Driving towards her destination, Natalia couldn't help but think of all that had transpired.
Since the vampires arrival, she had used her talents to give Miro all the information he required. The movements of the wizards, their strengths, their weaknesses, and more importantly the children.
Natalia had gotten information on all the children of the next generation. Lynne Turner, the youngest sister of two very powerful wizards and an equally powerful one in her own right. Kari Harris, a kitsune toddler with her kintaro siblings Aaron and Haley. Tricia Davis, daughter of a dragoness. Morgan Carlson, daughter of a Seraphim wizard and the reincarnation of Morgan LeFay. Finally Tom and Yuriko Harris, two wizard children who were the least protected of any of the next generation.
Natalia should have been proud of her accomplishments. She had successfully deduced the identities of the wizard children Miro so desperately wanted to bring into the vampire nation. If everything went as planned, the vampire nation would increase their power exponentially. Things though, had not gone as planned.
Natalia felt as if she was changing. She had gone deep undercover before but this was different. Already she had found herself twice transformed by these wizard children. The vampire shuddered as she thought back to those times, it had awakened long dormant insecurities from her past. What was worse though was how much she not only dwelled on it but looked favorably on it.
It was no secret than when she was human she was shunned for her bisexuality. Disowned by her parents and placed in a convent. She had hated her life and quickly jumped at the opportunity Miro presented her with. Now, things were changing, the magic it appeared (as well as the times) was making her long for a life she had never considered. A life that honestly was rather surprising.
Natalia's original reason for seducing Reiko had been to gather information. She wished to use the quiet woman to gather information on the wizards. At first the plan was successful, until she and Reiko found themselves transformed into awkward teenage girls. Two girls who had a remarkable amount of experience in common.
Both women had been forced to hide a part of themselves. Both succeeded with Natalia embracing her sensuality as the decades went by. Reiko had only recently done so, still remaining with her husband. When the two though were reduced to teenagers though they found eachother drawn to one another. They were two sides of the same coin, the Ying and yang, two pieces that fit perfectly. The only problem, Reiko was human, Natalia was a vampire.
This is where Natalia began to worry. Had the magic changed her so much? Couple that with the ascension of Wyatt and Natalia was beginning to have doubts about being a vampire. The idea of becoming human once more though had been an impossibility, until she met Santa.
It didn't seem possible but jolly old Saint Nicholas had delivered the ultimate gift to the vampire, her soul. She couldn't even fathom how he had done it but she knew as soon as he had placed it in her hand. The question now was what to do with it? Keep it safe? Release it back into her? Destroy it? All these questions flooded the vampire as she pulled into the parking lot. "You're in too deep Natalia," she sighed. "Just keep it together a little longer. Then you can return to the castle."
Did she really want too though?
Exiting her car, Natalia immediately noticed Reiko and her sister in law Kumiko. The two women waving happily to Natalia as she now approached. "Glad you could make it," Reiko smiled.
Natalia gave the woman a polite smile as she glanced around the parking lot. "So what are we doing here?"
Kumiko now gestured towards an arriving car, Natalia squinting her eyes to see who it was, gasping as she saw the occupants. "Nina Moreland?!"
Nina, Lisa, and Maddie Haskins now exited the vehicle. The auburn haired woman sporting an impish grin as she hurried towards the others. "Glad you could make it," she smiled.
"So what are we doing her Lisa," Kumiko asked. Nina, Lisa, and Maddie now giggled as they pointed towards a building, the others groaning in annoyance. "Seriously," Kumiko sighed. "Bounce town!"
"I was telling Maddie and Nina about our trip to Chuck E Cheese a couple of years back," Lisa stated. "Needless to say these two were excited about the idea."
"Oh I haven't forgotten," Kumiko said. "In fact, I remember we had to find an adult to get in when we tried to enter."
"I though of that too," Lisa countered. "And that's why i came prepared." Kumiko, Reiko, and Natalia now listened as Lisa explorer plan. Two of them would remain adults while the others would become children. Once they got inside the two adults would age themselves down in order to join in on the fun.
"Okay two questions," Nina asked. "First, how old are we going to end up? And second, who is going to be the adults?"
"Also how are we going to become children," Kumiko asked. "Did you borrow the ring again Lisa?"
Lisa shook her head no, instead producing six bottles from her bag. The women now each took a bottle, carefully studying its contents. "I had Gloria get this from Merlin," she said. "All we have to do is drink it and poof."
"How old will we be," Reiko asked. Lisa wasn't exactly sure, she said anywhere between 6 and 10 years old. "The potion will also take a minute to fully deage you too, so you might want to do it in private."
"And how long will this last," Natalia asked.
"A few hours," Lisa stated. "You'll begin to feel the effects wear off before you start to grow up again. And just like when it takes affect it'll take a few minutes to grow up again."
"Any side effects," Kumiko asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well you could end up a bit younger than you wanted but it's very rare."
"How much younger," Maddie asked, her excitement suddenly stunted by this revelation.
"Three or four," Lisa said. "So no worse than preschool." The women now stared at their bottles, sighing heavily. Preschool, not exactly what they wanted. "Well ladies," Lisa exclaimed. "Four of us are heading to tiny town. The only question is who?"
Natalia now gazed at her bottle. These magical age changes were proving to be far more common than she had ever anticipated. It seemed like everytime she revisited her youth, her desire to give relinquish her vampirism increased. Should she now take the potion and descend into childhood now or remain an adult while the others went first?
Even if she did remain an adult for now, she worried about possibly blowing her cover. The others would undoubtedly have hard feelings, especially Reiko, if she remained an adult while they returned to childhood. Natalia now sighed, gazing at the others as a decision was made.