This is the 6th chapter in the series I have from  Omi He's the most wonderful author ever and a pure joy working with! I urge you yo check them out if you enjoy this chapter!

---

Nephyr’s talons tapped against the floor nervously as he waited to be freed from his car seat. He could’ve gotten himself out of it easily, but he was sure that this wouldn’t go over very well with Miss Garland, the preschool teacher who was going around and helping the other toddlers with their buckles. Well, not the other toddlers; the twenty-one-year-old peregrine falcon was only being treated as one for the time being.
He squirmed in his seat, his diaper still warm from his fresh wetting. The bulge was faintly visible in the outline of his shorts. He hoped that the badger teacher didn’t think to check to see if he’d had an accident on the short bus ride here. Knowing that constantly glancing down at his crotch area would likely send up a bright red warning flag, he tried to keep his gaze straight ahead as Miss Garland made her way towards the back of the school bus.
To be completely honest, the falcon was rather interested in checking out the aquarium; he’d never visited here before, and the fact that he was getting in for free was certainly a nice bonus. Though he wished that it was on his own time, rather than accompanying a group of little kids. He meant them no ill will, of course, but the sight of an adult bird wearing a clearly childish outfit walking among them was sure to turn some heads. That was what he was dreading the most.
After a few moments, Miss Garland had arrived at the back of the bus. After unbuckling Princess, the grey and blue fox across from his seat, she turned and did the same for him. He remained seated for a few seconds, seeing as that was what the children were doing. Birdie see, birdie do.
When the badger retreated to the front of the bus, she turned around to look at the small, seated crowd. “Alright, everyone! Just a reminder, I expect you all to be on your absolute best behavior while we’re here. No shouting or yelling whatsoever; we’re going to practice using our inside voices. We’re going to see lots of fish swimming around in glass tanks; do not put your hands on the glass, because it will frighten the fish. We don’t want to scare the fishies, do we?”
“No!” came the unanimous response from the children. Nephyr shook his head, having missed the cue to respond.
“Good! Also, make sure everyone stays with the group. We’re going to walk double-file–that is, two single-file lines, side by side–so everyone follow the person in front of you. If you see someone is missing, tell me immediately. And if you do get split up from the main group, stay where you are and don’t move. That’ll make it easier to find you. Everyone understand?”
“Yes ma’am!” they all replied, Nephyr included.
“Excellent! Let’s go and have some fun! Everyone exit the bus one at a time, and make sure you have everything with you that you brought.”
Nephyr stood up from his seat, bending down to pick up his small red backpack and put it on. He then tugged down his shirt to cover the crinkly waistband of his soggy diaper. He was the last one to get off the bus, and he was okay with that; his gait was a little awkward because of the bulky garment wrapped around his waist, and he didn’t want any of the kids to tease him. That being said, any “teasing” that they’d done had been little more than innocent inquiries, a byproduct to be expected from their youth. Still, while he had accepted the fact that he was going to be wearing and using diapers 24/7 for the foreseeable future, he still wasn’t entirely comfortable with them.
He licked his beak, remembering what he’d felt a few minutes ago when he’d wet himself. The “accident” had felt more than a little nice, a lot more than previous usages had. It had planted a seed of worry in him; that he was becoming relaxed about his diapers at an abnormally quick rate, and was even starting to enjoy them. The thought that he could possibly like the garments made him feel uneasy. He didn’t want to like them. It was just…wrong. Wasn’t it? He sighed quietly as he stepped off the bus, not even noticing the rottweiler driver’s quiet giggle at his waddling gait. With everything that had been happening to him during the course of his rehabilitation, the line of what was acceptable and unacceptable, reality and fiction, was turning blurry and faded. Much like the wetness indicator on his diaper surely looked like right now.
Once he was off the bus, he made a conscious effort to make his strides look as natural as possible. He knew that no matter how hard he tried, it’d be obvious to others that he was wearing a diaper; as long as they couldn’t tell that the diaper was wet, he’d consider it a success. Particularly Miss Garland. He was worried that she might be a bit public with announcing the state of his pants should she discover it.
Luckily for him, the badger didn’t do her routinely diaper checks after they’d been lined up double-file. Perhaps she didn’t think that any of them would’ve had an accident in the short time since the last check. Nonetheless, he was grateful for this small victory–or perhaps postponement of defeat–as they all headed into the reception room of the aquarium. Nephyr allowed himself to relax at the sight of the parking lot. Perhaps two dozen cars were parked around the lot. Considering the size of the facility and the fact that many of the vehicles likely belonged to workers, it didn’t seem to be a particularly bustling day. The fewer people who witnessed his embarrassment, the better.
