After a very pleasant lunch with Merlin, Baba had journeyed with him to the Magic Shop. Merlin would give her what she needed to perform the spell but would not help. After everything that had happened he realized this was something she would need to do herself. Besides, if the spell went as poorly as he thought, someone would need to reverse it. Approaching her home she took a deep breath before looking at the hourglass in her hand.
The hourglass was an ancient and powerful item, capable of controlling time itself. A regular spell would not work on either Circe or Lilith and only make Baba the target of their wrath. The hourglass though could be used to regress the two demigods physically while powering them as well. Babas plan was simple, rewind the personal times of both Lilith and Circe to a point in their lives where their magic could not cause worldwide destruction. Once the two had been reduced to children she would force the two of them to bury the hatchet or be stuck as children, forced to grow up once more. Considering they all aged at much different rates than mortals it was a suggestion they would heed, no one wants to spend a century going through puberty.
As Baba opened the door she was staggered by the shouting both Lilith and Circe were engaged in. Thankfully the enchantments on their house prevented the neighbors from hearing anything. Baba had never been so thankful for that as the ruckus inside would most assuredly bring the police. Quickly closing the door she quietly peeked into the living room to see the two witches screaming at one another.
“How could you even think of destroying me,” Circe bellowed. “You actually attacked me and destroyed my followers.”
“I did no such thing,” Lilith countered. “I retired you if you want to be specific. And for the hundredth time it wasn’t you it was an alternate you!”
“It’s the same thing you BITCH,” Circe screamed, her magic shaking the room. Lilith narrowed her eyes as she grit her teeth. “It most certainly is not you HARLOT!” Baba sighed, it had been going on like this for days now. Circe angry that Lilith would attack an alternate version of herself. Lilith bitter and angry that Circe thought her a fool. “I hope this works,” she whispered. Invoking the charm she had memorized she now thought of Lilith and Circe. As she gazed at the sands she could see them falling down through the hourglass. As the moments ticked by she began to smile, the sands were slowing down. Once the sands stopped Baba stared at in before a smile cracked across her withered face. The sands were now beginning to flow in the opposite direction.
Baba Yaga peaked around the corner from her hiding spot. Lilith had taken the form of a woman in her early to mid 40s. While still attractive she had a sternness on her face showing off her ferocity and maturity. Liliths sandy brown hair hung freely at the moment descending to her shoulders. Circe was a much different story. Appearing to be a woman of Mediterranean decent with olive skin and dark hair that cascaded to the middle of her back, she looked to be in her mid 30s at most. The beauty of woman possessed a much curvier body than Lilith did (which Baba suspected may have led to some jealousy on Liliths part). Baba now watched, waiting for the hourglass to work it’s magic, fortunately she didn’t have to wait long.
Already she could see that both Lilith and Circe appeared physically younger. Lilith face appeared much fresher than only moments ago, her body appearing to be retreating from middle age as it firmed under her dress. Even her hair seemed healthier as it seemed to glow. Circes changes were even more amazing. The woman’s face appeared fresher, more youthful as she physically raced backwards in time. Circe was looking less adult by the moment, her face unlined and beautiful. Any fat that may have been on Circes body seemed to vanish as her breasts became perkier while her curves became more pronounced. The two witches looked at least 10 years younger than before now and were still growing younger. Thankfully they were so preoccupied with their fight they did not notice.
Baba continued to watch the two witches regress with interest. Both Lilith and Circe were continueing to grow younger still. Circe now looked like a college kid while Lilith appeared to be 25 at most. Still they did not notice. Baba listened intently, finding their voices were becoming clearer, more youthful with each passing second. Gasping she was shocked as Circe now looks like a girl of 18 while Lilith wasn’t much older, perhaps 21. The two witches now sounded and looked like angry sisters fighting over something petty.
“You dare think of me as an idiot,” Lilith yelled, her voice cracking slightly.
“Of course your an idiot,” Circe bellowed, sounding every bit like the obnoxious teenager she currently looked like. “Only an idiot would attack Hikari after killing her sister and chasing her into the other timeline. What the hell was your plan?”
“You don’t need to know my plans,” Lilith huffed as she became 19. “But it worked I was able to gain access to the other timeline. All the other timelines. Can you do that CIRCE?”
“Why would I want too LILITH,”
Bab suppressed a laugh as she looked at the two of them. Circe looked around 15 now, her adult curves rapidly abandoning her as she grew skinnier. The exotic looking woman of only a moment ago looked every bit the coltish teenager, still growing into her body. Even her face looked childish as it became rounder, her eyes becoming large and innocent.
