Mass Effect: Hypno Healing (Patreon)

In the medbay of an asari colony surrounded by the dull blue glow of the lights reflecting off of twisting chrome surfaces, Commander Jane Shepard of the Normandy sat patiently, cradling her aching head in her hands. She’d been here before and had returned for some sort of solution to her now constantly throbbing dome.

She’d just finished a mission that didn’t go as smoothly as she would’ve liked. Her friend and former teammate Liara T’soni, now working as the infamous information dealer known as the Shadow Broker, had asked her for help in getting a client safely off-world in return for incriminating documents on the Eclipse mercenary company. She managed to get the contact to safety, but not before the mercs caught up to her. In the ensuing firefight, Shepard was wounded and fell into unconsciousness.

Liara, worked fast, using her connections as herself and the Shadow Broker to have Shepard secretly moved to a colony on Niacal to have her body mended. Liara knew of a Matriarch there with a natural affinity for healing and sought her out to help her ailing commander.

In the long run it worked and Shepard had now spent several months back in active duty, but in her everyday life a constant dull pain filled her head, causing her grief in her work. It persisted even through the night, worsened even. Getting to sleep had become a battle for her and the ailment had left her heavily sleep-deprived. In an attempt to fix the issue she asked Liara where this healing Matriarch was to see if she could get better.

As she sat in the low-lit room waiting for treatment, Jane Shepard groaned, letting strands of her red hair fall down around her hands that held her aching head up. From behind her an automatic door swooshed open. She lifted her tired eyes to the sound and watched a tall asari enter, her eyes widened upon seeing Shepard.

“You’ve returned!” the asari remarked with a surprised tone, “I wasn’t expecting to see you back so soon–is something the matter?”

With a moan Shepard explained her problem, especially the constant headaches and troubles she had sleeping. “It’s becoming too much.” she said. “You were able to help me before, and I’m hoping you can fix this too. Please Jesthana, can you help me?”

The asari Matriarch took her chin in her hand, seemingly considering Shepard’s request. “Firstly, I would have you call me Matriarch Jesthana, it is only polite.” she said, slightly chastising her patient for her overly casual tone. This earned a slight eye roll from the redhead sitting on the table, something the matron took note of but said nothing about. “Secondly, I cannot examine you as you are. I’m surprised my assistant didn’t have you change into a gown before I arrived.”

Shepard actively scoffed at this, looking down at the black-and-white crewman’s uniform that she’d worn in. When she looked back up to the matriarch, she saw a thin cloth blue hospital gown in her hand, the kind with an opening at the back. “It’s my head that hurts,” she said shortly, “I’m not wearing a helmet. Isn’t that a little… archaic anyway?”

Jesthana was steadfast in holding the gown out to Shepard, her expression unchanging. “You wore one last time as well if you remember,” she said flatly, “it is standard for anybody I treat and you will not be any different. Now please strip and put on your gown.”

Somewhat flabbergasted, Shepard took the garment and placed it on the bed as she pushed herself off the surface. It was an annoying inconvenience but not any more than the throbbing in her head, an issue she desperately wanted to relieve. “Fine,” she grumbled, “I’ll wear the stupid gown, just give me a few minutes to change.”

The Matriarch scoffed and waggled a finger at her patient, “Your time for privacy was before I came in. This is now my time and I do not intend to waste it. I will not be leaving.”

The understanding that she would have to strip in front of this woman struck Shepard and she blushed. She’d rather not have to but given what was about to happen it hardly mattered. Jesthana had helped heal her before and surely had seen plenty, not to mention the intimacy associated with melding like they had.

Without any further complaints or grumbling the redhead crossed her arms over her body and grabbed the hem of her shirt, lifting it to reveal the simple white underwear underneath. She stopped midway to look over at the asari who was still watching intently. She blushed and diverted her gaze, not wanting to make eye contact while she disrobed. Off came her shirt and then pants, her undergarments quickly following.

The redhead continued avoiding the asari Matriarch’s stern gaze as she slipped the paperlike gown around her body only to feel fingers gently grace her back as they reached for the small cotton ties on the gown. “I could have gotten that.” Shepard said flatly, pushing up her hair so the asari had an easier view.