The falcon stretched his wings out as they entered the reception area, the air conditioning feeling lovely against his feathers. He then went back to using them to keep his Top Wing shirt pulled down over his waistband as Miss Garland checked in with a snow leopard employee, who looked as though she was going to be their tour guide. He caught both of the adults casting glances at him as they exchanged words, making him fidget in place and try not to meet their eyes. Was Miss Garland telling the feline to draw attention to him whenever she could? Was the leopard ridiculing his childish garb and the very obvious, diaper-shaped bulge in his pants? He was almost positive that the badger was simply filling in the guide on the situation, but with the things he’d been put through, it was hard not to think about the worst, most humiliating situations possible.
After a few moments, both the adults turned to look at the group. The snow leopard spoke first, a small microphone clipped to her shirt amplifying her voice just enough to allow her to speak over the hustle and bustle of the facility’s entrance area. “Good morning, everyone! My name is Citrine, and it’s my pleasure to be your tour guide for the day! I’m very excited to show you all around the Bluescale Marine Aquarium, or BMA as we like to call it. And I do hope you all learn something today! If you come right this way, we’ll take a look at our indoor exhibits first. Please stay in your lines as you follow me!”
Citrine turned and led the small class down a hall to their right, the kids chattering and wagging their tails or twitching their ears excitedly. Instead of staying at the front with the guide, Miss Garland instead took up the rear, likely to keep track of everyone and make sure no one tried to toddle off. It also gave her the added benefit of being very close to Nephyr; something that she immediately took advantage of, almost before he’d even had a chance to process this fact.
“Nephyr, sweetie? Your diaper is sagging. Do you need a change?” the badger asked.
“N-not so loud!” the falcon hissed, almost certain that his burning blush was showing through his black cheek feathers. He looked to see if the tour guide had heard, but if she had, she gave no indication of it. She was saying something about how the facility ran primarily on generous donations and ticket purchases from visitors to do their important research.
“I’m whispering,” Miss Garland replied patiently. “And no one can hear us.”
“P-princess can hear you!” the bird retorted, pointing at the fox staring at them.
“I dint hear nuffin!” she responded quietly, as if on cue. She stuck her fingers in her ears. “Lalalala…”
Nephyr pouted and crossed his wings childishly as the teacher continued talking. “I’m only asking because it’s going to be an hour and a half before a lunch break, which is when diaper changes will be. It’d be rude and a little inconvenient for everyone to pull you away in the middle of the tour for a change. That’s why I’m giving you the opportunity now; do you need a change, or can you wait that long?”
The falcon gulped, rubbing his forewing in embarrassment. He didn’t like the thought of wandering around with a saggy, wet diaper for such a long time, but he certainly didn’t want to pause the tour before it started. He didn’t want Citrine’s first impression of him being that he was an adult bird who couldn’t hold his bladder. “I-I can wait, y-yes. I’m only w-wet. A-and I’m sorry for snapping.”
“It’s okay, sweetie,” Miss Garland assured him, and they left the conversation at that. Squirming internally, Nephyr turned his attention back ahead as they traveled into a rather dark room.
“Why’s it so dawk in here?” one of the toddlers ahead of him asked.
“We keep this room dark so that it doesn’t bother the fish,” explained the tour guide. “All of these fish and animals in the tanks that you see require a different amount of light to stay healthy. If we keep the room dark, it’s easier to regulate the light sources for each enclosure; that is, make the lights just as bright as they need to be for each creature.”
Nephyr looked around at the room. It was a lot longer than he’d thought it was at first glance, spanning several dozen meters front to back. The walls were sectioned off into what looked like six total sectors, three on either side, with a pathway in the middle leading directly to the back of the long room. The walls were lined with fish tanks seemingly built into them, though this was likely an elaborate illusion. How would the workers be able to feed the fish otherwise? Each of the tanks gave off a different shade and color of light, ranging from white to blue to purple. Some were bright, some were very dim. A few weren’t illuminated at all. It was a rather relaxing atmosphere. Plus, it’d be very difficult for anyone to see his diaper in the darkness, so that was certainly a plus. Of course, the air was a bit more hushed in here, so the rustling of his undergarment was a bit more obvious…
“We’ll start off our tour with Raymond, our aquarium’s beloved moray eel,” Citrine spoke through her microphone, ushering the class towards a fish tank to their right that took up the majority of the wall’s length. “He’s lived here comfortably for fourteen years, and everyone who works here is a big fan of him. These eels have two sets of jaws; one you can see on the outside, and one that stays in their throat until it’s time to eat. Think of it like having a mouth inside your mouth!”
Nephyr furrowed his brow as he stared into the dimly lit tank. The greenish-brown eel within was massive, though most of its–or his–body was hidden in a tunnel of sorts, likely made to resemble a den. His head was poking out, though, the round eye on the side of his head peering back at the group ogling him, his gills flexing and contracting as he breathed. His mouth was agape, allowing them all to see a row of razor-sharp teeth within. Two mouths, one invisible until he was ready to eat? It reminded the falcon of a science fiction movie…
After they’d all gotten a fill of staring at the eel, they moved on to the other side of the room. They skipped over a few somewhat plain-looking fish; he guessed that it would take hours upon hours for the tour guide to share facts about every last one, and there was very little chance that the toddlers would stay interested for very long if they started seeing what looked to them like the same fish over and over again.
