Scribblings of Jacky. Jacky sat there at the play table and held his crayon tightly in his grip. It had been so long since he'd written his thoughts down, and in a moment of longing for it, he decided to reintroduce it whenever he felt the need. Taking paper with an unsteady hand, he began to write on it as if looking for catharsis. [i] Week one, Monday. [/i] [i] Indeed, it would seem my time here has been most peculiar. Never have I been so mismatched with a group of people so radically different from one another yet so in lockstep. It is almost enviable in a way. [/i] [i]I spent many years of my life in solitude and perfecting my craft, but I never once considered a need for what I have now. Sometimes, I occasionally lose the desire to restore myself to my previous form, but ultimately, I must not succumb to hopelessness....[/i] [i]Week one, Wednesday.[/i] [i]Zari is such a burden.... She endlessly tries to scheme her way into this and that, which drives me to my wit's end. I find her insufferable, but yet, I feel pity for her at times.[/i] [i]I had found thoughts I had never considered while contemplating what I'd previously written. So, when I look at Zari, I see somebody so void of love and empathy that it brings perspective.[/i] [i]How can one such as Zari know and understand love and compassion if it was never shown or given to her before? I speculate that she can't, and I am intrigued by her predicament.[/i] [i]Will she ever learn from the experience?[/i] [i]Week one, Sunday.[/i] [i]Cheryl is such a sweet girl. I find her endearing, and truthfully, like how she calls me her brother. At one point in time, centuries past, there might have been a moment I wanted that.[/i] [i]Now that I have it, it feels rewarding. Sure, we magically created her, but biologically, she is as alive as any of us.... Ironically and amusedly, Zari's interference in the ritual that had given Cheryl immense strength has been the consistent downfall of her many antics.[/i] [i]Now that Cheryl is wiser to her trickery, she is capable of creating inescapable cribs and structures by bending metal as if it were paper. Zari misbehaves; there is no escaping time-out before the bell is up.[/i] [i]She has nobody to blame but herself, really, and I have a secret chuckle at her expense every now and then.[/i] [i]Week two, Tuesday.[/i] [i]I have been thinking long and hard about my previous life before my transformation. In these memories, I find that I genuinely miss alchemy and potion brewing.[/i] [i]It was not just a means to enhance my magic, it was an art that I took pride in. Ever since that day that we went to the apothecary and I dropped my spoils because of Zari. I have yearned for the chance to do this again.[/i] [i]I will definitely have to put thought into it, but I surmise there must be a way to enjoy my old hobbies somehow....[/i] [i]Drat... I am out of bubbles for my pipe! I shall ask Mother to fetch me some... I cannot think clearly without my pipe![/i] [i]Week two, Wednesday.[/i] [i]Mother has gotten me more bubbles, and she is a kind soul. Possibly the kindest I have ever known. Despite her eccentricities with diapers and changing, I have found I have grown accustomed to it.[/i] [i]At first, the sheer humiliation was beyond bearable, but in my understanding, it is not sexual. I have come to be neutral to it. I will ashamedly admit that I somewhat like not having to stop my work to use the bathroom outside as I once did.[/i] [i]I may sound critical or ungrateful for my mother and the way in which she behaves, but it is quite the opposite. In truth, it is refreshing to find such a kind and pure soul. She is equally caring and compassionate.[/i] [i]I shyly admit that I have grown somewhat attached to her, as a child would any wonderful mother.[/i] [i]Week two, Thursday.[/i] The rumblings of terror as the monster lurks in wait from its den. How auspicious is it that Mother forbids me from entering its lair, but she, Father, and Cheryl all enter throughout the day unscathed?[/i] [i]A "potty" is what Cheryl refers to it as, and I am uncertain of what manner of creature that is. This "potty-monster" feels as if it is hiding something, and I fear it might be my wand.[/i] [i]I shall have to investigate when I am able.... I am confident if I approach while one of the three goes in, I will be able to glance into the eyes of the lurking beast.[/i] [i]Week two, Saturday.[/i] [i]Oh, my.... In my intrepid attempt to see the beast for what it was when Cheryl entered. I was scared witless when I opened the door to take a peek.[/i] [i]There, Cheryl stood before this strange creature and looked as if to be feeding it some manner of paper. I was initially perplexed, but it roared so loudly when she touched it that I scrambled away with my heart racing.[/i] [i]Such a creature defies all the texts I have read, and now I see why they go it. They must satiate its hunger.... As well, keep it locked away in that room, likely with magical incantations written on that very paper.[/i] [i]This would mean that it was summoned here.... This has led me to believe that the scary potty-monster is a creature summoned by Mother. It is likely how she keeps us complacent and dependent on her and why she demands the use of diapers.[/i] [i]Yes, that might be it, the potty-monster might sustain itself on diapers.... Hmm....[/i] [i]Week three, Monday.[/i] [i]The longer I dwell on it, the more terrified I become of the potty-monster. It has an endless hunger, and its noises are so loud and horrifying.