Jean Luc continued grinning as he walked into his and Rikers quarters. They were the captain's quarterd of course. Instead of Jean Luc moving in with Riker, Riker had moved in with him... then processed to move Jean Luc OUT of the master bedroom and into one of smaller bedrooms, under the advisement of Dianna of course.
There were seven bedrooms in order to accommodate a large family for the captain as well as give them an office and other comforts of home. A bit more larger then the average four bedroom quarters meant for other crewmembers who brought their families on board but this was for the captain after all. As Picard had no children he made the rooms more useful. Obviously he used to sleep in the Master bedroom but the others he transformed into various sanctuaries. His favorite had been the second largest room which he had turned into a library... and was the first room Riker chose to dismantle in order to turn it into Jean Luc's new bedroom. The books did take up a lot of the required weight limit. Yes the weight limit was much larger for the captain and his family but there was still a clear limit. Then Picard had a room with a small collection of fossils and relics and antiquities on display... which was the next thing Riker got rid of. Jean Luc understood that to because it was kind of his own fault. He wasn't used to his short limps and had been fairly clumsy at first... okay he was still fairly clumsy as his body was still growing and he had difficulty keeping up with the measurements of his limps... Jean Luc had accidently broke one of his favorite pieces to his collection and couldn't stop crying for hours afterwards. After the incident Riker moved his entire collection into the same Storage unit on Terra with the boy's books. Jean Luc had been just as upset over that as braking one of the pieces but Riker explained that the boy would just have to wait until he was older until he could safely handle such fragile things. Picard understood the reasoning perfectly but Jean Luc still really missed his stuff. That room had been filled with toys and games and a little desk and coffe table with short benches around it as it was transformed into an age appropriate playroom. The next room was the art studio... which again had everything moved out. A few of the art supplies were put into Jean Luc's playroom but most were put into Storage with everything else. Riker had moved a poker table in there where he now held the weekly poker game with the senior staff. He was nice enough to let Jean Luc play with them even though he was a kid. The room was pretty big so he also fit in a pool table with enough space to line up a shot. It wasn't a change Picard would have gone for but Jean Luc did enjoy it as Riker took the time to play various card games (some meant for children with trading cards battles but many meant for adults with a more traditional deck of cards) along with some games of pool when it was just the two of them. The music room was thankfully still there however it looked a lot different. Jean Luc still had his clarinet and sheet music as well as the stand but the furniture had been switched out with Riker's own and the man's saxophone, along with his trombone, and the various necessities to maintain them were moved in as well. Which was actually a change Jean Luc liked, not the furniture as the orange chairs were simply hideous, but he did enjoy sitting in the music room with Riker playing their instruments together. Playing had always been a very private and personal thing for Picard but Jean Luc had found it to be a nice bounding experience with the man he had not expected. Another room Jean Luc never found a purpose for but Riker had turned it into a kitchen. A long counter top had been moved into the center of the large room which had a large number of drawers and cabinets in it. On the wall behind it was a stove as well as another counter (this time with a sink) where a microwave sat with still more then enough room to work and a replicator as well as a refrigerator in the corner. On the other side of the counter in the center of the room was a large circular Table with seven armless chairs around it. On the weekends Riker would replicate the raw ingredients for every meal and cook it himself, treating Jean Luc to homemade dishes with all the unique subtleties imperfections and personal touches a replicator couldn't copy. It was nice to sit at the table in the kitchen watching Riker cook before being presented the meal. A little anticipation and dread over if it turned out right. Riker did like to experiment with his dishes and they were often hit and miss but admittedly that was part of the fun for Jean Luc. The last room was changed from Picards office into Riker's office, with different furniture and desk to the paintings on the walls. It was all so... very... different... Jean Luc would sometimes sit quietly in there doing his homework at the table Riker had added in the center of the room well Riker looked over reports and proposals from the crew. Right now Jean Luc's went into the office to place his own proposal on the top of that stack. After depositing it he left the room for a bit to keep an eye on the door so that he could see Riker come home.
Jean Lucky looked around the living room, wanting desperately to hop up and down in front of the door until Riker got back but managed to restrain himself. All the furniture had been change in here as well but to a more family friendly setting. That was a result of that incident where Jean Luc tripped and accidentally knocked over the glass table, thankfully not getting hurt himself beyond a few scratches and a scrapped knee but the table had been completely shattered. Riker had switched out all the furniture and child proofed the living room after that.
The man should be getting off duty in a few hours. Then he would read the proposals and reports before playing a few games with Jean Luc before sending the boy to bed, curtsy of Dianna's insistence that 'bedtimes' were vital for Jean Luc's physical development.