“These here are cuttlefish,” Citrine said, gesturing to another fish tank. This one was more brightly lit, and was filled with sediment and plantlike decorations, smaller than what was in the eel’s much larger tank. Nephyr furrowed his brow as he spotted the denizens within. Those were supposed to be fish? They looked so…well, weird! Most of them were crawling around on the bed of the tank, crawling around via the use of a dozen appendages on what must’ve been their faces, if those weird, curvy black lines were supposed to be their eyes. Their bodies were arrow shaped, lined with a bizarre membrane that moved in a way that reminded him of stingrays. These weird little things looked more like squid than fish. “Don’t be fooled by their name; cuttlefish are not cuddly, and they also aren’t fish! They’re actually in the mollusk family. That means that they’re more closely related to octopus and squid than regular fish.” Nephyr nodded in understanding. That definitely cleared up some things…he had no idea that he’d actually be learning things today.
As the class all got a good look at the cuttlefish, watching them swim around and change color in the light, a bobcat by the name of Jessie asked their guide a question. “Will we getta seeda octopusses?”
“Sadly, we don’t have any octopus on exhibit right now,” Citrine replied.
“What about squid?” Nephyr asked before he remembered that he was trying to lie low. Oops. He squirmed in place a little as all the eyes in the group turned to him, including Citrine’s. “Er, um, I-I mean, s-so the kids can have a, um, v-visual comparison between them a-and the, uh, c-cuttlefish…”
The leopard nodded. “Unfortunately, we don’t have any actual squid here, because they’re very difficult to keep in captivity. They’re usually studied out in the field, which is why we don’t know a lot about them compared to other aquatic creatures. However, some of what we DO know about them is on display in an exhibit up ahead, past those doors at the end of the room.” She pointed at them. “So once we’re done in here, we can take a look at the squid exhibit…and then we’ll go and see some turtles!”
“Turtles!?” yipped a toddler timber wolf. “Turtles are so cool!”
“Sharks are cooler!”
“Nuh-uh, jellyfish are da best!”
Nephyr chuckled softly as the preschoolers erupted into a playful argument over which sea critter was the best, while Miss Garland quickly stepped in to settle them all down. He was glad that the tour guide hadn’t acted weird about his question; she had responded just like she did to the other kids who had something to ask her.
That is, she treated him the same way she treated the toddlers.
“Alright, let’s move on, everyone!” Citrine spoke up again once some semblance of order had been restored to the group. “Right over here is one of my personal favorites, the queen angelfish…”

---

The group slowly moved through the long, dark room, with Citrine doing an excellent job of keeping the kids entertained. Nephyr had never seen so many kids stand in one general area for so long, oohing and aahing at the colorful fish swimming about in the lively tanks. He stayed silent for the majority of the tour, though he did occasionally muster the courage to ask a question here and there. Again, he was surprised to actually be learning something on this trip. He had thought that everything would be laid out plain and easy for the younger kids, but the snow leopard had no issue with explaining things in depth, and backtracking upon herself and explaining things in simpler terms to the toddlers if need be.
The falcon did his best to stay focused on the tour, but he was acutely aware of the other visitors that weren’t part of their little group. Every time a stranger got near them, he would do his best to look more like a chaperone than an oversized toddler, which was difficult with his khakis, shirt, and backpack. He was almost positive that no one could see the diaper bulge through his pants in the dim light, but he made sure to keep his tail feathers lowered at all times, just in case.
Slowly but surely, they made their way to the other end of the room. They all filed their way out of the double doors at the end once they were through with all of the exhibits within, and they all shaded their eyes as they stepped back out into the sun. Nephyr had to squint and block the sun overhead with his wing; the gazebo-like screen covering overhead did little to impede the sun’s bright rays, especially given how dark the previous room was. It took several moments for everyone’s eyes to adjust and for the tour to continue.
The first area they came across, right outside the doors, was the squid exhibit that Citrine had promised. It was fairly less interesting than the fish tanks inside the building; apart from a few models of different species of squids, all there was to see were a few posters and plaques on the wall that detailed information on their habitats, diet, lifespan, and more. All of this was summarized quickly by the leopard, who seemed to sense that the kids would lose interest much more quickly if nothing was moving around in front of them and they just had to stand there for a lecture.
They soon continued along to another area, still outside. At least the sun wasn’t too oppressive; the screen helped a moderate amount with that. But Nephyr gasped quietly as they turned a corner. This area was much more populated than inside. Perhaps business was starting to pick up, but there were a few dozen people milling about and walking around out here. Some were workers, most were visitors…and they’d all be able to see his childish clothing and diaper bulge exposed in broad daylight.
