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Chapter 3

Brown eye flew open, fear and panic clear in them. Maylu gasped for breath, the nightmare, or rather unburied memory she had just relived, having shaken her. As she slowly calmed down, several things became apparent to her. One, she was suckling on the pacifier in her mouth. Two, she was cuddling the teddy bear in her arms. Three, the inside of her stomach was sore. And finally, her diaper was wet, recently if the warmth was any indication.

Maylu pushed herself up, leaning against the crib. As the reminisce of her nightmare faded from her mind, she remembered her situation, as well as the dream she’d just had. Dropping the teddy bear from her arms, she threw off her blanket and made a grab for the tapes on her diaper. She found it to be impossible with the gloves she had on to get a grip on either tape.

Sliding her thumbs down under her diaper’s waistband, Maylu got a firm grip on the diaper and tried to tug it off. To her surprise, the parts of the diaper that had contact with her skin seemed to stick to her, resisting her efforts to tug it off. Maylu tried for several minutes to tug the diaper off herself, to no avail.

“You should stop now, you got a long day ahead of you and you’ll need all the strength you can get.” Maylu looked up at the voice, to see Yuriko sitting in the rocking chair, a newspaper open in her lap. She was wearing a sleeveless purple shirt and a pair of black sweat pants.

“Yuwiko?” Maylu blushed; she had forgotten about the pacifier in her mouth, and promptly took it out.

“When a child is admitted to this community, a special nanotech spray is applied to the waist line and under areas.” Yuriko stated. “The diapers made here have nanotechnology applied to them that causes them to stick on to anything that has the first spray, making it impossible for little girls like you to take off your diapers when you shouldn’t. Parents, like myself, have a solution applied to our hands that deactivates the diaper’s nanos, which thus allows us to change you.”

“I’m eleven years old, I shouldn’t be wearing diapers.” Maylu snapped.

“Your diaper’s current state disagrees, baby girl.” Yuriko replied as she set aside her newspaper and made her way to the crib.

Maylu blushed at that. “I’m not a baby.” She growled.

Yuriko shook her head. “I thought we went over this yesterday, but it seems we missed something.”

“There’s nothing to go over.” Maylu snapped. “I’m an eleven year old girl, and I expect to be treated like one, not like a baby.”

“Oh really?” Yuriko asked, as she stood and made her way over to Maylu’s crib. Lowering the bars, she knelt down and held her arm straight out in front of her. “Then prove to me you don’t have the needs of one. Push down my arm.”

Maylu looked questioningly at Yuriko, but at seeing her blank expression, shrugged her shoulders, placed her hands on Yuriko’s arm, and pushed. Yuriko’s arm didn’t budge. Blinking, Maylu tried again, only to get the same result. Growling, she got up on her knees, and tried putting her weight into her pushes, only to find it didn’t help.

Yuriko then grabbed Maylu by her armpits, and quickly lifted the startled girl out of her crib. Standing her up on her two feet, she said, “Try standing up on your own.” She let go of Maylu, and took several steps away from the girl.

Maylu’s legs trembled as she tried to stay upright. Managing to for only a few second, her legs gave out, causing her to fall on her padded bum. Grabbing the crib behind her, Maylu lifted herself up onto her feet, before letting go. She managed to stand on her for several seconds before once again falling on her bum.

After repeating the process a third time, Maylu sat there in stunned silence. Her legs couldn’t support her body, and her arms had no strength in them. Maylu raised her now trembling hands in front of her; she was completely helpless to do anything herself now. If anyone attacked her now, she’d be completely at their mercy!

Maylu let out a yell of surprise as Yuriko lifted her off the floor, cradling her like one would an infant. Sitting down in the rocking chair, she spoke. “Maylu, you may not physically be a baby, but you have the physical needs of one. I know you’re not happy about this treatment, or having to wear diapers, but it’s the way things have to be around here until you recover.”

“But, but yesterday I…I…”

“Yesterday you were hyped up on meds.” Yuriko stated. “That’s the reason why you were able to move around as well as you could. Now that they’ve flushed out of your system, you’re as weak as a newborn baby. But lucky you, I like taking care of babies.” She finished with a wink.

She grew concerned as she saw Maylu’s hands balled up tightly in fists. “I-I can’t wear diapers! I’m a big girl! I-I-I’M A PERSON!!!”

