Ch.11: Kobolds and Cantrips

The storeroom area was empty this time — I checked the barrels to make sure, they only had foodstuffs in them — so I moved through it to the room beyond. That room was much larger, also lit by some lightsource I couldn't see, and covered in soft furnishings. The portholes had curtains, the wooden decking was covered with a variety of colourful and plush rugs and mats, and toys were strewn all about, mixed with scrolls and discarded clothing scattered amongst cushions and bean-bag chairs. Along one side were what looked like triple bunk cribs that could apparently be fastened to the walls when not in use. Most of them were vertical, with their bars folded under on the 'bottom' as the bunk-cribs themselves were held against the wall, but the row of four at floor level were out, with bedding in them. Two of them looked used. Looking closer, I noticed one of them had what seemed to be a large raccoon-like creature in it.

"Umm, hello?" I called out, and was greeted almost immediately by the blue bunny creature.

"Hello again, little one! Have you come to play?" Pandora's voice was soft and gentle, but I knew she was a competent nanny now, with a serious streak.

"I… guess so? Sesame sent me in here to, uh, check on Makari."

The blue bunny chewed on the tip of her own ear for a moment. "Alright. He's been in timeout for being a naughty little kobold, but that's over now. Makari, honey? You may get down. What do you have to say for yourself?" The bunny fixed the purple kobold with a Look until he twiddled his clawed thumbs.

"Um, um, s-sorry f-for, um, borrowing—"

"Stealing, honey." Pandora's voice was quiet, but had an edge that made Makari look down at his feet again. He twiddled his toe-claws.

"—Stealing the s-sugar an-an I w-won't do it again."

"That's alright. Now, off you go! This nice new cub is in charge since you've been a bad boy, so you mind you do what Petey here says, okay?"

Makari turned his head, fixing me with a hard glance. His tongue flicked in and out. "Okay," he said finally, apparently defeated. I studied Makari as he stood there, not quite buying it. He was quite angular, more… draconic than Rashath's kobolds, coloured a deep purple all over his hide except for the lighter mauve, passing almost to pink in places, on his belly — what I could see of it that wasn't covered in thick diapers — to the underside of his tail.

"Good. Be off with the pair of you, go, explore a little, but mind you stay out of trouble!"

"Come on!" Makari said, darting past the bunny and grabbing my hand as soon as he was dismissed, his demeanour changing instantly. "I got a lot to show you! You've not been here before, right?"

"Uh…" I began, as he dragged me across the room.

"This is the toybox! It's got all sortsa cool stuffs in it for playin' pirates and kings and queens and knights and robbers and this is the story corner where we have to read and do our schoolings — bleh! — or Sesame reads to us, and this is the kitchen…"

Once we were out of sight of the bunny, I tugged on Makari's arm a little. "Umm, this is for you!"

The kobold's eyes grew wide as he saw the candy I held out for him. He snatched it and stuffed it in his muzzle, chewing it loudly. "Orf amm nam sho good… I wike you, you'sh can be my friend."

I laughed. "Glad to hear it. Kinda need one, still getting used to this whole… pet… baby thing."

"Baby thing?"

"Diapers?"

"Ah, sho comfy, innit?" He crunched the last of the candy with his powerful teeth and swallowed it, patting his lighter-purple tummy. "Sho much better'n the potty."

"Uhh…"

"Uh huh. My friend keeps taking his diapers off and he's always getting in trouble for it. I don't get him. We dun hafta worry about anything! All the bigs changes our diapers, we just stay comfy. Didja know? I made these diapers! All by myself! I had hardly any help at all with the sewing!"

"Oh, uh, congrats, and... I guess they're comfy?"

"'Xactly. Come on, I wanna show you…" He broke off and narrowed his eyes, leaning in close. "Can you keep a secret?"

"What, like giving you candy after you got in trouble for eating sugar? What do you think?"

The kobold snorted. His breath was — behind the candy flavour — strangely reminiscent of Archax's. "Good point. Come! It's in the kitchen… you'n me, we's can just about fit."

This part of the ship was apparently entirely separate from the rest, or at least outfitted specifically for, well, us cubs. There was a large sink, a large cooker type arrangement with an oven — all of the handles looked like they locked — and lots and lots of cupboards. The shelves all had lips to prevent the goods on them from sliding off, and a conspicuous number of large baby bottles were upside down, drying, off to one side.

