Diana groaned, her head throbbing. She still wasn't quite sure what had happened.
After being rescued by a wizard that watched way too much anime, she found herself in the home of a young couple. Apparently her experience with the Normal wasn't unique, as Diana listened she learned the group was causing problems for everyone. Still, alot of it seemed hard to believe. Kitsune assassins, secret government organizations, wizards, vampires, two timelines! This was the stuff of science fiction not real life. As Diana listened, it seemed she found herself in the middle of a secret war and it was one she felt she couldn't ignore.
As the older group spoke, they found themselves interrupted by an odd man. Diana couldn't quite hear what he said but judging by the look of the dark haired guy and his girlfriend it wasn't good. All she could make out was that the guys brother was in trouble. That's what sealed it for Diana, she would help these strangers. Afterall, that's what she and Trisha did, help those marginalized by society. Promising to be in touch, Diana and Trisha left for Trisha s hotel room. Diana needed to resettle after being brainwashed by the Normal. After that they would help in anyway they could.
Despite some concern from Nat and Rei, Diana insisted she would be fine. They had beaten back the Normal, they could handle themselves. As the pair opened the door to Trishas room, they gasped as Rick was waiting for them. Before they could say a word, he grabbed them, somehow transforming the walls into a pair of hands that grasped the teens in a vice like grip. Diana and Trisha couldn't breath, struggling as Rick sneered at them. Just before she lost consciousness, she could here Rick say something.
You didn't think I'd let you go that easily.
Blinking, Diana now took in her surroundings. They appeared to be in a medical cell, the completely white room having no furniture. Diana now noticed a two way mirror, realizing her captors were watching her. Scowling she now flipped off the mirror before turning to Trisha. "Trish, Trish wake up!"
"Ugh," Trisha groaned. "What happened? Where are we?" Diana glanced around the room, slowly assisting her girlfriend to her feet. "Nowhere good I can tell you that," she grumbled. As Trisha cleared her head, the Latinas eyes went wide as she cursed under her breath. "This the place they took you to before?"
No this is much different.
Trisha and Diana paused, trying to spot a speaker from which the voice came. "You know that brainwashing crap won't work," Diana yelled. "I beat it once, I can beat it again." Glaring at the window, she now put on a fierce front. "You are correct Miss Holden," the voice replied. "Both you and Miss Fernandez have far too strong a will for re-education. After much discussion we've decided that our organization needs to evolve. Welcome, to Project Clean Slate."
Trisha and Diana listened to the sound of a small whir, glancing up to see the ceiling open. A light now bathed the room in a soft glow, Diana wondering what in the hell Project Clean Slate was?
"Dai your hair!"
Diana turned quickly, her eyes growing wide as she stared at her short pink hair. Slowly she watched as the vibrant pink began to fade, in only seconds the pink was gone. Diana's hair returning to its original brown. "Trish you too," Diana exclaimed, noticing the sea foam green color of Trishas hair vanish. "What the fuck," Trish asked, studying her natural hair color. "Do these assholes have something against hair dye?"
Diana shrugged, this didn't make any sense. She could barely remember what happened before but this was different. As she stared at her reflection, she paused as she heard something hit the floor. Glancing down, she raised an eyebrow. "An earring?" Bending down she picked up the stud, curiously studying it. It looked like hers. Quickly looking at her ear, she gasped as she noticed that earring was no longer there.
The sound of Trisha gagging now drew Diana's attention. Turning to her girlfriend, she watched the girl reach into her mouth, shocked as she noticed the bar that used to pierce her septum. "The fuck," Trisha whispered. "Trish open your mouth," Diana stated, glancing into her girlfriends mouth, she only became more confused. Thr hole where the septum stud existed had closed. It was almost like it had never been there.
Both teens now gawked at one another, watching in stunned horror as their piercings now fell off their body. The sounds of metal falling to the floor. It felt like an eternity but was only a moment before all piercings were gone. Both teens now gaping at their unblemished and unpierced faces. "Dai what's happening to us," Trisha asked nervously. "I don't know Trish," Diana stammered. "This didn't happen before, I'm sure of it!"
The teenage couple now gawked at their appearance, unsure what was happening. Although their hair dye and piercings were gone, they still wore their usual clothes. Diana now expected their clothing to change, to once more become the bland school uniform she recalled wearing for the past year. After a couple moments though, she furrowed her brow. Their clothes weren't changing.
"I feel weird. Do you feel weird Dai?"
