Trisha and Maddie, both in their twenties and wearing bright aprons, moved between the tables, gathering the babies for a group game. Their voices were playful, full of gentle encouragement, as they coaxed tiny hands into forming a circle. "Alright, little ones, let's play Ring-Around-The-Rosey!" chimed Trisha, her eyes sparkling.
Ashley[/@ch_3]—a twenty-month-old with unusually wise, dark eyes and a crown-patterned bib—smiled mischievously, her chubby fingers gripping the hands of her classmates.]
Unbeknownst to the adults, Ashley whispered ancient words, her lips moving with eerie precision. The others sang the familiar rhyme, their voices innocent, but a shimmering glow briefly danced around the circle. "Spira, rota, verto, muta vera," murmured Ashley, just as everyone began to twirl.
Trisha[/@ch_1] and Maddie had stood moments before, two new toddlers appeared, bewildered and clutching at their oversized aprons now transformed into pastel onesies. The other babies collapsed into giggles, their laughter ringing out.]
Trisha blinked, looking down at her pudgy hands and feeling an unfamiliar softness around her waist. "Why am I so... little?" whimpered Maddie, her voice now high and squeaky. The room seemed to loom large, toys and furniture towering like monuments.
Ashley[/@ch_3] watched with a satisfied smirk, her gaze older than her years.]
"Ashley, what did you do?" squeaked Trisha, her cheeks flushed with panic. "Just a little payback for last week's spankings," replied Ashley, far too articulate for her supposed age. The other babies, sensing something was amiss, began to crawl toward the snack cabinet, leaving the new 'toddlers' behind.
Trisha[/@ch_1] and Maddie tried to regain control, but their babbling was met with giggles and babble in return.]
"Who will take care of us now?" wondered Maddie, clutching a plush bunny for comfort. Ashley grinned, crawling to the center of the room, her tiny hands raised like a queen commanding her court. The day had truly turned upside down.
Ashley[/@ch_3] organized a snack time, distributing crackers with regal authority. Trisha and Maddie sat side by side, resigned yet giggling as they watched their charges take on grown-up responsibilities.]
"Maybe being a baby isn't so bad," mused Trisha, popping a cracker into her mouth. The nursery, now ruled by a pagan princess and her loyal subjects, buzzed with laughter and secrets—a magical twist to an ordinary day, with no grown-up left in charge but plenty of fun still to be had.