Lilith now looked every bit the high school senior. The woman’s body was much skinnier, with breasts that were rapidly decreasing in size. Formerly a d cup, It now looked as if she was barely a c and quickly shrinking. Liliths former ferocious features were now rounding off, becoming more innocent with each passing moment. Even Liliths voice had changed, no longer fearsome instead sounding like a teenage girl who was attempting to sound more responsible than she actually was.
Now the changes were picking up speed as the two witches were approaching childhood. Circe was the first to notice as she felt her dress slip on her shoulder. Frowning the girl now gazed at her clothing. “Why are my clothes so loose,” the 14 year old asked. Liliths eyes went wide as she now finally began to focus on Circe.
“What trickery is this,” the 17 year old Lilith exclaimed as she looked first at Circe before examine herself. “What is happening to us? Is this your doing Circe?”
“Me,” Circe exclaimed. “Why would I turn myself into a child? Look at me I’m just young maiden now, barely old enough to be a teenager .”
“Well it wasn’t me,” Lilith exclaimed as she became 16. “I most certainly did not want to become a child. Look at me! My own son is probably older than I am now.”
Circe and Lilith now stopped argueing as they began to examine themselves. The two were now only 13 and 15 now. Circe had begun to relive a growth spurt in reverse, her dress growing larger on her as puberty began to reverse itself. Gasping in horror she grasped her chest, feeling her once prominent breasts evaporate into her chest. Lilith was in similar shape despite being slightly older. The 15 year olds curves were rapidly vanishing as her breasts became a set of small and perky b cups. Kicking angrily at her baggy dress she groaned in frustration as she continued her decent into childhood.
“Make it stop,” Circe whined as she became 12, her voice sounding more childish by the moment. “I’m trying,” Lilith huffed as she became 14. “My magic, it’s....getting weaker as I get younger. I can’t stop it.”
Circe now tried to do a spell herself, concentrating as hard as she could. The preteen witch screwed up her face as she now tried to will herself older. “Mines not working either,” she groaned. “The smaller we get the weaker are magic gets.”
The two girls now gaped at one another as they continued to grow younger. Too shocked to act the children watched as they slowly but surely became children. Circe left all signs of puberty behind as she became 11 then 10. The young Greek girl was now swamped in her overly large dress. Looking at the 12 year old Lilith she could only feel fear. She was a child now, a magical child yes but still a child with no way to defend herself.
Liliths changes were not much better as she left her teenage years behind and became 12. Groaning in annoyance she watched as her breasts became conical in shape before slowly evaporating into her chest. As she grew smaller she gazed at her appearance in a nearby mirror. It was her alright. The sandy haired girl she had been wen the world was still young. The girls face was innocent and carried no trace of the fearsome woman she would become. As she crept further into childhood she stood in wide eyed terror as she grew steadily smaller. The preteens face abandoned all signs of maturity becoming childish once more. As she finally became 10 she now stared stone faced at the sandy haired girl in the mirror in a dress that she’s was practically swimming in.
“Finally,” Baba exhaled. “I thought that would never finish.” Lilith and Circe turned, gawking at the much taller Baba Yaga. “What is the meaning of this,” they chriped in childish voices.
“You two need to work out your differences,” Baba said sternly. “I refuse to allow your petty jealousy to endanger everyone here. You two are going to apologize to one another and that’s final.”
“What if I refuse,” Lilith huffed folding her arms across her chest.
Baba stifled a laugh as Liliths actions. The girls sleeves extended well past her hands and flapped wildly whenever she moved her arm. Even Liliths formerly stern expression now was non threatening on her childish face. The girl now looked like a child who had been told to go to her room. Baba smiled, holding up the hourglass for them both to see. “This hourglass is still running backwards,” she proclaimed. “So unless you two want to end up with a wet nurse, I suggest you start apologizing.”
Circe and Lilith groaned, they were stuck. Trading away like angry children they went to sulk and think things over. Baba sighed with relief, gazing at the hourglass. “Hopefully this works,” she whispered. Baba paused as she caught a glimpse of herself in a nearby mirror. The ancient crone didn’t look so ancient anymore, the deep wrinkles in her face seemed less pronounced while color was beginning to return to her silver locks. “Great,” she grumbled. “Looks like all three of us are going to need a babysitter.”