Barely hesitating, Makari clambered up a shelf and onto the counter. I followed him, a little bit less sprightly as I wasn't quite as used to the thick cloth diapers Sesame had put me in. The floor was a worryingly long way down, I guessed that Sesame was the main user of this station, probably helped by Pandora. Both of them had the reach for it.

Makari hadn't stopped moving whilst I'd been admiring the view. He lifted up a wooden flap and clambered into a small alcove. "Come on! Get in!"

I blinked, shrugged, then squished myself into the cubby alongside him. Squished is the word. "You need a change!" I hissed.

"Shush, so do you! Close the door! Just do it!"

Gingerly I did so, sending us into darkness, and then I flinched as the cubby started moving.

"Right, when it opens… run."

"When it opens what!?"

"Run!"

Light flooded my vision, and Makari was off, dragging me with him. Bellowing with laughter as he barrelled us through a gaggle of surprised cooks, we emerged into the 'big' part of the ship, another kitchen. This one was not empty, it was very busy preparing food and drink. I snatched a couple of buns as we passed a tray — in for a penny, in for a pound — and with the indignant shouts of the deckhands and cooks following us, we emerged onto the deck. I wordlessly handed the kobold one of the buns I'd got a hold of as we hid up against a wall, breathing hard. He looked at it, his eyes lighting up.

"I like you," he said, licking his lips at the tasty treat.

"I'll blame you," I said, "for leading me into temptation." I took a bite of my bun, it was warm and perfect. I pulled my diapers up with my other hand, grinning around the icing.

"I like you less. Come on, let's explore the ship!" Makari stuck his tongue out, then brushed the crumbs off from his already demolished stolen snack and wriggled himself upright.

He led the way through the sailors with a familiarity which told me he'd been here a while. Then again, he was also barefoot whilst I was in my footed rompers. With furtive glances at the deckhands, he sneaked to a selection of barrels and popped the lid off one. Reaching in a claw, he came back with first one then another squat, green object. "Apples!" he said, as if that explained things. Which it kind of did.

"Hey! Gerrof out of it! Git! You li'l sneak thief!" A sudden shadow turned out to be a looming minotaur brandishing meaty guns that could likely break me in half. Makari squeaked, then threw one of the apples at me, which I somehow caught.

"Cheese it, you dummy! You're ruining my stealth!" the kobold hissed, running for it.

We ran again, with the kobold scampering up rigging as I stayed at deck-level. I crunched my way through the apple — it tasted odd after the bun, but free stolen food is the best food after all — as we came to another scuttle. Without hesitation, the kobold dropped down beside me and clambered out over the pit on the thick rope netting that spanned it. Hesitantly, I joined him. We sat there, in relative peace, as the boat readied itself around us.

"So, you going to the realm for the first time?"

"Um, yeah," I replied, sprawling out. Beneath me, in the semi darkness, I could hear more work going on as cargo was stowed away. "How can you tell?"

"I can just tell. I… I came to go to Earth."

"Oh, you've got someone meeting you? Are you waiting for them?" I asked politely.

"Y-yeah, that's it." The kobold took a bite from his own apple, staring off into the distance as he finished it. The core went over the edge of the boat.

"Wanna go ashore then?"

"Y-yeah, sure. Boats are boring anyhow."

I followed the kobold's tail pretty closely as we clambered off the net. He helped me up onto the deck again and we wandered along the gunwhale until we came to one of the gangplanks. I stepped down it, swiftly setting my padded feet down on the quay, then turned to look back up at the kobold. He hadn't moved.

"Come on. You won't fall off."

"Shut up, dummy. I'm coming."

I watched him take little steps down the plank until, finally, he was at the very edge. I snorted, and reached out a hand to take him. He grabbed on, then took that last step. He shook as he stood on the concrete.

"You don't have anyone meeting you, do you?" I asked eventually.

"Dummy." He shook his head, looking down at his clawed feet.

I leaned closer. "Sesame told me a secret. She said you think you're a stowaway, but you're not."

The kobold drooped. "I kn-know, dummy. I'm running away! B-but you can't run away from dragons, not easily."

"Are you gonna be in trouble?"

"No. Yes. Maybe. I dunno."

I stuck my finger in my ear and wiggled it. "You think I'm gonna be in trouble for helping you run away?"