It was... nice, in a frustrating kind of way. The crew was trying hard to take care of Jean Luc and we're giving Riker all manner of advice on how to 'raise' him. With their help Jean Luc had a reliable routine to his day. On the Weekdays Jean Luc was met with a delicious breakfast from the replicator which he ate in Riker's company and talk about various things. Then the boy was sent to school, which was usually awkward and embarrassing, but afterwards Riker would meet him and they would once again enjoy each others company, this time for an hour before the man went back on duty. Jean Luc would proceed to 'play' with Guinan and Wesley until Riker got off duty again and spend some time doing homework as the man read over reports. That was followed by a few hours where Riker and Jean Luc would go back to enjoying each others company by playing games, practicing their music, or simply just talk. On the weekends Jean Luc basically did whatever he wanted, although he usually did meet Riker for a Holodeck Novel but if the man didn't show (due to 'Captain-y things') the Holodeck was still reserved for Jean Luc to play in. Usually they played things Jean Luc had enjoyed as an adult such as mystery novels (Mostly Dixon Hill), horseback riding, and such but Riker often made him play programs based on old Terra 'Videogames' which were redesigned to be more interactive and in three dimensions. There were also a number of ancient movies and cartoons that got the same treatment that Riker had been exposing him to. Television had once been a popular pass time on Terra but disappeared almost overnight after Holodecks became available to the public (Most homes nowadays had entire Holosuites built into them and even stations and ships had many set up all over). Shows and movies were some of the first things translated into Holodecks. The cartoons actually bent light around the actual people to make them appear as if they animated characters. However demeaning it made the boy fill to be surrounded by Muppets or drawings he had to admit, if only to himself, the programs Riker picked were usually very enjoyable with interesting stories... he'd just rather be riding horses or solving a murder mystery. Jean Luc's new life, the whole situation in fact, honestly wasn't too bad. There were some pecks but overall he found it just so exacerbating. Still he was trying to make the most of it, or at least attempt to try. That's part about what this rec center was about. It would give him the chance to enjoy his youth without losing any dignity in the process. He was still Jean Luc Picard. His composure meant a good deal to him, but perhaps with this... this body was practically a teenager anyway so it only made sense if he was going to be forced to 'socialize' with minors he should do so with the older ones not the kids in his class.
Jean Luc smiled thinking of his teen years. He actually had owned a hover board when he was a kid and did more then a few 'reckless stunts' on it. He was quite the ruffian, getting in all manner of scraps and tussles with the other children. He loved a good fight and was always full of himself. Strange that he would grow up to be a diplomat who did everything he could to avoid violence, although he wasn't scared to use it when needed. It wasn't until he has badly injuried during his Academy years that he gained any insight. If there was one good fortune from getting physically regressed it was that his artificial heart was gone. The process had fully restored him to his youthful body with a real flesh and blood heart. He had always been embarrassed by the thing and preceived it as not only a weakness but a mark of his own shortcomings during his youth. He accepted his flaws from back then and reliezed they were what turned him into the man he was today, after getting the lesson crammed down his throat by an entity known as Q, but he was still glad to be rid of the thing.
With that smile still in place he stepped into his room. A few of his paintings were hung on the walls as well as some glow in the dark stickers Riker had put up when he designed the room, probably as a joke. The stickers were even on the ceiling but admittedly Jean Luc did enjoy staring up at them at night.
He picked up his datapad from his bedside table and continued from where he left off. He could have taken the time to do his homework but since he became physically regressed he found himself procrastinating more. It wasn't by too much as he would do his homework later when Riker got back but he normally wasn't one to put things off to the last minute... or at least he didn't used to be. He had noticed slight changes in his personality. For example he did secretly find the toys Riker had got him to be amusing and a good way to pass the time but at the same time he felt ashamed of the fact he enjoyed them. He wanted to play on the swings and monkey bars but he felt to... embarrassed to be seen doing it. It was down right humiliating to want to indulge in those things and the looks he got from the children didn't help. They didn't look at Wesley like that. Or Guinan. Jean Luc groaned, he also had the most confusing of mood swings. He understood that his body was going through puberty again and that was hardly a stable time for anyone emotionally due to the various chemical changes but knowing the answer hardly helped.
