"A Means To An End"
by the AP Scout
(c) 2000
Author's Note: Hi Again! Well this is a short piece. I have another planned but I'm busy for the moment. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy this work; it isn't as long as "Rini's Change of Fortune" and unlike that story, it isn't a lemon either... Although there are a few gross bits. All Sailor Scout related characters are copyrighted by DiC, Naoko Takeuchi, Toei Animation, and probably some other folks.
"Now, young lady," the doctor inquired, "Why on earth did you swallow a key?"
Rini shifted uncomfortably for a moment wondering what she could say. The doctor continued to look at her expectantly for an answer. "It was a dare," she fibbed.
"A very dangerous dare. You could have choked to death." The doctor turned to Serena and gave her a stern look. "And you, young woman, why didn't you stop it?"
"I wasn't there at the time. I chased that bully away." Serena wouldn't exactly call Emerald a bully but the doctor didn't need to know that. "Doctor, will she be okay?"
Turning, she gazed at the X-ray of the seven year old's stomach. The doctor hummed for a moment then shook her head. "I don't know why I can't see it. I do see the chain. It's a wonder she didn't gag on it." Rini shifted again. She couldn't let Emerald have her Time Key or she'd never get back home. "How big did you say it was?"
"About like this," Rini said while indicating the size.
"Well, I'm reluctant to do anything drastic. We'll let nature run its course but if she has any discomfort, come back here immediately," the doctor instructed. She turned to Serena, and then lectured, "And make sure she doesn't pull such a foolish stunt again."
"Don't worry, Doctor, I think my mom will have a very long talk with her." Rini winced at Serena's words.
"All right then, we should know within twenty-four hours if there's any complications. I hope you're okay." The doctored gathered up her clipboard and left the room.
Rini lowered her gaze to the floor and pouted, "I thought I'd get my key back."
"That isn't likely," Serena speculated, "The next time you go to the bathroom, it'll come out and get flushed."
"But I need it! I won't be able to get home if I don't have it," Rini almost cried.
"Well, you certainly can't go digging through the toilet. There's germs, besides the mess you'd cause..." Seeing that Rini was near tears, Serena walked over and lifted the little girl off the table. "Come on, let's go home."
"Serena," Rini asked softly while hugging the older girl, "Do we have to tell Auntie Irene?"
"Yes," Serena replied, "She has to know just in case something goes wrong. And, she'll want to know why you swallowed your key. I know you didn't want Emerald to get it but you're more important than some dumb old key."
"But I need it to save Mommy!" Rini countered, "I have to get it back. I just have to!"
"You want to walk or let me carry you?"
Rini just laid her head on Serena's shoulder, not answering. Stepping out into the late afternoon sunshine, they walked in silence as the left the hospital and headed for home. Rini tried to think of what she could do. As they passed a store window, an idea came to her. Pushing herself up, she said, "Wait a sec." Serena paused looking at her strangely. After staring at one of the ads for a few moments, she said, "That's it!"
"What's it?" Serena asked, turning to see if she could find out what Rini was looking at.
"I could... I could wear a diaper."
"Yeah, spore, you always were a baby," Serena said jokingly.
Rini wriggled from Serena's arms and walked over to the window display. "They're even on sale!" The picture of the infant had caught her attention.
Serena's eyebrows shot up in surprise, she hadn't thought Rini was serious. "You've finally started to act your age." The hurt look that Rini gave her surprised Serena even more. "Sorry..." Walking over, she knelt down and said softly, "But Rini, you're seven years old, not a baby."
"You think I am," Rini said sadly.
"Nah, I was just teasing you," Serena explained, "I thought you were kidding. Now come on and let's go home."
"You gotta help me, please Serena? I need that key."
"No way! Mom would freak. I'm already gonna be in a heap of trouble because of you."
"But you weren't even there. Please Serena? The doctor said a whole day, didn't she?" She gave Serena her best puppy-dog eyes. Serena seemed to waver so she said, "I'm not asking you to lie, just keep what I plan to do from Auntie Irene."
"I was going to spend the night at Darien's," Serena said, "I guess you could come with me." She looked at Rini who turned a bright red. "It's either that or one of the girls."
"Can't we go home?"
"No way to hide that type of thing from Mom."
Rini sighed a little and then said, "So you'll help me?"
"Okay, but I'm squaring this with Mom first, just in case something goes wrong."
"Okay," Rini agreed reluctantly, "But Auntie will be mad."
"So to Darien's?"
"No," the little girl said while shaking her head, "Let's go to Amy's." At least, Amy was a future doctor.
"Hi Ames!" Serena called as the front door of the Anderson home was opened.
