friendly girls holding hands in a field under a rainbow. It seemed pretty obvious to the cosplayers and the translator what it was. But Tanaka-san didn't understand it.

The translator explained it to him. His response (which maybe the translator shouldn't have repeated) was, "Oh -- right, right. I was expecting something more American."

Em=C play Squared then performed a song (sung by Skullrose) called "Punk Lullaby." Lolibits wrote most of the songs for the group. But Skullrose and Demon City sang the majority of the solo songs.

Lolibits had written a song for Shan-Chan, and Shan-Chan was practising it. The group was waiting for the right time to unveil Shan-Chan's song.

Tanaka-san again met the group in the green room. He said all kinds of nice things to the cosplayers. Everybody was swept up by his funny, positive energy. Everybody giggled and waved in a childlike way as Tanaka-san said, "Thank you very much! Sayonara!" and left.

The cosplayers were all heading back down to the street, to the van which would accommodate them all. They were heading to a convention center to have a little lunch, so some rehearsing, and then give their performance for the night.

While the cosplayers were driving across town, Kensuke's phone rang.

Kensuke looked at his phone. He looked back to everybody else from the front seat. "Yeah. This is pretty much what I'd expected."

Kensuke picked up his phone. "Em=C play Squared. Yes, this is he. Uh-huh. Sure. Via Skype? I can do it in the car --. Huh? We're driving to our next site. Yeah, we'll be there a while. Sure. Thank you very much."

Kensuke hung up his phone. "Well, guys. Looks like I'm Skyping with the big cheese himself in a couple hours."

Lolibits asked, "Westlake?"

Kensuke said, "Uhhh-huh."

The cosplayers arrived at the convention center and were led by two men and two women into a large room. The room had a long table near its center and about twenty or so folding chairs. The table had all kinds of food on it.

The cosplayers ate. Lolibits gave Shan-Chan a bottle and a little bit of food. Shan-Chan drank all of her bottle (the milk was warm -- special order to food services from the neko maid, who herself lapped demurely from a saucer of the same milk) and picked at her food a little bit. She then lay down on a colorful blanket that Lolibits and the maids had laid out for her. She grabbed one of her favorite teddy bears and fell asleep.

She woke up a little bit groggy about 30 minutes later. She saw her big buddy Kensuke clacking away at an unused edge of the table. The cosplayers were all gone, but the room had some other people in it -- apparently other performers for the night.

Kensuke saw that Shan-Chan was up. "Hey, Baby! Do you need a change?"

Shan-Chan nodded her head. Kensuke said, "I was just about to log in with Westlake. But I think I can take a minute to change you."

Shan-Chan was a little surprised! Was Kensuke going to change her?

"I messy, Kesske. Not just wet."

Kensuke grinned. "I'm man enough to see a dirty diaper, despite how boyish I look."

Shan-Chan was impressed and grateful! She lay down and let Kensuke change her diaper. He did a pretty good job! He got her all cleaned up and powdered, then he bundled her up in a fresh, puffy diaper. Shan-Chan felt so cheerful and new!

Kensuke went back to his computer. After a few moments, Kensuke said, "Mr. Westlake?"

Westlake said, "Please, Ken, call me regular, old Ron."

Kensuke said, "Ron. I suppose I'm in trouble."

Westlake said, "Kensuke, you are in trouble. You broke a rule. A big rule. And I'm kinda disappointed."

Kensuke said, "Rule? I'd guessed we'd broken a lot of rules last night. Hijacking the talent, punk rock bar, lesbian kiss --"

Westlake said, "Let me make one thing crystal clear for you, Kenny boy. You would never, ever, be able to hijack my talent, okay? Sunk in? I let her go with you guys. James pulled some strings. But only because I let 'em be pulled."

Shan-Chan was sitting up clumsily, humming the tune of her stage song while making a couple of her teddy bears dance around on her soft, colorful blanket. She was half-listening to the talk between her big buddy Kensuke and one of the wealthiest human beings on the planet.

Westlake said, "Now the rule you broke, young man, is that you apparently gave up last night."

Kensuke asked, "Gave up? We're still in business. At least, I hope we're still in business."

Westlake said, "You aren't getting me, kid. You didn't put out a 'cast last night. I call that sort of missing step giving up. If you were on my TV show and you fell outta step like that, I'd say, 'You're cut!'"

Kensuke replied, "Well, I couldn't put anything out. Most of the good stuff was Shannon and Hannah hanging out togeter."

Westlake said, "Ken, let's talk business. You seem to have a business head on your shoulders. Or, a business brain inside that little-boy-looking head of yours. You need to put out a 'cast. Right? You have sponsors. If I were in your shoes, I'd be more worried about what they were thinking of you righ tnow.

Kensuke said, "Okay. I need to put out a 'cast. You're right."