“I’m sure you could have, but it is easier for me to handle it–knots are difficult after all.” Jesthana said, stepping back and taking a look at her datapad.

“Knots are hard? What does she mean by that?” Shepard wondered, sitting back down on the table, “For a child maybe, but I’m no such thing.” Her curiosity continued as she sat back down on the cold slab. The slit up the back of her gown left her slightly exposed buttocks to press against the material that topped it which elicited a quiet yelp.

Jesthana ignored this, stepping forward and flashing a light in Shepard’s eyes. She nodded at the response of the pupils and took note, setting the device down to take a closer look. “You say this issue worsens during a standard night cycle correct?” she asked

The redhead nodded, “Exactly, it’s been almost impossible to get any sleep because of it. Only when I reach exhaustion do I seem to finally pass out.”

The asari clicked her tongue, “That’s certainly not healthy,” she said, “have you attempted to sleep during a standard day cycle instead?”

Shepard again nodded, “Yes, but it’s only slightly better.”

“I see.” the Matriarch said, making another note on her datapad. “The good news is I believe there is a solution to this problem.” she explained, “It’s seemingly as mental as it is physical. The trauma of the incident has left slight scars both in your mind and on your cranium. I can fix the physical injuries easily, but the mind will take a combination of both my melding and some rather intensive hypnosis. Between those, we should be able to return you to your previous state.”

As straightforward as the Matriarch’s explanation was, Shepard was slightly taken aback by it. Could this healer really see all that from her examination, and would such a radical treatment actually do anything to help her? Shepard had lots of questions but another dull pang of pain in her head sent them away, leaving her to sigh. “Please do it,” she said, “it’s not like it’s going to be any worse than this.”

“Excellent,” Jesthana said, “just lie back and close your eyes. In no time we’ll have you to sleep.”

Shepard scoffed and did as the asari commanded, closing her eyes in disbelief. It’d been weeks since she’d had a restful sleep that lasted longer than a few hours and she very much doubted that would change now.

The Matriarch meanwhile tapped a few commands on her datapad, bringing the blue glow of the room even lower, so much so it was almost dark. From unseen speakers, soft tones lacking any percussion or baseline played in an unending stream through the space. Shepard couldn’t place any distinct sound or melody, just a flow of notes that passed through her ears and into her mind like water, soothing the headache that plagued her for weeks.

Jesthana stood above Shepard, watching her breathing even out to a slow, calmer pace. The tones playing didn't even register to her, designed to only affect human brain waves after all. From above a sensor began reading the redhead's brain activity and heart rate, keeping track of her vitals. Within minutes she was fully asleep and at the mercy of the matriarch.

With the music making her patient’s mind malleable the asari approached. “We start by patching the wound.” the Matriarch whispered to herself, placing her hands on Shepard’s temples. She began generating the neuroelectric impulses between her fingers, passing them through the redhead’s nervous system to create a bond between them. Matriarch Jesthana was especially practiced at this and found that attuning her nervous system to Shepard’s was easy, especially while the music in the room was keeping her docile.

From the meld, the matriarch had free roam of Shepard’s mind, and in her own perception quickly located the mental wound that was, in part, causing her intense headaches. She metaphorically bandaged that part of her mind to accept the loss and trauma of the fight while understanding its worth.

It was an easy process to begin, but it would take several weeks for the implanted suggestion to actually work from what she could tell, several weeks during which Shepard would need to be intensively cared for. Luckily that was the exact plan from the start as it was the matriarch's practice after all.

With the meld still in place the asari started to implant a new suggestion in her patient’s head. “Now as you heal you will return, return to a simpler time where you wanted to be taken care of, where you had little choice because you were helpless. Know that I will take care of you and allow yourself to regress.”

That last word sent shockwaves through Shepard’s mind and the matriarch could feel it, locking her into a state that would keep her manageable while she healed over the next few weeks. With a sigh she removed her hands, severing the connection between them.

