Things were slowly falling into place. Between Connors armor and Nats new abilities, the teens were beginning to feel rather confident in their inevitable confrontation with Kane. For today though, Nat and Rei would simply enjoy a quiet day hanging out. As Rei's mom now pulled into Nats driveway, the young teen bounded towards the front door. "Hi Mrs. MacGregor."
"Hi Rei," Marisa chuckled as the teen rushed past her. "Nats in her room." Rei called back, racing upstairs as Marisa glanced towards Hanako. "She seems excited."
"Very," Hanako smiled. "Its been too long Marisa. How are you?"
"Busy as always Hanako," Marisa sighed. "But both novels are nearing completion. That's why I'm very much looking forward to catching up." Hanako grinned, pulling out a bottle of wine for the pair to enjoy.
Bounding into Nats room, Rei startled her girlfriend as she began bombarding the dhamphir with questions. "Slow down Rei," Nat exclaimed. "One thing at a time."
"Sorry," Rei blushed. "Its just...between Connor, you, and everything else. I'm just super anxious. Do you think we can finally end this?" Nat paused, taking a deep breath before glancing out her window. "Maybe," she said softly. "But what has been bugging me lately is what then?"
"What do you mean Nat?"
"Okay," Nat started. "Lets say we stop Kane. What happens then? I mean Sylvia and Tanya will leave, but what about Lancelot? Does he go back to the vampire nation? Also what about me? Am I still going to know how to fight? Will Connor still have that armor? Hell, what about Amara? Is she going to keep staying with Ms. McKinnon? I don't know...maybe I'm just overthinking things."
"Probably," Rei shrugged. The Asian teen now paused as she studied her friend carefully. "Geez you seem stressed. You've been bottling all that stuff in? Which reminds me, where's Lancelot?"
"My dad took him out," Nat said. "Guys night. But I am stressing though, I don't know, it's weird. I haven't had a chance to talk with anyone about this stuff. As crazy as it sounds, I kinda miss Amara staying here."
"Seriously?"
Nat nodded, her cheeks flushing. "Yeah I hadn't said anything before but um me and her started to talk more. I kinda vented to her about stuff."
"You know you could always call me," Rei replied. Nat blushed redder. Yes, she told Rei everything. In fact their wasn't anything she had told Amara that she hadn't told Rei but their was something about saying something in person, at the moment the thought entered her head that helped soothe her. "This is gonna sound dumb but talking face to face at the moment I think about something is different than texting," she said. "I don't know...maybe...maybe I liked having Amara around...kinda like a sister."
Rei paused, feeling s bit torn by Nats response. Part of her was jealous of the relationship she was developing with Amara, the other though understood. Talking to a sister was far different than talking with a girlfriend. "Okay I kinda get it," Rei sighed. "But I thought we were like sisters?"
"We're more than that Rei," Nat smiled. "Your my best friend and my girlfriend. I tell you everything but sometimes, um. I need advice on....you."
"Me!"
"Um yeah," Nat exclaimed. "You know like...relationship advice." Rei laughed, a large smile forming on her face. "Yeah kinda hard to get relationship advice from the person you're dating."
"Pretty much," Nat smirked. "I don't know, but sometimes..I wish I did have a sister."
"Younger or older," Rei asked.
"Either one I guess," Nat shrugged. "A big sister would be cool to get advice from but I'd hate to be the baby of the family or for her to try bossing me around. A little sister though could be better I guess. Someone who would listen and take my side. I'd just worry that they would be kind of a brat."
"So you worry about an overbearing big sis or bratty little one," Rei laughed. "Have I ever mentioned that you suck at decision making?" Nat giggled playfully pushing her girlfriend before smiling. "Whatever," she smirked. "I'm just saying I wish I had a sibling." Unnoticed by Nat or Rei, the ring now began to glow as it interpreted Nats wish.
Downstairs Marisa and Hanako were happily chatting. The two old friends catching up with eachothers lives. The pair had known eachother for years, ever since Nat and Rei started preschool. Over the years the two women had grown close, considering eachother close friends. It was only their busy schedules that prevented them from seeing eachother more often. What neither woman knew was that the ring had decided to fulfill Nats desire, useing both Marisa and Hanako.
Neither woman was aware of what was happening. The pair not even noticing the slight chill they felt as the magic took affect. Slowly the pair if muddle age women began to youthen, their skin looking more vibrant, their hair glowing with youthful vigor as the stray greys began to vanish. Soon the pair reached 30, appearing in their prime before retreating into their 20s.
The magic now altered the pairs memories, yet kept reality in check. Neither woman noticing their loosening clothes or finding the others youthening appearance alarming. In the pairs mind they had always been 25. The regression though continued, the women growing younger, their bodies leaner with the loss of each passing year. As the duo became a pair of 20 year old college coeds, they remained blissfully unaware of what was happening. The only real question now was just how young they would become.