Grace sat on the couch in her father's living room, idly watching a Disney movie. Every Christmas he invited a dozen or so relatives from out of town to visit. Usually, Grace would've been excited to see her cousins, but this year felt... off. She could stop the teasing about her transition by simply wearing some old clothes from high school, but she was still nearly a foot shorter than she was a year ago.
The real difficulty was talking to her relatives. They were always so rude and loud, and Grace couldn't get a word in edgewise. The only person in the house that she could have a conversation with was her little cousin Violet - she couldn't get enough of the magical girl school.
"So like, you're gonna fight monsters?"
"Maybe, but I'm hoping I get to be a diplomat or something... you know, fancy dresses, nice castles, handsome princes..." Both of the girls laughed.
"Do ya know any magic yet?"
"Well I don't have my wand with my at the moment, but I think I could..." she held out her hand and, after a few seconds of strained grunting, sparks flew out. She collapsed back into her chair.
"Are you okay?" Violet said as she rushed over.
"Yeah, I'm just... drained"
----
"You know, I was actually excited when I heard about that 'magic girl' thing," Michael sunk into her seat. He knew someone was gonna bring it up, but he was still dreading it. Her father continued, "but you look more mannish than the last time we saw you."
"Have you been taking your pills? Their email said you should have a steady dosage"
"Yeah, yeah." He got up from the table. "I need a smoke."
Smoking had been prohibitted on Stonewood grounds, alongside alcohol, marijuana, psychedelics, and of all things, caffeine. Those are the myriad substances that stop you from being a perfect little girl. Her first smoke in months (and, as far as her regressing body was concerned, ever) felt amazing. Just then, she saw her next door neighbor.
"Michael, is that you?" Sammie ran over. The two of them had been friends throughout middle and high school, and had dated throughout the tenth grade. "Why are you so... short? And why aren't you binding?"
"It's a long story. You wanna go to that waffle place?"
"Anything to get away from my family"
By the time they had got in the car and driven to the restaurant, Michael had told Sammie everything. About the tween dean, the pills, the wrangles with administration, her identity crisis, her ego-dead roommate - Sammie wouldn't have believed it, if it weren't for her old boyfriend looking just like she did five years ago.
"So like, Rosa's a whole different person, right?"
"As far as I could tell, she's a normal first grader. Can barely remember anything about being a man, and her only interests seem to be painting and magical girls."
"Aren't you afraid that's happening to you?"
"Well, as long as I stay on their good side -"
"No, I mean it's happening to you. Now. What if that thing in your head, that Miki"
"I barely ever see them anymore, I don't see what that has to do -"
"What if that's normal? Part of their magic? And that identity is gonna, y'know, become you."
"I'm pretty sure that's not -" Sam leaned over, planting a kiss on her friends lips.
"Just make sure you still remember me when you get out of there."
Even if Mikey was losing his identity, he knew he was still into girls, and getting a kiss from a college girl just stopped his brain.
"Can we not do that, like, out here, you look like a cougar."
"Fine." She instead opted to tousle his hair.
---
Rosa woke up bright and early on Christmas morning, running down the steps and looking under the tree. Santa brought so many presents this year, and a good half of them had her name on them. Not being able to resist, she started tearing them apart - he'd brought her a super soaker, a big box of markers, a few books and a Nintendo Switch. She sat down and thought about Santa... was he a magical girl, or was he just a friend of them? Surely he wasn't a demon - demons wouldn't give good little girls presents...
Just then, she heard footsteps. It was her big brother, Zach. He looked so mature and cool - but Erlkin-senpai said that magical girls don't age, so she'd never get to be 12 like him.
Zach looked at her, and the wrapping sprawled across the floor, and shouted "I'm telling mom!" Rosa felt so ashamed... Santa might not give her anything next year... At least her parents said it was okay, and they probably know how to tell Santa...
As they all sat around the tree, everyone opened their presents - mostly a bunch of socks, clothes, and books. Zach had got a few games, ones that looked disgusting to Rosa. After the last present was opened, Mommy went upstairs and brought down a really big present, and handed it to Zach.
Zach tore it apart, revealing a blue guitar with only four strings, or as Zach called it, a "bass". Mommy looked at Rosa and said, chuckling, "you know, we actually got this for you."
"Why can't I have it though?" She pouted.
"You're so little now."
"And your hands probably can't play it!" Zach interjected
Rosa ran over and grabbed the bass and, just as he said, she couldn't even hold it. Even worse, she couldn't remember how to play it - her mind came up with a blank.
"I'm sorry Zach... don't be mad..." Rosa, starting to cry, made her way to her room. Why couldn't she have even one thing from her old life?
---
With winter break over, students returned to Stonewood. Of all the students that went home, only 3 of them failed to show up - and desertion is punishable by zapping. Everyone else returned roughly a half inch shorter, with hair 3 inches longer, and the motivation to get through the year.