Westlake said, "And I need my talent to have her image re-polished a little. Got it? That little stunt she wants to keep pulling with your little Shan-Shan or whatever got her plastered all over the web as a no-good in seconds flat.

"Now, I know you guys. I've a few hours over the past day boning up on your operations. And some of my hired media-geeks think you guys are great. But not just great -- but something like wholesome great. Like positive image great. With an emphasis on the positive image. Catch my drift?

"You guys apparently do hospitals and benefits and all that kind of thing. And no drinking, no drugs. True, you dress up like a bunch of robotic hippies. I don't get it. All that Elmo stuff."

"Emo," Kensuke interrupted. "Elmo is the Sesame Street puppet."

"Emo, Elmo, what's the difference? You're both positive images, right? I mean, some of those Elmos are just creepy, but..."

"Emos."

"No! Elmos! Those creepy red dolls! Weird times we live in. And what about those dancing jellybeans? Booboos or whatever."

"So," Kensuke said, "You want me to put a show together with Hannah in it, because you think it will give her a positive image?"

"I want you to put a 'cast out. The one you missed putting out last night. And I want you to include the footage with Hannah. I want you to show how things worked out between Hannah and Shannon. Because I don't want these scandal bozos to act like Hannah's getting dragged down the wrong path.

"And -- I want to make sure, over the next few days, that she doesn't stand a chance of looking like she's getting dragged down the wrong path. So I'm enlisting your help. That make sense to you?"

Shan-Chan stopped playing with her teddy bears. She was motionless, now listening intently to the conversation.

Kensuke said, "You want me to follow Hannah around?"

Westlake said, "I want Hannah to follow you around! Snap to, kid! What are you, half-asleep? When she's doing her stuff, she can go do her stuff. But when she's not at a presentation or a photo-shoot or what have you, she's with you."

Kensuke said, "Okay."

Westlake said, "My guys know what's going on. You're going to Seoul, tomorrow, right?"

Kensuke said, "Yes, Mr. West--Ron."

Westlake said, "Good. Cause I re-did Hannah's flight. She's leaving Tokyo tomorrow morning. And you guys are gonna be on my private plane with her."

Kensuke said, "Miss All-American Beauty flies on a private plane?"

"Tomorrow she does! And so do you! Now, if you can pull enough grease outta those bony elbows of yours, and put together a double-cast tonight, I might think about not figuring you to be a total quitter! As for me, I got some money to make. So, if you'll excuse me."

Westlake was no longer on the screen.

*****

Em=C play Squared was on stage for about 90 minutes. The crowd was huge. The cosplayers were extremely well received.

Watching Shannon and Skullrose during the "story" portion of the performance, it was difficult to tell that they hadn't spoken to each other once that day, and that they didn't have any plans to speak with each other. They were in their usual Mommy and Baby roles.

Shannon had slowly come to master her clumsiness. She was still not made a part of any rehearsals. The plots of the stories changed all the time. There was never a through-line that lasted for more than one or two stops on a tour. But, at rehearsals, the cosplayers always formed a solid idea of what they were going to do, mainly to show off their choreography and athleticism in a narrative format.

But the cosplayers never had Shan-Chan in on their rehearsals, and they never told her more than one or two details about the show's plot. Shan-Chan had basically had to play everything by ear. Most of the time, this ended up with her looking naive, clumsy, and accident-prone.

But as time went on, Shan-Chan developed her clumsiness into a suspenseful edginess or an endearing humourousness, as she felt the situation called for it (or, sometimes, opposite to how she felt the situation called for it).

Shan-Chan, even in her state of upset, was able to go on stage with Skullrose and ad-lib a feeling of tenderness toward her. But once the story portion of the performance was over, Shan-Chan stayed away from Skullrose.

While Skullrose was up at the front of the stage singing, Shan-Chan stayed back, closer to Lolibits (who played the drums for the band, and did a really awesome job). Close to Lolibits, Shan-Chan felt safe, and she could allow herself to sing all the songs in her usual cheerful, babyish manner.

After Em=C play Squared finished their performance, they stuck around to watch the other performances. Most of the performers were Japanese. The cosplay displayed by some of them was really good! The acting and the choreography were also incredible. The cosplayers went away having felt like they'd learned a lot.

Kensuke had booked a different hotel for the night, not wanting to have any more to do with James' courtesy or charity.

On the van-ride back to the new hotel, Ellie, flushed with excitement, said, "Wow! This has been such an incredible trip! Some of those guys were really great tonight! They were beautiful, really!

"But, geez! I don't know if I'll ever get over having gotten my lessons from Keep Dreaming! She spent five hours with me and Miracle! It was unbelievable! I don't know if there was ever anybody who I've wanted to call Sensei. But she really is my Sensei!"

