Trapped In My Own Shadow

[LilaCinnamonRoll]

This is a story that I’m currently writing with a friend in Wattpad. I’ll leave a link to the original story, as our updates usually happen there first:
https://my.w.tt/2tb47WCvDS

Any feedback and suggestions are highly appreciated!

Summary:

18 year old Regina is a gamer. She has been creating the perfect world in her favorite game for a long time until her little brother starts tampering with it, and their lives turn upside down.

Chapter 1 - IgaRealms:

18-year-old Regina looked out her window, watching the waves crash on the beach and people mill around her small town. She stepped away from the window when she heard a soft knock at her door.

“Come in”, she called.

In stepped a small boy in blue jeans and a red shirt with a small black ninja in the middle. He smiled softly at his sister, flicking his dark brown-blonde hair out of his face. It was her 8-year-old brother.

“Hi Regina”, He whispered.

“Hey, Riley. What’s up?” she asked curiously, watching as her baby brother sat on her red bed, and laid back, staring at the ceiling. He looked up distractedly, his chocolate brown eyes darting across the room.

“Umm, mom said you were playing a game?”, he asked hopefully. “I want to know if I can play?”

“Y-yeah, sure”, Regina said as she started the game. Her personal world was still open. She quickly paused the game, waiting for it to save and got out of it, setting up a new save file for him.

Riley got up from the bed and sat on her lap, looking at the computer intently, scrolling through the options.

“This is hard to read!”, he complained. “Too many big words!” but he nonetheless looked through at the various options.

It seemed to be a very customizable game, like a sandbox kind of game, having settings like the number of days in a year, the number of seasons, or the core religion, to name a few, though Riley didn’t understand that last one as much.

“So, what do you do in this game?”, Riley asked curiously, flipping a small silver coin.

“Well, it’s a kind of ‘create your own world’ game”, Regina said. “These different settings alter the reality of your world and its people. It’s really fun.”

“So does that mean…”, he trails off and alters some settings, making it take place in a medieval realm filled with ninjas and wizards. “Can you help? I want it perfect.”

“It’ll take some time, though” Regina gave a nervous giggle. “Do you really want that much stuff in your world?”

He shook his head and pointed at the screen “The settings are like this world, but I’m just making my world cooler” he said proudly.

“Okay then,” said Regina and ruffled his hair. “Let’s get started.”

Her brother grinned and clicked the ‘ready’ button and watched as his world unfolded. They watched a QuickTime version of the history of the world, which Riley decided to name IgaRealms, staring at the screen as islands rose and sunk, continents were made until it came to resemble the real world, and the screen zoomed in, eventually stopping at a large Japanese style castle. He was able to take control of a blue-eyed, blonde-haired male. “This is so cool!”.

“IgaRealms?”, Regina questioned, looking at the name. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“The Iga Mountains are where ninjas come from!”, he answered excitedly, ninjas being his favourite topic.

“For being that young, you certainly are pretty smart”, Regina said and smiled at his little brother.

He nodded. After a few hours of playing and comprehending the game, Riley stretched and smiled. “Thank you” he murmured, and slid off her lap, leaving the room quickly, probably —Regina reasoned— to play makebelieve. probably a ninja, like he usually did.

With her little brother out of the way, she finally had the opportunity to keep editing her own world. She had been working on it for a month since she bought the game. There were hundreds of possible settings in it, and she had been trying them out one by one.

She watched as her cursor skittered around the game interface. She had been focusing only on designing her world just as she wanted. Now that most of it was done, it was time for her to make her character. She clicked on the ‘Characters’ tab and started creating her avatar.

She somewhat resembled her real-life self, nothing too fancy. As she was going through the final details, she tried to make her character taller, since she looked like a 10-year-old child.

“Huh?”, she said, as she noticed that the height settings were apparently jammed, as they didn’t change at all. “Well, we might as well stick with that”.

After she was done, she got off the character page and logged off her computer, deciding to go take a break at the ice rink nearby.

She got dressed and left home, walking over to the ice rink and paying for her entry, slipping on her skates. Regina walked onto the ice, gasping as she slipped and grabbed the wall. She shakily let go, getting a rhythm.

She smiled and started to have fun.

Meanwhile, little Riley had sneaked into her sister’s room, thinking that she was still inside. As he began looking for her, the computer suddenly turned on, revealing Regina’s personal world in the game. He giggled slightly and got on her seat, tampering with her world mischievously, before pausing and undoing it all.

“Let’s do something big”, he decided, going into the ‘Daily Life’ tab, and changing a small but significant detail of the world.

He quickly saved his progress and turned off Regina’s computer, running out of the room, unseen.

After some hours, the main door opened, and Regina entered.

“I’m home!”, Regina said tiredly and went to her room to put her ice skates and coat back in their places.

She was exhausted but still went to dinner, noticing that her brother kept looking away from her, giggling occasionally. She frowned, but finished her food and fell onto her bed as soon as she entered her room.

She fell asleep, staring at the white ceiling. A soft flicker of blue light appeared on her computer and her world turned on at the character creation tab. It was empty. As the screen changed to green for a second, Regina vanished from her bed.

Chapter 2 - Adjusting to a New World:

Regina woke to a steady buzzing sound. She glanced at her clock, a simple black digital one, and shut it off, groaning.

As she looked all around her room, she gasped. Her alarm clock was the only thing that wasn’t out of place. Everything else seemed completely different, to the point where she questioned whether she was in her room or not.

Her walls, once a blank white were a deep royal purple, with gold leaf framing the room. She got up from her bed quickly as she noticed that it was no longer her simple single bed, was now a large queen size, with a plain rose red dooner on it.

While she was getting up from the bed, she also felt something quite strange between her legs. She lifted up her nightgown, only to reveal a white, fluffy diaper. The worst part; it wasn’t dry.

Regina stared in shock at her diaper. Where was she? Why did she have a diaper on? Why was it wet? These questions raced through Regina’s mind. This wasn’t right, none of it.

She snapped out of her thoughts as she heard a knock on the door. At first, she was hesitant but decided to approach the door. It was then when she noticed yet another thing… Either the doorknob was placed in a really high point of the door, or she was very short. Before opening the door, she gave some quick glances around the whole room to get some quick height comparisons.

There was another knock, more insistent, and she opened the door, finding a familiar face. It was her best friend, Abby, but what was odder than her sudden arrival, was the way she was dressed. She had her auburn gold hair in a ponytail, as usual, but her outfit looked like something you would only find in fantasy movies or games; a pure, white dress made with some kind of chainmail with lots of golden ornaments and a strange light coming from it.

Regina looked at Abby, towering over her. She remembered being fairly taller than Abby, but now that Abby looked like a giant twice her height, she deduced that her height had indeed changed drastically.

“A-Abby, what are you doing here?!”, Regina squeaked

She giggled and patted her friend’s head, making Regina glow crimson. “To change you, silly,” she said gently, scooping up her friend.

“Wait, what do you mean by that?”, Regina said fearfully, now in Abby’s arms.

Abby frowned slightly. “Why so nervous?”, she asked softly, going over to a, until then unnoticed, changing table, though it was slightly scaled up for her size. She laid Regina down, grabbed a fresh diaper and took off Regina’s nightgown, then changed her diaper. She dressed the shocked girl in a purple dress, with gold at the edges of it —almost like the things children wear in the real world for dressup—, and set her on the ground. “Better?”, she asked.

Regina didn’t respond as she was far too shocked to even process what was going on right now. She looked up at Abby with a scared look on her face.

Abby kneeled down to her friend’s height. “What’s wrong? You’re not your usual self”, she pointed out.

“Why am I wearing a diaper?”, Regina asked, now almost on the verge of tears.

She looked confused, raising an eyebrow. “Because you have troubles at staying dry while asleep”, she stated. “You know it’s natural, every teen does it,” Abby says, then smirks. “Even your little brother someday”, she said, since she didn’t really like Riley, finding him annoying and insufferable.

“N-natural? What do you mean?”, Regina said, still too shocked to notice she was asking basically the same thing all over.

She rolled her eyes. “This is a very strange joke, Reg. We end up, for whatever natural reason, losing our toilet training, so we have to redo it”, she replied, putting stress on the word ‘natural’, and standing back up to her towering height.

“But then…”, Regina started. “Why aren’t you wearing one?”

“Because I’m older than you”, she reminded her. “Look, this is not a very funny joke”, she said. “I’m going to go to my quarters, tell me if you need me after breakfast.” She left the room quickly, vanishing from sight.

Regina looked down, slightly frustrated because Abby thought she was joking. She got out of her room.

The halls looked as if they were the ones of a castle. It was then when she realized… she had no idea where the dining room was.

She looked around and spotted a small, balding man who was wearing what seemed to be a suit and tie made out of a form of blue-white chainmail, and who looked to be in his late forties and went over to him, tugging on his sleeve.

The man turned sharply. “What do you want, can’t you see I’m-” He froze and covered his mouth “I-I’m sorry, your majesty, I didn’t realize it was you”

Regina tilted her head, not fully comprehending what he had said. “Umm… Sorry?”, she said as if she wanted him to clarify.