She moved across the room, opening a compartment to reveal a myriad of prepared supplies. Stacks of folded plastic-backed diapers waited patiently along with several color-coded bottles that only she knew the contents of. When her fingers graced the shell of the padding Jesthana took a deep breath in, glad to have a use for them again. Not many knew that her therapy included this part: regressing the subject to a simpler time while their mind healed.

It not only allowed her to satiate her motherly instincts but also removed the stresses of adulthood that many felt. The innate selfishness of the act was outweighed by its success rate. Patients who underwent this process showed amazing results while undergoing her treatment. The obvious side effects of this were the problem with any baby. They lacked control and required constant care.

Shepard would be no different and the asari Matriarch pulled several supplies from the cabinet to ready her. With a deft hand, she lifted the redhead’s gown, exposing her lower body to the open air of the room. It wouldn’t remain naked long as she squirted a liberal dollop of clear goop into her hand. Her oiled hands graced Shepard’s thighs with a soft touch, eliciting a slight mewling from the redhead. Her gentle touch worked the oil all over creating a slick sheen over the human’s pale skin.

Jesthana then twisted open the cap on another bottle, turning it over to sprinkle its contents over the newly oiled skin. The powder clung to her skin, held firm by the oil that’d been thoroughly applied. Paired together, they created a necessary protective barrier that would prevent rashes. In her hands she unfolded the diaper, eliciting a rustling that would have sent any normal patient running. In her unconscious state Shepard had no clue she was being wrapped in thick, protective nappies or that she was expected to use them.

“Lift your bottom.” the matriarch commanded and Shepard obeyed, planting her feet and pushing upwards to create a gap between her bottom and the mat beneath her. It was promptly occupied by the extremely thick nappy stuffed full of absorbent, pulpy padding.

While the redhead may have looked to be sleeping her mind was still active, working hard to repair the damage while her subconscious took over keeping her mind active. It brought forth the conscious state that’d been fully regressed, holding her in a state of sleepy babyhood that was only susceptible to Matriarch Jesthana’s commands. She could make sure there was no outside influence or tampering this way.

Jesthana pulled up the front of Shepard’s padding, taping her in snuggly before pulling down her new patient’s gown the matriarch tugged at the diaper, making sure it was comfortable on Shepard. Her fingers slipped into the leak guards around her legs, giving them a little pull. They were tight but didn’t dig into the soft meat of the redhead’s thighs.

Her hand pressed into the dipping crotch of the padding, making sure it was firmly held against her patient’s pelvis. To her glee Jesthana had put the nappy on perfectly and stepped away to her datapad again, ready to take several notes.

This action earned a slight whine from Shepard who felt the comfortable presence that’d cared for her in this state suddenly disappear. As she was she couldn’t explain it, but she craved that closeness again and was unhappy it’d left.

The matriarch took note of this, “Perhaps you need something to suck on.” she suggested. As if by magic the idea to put her thumb in her mouth came to Shepard, and she brought the digit to her lips before popping it in. She found herself instantly soothed by the action, pacified by the rhythmic suckling.

Another note by Jesthana, “Needs pacifier,” she said aloud, inputting the same note into her datapad. With the press of a button, she sent out a signal and within moments an assistant wearing a medical uniform similar to hers appeared.

“You requested for me, Matriarch?” the younger asari asked.

“Yes,” she said, “the initial hypnosis process is complete, please bring in the furniture for this patient and replenish the food stocks. This will be a stay of about three standard weeks.”

The assistant nodded, making note of the time on a datapad of her own. “Of course, will there be anything else?” she asked.

“No.” the matriarch said flatly, exiting the room. “I have other patients to check on in the time being but please inform me immediately when you’re done." As she walked off a pang of longing hit the matriarch, she wanted to go back already. "I have a feeling this will be a special project for me.” she thought.

Shepard meanwhile snoozed in her new padding, enjoying the much-needed rest after so long going without. All around her asari technicians altered her room, installing a massive chair with a locking tray and various straps to keep her in place.

On the wall opposite the door, where the matriarch had gotten the first diaper, a panel slid away. This allowed a large bed much like her own to slide out. A vinyl mat and well-stocked diaper shelves indicated that this was a changing table instead of a place to sleep.