Shan-Chan had to agree -- after the makeup lessons Keep Dreaming had given Ellie, Ellie had made everybody look incredible. She'd brought out the character in each cosplayer even better than she'd done before.

Miracle said, in a soft, ultra-feminine voice, "I'm happy for this trip, too, Ellie-sama." Miracle cuddled close to Ellie.

Ellie said, "Yes. I'm happy, too, Miracle. I'm glad we're together, now, my little sissy sweetie. But -- Shan-Chan --"

Shan-Chan took her paci out of her mouth. "I fine, Ellie! I fine!" Shan-Chan smiled. "It's better. We always fwends, you an' me. An I'm happy for you."

Miracle said, "You're happy for us, Shan-Chan?"

Shan-Chan nodded. "Mm! Very happy!"

Miracle cried, in his futa-girl ultra-fem voice, "Oh! Shan-Chan! I'm so happy!" Miracle nestled against Ellie again. "I really am happy, Ellie. The way you make me feel, I-- oh-- uh-oh..."

Ellie said, "I feel a warm spot. Oh, no! Miracle! Did you just..."

Miracle said, "I did, Ellie. I'm so embarrassed. I just got so relaxed thinking of being your girl!"

Ellie said, "Oh, man! It looks like you might need diapers, too!"

The cosplayers got to the hotel. Shan-Chan let Ellie use one of her diapers for Miracle to sleep in. She watched Ellie change Miracle.

Lolibits changed Shan-Chan. The two slept in the same room that night. Shan-Chan said, "I sleep in my bed, Lowwybits. Thank you."

Not long after the cosplayers reached the hotel, Saj brought Sasori. He'd convinced Sasori that she needed to stick with Em=C play Squared.

"But," he said, tenderly, despite Kensuke filming him and Sasori, "I'm yours. You're mine. Okay?"

Sasori nodded. Saj gave Sasori a deep, passionate kiss. Saj and Sasori parted ways. Sasori went to bed.

Kensuke went to his hotel room and began work on his double-cast, as "Ron" had stipulated.

*****

Shannon and her cosplay friends woke up early the next morning. Lolibits diapered Shannon, while Ellie diapered Miracle.

"I don't need a diaper, Ellie!" Miracle said. "Last night was just an accident!"

Ellie said, "Well, babe, we'll see if you stay dry today."

Shannon didn't mind sharing her diapers with Miracle. She had plenty of adult-baby sized diapers. And besides that, she had a whole bunch of baby-sized diapers from Cutey's Co.

Shannon figured, why not share the wealth?

Shannon felt like a little girl when she woke up, not like such a baby as she had the day before. She wanted her hair done in pigtails, and Lolibits happily obliged. Lolibits was also happy to push Shanny around in the stroller.

The cosplayers met Hannah's entourage at her hotel. Hannah drove with a few people in an SUV, while another car rode in front of her and behind her.

Along with the constant camera crew, there was another girl in the car with Hannah: Miss Japanese Beauty, Yasuna.

The four vehicles wound their way to the airport. They were ushered through a number of pleasant security guards and checkpoints, and they ended up at a stretch of tarmac that felt somehow as quiet as a museum.

The adult baby, cosplayers, and beauty queens were led into the billionaire's private jet.

"It's like inside our camper!" Shanny exclaimed, thinking back to the Em=C play Squared RV.

The other cosplayers laughed. The jet did look a lot more like an RV than a plane inside. But a lot more high class than the Em=C play Squared RV's interior! Some of the gold-colored fixtures even looked like they might be...real...?

The others in the jet might have felt a bit uneasy, around all this opulence. But something about Shannon's innocent enthusiasm suddenly made the place feel like home.

The cosplayers had to buckle in for takeoff. After takeoff, they could unbuckle and move around.

Lolibits and Demon City got on the floor and played with Shannon. Shannon had some Barbie dolls and accessories. She was playing house with Demon City and Lolibits.

Shanny said, "You can be the Mommy, Lolibits. And, Demon City, you can be the Daddy."

Lolibits said, "Perhaps the probability of such a relationship is not insignificant. Would you agree, Master Demon City?"

Demon City got red in the face, before crying out, "You and me? A mommy and daddy? Who ever said that?"

Lolibits giggled in her breezy, moe way.

Demon City said, "Look, Lolibits. I'm a lone wolf. I've got tough skin that love can't pierce."

Lolibits kissed Demon City on the cheek. Demon City softened a little. Then he gulped a number of times, his face getting successively redder.

Finally he regained his composure. "Come on, Lolibits. Let's get serious and go back to playing dollies."

Hannah and Yasuna talked quietly near the back of the plane. Skullrose sat near them, by herself. Eventually Hannah saw that Skullrose was all by herself. She began talking with Hannah a little, introducing her to Shizumu.

Demon City said, "You'd think Hannah would be here playing with Shannon, too. They seem like pretty good friends."