“I-I’m sorry, princess Regina, I didn’t notice you!” he babbled. “I-is there anything I can do to make it up to you?!”, he said, almost in tears.

Regina didn’t quite get it still. She thought it was some kind of silly joke that he wanted to pull on her, although he seemed really troubled by the circumstance.

“Well…”, Regina said. “Can you show me where the dining room is, please?”

The man nodded and hesitated “You might want to take my hand, it might get very busy soon”, he explained.

She hesitates for a moment but then takes his hand. The hand was surprisingly soft, clearly, he did not work outside or did hard labour.

The person, whom Regina assumed to be a politician, lead her to the dining room, a huge room with a long T shaped table, with servants flying in and out of the room, carrying food and setting it down on the tables. At the top of the table, there were 4 thrones, the middle two larger, while the thrones on the far sides were smaller, more child-sized. Engraved in each throne was a large letter, a large gold E and a large blue G respectively for the central thrones, and two R’s, the left one red, and the right one a deep forest green, for the smaller thrones.

“What is all of this”, Regina said as she looked at the thrones, being drawn to the gold and red throne on the far left.

“It’s the castle’s dining hall”, The politician said proudly. “The greatest castle in the realm… but you already know that”, he said as if trying to imply something.

Then it hit Regina. It was no joke. Was it possible? Was she really the princess of… Xalea?

She frowned. How had she known that? Regina let go of the man’s hand and turned to him.

“What’s your name?”, she asked quietly.

The man, who was about to leave the room, turned back to her. “Quinn”, the man, now known as Quinn, answered nervously.

“How can I get to the thrones without drawing attention?”, she asked.

“Um, not many people here will know your face, mainly because they came from the outlying fiefs for the party last night, so maybe if you pretend to be a baron’s daughter, you probably won’t be spotted”, Quinn stated.

Regina smiled. “Thank you”, she said to him. “Will breakfast be served soon?”

Quinn nodded “It’s already being served,” he said, gesturing to the flying people, who had wings made of a fiery light. They wore simple leather clothes, all with a gold X in the centre.

Regina sneaked up to where the thrones’ bases were. None of them had been occupied still, yet she knew in which one she should be sitting. As she sat down on the far left throne, a side door opened and two people came and sat in the center thrones; one was a man with jet black hair, wearing a robe of a strange silvery substance, while the other one was a brown-haired woman, wearing a similar styled dress, except blue and silver. Regina stifled a gasp. They were her parents… but what about her brother? Where was he?

Chapter 3 - Revelations:

Regina looked away from her parents and started eating her food, which had been served swiftly by the winged servants. Riley still didn’t appear at the table, which was strange since he loved breakfast.

When she finished, she turned her head to her parents and spoke. “Where is Riley?”, she said in a soft voice, still in too much shock to speak loudly.

Her father smiled at her and put down his fork, and turned his face to her. He had an almost black beard, elaborately braided and brushed hair that started to show grey at the sides. This was not how she remembered him from real life. “Riley’s returning from an event. We already told you”, he replied, his voice indifferent, lacking the warmth with which he spoke to her usually.

“Besides, isn’t it time for you to go to your meeting?”, Regina’s mother added. She had her light brown hair down and had a silver circuit resting on her head. She found it strange; her mother never had her hair down, it was always in a bun… and since when did she wear jewellery?

“M-meeting?”, Regina asked. “What meeting are you talking about?”.

“Your weekly meeting with the civilians?” her father said, raising an eyebrow. He turned back to his breakfast as a servant delivered a goblet of a strange gold liquid, which he rose to his lips and drank deeply, before putting it down to his right.

“Ask your chambermaid for help if you don’t remember where the meeting is, Regina”, her mother said, drinking from another goblet herself and snapped her fingers. A smaller silhouette entered quickly from the same door that her parents had come from. It didn’t take long before Regina realized it was Abby.

Her friend smiled at her slightly, though she still looked miffed about Regina’s ‘joke’ from earlier. She scooped Regina swiftly and took her out of the room, though only a few people looked up. Abby bowed before Regina’s parents before leaving with her.

Abby set the princess down on the ground carefully. “So, you’re still upset?”, Abby asked her friend.

“I’m not upset”, Regina said. “I’m just… very confused”.

She shook her head. “Why are you confused? You already know about this!”.

Regina sighed, knowing that Abby wouldn’t probably understand that the Regina that she was with wasn’t the one she always knew. “Anyway, what do I have to do at the meeting, and where is it?”, she asked, looking up at Abby.

“Regina, what’s wrong?” She asked, ignoring the question “You’re not your normal self today…”

“Well, you probably wouldn’t believe me”, Regina said.

Abby raised her eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Regina sighed. “I come from another w-…”. She suddenly stopped, feeling very dizzy for some strange reason. She would’ve almost fallen if Abby hadn’t caught her.

“Are you okay?” She said softly, quickly losing the annoyed attitude, replaced with concern.

“Y-yeah… I think so”, Regina said, looking at Abby. “What happened?”.

“You almost fainted. I think we’ll have to call off the meeting”, Abby said, checking Regina’s temperature.

“What are you doing?”, Regina questioned.

“Nothing”, she lied, picking her friend back up “Do you think you can go to the meeting?”, she asked.

“I don’t know…”, Regina answered. “I still feel really dizzy”.

“Do you want to go back to sleep? I’m sure your parents will understand if you don’t make it.”, Abby suggested. Regina nodded gently.

She took the small princess back to her purple room, taking her over to the changing table.

“Do you need a change?”, she asked, laying her down and starting to undress her.

Regina blushed as she saw Abby undressing her. The thought of being wet hadn’t crossed her mind yet until now. Was she? Or was she not? She wasn’t able to tell.

“I don’t know”, she admitted in a low voice. Abby checked.

“Well, it seems you are”, she said gently, taking off the diaper and putting on a new one. She chose a red and white onesie for Regina.

Regina blushed again when she saw the clothing that Abby had chosen for her.

“Is this the only kind of clothing that I have?”, she looked at Abby with a pouty look on her face.

She laughed and shook her head “I just thought you might prefer this since you’re so tiny”, she teased.

Regina pouted again and crossed her arms. “Not funny”, she said.

“It is for me.” Abby giggled, “What would you rather, huh, tiny?”

Regina had no idea about what types of clothing she had in her closet, and couldn’t think of anything better than the onesie at that moment. She remained silent.

“Do you want to have a look?”, Abby offered. Regina nodded quickly.

Abby picked up her friend, who was just in a diaper and showed her an extensive walking wardrobe and walked over to a section full of pyjamas and onesies. Regina sighed, as most of the clothing was very similar to the onesie that Abby had chosen. And the pyjamas weren’t any better, with most of them having very childish designs. Was this really her wardrobe?

“Hey, don’t be like that”, she chided. “You picked out the clothes”, she reminded her, even though Regina had obviously no memories of buying them.

“Did I, really?”, Regina asked. She couldn’t figure out why the Regina from this world had chosen such embarrassing and childish clothes.

“Well, technically. I mean, I made a dare with you and you had to fill your pyjamas area full of childish clothes…” Abby giggled.

“That’s not fair…”, Regina pouted. “Fine, I’ll wear that onesie”.

Abby smiled and went back to the changing table, putting Regina back into the Candy cane coloured onesie, and laying her on the bed, tucking her in.

Before Abby left, however, a small shape appeared at the door, and in walked Riley, looking very similar to his real-world counterpart, wearing a shirt with a green ninja on it and a navy blue jacket with a hood.

As Regina noticed who her new guest was, she blushed and covered herself with her blanket.

He giggled and walked in, ignoring the stony glare Abby gave him and sat on her bed.

“Hey, sis”, the little boy said softly. “Why aren’t you at your boring grownup meeting?” Riley pulled a face.

“I didn’t feel really good…”, she said, still covering herself with the blanket.

“Are you sick?”, he asked quickly, sounding concerned.

“I think so”, Regina answered.

“Riley, leave your sister alone. She needs sleep and not an annoying adopted kid”, Abby snapped, laying stress on that peculiar word, as she led Riley from the room and shut the door. “Sorry about that”

Regina frowned her mind on fire. “I wanted to see him…”, she stated, but her mind was screaming. Adopted? What did she mean adopted?

Abby frowned. “You need sleep, and he’s an annoying brat”, she declared loftily. “Besides…”, she grinned wickedly. “You didn’t want him to see you in your onesie, did you?”. Regina shook her head slowly.

Abby left the room, shutting the door silently, though she could still be heard berating her little brother, who had been waiting outside the door. As her voice died away, she closed her eyes and started to sleep…

She suddenly opened her eyes to see someone standing over her; she looked like Regina used to, wearing normal clothes and at her real height. “W-who are you?!” Regina gasped, holding the dooner up to her eyes, like a frightened child.

"I am you, but at the same time, I’m not. I am the mind of this world".

[LilaCinnamonRoll]

Chapter 4 - A Bitter Argument:

Regina looked up at her doppelganger, still frightened and confused by what she had just heard.