Yuriko flinched at the volume of Maylu’s voice. Curious to that last statement, she asked, “What do you mean by that?”

Maylu wrapped her arms around herself, her eyes clenched shut. “If you pee yourself, or make a messy, without meaning to, you’re not a person.”

“Who told you that? And why would you believe that?” Yuriko asked, looking at Maylu in disbelief.

“Nanny told me.” Maylu said. “When she first tried to potty train me, I didn’t want to be. But after a week of trying, she took me to this special needs hospital. She showed me…things that were in a vegetative state. They looked like people, but they didn’t move, didn’t feed themselves, they just laid there.”

Maylu shivered, and hugged herself. “Those things had to be cared for by other people. They’d grumble as they had to adjust IVs and change their diapers…Nanny told me that those things were burdens, a waste of space and money. She said that I was on my way to becoming like those things by not potty training.

“After that I tried harder to train myself, but nothing I did worked. After a week of trying and failing, Nanny took me downstairs. She had laid out a mattress and four…things, stakes or something, at each corner. She tied me down to the mattress and gagged me.” Maylu’s eyes were wide, tears streaming down her face. “I couldn’t move, I couldn’t make a sound! Nanny put an IV in my arm so she didn’t need to feed me. I-I tried to get free, I tried to beg her to let me go, but she never took notice of my efforts. The only thing she said to me after every session was that I wasn’t a person anymore.”

Yuriko hugged Maylu closer as the girl began sobbing. “I don’t know how long she kept me down there, but after a while she finally released me. After that I spent most of my days on the potty, so that when I had an accident it would be in the potty. But…but Nanny found out, and said it didn’t count! She took me back down there and…and…”

Maylu couldn’t speak anymore as she began crying. Yuriko held her tightly, rubbing her back as Maylu cried her heart out. She was in disbelief at how traumatic a childhood Maylu had had, and how well she had hidden it from everyone. The only way she saw Maylu being able to function as well as she had over the years was that she had managed to suppress some of the more traumatic experiences she’d suffered through.

“Nanny said babies weren’t much better then those things.” Maylu said softly, breaking Yuriko from her thoughts. “They had the chance to be people, but not all of them did. She said that because I still needed diapers, needed my food cut up, needed a sippy cup to drink without spills, that I was still a baby at my age, that I wasn’t a person. She made me stand in front of a mirror every time I had an accident, every time I spilled a glass, every time I needed my food cut to eat it all, and had me say this chant…”

Taking a deep breath, she spoke. “I am not a person. People don’t need diapers. People don’t need help eating. Babies are not people. I am not a person.” Looking up at Yuriko, she asked, “Do you see now why I can’t be a baby? Why I can’t wear diapers? I have to be a big girl, or else I won’t be a person anymore! I can’t go back to that!”

Yuriko kept silent for sometime as she tried to formulate a proper response, absentmindedly rubbing Maylu’s back. Finally, she asked, “Maylu, why do you think babies aren’t potty trained until they are three or four?”

“Huh?” Maylu looked up, confused. Seeing she was expected to answer, and had none, Maylu shrugged her shoulders.

“It’s because their minds and bodies need those years to grow and develop. They need that time to learn how to control their bodies, and learn how to interact with the world around them.” Yuriko explained. “Babies aren’t not people, they just need time to grow up.”

Maylu shook her head. “No, you’re wrong. Babies aren’t people.”

“Says who?”

“Says Nanny.”

“And why should you believe anything she says?” Yuriko asked. “Why should you even care what that woman believes after everything she’s done to you?”

Maylu’s mouth opened and closes as she tried to formulate an answer. Yuriko continued on, hoping to drive the point home. “By that woman’s logic, all babies should be thrown in the trash and left to die because they can’t take care of themselves. And the next to go would be the ones with disabilities or crippling injuries. Maylu, that woman’s logic is flawed. If anyone isn’t a person, it’s her, not you, because no sensible human being would believe and teach others those beliefs.”

“But I-she-”

“No buts Maylu.” Yuriko said sternly. “Humanity isn’t determined by the condition of one’s body.”

“That’s not true!” Maylu exclaimed.