The falcon shook nervously as the tour went on, trying hard to keep his lower body angled towards the nearest wall whenever he could, though this wasn’t always possible of course. He knew that he was attracting curious looks from many passersby, but he found that the best way to ignore them was to focus entirely on the information that Citrine was rattling off. If he was ever going to survive this lengthy sentence, he had to learn to be passive about how others reacted around him. It was far easier said than done, but he was determined to at least try.
The next outdoor exhibit was comprised of several species of sea turtles, as the snow leopard had promised earlier. She told the children to stay behind a metal railing as they peered into the large, shallow pools that the turtles swam around in, and emphasized that they should absolutely not try to touch them, as that was a quick and efficient way to go about losing some fingers. Some of the kids were too short to look into the raised pools, but several transparent viewports on the sides of the pools negated this problem, allowing them to stare at the pretty creatures within as long as they crouched.
“These are our loggerhead sea turtles,” Citrine spoke into her mic. “At an average of three feet long, they are the world’s largest species of hard-shelled turtle, and second largest turtle species overall. Their strong jaws help them crush the shells of clams and crabs when they eat.”
“What are da largest kinda turtles?” Princess piped up curiously, the vixen’s tail wagging.
The snow leopard smiled, a gleam in her eye. “I’m glad you asked! The largest species of turtle is called the leatherback. And if you come right over here, on the other side of this pool, you can meet our resident leatherback turtle, Andrew!”
The crowd of children followed Citrine excitedly, clamoring to see the record-sized turtle. They oohed and gasped as they laid eyes upon it; even Nephyr clicked his beak as he saw the impressively sized creature. It was easily five feet long from head to stubby tail, almost as long as the bird was tall. While the previous turtles had been brown and white, this one was almost entirely a pure, shiny black, its muscles rippling powerfully as it glided lazily through the water.
“Andrew is another one of our favorite residents at the aquarium,” Citrine spoke above the excited chatter of the schoolchildren. “He’s been here since we opened twenty whole years ago. He’s even smart enough to recognize some of the older staff members–especially the ones that give him food.” Miss Garland and Nephyr both chuckled at that.
“Why is he called a weatherback?” inquired Kevin, a tiger cub.
“It’s actually leatherback, with an L. And he’s called a leatherback because of his shell–or lack thereof! If you look closely, his carapace–that is, the area on his back–doesn’t have a bony shell like must turtles do. Instead, he’s protected by a thick layer of skin that feels like leather. So that’s why he’s called a leatherback turtle!”
Nephyr and the children watched the massive turtle drift around in his pool while Citrine answered a few other questions from the group, as well as one from a nearby couple who chimed in. There sure were a lot of interesting marine animals; the falcon was enjoying learning about them, despite the current circumstances for his visit.
After several minutes of ogling at these and a few other turtles, Miss Garland made the announcement that it was time for lunch. Nephyr licked his beak; before she’d mentioned it, he hadn’t realized how hungry he was getting. But he also remembered that this rose of lunch had a thorn. The badger had told him earlier that lunchtime was to be synonymous for diaper change time. On one wing, he’d be happy to get out of the cold and clammy diaper wrapped around his waist. But on the other, he still detested the humiliating changes for how small they made him feel…though the thought of a dry diaper was rather alluring right now…but shouldn’t he be yearning for a pair of underwear instead of a fresh nappy? He shook his head, trying to clear his mind as Citrine led them to the lunch area. It was still outdoors, but there was a lot more shade here, thanks to an overhang.
As the class got situated at a few tables, Citrine got their attention once more. “Unfortunately, our little expedition ends here. I need to go and start a tour for another group of kids who just got here. After your lunchtime, a different guide will come to escort you for the rest of your visit. I hope I was able to teach everyone something!”
“You did!” barked Princess, giggling. “Eels have two moufs!”
“And jellyfishes dun have any brains!” chimed in Jessie, pointing at her head.
Miss Garland smiled at Citrine. “Thank you for your hard work, dear. My students really liked you. What do we say to the nice kitty, everyone?”
“Thaaaank yoooou!” the kids chorused. Nephyr joined in too, somewhat less enthusiastically, though he tried his best not to appear rude.
“It was my pleasure, everyone,” Citrine meowed, waving at them all as she started to walk towards the nearest entrance to the main building. “Bye for now!”
Once the tour guide left, Miss Garland went about getting everyone seated and ensuring that everyone had remembered to bring a lunch. As she sat down, Nephyr approached her sheepishly. “Miss Garland?”
“You’ll get your diaper changed after lunch, sweetheart,” the badger replied automatically as she pulled her own lunch out of her backpack. The kids near her tried to suppress their giggles.
“N-not that,” the falcon replied, heat rising to his face. “I-I was wondering if it’d be okay for me to sit at that table, there.” He pointed to a vacant, two-person table just a few rows over from where the kids were sitting. “J-just to clear my head a bit. P-please?”