“W-what do you mean?”, she asked, holding the dooner.

The mirror version of her smiled. "I am here to warn you. The game is unstable and things will end up happening if you’re not careful and you say more than you should. The game itself might… crash.", she grinned maliciously as she mentioned the last part.

The… thing’s voice sounded identical to Regina’s, except it had a slight echo, as if it was in her head.

Gathering up what was left of her courage and willpower, Regina asked: “Who are you? Are you the one who brought me here?”.

“My name is Aly55, I control this game. But, did I bring you here?”, Aly55 shrugged, a simple gesture that seemed to not care.

Regina sighed and closed her eyes. It had to be a dream; she had been so tired and confused that day, and this had to be just another product of her imagination.

The other Regina smirked. "You don’t believe me, do you? Do you want proof? I can change anything".

It boasted, though Regina doubted it would “grant” her anything.

Regina thought for a moment. If this thing was supposedly real, and could grant her something, she had to take advantage of it and ask for something useful.

“Fine”, she said. “I want to have all of the memories from this world’s Regina, before I came here.”

Aly55 considered. It wouldn’t give her anything, she thought, and that would be good. "Very well." she clicked her fingers and… nothing happened.

Regina waited for a little bit more, but nothing new was in her mind. She looked back at Aly55, asking for an explanation.

“It’s gradual, you idiot. It’ll appear over a few days or when someone asks you a question” She explained, though she started to go transparent. "Let’s never meet again, hm?". It vanished, as if it had never existed.

Light came back to Regina’s room as this happened; it was already daytime. For some strange reason, Regina felt refreshed, as if she had slept for a solid 8 hours. Before she could consider what had happened she heard a commotion outside of her room

“I wanna see her!” A voice yelled. It was high pitched; a child’s voice, and not just any child’s, it was her brother.

“She needs sleep, and even if she was awake I doubt she’d want to spend time with a brat” Another voice growled back; Abby.

Regina jumped down from her bed and went directly to open the door. She peeked outside slowly.

Riley was dressed in a black shirt with an aviator jacket on, in black jeans. Abby was in the same flowing chainmail dress.

“I’m not a brat” He snapped, his eyes narrowed in anger.

“Yes you are. I don’t even know why your family adopted you” Abby snapped back angrily.

Riley flinched as if he was physically hit, before storming away, leaving Abby alone, though Regina thought she saw the glitter of a tear forming in his eyes before he left.

“Abby?”, Regina said from her eavesdropping spot.

Abby jumped, turning towards her. “You’re awake!” She exclaimed, surprised.

Regina nodded innocently. “What happened?”

“What do you mean?” her best friend asked, her face shifting from shock to confusion.

“What were you saying to Riley?”, she clarified.

“He wanted to see you, but I told him you were asleep. He didn’t believe me”, she explained.

Regina hadn’t been able to hear clearly their conversation, so she just shrugged and yawned, accepting her friend’s excuse.

“Then he stormed off, I think the brat got upset since he couldn’t see you. But he can’t have everything he wants”.

As Abby said that, she suddenly remembered a fact. Her brother was an orphan living on the streets and, in an strange gesture of kindness, her parents adopted him. “What do you mean, can’t have everything? For a fair bit in his life, he had nothing” Regina said coldly.

As she said that unconsciously, she realized something. It hadn’t been a dream. Whoever she had encountered the night before was real, and she had given back Regina’s memories.

Abby frowned. “So what? He’s still a spoilt brat”, she stated, though it couldn’t have been further from the truth. He was still, at least in Regina’s memory, a kind boy, who hated getting things for no reason other then he wanted them.

“I wanna go see him”, Regina requested Abby.

Abby sighed. “Fine!” She sighed, “but first, you need to get dressed”, gesturing to the onesie that Regina was still wearing. “Besides, that diaper is soaked”.

Regina took notice of this and blushed deeply. “I, umm… T-that was an accident!”.

“Well, I didn’t think it was on purpose”, Abby said dryly. Regina walked shyly to Abby, so she could change her.

“Does wittle Wegina want to be carried?” She teased, deliberately misunderstanding her motives. Regina blushed even more.

“It’s not funny”, she pouted.

Abby giggled and scooped her up and took her inside the room, shutting the door and setting her down on the changing table. Regina looked at Abby and started thinking. She still couldn’t comprehend why this world’s Abby hated Riley that much. Her real life Abby loved him.

Abby unzipped the onesie and got her out of it, changing the diaper and putting her in a gold and green dress. She set her down on the ground.

“Better?”, she asked. Regina nodded.

“Where did Riley go?”, she looked up to Abby.

“Probably to his room to sulk” Abby shrugged, really not caring.

“Why do you hate Riley?”, Regina asked absentmindedly, not thinking that she had said it out loud.

“You know why”, Abby said coldly, and Regina knew indeed. A memory popped into her; Riley pranking her when we was slightly younger, accidentally ruining her favourite dress.

All he really wanted to do was to get her to laugh, but from that moment on she hated him, since the dress was one made by hand, by herself.

“Wait”, Regina said. “You mean to tell me that you hate him because of… that?”.

“Yes!” She snapped, though Regina doubted it. Maybe this was a glitch of her programming.

“Maybe you should forgive him? It’s been a year” Regina said gently.

She got no response from Abby, as if she hadn’t heard her question at all. There was no use in extending their discussion for much longer, Regina thought. She sighed.

“Whatever. Can we at least go now with Riley?”, she asked again.

“Why?”, Abby asked, sulkily.

“I wanna see him. I haven’t seen him in a long time”

Abby sighed. “Fine, want me to carry you, wittle Wegina?” She said, teasing lightly.

Regina sighed once again. “Do as you wish”, she said dryly.

Abby laughed and shook her head “Just teasing. Come on” She left the room, with Regina following close behind, and they headed to Riley’s room.

Chapter 5 - A Small Surprise:

The pair walked past the castle’s halls through lots of people, some in suits others in simple uniforms, signalling them to be servants. Regina looked outside one of the castle windows as she went along and gasped, seeing lush green pastures and a city made of silver, almost fairytale like.

“Is this really our kingdom?”, Regina asked in disbelief. Abby raised an eyebrow.

“You sound as if you’ve never been outside”, she said, continuing along the stone corridor, before turning left and walking up a spiral staircase.

“Are we there yet?”, Regina whined. “Where’s Riley?”

Abby stayed silent as the spiral staircase ended and they came to a hardwood door, with a stylised dragon made of silver on the front. She knocked, tapping her foot.

Regina looked at the door. This had to be Riley’s room, judging by the door’s design.

The door opened slowly and silently, the hinges well oiled. “What do you want Abby?”, Riley demanded, not realising that Regina was there.

She peeked inside of Riley’s room and smiled. “Hi, Riley!”, she said happily. “Can I come in?”.

He flinched slightly, but nodded “Sure”, he mumbled, opening the door fully and moving out of the way.

“Go away, Abby”, he snapped.

Abby stiffed but did as he said, vanishing down the stairs. Regina entered the room. The room was large, with a black bookcase in one corner, a bunk bed near a window, and a box marked “ninjas”, by the door.

Regina sat on Riley’s bed, her feet dangling from it.

Riley momentarily lost his gloomy facade and giggled at her being so short, though his feet couldn’t reach the bottom either.

“Hey!”, Regina pouted. “What are you laughing at, silly?”.

“I’m not silly!”, he shot back.

“Yes, you are”, Regina said. “It’s not okay to laugh at others for their height, you deserve it!”. She now giggled as well. “B-besides… Your bed is too far from the floor”, she blushed a little. “I’d probably reach it if it was a normal bed”.

“Sure. As you say, sis”, Riley said sarcastically. “I’m pretty sure that your height has nothing to do with it, at all”.

Regina shushed her brother playfully. “You’re not one to talk! I’m still taller than you, even if it’s just a little bit”.

“Yeah, but you’re 18, but look like you’re 10!”, he giggled. “If people didn’t know your real age, they wouldn’t probably believe you’re an adult!”, he shot back, grinning.

“Hmph! Meanie…”, Regina crossed her arms and pouted.

“And the fact you use diapers…”, he trailed off, trying to stop grinning.

“Hey…”, Regina said, this time a little bit more seriously. “You know that I can’t control that…”.

He looked down, shamefaced. “Sorry, Regina”, he mumbled, his words barely able to be heard.

She shook her head. “Don’t worry, Riley. I know you didn’t mean it. But still…”, she stands up and gets in front of Riley. “I’m taller than you!”, she giggled, bringing back the joking atmosphere.

He pouted and pushed her, but couldn’t help but let a small laugh escape his lips.

“I’ll always win, Riley. I’m your big sister, after all!”, Regina joked and hugged her brother. “You’re getting kind of big for me to keep hugging you”, she whispered.

Riley giggled and hugged back. “Why’d you come to visit me?”, he asked curiously, letting go of her and flopping back onto his bed, smiling contently.

“I heard you arguing with Abby before, and telling her that you wanted to see me. So here I am!”.

He nodded slowly and looked at her. “Did you hear what she said?” He asked, in a barely audible whisper. Regina nodded.