Makari grinned at that, his tongue flicking in and out with mirth. "Yeah, lotsa trouble. Mostly trouble for gettin' Sesame's rompers dirty. Should'a worn shoes."

"Yeah, well, I didn't know I'd have to stop a runaway pet from… not running away."

The kobold turned and swatted me with his tail. "Thanks. I did it. I ran away to Earth. Yeah. I showed you, daddy! I ran away! Ner!" he shook his fist at the sky and did a little dance.

I chuckled at his antics, as a second poofy creature sidled up to me. "He actually went ashore this time, huh?"

I turned to look at the raccoon-like creature I'd seen before, apparently asleep in one of the cribs. "Um, yeah. Th-that's kinda my fault. He's not gonna be in trouble, is he?" I whispered, leaning towards the Newcomer.

"Naa. Daddy sent me to keep an eye on him. Didn't he, Makari?" The raccoon drew herself up to her full height — a shade shorter than Makari, yet I could tell which of the two was 'bigger'.

"Umm, h-hi, sis! Umm, Petey, this is my sis, Trash. She's a trash-panda!"

I covered my mouth to avoid the coughing-laughing fit. "That's an—" I cleared my throat to hide the giggle. "—an original name."

'Trash' did indeed look like the raccoons I was used to, just… larger; she was quite slim, her lower legs were grey but her arms were black like her ears and the classic bandit's mask around her eyes. Her head-fur was longer, grey and unkempt, but her tail was long and floofy, banded with rings of black. She wrapped it around herself as I spoke, hiding behind it, blushing beneath her silvern cheek-fuzz.

"Oh hush. It's all my lil bro's fault," she complained, pouting. "First thing he says when he sees me is 'oh boy, a trash panda!' and now I can't live it down."

Makari had the decency to look ashamed of himself… for about three seconds, before he started poking his nose into the last of the boxes being loaded, looking for shiny things to loot. They made quite the couple for adoptive siblings, the kobold hiding his paws behind his back, twirling a bare claw in the dirt, as his 'sister' scolded him for once again thieving, though I wasn't sure I heard a "where you could be seen" in there.

"Yeah, Daddy sent me to make sure he gets home safely," Trash said to me, pulling on Makari's ear and ignoring his protests. "He has a little bit of a run away every so often, keeps him happy to disobey, if you didn't know."

"I think I do." I chuckled at their antics, then turned away from the pair as a shrill whistle blew.

"ALL ABOARD WHO'S COMING ABOARD! WE SAIL WITH THE TIDE!"

A gigantic lizardman, much larger than Gunny but grey where the previous one had been more green, stood on the bowsprit, far ahead of the mermaid at the prow. One great claw was at his maw, as he shouted the call far and wide.

"You'd better get back onboard," I said, turning back to the pair of troublemakers. "If you're done running away for now, I should get back onboard too before I really do get—" I stopped, they were gone. I quickly found out why.

"Ooh, little one! Is in much trouble now!" I was interrupted by a familiar, and now very ticked off, voice.

Makari and his sister were already vanishing up the gangplank and around the gunwhale as Sesame stomped along the quay. Little sneaks, they'd have to tell me how they pulled off that vanishing act. If I survived my punishment…

"Ahh, umm, I can explain…" I said, shrinking from the angry bear that was, quite literally, bearing down on me.

"Can you. Hmm. Alright. Because Sesame think was quite clear, have to ask to go out, yet here are. How strange. Sesame not remember letting out. Sesame letting Alex out, polite hengeyokai cub knows how to behave, but does 'bigger' human cub? No, Sesame thinks does not. Can cub explain himself?" She crossed her huge paws over her huge chest and glared, tapping one foot.

"Ah, you see, well, I kind of accidentally ended up in a dumbwaiter and then got lost trying to…"

The bear unfolded her arms and pointed at me. "Do not even need to be casting zone of truth to know lie is stinkier than morning diapers, no?"

"Umm." My heart sank as the bear pounced, lifted me up and dragged me up the gangplank.

"Now must also be punished for lying to Sesame." She tutted, "Sesame disappointed," she said, as she sat down on the gunwhale and put me over her knee.

"Wait! No!" I cried, as the bear deftly snapped open the crotch of the romper she'd put me in.

"Have brought this on yourself, little one. Stop squirming or will get more spanked!" A paw was raised.

"Excuse me," said a deep voice.