Shanny said, "Is it 'cause I'm too much of a baby right now?"

How dreadful! Shannon thought. If I have to act like an adult the whole time Hannah's around, I'll go crazy!

Lolibits said, "Doubtful. It is, rather, perhaps attributable to the fact that, often, one's sense of ease around another person is lessened when one is not involved with that person by choice."

Demon City said, "Oh. Cause Westlake is making them be friends, she doesn't feel like being friends."

Lolibits said, "Correct-chan. But maybe she'll warm back up to Shan-Chan."

Shannon said, "Long as I can play like an adult baby girl. At least sometimes."

Shannon wet her diaper as she said, this, almost in defiance against both Hannah and Skullrose. But she didn't tell anybody she'd pottied. She wanted to have her pottied diaper around her bottom and crotch for a while. It just felt nice to her.

*****

The private Jet landed at the Incheon International Airport. The sky was getting grey. Lolibits wrapped a raincoat around Shannon.

The Incheon airport was busy, but it didn't feel too rushed. The group spent a while getting to another somewhat large group of people meeting them.

Among them were a very beautiful Korean girl and a very beautiful blonde, white girl. They both waved to Shizumu and Hannah!

Yasuna yelled, "Leslie! Nicole! You both look great!"

The four beauty queens squealed with an athletic happiness at seeing each other. Two camera crews and Kensuke were capturing this meeting. Shanny just sat in her stroller, in complete wonderment at such fanfare.

Leslie, Miss Korean Beauty, asked, "Oh! Is this Shan-Chan? Hi Baby! You're in a stroller, too! Oh, how adorable!"

"You're pretty!" Shannon said. "You have very good English!"

Leslie said, "Oh, gosh, Darling. I've been all over the world. I speak upwards of twelve languages. When I was still living with my parents, we spent, like, eight years going between Seoul and New York City. Then I went to university in Australia, which was where I met Nicole. You know, she's Miss Australian Beauty! What a coincidence, isn't it?"

"You're pretty, too, Nicole!"

Nicole smiled shyly, like she didn't quite know what to make of Shannon.

Leslie asked Lolibits, "Could I push Shannon? She's so cute."

Lolibits relinquished the stroller to Miss Korean Beauty.

Shannon said, "Leslie is a pretty name."

Leslie said, "Well, that's my English name. My Korean name is Seo Bin. Jung Seo Bin. But even in Korea, people call me Leslie. Or -- they call me SB Leslie."

Shannon nodded.

It took a while to get into the city from Incheon. But Westlake had ordered a bus for the group. Leslie sat next to Shan-Chan. She just couldn't get enough of her!

Eventually Hannah switched seats so that she could play with Seo Bin-ah and Shan-Chan.

Shan-Chan felt so lucky to get so much attention from two pretty girls!

The group stopped at a modern-looking restaurant near the Han River. The food was fresh, mostly vegetables and fish.

After eating, the group all wanted to stretch their legs a bit. The beauty queens had to go to an engagement tonight, but there were still a few hours before the show began.

SB Leslie pushed Shan-Chan along the river. Hannah walked alongside her.

Shannon said, "Hey, Hannah. It's the Hannah river!"

Hannah smiled down at Shannon. "Han River."

SB Leslie said, "It's pretty fun to push Shannon in the stroller. A little weird, I'll admit. But..."

Kensuke asked, "What makes it weird?"

SB Leslie jumped, a little spooked by Kensuke. "Where the heck did you come from?" She saw Vampnote beside Kensuke.

Kensuke said, "I'm trying to keep an eye on Hannah. Westlake wants me to make sure she doesn't get into trouble."

Hannah sulked, "I'm not in trouble. I wasn't in trouble in Tokyo."

Vampnote said, "Want to bet, Hannah?"

Vampnote flashed Hannah the screen of his phone. The web browser was open to a page showing Hannah and Shannon kissing at the fountain. The page was from a Korean newspaper. The headline was "Couple or Trouble?"

Vampnote said, "I can pull 'em from all over the world. I just thought I'd act locally while thinking globally."

Hannah said, "Is that what the papers think? That Shan-Chan and I are a couple? I need -- you and I both need to show the media a thing or two, Shannon!"

Shannon said, "Hannah?"

Hannah said, "Kensuke. Why don't you and Shan-Chan and the cosplayers come with us Miss Global Hometown contestants tonight? We're going to the fashion show gala at the Andre Kim Memorial Institute. If you want to keep an eye on me, you might as well do it there. But I get to bring Shan-Chan along with me."

SB Leslie said, "Are you just gonna cart Shannon around for scandal's sake?"

Hannah said, "Not for scandal's sake. Just the opposite. We can be friends. Now I guess I get what Westlake was talking about. Shannon, if you don't mind, I'm going to play the role of mommy for the next couple days, until we Miss Global Hometown contestants have to leave."