“Really?”, he said, raising an eyebrow.

“Y-yeah… I kind of did”.

“What did she say?”, he challenged quietly.

“She said that she wondered why you were… adopted”, Regina answered.

Riley flinched again but nodded. “Uh huh”, he said softly. “Why was I adopted?”, he asked suddenly.

Regina went back to Riley’s bed and sat down, suddenly remembering. “I… wanted to have a little brother to play and talk with.”

She faced to Riley and smiled warmly. “And now I know that my wish was finally granted”.

Riley nodded but still looked upset, finding the idea of being adopted just because she wanted him wasn’t exactly uplifting to him.

Regina laid down on the bed and sighed. “And there’s something I need to tell you. I feel like you’re the only person that will believe it. Can I… count with you to help me?”. It was more likely that Riley believed her than if she told someone else.

“Sure,” he said impulsively, sitting up on his bed, legs crossed, curious.

“You know? I’m not the same Regina that you knew before”, she started explaining slowly.

“What? You’re not as annoying?”, he joked, giggling. “Sorry”, he said, noticing the serious expression on Regina’s face.

“I… don’t know how to explain it, but I’m basically from another w-”, Regina paused once again before she had even gotten a chance to say the word, feeling even dizzier than last time.

Riley quickly steadied her, his eyes alight with concern. “Are you okay?”, he asked.

“It’s that dizziness again… I felt it yesterday when I was talking with Abby”, Regina said slowly.

“Why?”, he asked, his face relaxing as he now knew it wasn’t serious.

“I… I don’t remember. There was something that I had to tell her, but I have forgotten it”, Regina said. It didn’t matter how long she tried, she couldn’t remember.

“You were saying you were from a different… something when you got dizzy”, Riley commented, his eyes boring into his sister’s.

“A different… something?”, Regina asked. She was pretty sure that what she wanted to say to Riley was just as important as what she wanted to say to Abby, yet she couldn’t recall either of those things at all. “I don’t remember… It must be the dizziness”, she said.

“Should you go to the physician?”, he asked though he sounded upset that his sister was too unwell to spend time with him.

Regina shook her head. “Maybe if I sleep some more, it will go away. There’s no need for a physician to be here…”.

“Are you sure?”, he persisted. He got off his bed, his feet hitting the ground with a light thud as he walked over to the box marked ninjas and opened it, tying on a navy blue ninja mask and looking at her “Boo!”

Regina giggled slightly and laid down on Riley’s bed once again. “Yes, I’m sure. Do you… mind if I sleep in your room for a bit?”.

“Why?” He asked instantly. He found the idea strange. When did Regina ever want to have a sleepover with him? He couldn’t remember if it ever happened.

“I’m just tired. Don’t worry, I don’t mean to stay here for long. I hope that when I wake up, I’m not dizzy anymore”, Regina answered. Riley pondered what she said.

“Hmmm…”, he took off the mask and launched at her, tackling her in a hug. “Sleepover!”, he yelled, ignoring that they lived in the same place.

“H-heyyy!”, Regina giggled. “Do you want me to feel even dizzier with your sudden tackles?”, she stuck her tongue playfully at Riley.

Before Riley could answer, there was a ringing sound; the bell for dinner. “Race you to dinner?”, he asked, as he opened the door and started to fly down the stairs.

Regina started running as well, but before she could even get out of Riley’s room, a hand slowed her down. It was Abby’s.

“Not so fast, Regina. A 16 year old should not be racing around in the halls. You’re not a child, you know?”, Abby said.

Regina looked at her confused. “A 16 year old…?”.

Chapter 6 - An Early Night:

“Yeah. Don’t tell me you forgot your age as well.” Abby teased.

“I didn’t!”, Regina pouted. “I’m 18 years old, not 16!”

“Right, and I’m the queen,” Abby said sarcastically.

Regina crossed her arms and walked downstairs. “Whatever, I don’t want to listen to any of your teasings right now. I’m hungry.”

“Maybe this time, don’t run?” She suggested, her eyebrow raised.

“Meanie,” Regina said dryly as she entered through the door leading to the dining room.

Riley was sitting at his throne —Regina still felt weird to think about those thrones as theirs—, and when he saw Regina, he stuck his tongue out playfully.

Regina stuck her tongue back at him and went to sit to her own throne on the other side of the table.

“You really shouldn’t do that. It gives you a bad image,” her father criticised.

“She’s 16, let her have her fun…” her mother replied to him.

Regina looked at her mother. What was she talking about? Had Abby convinced her to follow her teasing? There was no way they both had suddenly forgotten her real age…

“16 or not, she has an image as the princess and heiress,” he said defensively.

“Umm…” Regina interrupted in a soft, but worried voice. “I’m 18, not 16. Y-you two know that… right?”

Her parents looked at her strangely. Her father frowned. “Don’t be foolish, Regina. Now, eat your dinner!” He ordered, turning to his own plate.

Regina looked confused over to Riley, hoping that at least he would agree with her.

Riley looked just as confused as her but shrugged and made a movement with his hand. “Later”. In a rush, memories of her childhood came back to her. When they were kids, Riley and she had developed some special signs, so they could talk without anyone knowing what they were saying, be it strangers or their parents.

"After dinner?" she signalled with a movement of her hand.

“Yeah,” he signalled, before turning back to his dinner and eating.

Regina turned to her dinner as well. She could clearly see that Riley was just as confused as her about the situation. It was like if he was the only one who remembered she was 18. And it was so bizarre… How could everyone have forgotten her real age? Why were they assuming that she was 16?

Riley quickly left the huge dining hall after he’d finished his dinner, vanishing in a sea of bright colours and a jungle of sound, being shortly followed by Regina, who eventually caught up to him.

“Riley, what is happening?”, asked Regina in a frightened voice. “Y-you know that I’m 18, right? Why are they saying that I’m 16…?”

He shrugged “How would I know?”, he asked rhetorically. “It wasn’t like that yesterday.”

“Yes, but… this is really weird. First Abby, and now our parents as well think that I’m 16,” Regina said.

“Weird,” he agreed. “What do you think would happen if it happened again?”, he asked.

“Again?”, Regina said. “W-what do you mean by that?”

“Well, it happened once, it might happen again” he pointed out.

“I don’t know…”, Regina sighed. “Please help me, Riley. You know that I’m 18, right? Why don’t we both go tell them that I’m really 18 then?”

“I’m a kid!”, he protested. “They’ll think I’m playing a game”

Regina sighed again. “You’re right… But we still have to do something about this! I don’t want that to happen again!”.

Riley winced at her volume. “My ears!”, he complained.

“Sorry…”, Regina said lowering her voice.

Before Riley could reply, a man with a familiar face interrupted them. It was the man who Regina had first met when she had arrived. Quinn, the politician, but, it also seemed, her brother’s guardian. He wore the same blue chain mail suit, though this time he had a black tie.

“I’m sorry to interrupt your conversation, princess, but Prince Riley should head to bed”, Quinn said gravely.

Riley pouted. “But it’s only 7 o’clock!”, he whined as he was gently guided away.

“Come on, Mr Quinn”, Regina followed. “We’re talking about something really important…”

The politician frowned. “It was on the orders of the King and the Queen. They want him up early tomorrow”, he explained.

“And not just him”, Abby had appeared, ghosting behind her when she had left the hall. “The King asked me to send you to sleep as well, Regina. You need to gather a lot of energy for tomorrow’s event”.

Riley flushed. “We can’t sleep, we have to talk”, he insisted.

“You two will be able to talk as much time as you want after you’re done hosting the event”, Abby said and picked Regina up. “Come on, let’s go to bed.”

“Can’t you at least tell us what this event is about?”, Regina demanded, struggling to get out of her friend’s grip.

“You will host a Lord’s party tomorrow. He has been one of our closest allies and has helped fund many of our kingdom’s social programs. Now, good night.” Quinn explained, before leading an annoyed Riley away, turning a corner and vanishing from sight.

Abby carried Regina up to her room, only attracting a few glances from servants and couriers.

Once they entered the room, Abby laid Regina down on the changing table as it was now their routine every night. Regina’s last change had been just a few hours ago and didn’t think a diaper check was necessary at the moment, but Abby still did check anyway.

“What do you want to wear for tonight?”, she asked, opening the door to the wardrobe.

“Just choose the least embarrassing clothes I have and let’s be done with it”, Regina said waspishly.

Abby laughed. “Are you sure you don’t wanna wear a teddy bear onesie?”, her best friend teased, entering and returning with a striped royal purple and gold onesie.

“I hope tomorrow’s clothes aren’t as childish as these”, Regina said.

Abby smiled. “I’ll make a special request for some”, her friend joked.

“Do we really have to go there tomorrow?”, Regina asked.

“Yes, you do.” Abby said absentmindedly “Do you want me to dress you?” she asked.

“Well, you’re going to do it anyway”, Regina said dryly.

“Actually, I’m giving you a choice. Big day tomorrow”, she pointed out before smiling, “and I wouldn’t want the princess to be too dependent on her chambermaid”, she said gently.

