Hebe had stripped away years and left him 8 years old! Derrick's mouth fell open. "That's impossible!" But the boy's voice that came out of his mouth just proved it was very possible. "It's not real! This is some weird dream." He was trying to convince himself he was daydreaming in the lobby when Hebe pinched his thigh hard.
"Ow!" Derrick jerked away, seeing a small swirl of mud in the water where she had pinched him. "Why'd you do that?"
"It hurt. Therefore, not a dream." Hebe grinned at him. "You are cute like this. If you agree not to cause trouble, I will allow you to stay a grade-schooler. Otherwise, I can put you in pull-ups, or diapers."
"But I can't be a little kid! I have friends, I'm almost old enough to drive! You can't do this to me!" His voice cranked up into a loud whine, and he knew he sounded like a kid throwing a tantrum, but this was totally fucked!
Hebe suddenly shoved him back into the water , holding him against the bottom with one hand against his chest while the other grabbed the top of his head. He struggled against her, but it was only when she relaxed and let go that he was able to sit up again. When the water stilled, he saw a six year-old version of himself staring back. "You were saying that I couldn't do that to you? Would you like to argue some more, or do you prefer first grade to nursery school?"
Derrick felt the gaps of his missing front teeth and stared down at his spindly child's body. "I wanna stay 6. Please." He was terrified and angry at the same time, but angry would probably put him back to being a newborne.
The receptionist stuck her head in the opening. "Hebe, the boy's parents are back. They want to take him over to the Centaur Circle." She smiled at Derrick. "You turned into quite the cutie."
His parents? They would freak! Hebe hefted him up from the water easily and set him on the floor. She nodded. "He is a cutie. No clothes, I think. He'll cause many smiles."
"But I can't run around..." Derrick shut up as Hebe looked pointedly at the pool. But that was not going to keep his mom and dad from freaking when...
"Did you have a good time, Derrick?" His mother came in with a grin. "Looks like you had a nice bath. We're going to go see the horsie men next. You wanted to see them, didn't you?"
Horsie men? Derrick wrinkled his nose. She meant centaurs, but why use such a stupid word for... horsie men. He blinked and stared up at Hebe, who winked at him. "Derrick is going to learn a whole new vocabulary here. By the time he leaves our resort, he is going to be the happiest 6 year-old you ever saw."
Derrick was still struggling to remember what the right word for horsie-men was, but his eyes widened when he heard that last. Hebe led him over to his mom, who took Derrick's hand. "Come on. Your sister and father are waiting."
They left the spa area and found his now much older sister and his father waiting. His father hefted him up on his shoulders, something that was shocking and fun at the same time. "Off to the horsie-men!" Derrick stared around the lobby as they moved outside. There were other little kids here, but they all seemed to be acting normally. They were almost all naked, something that reminded Derrick of his own nudity. But it no longer bothered him. He knew he should be embarrassed, but being naked felt fun, felt normal. As they got close to a large open field, he started to get excited. He could see the horsie-men now! Maybe he could ride on one fo them. Part of Derrick winced at the childlike thoughts, but they were so strong. It was easy just to relax and enjoy being a little boy.