You feel a familiar sensation, but stronger and, if you had to describe it, in a strange way in reverse of the familar sensation, whatever that means. As it subsides, you wonder for an instant if you sat down too fast before you turn your head to see the gaping expression on Bryan's face.
"What?" you ask, then freeze in shock at the change in your voice. At that moment, you also realize your feet are no longer touching the ground as you sit on the couch. "Oh no, don't tell me..." You slide off the couch, only to find your t-shirt now hangs to mid-thigh, and to have your pants fall to the floor around your ankles. Your boxers slide down too, but catch on your tail. Looking up, you catch a glimpse of your reflection in the blank television screen. Staring back at you is the shocked face of a familiar 10-year-old boy, the exact copy of the one still sitting on the couch with a dumbfounded stare. Apart from your tail and clothes, you look exactly like your little brother, Bryan.
"You gotta be kidding me!" you gasp as you pull up your boxers, leaving the pants on the ground, and run for the stairs, a bit awkwardly with your shorter legs. Making it up to the bathroom, you push the stepping-stool in front of the sink and stand atop it to look in the mirror, which confirms your suspicions. Although you still have your tail, you are otherwise identical to Bryan, even in your voice.
"Is...is it my fault?" you hear a small voice quaveringly ask, and turn to the side to see Bryan, who has followed you. Unlike his glee about your tail, your outburst regarding this new change has obviously scared him, and he appears worried to the point where he is holding back tears. Out of the corner of your eye, you see something glint off his hand, and it almost seems like a piece of glitter. Something clicks in your mind, and you look back at your tail, which also has flecks of the same substance. You groan internally in frustrated realization of what must have happened, but you put that aside to tend to a distraught Bryan. Thanks to the height of the stool, you are a bit taller than him, so you reach over and ruffle his hair.
"No kiddo, it's probably my fault," you say gently. After all, there's nothing you can do tonight, it's too late to get to the mall. "I just gotta have that crazy wizard take care of this tomorrow, that's all," you try to comfort him, and he nods without looking up at you. Feeling bad, you get down from the stool and give him a hug, although it is a bit strange for you to be the same height as him. "Look, don't tell mom about this, okay?"
Bryan nodded, and since he seemed better, you return to the problem at hand. Having Bryan wash the flecks of shiny substance off his hand, you carefully clean them off your tail as well, washing them down the drain to prevent any further complications. You figure it is the same stuff you cleaned up earlier, and curse yourself for not checking your tail before leaving the store. Nevertheless, you still have to deal with more pressing issues, like dinner. Between using the stool to reach the stove comfortably and some help from Bryan, you manage to cobble together a decent meal. As you finish cooking, you realize Bryan has been giving your strange looks all evening.
"What is it? You act like you've never seen your own face before," you tease, hoping to lighten the mood. Bryan scowled and stuck his tongue out at you, but then got a pensive look on his face.
"I dunno, it's just...kinda weird," Bryan shrugged, a bit self-conscously.
"Well, I'm still your big sister, even if I look like this, and don't you forget it," you goad him, and getting down from the stool, poke him in the nose, which earns you another raspberry, but does seem to ease the worry in his eyes. "Now, I'm going to have to borrow some of your clothes," you mutter embarrasedly, as Bryan finally giggles.
Getting ready for bed presents new problems, namely using the restroom. While you are physically a male while working at the store, you always made a point of going to the toilet before work, so you never had the pleasure of trying to use the bathroom as a guy, and the reduced height didn't help either. After a few uncertain squirts, you finally manage to relieve yourself. At least showering with shorter hair made that chore easier, but you did have to care for your tail as well. You borrow a pair of Bryan's old pj's and thread your tail down the leg. You examine yourself in the mirror in your room and ponder your next course of action as Bryan readies himself for bed. Finally, you hear a slight knock on the door.
"Sis, can I sleep with you tonight?" Bryan asked timidly. You sigh, realizing that while he was getting too old for this, he was probably rattled by what had happened.
"Sure, Bry," you state, "but just tonight." Bryan bounced into your room happily and jumped into the bed, a book already in hand for you to read with him. After he finally drifted off, you realize you are too small to move him to his bed, and it's a bit cramped for the two of you to share your bed. Rolling out of your bed, you head for Bryan's room, figuring he wouldn't mind if you took his bed for one night.
You awaken the next morning to find...