Even the examination table around Shepard shifted, its sides creaking upward to form walls and an overhead canopy. The hard mat from before softened, enclosing around her while she sank into it. It'd become an old-Earth baby bassinet and it joined a high-chair and a changing table. All three were ready and waiting for their new baby-brained inhabitant.

From that point on the healing process was fairly straightforward and followed Matriarch Jesthana’s treatment plan. The outer wound was healed by regiments of Medi-gel and ultrasonic therapy. The more pressing issue was the matriarch having to meld with Shepard daily to implant the healing concepts into her mind.

Secretly, while she was connected she also strengthened the core ideas that kept the redhead’s mind blank and malleable. “You must be cared for, allow your mind to slip back, and know that I only want what’s best for you.” If any of her assistants had seen this for themselves they likely would have said something. This wasn’t the usual progression of treatment. In fact, normally Jesthana would wean her patients away from the hypnosis in time.

Nobody within her staff could understand why Shepard seemed to be regressing further, or why the matriarch insisted on caring for the redhead herself rather than having the staff do it. She’d even begun doing the bare minimum with other patients, focusing the bulk of her time on the “special project” that was Shepard.

This was no more apparent than in her personal logs that Jesthana kept for herself. She had to submit a proper report about a patient’s progress for everything she did but for Shepard, she provided the bare minimum information required to the facility. Only for herself did she keep detailed notes about the healing process and the hypnosis process.

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Excerpts from Matriarch Jesthana’s private log

Day 2: Entered on Day 2 to check on the patient, She was the last on the list for the day so it took me a bit longer than anticipated to get to her. When the door of the room slid open I was immediately greeted by a strange whimpering. I was surprised to see it was the patient.

She appeared to be asleep, as they all do, but the state of her diaper was apparent as I’d walked up. She’d exposed the padding by lifting her hospital gown up over it. The white material through the shell had become stained with her accident and bloated to a considerable degree, indicating multiple instances of wetting. I’ll have to make more of a point to come in and check on her more often, especially if the assistant staff will not.

Anyway, with the state of her diaper it should be no surprise that she was whimpering but the recognition of a wet diaper paired with her response is slightly unusual. Shepard shows signs of advanced hypnosis, far and above what I’ve done. Re-melding with her shows the same thing, but fortunately her mental wound is healing safely. I however did not implant these ideas any more than I normally would have. Her mind has taken to the trance unexpectedly well. It is as if she subconsciously craved the relaxation that the hypnosis provided her.

It seems the weight of being a commander of the Normandy and the first human Spectre has taken quite a toll on Shepard. I’m thinking it would be better to increase the regression suggestions for long-term mental health. This however, was a secondary concern to the state of her swollen diaper, she needed me to clean away the clammy discomfort of an overly wet nappy. Still, I couldn’t resist pressing my hand into the plastic shell and feeling the urine-soaked material squish underneath my hand. This wasn't simple teasing on my part–I saw it as a way to acclimate Shepard to the environment more. She'd need to get used to the feeling after all this, and it didn’t seem like she minded as it elicited another groan from the patient as my hand sank into the squelching padding.

Removing the padding itself was relatively easy with Shepard only fidgeting a little while I peeled the damp padding away from her crotch. Her docility during the wipe down process was relatively impressive, and with her body clean enough of the soiled powder and oil a simple button push of my datapad brought out a tub from the wall. The patient fussed a little more as I removed her gown, seemingly holding on to long-held embarrassment about nudity in front of another despite her state.

However, when I brought the warm water from the tub to her skin with a large sponge she cooed pleasantly. The sponge bath seemed soothing for the patient, her enjoyment of the gentle scrubbing on her skin calming those emotions quickly.

I ran the sponge over her methodically, allowing her to appreciate the feeling of becoming clean while reinforcing her ideas. I said things like, “Yes, you enjoy a nice bath, don’t you Sheppy?” and “It feels good to let Matriarch Jesthana take care of you, doesn’t it?” The patient couldn’t respond of course, but it added to the fun of the situation for me. Especially the name, Sheppy; I’m not sure where it came from, but it did seem exceedingly cute for her. it’s a practice I think I’m likely going to continue in any event.