"Daddy!" I blurted, looking up as Archax approached the bear. Now I would be saved! Dimly I heard words like 'cast off!' and 'anchor's away!', and felt the ship starting to move, but my attention was fixed on the dragon who was surely going to save me from the ignominy of being publicly punished like an overgrown errant toddler.

"May I ask what you are doing with my cub?"

Sesame looked up at the dragon, silent for a moment, before speaking. She leaned back. "Sesame is punishing cub for… shall I tell him or shall you?" I meeped as a large paw lightly swatted my still-padded backside. I opened my mouth and closed it again, so the bear continued for me, listing my crimes. "Cub went out without telling Sesame. Has gotten rompers dirty. Was caught scrumping apples and scrumping sticky bun. Sesame is going to punish, unless good sir wishes to punish instead?"

Now Sesame was going to be in trouble! Daddy would come to my rescue and—

Archax' glare softened, then he scowled. "No, good mistress, you may punish him as you see fit for bringing shame to my name."

"Daddy nooo!" I moaned, as the bear unsnapped my onesie then pulled down my diapers. The sea air was cold on my buttocks as they were proudly put on display.

"Is no shame for you, good master. Cubs misbehave, is their nature until are taught to behave. Sesame know is new cub, new cubs often need reminding. Especially when on adventures."

"Still, I leave him in your good claws. We will have words later, little one. I am glad you are onboard and safe."

As the angry dragon stomped off, I heard and then felt the whistle of Sesame's paw as she drew it back and swatted my cheeks smartly, once, with her paw. I jumped and cried out from the slap.

"No! Wait! Don't spank me out he—Ow!"

The bear paused a moment, paw resting on my bare backside. "Is one. Is freebie because have not been spanked before, but now will know. Hold tongue, take punishment, or will continue swatting until complaining stops."

Her paw raised and fell once more.

"No but don't—"

Swat!

"One!" the bear said again, primly and disapprovingly as I whined.

"Ow!" I moaned, pouting.

Swat!

"Also one!"

"But you—" I tried. That was the wrong move.

Swat!

"Still one," she said again, pointedly waiting for more protestations.

I just whimpered this time, closing my eyes as I refused to look at how many of the surrounding spectators were chuckling at my ignominious fate. "Two! Is better. Three! Four!"

Swat! ...Swat! Swat!

I gritted my teeth at the burning shame rising to my face-cheeks, and soon the burning sting in my backside, as the bear kept up with the swatting. By the count of eight I was blubbering properly, and by nine I was bawling, hot tears running down my cheeks as the final count rang in my ears. Sesame could tell the difference between fractious fussing and actual blubbering, so hadn't adjusted the number further. What was worse, as she spanked me, I had felt my diapers growing hot as I piddled helplessly into them like the toddler I appeared to be. Like the toddler I was.

"Ten." With the final slap on my by now very red and raw bum cheeks, she rested for a moment as I cried my eyes out. She hadn't even been hard, it stung on the inside far more. "Shh, shh... breathe, little one. Have had punishment. Now is time for comforting." She pulled me to her chest-fur, rubbing my back, as I felt actual sobs of shame wrack my body. I cried and blubbered into the fuzz as her paw made slow circles on my back. She hadn't even been particularly hard, but just the discipline had reminded me of some days gone past. I felt well and truly ashamed, and that was why I was really crying.

"Diaper, there we go. Onesie, romper… must change when we get below decks, have ruined the feet! Ruined! Come here, give real hug. Little cub know why was spanked? Because Sesame is looking after cub, and cub almost got left behind! Who would be in trouble? Would be Sesame, for losing cub, and cub would be all alone! Anything could happen! Daddy's heart would break! Cub want to break daddy's heart? Sesame not think so."

The bear fussed over getting my soggy diapers back on over my sore, red backside, pinning them tight as she pulled my plastic pants up after, and got me back into my babyish clothes. Then she lifted me bodily up level with her head and stared into my eyes until I met her gaze. I still found myself sobbing as she pulled me back into her chest-fuzz.

"Sesame would cry forever if lost cub. Daddy would cry. Cub would cry. Now, come back below, will change diapers, put down for nap and—"

"Wait! Wait! Stop the ship!" came a distant cry. Instantly, the bear was on her feet, cradling me in the crook of one arm whilst she spun to look at the shore. A mostly white creature was speeding pell-mell towards the edge of the dock, only pulling short as he threatened to tip into the ocean, but the ship had already sailed and the gangplanks were long past stowed.

