A Night at the Black Bassinet - Chapter 2 (Patreon)

Chapter 2

Andy felt himself being lifted as his mind swirled. It felt like his brain was sending signals twice as fast and with double the intensity. His arms felt both prickly and soft, the cold draft of the bar washing over his newly childlike form.

“Wha… what’s going…”

“Shhh…” Vicky placed a large finger in front of his now tiny mouth “Stay calm, don’t make a scene. Not a good way to make a first impression”

Andy forced down the instinct to shout back. He could feel emotions rising up from somewhere in his gut, ones that were simultaneously familiar and new. Frustration forced the hairs, much shorter all over his now childish simian form, to stand on end as he was laid on a soft, thick cotton surface.

“Stay still. I’ll be done in a few” Vicky bent down and pulled out some supplies from under the table “Cloth or disposable?”

Andy looked at what she was holding. Thick toweling was in one hand, two pins lying on top of it with a heavy pair of rubber pants hanging from one of her fingers. The other was a single square of firm padding, contained within a crinkling plastic shell. He’d seen the latter being advertised recently, developed by some childishly named company.

“I… I…” he stuttered, unable to answer with sufficient confidence.

“Disposable it is” Vicky put the cloth diapers back under the table and grabbed a glass bottle of white powder “Talc, will keep you from chafing down there when you’re diapered”

With all the other events happening to him, Andy hadn’t realized he was now entirely naked. Shocked, he pulled his hands down to his front, but they were immediately swatted away by the barkeep turned caretaker that was now fully in charge of the situation.

“This’ll be quicker if you relax” she pulled his legs into the air “You may not even need this. But I’m not taking any risks”

Andy tried to think about something, anything else than what was happening. Instead his mind wandered back to the first, and prior to today only, time he’d been regressed. He’d woken up, his bed sheets soaked and his entire body half the size he’d been the night before. Living alone he’d managed to clamber onto one of his chairs and ring up RegressCo. They were there within the hour in a small van and left some basic supplies with him. They didn’t charge him for the service, even as he’d tried to find his wallet. Something about everything else he’d need would pay it off in the long run.

“And done! Don’t you just look precious…” Her voice was a mix of motherly cooing and secretive enjoyment that made the monkey feel increasingly on edge with every syllable. He pulled himself up into a sitting position, his eyes gazing down at the thick padding between his legs.

Memories came flooding back again. Flooding was the right word as well. The first time he’d tried to change himself into toweling diapers he’d leaked everywhere. The only soul he’d trusted to help him at that point was Jennifer, his secretary. It wasn’t on her job description but she took to it like a fish to water. A small smile came to his lips; even though this was terrifying in its own way, those were memories he settled on as he stared down at the diaper. Good ones…

“Noah, come over here please”

A small boar turned his head, guffawed and then came up to the changing table. He was dressed in nothing but a blue t-shirt and his diaper, clear rubber pants over white towels that pushed his legs apart into a wadding stance.

“Yeah Vicky, what’s up?”

“Orientation. You know the drill. Harry here needs a shakedown. Don’t go too hard on him alright.”

The boar crossed his arms and smirked “What’s in it for me? I didn’t pay for…”

“Next session free”

“No deal, I want…”

Vicky moved down to his eye level and put her finger on his lips “I know what you want boar. But these…” she hefted her breasts, moving them closer to the little pink toddler “aren’t for brats”

Noah’s smile dropped before he chuckled again “Heh… fine. I’ll be good for you Vicky”

The elephant stood back up and lifted Andy off the table “Good. You two play nice. Troublemakers don’t come back.” she patted the monkey on the head before turning back around and heading to the bar.

Andy blinked a few times and tried to steady himself on his legs. He felt like he was on his knees, wobbly and far shorter than he normally stood. He stared at the boar in front of him, his snout just above his own nose but with piercing brown eyes. There was something about the eyes of a recently regressed kid that showed their previous age. The focus perhaps, the lack of wide-eyed wonder at the world that toddlers typically showed. Unless they’d had a little too much fun.