The badger thought for a moment, then nodded. “Since you asked so nicely, go ahead, sweetie.”
Nephyr breathed a sigh of relief. “Th-thank you, ma’am.” He toddled over to the empty table and unshouldered his small backpack as he sat down, his diaper squishing underneath him, though it provided a reasonably comfortable cushion for the hard, green steel seat. It felt nice to sit down and have a moment of clarity, even though he felt the need to tug the back of his shirt down over his waistband and not bend too far forward.
The falcon started unpacking the lunch that had been prepared for him by the bizarre adult daycare that was apparently his temporary home. A double decker peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a granola bar, a cup of strawberry yogurt, two small cartons of orange juice, and a bottle of water. It would be enough to fill him up, but he was also aware of how kid-friendly it was. Nonetheless, feeling tired and hungry from walking around so much, he gobbled up his granola bar before digging into his sandwich.
“Nephyr! Hey!”
He nearly choked on a piece of bread, quickly taking a swig from his water bottle to wash it down and simultaneously hide his frightened expression. That voice…he knew that voice. It couldn’t be…there was no way…putting down his water bottle, he looked up to see a familiar light brown- and yellow-feathered golden eagle walking his way. “N-Natalie! Uh, w-what are you doing here?”
The other bird cocked an eyebrow, smirking. She was wearing a pair of loose-fitting jeans and a pink blouse with ruffled sleeves and a lopsided purple heart emblazoning her belly. “Uh, same as you, I think? Visiting the aquarium, what else?”
Nephyr gulped and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. The eagle was one of his few real friends, and a very close one at that. He had a bit of a liking towards her…no, that was an understatement. He had a very big crush on her. Whether or not she knew of this, she’d never really mentioned…and he was too much of a nervous wreck to make any advances on her. So as of that moment, they were very good friends. The fact that she had decided to visit this place on the exact day of the field trip was an incredibly large stroke of poor luck for Nephyr. “Erm, s-sorry, didn’t mean it l-like that…”
Natalie giggled, setting her backpack down beside the two-person table. “I know what you meant, dork. Is this seat taken?” She smiled at him endearingly, and he felt his heart flutter and skip a beat concurrently.
“Ah, n-not at all. I mean, um, it’s…” Nephyr shook his head. “Please, uh, s-sit.”
“Yes, sir!” the eagle chirped, putting the tip of her wing to her forehead in a mock salute before taking a seat. “But to answer your question for real, I’m just here to get some info for a research paper. I have to write a report for my marine biology class on squids, of all things. I swear, my professor assigns projects on the most random topics.”
Nephyr licked some grape jelly off of his beak as he adjusted his sitting position, trying to appear relaxed and less awkward than usual. He realized that this was a poor choice, as any movement he made with his legs caused his disposable undies to crinkle loudly, attempting to announce to his crush that he was wearing an adult diaper. He decided that maybe it’d be best to just sit still and only move his wings from his food to his beak. “W-well, I mean, squids are kind of interesting. Like, um, th-they actually have skeletons that are made of chitin, which is something usually found in the exoskeletons of c-certain insects, b-but their skeleton is, um, inside them.”
“Huh. That’s…actually kinda interesting. But how the heck do you know something like that?”
“Citr–er, I-I saw it on a poster,” Nephyr interrupted himself. He didn’t know why he felt the urge to not name the tour guide, since that wasn’t something reserved exclusively for children. Maybe it would just lead to a string of other questions, such as why he needed a guide, and why he was accompanying a troupe of preschoolers…he pointed behind her. “Th-there’s a squid exhibit back there, to the right, past that corner. Th-they don’t have any actual squid, since they don’t do w-well when they aren’t in their natural habitat.”
Natalie chuckled. “Well, I think I’ll have to call you Squidmaster Nephyr! Hahaha~ Thanks for the info, I’ll make sure to check that exhibit out when I’m ready to, you know, get on with schoolwork. What’s a ‘Top Wing’, by the way?”
Nephyr blinked, furrowing his brow as he took a sip of juice. “Uh…?”
“Your shirt,” she answered, nodding at his chest. The falcon inhaled sharply, having completely forgotten about the piece of clothing emblazoned with the logo for the show his caretaker had sat down to watch with him this morning. “It sounds familiar, actually. I think it’s a TV show? Yeah, yeah, my younger sister likes to watch that show in the morning, if she gets ready for school quickly enough. Are you a fan of it too?”
The falcon said nothing, licking his beak nervously as his gaze darted from side to side. Some of the preschoolers were looking his way, but their teacher tried to get them to not stare. He felt panicky, like he was being backed into a corner…
“Hey, it’s fine,” Natalie piped up before he could even begin to think of a way to reply. “Everyone has things that they like that might seem weird to others. Heck, I respect ya for having the courage to wear that shirt out and…about…hey, Neph?” She tilted her head, looking at him with a worried expression. “Is everything alright? You don’t look well.”