He put his datapad back down and stared up at the stickers of stars, trying to hold on to that excitement he had only a moment again. Trying to recapture the fantasy of enjoying a play he could indulge in his more childish impulses without feeling ashamed of them. He gave a disappointed sigh as he was forced to admit the mood had been lost. He allowed his mind to wonder to unpleasant places and now it was stuck there. This new life was fine, Riker was even spoiling him a good bit well still trying to look out for his best interest, but... He knew what today meant. What Riker becoming the office Captain meant. As far as Starfleet was concerned he was no longer Captain Jean Luc Picard... and would never be again. Riker was no longer the acting captain, no longer holding his place until they found a cure... where they even still looking? Giving official command of the Enterprise to the first officer, under normal circumstances, usually resulted from something happening to the previous captain. Usually something fatal (or promotion based but that hardly applied)... Was that how Starfleet saw it? Was the name 'Captain Picard' as good as dead to them?... he wasn't dead. This was still his ship, his home, his family... but they all treated him like he wasn't even the same person.
Jean Luc got up and went to the view screen on his wall. They didn't even trust him with his own com badge anymore "Picard to Guinan" He pushed the button and waited a moment. The screen light up and the image of an extremely girly pink room popped up with Guinan sitting at a desk in front of her own view screen. They were very limited things only good for onboard calls and unlike the com badges were far from a secure line. It was a civilian communication device.
"Jean Luc?" Guinan smiled "To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I was... hoping you might come over... so we can talk" Picard had often relied on Guinan for console. Even more then Dianna. Guinan was a civilian, never one of his subordinates. He didn't have to... pretend with her. He could open his soul and not worry about appearing weak to his crew. He had always been a child compared to her, with the centuries she had lived, and although he admired her wisdom she had always treated him as an equal... one of the few people who had given as a ship's captain he lived in a world with a very strict command structure. She was honestly the only civilian he interacted with regularly. Their relationship really hadn't changed all that much.
"Sure, if we can play with those cool toys of yours. Being the ward of the captain means your allowed far more toys then me"
Jean Luc groaned but didn't feel the energy to put up a fight in a battle he knew he'd already lost "Very well but... just don't bring those unicorns with you this time"
"Mom got me those" Guinan shrugged "She thought they would help give me the authentic Terrain girl childhood she promised" she looked around her bright pink room "It is an interesting experience but I don't really think it's for me. I do like some of the things though"
Jean Luc stared at her a moment "You know I don't feel entirely comfortable with you calling Beverly that"
"Only because you aren't ready to call Riker 'Dad',"
Jean Luc sighed "Could you please just come up here? I... I really need to talk" this younger body made him far less confident in his manner, odd seeing how he wasn't at all like this as a real child.
"Sure, it isn't anywhere near my bedtime yet" She hang up and Picard soon found himself sitting in his play room with her. They were on the benches around his coffee table playing with his action figures. Many were Superheroes from the ancient Terrain Mythology during the early 20th century... The toys were fighting out a scene against a mad robot trying to take over the world. Jean Luc actually found the concept highly offensive to artificial lifeforms like Data but for some reason 'Epic Robot Fight' largely appealed to his 12 year old mind. He evened it out by allowing one of the 'good' robots from the mythology to participate in the battle, which for some reason made it all the more appealing.
The toys were fully interactive with programs similar to a Holodeck character, although they weren't as advanced. Top of the line toys like these you narrate what you want them to do and they do it. They even bend light a bit to create illusions to go with the various 'powers' the characters had. Of course the illusions were just that and had no substance but the figures were programmed to interact with them accordingly. They also talked and you could dress them in different outfits or have them hold various accessories. They were programmed with the complete history of the character, including any alternate universes or reboots, and could even act out an entire storyline on their own with only minor direction. It was kind of like watching a Holo Novel after turning off the characters awareness of you. A bit like television from Jean Luc's understanding but much more personal and interactive. If you were feeling like it you could also make the toys aware of your presence and interact with you as if you were one of the characters, again like a Holo Novel. The toys weren't truly self aware though, all their responses and interactions were a result of skilled programming and they had the typical flaws of Holodeck characters such as being really one dimensional (personality wise) and not being very quick witted nor responding to anything with the slightest bit of reasoning... still they were fun. It was a bit like playing a game of chess only your pieces had 'health points' and were the battle was admittedly more entertaining to watch.
Jean Luc kept taking little glances at Guinan. He'd asked her here to talk but instead he was thinking about action figures and doing everything he could to avoid talking about what was troubling him. Guinan, of course, was being very patient with him and just playing with the boy and his toys until he gathered his thoughts.
"Riker spanked me" Jean Luc confessed
Guinan snorted and was obviously trying to prevent herself from laughing. Seeing Jean Luc's face she informed "I'm sorry but you can hardly just blurt something like that" she smiled seeing Jean Luc blush "So what you do?"