“Fine”, Regina grabbed the onesie and put it on. She struggled for a moment but preferred to figure out how to put it on her own than to ask her giggling friend to do it.

“What are you laughing at?”, she pouted.

“Nothing,” she said quickly. “Are you sure you don’t want help?”

Regina gave up and nodded shortly.

Abby did as she said and dressed her in the onesie, much quicker than when Regina had tried. “Now, off to bed”.

Regina pouted but climbed into her bed, wrapping herself in a cocoon.

“I wonder how tomorrow will be…”, Regina thought as she drifted to sleep.

Abby went over and kissed her forehead. “Goodnight, kiddo”.

[LilaCinnamonRoll]

Chapter 7 - The Prelude to the Party:

Regina was awoken by a flash of blinding lights as Abby threw the large curtains open.

“Come on, sleepy butt, get up!”, she said cheerfully.

“I want to sleep!”, pouted Regina, covering herself with her blanket.

“You can’t. You have to get ready for the Lord’s party”, she said, pulling the covers off of her.

“But I don’t wanna”, Regina said and buried her head into her pillow.

“Regina, we discussed this last night, you have no choice” Abby reminded her as she scooped her friend up and deposited her on the changing table.

“But why do I have to be the one hosting it?”, Regina laid down on the changing table waiting for Abby to change her.

“Because you need training and it’s good practice”, she explained, taking off Regina’s diaper as there was a knock at the door. Abby sighed. “Hang on!”, she called, and quickly put Regina in a new diaper, before opening the door to reveal Riley.

“Oh, it’s you again…”, Abby grumbled. “What do you want now?”

“I want to see my sister”, he said quietly. “I’m nervous”, he said in a softer voice.

“She’s in the middle of her change, can’t you wait until we’re done?”, Abby replied dryly.

“How was I to know?” He asked, “But fine…” He said, stepping into the hallway. Abby shut the door and walked back to Regina.

“Was it Riley?”, Regina asked as Abby came back.

“Yes”, she grumbled, picking her up, putting her on the ground and opening the wardrobe without further comment.

“Did he need anything?”, Regina looked up at Abby.

“No, he just wanted to tell you he was nervous and probably wanted to talk”, she muttered, picking her up again.

“Oh, I see”, Regina sighed. “Anyway, what am I going to wear?”

Abby pulled a silver and blue dress from the closet; it was spectacular. “This should do”, she stated.

Regina’s face lighted up. Finally, some normal clothes that didn’t look childish!

The maid caught her look and giggled. “Happy, huh?”, she teased, handing it out to her. “Want a hand?”, she asked.

“I do know how to put on dresses, you know? It’s not like the onesie from last night”, she pouted.

“I was about to bring that up”, her grinning friend stated. “Well, hurry up, doubt your brat of a brother can wait long”

Regina quickly put on her dress. It was really comfortable and flexible, but there was only one problem…

“Umm, Abby?”, Regina blushed. “Is there something that I could use to cover my diaper?”

Abby frowned “Like what? But I don’t think so” she said, shutting the two doors.

“B-but… It stands out a lot!”

“And you’re a teenager. They’ll just think it came early”, she pointed out.

“I want something to cover it!”, Regina complained.

“Have a look for yourself, then, but I don’t think there’s anything”, she grumbled, opening the wardrobe doors again.

Regina wasn’t able to see much of the stuff inside of the wardrobe; seeing this, Abby picked her friend up. “Better?”

“Y-yeah”, Regina said and started searching.

After looking for almost 10 minutes, she eventually gave up and stepped out of the wardrobe.

“Told you”, her friend crowed, smirking.

“Whatever…”, Regina pouted.

“So, do you want to go visit your brother now?”, she asked sarcastically.

Regina nodded, not noticing the sarcasm. “Can you go look for something to cover my diaper while I’m with Riley?”

“Fine”, she said. “But I doubt I’ll find anything”, Abby amended.

Once Abby fixed some minor details in Regina’s dress and appearance, she opened the door, picked her up and headed to Riley’s room.

As they came to the tower where his room lied, Abby climbed the spiral staircase and knocked on the silver engraved door. Riley opened the door shortly after, looking still irritated about his previous conversation with Abby.

“What do you want?” He huffed, opening his door wider so she could enter.

“I’ve got a package for you”, Abby said sarcastically as she showed Regina in her arms, placing her down. “And now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to do some things before I take you both to the party. Don’t move from here”.

“So what are we going to do?” Riley asked, crossing his arms and half glaring at his sister.

“I don’t know…”, Regina replied. “But I’m more concerned about this right now”, she said pointing at her uncovered diaper. “Abby told me that she would go for something to cover it”.

He stifled a giggle. “I don’t think anyone cares, they think that you’re 16, after all,” He pointed out.

“Heyy, don’t giggle!”, Regina crossed her arms. “And that doesn’t help me to solve the problem at all…”, she sighed.

He pouted and gave her a tight hug, before pulling her into his room. “Talk”, he said seriously, though his mouth twitching into a smile.

Regina glared at him for that, but before she could say a thing, Abby came back.

“About what?” Abby asked as she picked Regina up.

“N-nothing”, she answered. “Did you find something to cover my-my diaper?” she asked, blushing.

“Nope. Sorry, I had other things to do”, Abby stated. “Anyway, it’s time now, let’s go”.

Abby leads Regina and Riley through the castle for a while. Regina chose to be carried by Abby, as her diaper wouldn’t be as visible that way, pouting and blushing the whole way to the place they were looking for. They soon came to a set of doors, both engraved in silver with a similar design to Riley’s door.

Abby pushed the doors opened and it revealed a large hall, complete with stone buttresses and strange blue-gold balls of light in place of where braziers or torches would be, floating in the air.

“Wow…”, Regina exclaimed, too focused on the balls of light to remember that she was still being carried around by Abby.

“Umm, Regina? We’re already in the hall we were looking for”, Abby said.

“Oh, sorry…”, Regina was placed down and taken to the main stage along with Riley.

“The party will begin in an hour. In the meantime, practice what you’re going to say”, Abby advised them and smiled. “Call me if you need help”, she instructed, leaving the room as the doors shut silently.

Chapter 8 - All Invited:

The faint sounds of a distant grandfather clock inside the room were the only thing that Regina and Riley heard.

It had been a short while since Abby had left, but they still hadn’t rehearsed their speech for what would be the beginning of the party… in a few hours.

Riley looked up at his sister, a nervous smile flicking onto his face. “So,” He started, fidgeting with his shirt. “What’s up with that illu-shin thingy?”, he asked, mispronouncing the word illusion.

Regina shrugged and sighed. “I… don’t really know.”

“Did you see a witch anytime?” He asked, trying and failing at not sounding eager. He was interested in witches since they cast spells and he loved learning about magic casters, like wizards, or, naturally his favourite, dragons.

Regina shook her head. “No, no… It was nothing like that. In fact, it seems like every time I try to say something specific, people perceive me even younger, although I can’t put my finger on it.”

“Huh,” he nodded. “Perhaps it’s a magic word that makes you forget?”, he suggested.

“Maybe…”, Regina said, considering that option.

“Hey, do you know what’ll happen when you stop being a teenager?”, he asked, aware of the strange incontinence that happened during teenage-hood.

Regina gasped. She hadn’t thought about that possibility. What if she ended up being perceived as a kid because she unconsciously said whatever she wasn’t supposed to say?

“I don’t want to think that it could happen…”, she confessed.

“If you started to look as young as me, then won’t you have been forced out of diapers?”

“Maybe not. My body hasn’t changed in the slightest, after all”, Regina answered.

“Yeah, but they’ll think you’re a little kid and you’re meant to be toilet trained”, he pointed out, still fidgeting with his shirt but leaning against her instead of the wall.

“Well, we have to find a way so that they don’t think I’m a little kid in the first place”, she said, ruffling his hair and making him giggle.

“Right” he nodded absently. “We have to think of a speech,” he said softly.

“Huh?”, Regina looked at Riley nervously. “T-think of it? Weren’t they going to give us an already existing speech?”

He shook his head. “I don’t think so. Maybe Quinn made us one?”, he asked hopefully.

“I really hope so…”, Regina said.

—————————————————————

30 minutes until the party began. Riley and Regina had managed to write a simple but acceptable speech, considering they were heirs to the throne. Riley had memorized the whole speech by now, but Regina was still having a hard time.

“Riley, I’m nervous…”, Regina confessed after rehearsing for the 20th time.

“So am I!”, he hissed softly.

“But you’ve already memorized it”, she pouted.

“I’m still nervous”, he bickered. “You’re older, you’re meant to be brave” he scowled half heartedly

“Hmph”, Regina crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at him. “I am brave…”

Riley stuck his tongue out as well “Yeah right” he joked, giving her a tight hug.

“Guys, you’re up”, Quinn said, having said the introduction to the Lord’s party.

As soon as Regina heard Quinn announce that, her legs started shaking. She was nervous.

Riley let go of her, and took her hand, steering her onto the stage.

Regina followed Riley nervously, standing beside him as they reached the stage. Riley, noticing Regina’s stage fright, decided to start with the speech.