“Let me guess, Nanny says it does.” Yuriko stated. “Maylu, there are people out there who actually enjoy caring for people who can’t take care of themselves. They feel satisfaction in knowing that their efforts make a difference in that person’s life.”

Maylu gave a bitter laugh. “Am I to believe you care about me?”

“I saved your life.” Yuriko pointed out.

“You intended to use me against Chaud and the officials.” Maylu countered.

“And your death wouldn’t have affected them?” Yuriko countered back.

Maylu grew silent at that, and Yuriko felt she may have crossed a line she shouldn’t have. Sighing, she realized that she couldn’t undo years of conditioning in just one sitting, that would be something the psychologist would have to work on, and it would certainly take more then one sitting. Yuriko resolved to at least get Maylu to understand her current position.

“Maylu,” She started, causing the girl to look up at her. “Are humans who can’t move their legs not people?”

“No, they are still people. They can still do things.” Maylu answered.

“How about humans who can’t move their arms?” Yuriko asked.

“Um, they can still talk and move around, so yes, they’d still be people.” Maylu answered after a moment of thought.

“And what about humans who can’t move around well enough to get to the bathroom in time, and therefore choose to wear diapers?” Yuriko asked.

Maylu shook her head. “They aren’t people.”

“So it’s better for them to have accidents and make others to clean up after them?” Yuriko questioned.

“Yes.” Maylu said, before blinking. “I mean no…I mean-You’re confusing me!”

“One last question then Maylu.” Yuriko said. “Would you rather be one of those humans in bed, or would you rather be a baby with the chance of becoming a person again?”

Maylu closed her eyes, and her face scrunched up. She knew what her answer was, but she didn’t want to be forced to be a baby. She didn’t want to risk failing to become a person again when she already was one.

As if sensing her thoughts, Yuriko stated, “You already know what you need to do to grow up again Maylu. I won’t let you fail, you’ll just need to put in the effort, starting with accepting that you need my help right now.”

Maylu sighed, deciding on the lesser of two evils. “Fine, but I won’t help Nebula take over the world. And I want Roll back today.”

Yuriko smiled. “We’ll see about Roll, as she’s out of my hands. As for not helping Nebula, that’s fine too.” Reaching to her right, she opened the mini-fridge’s door, and pulled out a baby bottle. “Now then, can you be a good baby girl and drink you’re ba-ba? It has your daily meds mixed into it as well.”

Maylu growled at the baby sentiment, but given her situation, bit down on the bottle’s nipple, and began suckling on it as hard and as fast as she could, just wanting to get it over with. Unfortunately, she also got a lot of air bubbles due to how forcefully she was drinking, which caused her to cough after swallowing.

Yuriko pulled the bottle back. “Take your time girl, or else you’ll just gulp down more air bubbles like that. You don’t want to be like the hare, do you?”

“Like hair?” Maylu asked, confused.

“You know, the tortoise and the hare? You never heard the story?” Yuriko asked. Maylu shook her head, no. “Somehow I’m not surprised. (Sigh) Alright then, tell you what; you take your time drinking your bottles, and I’ll tell you the story.”

Maylu struggled with herself, being told a story that sounded childish would only further make her babyish, something she didn’t want. At the same time though, she was curious as to what a story containing a turtle and a rabbit could involve. Knowing that she wouldn’t get it out of her head, she sighed and nodded her head.

Yuriko smiled, and placed the bottle’s nipple back in Maylu’s mouth. Maylu slowly began nursing the bottle, as Yuriko ran her fingers through the girl’s hair. Once a quarter of the bottle was gone, Yuriko spoke up.

“One day a hare was bragging about how fast it was.” Yuriko started. “It bragged to everyone and anyone that would listen. Having gotten tired of listening to the hare’s bragging, a tortoise stretched it’s neck out, and challenged the hare to a race.”

The bottle was now half empty. “The hare thought it was a joke, but accepted the challenge anyways. The other animals of the forest mapped out a course for them to race on. When the race started, the hare took off, and being the swift runner it was, quickly left the tortoise behind.”

The first bottle was empty, so Yuriko removed the bottle from Maylu’s mouth, and lifted the girl upright. “What are you doing?” Maylu demanded. Her answer was in the form of several pats to the back. Maylu opened her mouth to question Yuriko, she let out a loud, wet burp. Yuriko laid the now blushing girl across her lap, retrieved a second bottle, and placed it into the girl’s mouth.