Whatever it was, it wasn't human. Humanoid, sure, but definitely not human. It had to be a Newcomer, though I didn't recognize the type, as when I say 'mostly white', I meant bright white, as if covered in fur. When he neared the edge of the quay, I saw that he was actually covered in feathers. He looked like a giant, humanoid owl, with two clawed feet, two mostly human arms with what had to be functional hands — though I guessed likely claw-like — and two huge wings protruding from his back around his cloak. He spread his wings and hopped from foot to foot, but remained on the shore, shouting impotently for us to please, stop!

"Ahh, is final cub. Another one needing a spank, perhaps. Upsy daisy!" Sesame gestured, and the figure on the shore rose into the air, bags and all. "Come, little one! Have wings! Pull self through air!"

"Woah! Ooh! Help! I can't fly!" he called, all his six limbs akimbo as he floated on the breeze.

"Little one, if wish to be onboard, must try!" the bear called. "Sesame cannot levitate forever! Use wings!"

I heard familiar stomping footsteps as Archax strode over to us. "I heard the commotion, can I help, madame?"

"Uh, would not wish to bother good sir dragon, but one of Sesame's cubs has decided to turn up after ship has set sail. Can, uh, fetch?"

The dragon sighed. "We are not quite out far enough for this to be comfortable, but… stand back." I watched as my daddy spread his wings. I'd not seen him do so before, not really. He was a regal and imposing sight as he stood up straighter and unfolded. He almost seemed to grow several sizes. Suzy too, who had accompanied him on this return trip on deck, admired the sight as — with muscles rippling under his hide — the red dragon leaped into the air off the deck of the ship in one smooth motion.

He swooped through the air, pumping his powerful wings, picking up speed on a slight down-swing, then dropped his claws down and snatched the sculling figure out of the air. The dragon then rose, flapping desperately to gain height on his turn, as he headed back to the ship. I could tell he was having a hard time as he fought for altitude. It was going to be close, but I could see he would probably make it. I crossed my fingers, mentally trying to find a life-preserver big enough for my daddy should he end up in the ocean. We weren't exactly far from shore, but that would a disaster.

He slammed into the side of the boat a moment later, with an audible thud that rocked the deck, hanging off the gunwhale with one claw whilst he lifted up the creature he had caught with another, heaving it onto the deck. Then he scrambled his own way back up onto the ship, the wood protesting and creaking as he did so.

Daddy huffed and puffed in a most undignified manner as he recovered. "I hope… this suffices… as apology for… my pet's previous bad behaviour. Flying in this world is… not enjoyable. Whew. Apologies, I will… rest here for a moment." I'd never seen the big guy actually strained before. I stuck my binky in my mouth with worry.

"Sesame must be the one apologizing, did not ask to postpone sailing." Sesame padded over to Archax and helped him up, before staring down at the owlette. "Now, young squire Locano, is also to be begging forgiveness from good sir dragon, no?"

The creature before us scrambled to his bare, clawed feet and bowed reverently to Archax as my daddy pulled himself fully upright.

"Th-thank you, sir, for rescuing me. I am in your debt, Master Dragon."

"I am named Archax, young ranger, hail and well met. Might you tell me your name?"

"Uh, L-Locano, Swift-quiver, sir. M-my master Chyranthor will h-happily, uh, deduct m-my, umm—"

"Now, now, none of that," comforted Archax, as he saw the owl-like creature start to tear up. "I am sure whatever punishment Mistress Sesame here sees fit to mete out will be more than enough. Thanks to your mishap, I am no longer in her debt, though doubtless you will be the one paying for it, isn't that so, young aarakocra?" The dragon chuckled as Locano, obviously mortified, tried to apologize again. He was swiftly stopped by daddy as Archax pushed him gently but firmly towards Sesame and I.

"Come, Locano. Sesame will indeed have to punish, once young aarakocra has explained why was so late he almost did not — actually did not, if tell truth — make the voyage? Huff. What will Sesame do, so many naughty cubs! Would wrap up in cotton wool, she would!"

With that, the sails were fully unfurled, all hatches were battened, mizzen masts were spliced, anchors were raised and other nautical terms were… nauticled — I was not a sea-going baby — and The Maiden's Virtue set sail for adventure.