“Good afternoon, Lords and Ladies of our great Kingdom of Xalea. Today is a special day; we’re here to celebrate the birthday of a honorable gentleman. As one of our kingdom’s greatest allies, it is our pleasure to receive Lord Julian de Bone here, in our castle. Us, Princess Regina and me, Prince Riley, wish you the best for this day”. As he finished, he stepped back a bit to allow his sibling to speak.

Regina gave a small step forward and looked at the guests. They all appeared to be very wealthy and powerful individuals.

As she scanned through the hall in a matter of seconds, she noticed that her parents, the King and the Queen, were sitting in a nearby table, looking at her directly. By that point, Regina had forgotten her speech completely, and was just standing there awkwardly.

“U-um…”, she started, her legs shaking even more than before. “G-good afternoon, everyone. I, umm… my name is Regina. Well, I guess you knew that already… but uhh… Thank you for being here?”, she looked back at Riley, hoping that he would help her fix this once more.

“We hope you enjoy your stay, and we swear to stay as your strongest ally” Riley said.

“Wait,” the King’s rich voice interrupted, with an annoyed tone in his voice. “Let’s forget for a moment that this happened, okay? I want you both to do it all over one more time, but this time without mistakes. You understood?”

“What!? But that’s not fair! We just finished it” Riley complained, glaring at his father.

“I didn’t say ‘Would you like to start your speech all over again?’. It’s an order”, he commanded.

“B-but dad…”, Regina intervened.

“Regina, you should not be commenting! You didn’t even know what you had to say. This is a party, we shouldn’t be discussing your talking skills in this precise moment! You have been trained for this stuff your whole life!”, their father snapped.

“That’s not true!”, Regina shouted back. “I have never been trained for speaking in public… I am not a princess, I don’t need to wear these darn diapers! I’m not even this short in real life!”

“What are you even talking about?”, her father said. “I advise you to stop shouting right now, Regina!”

“No! I don’t have to obey you, because I… I’m not from this world!”.

As the words fell from her mouth, the earth tremored. It was an earthquake. Soon, the only thing that could be heard in the hall were the screams of the guests, everyone trying to get out of the hall in time before it collapsed, but as soon as the main door opened to let everyone out, time stood still, freezing everyone but Regina and Riley.

As they looked around at the deathly still room, a girl appeared; almost identical to Regina, but taller and in modern clothes.

Regina gasped as her memories came flying back. It was her… Aly55; the world’s mind.

“I told you”, Aly55 started, walking towards them with a ominous smile on her face. “You spoke more than what you should’ve spoken. I warned you, and you still did it.”

“What do you mean?” Riley asked, glaring at the stranger. “Why do you look like my sister? Are you the one doing the age thingy?”

The strange figure turned to the little boy. “Yes, I am. Not that anyone but you and her would remember that”, she snapped her fingers, erasing the memories of all the party members, still frozen in time, until they had completely forgotten what had happened that day.

“Now, you really are annoying with all these questions, and it’s only fair to punish both of you for this… so, how about… ah, yes. Well, you’ll see soon”, she snapped her fingers again and Riley froze, leaving Regina and her alone.

“To business, hm?”, Aly55 said.

“What did you do to him?!”, Regina exclaimed. “He has done nothing wrong…”

“I disagree. Besides, it’s not anything major. He will just be forced to be with you at all times”, she purred. “Now, have a guess. What do you think will happen when time unfreezes?”, she asked.

Regina thought for a little while, but shook her head as she couldn’t find a proper answer.

“Really?”, Aly55 scoffed. “Every time you try to tell someone that you’re from another world, you start feeling dizzy and strange stuff happens. Sensing a pattern?”, she asked sarcastically.

Suddenly, it all started to fall into place, like a completed puzzle. The first time she tried to say that phrase to Abby, Aly55 appeared for the first time. The second time, when she told that to Riley, people started perceiving her as a 16 year old. And the third time… had happened some moments ago. And what was worse than that, she hadn’t just told a single person, but a hall full of people, and now both her and her brother would suffer the consequences for that.

“W-what is going to happen to me?”, Regina asked nervously.

“You’ll be taken down a few pegs each day…”, she grinned mischievously. “Or should I say years…? You were warned. Enjoy the rest of your day” she vanished, and time unfroze.

Chapter 9 - Consequences of the Curse:

The commotion of the earthquake had brought many soldiers to the hall, who escorted the guests to more secure areas of the castle. As expected, no one remembered a thing about the party.

Regina and Riley were also being escorted by three soldiers, who lead them back to Regina’s room and then positioned themselves in the entrance.

“So, who was that?”, Riley demanded the minute the steel-clad men at arms had left her room. He was annoyed and, to be honest, slightly scared.

Regina looked at Riley. “As she said, she’s the one responsible for my age problems…”, she sighed and sat down on her bed.

He sat next to her, looking up at her and giving her a hug. “It’ll be okay,” he said optimistically.

Regina hugged back and started crying. “A-are you sure? I dunno what is going to happen to me now… I might be regressed even more this time. I’m scared”, she sniffed.

He nodded a bit, though he hesitated for a second. “So am I!”, he said, and continued, “but it’ll go well because in fairytales it always goes well in the end!” he said, smiling a bit.

Regina smiled and patted his head. “I hope this is just a fairytale, then”.

Suddenly, the doors burst open and Abby entered the room eyes wild and panting from her run.

“What happened? I heard you crying, Regina. Are you okay? Did something happen to you?”, she said.

“She’s fine” Riley snapped at Abby, arguing even now. He jumped off the bed, trying to make Abby feel unwelcome, and failing miserably.

“Oh, I’m sorry”, Abby said sarcastically. “I didn’t know Regina had her personal guard. Oh, that’s right… she doesn’t”, she then proceeded to escort Riley out of Regina’s room. “Now, little boy, there’s so much stuff you can go do outside while I take care of your sister”.

“But”, Riley said, “I can help her too, I’m not leaving,” he said firmly, crossing his arms.

“Yes, you are leaving”, Abby answered. “Your sister needs to have her diaper changed, so you better not enter again until I’ve changed her. Understood?”.

He scowled and left the room.

Abby picked up her friend and carried her to the changing table. He laid her down and took off her dress “Why were you wearing something so formal?”

“You dressed me like this for the party”, Regina pouted and crossed her arms.

“What party? I don’t remember dressing you up for any sort of party”, Abby said. “The only party that was celebrated today was Lord de Bones’… but it was cancelled due to the earthquake that happened some minutes ago.”

Regina nodded. “Yes! That’s the party that you dressed me up for!”

“Oh, nonsense!”, Abby answered, while she took off Regina’s wet diaper and started changing her. “Only your brother was asked to go there to say some words, but he preferred to stay with you”. Abby sighed, showing her feelings about that matter. “He should mind his own business instead of looking after you. After all, I’m the one in charge of you, right?”, she smiled.

Regina just shrugged and let Abby finish the change.

Before she could finish, however, the doors burst open and a guard pushed Riley inside. He looked very pale and dizzy.

Abby turned to face the sickly boy. “What are you doing in here!? I told you to stay out”, she snapped.

“I didn’t have a choice”, he said in a quiet voice, swaying on his feet for a second and getting closer to both girls, before colour returned to his face and he looked normal again.

“What happened, Riley?”, Abby asked, noticing the sudden change in Riley’s face and acting a little bit nicer. “I could swear your face looked very pale just a moment ago. Should I call Quinn?”

He shook his head quickly. “I’m okay” he stated, though he still looked a little nervous. He walked a bit further away and sat on Regina’s bed.

Abby then finished changing the princess — who had been covering herself and blushing since Riley was pushed in —, and put her in the onesie she had next to her, setting her down.

Regina headed to her bed and sat along with Riley, who was sprawled across her bed.

“Are you okay, Riley? Did something happen?”, she asked worriedly.

Riley bit his lip and glanced nervously at Abby, before shaking his head; not in front of Abby, the gesture seemed to say.

It looked like Regina had understood the gesture, as she just nodded and sighed. She then turned to Abby.

“Abby, can you leave Riley and I alone for a moment? I need to discuss something with him really quick”, Regina requested.

Abby started to protest but went silent at a glance from Regina. “Of course, princess,” she said, leaving the room.

“So?”, Regina turned back to Riley as soon as they were alone. “What happened?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know”, he answered truthfully. “All I know is I got really sick, then a guard pushed me in and I suddenly became better”

Regina thought back at what had happened with Aly55 some hours ago:

“He will just be forced to be with you at all times”, she had said.

“I’m afraid that it might be the curse from… that person”, Regina said. “She said that you’d be forced to be with me at all times…”

Riley thought about it, and in a spur of maturity, blurted out. “Does that count if go to the bathroom?”, he asked.

Regina couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. “I hope not…”

“Wait, if I got sick for only being outside for a few minutes, does that mean I have to sleep in the same room as you?” His face twisted into sadness because as much as he loved his sister, he also liked his room.

Regina thought about it for a moment. That would definitely be a problem, both for Riley and for her. She didn’t want her brother looking every time Abby had to change her diapers or dress her. The thought of it made her blush deeply.