Once she saw Maylu was drinking from the bottle, she continued the story. “About halfway through the course, the hare decided it had time to play in a nearby meadow. After all, the tortoise was so incredibly slow. Eventually, the hare got tired of playing, and settled down for a nap.”

Maylu pushed the bottle out of her mouth. “What happens next?”

Yuriko grinned. “Someone seems eager to hear this children’s story.”

Maylu blinked, then blushed, and quickly pulled the bottle back to her mouth and began drinking, hoping to avoid anymore embarrassment. Yuriko thought about commenting on how Maylu went from one childish topic to a childish action, but thought better of it.

“The tortoise continued on with the race, despite how slow it was. It kept going, one step after the other. Eventually, the hare awoke from its nap. After stretching, the hare took off for the finish line.” Yuriko paused, a small smile working its way onto her face. “When it got to the finish line, it was greeted by the tortoise.”

Maylu couldn’t help but giggle at the ending. For all the hare’s bragging, it lost to one of the slowest animals there was. Finishing her second bottle, she was lifted and burped again. “Can you guess the saying this story developed?” Yuriko asked as she laid Maylu down, and reached for the third bottle.

Scrunching her face up, Maylu thought the story. Eventually, it clicked. “Slow and steady wins the race!” she exclaimed.

Yuriko couldn’t help but give a small laugh at the girl’s enthusiasm. “Yes, that’s right Maylu. That saying applies to many aspects in life as well. In truth, I don’t remember which came first, the saying or the story.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Anyways, you got one more bottle to finish Maylu. If you’re a good baby girl, I’ll give you a treat.”

Maylu blushed as she scrunched up her face; she hated how she was being babied, but she also was embarrassed at how she’d been acting the past few minutes. “My jaw is starting to hurt.” She complained.

“Scrunching up your face so much doesn’t help either.” Yuriko responded, causing Maylu to growl. “None of that now baby girl, you need the medicine in these bottles, so you will drink them. Besides, it’s an unwritten rule that baby girls such as yourself drink from bottles several days a week. You’ll get used to it in time.”

Maylu opened her mouth to retort, but Yuriko took the opportunity to slip the bottle into her mouth. Letting out a muffled “Oomph,” Maylu looked up at Yuriko, who looked back at her expectantly. Grunting, Maylu began nursing the bottle.

Minutes later, Yuriko sat Maylu back down on her lap, having just burped the girl a third time. “There we go, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” Yuriko asked. Maylu just stared at her. “I did promise you a treat, didn’t I?” Seeing she now had Maylu’s attention, she lifted the girl up as she stood from the rocking chair. “We’ll have to go downstairs for it, but we’re heading that way anyways for breakfast. Do you like pancakes?”

Maylu’s eyes lit up. “I love pancakes! I only get pancakes once a year!”

“Why is that?” Yuriko asked as she started walking.

Maylu looked down. “She says it wasn’t worth the effort to make me happy.”

“All the more reason she deserves to be behind bars.” Yuriko replied, making her way downstairs. “No mentally healthy person would do what she did to you Maylu.”

Maylu let out a small whimper, but said nothing. Yuriko bit her lip; she hadn’t meant to remind Maylu of what she’d gone through. Taking care of her was going to be harder than she thought, but then she knew it wasn’t going to be easy in the first place.

“I’m going to have to leave you in your playpen while I make breakfast.” Yuriko announced.

“A playpen?” Maylu repeated.

“Yes, you have a playpen.” Yuriko affirmed. “It has some stuffed animals in there for you, since you seem to like your bear. You can tell me if you like any other animals, and I’ll see what I can do. Anyways, you also have some building blocks, one of those rainbow color ring toy sets which name escapes my mind at the moment, and I even went out of the way to get you one of those kiddy pianos, since I know of your love music.”

Yuriko didn’t know it, but the piano just scored her some brownie points. Looking up, Maylu asked, “Could we get some more musical instruments?”

“I’m afraid the most I could do is get you the kiddy versions of them.” Yuriko answered. She then looked thoughtful. “I could probably do a two for one, and get you a monkey toy with cymbals.”