“So, Harry huh?” the boar snorted “Ain’t seen any new kids here in a while”

Andy tried to focus “Yea.. yeah… kinda stumbled in”

Noah chuckled “Right, yeah. Just stumbled” he put his arm around the monkey and brought him in close “Sure, we all just stumbled in here, and bought a bout of little space…”

Andy tried to straighten himself up, but the boar was remarkably strong. “Look, I just want to get through this. It’s… weird…”

The boar chuckled “Oh come on, relax. Let your head go a little. You’ve got a few hours to stop thinking about the big boy stuff. Come on, let me show ya the ropes a bit”

Andy was forced to move with him and tried to let himself be pushed along. His feet felt strange on the carpeted floor, his small feet trying to get a grasp on things. He remembered the same feeling from his first regression, monkey instincts for climbing kicking in. His tail, thankfully, was staying close by and avoiding any awkward exploration.

“This ain’t your mommy’s nursery kid. We got a lot of things to get ya feeling good”

Andy looked down at the floor, scattered toys everywhere amongst the other patrons. They were all in varying degrees of lucidity, some reading small books with thumbs in their mouths, others lying back on soft cotton blankets, eyes closed, dressed in fleece one-piece sleepers and drooling on the carpet. Their heads were clearly empty of anything other than the infantile thoughts FOY encouraged.

“Whatcha’ want? Vicky doesn’t like new fish getting the sparkles, so that’s a no-go” he let Andy go and kicked away some of the more colorful and noisy toys on the side of the pile “How about a little block game?”

Andy cleared his throat “Like what?”

Noah pushed the toy towards him “Easy, get the right shapes in the holes. Child's play”

“Seriously? That’s the game?”

Noah crossed his arms “Look ‘Arry, either play or don’t. You paid for the time and I’m using up my own.”

Andy scowled but sat down in front of the small wooden object “Fine, just put the shapes in the right place?” He grabbed a red cube and pushed it through the relevant hole.

What happened was an immediate surprise. Rather than his frustration continuing, he felt a sudden rush of success. He’d done it! He’d put the cube in the right hole!”

“And there’s the hit…” Noah ruffled the top of Andy’s head “Try another…”

Andy felt conflicted. Why it was happening was obvious, but why he was enjoying it confused him. It was just a block puzzle, why was it…

His hands had already moved by putting the green cylinder into the circular hole. Again a rush went through him, a big intake of breath preventing him from breaking out in giggles.

“You’re a natural kid” Noah sat down next to him, grabbing a set of alphabet blocks of his own and spelling out words. Andy wanted to focus on what he was doing, to see what else  but he found himself unable to pull himself away from the toy. The boar's voice was familiar, somehow. The cadence or the dialect… who was this kid?

Another shape through a hole. This time he clapped his hands and went straight for the last of the four, a semi-circle that he pushed through the final hole.

“Yes! I… I did it…”

Noah laughed “Good job. Doesn't it feel good?”

Andy nodded “Y..yeah…” his head was swimming. The naturally inquisitive part of his brain that made him want to be a detective felt like it was being both suppressed and on fire at the same time. The puzzle was a drug hit to his head, but his focus was dropping and he could feel it.

Noah turned his alphabet blocks around to face Andy “That’s easy though… bigger kids can spell out words, not just play with shapes. It’s why I’m the biggest kid here”

Andy felt indignation “I can do that too!” his voice’s volume went up involuntarily “I’m really good at… at… words!”

Noah’s eyebrows went up, a big smile coming to his face “Yeah? Ya think? Ok kid, sit down here”

He pushed the blocks to one side and grabbed a big plastic toy from the pile. It was a small glass cube, filled with wooden dice and…

“BOGGLE!” Andy immediately exclaimed before he even had time to stop himself

“Oh you play huh?” Noah chuckled “Ok, that makes you smarter than most. I pulled this thing out for the last kid and he looked at me with the blankest stare… Then again he was pissing his pants so…”

“Language Noah, you know the rules” Vicky had come up behind the two of them “He was peeing in his diaper, wasn’t he?”

Noah sighed “Yes ma’am, Carly was peeing his diaper.”