"Serena? Rini? What are you doing here?" Amy looked rather guilty but her eyes did flick towards the packages that Serena was carrying.
"Can we talk inside?" Serena asked.
"I was busy. Is it important?" Amy asked. When Serena nodded, the blue haired girl let her friends in. Once inside with the door closed, she asked, "So what is the problem?"
"We need your help, Amy, but I'll let Rini explain. I have to go call my mom."
"Thanks a lot, Meatball Head," Rini muttered out. Turning to Amy, she asked, "Is your mom here?"
"No, she had to work."
The little girl heaved a sigh before saying, "Well, you know how we fought Emerald?" Amy nodded. "Well... um... something happened before you guys showed up..."
The next few moments were uncomfortable for Rini as she described what had happened and what she intended to do. After moving into the living room to wait for Serena, Amy tried to talk Rini out of her plan.
"Amy, I don't like it... It gives Serena lotsa ammo," Rini complained, "But I need that key."
"Can't you call the person that gave you the Time Key?" Rini sniffled. "Don't cry, I'm just not sure this is the best of plans."
"But I gotta have that key. You 'n' Serena will look after me, won't you?" She hated to admit it but she needed their help.
"I promise," Amy said.
"I do too," came Serena's voice.
Amy and Rini turned to see Serena walking over to them. "How did your mom take it?"
"She's not too happy," Serena said, "But I got her to let Rini stay over tonight."
"What's the catch?" Rini asked. There would have to be something.
Instead of answering, Serena asked, "Amy, when's supper?"
"With Mom working, I never thought about it. Normally, I'd just make a sandwich. Hmm... I suppose I could order us a pizza," Amy mused.
"Would you, Amy?" Rini asked.
"Please, Ames, I'm hungry," Serena added.
"All right, but I need some quiet for a short time. I was working on something important when you came."
"Sure... can Rini and I borrow your bedroom for a sec?" Amy shrugged. Taking Rini by the hand, she led the little girl down the hall to Amy's bedroom and closed the door. "Did you get Luna Ball to change the size of those diapers?"
"Yeah," Rini said, "Serena, what's the catch?" Serena gave her a sad look. "Ya gotta punish me, huh?"
"Sorry, kiddo, I tried to talk my mom out of it but she was pretty mad." Reaching out, she pulled the little girl close and gave her a few gentle swats on the bottom. She then delivered two stinging swats.
"There, you were spanked, just liked I promised."
"You try not to lie, huh?"
"I think telling the truth is very important," Serena answered. "Well, you want to get it over with?"
"I guess so," Rini said, "But I don't know how to put one on."
"I do. Do you want me to do it for you?" Rini nodded. "Go get me a towel out of the bathroom and I'll get the other stuff ready." Rini nodded glumly while heading out of the room.
Serena looked up from her task of laying things out when she heard the door close. "I got this," Rini said, holding up a roll of toilet paper, "I didn't know if you'd need it or not."
"Thanks Rini. I forgot about that." After getting the towel from Rini, she spread it out on Amy's bed. She opened the box of surgical gloves she had bought, pulled a pair on, and said, "Okay, take off your underpants, and your skirt. We'll put that back on when we're done." Blushing, Rini followed the older girl's instructions. It was very embarrassing but she had little choice.
"Now what?"
"Have a seat on the towel and lie back."
Rini hesitated for a moment before walking over to the bed and hopping up onto it. She was about to sit down when Serena motioned her back a little further. Shifting, she sat down. "Maybe this isn't a good idea."
"Well," Serena said, "It's up to you, Rini. But if you don't do this, you lose your key." Without further argument, Rini laid back down, lthough she continued to blush. Serena bent and gathered up Rini's ankles much as she had done to Jordan when she was changing him. Lifting them into the air and pushing back slightly, she raised Rini's bottom off of the bed and into the air slightly.
Taking some toilet paper, she wiped Rini's bottom clean before using a baby wipe to complete the job. At this, Rini gave a yelp of surprise. "That's cold!"
"Sorry, should have told you," Serena said, "You should like this though." With that, she added baby powder to the little girl's rump and patted it on tenderly for a couple of seconds. "Better?"
"Yeah," Rini said but turned a brighter shade of red. "Are you gonna be much longer? I'm getting cold."
"Almost done, just the diaper." Rini let out a little sigh. At least Darien didn't know about this, or her friends.
Rini found that, after awhile, she forgot about the diaper. She had
managed to stop blushing and eventually got used to the crunching noise
that it made. It was still embarrassing to have Amy know but she was worried about her own problems. Apparently, the blue-haired Scout had wanted to find out how her minicomputer worked so she had cracked the case. Now, however, Amy wasn't able to get it back together again. Serena was also being kind by not teasing Rini.