With her cleanliness assured I’ve decided that the normal paper gown can’t continue. First I rediapered her, working the soft oil into her sensitive skin and sprinkling her bottom with the sweet-smelling powder. This goes simply enough as she seems glad to be diapered once again. “Do you like the padding in your nappy?” I ask her, creating a positive connotation in her mind about it while I seal up the final tapes. She actually responds with a slight cooing before popping her thumb in her mouth.

From another storage area in a wall I retrieved both a simple white onesie and a pacifier. The material of the onesie itself is far softer than the gown she was originally provided, meaning improved comfort. It also has the added bonus of adding to her childish appearance, something I enjoy very much. It is very much the same with the pacifier which Shepard accepted happily, suckling away at it just like I’d suspected she would.

Day 6: Over the last few days Shepard has been extremely responsive to her treatment. The regular baths and changes from a dedicated caretaker have shown that she has a preference for myself over my helpers. I’ve not discouraged this either as it makes me feel rather special in her eyes. I’ve promoted this instead by saying encouraging things while together and using her nickname which she seems to respond to positively.

Her daily melds to check her healing progress have now taken on a secondary function. While connected I've been steadily building on the ideas of acting infantile and the relaxing, healing connotations of such in her mind. Using her diaper or pacifier, babbling or cooing–anything. All of it will weave these actions into her subconscious and make her more accepting of them when she wakes up.

I was able to observe this change naturally during a meal. Normally I'd just place Shepard into the room’s high chair and give her a bottle full of high nutrient fluid that would keep her body healthy and promote healing. She typically accepts this quickly and sucks it down greedily. Today however I had extra time so I decided to attempt feeding her myself using a nutrient paste with the same properties as her bottles.

As per usual, I strapped her into the high chair, locking her in with the wide tray. It seemed she instinctively reached out for a bottle, only to pout when I instead placed a large bowl in front of her. Bringing the spoon up to her lips did not give me the results I expected. Her pouty demeanor remained and she shook her head at the offered spoon. “What’s wrong Sheppy?” I asked her, pulling away the utensil, “Aren’t you hungry?” The response was amazing, she actively shook her head in the negative, giving a soft “nuh-uh.” behind her closed lips.

She was actually acknowledging the situation in her hypnotized state! I couldn’t believe it, no patient had taken to the trance like this. Her subconsciously planted hypnosis triggers are forming a personality of their own. I made note of it at the moment but focused on the matter at hand, which was feeding the fussy little one. Coercing her to take a bite with a calm attitude yielded very little results as she was seemingly not interested. She was actually surprisingly obstinate about it. At one point I thought I had an opening to sneak a spoonful of food in only for her to turn away and smear the paste across her cheek. I found myself frustrated by this as a glop fell onto her onesie, staining the white material.

I wasn’t planning to relent on this and give her a bottle just because she wanted one. Instead, I changed my tactic and appealed to her newly formed personality. All it took was a simple statement. “Heeeere comes the Normandy, open wiiiide!” I was pleased to see it worked, her mouth opened to accept the spoonful gratefully though she still dribbled a fair bit of it on her chin. “Good girl!” I cheered, earning a smile from Shepard that lit up my mood.

With the meal finished I pulled her from the high chair and stripped her of the onesie. She seemed to appreciate a change into a new soft shirt despite the fact that it left her diaper exposed for the time being.

Note for later: Shepard will need a bib for future feedings.

Day 10: Shepard has become more fidgety over the last several days. The pacifying effects of the musical hypnotic trigger are seemingly losing their potency. Alternatively, it could be her blossoming personality that has a resistance to it. The tones are meant to sustain the regression hypnosis in a subject’s mind. I hypothesize that because her new personality is so well implanted, the music only is keeping her conscious brain from waking up and allowing her subconscious one to maintain control. To counteract her growing listlessness in her bassinet I decided to lift her out and set her on the floor. She’d at least have room to move for the moment till I worked out a more permanent solution.

