Tony-or "Pink," as the smiling girl kept relentlessly calling him-was sprinting down the sidewalk. Both of them were being pulled toward the center of town by an invisible, magnetic tug in their chests.
Smiling Girl chuckled wildly, her cheeks twitching against her forced grin. "I have no idea why we're running this way, but it feels so right!"
"Wait, you feel that too?" Pink gasped, legs moving on autopilot. Maybe Alice is over there! Maybe that's why my soul is pulling me in that direction! Pink violently shook her head, trying to rattle her own brain. "Ugh... why do I sound so obsessed? Why am I starting to actually agree with these thoughts?!"
Smiling Girl glanced back. For a split second, her manic eyes held a flash of genuine seriousness. "You... can't control it either, can you?"
"No, I can't," Pink admitted, a wave of dread washing over her. "And what's worse... it's starting to feel like I can't separate the real me from this anymore."
The smiling girl kept her fixed grin, though she seemed deep in thought for a moment before snapping out of it. "Ah! Don't worry about it! Everything is going to be absolutely fine!"
Pink looked at her sideways. "I highly... highly doubt that."
Suddenly, another girl scrambled around the corner and slammed right into them. This newcomer was noticeably taller than both of them. In fact, Pink was quickly realizing that everyone was taller than her now, which only added a layer of height-insecurity to her ongoing identity crisis.
The new girl was wearing a frilly green magical girl dress, and tears were streaming down her face in endless, pathetic rivers. "G-Girls..." she stammered, her eyes wide with unadulterated horror. "Wha... what is happening? Why can't I stop crying, damnit?!"
A pedestrian stepped a bit too close on the sidewalk. The green girl flinched violently, cringing away. "N-No! Don't come any closer to me!"
The man stared at her like she was crazy and immediately quickened his pace.
Clutching her head, the green girl wailed, "Uuuugh, why am I freaking out so much?! I can't stop it!" Desperate, she lunged forward and grabbed the frills of the closest person-which happened to be Pink. "Please help me! I'm completely hopeless!"
Pink blinked, looking down at the hands gripping her dress. Suddenly, a dark, opportunistic smirk stretched across Pink's face.
Pink opened her mouth.
"Of course! Help me find Alice and I'll help you with literally anything!"
She paused.
A dreamy smile spread across her face.
"Actually... you don't even have to help me. I can just interrogate everyone in town until I find her. Hehehe..."
Pink froze.
"..."
Hopeless girl said "I'M SORRY WHAT?!"
Pink's eyes went wide, and she clapped her hands over her mouth. "Wait, no, no! That wasn't me! Don't listen to that! I just... I really need to find Alice..."
The green girl sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve, looking at Pink with mild horror. "Wow... you're... way worse than I am."
Pink pinched the bridge of her nose, letting out a defeated sigh. "Yeah, you're not the first person to tell me that today."
Before they could argue any further, a collective wave of screams pierced the morning air.
A massive, grotesque creature slithered out into the main intersection ahead, swinging heavy, slimy tentacles and swatting at fleeing civilians. Panic erupted instantly. Some people in the crowd were screaming about a demon outbreak, while others were shrieking about an alien invasion.
But amidst the screaming crowd, one thing became crystal clear: the rules of engagement had just changed.
A blinding flash of light erupted next to Pink. Smiling Girl didn't hesitate-with a manic cackle, she manifested her weapon. It was a brutally heavy, oversized battle axe that looked completely ridiculous in her small hands.
She hoisted the massive blade onto her shoulder, her smile twitching as she cheered, "Damnit! I can't control myself! We are totally doomed!"