[/i] [i]It makes me fear whatever "potty training" is that father brings up from time to time with the mother. Given what I know and have figured out, I desire to know what physicality this "potty training" entails. I know father is a strong man, but as a wizard of sagacious wisdom, I find physical training absolutely abhorrent.[/i] [i]Now that I have written and read this to myself, I find myself admiring my father's physical prowess. In many ways, he has surpassed a lot of normal animals. Indeed, it makes me remember the old adage. "A healthy body facilitates a healthy mind."[/i] [i]Because of this, I have come to analyze my father when he exercises and attempt to emulate the lifts he does with the blocks I have in my room. I do not much like it, but I feel clarity when my muscles are stretched.[/i] [i]I will have to experiment more with my father's direct guidance.[/i] [i]Week four, Thursday.[/i] [i]Ah, it has been a while since I have written, but I have been far too busy in my immediate excitement. My need for my old hobby has driven me to the point of madness, but in my exploration for solutions to this problem, I have happened upon a secret.[/i] [i]There is a loose panel in the far corner of our closet, hidden behind toys. It fell out when I slammed it angrily because Zari created ever more frustration than there needed to be for me.[/i] [i]There isn't much to the crawl space, but it is spacious enough for me to occupy. With that level of privacy, I can be left undisturbed, as well as keep safe the mixtures I try to make. I must be cautious, for I can never let Zari or Misty know of its existence.[/i] [i]Especially once I began picking and moving ingredients from outside by stowing them in my diaper.[/i] [i]Yes...[/i] [i]This will be like the old days, a small wooden cottage to my very own. All it needs is a bit of cleaning; over time, I can transform it into a lair of magnificent study.[/i] [i]Week four, Sunday.[/i] [i]Yes, things are going splendidly. The crawl space remains hidden, and I have cleaned it of dust with some of Mom's baby wipes. After that, I moved blankets, books, and a cardboard box to use as a table inside.[/i] [i]A small toy lantern that my parents gave me shall be my light. The hard part was figuring out how to keep the panel from falling out so quickly. Especially if a jolt was enough to force it loose last time.[/i] [i]In my uncertainty, an idea came to me; it came loose because it was too small for the hole in the wall it was covering. So, with a bit of fibbing on my part to Cheryl, I managed to obtain a bag of cotton balls for "arts and crafts."[/i] [i]While I do hate fibbing to the girl, I was truthful in a roundabout way, as my potion-making is my art. With the cotton balls in hand, I stuffed them tightly into the wooden frame, and much to my delight, it filled the gaps that made the panel loose.[/i] [i]Now, one needs to push down the wood panel to squish the cotton down so that it is removable. With me being the only one to know this, I feel safe enough to begin slowly stocking it and getting cups and utensils in a way where they will not be noticed missing.[/i] [i]Week Five, Tuesday.[/i] [i]Finally, I have adequately set up the crawl space and moved all of my writings inside of it for safekeeping. Indeed, the light from the toy is adequate to illuminate the entire space, and the inside of this place is comfortable for one of my small size.[/i] [i]A fib here and there to Cheryl has netted me cups made of glass so that my concoctions do not to corrode through the weaker plastic of the others available to me. I am just about ready to begin my first brew, which is thrilling. I almost feel like I am in my old home when I am here, despite it being a storage space located in the wall.[/i] [i]Week Five, Saturday.[/i] [i]Yes, I have done it! Last night was my first night attempting my alchemy, and despite its simplicity, it thrilled me to do it. Using everyday ingredients obtained from outside, I managed to make a simple "grow potion". With it, I could potentially farm rarer herbs myself should I manage to get ahold of them or the dirt needed.[/i] [i]Unfortunately, the process by which I do my hobby is exhausting, to be honest. It requires me to wait until Zari is sound asleep, then I must sneak out of the crib and enter my lair without making a sound. The cotton at least does this job exceedingly well with the panel.[/i] [i]Sadly, I am exhausted and fear falling asleep within the hideaway. If I am discovered missing, too many will become worried, and I might be found out....[/i] [i]The only potential solution is to create a "wakeness potion" to rid myself of the need for sleep. Unfortunately, the ingredients for that will not come by as quickly and will almost certainly require things from town....[/i] [i]After I manage that task, my next goal will likely be defeating the evil potty-monster, whom I suspect is the eternal guardian of my wand.[/i] [i]With my ability to create potions in its nascent stages, I feel some level of power and control returning to me and my life.[/i] [i]As well as what can be only described as happiness....[/i] As Jacky finished writing, he placed the crayon down in his hideaway. Quietly removing the panel, he turned out his toy lantern and placed the panel back tightly in its place. Once done, it was the simple matter of placing a light toybox in front of it for extra security. Then, he waddled to his crib and climbed back in quietly in order to get what little sleep he would until tomorrow morning. ....