Maylu shook her head; when would the embarrassing babying end? All this talk of baby toys and other baby things just kept reminding her of how different things were now. Deciding to make one last plea, she stated, “Some parents get their kids an electric keyboard to play with.”

“Do you see me as a parent?” Yuriko questioned. Maylu looked away, not verbally answering. “Tell you what kiddo, you be a good girl for the next seven days, and I’ll see what I can do.”

“And what happens if I’m good and you can’t get one?” Maylu asked.

“Then I’ll find some other way of rewarding you, I promise.” Yuriko answered. She realized she was practically bribing Maylu now to behave, but she hoped that eventually Maylu would grow used to this treatment and do so without needing to be bribed.

“And what does being a good girl require of me?” Maylu asked. Given how much had changed for her, she wasn’t sure if there was something she needed to do that she didn’t know.

“Well for starters, you can keep outdoor voices outside.” Yuriko stated. “I know there will be times you can’t help it, but don’t do it if you can help it. Next thing, you will have to cooperate with me, and do what I tell you for the most part. That doesn’t mean you can’t ask questions for clarity, and if you’re really uncomfortable with something I ask of you, we can talk it over. Understand?”

“Yes.” Maylu begrudgingly agreed.

“Good, now I’m going to set you down in your playpen, and then get your breakfast started.” Yuriko said as she placed Maylu on the carpeted floor. Maylu looked up in confusion; she didn’t see a fence for a playpen, when suddenly two wired fences came out of the wall, taller then her head as she sat down, meeting a foot in front of her.

Grabbing a pink sippy cup off a nearby table, she placed it on the carpet in front of Maylu. “Here’s your treat baby girl; a sippy cup of chocolate milk. Just try not to spill it on the carpet okay?” Maylu rolled her eyes at that, but nodded her head. “I’ll be back in a few minutes then, once you’re done you can go play with your toys until I’m back. You might even have fun.” Yuriko said before walking off.

Looking around, Maylu found the room she was in to be almost identical to the living room upstairs, as far as furniture and positioning went. Some differences she noted were pictures hung up on the wall, and the pen she was currently in. Examining the pen, she saw there were some stuffed animals and building blocks, ones with letters on it, sprawled around it. Against the wall was the rainbow colored kiddy piano Yuriko had mentioned.

Maylu hesitate; all the childish toys, and her treatment was…strange to her. She rarely remembered times before meeting Roll, due to the memories between then and her present, and yet her current treatment seemed vaguely familiar. It was confusing to her, in that a part of her remembered how much she once enjoyed that treatment, yet now it seemed more…demeaning to her.

Sighing to herself, Maylu grabbed the sippy cup and examined it. The cup itself was pink in color, while the thin plastic lid and spout were white and partially transparent. Putting the spout to her mouth, she found she didn’t have to suck on it to reach the chocolate milk. That said, there wasn’t enough coming out quick enough for her liking.

Turning the cup sideways in her mouth, Maylu used her teeth to bend the sides of the spout, causing the opening to widen a bit. Shifting the cup back, she found the flow of the milk to be to her liking, and quickly finished the cup. Looking towards the hall Yuriko exited, she didn’t see or hear any sign of Yuriko returning.

Maylu quickly grew bored sitting there, doing nothing. Running a gloved hand over the wired fence in front of her, she found that the holes in it were to small for her to put any fingers though, and thus pull herself up and possibly escape, not that she’d have anywhere to go, but still...Sighing to herself, Maylu rolled onto all fours and examined the toys around her.

Deciding the kiddy piano was the lesser of evils, she crawled over to it, and began playing with it. After testing each of the five keys, Maylu began playing a melody, the notes coming to her as she played. Slowly, a smile began worming its way onto her face, for music had always been a release for her, no matter what form she played it.

“Seems like you’re having fun?” Maylu looked up to see Yuriko standing over her with a knowing smile. Maylu looked away, not wanting to admit she was right. “Well, you can play more later, it’s time for breakfast. Arms up.”

Maylu grudgingly abliged, and Yuriko grabbed her by her armpits and lifted her up. Supporting her weight with a hand on the girl’s bum, Yuriko carried her into a dinning room. It had a few pictures on the wall, which were a dark yellow color. The table was round, and seated eight people comfortably. Maylu instantly noted the high chair in the room, and blushed.

“Do I have to sit in a high chair?” she whined.