He giggled a bit. “Why is your face red?” He asked curiously.

“Shhh!”, Regina pouted. “My face isn’t red!”

He nodded and pointed to a mirror by her wardrobe. “See?”, he laughed.

“Heyyy!”, Regina grabbed one of her pillows and threw it at Riley. “Don’t be mean!”

He ducked the flying pillow and grabbed it when it landed on the bed, throwing it back at her. Regina wasn’t as quick as Riley to dodge the pillow, and it hit her on her face.

“Regina? If I have to sleep here tonight, can we go get some stuff from my room?”, he asked plaintively.

Regina nodded and smiled. “Of course. Although… if this curse ends up lasting forever, we might need to expand this room to have space for all your stuff”, she sighed.

“Hey! I don’t have that many toys”, he pouted, crossing his arms.

“I know, but we might have to move everything from your room to here, including your bed and furniture.”

Riley modded after a second. “You’re right” he stated. “Can we go get my stuff now?”, he asked Regina once again.

She nodded. “Sure”, she smiled. Regina got off her bed, and, along with Riley, left her room and they headed to his tower.

Chapter 10 - Blushing Kids’ Sleepover:

As they walked, they got a few curious glances.

“Where are the crown princess and prince going?”, they wondered curiously.

Eventually, the pair arrived at Riley’s room, and he pushed open the door. Regina followed Riley into his room.

“What do you need to take with you, for now, Riley?”, she asked.

He didn’t reply and just went over to his wardrobe, grabbing some pajamas and a change of clothes. Then he went over to his bed and got a dragon stuffie he owned and a panda one.

“Done for now”, he said softly, barely being able to see since the piled stuffies made it near impossible to see past the pile he had built.

“Do you need a hand?”, Regina teased and giggled.

Riley flushed brightly. “No!”, he lied, before going silent for a few seconds. “Yes”, he finally whispered and pouted.

Regina took the dragon stuffie and panda stuffie and part of the pile of clothes from Riley’s hands.

“Okay, let’s go back”, Regina said. Riley nodded, and held onto her arm since he couldn’t hold her hand.

“Not too heavy?” He asked quietly.

Regina shook her head. “Not at all” she replied, getting her arm free and patting his head. He blushed and went silent, taking her arm back.

They soon returned to Regina’s room with all of Riley’s essentials and not so essential essentials, and as they opened the door, they found an intrigued Abby waiting for them inside.

“Where were you, Regina? It’s almost bedtime for you, you shouldn’t be running around the castle…”, she suddenly paused, noticing all the stuff they had. “Wait, why are you bringing Riley’s clothes and stuffies here, hm?”, Abby asked.

They knew they couldn’t tell the truth to Abby, or who knew what would happen, but as Regina was about to speak, Riley cut in.

“We’re having a sleepover! And you’re not invited” he added, which was probably the most insulting thing the little boy could have thought up.

“Excuse me?”, Abby said, clearly irritated. “I was never asked for permission to allow this sleepover, Riley.”

“And why should I ask you for permission?”, Riley snapped, crossing his arms and glaring at Regina’s friend.

“Because Regina is under my care, and I have complete authority to say who stays in this room and who doesn’t, so you better apologize now before I cancel the sleepover!”, Abby said.

Riley bit his lip; he was proud and didn’t like apologising, but if she sent him to his room, he’d be sick again. Regina looked at Riley as if she was telling him to apologize as well. He pouted but looked at Abby.

“I’m sorry for being mean” he apologised quietly, fidgeting with his shirt.

“I still haven’t been asked for permission”, Abby pointed out coldly.

Riley glared at her. “Can I please have a sleepover, miss?” He asked bitingly; he didn’t call her Abby. She was being cold so he would be equally cold.

“Fine, but you both must be asleep when I come back unless you want this to be cancelled”, Abby opened the door. “And I don’t want any loud noises or laughing coming from here after bedtime, understood?”

Riley pouted again. “But it’s only 5:00 p.m! And we haven’t had dinner”, he whined. Abby sighed and snapped her fingers, and two servants quickly entered the room from the main door.

“Bring their food over here as soon as dinner is ready”, she ordered the servants. “Oh, and Riley? Be nice, or I’ll baby you too” she warned, and she probably would go through with the threat, even if it were only for an hour.

Regina blushed. “W-what do you mean with ‘too’?!”, she pouted.

Abby chuckled and gave her charge a hug before putting her finger to her lip, as if it were a secret, soon leaving the room, along with the servants. Regina sat down on her bed and set Riley’s possessions down next to her. Riley sat on her lap.

“You’re still blushing” he teased, though he knew he probably wouldn’t be nice to Abby, and she would definitely go through with the threat.

“I’m not!”, she crossed her arms. “Besides… S-she wasn’t talking about me!”

He giggled and gave her a hug, smiling happily. He loved hanging out with her, even under a curse.

“You’d look funny in a diaper, though” Regina teased and giggled. It was now Riley’s turn to blush and he punched her shoulder very lightly.

“Meanie”, he whined, though a bit of a yawn slipped through; he was tired, and there were several hours till dinner, though it looked like he wasn’t the only one tired, as Regina yawned shortly after as well. Riley got off her lap and laid next to her on the big bed, curling into a ball.
Regina did the same thing, laying next to him, both falling asleep almost at the same time
Some hours later, Riley woke to the smell of food. Regina and Riley were laying next to each other, in a sort of yin-yang pattern, when Riley sat up and rubbed his eyes gently, getting rid of the dust.

They then heard a knock on the door. Riley slid off his sister’s bed and stumbled to the door, still drowsy, and opened it for the servants.

“Regina!”, Riley sat, walking back over to her and shaking her. “Wake up”.

“What happened, Riley? Is dinner here?”, Regina yawned.

“Yes! Wake up sleepy butt”, he whined, shaking her even more.

“Fine, fine”, she stretched and stood up. The servants then proceeded to serve the dinner, but before they left, one of them looked back at the princes.

“Princess, do you want me to get Abby?”, the servant asked as Regina realised she was in a wet diaper. She blushed and nodded.

The servants left and Riley started eating, not having really heard what they had said. Regina soon joined Riley, enjoying her dinner.

Abby soon appeared after they had finished eating. “Riley, get out”, she ordered, so she could change Regina’s diaper. Riley shook his head. He didn’t want to be sick again.

“What do you mean?”, Abby asked. “I’m about to change your sister. There’s no need for you to be here”.

Riley shook his head stubbornly. “No! I’ll just turn around” he said, facing the wardrobe.

Abby looked at Regina, hoping that she would say something against Riley’s idea, but to her surprise, Regina didn’t reply anything, although she was slightly blushing.

“You’re just going to let your little brother watch you get changed?!?”, she said, shocked
Regina looked away, glowing beetroot red. “H-he’s not gonna watch, he’s just facing the wardrobe…”, she pointed out.

Abby scoffed. “it’s the same thing”, she grumbled, but she picked her Charge up like a toddler, placing Regina over her shoulder and laid her charge on the changing table. She undid the diaper and cleaned her up, putting the used one in the bin.

Regina kept an eye on Riley through the whole process, even though she knew that he wouldn’t want to look. He kept pretending to turn a bit as if he was about to peek, although he never did.

Abby sighed as she realised she hadn’t got out her charges pajamas. “Riley, go in the wardrobe and get a onesie for Regina, then come over here, but no looking at Regina”.

“O-okay!”, Riley answered, diving into the giant walk-in wardrobe and coming out with a fairly childish onesie, one that he may or may not have bought for her when he was young and didn’t understand how sized worked. It has pandas and dragons on it, and he had a pajama set that was identical to it, although his wasn’t a onesie.

He walked over to Abby, careful to stare at Abby. As Riley got closer, he went red and handed it to Abby, before running back to the wardrobe. Surprisingly, probably due to Aly55’s curse, it fit perfectly.

Abby put down the girl, who, if she weren’t too big, would look like the average toddler, and kissed her cheek. “I’m gonna come check on you soon” she warned, before leaving.

Riley was still in his day clothes. “No peeking” he warned his sister, grabbing his clothes. He headed over to her changing table, as it provided some form of barrier so she couldn’t see him even if she looked.

Regina laid down on her bed, still red from Riley nearly having seen her getting changed — and also probably because of the onesie he had picked for her —, but she wasn’t facing him, so that was what mattered. He got dressed and walked back over; he was wearing the set that was identical to her onesie.

“Very funny”, Regina pouted and stuck her tongue out. Even so, she couldn’t help but smile. Riley stuck his out in reply and kissed her cheek, giggling “Do we have to sleep RIGHT now?”, he whined, pointing to the bed they had brought in for him. A small radio-like device that was hidden in one of the corners of the room suddenly turned on.

“Yes, you must. It’s almost bedtime for you two”, it was Abby’s voice coming from the speakers. “And you better be actually sleeping, or I’ll make good on my promise, Riley”, she added before the radio turned off. Regina giggled at Riley’s face, which was bright red at the mention of him being in diapers.

“Not funny”, he whined, covering his face.