Each interaction with this patient leads to greater amazement; I could not have foreseen that within moments she began crawling around the space. Shepard was actually exploring the room of her own volition! I stood back and watched for several minutes, observing her behavior. She was seemingly looking for something to interact with but the hard metallic floor and the lack of anything stimulating stopped her in her tracks. She simply sat back and crossed her arms, pouting as she had with her first spoonfed meal.

These were issues that were fixable but would take time. I’m not proud to say I used melding to put her to sleep just for the remainder of the day. Her mobility would prove to be an issue if she decided to leave her room or fuss due to a lack of exciting activity. I just need the time to procure the required items and babyproof the room better than it currently is, as there are quite a few sharp corners around the room.

Day 11: I had to work several hours later than I normally would collecting and upsizing blueprints for the room along with having the objects fabricated to a size that would work for the space. It wouldn’t have been so bad if I could have conscripted the help of the staff, but this is a personal experiment and I doubt they’d understand what I was trying to accomplish at this point.

Instead, with supplies in hand, I entered the space early in the morning while Shepard was still sleeping. Immediately I caught the smell of a nighttime accident. I considered changing her but she seemed unbothered by it as she slumbered peacefully, so I used the opportunity to lay down the soft puzzle piece mats that all interlocked and spelled out the human alphabet in soft blue and white tints. The corners of the furniture had to be lined with soft foam that matched the floor mats. It took considerable effort, but I was able to more adequately babyproof the space for the now mobile patient.

With that, I brought out the rest of the specially created items: upsized baby toys that’d give her plenty to do over the next ten days here in the facility. Soft blocks made of the same material as the floor mats, a few rattles, elastic teething rings, and several stuffed dolls resembling different lifeforms Shepard had likely met in her travels, including a krogan and an asari.

Once done I stood back with a sigh. I was proud of my work but also lacking sleep at this point. I considered trying to sneak away for a short rest but the swoosh of the door apparently awoke Shepard, who whimpered upon recognizing the mushy mass she’s deposited in her diaper.

It seemed work would start early today so I administered a change before placing her on their newly soft floor. This earned me a pleased giggle from her, something that picked up my spirits almost immediately. She seemed extremely pleased by her new ability to crawl on the soft floor and she shook her new toys enthusiastically.

Day 16: After helping all the other patients for the day I went back to Shepard’s room for the day. In five days she’d settled into a routine and so had I. She woke up now at the same time, so I was always there ready and waiting to clean her nighttime accidents and feed her breakfast. The back and forth game of struggling to spoon-feed her remained, but I didn’t really mind. It was simply a part of her newly regressed self. After breakfast, I usually set her free onto the floor to play as she pleases while I go and check on other patients for the day.

A program on my Datapad alerts me if she gets into trouble or starts crying due to an accident in her padding. Luckily, because she’s a grown woman it has never gone off. She’s not fragile after all, just regressed enough to require care. Once I’m done attending to others it’s right back to Shepard’s room for lunch and her session of hypnosis.

While the effects of the music don’t make her docile anymore the meld still does and her mind is still receptive to implanted ideas. I’ve kept building up her diaper dependency over all this time, even going so far as to create a trigger that will erase any previous potty training she may have had before. The hope was when I reawakened her consciousness her new personalities would mesh together. Her babyishness would remain even with her adult self in control.

Anyway, after hypnosis I set to work tidying the room while Sheppy toddled about. She’d left her new toys strewn all around the space and after tripping on one I’d decided that enough was enough. I had only briefly turned my attention away from her, but when I looked back I was amazed to see that she was standing on two shaky legs.

She had her knees bent and was propping herself up on the edge of her bassinet. I wondered for a moment if she was attempting to relearn to walk on her own. After all, she’d gone from laying around sleeping to crawling in the span of a week and a half with no help. It wasn’t that unbelievable. However the straining look on her face told me something else was happening. The sounds of her grunting and straining filled the room followed by the rude noises of bodily functions. Luckily I’d decided to just leave her in the diaper and a comfortable shirt, allowing me to watch the back of her padding tent out and sag downward as a brown stain spread across the bottom.

