Katie sighed as she walked arm and arm with Josh out of the mall wishing she wouldn't have to worry about anyone and could focus on Josh for the afternoon. The wish itself was not age related but just the longing of a college girl with a handsome and nice guy. As the two strolled towards the exit Katie gave a furtive glance backwards. She would text Mary shortly to let her know what was going on in the mean time she was going to enjoy an afternoon with Josh.
Unknown to Katie as she walked with Josh was an old man watching her from the store he had recently "opened" in the mall. Merlin smiled as Katie walked out. The wizard had crafted the Ring of Age centuries ago and had wondered what had happened to it since Bobby had taken it some months ago. Merlin had knowledge of all the "choices" and possible outcomes that had come from the ring. Some of those choices were interesting to say the least thankful he now seemed to find himself in a reality where the choices had turned out pleasantly. What would happen now though would be interesting.
Merlin turned towards the front of the shop as Mary, Sammy, Mika, Claudia, Tricia and Karen entered the store. The two high school girls separated from the college girls who were making there way towards the counter. Merlin smiled impishly as Mary, Sammy, Claudia and Mika approached the counter. Jake had decided to stay behind at the movie theater to wait for Kelly and Judy. "Welcome ladies," the shopkeeper said. "I've been expecting you although I must say I thought Katie was going to be with you when you came."
The group stopped short and gaped at the old man. "Do we know you?" Mary asked. "Yes and no," Merlin said. "My name is Merlin and I'm the reason you've all recaptured your youth."
The girls looked nervously at each other before turning to to Merlin. "How do you know about that?" Claudia asked nervously. "I'm the one that created the Ring of Age Claudia," he said.
The girls looked at the old man in shock, while they knew that the ring was magical they never would of believed that they would ever find the man that created it. As the girls were about to ask Merlin a series of questions the old man out up his hand and smiled. "I already know you have a lot of questions, " he said. "I've seen some of the other choices that have been made so I know there are going to be lots of questions. I'm just glad that bobby lost the ring, wasn't a fan of his choices."
"What do you mean?" Mika asked as the other girls came up behind Mary. "Just a little fourth wall talk," he answered. "Anyway let me catch you girls up. You already know about the ring how it changes ages and how quite a few of you decided to relive your childhood. The good news is that I've seen the future for you and it's promising all of you turn out great, at least in most of the futures.
"Unfortunately there are a couple of side effects to the ring, as you found out. One of them is that the first is that the person that uses the the ring has a subconscious influence on the people it's used on."
"What exactly does that mean," Sammy asked. "It means that Katie was an innocent seven year old when she first used the ring her innocence is rubbing off on you when she makes changes to your ages."
As it is, it may never going to fall into the wrong hands again."
"What do you mean?" Mika asked.
"That doesn't sound so bad," Claudia said. "Actually it's pretty nice," Merlin said. "The downside is that all of you want to become younger and younger. That's the reason Mary, Mika, and Sammy decided to become kids again. It's also the reason that Karen over their is going to want to become a child again as well."
The girls stared dumbfounded at Merlin' as they took in what he had to say. "That's crazy," Sammy said. "I made this decision myself, I did it for me and Jake. As far as Karen is concerned we don't even know her, when we turn back she's our fifth grade teacher. I think you got this one wrong Dumbledore."
"Dumbledore," Merlin huffed. "That hack wishes he had my magic. I've got more magic in my big toe than he has in his whole body."
"Sorry about Sammy Mr. Merlin," Mary apologized. "She has a tendency to spurt things out without thinking."
"Don't worry about it," Merlin said. "But I do know that the ring is affecting her. Only a couple of months she would have never thought of reliving her youth as she is now. Now she sees it as normal she won't admit it but she's trying to not only relive her childhood but change it as well. It's happening to all of you eventually the feeling will make you all want to be children."
The girls looked at each other and pondered what they had just heard. Hearing that they would all eventually become children was overwhelming, especially for Claudia. "I think I need to sit down," she said. Merlin smiled waving his hand and causing an chair to appear behind Claudia. Taking a seat she now looked at the wizard with a look of concern. "How can we stop this," she asked. "I don't want to be a kid again, besides I'm Mika's guardian I can't be a kid again."
"Sorry Claudia but eventually you'll want to be," Merlin said. "Don't blame Katie she had no idea the ring would do this and she will eventually find a way for you all to be children without people wondering why two kids are living alone but that's a story for another day. Even Karen gets changed back she will have knowledge of the changes that took place. She will talk with Katie about her experiences and her desire to be a child again. Karen never had a lot of friends growing up and the chance to be part of this group will be too much to resist. By thanksgiving Karen will be your newest friend."
"Well that doesn't sound so bad," Claudia admitted.
The wizard nodded. "As it is though, there is one problem. A group of girls living all on their own, with no supervision? That's something even the Ring cannot fix. I am willing however to help you all out. I will use my magic to provide you all a solid guardian who will be firm but allow you the freedom to experiment with ages ... and perhaps some other things. All I ask is that one of you become my apprentice, and that the rest promise to purchase something from my store at a later date."
"What would becoming your apprentice mean?" Tricia asked.
"It would mean giving up your life, becoming Immortal and growing up again. You would start as a child, body and soul. A clean slate is needed to teach magic."
The girls looked at each other and pondered a decision that would affect them for the rest of their lives.