The drive back to Merlins shop was surprisingly quiet and uneventful. Even Sofia was lost for words as the five of them drove back to the mall. Katie pondered what had just happened. She had in the course of an hour discovered there were wizards in the world, the creator of the ring and found out that one of her closest friends was now a wizard in training. It was a lot to take in as she stared out the window. After what seemed like an eternity Mary Elise parked the car and the group entered the mall.
Entering the shop Katie could see Sammy, Claudia, Tricia and Karen waiting for them. "Katie your okay," Claudia exclaimed. "You had us so worried. Are you okay we only heard a little bit about what happened."
"Yeah I'm okay now," she replied sheepishly. "Sorry to make you all worry so much. Apparently I haven't been myself lately." Katie now looked over her friends. They all had looks of concern on their faces as they gazed at her. Katie couldn't help but feel guilty about letting her friends down.
"Ladies if you would all take a seat by the counter," Merlin asked. The group made their way towards the counter as Merlin provided chairs to sit in. "Well we've had an exciting day to say the least. Their are some things I want to talk with you about but first there's one thing I need to do."
Merlin turned to Karen and smiled. "Karen," he asked. " can I ask you how old you are?" Karen shifted in her seat not wanting to make eye contact. "Fifthteen sir," she replied meekly. Merlin nodded before waving his hand. Karen's eyes appeared to glaze over before refocusing. "What's going on," she asked. "Where am I? Why do my hands look so young? What's wrong with my voice!"
Karen stood up and began looking herself over. Carefully looking herself over Karen's jaw dropped as she realized what had happened. "Oh my god," she exclaimed. "I'm a teenager! How did this happen!?" Turning and facing the college age girls she was stunned to find herself somewhat shorter than the older looking girls. Glancing over them with a critical eye she paused when she looked at Sammy. "You seem awfully familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?"
Sammy blushed as she rubbed the back of her head. "Hi Ms. Morgan it's me Sammy," she said. "How your weekend going." Karen turned red as she pushed her glasses up her nose. "Sammy did you do this!" She exclaimed looking up at the taller college girl. "Your in big trouble young lady. Just wait til we get back to school I'm going to give you detention for a month!"
"Samantha had nothing to do with your transformation Ms. Morgan," Merlin replied. "Your new found youth was courtesy of our young friend Katie and please before you yell at her I would like to ask how you are doing."
Karen fumed as she looked at her students. Although furious at being reduced to a teenager she realized she was in no position to argue. Currently she was shorter than almost all of her former students. Looking over her young body she sighed and sat back down. "Aside from being a teenager I'm fine," she grunted. Merlin leaned forward and gazed at Karen. "Did you enjoy yourself?" He asked. Karen paused as she thought about it for a moment. "Actually," she said in surprise. "I did. I...I truely enjoyed last night. I didn't have the greatest childhood in the world so it was quite a treat to be able go trick or treating." Merlin smiled. "I thought you might say that," he said. "And how about Tricia, did you enjoy your time with her." Karen nodded her head. "Yes, yes I did," she answered softly. "I never had any real girlfriends growing up so it was so nice to be able to have one for a night."
Merlin smiled. "I'm glad you were able to enjoy yourself. I'm certain that from this day forward your going to enjoy yourself with Katie and her friends on many more adventures."
Merlin now stood and began to walk slowly back and forth looking at the group of women in front of him. "I'll try to keep this brief since I don't want to take up too much of your time," he said. "All of you have been fated to meet. It's just how things happened to work out. Before you leave I'll return you all to your usual ages. Tricia, Karen and Claudia will become adults again. In time they may wish to become children for good but that's not the case right now." Merlin turned towards Katie. "Katie," he said softly. "I know you want to be an adult but deep down you know your not ready."
Katie lowered her head and nodded. After everything that had happened today she wasn't ready to be an adult no matter how much she wanted it. Her only hope now was that she wouldn't lose the Ring of Age. "I understand," she said solemnly. "I just hope that my actions won't force you to take the ring from me."
"Of course not," Merlin said brightly. "Mistakes happen and we learn from them. There's just one thing," Merlin waved his hand causing Katie to feel a warmth on her stomach. The Ring of Age was no longer on her stomach and was once again on her finger. "Please don't use my ring as a navel accessory again," he said jokingly. "It's a bit of a pain to try and put it back together."
Katie smiled as she touched the ring with her finger. "Thank you," she said sweetly. "So Katie will become a child again along with Mary Elise and my new apprentice Mika. That just leaves you Sofia."
"Me," the energetic young woman exclaimed. "Okay, wow, what's going to happen. Do I have to go back to being old. I'd rather not, my life is kind of boring. I'd rather be young again, although I don't know exactly how young that is. I thought Katie was in college, turns out she's not. So I wonder just how young she is? Am I going to have to be really, really young? I can I guess it's your decision I suppose."
Merlin held up his hand as he laughed. "Okay, okay Sofia," he said between laughs. "You can become young too. The question is where will you go?"
"That reminds me," Mary Elise said. "Where are Julia, Kellie and Jacob?"
"Oh they've already returned to their original ages," he said. "Jacob is home with his parents while Julia and Kellie are waiting for their daughters to return from an exciting Saturday at Claudia's."
"So I get to pick where I go then," Sofia asked excitedly. "Gee that's such a hard decision. I haven't really gotten to know anyone here except Katie. I'm sure the rest of you are really nice but I would want to get to know you befor making that decision."
"I think I know someone," Merlin interrupted. "What about you Claudia?"
"Me!" Claudia exclaimed. " I, I don't know? It's so sudden I already have Mika I don't know if I could handle another child?"