“Yes you do. You’re going to need all your strength for your doctor’s appointment, which is why I’ll be feeding you.” Yuriko explained as she sat Maylu down on the high chair. She reached behind it, and pulled the tray down over Maylu’s head, before pushing it into place, pinning her arms to her side.

“I’ll be right back.” Yuriko said. She straightened up, but paused for a moment, before reaching down and putting Maylu’s pacifier into the girl’s mouth. Maylu blinked, and looked questioningly at her. “Keep that in your mouth until I get back, and I’ll pour as much syrup as you want onto your pancakes.”

Maylu’s eyes seemed to light up at that, and to Yuriko’s amusement she began suckling on it. Smiling, Yuriko exited through a push door. Maylu stopped suckling after a minute, her jaw was beginning to cramp up on her. Still, she kept a firm grip of the pacifier’s nipple in her mouth.

Yuriko backed into the room, carrying a tray with one of those silver dome lid things Maylu had seen at Yai’s house. She couldn’t remember what they were called, just that they were made to keep heat inside it, thus keeping the food warm longer. Yuriko set the tray down on the table next to her, and removed the lid.

Maylu’s pacifier slipped from her mouth as she drooled at the sight. Two stacks of three pancakes were on two plates, each one seemed to glisten as the light shined down on them. She noted they each had a bit of butter on each of them. Maylu couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she watched Yuriko carefully cut one of the stacks up, making two by two rows.

Lifting that plate up, she set it down on the high chair tray. Maylu licked her lips as Yuriko went behind her, and tied a white bib around her neck. Exiting the room for a moment, she came back with a bottle of syrup. Opening it, she stated, “Tell me when to stop.”

Yuriko let the syrup slide out of the bottle and onto the pancake pieces. She moved it slowly around, first in between the cut areas, then over each individual piece. After the syrup covered almost the plate’s entire surface, Maylu finally said stop. Yuriko speared three pieces with a fork, and lifted them off the plate.

“Open up for the airplane.” Yuriko said. Maylu blushed, but did as she was told. Yuriko placed the fork into Maylu’s mouth, and pulled it out after Maylu clamped down on it.

Oh god! This was the best pancake she’d ever tasted. She moaned softly as she chewed the pieces in her mouth, her tongue rolling the food around in her mouth. After swallowing, she noticed Yuriko was looking at her with a concerned look.

“Everything alright?” She asked.

Maylu blushed. Not meeting her eye, she said, “They’re delicious.”

Yuriko blinked, before chuckling lightly upon realizing the reason Maylu moaned. “Tell me Maylu, when was the last time someone fed you or took care of you like this?” Maylu tried to think of a time when she’d been fed by someone else, but honestly couldn’t remember any, any good times that is.

Yuriko frowned as she got the meaning. Spearing another few pieces through the fork, she raised it to Maylu’s mouth. “Open.”

Maylu complied, and was rewarded with another mouthful of pancake. The process repeated over the next half hour, the food not always making it directly into Maylu’s mouth. By the time both stacks were gone, Maylu had syrup on her mouth, cheeks, and a number of blotches on her bib. Yuriko took a few minutes to try and clean Maylu’s face with the bib, but the girl squirmed in her chair with each attempt.

“Well, that’s the best I can do as is.” Yuriko stated, standing up. Checking her PET she said, “We’ve got a little over an hour before we need to be at the doctor’s office, and I think a bath is in order.”

Maylu blinked. “A bath?”

“Yes, a bath.” Yuriko repeated. “You sound surprised. Don’t you normally bathe at least once a day?”

“Of course.” Maylu said. “I just, well…” She trailed off.

“Is it that this will be the first time someone has seen you naked or bathed you since you were a baby girl?” Yuriko questioned. She watched Maylu’s cheeks grow pink, but the expression on her face suggested there might be something else. Knowing only one other thing, she whispered, “Or are you afraid you’ll see your scars?”

Maylu flinched at that. Yuriko placed a hand on Maylu’s shoulder. “It’s okay baby girl, you can’t see them without help from a mirror.” She paused. “Well, maybe the ones on your legs, but the ones on your back and arms you’ll definitely need a mirror to see.”

