(Yes, original title is original.... )


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Story:

Isabel should have known better than to argue with a part-time lifeguard who dabbled in magic....

It was a pool day for Isabel's family. It was one of the only times that she got to swim and be on her own without having to worry about watching over her two little siblings, Maria and Antonio. It was going well until the lifeguard shouted, "Adult swim only! Kids, get out of the pool, please!" Isabel groaned... She hated that she had to wait a whole 15 minutes or so as the adults had their time to swim. It wasn't fair! She was almost 13, and they still kicked her out.

She reluctantly climbed up the ladder leading out of the pool. She glared at the lifeguard, who was a 17-year-old lynx girl. Now, this lifeguard was usually extremely patient, especially with children, but with teenagers... Not so much.

The lynx girl sighed at the almost 13-year-old guinea pig.

"You'll be able to get back in the pool in ten minutes."

Isabel huffed. "I'm not stupid, you know. I can tell time! I just wish I knew why adults get their own swim time! Why not teenagers, too? Screw you and these stupid rules."

The lifeguard had it! She climbed down from her stand and put her hand on Isabel's shoulder. She said, "If you're not going to act your age, I have the power to make you do so-" and proceeded to chant a spell she learned from a fellow witch.

"What the hell?" Isabel thought. Not even 10 seconds afterward, she felt a short wave of dizziness. After gaining back her bearings, she realized that the ground seemed a bit closer than it did a few moments ago...

"Hey!" she squeaked, gasping at how young she sounded. Her voice hadn't sounded so small and delicate since she was 9! Her bikini seemed to be shrinking to fit her younger self; it was looking more like a tank-top and bottoms that were becoming like a skirt around her waist. She began to feel perplexed.

"H-how?"

The lynx girl smirked, stating, "Well, seeing as I am a witch when I'm not doing this lifeguard gig, let's just say I have quite a few tricks, er... Spells up my sleeve, for misbehaving teens like yourself."

As she shrunk down to almost-six, barely elementary school-age, tears began to sting her eyes. She didn't misbehave... She wasn't a bad girl, was she? What had even happened beforehand? Something about the pool... Her mind was catching up with her age. Now she wanted her mommy more than ever. Her bathing suit was changing even more, starting to fit her equally cute and childish appearance. The two-piece had merged into a one-piece, the pink skirt looking more like a tutu around her waist. Going backward from five to four, it wasn't long until she'd be back in Pull-Ups, or even worse, diapers.

"Now," said the lynx woman, sounding much kinder, "Let's find your mommy. You don't want to be lost, do you?"

The tears were rolling now. She wished that her mommy was here to hug her, tell her that she was a good girl. She was barely even three anymore. The regression was slowing down, now. She went from two-and-a-half, two...

She saw her mommy over by the wading pool with her brother and sister. She attempted to run over, but suddenly her chubby baby legs buckled, and she landed flat on her bottom. All she could do now was suck her thumb and cry.

One.

"Oh honey," the lynx girl cooed, "No need for tears now. I'm sure you'll be a happy little baby once we find your mommy."

Isabel stopped crying, but kept on sucking her thumb. She knew where her mommy was, and wanted to be helpful. She pointed toward the wading pool as the lynx girl scooped up the now one-year-old guinea pig. They headed over to the wading pool, where Isabel's mommy, daddy, and two siblings were.

Maria, who was five, shouted, "Hey! It's Izzy! And she's a baby!"

Antonio, who was eight, said, "Ooooh. I think she got in trouble by the witch lady."

Now reunited, baby Isabel squealed with joy, plopping onto her mother's lap.

"Sorry that she caused you trouble..." sighed Mrs. Guerra, Isabel's mom.

The lynx girl nodded and said, "No worries. The magic'll wear off after a few hours. I think she learned her lesson anyway."

Isabel giggled, now splashing around with infantile glee alongside her brother and sister.