A high pitched voice came over from a pile of plush toys nearby “I’m right hereeeee…”

“And in a full diaper, don’t think I didn’t notice Carl” Vicky started walking back towards the foal that had spoken up, his head immediately dropping and going bright red “Glad you two boys are playing nice.”

Noah nodded and looked back at Andy, the monkey gazing in awe at the encounter. They were so… relaxed with all this. Was this really just another day to them?

“We don’t need any big kid rules. Just get as many words as you can” Noah pushed the dice cube down and let the dice scatter around.

Andy felt the same rush come to his head as they settled to a stop. He loved this game! He was so good at it when he was a…a kid…

That felt good. That felt really good. His world felt safe in this moment, like nostalgia mixed with a warm duvet. He looked at the letters and let his mind wander, trying to put together as many as he could before the little glass hourglass drained of sand. Andy saw the boar shuffle, moving into a position on his knees and slowing his breathing. He was concentrating hard it seemed. Indeed it took him a few seconds to notice the timer had finished, his mini-trance seemingly coming to a close.

“Done!” Noah announced as time finished “How many?”

“Five!” Andy clapped his hands “How many ya got?”

Noah looked annoyed “Four - boar, Rip, Grip and Rig”

Andy chuckled and arranged his own “boar, Rig, Grip, Rip and Prig”

Noah crossed his arms and growled “What’s a prig kid?”

Andy thought for a sec “It’s like… you think you’re better than everyone, cos you’re such a goody goody”

Noah huffed and looked over to Vicky, now changing Carl on the table “VICKY! Andy says prig is a word!”

Vicky looked over to the two of them and shouted back “It is Noah. Play nice”

The boar snarled and looked at the dice “Fine, best of three” he threw them again.

Andy wanted to complain, but the idea of another game was already making him feel fantastic. He felt like he was running through a crowded street in pursuit of a suspect, but it wasn’t adrenaline. A very off putting smell had also started wafting over, but that could’ve come from any of the kids. It was something else…

“I got seven” Noah’s face curled up into a smirk.

Andy looked shocked “Five - Trips, Trip, Spit and Rip and Rips”

Noah chuckled “Heh, want a tip. Or maybe some tips on how to play”

Andy was now the one crossing his arms and huffing “Fine.. good play”

Noah looked surprised “No tantrum huh? Good boy!” he put his hands behind his head and faked cracking his knuckles “Wanna bet on the last round?”

Andy tilted his head “Bet? We haven’t got…”

“Just a silly one, not for cash dummy” Noah leant forward “I win, you gotta tell me how you found out about this place”

“Deal” Andy had nothing to lose there. He’d already told him the truth “I win… you gotta… sing the alphabet and dance!”

Noah laughed “Easy, you’re on.” he got ready at the hourglass “I’m not losing to a toddler”

“I’m not a toddler, Noah”

“You wet your pants as an adult?”

“I don't wet…” Andy looked down at the diaper and immediately stopped. Sure enough, the front was discolored, a yellowish tinge clearly visible at the front of the plastic.

“Time’s started, get going!”

“What?! No fair!” Andy looked at the letters but his mind was now too focussed on the strange squishing feeling under his rear. How long had he been like that? How long had he been wet?

“And done!”

Andy felt anger rising up, getting to his feet. “This is stupid! You distracted me!”

Noah just smirked “You didn’t notice you’d used your diaper?”

Andy blushed and looked down at the ground. Unfortunately it just made him look back down at his diaper again, increasing his feeling of embarrassment.

“I got five, how many you got?”

Andy just grimaced “I… didn’t get any”

Noah stood back up “Well, I win” his eyes focussed on Andy and then, almost scarily, his entire demeanor changed “How’d you’d find this place, Andy”

Andy froze. This guy knew who he was!

“Wha… what?! How do you…?”

“Right you two, let’s get your butts changed before your times up!”