“I’ve just, uh, got a lot on my mind is all…s-sorry.”
“Is it because of the sentencing?”
Nephyr’s eyes widened as he almost toppled backwards out of his seat. “What d-do you…y-you mean, you know…wha…”
“Ok, shoot, sorry, maybe I shouldn’t have put things so bluntly,” Natalie said, grimacing as she rubbed the back of her head.
The falcon was tearing up. His best friend knew…how much? “H-how much do you know?”
The golden eagle reached out to grab his wing in hers. “Nephyr. I want you to relax. I don’t know exactly what you’re going through, but I do know a good chunk of it. I know it’s not your fault…well, in a way it is, but what I mean is that I know this stuff isn’t your choice.” She rubbed her forehead with her free wing. “Ugh, I hate having to be serious. Listen, I went into your store before I came over here. I just wanted to drop in and say hi since it was on the way. I asked around a bit, and this fox–Cray, was his name?”
“C-Craig,” Nephyr whimpered, his talons curling at the mention of his coworker.
“Right. He…told me everything. Said that he was in charge of you, and that you had to take preschool classes and spend the night at a daycare. And he also let it slip what you have to wear. Under your outfit, I mean.”
The falcon groaned, his lunch suddenly not sitting well in his stomach. He felt a tear rolling down his cheek. “I-I dunno what to even s-say…”
“It’s alright, Neph,” Natalie soothed, squeezing his wing in hers. “If it makes you feel any better, I almost smacked that smug jerk across the face.” Her friend snorted and managed to crack the smallest of smiles at the thought. “But listen, I just want you to know that I’m here if you need me, alright? If you need a distraction, just give me a text and we can chat for a bit.”
“Th-they haven’t really let me have my phone yet,” Nephyr stammered, wiping at his face and taking a deep breath. “B-but I’ll remember. Th-thanks, Natalie. I’ll t-try to remember to ask for my phone l-later. A-and thanks for not being like, weirded out or anything.”
“Weirded out?” she echoed, cocking an eyebrow. “What’s there to be weirded out about? You’re just serving your sentence. It isn’t like you’re having fun with it…is it?”
Nephyr gulped, hesitating for a brief moment. “I-I mean…comparatively speaking, i-it’s a lot better than sitting in a p-prison cell. A-at least, I assume it is, n-never having done the latter.”
“But are you enjoying walking around and being treated like a preschooler?” Natalie insisted, her yellow eyes sparkling. “And please, be honest with me. I won’t think any less of you, no matter what you say.”
The falcon blushed as he made eye contact with her. She’d always been incredibly patient and understanding despite her outwardly raucous demeanor, ever since they’d met one another back in high school. But this question of hers was direct and to the point, cutting rather close to the bone…“I-I mean…I…I don’t know.” Nephyr took a shaky breath, realizing how much he wanted to get these bottled up feelings out of him. He looked around, making sure that no one else was within earshot. “I-I want to say no. But I can’t. A-and I don’t know why. I w-want to hate everything going on w-with every fiber of my being, but I can’t. I-I don’t completely hate it. A-and I just can’t piece together why I don’t. I can’t say that I’m enjoying it, b-but…it’s not the worst thing I’ve e-ever had to do, I guess.”
Natalie’s face remained with the same calm, patient expression she’d had before his brief, clumsy speech. “It’s alright, Nephyr. Sometimes things are strange and confusing like that. It almost sounds like you’re going through a second puberty.” Both of the avians shared a much-needed laugh to lighten the mood a little. “Thank you for feeling comfortable enough to share this information with me. It makes me feel…I dunno, kinda special, I guess? I just hope I didn’t push you too far out of your comfort zone.”
Nephyr scoffed. “I-I don’t think I can be pushed much farther than I already have. Regardless of my w-weird feelings, this has all been pretty stressful. The worst part is feeling like EVERYONE can tell that I’m wearing a, uh…a-a diaper under my pants.”
“Like you showed up to school in your underwear?” the golden eagle made the comparison. “Er, no puns intended.”
He nodded. “Yeah, kinda like that…” Glancing over at his teacher and classmates, he saw that they were all cleaning up the mess from their lunch. “I-I think it’s time to head out.”
“Gotcha,” Natalie chirped, standing up. “Well hey, it was good to catch you, despite the circumstances. Keep in touch and hang in there, alright?”
Nephyr nodded again, finishing his second juice box in one quick swig. “W-will do. Thank you, N-Natalie.”
“No problem. Seeya around, little wing~” She shouldered her backpack and turned to head towards the squid exhibit now that she had directions to it, leaving Nephyr to squirm and blush at the new nickname he seemed to have acquired. He gathered up his trash, putting it all in the same paper bag he’d used to carry his lunch, and discarded it. He put his half-empty water bottle back in his bag, reminding himself to refill it when he had the chance.
