“He said that the cure takes time to make, so you’ll be this young for a week.” Laura and Chad’s mouths drop open. “Since it’s only a week-”
“Only?!” Chad screeches. The employee frowns at him.
“Yes, only a week. Be glad it’s not longer. The boss just came back from a monthlong vacation, and some cures take six months to make.” The employee takes a breath. “Anyways, like I was saying, since it’s only a week, the two of you will be staying with the boss. During the day, you’ll be here at the shop where we can keep an eye on you.”
“What about our jobs?” Laura asks.
“Already handled. Everyone in your lives thinks you’re on an important trip. They won’t ask questions or think it’s odd.”
“Good,” Laura sighs. Chad stomps his foot.
“Good? No! This is the opposite of good! I’m a very important businessman, I can’t just-” With a tired sigh, the employee makes a gesture towards Chad. Chad promptly shrinks. His clothes become smaller and more feminine. His hair lengthens into pigtails tied by ribbons. Laura giggles at the sight.
“Oh.” The employee frowns. “I didn’t mean to change your gender, too. I guess my magic skills still need work.”
“What you do?!” Chad screams. The employee grabs a pacifier from the playpen, marches over to Chad, and sticks it in his mouth. Chad sucks on it instinctively.
“Took you down a peg. I warned you earlier to stop being a brat. This is what being a brat gets you around here, Chad.” Chad sucks on her pacifier urgently. “By the way, looks like you’re about two. That’s young enough to be breastfed. You have that to look forward to.” Laura giggles again. “Laura, don’t worry about getting any younger, by the way. The dice aren’t bonded with you anymore. You’ll be three until you get cured.”
“Thanks,” Laura says. A car outside honks.
“Oh, that’s your ride.” The employee picks Laura up out of the crib, sets her on the ground, then picks Chad up. He leads Laura outside. A sleek minivan is parked in the lot. The employee buckles Laura into a car seat, but hands Chad to a woman sitting in the passenger seat. “I just turned her into a two-year-old girl from a four-year-old boy, so she could use something to eat.”
“No problem,” the woman chirps. She immediately unbuttons her blouse and holds Chad up to a bare breast. Chad fights at first, but eventually gives in and begins to suckle. “Good girl.” The car pulls out of the lot. Laura is about to ask some questions of the person driving the van, the mysterious “boss”, but her eyelids get very heavy. She falls asleep just a few blocks away from the shop.