Regina stood up and picked up her little brother, much to his shock, and carried him to his temporary bed, laying him down and tucking him in.

“Don’t worry, I don’t think that it can hear whispers”, she told Riley and giggled, “but go to bed anyway, cause Abby would diaper you if it can.”

“I don’t wanna be diapered!”, Riley protested.

“But you’d be cute in a diaper. I’d call you diaper boy” Regina joked, as she left the blushing boy and went to her bed.

Slowly, Riley began drifting off to sleep, and Regina fell asleep almost at the same time.

[LilaCinnamonRoll]

Chapter 11 - Resumed Regression:

Abby entered Regina’s room early in the morning, as she always did. She looked over at Regina’s bed, where both siblings were still peacefully asleep.

She threw open the purple and gold curtains and sunlight streamed into the room, making Riley groan and cover his face with a pillow.

“Wake up, children”, Abby said, while she prepared everything for Regina’s morning change.

Riley threw a pillow at Abby, conveniently the one he had used to block the sun; he was tired from staying up late and didn’t want to do anything today. “Go away”, he insisted sleepily.

“Well…”, Abby started. “Guess who’s not having any more sleepover here?” She grinned devilishly and focused on waking up Regina.

“What?!” He sat bolt up, his eyes wide and his hair sticking everywhere “No! I wanna have more sleepovers”, he said quickly, hoping he would still be allowed. Besides, he thought, Regina could just boss her around.

“Hmm, we’ll see”, Abby said. “I mean, you stayed up late and threw me a pillow, so…”

“Yeah but that’s cause you woke me up,” he said defensively; he knew he was in the wrong, but he also didn’t want to admit it, especially not to Abby. He ignored her and shook his sister awake.

Regina opened her eyes and yawned. “Morning, Riley…”

The little boy brightened as she woke up, though he still pouted. “Abby’s not letting us have any more sleepovers!”, he whined.

“Huh?”, Regina turned to Abby. “Why not?”, she said with a pouty face as well.

“We’ll discuss that later, Reg”, Abby picked her up. “Right now, it’s time for your morning change. Honestly, I don’t know why you’ve started wetting so early. Most teens usually start when they’re 15.”

Riley frowned. “But she’s 16”, he pointed out in a confused tone. He knew she had been regressed but that was just to 16, and he couldn’t reveal her real age, less something bad.

“Nope, not even close”, Abby laid Regina down on her changing table. “That’s why it’s not healthy to sleep late, Riley… You start forgetting things”, she said in a mocking tone.

He flushed an angry red. “I’m not forgetful!”, he said in an annoyed tone. “You’re just being mean”, Riley said spitefully. “And besides, I’m always awake early cause I’m never allowed to sleep late!”.

“Okay, then tell me…”, Abby challenged Riley. “How old is your sister?”

“She’s 14”, he said slowly. Even though he knew his sister’s real age, all that he saw was a 14-year-old girl. “But the person from earlier never mentioned another regression”, he thought.

“Correct”, Abby said. “Now, if you excuse me, I got to change your sister instead of discussing with you”. She turned back to the changing table and swiftly put Regina in a new diaper.

The whole time during their conversation, Regina had just laid down silently on the changing table. “So I’m 14 now…”, she thought and sighed.

Riley’s face got redder as he saw his sister get changed and covered his face with his hands too late. “You could’ve warned me, Abby!”, he said

“Yeah, I guess I could’ve”, Abby grinned and started dressing up Regina. “Well, Reg. I guess if you started wetting early, that means you’ll stop early as well, don’t you think?”, she said playfully. Her attitude towards this younger Regina was completely different from the one she had towards Riley. Even though she was still stern and serious, she seemed warm and motherly.

Riley noticed this and got a little upset. He crossed his arms and glared at Abby. Sure, he thought, he had been mean by destroying her dress those years back, but he also liked her and wanted to be her friend.

“All done”, Abby put Regina down. “Now it’s your turn, Riley”, she teased.

He shook his head. “What? no!”, he said nervously, not knowing if she was serious or not. Abby laughed.

“Fine, fine… Go to the bathroom to change your clothes quickly, then. I got to take you both to the Great Hall to eat breakfast”.

He sighed in relief and left the room, reappearing a moment later wearing a green vest over a white shirt. The vest had gold trim. He had black trousers and a necklace hanging around his neck; a crystal in the shape of a dragon.

His outfit also seemed to complement Regina’s pretty well, as she was wearing a simple, magenta dress with some silver details. She didn’t have a necklace on, but she was pretty sure there was one like that somewhere in her room.

“Wait, Abby”, Regina said. “I gotta search for something really quick”. She entered her giant wardrobe and came out a few minutes later with a similar necklace, though the crystal had the shape of a tiger.

Riley waited until they were ready to leave before he started fidgeting and approached Abby. “Were you really going to put me in diapers?” he asked in a nervous tone.

“Hm? What do you mean?”, Abby asked. “I just offered to help you change your clothes”.

He blinked, a red flush appearing on his face. “Oh”, he mumbled. He quickly went over to Regina, embarrassed.

Regina giggled. “You thought she was gonna put you in diapers?”.

He stuttered a little as he tried to explain and punched her shoulder lightly. “Shush”, he mumbled.

Regina just hugged her brother and kept giggling, until they arrived at the Hall.

It was as full as always, with winged servants swooping down and taking empty plates or refilling drinks. They approached the upper table, where they always sat and started eating. Their parents were nowhere to be seen, which left a lot of unoccupied space between Riley and Regina.

Riley was tempted to move his throne over to her, but he knew that it would be incredibly disrespectful and he’d get into lots of trouble, so he refrained from it. However, he noticed that Regina was waving her hands and signalling him to come.

He got out of his chair and walked over to her, his palms raised in the universal sign for “what?”. Regina just snapped her fingers, and one of the winged servants came over with a chair, which he put besides Regina.

Riley sat down, finding the seat surprisingly comfortable. “what is it?” he asked quickly. Regina laid on his shoulder.

“I don’t wanna be even younger…”, she sighed.

“I know but I don’t know how to stop it and we can’t tell Abby”, he pointed out, eating his breakfast of eggs and bacon. “Besides, I think she’d find it funny”

“Yeah, I know”, she said. "But I don’t know how many years I’ll end up losing.

“Are you getting physically younger as well?”, her little brother asked, looking at her strangely, then blinking. “You are! You look 14 now”, he frowned. “Wait. Does that mean you’ll keep getting younger and smaller?”

Regina nodded. “Most probably, though I can still see myself as if I was 18”.

“That makes sense” he nodded as if trying to act wisely. He yawned and looked at her. “I’m going to go talk to Abby” he mumbled, leaving the chair and walking over to her.

“Huh? What for?”, Regina stood up as well.

He didn’t answer but just continued talking to Abby nervously, evident by his fidgeting and soft voice.

Regina just looked from afar, and nervous as well. What was Riley telling Abby?

Abby suddenly burst out laughing and walked over to Regina. “Do you know what your little brother just asked me?”, her voice tinged with amusement.

Regina shook her head. “Nuh uh… W-what did he ask you?”

Her mouth twitched into a smile “He asked if he could try pull-ups!”

Regina blushed and looked at Riley. “You did what?”

He bit his lip and blushed as Regina. “I asked if I could wear pull-ups,” he said in a soft, embarrassed voice. Luckily, their voices didn’t carry through the room

“But why?”, Regina was as confused as she could be. There was no apparent reason for Riley to embarrass himself like that purposefully or was there?

He bit his lip and gestured to leave the room, having two answers for her. Regina followed him.

He made sure Abby didn’t follow and answered “It’s because she won’t ask why we’re spending so much time together and it means she won’t trust me if I accidentally say about your regression” he paused and took a deep breath “And because they look nice and I think Abby would like me a little more”.

“I mean, yes, they kinda look nice…”, she blushed. " However, I don’t think it’ll be that simple to say anything about this. We might not be able to even say it to others willingly."

He was about to say more when Abby appeared. “What are you chatting about?”

“H-hi, Abby!”, Regina said nervously. “Umm… n-nothing in particular.”

“So, are you guys talking about how you both like pull-ups?” She asked jokingly.

“I don’t… like them”, Regina murmured. “I have to use them.”

“I was joking, Regina,” she said gently, picking the girl up. “I know you don’t like them”

“Hmph!”, Regina just laid on Abby’s shoulder as she was picked up.

“How about we go for a walk today, diaper kids?” she asked gently, picking the boy up easily.

“Abbyyy~”, Regina pouted. “Fiiine, but don’t call me that again”.

“Or what?”, she challenged lightly, carrying them back to Regina’s room so she could comply with Riley’s wish and put him in a pull-up.

“Or, umm, I’ll get angry”, Regina answered.

She chuckled “And what? Throw a tantrum?” she teased, putting the girl down and carrying the prince to the changing table.

“Maybe…”, she said in a soft voice. She sat on her bed while Riley was getting changed. “Where are we going?”

“We are going…”, she paused as she took off the little kid’s pants and put him in a pull-up, “…to the Sunborn Royal Gardens.”