Hope Through the Ages By the AP Scout (c) 2003 Part 5
Over the next few hours, Rini continued to grow steadily. Serena at first had dressed her baby daughter in a frilly dress and disposable diaper but as time passed, Rini, now able to talk again, began to complain. The diaper was hot and needed changing. Moreover, Serena began to tire at having to continually alter the dress as Rini outgrew it.
Since it was summer and they were the only ones in the house, Serena allowed the toddler to roam around the house without clothes. Rini was, at first, bashful about the state of undress but quickly adapted. She had seen her friends' baby sisters and brothers run around like that around their home on occasion.
During that morning, Rini's most embarrassing incident was when she went potty on the floor. It came on without warning. She'd been squatting down to look for a crayon she'd been doodling on the wall with when it happened.
"Uh oh!" was the little girl's distressed response. Serena, who had been in the kitchen, came out to investigate. The pink-haired girl started to cry but the twenty-something mother cleaned her up and soothed her. Rini had, if truth be told, been more worried that Serena was going to take her to task for her wall art. Her mother took it in stride though.
By lunchtime, Rini's growth spurts were slowing so Serena got out a slightly baggy pair of shorts and a T-shirt with which to dress Rini in. The young girl was glad to be dressed and have her clothes fit. It was also nice to be able to grow into something rather than out of it. Not to mention, she had sufficient control as to no longer need a diaper.
* * *
It was about an hour after lunch and Rini's growth seemed to be at an end. She was seven years old (her proper age) again. Serena noticed in the intervening time she had returned to thirty-one years old.
"Nap time," Serena declared.
"NO!" Rini complained, "I don't wanna nap!"
Serena sighed; keeping up with a baby then little girl was tiring work. She supposed part of her problem was that she'd been carefully using the Silver Crystal and that had drained some of her endurance out of her.
"I need a nap," Serena thought to herself. She was not, however, going to leave her young daughter to her own devices while she slept. "Rini, I said it was nap time."
"Aw..." Rini pouted.
"Rini..."
"It ain't fair!" The youngster complained.
The blond considered her options and then decided to take the simplest course of action. Maybe she could bribe her. "What do you want to take a nap?"
"To be older!"
"Huh?!"
"Mommy, I wanna be a grownup! I don't wanna be a little kid!"
Serena sighed again. She could feel a headache coming one. After some thought, she decided to give in. Rini had taken being younger without much complaint. Serena supposed that having her older for a short time wouldn't be so bad as long as she didn't fill her mind with adult knowledge. No reason to ask for trouble. "You promise not to leave the house?"
Rini shrugged. It didn't matter to her. She just wanted to be older. Besides, where would she go? "Sure."
"Okay then," Serena said. "Come on, munchkin. We'll go upstairs and have a nap first. Then I'll use the Imperium Silver Crystal." The child grinned, bounced to her feet, and followed her mother.
* * *
Rini came bounding into the master bedroom after only an hour. Serena would have snapped at the young girl but she could understand her excitement. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Serena yawned and stretched.
"Are you ready?" Serena asked.
"Hang on a sec, Mommy," Rini said and quickly shucked off her clothes. "Now I am."
"Why did you do that, Rini?" Serena asked, "I could've changed your clothes too."
"Yeah, I know," The pink-haired girl said, "But I like this stuff 'n' I wanna watch this time." Becoming a grownup was going to be super fun.
Serena shook her head but took out the Silver Crystal. After a moment's consideration, she nodded and focused her concentration on the picture of an adult Rini.
The change began with her toes. They rippled to become larger, her feet quickly following. Her legs grew more muscular and shapely as the change passed through it like waves. Up it they came, tickling Rini. She giggled as they crashed over her thighs and hips. As the change moved upwards, her legs elongated. Soon, she was Serena's height and then past it.
One concern was her bottom. It's occasionally spanked surface became proportionately larger, yet still firm. What worried the transforming girl was that there was now more of her bottom to spank if she ticked her mommy off.
Her worry vanished as the changes reached her abdomen and tummy. Making them firmer, dissolving the last little bits of baby fat. Making the stomach round and firm like Serena's. Her breasts were next. Changing from flat nothings, they seemed to swell like balloons. They didn't sag but seemed firm, solid, and even larger than what Lita had before she became a cat. Rini just hoped she didn't look as silly as she felt at that moment.