She saw Maylu’s head bow, casting shadows over her eyes. Almost feeling the depressing emotions from the baby girl, Yuriko let out a sigh before removing the high chair’s tray. Lifting her up into her arms, Yuriko carried Maylu out of the dinning room and into the living room. Setting the girl down onto the couch, and getting a confused look from said girl, Yuriko walked over to the TV set and grabbed a picture frame off the wall above it.

Taking a seat next to Maylu, she said, “We’re going to be together for a while baby girl, which means we’re going to have to trust one another and be willing to speak to one another when we need something or something is bothering us.” Maylu slowly nodded her head, more in understanding then agreement; she was sitting next to the woman who was considered to be the right hand of the leader of the world’s most dangerous net terrorist organization. Seeing the picture frame being offered to her, Maylu took it and examined the picture.

She immediately identified Yuriko, despite the fact the picture was black and white. She was sitting up in a hospital bed, cradling a bundle in her arms while a man she didn’t recognize had his arms wrapped around her shoulders, his face smiling towards the camera. Examining the bundle, she saw a small face peek out of it.

The full weight of the picture hit her, causing her jaw to drop. Looking up, Maylu exclaimed, “You have a family!”

“Had.” Yuriko corrected, gently taking the picture from her. Tracing the man’s face, she spoke. “The man was my husband of two years, Daniel McNoland. He was a brilliant musician, he would have liked you. That little bundle in my arms was my daughter.”

“Your daughter?” Maylu questioned.

“Yes, Dan and I never agreed on a name for her. Unfortunately, the choice was taken from us just a few days after I gave birth to her.”

“What happened?”

Yuriko’s face darkened. “A group working for a black market trader hit the hospital, kidnapped thirty-seven infants to be sold. Thanks to Duo’s power, I have a cellular regeneration ability hard wired into my DNA, so I had recovered enough to chase after them with Daniel. Those kidnappers were armed though.”

Maylu’s face paled; she could see where this story was heading. Yuriko continued the story. “They weren’t using the energy guns that are common these days, they used old fashioned lead bullet guns. One of them had an automated one with him, and sprayed us both. Daniel got the brunt of it, his torso looked like Swiss cheese. The doctors said he died almost immediately, barely suffering at all…small miracles.

“I took two rounds to my right leg. I dragged myself as far as could to reach them, but the van they were using pulled away a few seconds after we were shot. I blacked out shortly after. My regeneration ability worked against me then because the bullets lodged into the bones in my legs, and the few times they tried to perform surgery to remove them, my skin would seal over the medical supplies.”

Yuriko looked down, and Maylu noticed her hands were clenched into fists on her knees. “I can’t even begin to describe the agony I was in baby girl. The pain in my leg, having just lost my family, and I even learned the doctors wanted to send me to some facility to study me and my ability. That was when I called Regal, who immediately send a team to retrieve me. Not twenty-four hours later I was with Regal…he held me while I told him everything that happened.”

“You’re not, er, I mean you two aren’t…” Maylu trailed off, unable to ask the question.

“We grew up together, he’s like a brother to me.” Yuriko answered. “I had left Regal and Wily when I learned they were going to try their hand at world domination. I managed to get a battlechip distribution license, and was ready to open my own store when I met Daniel. Instead, I got a job at an already existing chip store near where he worked. We soon fell for each other and…”

Maylu hesitated, but reached out and rubbed Yuriko’s shoulder; the woman was practically bearing her soul to her after all. Yuriko looked at her and smiled in thanks. Maylu returned the smile and nodded her head. Yuriko took a deep breath before continuing.

“After X-raying my leg, it was discovered that the bullets had begun fusing into my bone. It was decided a super magnet was too risky to use, as it might tear out part of the bones in my leg. It meant that they’d have to tear open a large part of my leg in order to get to the bullets and get out before my regeneration took place, but there was another problem. My powers aren’t just cellular regeneration, it also causes immunization to take place when my body is exposed to a substance enough. I am immune to most poisons and diseases, but I’m also immune to pain killers and sedatives.”

“Oh god!” Maylu exclaimed, realizing what Yuriko was saying.

Yuriko nodded her head. “They had to bolt me down onto the operating table and gag me while they tore open my leg. It was the worst physical pain I had ever experienced. It felt like I was on the table for days, but really it was only three hours. That said, the operation was a success, and after a month of physical therapy I was able to walk normally again. Still, the damage was so sever that it did cause my skin to scar.”