"Why do you assume I was the one at fault?"
"Were you?" She asked
Jean Luc grudgingly admitted "In a manner but he was just as in the wrong. Dianna even agrees with that"
"So he dragged you to Dianna again after walloping you?"
"I hardly consider myself 'Walloped',"
"It's what Wesley calls it" Guinan shrugged "You should probably get used to that. Wesley says he caught it a few times from Riker when he was an acting Ensign, with Beverly's permission of course"
"I wasn't aware of that" Jean Luc admitted
"It was a family matter. You might have appointed Riker in charge of Wesley's training but with a teenager Riker thought it best to speak with the boy's mother about it. She's the one that suggested Riker try more... appropriate disciplinary techniques for a child. A kid's not exactly going to care about getting 'written up' and putting a child in the brig is too extreme"
"If Riker is familiar with this form of discipline I wonder why he never brought it up before..." Jean Luc sighed as the gears in his head turned.
"What's on your mind?" Guinan asked, looking at the action figures as they continued to fight dispite not being directed.
"I don't think they're looking for a cure for us anymore" He confessed "That's why Riker spanked me, it's why he's the official Captain now. They've decided to let us stay as kids and so he's come to the conclusion that he..."
"Needs to start actually treating you like a kid?" Guinan finished "He's tried getting you to enjoy this chance but now it's something more"
"He's never actually punished me at all before. He's scolded me and child proofed our quarters but those incidences were for my physical and mental well being. He never actually corrected improper behavior" Jean Luc sighed "And I'm afraid with this body that wasn't the first time I acted in a less then befitting manner... We're stuck like this, aren't we Guinan?"
"Not forever, We'll grow up like we're supposed to, they proved that a long time ago. Was that what the sudden urge for a 'teen club' is? Think you might have been trying to accept your fate with some dignity"
"If I was I failed at it. I actually threw a literal tantrum when Riker declined to read my purpose immediately"
"Can I take it that was what the spanking was for?"
"Regrettably... both Riker and Dianna think I was trying to undermine Riker's authority with the club. That really wasn't my intention I just didn't think how it would look to the crew or the children. I should have though. I'm not one to make such careless mistakes"
"You'll get used to how your mind thinks again. I'm sure the occasional 'Wallop' will help"
Jean Luc groaned
###
Riker stepped through the door to his quarters. It was strange actually thinking of these as 'his'. Dianna had recommended he move in here to keep a better eye on Jean Luc. Originally he planned to just take an empty room but Dianna vetoed that idea. He was relying a lot on her for this entire situation. He'd spoken to her a bit more in private after sending Jean Luc to collect data for his new rec center. Riker told her about Jean Luc's bedwetting problem. He knew Jean Luc would be horrified to learn that but it was obvious that wasn't just going to go away at this point and Riker had no idea how to handle it. She suggested something he knew Jean Luc would throw a fit about and was wondering how he could possibly convince the boy to do it.
"Jean Luc?" Riker called
"We're in here Captain" Called a childish voice that definitely wasn't Jean Luc.
"Guinan?" Riker peeked into the playroom and saw Jean Luc quickly showing his action figures into the large 'toy box' as if trying to prevent himself from being caught doing something sinful. The 'toy box' was actually a short white dresser with clear drawers which pulled out. The boy used them to organize his collection of action figures and various other toys. The dresser was directly behind the coffee table so he could conveniently pull the toys out well he played. It was nice to know Jean Luc actually used them as the whole set up made a nice dent in the weight limit.
"Hello Captain" the little dark skinned girl smiled "Was your day productive"
"So far" Riker smiled "I'm sorry Guinan but I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to call your visit short. If I know Jean Luc he still hasn't done his homework yet"
Said boy scowled "It's Saturday, I don't have any homework"
Riker raised an eyebrow "Really?"
"Well not anything that can't wait until tomorrow" The boy insisted
Riker shook his head playfully "Nice try mister, get your stuff and report to my office"
The boy rolled his eyes just as Riker headed to his office.
Jean Luc, being a gentleman, escorted Guinan out before retrieving his Datapad for School and taking it to Riker's office.
Riker sat at the desk as Jean Luc sat at the table and both began their work. Riker picked up the first proposal of the day and wanted to groan seeing it was for Jean Luc's rec center. The boy was giving him glances so he obviously intended for him to get that one first.
Riker just sighed but decided to indulge the boy. This wasn't that long after all and it be the easiest to get through... or so he thought "You want a HOVER BOARD COURT!"