Her arms grew to match her new frame, fine yet muscled. Her face and head changed to suit its new body. The finishing touches happened as her fluffy pink pigtails swooped downwards towards the floor. She acquired hair in other places as well and it was very satisfying to see it. She was now a twenty-five-year-old five-foot ten-inch tall bombshell with long pink hair flowing to her ass.
So fascinated was she that Rini missed Serena's change. Her firm bottom and breasts sagged some; her stomach became flabby as pounds were added. Her muscles became less defined. Her hips expanded slightly. Streaks of grey shot through her long blond hair. Crows feet formed at the corners of her eyes. She suddenly felt tired.
"Oh WOW!" Rini declared as she started poking herself in various places, "This is so cool!" She cupped her DD-cup breasts. Then the woman giggled as she manipulated one of her new nipples.
"Here now!" Serena hissed, stopping the young woman, "Rini! You put these clothes on!"
Rini pouted and looked up. The pout vanished as she saw her mother. "What happened to you, Mommy?!?"
"You did," a forty-nine-year-old Serena said gently, "I aged with you, Rini." She smiled and held out the clothes. "Come on, put these on before I get annoyed." The now young woman was quick to comply. "Now let's look around. Things are bound to be different and I want to see how."
* * *
Looking back on what later ensued, Rini decided that she preferred being little. Being a grownup meant a whole new set of responsibilities. She supposed that it would not have been too bad if two certain things hadn't happened. These two things came in the form of a younger version of Mina Aino. The beribboned blond looked about five years old when she burst through the front door in a flurry of excitement. That was disconcerting enough.
To have the youngster shout out, "Mommy! Mommy!" as she rushed to Rini was another matter entirely. It was one thing to have a nice body, even better than Serena at her best if she said so herself. On the other hand, it was another matter entirely to have Mina think she was her mother.
The second thing was Serena's body. Her mother had also aged accordingly. No longer was the pigtailed blond in fine shape of a young woman. She was near fifty with grey streaks running through her long blond mane. She had picked up some extra pounds. She appeared tired and far from prime shape.
Another factor, one that scared Serena nearly spitless, was the arrival of none other than Nephlyte. When he walked in, the man smiled at Serena and then gave Rini a hug. Serena looked like she was going to die, or explode.
Rini had slipped into the bathroom for some peace and quiet, and to do just a little admiring of her new womanly form. She hadn't gone far with her observations when Mina burst into the room.
"Mina!" Rini protested.
"Gotta go!" Mina squeaked and without so much as an "excuse me", she plopped herself down onto the toilet. The five-year-old then gave her mother an exasperated look and made a shooing motion. Rini, not quite sure of her footing, decided to retreat.
* * *
It didn't take long for the new mother to decide that looking after a rambunctious five-year-old was much harder than being one. The worse moment came when Rini had to deliver a very firm spanking. In fairness, Mina had been warned more than once. And Rini, more in desperation than anything else, had threatened the spanking. The five-year-old continued on as if her mother hadn't said anything. The new mother began to feel as she suspected Serena must have felt at times. She had looked to her mother who had said simply, "You're her mom." Her "husband" had studiously pretended that he hadn't heard a thing. After it was over with and little Mina was standing before her guilt-ridden mother, the little girl shouted out, "I hate you!" and ran from the room and upstairs.
At that point, Rini burst into tears. The long dead Negaverse general followed his young daughter up the stairs. He was going to have a very long talk with her.
* * *
"Rini..." Serena said softly, "Don't cry. It's okay."
"No, it's not, Mommy," Rini said miserably.
"Why?"
"'Cause I never said I hated you when you scolded me or gave me a spankin'." She sniffled. "I'm a bad mommy."
Serena couldn't help but snort with laughter. Rini gave her a hurt look. "Listen," Serena said in a more serious voice, "You've been a mom for only a few hours. You've done the best you can."
"But..."
"And I'm not perfect either."
"Yeah, you are. You´re the bestest mommy," Rini said.
Serena smiled. "Glad you think so but I'm not, Rini. I mean there are a couple of times I overreacted." The pink-haired girl was silent for a few moments. In the quiet, they could hear Nephlyte and Mina arguing. He did not sound happy. "Guess it's time."
"What?"
"For me to go," Serena said. Nephlyte had covertly wondered when Serena wanted him to take her back to her apartment.
"No way!" Rini said firmly, "I ain't stayin' here with a Negaverse baddie."
"He's okay." He must love Rini she thought.
"No," Rini said, "You're my mommy. And..." The pink-haired woman sighed. "I guess I'm not ready for this."
"Time to get back to normal, huh?"
