Rick, or rather Regan, stared at the camera. It had a some weird words on it, and something about it felt familiar too. She heard her mom call, and knew she had to get going, that was when she reached for the switch. To Emily's utter joy, she watched as Regan flicked the switch. The girl looked puzzled for a moment before she blinked a few times, then shook her head.
"Wha-what the?" She muttered, as she noticed the curly red hair that had slapped her in the face. She looked down in utter bewilderment, then held up the doll that was Emily to her face, her eyes growing wider. "Holy shit." She whispered. "E-Emily?"
"Yes! Yes Rick!" She mentally shouted for joy. "Oh thank God baby, please, turn me back quick!"
Rick, or course, could not hear Emily, though new the doll was still her. She looked very similar to her normal form, just dollified. Just then, his jaw dropped, as he watched his mother appear from nowhere. What was so strange is that she towered over him, needing him to strain his neck up to make eye contact.
"M-mom?" He muttered, still not used to how adorable he sounded. "What's going on?"
His mother looked back with an eyebrow raised. She then placed the back of her hand on Rick's head.
"Are you alright baby girl?" She asked. "You're not getting sick are you?"
Rick internally cringed at his mother calling him "baby girl." He was a man, and was super happy being independent at college... but now he was reduced back to a young child, and a girl at that.
"N-nope, all good... Mommy." He replied, straining to say such childish phrases while aslo trying to sound cutesy to avoid suspicion.
His mother looked skeptical, but seemed to not be pressing the matter. Unfortunately, before Rick could even see it coming the camera was swiped from his hands.
"W-wait!" He called out, reaching out in vain as she held it well above his new reach.
"Sorry princess it's an old camera. It's for Mommy's not for little girls." She calmly explained before she slid the camera away into her purse.
Rick wanted to protest, but knew it was fruitless. He remembered how his mom was back when he was a kid, and there was NO arguing with her. Plus, she used to do minor punishments if he acted up to much, which included taking toys. The camera was already in her possession, and he didn't need her to take Emily either.
"Come on Regan baby, let's go." She said before beginning to walk, so Rick glumly followed behind.
Rick looked at the doll, seeing it's blank eyes stare back with a smile.
"Don't look at me like that." He whispered. "This is your fault. How could you just leave me unaware. I remember it all Em... thinking like a mom and then a little girl... it felt wrong. Like, I was just... gone. And now I'm a little girl and you're a DOLL Emily."
Emily wanted to apologize. She wanted to tell Rick how stupid she was and how much she regretted it, but she couldn't, as she was currently just an inanimate toy. Rick sighed, and continued to follow his mother, dreading where she'd bring him in the mall.
His fears were verified, as before he knew it he was the one being treated like a doll. Store after store Rick found himself having to try on more and more outfits. He couldn't stand it as dress after dress was put over him, constantly having to look into the mirror and instead of seeing his normally handsome self there was just a little girl frowning in the most girly clothes staring back.
Emily, too, was bored out of her mind. She couldn't do anything but watch. She would normally at least feel some kind of joy in seeing Rick have to get all princessed up, but she still felt regret from what happened so she didn't feel anything but shame. The worst moment for Rick was when they ran into some of Emily's friends. They googooed over him, taking selfies as he turned beat red, all while Emily herself felt embarrassed as one of her bffs held her from the leg, and laughed about "having a toy like this" when she was young.
Finally, they were beginning to head for the exit. Instead of a day filled with fun changing, both Rick and Emily experienced an embarrassing and boring day, almost as if karma had hit them for their transformation terror. Thankfully, Rick's mother finally said what he had been hoping she'd say.
"-fter 8 later. Oh, I almost forgot about that camera!" She said, causing Rick to perk up and start listening to his mom's babbling. "Did you want me to take a picture of you sweetie? So we can remember this super fun mother-daughter day?" She asked.
"Yes! Yes please!" Rick practically jumped for joy.
While she was looking for the main button, Rick glanced down at Emily. "I know this is risky Em," he whispered, "but we don't have another option. Odds are, one of us HAS to be better off, and then we get the camera and fix this whole mess."
Emily was nervous, but agreed they needed to get out of this scenario. She was NOT going to spend the night in a barbie dream mansion or a toy box. She braced, as Rick held her tight, and he gave a big but fake smile.
"Aww, so precious." His mother swooned, right before the camera activated with a FLASH.