"Well," Sammy interrupted. "You did say you wanted to be a mom again. Nows your chance."
Claudia glared at Sammy before sighing. She was right. Adding another daughter to her home wouldn't upset things to much. She had the room and with Mikas new responsibilities she would enjoy the company whenever Mika was away. "Ugh your right Sammy," she conceded. "It's not that I don't want another child. I just hate admitting Sammy was right."
"Hey I get a say in this too you know," Mika whined. "If she's moving in she has to be younger than me."
"Deal," Sofia squealed with excitement as she gave Mika a giant hug. "I'll be the best little sister you ever had." A befuddled look crossed Mikas face as the gravity of her request washed over her.
"It's settled then," Merlin stated. "In just a moment all of you will return to your ages. Also in the future you can expect to see a lot more of me. I have much to teach all of you about magic. As far as Mika goes while she will be busy with her magical studies she will still have the opportunity to grow up as any normal child. I'll try not to take too much of her time."
Merlinnow walked around the counter and stood in front of the group. "Ladies it has been a pleasure," he said with a bow. "I look forward to seeing your again soon." With a wave of his arm the group felt the familiar tingle signaling their impending age change.
Claudia, Tricia, and Karen watched as there bodies began the ascent to adulthood. Claudia who was already 21 watched as her body put on some extra weight around her hips and thighs. Quickly she left her twenties and entered her thirties. Her face matured with slight lines developing around her eyes and mouth. As she entered her forties her blonde hair began to grey. By fifty she looked almost like herself again minus a few wrinkles. Her hair had lost its luster returning to the grey she was accustomed too. Finally her progression ended as she became 65.
Tricia and Karen's progression was more radical. The two 15 year olds raced through the teenage years and twenties, gaining height and weight. By thirty the two women were stunning beauties with large breasts and curvy waists. As they becam forty their bodies began to change more. While Tricia's body continued to balloon with weight Karen's thinned. At fifty the two women were now polar opposites. Karen appeared bird like with a smattering of salt and pepper hair while Tricia was now an obese woman with frizzy grey hair. Finally the two returned to their original ages, neither seemed the worse for wear and seemed happy to be back to normal. Knowing full well they could easily become young again whenever they wanted.
For Katie, Mary Elise, Sammy, and Mika their regression was nothing new. They were accustomed to it by this point. As they retreated through their teens their were looks of annoyance as the breast dwindled and they shrank slowly but those feelings eventually passed. Katie though watched herself closely as her body undeveloped. For her this regression seemed almost painful, she had so badly wanted to be an adult but her carelessness made her realize she wasn't ready. Sadness still enveloped her as she and the others went from 13 to 12. She had so badly wanted to be with Josh. Maybe it was love, she wasn't sure but she had feelings for him that much she was sure of. As she watched herself grow younger and more childish she sadly accepted the fact that even with a Ring of Age there were some things she couldn't have. Finally the girls became 10 again.
For Sofia the sensation was new and exilerating. Since she was the oldest in the grip she had the luxury of watching as the others grew younger. Talking with increased energy and a more youthful and bubbly tone she constantly asked about her regression.
"Wow," she exclaimed as she became 20 when the others were 16. "Are you guys in high school. That's so awesome if you are. I guess if I'm the younger sibling I'm in junior high." Sofia continued to giggle and laugh as she becam younger. By the time she was 18 her energy was almost too much to contain. Sofia possessed a slim waist with perky breasts and a youthful face. "Wow look at me," she squealed. "I'm a teenager again. This is awesome I wish I had a camera though it will probably be awhile before I see myself like this again." Another tingle hit Sofia bringing her to 17. The girl was so excited she began jumping up and down with joy.
When Sofia became 15 she felt herself noticeably shrink an inch or two. Examining herself carefully in a mirror she could see her breasts were beginning to shrink having become b cups. A curious look spread across her face as she examined her clothing. "Hey how come my clothes are staying the same size?" She asked in a bubbly tone. "I was kinda hoping they wouldn't I really wanted to get a feel for how small I was going to get."
Looking at Katie and her friends she watched as their regression finally ended at 10. The now coltish looking 14 year old looked at her young (soon to be old) friends with a look of delight. "Wow I didn't know you guys were only 10!" She exclaimed, her voice rising an octave. "Oh wow I'm really going to be a school girl after this. I wonder how old I'll end up being?" Another tingle spread across Sofia as she shrank a few more inches. "Or how much shorter I'm going to be than you three," she said with a giggle.
Sofia marveled at how much smaller she had become. As she shrank to 12 she peaked down her sweater as her breasts reduced to a pair of softballs. Fascinated she watched as her breasts melted away to nothing as the tingle spread across her body. "Yippe I'm a kid," she exclaimed with youthful exuberance. Turning to her friends she realized she was now about there height. As she becam 10 she now realized that Mary Elise was taller than her. For once she was at a loss for words. Another tingle reduced her to 9 as she realized that now but th Mary Elise and Katie were taller than her.
"Ugh," Mika moaned. "I can't believe you're r still taller than me." The nine year old Sofia turned and saw that she was indeed just an inch taller than the petite Asian girl. Another tingle changed that as Sofia shrank a good two inches. Now she was the shortest and youngest in the room. Before she could say another word one final tingle spread over her body.
A now seven year old Sofia looked up at her big sister. At this age she was only shoulder high to her 10 year old sister. Her body was thin and boyish, her long sandy hair was the only thing distinguishing her from boys her age. Her innocent and youthful face and exceptionally large green eyes shined with unadulterated joy as she began jumping up and down with youthful exuberance. "This is the best thing EVER!!!" The tiny girl screamed in an almost helium like voice. Merlin could only smile.