“Nephyr,” Miss Garland said as she approached him. The falcon gulped, half expecting her to make some kind of quip about his impromptu meeting with his friend. But what she did was actually worse, in a way; she extended a hand to him, holding a box of wipes and a fresh, colorful, folded adult diaper, and told him, “You’re the only one here who needs a diaper change. Since you’ve been so well-behaved during this trip, I’ll let you go and take care of yourself in the bathroom–right through those doors there–while we wait for the next tour guide. Try to be back within ten minutes, okay?”
Nephyr hastily snatched up the baby wipes and folded diaper, trying his best to hide them in the plumage of his wings. It was a difficult task, thanks to the bulkiness of them both. “Y-yes, ma’am, th-thank you,” he stammered, grateful for the opportunity to not have to suffer the embarrassment of having his diaper changed for him, but also feeling quite small at the revelation that he was the only one who’d wet himself out of the several un-potty trained and in-training preschoolers. The fact that she’d been so casual about the declaration and handoff didn’t help matters either. He hoped that he was imagining the laughter in the background, or that it wasn’t directed at him. “B-be back s-soon.”
The bird hurried off, headed for the indoor restrooms, praying that he’d run into as few people as possible on the way. He didn’t want to waste time trying to hide the diaper and wipes in his far-too-small backpack, nor did he want to tuck the former under his shirt, as that would inevitably cause his crinkly waistband to show and make the outline in his britches more obvious. Instead, he settled for a very brisk pace, keeping his gaze low to avoid eye contact with anyone, keeping his wings crossed over his chest as he pushed his way inside. Not allowing himself a moment to take in the air conditioning, he made for the bathroom as soon as he laid eyes on it, breathing a sigh of relief as he entered to see that it was deserted. Knowing that this could change within moments, he dashed towards the larger stall and locked himself inside.
He let out a deep sigh to calm his racing heart, looking for a place to set his fresh diaper and wipes while he changed. The bathroom looked decently clean, but he didn’t want to just put them on the floor. He was somewhat germophobic. The sink didn’t have a counter equipped, and it was automatic, so putting the fresh diaper in it would be a very bad idea. The toilet didn’t have a top lid. The only platform in the room was…a foldout changing table. Of course.
Sighing again and blushing hard, Nephyr unfolded the changing table to set his diaper and wipes on it. He undid the fasteners on his khaki pants, tugging them down and putting them on the changing table, too. He clenched his beak as he looked at himself in the mirror over the sink–more specifically, at the drenched diaper sagging between his legs. He blushed hard, actually having forgotten what it had looked like; it was white–at least, it was, but now it was mostly yellowed–with pink trim, and used to have several crowns and rattles to serve as wetness indicators, which had long since faded away. He had actually wet himself again during the tour, though it hadn’t been as much as his first accident. Turning to angle his backside towards the mirror, he saw the word “Princess” still written along his rear in fancy lettering.
He shook his head as he hastily undid the tapes on his diaper, wincing at how loudly they echoed around the tiled room. He didn’t want to stare at the girly diaper any longer than he needed to; he couldn’t name the way it was making him feel, but he didn’t like it. Spreading his legs a bit, he made sure to hold the garment tightly as the tapes were undone, his tail feathers twitching as he saw how yellow the padding inside was. It had gone awfully far up the rear…he quickly rolled up the diaper, doing his best to copy what he’d seen Miss Garland and Evie do, before setting it in the nearest trash can. He covered it up with some paper towels, muttering a quiet apology to whoever would have to take care of the trash later.
Moving quickly since he was on a time limit, he used a half dozen wipes to clean up his lower regions, lifting and stretching his legs in all sorts of strange ways to wipe the urine off of every inch of his crotch and rear. Once he felt clean, he unfolded his fresh diaper. This one was much less girly than the previous one, but just as infantile; colored a dark blue, it was covered with yellow, blue, and red cars and trucks, as well as the usual center stripe for a wetness indicator. He put it on himself as best as he could, pinning the back fold of it between his body and the wall after securing the tail tape, and almost giving himself a wedgie while he applied the four tapes to the landing zone on the front.
Adjusting the diaper and wiggling his hips to make himself comfortable, Nephyr pulled his pants back up over the bulky padding–this one felt a bit thicker than the one from before–and tucked the box of wipes under his wing. After folding the changing table back up, he washed his wing-hands and left the bathroom. Turning left, he was going to quickly rejoin his group…but he was stopped by a pair of teenaged individuals. One was a male, white-furred cat with a pair of saber-tooth fangs, wearing a pair of ragged jeans and a tee shirt with the logo of some band that the falcon was unfamiliar with. The other was a female border collie with far too many piercings in her left ear, wearing a similar getup to her friend. Normally, the bird wouldn’t have paid them any mind, simply excusing himself and walking right around them. But both of them were grinning ear-to-ear, and staring straight at him with a ferocity that made him stop in his tracks. “Um…s-sorry, can I help you?”