Shannon's said, "Oh... okay."

Hannah said, "That's great! Then let me be your mommy, Shanny. And tonight can be bring your daughter to work night."

Shannon smiled. She looked up to Kensuke, who, from behind his camera, had a kind of uncomfortable look.

Were they getting into another bad situation, all over again, even with Kensuke standing right here, trying to follow Westlake's orders?

Shannnon thought, Nobody's made any good decisions so far. If this one turns out bad, too, it'll just be par for the course. The most you can do, Shannon thought, is just hope for the best. And maybe, just maybe, things will eventually get sorted out.

Chapter 12 -- Haute Couture and Hot Air Balloons

The Andre Kim Memorial Institute would be more than happy, Kensuke and the two maids learned, to receive the cosplayers as well as the beauty queens.

The cosplayers and the beauty queens were in the same hotel. Westlake owned a hotel in Seoul, and the reigning Miss Korean Beauty stayed in a suite in this hotel for the year. Visiting beauty queens had guest rooms in the suite.

Westlake's assistant had booked the cosplayers in a large suite with multiple rooms. The cosplayers got unpacked, had a little bit of a rest, and got dressed for the show.

A couple SUVs picked up the group. Shannon rode in the SUV with the beauty queens. Hannah had taken the stroller and diaper bag in the SUV so she could push Shannon in the stroller for all the cameras to see.

"I don't think I need the stroller," Shannon said. "I feel fine walking."

Hannah asked, "Don't you think you could do it for photos? People will be taking photos of us as soon as we get out of the vehicles."

Shannon said, "I guess."

SB Leslie said, "Hey! Why don't you just hold her hand walking into the institute? You know, like a mom and daughter might do!"

Hannah said, "Mmm, yeah. We could be a little ambiguous, too. Like we secretly love each other."

SB Leslie said, "Maybe the two of you do secretly love each other!"

All four girls roared with laughter.

Nicole said, "What's Mr. Westlake going to say about that, if that line gets posted to the website?"

Hannah said, "Well, Ron decided to film me and Shannon after he saw the video of us two kissing. So he must not mind us being secretly in love with each other."

Shannon said, "It doesn't sound so secret, Hannah!"

Hannah said, "Maybe we're secretly not in love with each other. Maybe that's our secret."

Shannon said, "Don't tell me the secret then. I like being in love with you!"

Hannah giggled in a low, boisterous tone and hugged her cute adult baby friend.

The Andre Kim Memorial Institute had been established in the year after the famous fashion designer's passing. Each year a fashion gala was held at the Institute to raise funds for medical research.

Designers, models, and other idols from around the world came to pay their respects to Kim-seongsaengnim, devote a little money and presence to a good cause, strut their stuff, and have an overall good time.

The beauty queens were only one of the attractions walking down the runway.

SB Leslie said, "The real attractions are the Hallyu stars. They're beautiful. Everybody loves them. And the musicians. Some of the Hallyu stars are musicians, too."

SB Leslie almost jumped out of her skin when she saw Yoon Eun Hye. But Yoon-seonbae almost jumped out of her skin when she saw SB-seonbae! So maybe SB Leslie and the other beauty queens were pretty big attractions, too.

A Japanese fashion designer greeted Yasuna. "Konichiwa, Nakashima-san!" She continued in English, "It's so great to see you here! You're going down the runway once for me, right?"

Yasuna nodded pertly. She introduced her fashion designer friend Yumeko to Hannah, Shannon, and Kensuke (Nicole and SB Leslie had already gone off to get dressed).

Yumeko furrowed her brows at Shannon. She said, "Hand please."

Shannon offered Yumeko her hand. Yumeko pulled Shannon away from Hannah. She twirled Shannon around a couple times. She grabbed Shannon's waist quite frankly and firmly and pulled Shannon's short skirt up a couple inches more to get a good look at her legs.

"Yes. Oh, I love it! Oh, and I see your diaper, too! She's perfect for my little jumper. I couldn't find anybody adorable enough for it. It's the legs, more than anything. Do you walk okay in platform heels, Shan-Chan?"

Shannon bellowed, "I should hope so!"

Yumeko giggled brightly. "The only thing about my jumper is that -- I guess you wear your short skirts all the time because you like people to see the bottom of your diaper."

Shannon nodded. "I wear jeans, too. But low-rise, so people can see my diaper's waist line."

Yumeko said, "Mm. Deshou, deshou. Well, gomenasai, but I think you won't have your diaper so visible. But you're just too perfect to pass up."

Shannon said, "Perfect?"

Yumeko said, "Perfect for my jumper! It's very tiny. It's a summer outfit. You've probably seen girls in them. It's like shorts and a tank-top. But they're put together in a tiny, little jumpsuit."