Vicky picked up both him and Noah and carried them both, their heads behind hers as she rested them on her shoulders

“Shhh… not yet.” Noah whispered

“You… you’re…”

This wasn’t just “Noah”. This was Serkis. His face was plastered on agency posters, detectives had staked their careers on finding this guy's criminal hangouts. Andy had taken his own time to find him and come up as short as all the others. Gangs weren’t common in Hazelbrook, it’s difficult to stay imposing when regressed after all, but there were side hustles, black markets and secrets everywhere if you knew where to look.

“Ooops, little soggy aren’t we Harry?” Vicky cooed as she untaped his diaper “I’ll just wipe you down. Keep this towel over you until you’re all grown up again”

Andy took the huge white towel and held onto it for dear life as he was laid down on the table. Noah had been put down at the end by his feet. Once he was put down on the ground he started to feel that same sense of vertigo kicking in, his hands immediately pulling the towel around his midsection.

“Oooff… Noah how long have you been stinky…”

The boar just laid back and shrugged “Dunno, was too busy playing with the new kid”

Vicky smiled “Well, make sure you tell me. You don’t want a rash when you’re going back to your boys do you?”

“No Ma’am” he shuffled as she wiped him down and applied some cream “Can I have…”

She placed another finger on his muzzle “Next time… maybe”

He smiled as he was put down in front of Andy. The monkey's face was a picture of anger and embarrassment, red all over even as the two of them were increasing in height.

"It's you! I knew something was up with you! You’re…"

"Keep your voice down, volume control ain’t easy right after growing back up."

"Keep my voice down?!" Andy snapped pointing a finger at Noah’'s chest, having to adjust where he pointed as he regained height and build. "I've been chasing you for years, and you go and have a playdate with me?"

Noah bristled as the simian's shouts started to draw attention. "Really, you're gonna get the both of us bounced kid.. So calm down, and say what you wanna say without shouting." He cautioned. He now had a good two feet on the monkey, not being shy about imposing the size difference on him for effect.

"You're a criminal. You're a brute. I've come onto scenes after you're done where you broke good men like they were teething biscuits." he growled out, finding his vocabulary still a bit lacking, his metaphors were soft and childish and not carrying near as much weight as the crime scenes he'd seen had merited.

“Hah, really? We’re both here for the same reason, kid. Don't get your diapers in a knot about it."

"That's a lie and you know it. You’re here for a high and…"

"Oh c'mon, Andy. You wanna get some time out of our little criminal underworld. I want to get away from the boys and relax a while. Besides, don’t pretend like you didn’t enjoy our little game of Boggle. Guess you shouldn’t be such a pri…”

Noah's attempt to bring back Andy’s winning word was cut off with a sharp crack, a teenaged monkey's fist striking him across the face. He flinched, if only for a moment. Andy’s hands were quickly brought to his side by an elephant who’d just thrown another diaper in the metal bucket of a pail.

“Harry! You alright Noah?”

"Course I'm fine, kid's packing pillows for fists." Noah taunted, smirking. "I jus’ gave him somethin’ to think about, and he got a little...fussy." He continued as he started to get dressed. The black suit of a mobster, one who knew that style mattered when you were the boss. Andy was still in shock from having his arms forced to his side, keeping his towel just about in place.

"Same time next week, Vicky?" Noah asked.

"Always a spot for you dear, you're a good paying customer." Vicky handed over Andy’s clothes, the monkey grabbing them and trying to get his now adult fingers to work.

Noah paused and turned towards the door, looking over his shoulder. "And same time next week… Andy?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

The monkey fell onto his butt as he desperately tried to get his pants back on.

“I’ll take that as a yes” the now full sized boar, rounded and pink wandered through the door, taking a sip of a drink from a flask he kept in his jacket pocket “See ya round, kid”

By the time Andy had got out the front door of the pub, he was gone. No trace, no evidence of his presence left anywhere.

“Bastard” Andy said under his breath. He adjusted his coat and felt the bubbler in the side pocket. Pulling it out he went to take a breath.

And it did nothing. The bubbles came up, but the relaxing high didn’t hit.

Growling, Andy walked back towards his apartment. A few bigger draughts of the thing got him to relax a little by the time he was in bed.

“See ya round, kid”

Yeah… he guessed he would.