“I think that’s what we should be asking you,” the cat sneered. “Do you need help changing your diaper, ya big baby?”
The border collie cackled. “Yeah, from the look of your sagging pants before you went in the bathroom, you sure did a number on em! Why were you even in the bathroom all by yourself, huh? Surely a pants-wetting diaper baby like yourself isn’t old enough to use the potty by yourself!”
Nephyr immediately started to panic. The two teenagers were being extremely direct with their accusations, and none too quiet with their voices. He could see heads turning from the corner of his vision. “L-listen, I don’t know what y-you two are talking about…”
“Yes you do!” retorted the feline, his tail lashing with vicious amusement. “You really were not doing a good job at hiding that saggy backside of yours, bud.”
“I-I’m not wearing a–”
“Yes you are!” interjected the dog. “You went in there to change yourself. How else do you explain that box of baby wipes, huh?”
Nephyr shifted his wing a little, trying to hide the package better. Realizing that that was a mistake, he hastily replied, “I-I don’t l-like germs, I-I was using them t-to grab h-handles and…”
“Aww, the poor baby’s so flustered that he can’t even talk right,” the border collie derided. “D-does b-baby n-need h-his b-b-bottle?”
The falcon took a step back, prompting his assailants to take two steps forward. He was very self-conscious about his stammer; it felt as though he’d just taken a hit to the gut. His eyes were filling with tears, and while he was trying incredibly hard not to break down in front of the two of them, he couldn’t blink them back or rub them away without drawing attention to them. “K-knock it off, I-I’ve had a s-speech problem s-since I was–”
“A baby?” the feline finished his sentence for him. “Sounds about right. I guess some things really don’t change, do they?”
“Y’know, apart from baby diapers,” giggled the dog, her tail wagging with devilish delight. “You did change yourself, didn’tcha, baby? I think we need to check him, don’t we?”
“Oh yeah, absolutely! Can’t have a kid running around with soiled pants on our watch, can we?”
Nephyr tried to backpedal away, but the kids were swift and agile. Before he could manage to escape, they’d wrapped their paws around his empty belt loops. The bird staggered and fought for balance as, with a quick, firm tug from both of them, his khakis came free and fell in a heap around his talons. Once he regained his balance, shock took hold of the falcon, causing him to stay rooted in place. All escape and self-defense instincts shut off in his mind, leaving him immobilized with terror.
He was in public. There were people around him, watching the spectacle out of the corners of their eyes, though none dared to step in between the bird and his aggressors. And now every single one of them was staring at him openly. Staring at the adult with a gargantuan, puffy, colorful, childish diaper wrapped around his waist, affirming every single thing that the bullies had accused him of.
The two of them were hooting and howling with laughter, almost falling over themselves as they taunted and harassed him relentlessly, calling him all sorts of horrible names in reference to his disposable undergarment. Nephyr’s legs were shaking, his breaths short and ragged, his head swimming with all sorts of emotions…
“Hey! You two! Get over here!” roared a voice from behind him, almost enough to startle him out of his shock.
“Ah shit, security!” hissed the feline. “Let’s beat it!”
The pair of them turned tail and dashed towards the doors that Nephyr had entered through a few minutes ago, with people quickly jumping out of their way. They almost knocked down a badger that was trying to get through the doors…it was Miss Garland. She took one look at the scene, a look of horror and pity crossing her face as she walked over to the falcon, followed closely by her wide-eyed class. They made way for the security guard who’d come to Nephyr’s aid, a fierce-looking tiger, as he hurried after the bullies, talking briskly into his radio.
“Nephyr?” Miss Garland spoke once she reached him. Her voice was distant and muddy. “Nephyr…” She bent down and pulled his pants up for him, having to undo and redo the button when the bulk of his diaper proved too much for her. She straightened out his shirt, too, brushing him off and fussing over him like a mother would. “Honey, are you alright?”
The falcon felt the fog slowly begin to dispel. He felt hyperaware for a few moments as his senses returned to him. The whispers and quiet giggles from the crowd that had yet to fully disperse. The quiet, pensive children staring at him, not fully understanding what had just happened. Miss Garland…who he wanted to be angry at, as she was at least the partial architect of his tribulations. But he couldn’t muster up the energy to be angry. He was tired, humiliated, stressed, scared, overwhelmed…
“N-no. I-I’m not.”
Feeling the tears begin to pour down his cheek, Nephyr turned and slammed against the bathroom door to push his way inside, ignoring Miss Garland calling after him. He rubbed at his face as he sequestered himself within the stall again, the door rattling violently as he fastened the lock aggressively. He sat down on the edge of the toilet and hunched over, burying his face in his wings as he sobbed.
To Be Continued