As she finished eating her supper, Rini asked, "What's for dessert?"
"Here," Serena said, "Mom said no dessert but this doesn't count."
Rini took what Serena offered and looked at it. As far as she could tell, it was a piece of a chocolate bar. "What is it?"
"A laxative," Amy explained, "It'll make you go to the bathroom sooner."
That was a good idea. She didn't want to wear the diaper any longer than necessary. Popping it into her mouth, Rini chewed on it and said, "This ain't bad. Can I have some more?"
"No, you shouldn't take a lot," Serena answered, causing Rini to pout. "Maybe if you're extra good, I'll make us some popcorn."
"And a movie?"
"I guess. What do you want to watch?" Amy asked. This question set off a debate.
It was about midway through the movie when Rini said, "Pause it for a sec."
"Why?"
"I gotta go to the bathroom."
"You are wearing a diaper," Serena pointed out. Amy subconsciously made a disgusted face but she ignored it. Rini was staring at her wide-eyed. "Well?"
"I kinda forgot about it," Rini admitted, "Maybe I should go into the bathroom though."
Serena picked up the control and paused the movie. "Yeah, I'll have to change you too."
"I can do it on my own," Rini insisted and sliding from the couch, headed for the bathroom. Serena shrugged and continued the movie. A couple of minutes later, Rini called out, "Serena!"
Serena paused the movie again and got up. Giving a little smirk, she walked to the bathroom and found Rini looking out of the doorway. "I thought you had to go?"
"I did but..." Rini said and made a disgusted looking face.
"You said you'd do it on your own."
"I... was wrong," Rini said, "Would you help me? Please?"
"Sure, I'll go get the stuff from Amy's room," Serena said.
"Hurry, it feels icky!" No wonder babies cried when they needed changing.
Several minutes later, Rini lay on her back on the bathroom floor. "You know," she said as Serena applied some baby powder to her now clean bottom, "I could get used to this. You're kinda like my servant." That comment earned her a sharp smack to her rump, causing her to yelp. "Are you mad at me 'cause you couldn't go see Darien?"
"I was looking forward to it," Serena said.
Rini sat up suddenly and said, "You can spank me again if you want to." She was feeling rather guilty.
The teen smiled and patted Rini on the head, "No sweetheart. I'm not mad at you. You're more important than a date with Darien. Besides, how am I going to help your mommy if we can't get back to the future?" Handing Rini another pair of surgical gloves, Serena said, "Here, put these on. We'll have a look for it and if it isn't there, we'll put on another diaper."
They spent the next few minutes searching Rini's output. Rini tried not to gag and was thinking that she'd take any punishment over this. Serena, having looked after baby Jordan, was a little more immune to the sight and smell, but only a little.
"The only thing in there is the chain," Serena said, "I guess we'll have to keep trying until something happens." She looked at Rini, who was looking rather despondent, and blinked. If she didn't know any better, Serena would have sworn that Rini was getting younger. She looked barely six rather than a healthy seven. "Must be the fumes..." Serena muttered.
"Huh?"
"N-nothing," Serena said. She folded up the dirty diaper and put it along with the other waste into a white trash bag, "Unless you go again, we'll give you a fresh one after our bath tonight, okay?"
Rini nodded and lay back down. Once the fresh diaper was on her, she sat back up and said, "Thanks for all your help, Serena." Maybe Serena wasn't so bad.
Serena smiled at her, took off the surgical gloves, and said, "I wouldn't want anything to happen to you." Rini hugged her.
Later that evening, Serena made one last pass with the baby wipe, causing Rini to wiggle in her sleep. Smiling slightly, she fastened the diaper into place. She took off the surgical gloves and then started putting pajamas onto the little girl. "These look bigger than I remember. Maybe I wasn't seeing things," Serena said to herself.
"Anything?" Amy asked softly from outside the door.
"Nope," Serena said, "I hope I find it soon. This job's majorly disgusting."
"You'd make a great mom," Amy said, "Now, you and Rini share the bed and I'll get a sleeping bag."
Putting the dirty diaper and other waste to one side, Serena tucked Rini into bed and gave her a kiss before leaving the room. "Poor tyke's miserable," she said to Amy, "I hope things work out for her."
"So do I," Amy said while patting Serena on the shoulder, "So do I."
Serena's first impression was that it was dark. Then she heard the snuffling sound again. Suddenly, she realized that the snuffling sound was crying. Trying to get her bearings, she reached over to the nightstand and switched the light on. "Rini?" she questioned. Only the muffled crying came to her. The covers shifted. Throwing them back, she discovered a child with pink hair and red eyes that were filled with tears. "Rini?" Serena questioned. Nevertheless, it couldn't be -- the child was only two!