Diana paused, she had felt an odd sensation wash over her. It felt, like a gentle tingle, almost like a limb falling asleep. As she looked over self, she wasn't quite sure what was happening. Diana's clothing seemed a bit loose, her bra strap slipping on her narrow shoulders as her jeans slipped on her waist. "My clothes feel loose," she said, wiggling her toes and finding them a bit large on her feet. "Even my shoes feel a bit big."
Turning to one another, the teens eyes went wide as they stared at one another. Diana and Trisha didn't look 16 anymore, they looked closer to 14 now. Their faces softer, their eyes wider and looking more innocent. Trisha now gasped, pointing in horror at Diana. "Oh my god Diana you're shrinking!" Diana gasped, looking at her fresh faced girlfriend as she too lost an inch in height. "No not shrinking. We're getting younger!"
"Are you sure this is going to work Eastly," the Boss asked as she gazed at the frantic 13 year olds. "I have little doubt sir," she replied. "The original re-education program had its faults, especially with those with strong wills like these two." The Boss nodded, watching as Diana and Trisha now began to bang on the two way mirror, cursing and desperately trying to escape. "Project Clean Slate is designed to revert human subjects to an infantile state both physically and mentally. In essence sir, they will be raised by the Normal. We no longer have to worry about the programming degrading because it will no longer exist."
"And you got the idea after talking with Hinata," the Boss asked.
"Actually it was Rick who suggested it sir," Eastly replied. "He observed that Hinata, despite being a kitsune our organization would readily dispose of, has an undying loyalty based upon a familial connection she established from being raised by Captain Cassidy."
"Its the nature vs nurture argument sir," Rick added. "If a kitsune is willing to fight her own people because she saw us as family then a human could easily be swayed by being raised by the Normal." The Boss nodded, a smirk forming under his mask as he watched Diana and Trisha.
The former teens were firmly preteens now, straddling the line between 11 and 12. Puberty was rapidly abandoning the pair, their curves vanishing along with their breasts. Both girls had grown too small for their shoes, sprinting around in overly large socks as they looked for an escape. Both 11 year olds now tried to open the sealed door, pulling on it in vain as their jeans slid down their skinny legs. "I'm sorry sir," Rick sighed. "I should've been prepared better when I went to the MacGregor's home."
"We learn from our losses Rick," the Boss stated. "Hell, I know that better than anyone, believe me. Fact of the matter is, you and the doc came up with a brilliant idea here. Besides, I talked with Casseus about Naomi Tozawa. She'd alot stronger than even she knows. Just think about it. Have you ever watched an anime? Do you see the kind of power those characters have?" Rick nodded, since returning to the past, he had reviewed alot of entertainment media in order to blend in at highs school. Reading over different Manga he understood that if Naomi ever cut loose, she could threaten even the Boss.
Turning back to the room, Rick noticed Diana and Trisha were barely 9 years old now. During his talk with the Boss the two teens jeans had finally lost hold of their narrow hips. Both girls were now barefoot, their shirts acting as short dresses that were gradually growing longer. As the girls shrank down to 8 year olds they began to toss their discarded shoes at the light in hopes of breaking it.
"Dr. Eastly how long for the mental regression to take effect," the Boss asked. "Once they reach infancy, the mental regression will catch up with the physical regression," she said. "Afterwards will initiate the growth program as we did with Felicity. Within a week, if you wish, they'll be their original ages. Thr only unfortunatething is that this can only effect human subjects not the supernatural." The Boss nodded, watching as Diana and Trisha left first grade and entered kindergarten. The 5 year olds were obviously angry, their high pitch voices shrill as they tried to bang on the glass. Unfortunately for the pair they were still growing younger. The Boss now watched as their round, childish faces dipped below the window.
Diana and Trisha couldn't be more than 4 years old now. Both girls faces were round, childish and quickly racing for the more uniform look of a toddler or infant. Watching the pair, the Boss watched as their t-shirts descended lower, covering their thin legs until only their small toes poked out from underneath. As the two girls exited preschool in the opposite direction, the Boss listened as their voices became more of a whine, their speech lisping as they eventually grew too young to speak. With a wobble the now 1 year old girls fell onto their rears, gazing up at the glass with wide innocent eyes.
"The process is almost complete sir," Dr. Eastly stated. "In moments they'll be approximately one month old. You may want to enter now sir, in order to imprint on their memories."
The Boss nodded, thanking Dr. Eastly as he turned to Rick. "You did good Rick," he stated, clapping the teen on the shoulder. "Now if you'll excuse I need to take care of our girls. I've always wondered what its like to be a father."