Standing up, Yuriko grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around her waist. Sitting down next to Maylu, she slipped her sweat pants off and slid her right leg out from under the blanket, revealing a long line running the length of her leg.

“Can’t the medicine I’m going to use heal your scars?” Maylu asked, tracing the line with her gloved hand.

“It can, but I refuse to do it.” Yuriko answered, sliding her leg back under the blanket before pulling the sweat pants back on. “It’s a reminder to what I had and what I lost. I won’t get past what happened to me until I know what happened to my daughter.”

“Have you found anything?” Maylu asked.

Yuriko nodded her head. “I agreed to distribute dark chips for Nebula in exchange to use their resources to search for her. Recently I found the bastard that headed the operation. He didn’t know who she was sold to personally, but he did have a list of people he’s sold abducted children to. I copied the list for myself before shooting him in the legs with a lead bullet gun so he couldn’t escape before the police came.”

It was then Maylu came to a realization; she was Yuriko’s second chance! This whole community was set up as a place for second chances, not just for the kids. Maylu wasn’t sure she was comfortable with that.

Yuriko continued. “I lost my husband and my daughter. But right now I have you, a young girl who has a dream of teaching the joys of music to children, and who has suffered as no one should. Right now you need me as much as I need you baby girl.”

Maylu bit her lip as she mentally went over all the facts in her mind. After several minutes, she sighed. “I guess I can try talking more, but you also gotta cut me some slack too. Just last week I was walking through the mall with my best friend, carrying a shopping bag in one hand and a slushy in the other. I’m supposed to be a big girl, not a baby like you’re treating me, and I don’t like being treated this way.”

“You do have the needs of one.” Yuriko pointed out.

“Just because I have them doesn’t mean you have to treat me like one!” Maylu snapped. Yuriko narrowed her eyes, causing Maylu to shrink back. Taking a deep breath, she spoke. “Try looking at things from my perspective. Last week I was a normal girl; going to school, shopping at the mall, and hanging out with friends. Now I’m stuck here, unable to walk or lift anything up, myself included, and am forced to wear and use diapers, drink from baby bottle and sippy cups, and play with baby toys! How is being a baby supposed to help me as a person?” Realizing what she just said, she whispered, “Am I even a person anymore?”

Yuriko pulled Maylu onto her lap, and wrapped her arms around her. “Maylu.” She said slowly. “This is a chance for you to start over, to start anew. You get to experience a better childhood, and you get the chance to become an even better person then you were before.” Not seeing any response from Maylu, she asked, “Can you honestly say you’ve had a good childhood since that Nanny of yours entered your life?”

There was silence for several seconds. “Well, it has gotten better in the past few years.” Maylu said weakly.

“Better?” Yuriko questioned.

“I haven’t been in that room more them four times a year since I was nine.” Maylu muttered.

“And being abused in that room like that for any amount of time is a good thing?” Yuriko asked. Maylu looked down. “I thought so. Maylu, this is your second chance to enjoy your life the way you should have. After the year of physical therapy, heck, maybe even less then that, we can always move into another community, one with an older age group mind set.

“As it stands Maylu, while you’re here in this community, you are considered a baby girl. People will refer to you as a baby girl, and they will treat you as a baby girl. This is something you’ll have to accept and get used to, and it’s something I’m trying to help prepare you for by constantly reminding you. If you try to fight this treatment, you’ll be punished, and possibly removed from my care and protection. That’s something neither of us want. I’m…I’m willing to try to meet you halfway Maylu, and I’ll do my best to make certain you’re not miserable here. Can you try for me Maylu?”

Maylu didn’t say anything for some time, but eventually, slowly nodded her head. Yuriko shook hers. “I want to hear you say it. I want to hear you say you’ll try to not give me or anyone else here too hard a time.”

Maylu sighed. “I promise I’ll try not to give you or anyone else a hard time.”

Yuriko smiled and ruffled Maylu’s hair. “That’s my girl. Now what’s say we get that bath running? We might just have enough time for a splash fight!”

Maylu tried to fight it, but she couldn’t stop a smile from worming its way onto her face. A splash fight did seem appealing right about now, and after all, how often can one say they managed to splash a net terrorist and get away with it?