Yumeko turned around and showed her shapely bottom to her friends. She drew a line up the side of her bottom with her finger. "But, see, for this outfit, the legging around the bottom goes up a little high, almost like this. See? It's almost like french-cut panties! But it needs to look loose. Not tight!

"The waist is very thin, but it needs to look loose. And the legs need to be perfect. And the girl needs to look childlike and innocent, because the jumper does look a little like a baby's outfit -- except very sexy, too.

"Shannon -- it's like my outfit was made for you. Wear it for me! Onegashimasu!"

Yasuna also said, "Onegashimasu, Shan-Chan!"

Shannon giggled. "Okay. I'll do it! But I have to wear my diaper."

Yumeko said, "Oh, that's fine! I love it! I believe in comfo-no-raifu."

Yumeko waved in a few different directions. Suddenly, Shannon, Hannah, and Yasuna were whisked away by a few different makeup and wardrobe people.

Shannon luxuriated in the sea of hands caring for her, making her up, making her feel glamorous. She occasionally saw some of the other cosplayers milling around backstage.

Shannon was rushed into just one outfit. But in the time before she went out onto the runway, she saw Hannah change her outfit three times! A couple times, between outfits, once while she was just in her panties and bra, Hannah would embrace Shannon, give her a quick kiss on the lips, and say, "Be good, my little adult baby!"

Shannon loved it when Hannah did that. It felt like a Mommy kissing her before she left for work for the day. Shannon would even wave, like a baby, at Hannah as she walked out to the runway.

Lolibits had found Shannon and was staying nearby, just in case Shannon needed a change. But Shannon didn't feel she needed to potty or poop.

She kind of didn't want to get out of the outfit she was in, which was a beautiful fabric, like silk, but somehow futuristic feeling. The colors of the outfit were like a gauzy-clouded sky. And there was a design of a branch of cherry blossoms running across the front.

At one point, Shannon was surprised to see Skullrose walking out to the runway with a group of people! It turned out the Korean designer NEONheart had seen her and decided she was perfect for one of his designs.

She was wearing a blue-jean miniskirt, pink and black striped leggings, knee-high, pink vinyl boots with Doc Marten-like soles, and a pink and black vinyl jacket with a huge skull across the back. The skull wore a kitty bow-tie.

Skullrose' hair was made to look short, but with a huge wave of hair down in front of her right eye. Skullrose' hair was so sexy it made Shannon swoon. Shannon couldn't help but potty in her diaper just a little bit after that.

Shannon felt a deep pang in her heart. She seemed to have forgotten how much she liked Skullrose!

Not long after this, Yumeko had Hannah and Shannon walk out on stage. Yumeko and Hannah had been conferring for some time, but without speaking to Shannon.

Yumeko joined Shannon's and Hannah's hands and had them walk out together. At the end of the runway, Hannah surprised Shannon by embracing her lightly. But immediately after that, Shannon was even more surprised to get a bit of a push on her back from Nicole!

The push was gentle, coaxing Shannon to lean a bit more into Hannah's embrace. But Hannah took the push as a cue and gracefully fell, twirling a bit. She landed softly on her back and lay on the runway floor. She had held onto Shannon so that Shannon now almost lay directly on Hannah.

Hannah whispered, "Now kiss me."

Shannon had been part of too many impromptu embarrassments on stage with Em=C play Squared to be hurt or confused for more than a fraction of a second. She kissed Hannah on the lips.

She'd thought (for another fraction of a second) that she'd kiss Hannah the way she'd kissed her at the beauty pageant, when they'd been laying like this. That's what this whole scene was an emulation of, after all, wasn't it? But she wasn't feeling that. Instead, she gave a very stylized, stagey kiss.

Hannah rolled over. SB Leslie and Nicole helped Hannah and Shannon up. The four girls then walked back off the runway.

Shannon went out on stage one more time with the rest of the models who'd displayed Yumeko's outfits.

After a little while, the show ended. There was a big cocktail party after the show. Yumeko made Shannon dress up in another of her outfits. She'd exclaimed, "My outfits are just perfect for you, Shan-Chan!"

But, thankfully, Shannon got to wear a short, fluttery skirt that would give people a tiny peek of the crotch of her adult-baby sized diaper.

Before Shannon got into the dress, though, she asked Lolibits to change her. She'd actually pottied twice: once, a little bit, after seeing Skullrose in her dark, sexy outfit; and once, a lot, after having come back from the runway a second time.

While Lolibits (in her ethereal gentleness) was changing Shannon, Hannah and Yumeko stood nearby.

Yumeko said to Lolibits, "I don't understand. Can't she change herself? She's not really a baby."

Lolibits said, "When it comes to being changed, she prefers to assume the role of an infant, even if her mindset might allow her the coordination to assume the role of an adult. It's one element of her being an adult baby. And I don't mind complying. I, as a robo-moe girl, was constructed to comply to my mistresses' and masters' wishes."

