Tony wasn't just running; he was sprinting. After finally agreeing to what his teacher had asked of him, reality had hit like a freight train.
Oh man... I completely missed the rest of school, he panicked, his heart hammering against his ribs.
What is Mom going to say?!
What if Dad finds out?!
Just the thought made him shiver.
Before he could properly think through his next move, his adrenaline took over.
He burst straight through the front door, gasping for air.
Inside, the entire family was gathered around the table eating dinner. Time seemed to stop.
Every single head snapped toward the door, eyes going wide as saucers.
Standing in the doorway, flushed a bright pink and completely out of breath, Tony squeaked out, "I... I'm home!"
Except it wasn't his voice.
It was a high-pitched, unmistakably female voice.
His mother stared at him, her jaw dropping.
The serving bowl slipped from her hands, hitting the floor with a loud thud as mashed potatoes splattered everywhere. "Tony?!"
His father immediately stood up, his chair scraping violently against the tile. "Are you wearing a dress and a wig?!"
From the side of the table, a loud snort erupted. His sister was already cackling, her phone whipped out and recording the entire thing. "Big bro, what the heck?! I didn't know you were a cross-dresser! And what is with the magical girl look?!"
Tony's blood instantly froze.
He wanted nothing more than the floor to open up and swallow him whole. Realizing he was trapped, he spun on his heel and bolted for the hallway to lock himself in his room.
But his mother was too quick. "Oh no you don't, mister!" she yelled, lunging forward and grabbing his arm.
The moment her hand clamped onto him, she froze.
He felt... squishy.
Not like her teenage son at all.
She looked at his face, which was now deathly pale and wide-eyed.
Her expression shifted from anger to absolute bewilderment as she quickly double-checked what she was seeing.
Her face flushed a deep crimson.
He... was a she.
And Tony had a massive amount of explaining to do.
It took hours of frantic, messy explaining.
At first, nobody believed him.
Then his father confiscated his sister's phone so she couldn't upload anything.
She protested loudly.
"I have VIDEO EVIDENCE!"
"YOU ARE NOT POSTING YOUR BROTHER'S MAGICAL GIRL ARC ONLINE!"
"But Dad!"
"No!"
Eventually, they pulled up the news.
The viral videos.
The giant pink hammer.
The smoking crater where an alien used to be.
The reporters screaming about:
"The Pink Maniac!"
Everyone slowly turned to stare at Tony.
Tony smiled weakly.
"...Hi."
Silence.
His mother looked horrified.
His father looked terrified.
His sister looked impressed.
"Honestly?"
She pointed at the screen.
"That hammer was sick.".
Then his father cleared his throat.
"You are grounded."
Tony blinked.
"What?"
"You skipped school."on
"The city was being invaded!"
"You still skipped school."
"I WAS A MAGICAL GIRL!"
"You were late for dinner too."
Tony stared at him.
His father folded his arms.
Then slowly looked at the footage of the skyscraper-sized hammer.
Looked back at Tony.
And visibly reconsidered his life choices.
"...Actually."
"You are temporarily un-grounded."
Tony blinked.
"What?"
"I don't know your power scaling."
"DAD!"
"I'm being cautious!"
Despite himself...
Tony laughed.
Just a little.
His mother suddenly wrapped him in a crushing hug.
"I don't care if you're Tony."
She sniffled.
"Or Toni."
"Or or if your Pink."
"I just..."
Her voice cracked.
"I'm glad you're okay."
Tony froze.
All day.
Everyone had been scared.
Or crazy.
Or hiding.
But here...
At home...
He was safe.
Something warm spread through his chest.
The pink ribbons around his wrists slowly unraveled.
The frilly dress shimmered.
The fabric shrank.
Shifted.
The bright colors faded.
His pink hair darkened.
His body changed.
Until...
Tony was standing there again.
Just Tony.
His mother gasped.
His father nearly fell out of his chair.
His sister pointed dramatically.
"HE DE-MAGICAL GIRLED!"
Tony looked down at his hands.
Touched his face.
His voice.
Everything.
He was back.
"...I'm me."
His mother immediately burst into tears again and hugged him even harder.
"I have no idea what happened to you today."
She sniffled.
"But..."
She pointed sternly.
"You are grounded."
Tony stared.
"You literally just ungrounded me!"
"I'm doing it again!"
"THAT'S NOT HOW GROUNDING WORKS!"
"I'M THE MOM!"
His father nodded sagely.
"Your mother has spoken."
His sister raised her hand.
"I vote to ground him for the dress."
Tony pointed at her.
"I HATE THIS FAMILY."
"No you don't," his mom said.
Tony opened his mouth.
Closed it.
Looked around the table.
The mashed potatoes still on the floor.
His dad pretending everything was normal.
His sister trying not to laugh.
His mom refusing to let go of him.
And for the first time all day...
he smiled.
"...Yeah."
Maybe he didn't.