I couldn’t believe the shamelessness of her act as she pushed the mushy load into her padding. Shepard didn’t care that I was in the room, her body had an urge to evacuate and she simply allowed it to. Maybe at this point she couldn’t do anything about it anyway. It was likely made automatic by the hypnosis, leaving her helpless to the urge to push.

Sheppy's legs shook as I watched, to the point where I somewhat worried about the stability of her position. This worry was quickly realized as she let out a sigh of relief, her face painted in contentment at the relieved pressure in her abdomen, but her grip on her support faltered. Immediately she toppled back. Underneath her, the diaper emitted a number of sounds. There was the crinkle of the plastic shell, followed by the squish of the mess within, and finally the thud of her body connecting with the mats on the floor.

Seeming unable to process what just happened, Shepard sat still and looked dazed for a moment. After realizing the order of events in her own mind she burst into loud wailing. I was caught off guard once again! She’d whimpered before, even whined at the state of her diaper, but to all-out bawl like this was another new phenomenon. I quickly changed her and offered lots of affection, and she was quickly broken out of the mood. The day continued normally.

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Twenty-one full days after Shepard’s admittance to the facility, Matriarch Jesthana was proud to say that the mental wound had been completely healed in her patient’s mind, which meant it was time to take her out of her regressed state. The room was returned to the way it was when she was admitted and her crew clothes were returned on top of a fresh diaper.

Jesthana felt a little hesitant to re-awaken her patient, fearing what the experimental “healing” may have done in the long run. Shepard was left with two completely separate personalities; her conscious one, a grown commander that led the Normandy, and her subconscious one, a diapered infantile Shepard that required affection and care from somebody else. The Matriarch was worried if these two would mix well and accept each other without conflict. She even considered the distinct chance that when Shepard awoke she might remember her time in the facility perfectly and lash out at the asari for what she’d done.

Either way, her ship waited for her return. Jesthana’s time was up and she could only hope that the hypnosis she’d implanted up till now would work as intended. She entered a command on her datapad and for the first time since Shepard had arrived the hypnotic music that filled the room stopped and her eyes slowly blinked with recognition.

“Ngggh... ugh,” Shepard groaned, slowly coming back to reality, “What happened? I feel like I’ve been asleep for weeks.”

Jesthana nodded. “You effectively have,” she said, ”It took three weeks to fix the mental scarring you were experiencing. As of now you should no longer have to endure the headaches that were plaguing you.” She watched Shepard nervously, curious to see if she’d acknowledge the diaper between her legs that obviously changed her gait. If she did notice it the redhead said nothing, remaining standing firmly.

Shepard rubbed the sleep from her eyes and took a long breath in before cracking a smile. “I can’t believe it,” she exclaimed, “the pain is completely gone. Liara was right, you are a miracle worker.” She ended her statement by popping her thumb into her mouth, suckling on it absentmindedly.

Jesthana felt her body relax as she realized that her plan was going off perfectly. It seemed that the regressed tendencies in the redhead's subconscious were still active and she didn’t think them odd. To Shepard’s mind it was all normal, and eventually so would the other implanted ideas that the asari Matriarch had left behind. That included the one that meant every time Shepard sucked her thumb even her conscious continence would fade away

“I’m thrilled that you’re pleased Commander,” Jesthana said, “I’ve only one thing for you then.” From behind her the asari pulled out the same pacifier Shepard had enjoyed over the last twenty-one days and the redhead’s eyes lit up. “This is a headache deterrent,” the Matriarch explained, “It’ll serve as a comfort object that will keep the mental wound at bay.”

Shepard nodded and popped her thumb from her mouth so that her caretaker could replace it with the pacifier, another childish act without a thought of how odd it was. With a pat on the bottom Jesantha told Shepard to be on her way as her ship was waiting for her nearby.

She was sad to see the redhead go but knew that soon enough she’d likely see her again. When the babyish tendencies rose up in her mind and the crew of the Normandy needed somebody to take care of their commander, only one name would come to Shepard’s mind. She’d be hired on little Sheppy’s personal caregiver–that is, if her hypnosis worked correctly anyway.