Hannah said, "Well, if I had balls, I'd be changing her. Not Lolibits."

Yasuna said, "You're afraid, isn't it?"

Hannah said, "I am afraid. I guess I'm a little afraid to touch the pee or the poop. I don't know why. I'm afraid that it might feel gross."

Yumeko said, "It's something that mothers and fathers have to deal with."

Hannah said, "That's right. And I might be Shannon's Mommy, anyway."

Shannon lifted her head up to look at Hannah, to see if she was being serious.

Hannah said, "I do kind of like feeling the diaper when she takes it off. It's warm. The warmth, the softness, even the heaviness. It just makes me feel so..."

"Maternal?" Yasuna asked.

Hannah said, "Yes."

At the cocktail party, Hannah was surprised to see Skullrose in another NEONheart outfit. The designer, NEONheart himself was also talking and laughing with both Skullrose and SB Leslie.

Ellie was holding Miracle's hand and talking animatedly with a skinny, brown-skinned man who, Shannon would later learn, was a world-famous Indonesian makeup artist. Later that evening Ellie would be electrified with the excitement of talking about the lessons she'd learned from another one of her make-up idols.

Shannon would also be a little excited. Ellie was fantastic after what she'd learned from Keep Dreaming. What would her skills be like after she'd learned from this man?

Shannon had also been entranced to see how lovingly the futa-girl Miracle watched Ellie as she spoke. Miracle was starry-eyed with his love for Ellie!

Shannon saw that, underneath his short schoolgirl-style skirt, Miracle was still wearing a diaper. She'd later learn that Miracle was actually getting to like wearing diapers.

"I can't do without them, either," Miracle would say. "When I'm near my Mommy Ellie, she makes me feel like such a girl that I get all wet."

After a little while, certain groups of minglers in the cocktail party were drifting out of the Andre Kim Memorial Institute, with the goal of going to some place in Hongdae.

SB Leslie, Yasuna, and Nicole filtered out to the Hongdae club with the others. Hannah thought she'd be able to sneak out and go with everybody else. She'd even tried to take Shannon with her. But Kensuke and some of Westlake's guys stopped the two girls.

Hannah whined, "Hey, Kensuke! This isn't fair! You're letting Sasori and Ryu go out! And Vampnote -- look! He just went off with SB Leslie and Nicole! I'm not some little baby. No offense, Baby."

Shannon said, "That's okay, Hannah-yah."

Hannah said, "I wanna go somewhere! I don't wanna go to bed!"

Lolibits broke in. "Kensuke, we are currently located in Myeongdong. This might be an optimal occasion to conduct a tour of one of the world's most famous shopping districts."

Demon City said, "Well, when you put it that way, Lolibits, who could resist?"

Lolibits replied, "Are you implying that you would like to take me on a date to Myeongdong?"

Demon City blushed and stuttered, "I... I... didn't... s..."

Lolibits said, "I accept your offer, Demon City." She threaded her thin arm through Demon City's large arm. Demon City didn't resist, though he also didn't stop blushing.

Kensuke said, "Fine."

So the cosplayers wandered aimlessly through the caverns of light. The streets were full of booths down one turn, down another turn full of small shops, small cafes and restaurants. Some corridors were wide walkways with European-looking buildings housing large clothing stores that were sometimes familiar, sometimes unique.

Skullrose had somehow managed to bring NEONheart with them. The two were talking a few steps behind everybody else. Every once in a while, Kensuke would join in their conversation. At one point, Kensuke told everybody else, "NEONheart-seongbae is taking us to the best street food place in the city."

NEONheart asserted, "World. In the world."

Kensuke pushed his glasses up on the bridge of his nose.

NEONheart bought the group a few snacks. Some were tofu, some were mochi. Some things were spicy, some salty, and some sweet. Everything was good. The group watched the crowds of people walking along the street.

A group of what looked like college kids approached the group, recognizing both the cosplayers and Miss All-American Beauty. They asked for autographs, commented on how cool Skullrose looked, did a lot of bowing to NEONheart, and then went on their way.

NEONheart had to go, too. He did at least, he explained, have to show his face at the club in Hongdae.

The cosplayers and Hannah spent some time rushing through the M Plaza and Shinsegae department stores. Skullrose had been getting along well with Hannah. The two of them began talking and joking. Shannon joined in, and the three women had fun with each other.

Shannon was so relieved. Her heart was still heavy with, she felt, having lost Skullrose. But at least the two girls could still be friends.

Finally, the cosplayers went back to the hotel.

Hannah got her pajamas and her "pilly" (her pillow) and came over to the cosplayers' suite. Hannah watched, again as attentively as a student, as Lolibits and Skullrose changed Shannon out of her dirty diaper and her new Yumeko dress and into a big, fluffy, fresh diaper and her sheer, onesie-pajamas.