Rini frowned for a moment and then nodded. "Serena?"
"What is it, munchkin?" she said looking up at her grownup daughter.
Rini paused, gave a look toward the ceiling, and then said, "I still threw that tantrum." She blushed.
"Oh Rini..."
"Look, I might be seven but I know when I did something wrong." She was a princess after all. Her mother always taught her to take responsibility for her actions. Lying was the worst thing a child could do. "I'm gonna tell Grand... Auntie." Serena gave her a hug. It was definitely reassuring.
"We should go. I think that talk's wrapping up."
"Yeah," Rini said. She wondered what Susan would say to her, if anything. Serena straightened up, brought forth the Imperium Silver Crystal, and concentrated. In a blaze of white light, reality flowed away.
* * *
When reality solidified again, it found Rini and Serena Tsukino sitting in the bathtub. Both girls blinked. Rini, for her part, looked down, blushed, and then looked back up to Serena.
"Like what the heck was that?" The blond was puzzled.
"I think I farted. Sorry," Rini said and blushed even more. Serena just shook her head. After another moment of silence, Rini said softly. "I miss my mommy."
"I'm sure you'll like find her, Rini," Serena said, "Don't you worry." When the little girl gave her a sad look, she added, very hesitantly, "You look like you could use a hug."
"I thought you were still mad at me, Serena."
"Huh?"
"'Bout the store," Rini said. Throwing a tantrum right in a store of all places had been embarrassing. The blond was looking rather perplexed. "You don't remember?" The seven-year-old wasn't sure whether to feel exasperated or relieved.
"Like whatever," Serena said and pushed herself up. "Let's get out of here before we turn into wrinkled old prunes." The blond got large towel and after Rini carefully stood up wrapped in about the youngster. She lifted the little girl up and gave her a large hug.
"Thanks Serena," Rini said. As she was stood onto the floor, Rini started thinking. She was sure she had done something naughty. She just couldn't place her finger on what it was.
Just as they came out of the bathroom, headed for their bedrooms, Irene spotted them. "Young lady!" Irene said, "You and I are gonna have a long talk."
"'Bout what, Auntie?" Rini asked.
"About that drawing on the wall!" her aunt thundered, "I thought you were old enough to know better than to doodle on the wall!"
"No way!" Rini exclaimed, "I didn't do it, Auntie!"
"The picture's too good for Serena and I doubt Sammy would do such a thing." The pink-haired youngster scowled.
"I won't fib, Auntie," Rini insisted, "Mommy 'n' Daddy would be really mad at me."
"Besides, Mom, she was like with me most of the day," Serena piped up.
"Yeah, I was being naughty too." Rini added, "Serena's gonna spank me."
"I am?" Serena asked her. The blond was now completely baffled.
"Are you sure, Serena?" Irene was puzzled by Rini's behavior.
"Yeah, she was with me most of the day, Mom. I don't know like what the flamingo's talking about being bad. She was a typical kid is all."
After several long seconds, Irene sighed, "Okay then." As she wandered away, both girls shared a look of puzzlement. Much to the woman's consternation, the picture, which had been there only moments ago, was now gone. "I'm going crazy," she grumbled to herself.
Strong arms wrapped about her and her husband said softly, "Can I come." Irene smiled. Maybe she could pack her children off to some friends' house tonight.
* * *
"Thanks for letting us stay, Mina," Serena said as she took a potato chip from the bowl, "I was getting dressed when Mom majorly told me to find someplace to stay over tonight."
"Not a problem, girlfriend," Mina said and then glanced towards the kitchen where Rini was hunting for a drink. "What's up with Rini?" she asked in a softer voice.
"Beats me," Serena said.
"I mean she's usually happy to see me and all but she gave me a hug like I was a long lost relative or something. Like any tighter and I woulda busted a rib."
Serena shrugged. "Yeah, she's weirding me out. She's convinced that I'm mad at her for something that I don't remember."
"Perhaps," came an unfamiliar voice, "I can explain." Both Serena and Mina yelped in surprise and turned to see a tall rather handsome woman wearing a Sailor Scout uniform.
There was a crash from the kitchen and the pounding of little feet. Moments later, Rini rushed into the living room and skidded to a halt, "Puu!" Rini said happily.
"Hello Princess."
Serena's mind, after reviewing the situation, decided to close shop for a while. The three other occupants of the room watched with varying degrees of concern as Serena fainted.
"Hmph!" Rini said, "She ain't gettin' off that easy!"