Mary lifted one of her elephant legs in a sign that she was ready to stomp on the small child. Young Mary screamed and rolled out of the way long before the foot came crashing to the floor.
"That was just a warning!" Young Mary heard her "double" shout. "Next time I'll try to spear you with a tusk!" She knew in the back of her mind that her other self didn't mean to harm her, she was just having fun with their twisted situation. Yet the childlike aspects of her mind had become prominent now that she was in a suitable body, and the image of the giant elephant woman terrified her. She found herself stumbling to her feet and running into the bathroom, locking the door shut. She panted, trying to get a grip on herself, but the fear prevailed.
On the other side of the door, the former human Mary began to realize that she had genuinely scared her other self. She felt a little sorry, but mostly glad to have the revenge. "You reap what you sow," she huffed to herself, batting her trunk around. She knew that other Mary didn't mean to turn her into an elephant; it was random. Still, she was rather annoyed at her current form. Her body was cumbersome and not very attractive.
She lumbered back to the vials and tried to pick the human female vial up with her large fingers. Eventually she managed to get the cap off and drank half of the potion, taking care not to drink too much.
Slowly, her form slimmed down and she completely returned to her human state. The problem now was what to do with the other Mary? Should she return her to her rightful age? Mary began to wonder what it would be like to have a daughter around the house...or perhaps a pet.
First things first, she decided to do something about her naked body. As she sorted out a good wardrobe, she formed a plan.
* * *
Young Mary was sobbing quietly when she heard a gentle knock on the bathroom door. What had been her own 25-year-old voice asked "Mary? It's okay now, sweetie. I'm back to normal."
Pausing only a moment, Mary unlocked the door and opened it. She saw the other Mary, back to human form and dressed in casual clothing, smiling down at her.
"I'm sorry I scared you," she apologized. "I was just playing, that's all." Young Mary knew this, but as before her child mind still felt scared and betrayed. "Do you like being six again?"
She had to think for a minute. Her adult life memories were all intact, however as she viewed them through her younger body, they seemed rather boring and a little scary. The stress of a job wasn't something she was too ready to go back to. She slowly nodded an affirmative to her older self.
"Then you're more than welcome to stay that way, or you could take one of the vials and be something of a pet for me. I'll take good care of you, I promise. You'll get to grow up all over again."
Fond thoughts of growing up in school and making friends and playing outdoors in the afternoons tempted her mind. Young Mary found herself nodding eagerly before she had even finished analyzing her situation.
The older Mary smiled and knelt down to her level. "Great! You should probably get a new name, just to avoid confusion. What do you think about Mindy? Or Marie?"
"M...Marie. Can I be Marie?" the child responded.
"Of course, dear. So long as you call me 'Mommy.' At least, whenever we're in public."
Marie understood the precaution, but if she was going to live again as a child, she wanted it the full experience. "You'll be my Mommy all the time," she said. "We grow up like family." She found it strange how her thoughts seemed well formed, yet her speech patterns reflected an inexperienced mind.
"Welcome home, Marie," her mother said. She picked her up and took her into the living room. "Now look at you. We need to shop for some clothes, don't we? I'd like to take you with me, but you would probably be better off here. Besides, I should hope you're a little more mature than you look. Can you handle things here while I'm out?"
"Sure thing!" Marie saluted.
"I'll be back as soon as I can, darling," Mary said as she grabbed her purse. As she opened the door, she looked back at her new "daughter," who was still waving goodbye. "You know...I think we're going to have a great life together."