Hannah asked if she could throw the diaper away. It was a poopy diaper, and Hannah had only held Shannon's wet diapers before. But she seemed so happy to hold the diaper. She seemed a little reluctant to throw the diaper away.

Hannah said, "I really like holding Shannon's diapers. I guess everybody likes to take care of our favorite adult baby girl."

Hannah was about to go to the bathroom to get undressed. But Lolibits held her in place. Lolibits proceeded to undress Hannah and Skullrose and dress them both up in their pajamas. Shannon watched gleefully as she sat on her little changing blanket on the floor, hugging one of her teddy bears.

Hannah, who had been dressed and undressed so many times in her life by a number of wardrobe people, seemed at first embarrassed by Lolibits. But, as Lolibits continued to change Hannah's clothes, Shannon watched Hannah's expression go from one of embarrassment to wonderment to, finally, relaxation.

Hannah wore a cotton, lavender chemise and boxers with a flower design on them. Skullrose wore a white cotton tanktop and slim, cotton pants. The tank top and bottom had pink skull designs all over them.

"There, Hannah," Lolibits said, "Now, go, and take Shannon with you. Your 'pilly' is waiting for you in the living room."

The cosplayers all camped out in the living room, in front of the television. They watched some anime. Some people wanted to watch some old stuff. Some wanted to watch some new stuff. Eventually, Miracle got a good idea, and everybody decided on Haruhi Suzumiya.

Shannon thought it was the cutest thing ever that Hannah called her favorite pillow "pilly," so she wanted to lay on the pilly, too. The two girls cuddled together.

Skullrose said, "You two are just too cute to resist." She cuddled up beside Shanny, though she lay her head on her own pillow.

After a couple of episodes, Hannah's phone buzzed. Hannah picked up the phone, looked at it for a second, then typed some words. She put the phone back down and snuggled back up with Shanny and Skullrose.

About five minutes later, there was a knock on the door. The neko-maid, who had been laying in a wicker basket by the door, stood up and answered the door. She then crawled back into her wicker basket and fell asleep.

SB Leslie, Nicole, Vampnote, Ryu, and Sasori walked into the suite. The beauty queens had duffel bags, blankets, and pillows. This was going to be a full house!

SB Leslie said, "Oh. Haruhi! This is my favorite favorite. But I brought these, too."

SB Leslie flashed a box set of DVDs. Skullrose got into a crawling postion where she arched over Shannon and Hannah. She took the box set and read it. She looked up at SB Leslie and said, "Boys over Flowers. Oh, the Hallyu series. Let's watch! I can't get enough of the F4!"

Lolibits took SB Leslie, Nicole, and Sasori to get showered and changed. After one more episode of Haruhi, everybody was washed and changed and ready for the slumber party to begin. The second maid had even made the group some little dessert-y snacks.

But for Shannon she made a bottle of warm milk. And even though Shannon felt more girly than babyish, she still drank happily from the bottle. No matter what her mindset was, she just loved pacis, bottles, and diapers with all her heart!

SB Leslie popped Boys over Flowers into the DVD player. She then tossed her pillow down beside Hannah's pilly and flopped down beside Hannah. SB Leslie was wearing a pink, babydoll-like tank-top skirt and some soft, pink pants, all fringed with thin bands of white fake fur.

Vampnote, in blue boxers and a grey t-shirt, sat down cross-legged next to SB Leslie. He said, "I love this show. Of course, the F4 are good fellows. But none of them are as attractive as me."

SB Leslie lifted up just enough to take her pillow out from under her ample chest. She slapped Vampnote with the pillow then lay the pillow back under her and snuggled back beside Hannah.

SB Leslie said, "This boy! He can't do anything except tell me how beautiful he is. But I shouldn't be surprised. Boys are always trying to win me over. It's just the price of being a beautiful girl, I suppose."

Hannah laughed raucously. "Ha ha! Are you arrogant, or just self-assured?"

Leslie said, "What? I'm just saying the truth. I'm a beautiful, glamorous girl!"

Vampnote said, "A girl after my own heart. I, too, don't deny the truth of my beauty. We seem to be made for each other."

Leslie said, "Oh my god. You like me."

Vampnote said, "You like me!"

SB Leslie slapped Vampnote with her pillow again. Everybody giggled as Boys over Flowers started up.

After a while, some people fell asleep in the living room. Some stumbled into a bedroom and fell asleep. Kensuke went off and put together his 'cast for the night.

Lolibits and Demon City fell asleep sitting up on the couch, their arms around each other. The maid lay a blanket over them. She also straightened out the blankets that covered and joined Skullrose, Shan-Chan, Hannah, and SB Leslie.

She rolled the snoring Vampnote a few safe feet away from SB Leslie and covered the arrogant, lovestruck boy with a blanket of his own.