Mike stared at the wet parking lot outside the local community college annex centre and found himself glad that at least the rain had stopped. Overwhelmed by what seemed to be a daunting task before him, he knew that he should be heading back to Spelstorm manor, that his friends could, and probably were, in danger, and that he had to do something about it. Yet, he found himself rooted to the spot, his mind in a tizzy as he tried to sort out what he should do and how he should do it. Hugging himself, feeling slightly comforted by such an action, whilst at the same time still disturbed how it felt to have tits cupped in a bra, he heaved a sigh and let his arms drop to his side.
Aimlessly, he began to walk, trying to organise his thoughts as he did. He felt his first priority should be getting back to Spelstrom, but he found he couldn't bring himself to commit to it fully. Trying to make excuses, he told himself, "Maybe the others got out. Maybe they left without anything like what happened to me happening to them," and finding the last bit upsetting, Mike wondered what his mom would say when she discovered she had two daughters now.
"Tanya will think its a real gas," he decided when he thought about his, now, older sister. "She'll think I got some, like, I dunno, justice or something. That I somehow deserved being turned into a thirteen year old girl," and sighing, Mike found himself wondering how he could face not only his mother, but also his father, as well as his fifteen-year-old sister, and explain to them that, yes, he was Mike, and that, somehow, a maid at Spelstorm had transformed him into a girl, something he himself found to be ludicrous and believed that his parents would probably not believe him.
Scared at the prospect that his was probably now an orphan, and homeless, Mike suddenly felt himself suddenly crashing as he felt a prickling sensation at the corners of his eyes. Saddened by the notion that he probably didn't have a home, he again hugged himself and looking around, he spotted a nearby bench. Ambling over, he flopped down on it. Wanting to wail that it was unfair that he'd been turned into a girl, he tried to keep himself from crying, telling himself, "Don't. Do not start. You're a sixteen and you're a dude. Not some girl."
But finding this didn't help and only seemed to make matters worse, Mike sniffed. Feeling the tears starting to run down his face, he angrily rubbed at this eyes, making them look red and puffy. After a couple minutes, he sniffed again and feeling like he no longer needed to cry, but still feeling like he was drowning in sea of a number of emotions, mostly sadness, depression and despondency, Mike leaned back and looked upward. Staring at the dark night sky, wishing he could see the stars, he took a number of deep breathes. Thinking that the only way out of the nightmare he was facing was to return to Spelstorm to force the maid to undo what she'd done, "And find out what happened to the others," he amended, Mike pushed himself off the bench. Looking about, getting his bearings, and realising he was close to where Jonathan and Ryan lived, he decided to first try and see if any of his friends were home before going back up to the manor, which he really wasn't looking forward to doing.
Several blocks over, he slowed as he approached his friend's house. Unsure what to say to whomever answered the door, he hugged himself, jammed his hands into the pockets of his tight jeans, pulled them out and began to drag his feet as he made his way up the front walk. Thinking it would be best to say that he was looking for Jonathan, and, if he wasn't home, inquire if Ryan was home and if he knew where his brother was, Mike practically leapt up the three wooden steps. Approaching the front door, he took a couple breathes, told himself, "You can do this," and raising a fist, proceeded to knock.
When nobody answered right away, Mike thought back to how, when he had first met up with the others, Jonathan and Ryan's parents had been planning on going out for the evening. Wondering if his friend's parents were still out, wishing he knew what time it was, he knocked again, turned, leaned over the porch railing and tried to look in through the window. The curtains preventing him from seeing anything except for the sliver of light from the table lamp Jonathan and Ryan's parents often left on, Mike could have sworn he heard the television, but knew it didn't mean much, as the two adults often left it on as well. Pushing away from the railing, he tried knocking a couple more times, rang the bell, which would have gotten the attention of Ryan and Jonathan's parents, mostly their father, who didn't like the noise it made, and deciding nobody really was home, turned and slowly walked back down the steps and the walkway.
Unsure of which of his friend's places he should try next, Mike paced back and forth on the sidewalk. Thinking that if Jonathan and Ryan weren't home, if seemed likely the others weren't, he considered that he should probably just head back to Spelstorm Manor. But, wanting to make sure, he decided to try Sei's next, figuring Sarah, who he was now the same age as, might be easier to talk to. Thinking of Sei's thirteen-year-old sister, Mike wondered if maybe he could somehow connect with her, get her to understand what happened to him, and maybe help him somehow.
"Especially since she's into fantasy and science-fiction stuff. She should be easy to convince," he reasoned as he crossed the street and started heading back the way he'd come.
As he approached Sei's place, Mike found himself considering going up to his own apartment, knocking, and seeing who answered and how they would respond if he asked if he himself was home. A smile crossing his face as he imagined how the conversation with his sister could go, Mike found himself sorely tempted to go up to the fifth floor after trying Sei's place. Entering the apartment building, figuring to get this over, as it seemed likely that his friend wasn't home, Mike took the concrete steps two at a time. Reaching the third floor, he slowed and began walking toward his friend's apartment. Turning a corner, he stumbled back when he abruptly ran into someone. And then, to his surprise, the person grabbed his arm.
Scared by what was happening, Mike tried to twist away, but stopped when a familiar, stern voice demanded, "Where have you been, young lady," and realising it was his father, and thinking his dad had somehow mistaken him for Tanya, Mike was taken aback when his dad began marching him back to stairs, stating, "You say those rude things to your mother after she tells you that you cannot hang out with Sarah and Amy. And then you take off like you did. You're grounded. And you owe your mom an apology. Do you understand me, young lady."
Drug up the stairs to the fifth floor, Mike tried to sort out all that his father had said. Knowing Tanya didn't hang around Sarah, and didn't have a friend named Amy, Mike found himself thinking that his situation was a lot worse then he thought. Alarmed that his dad recognised him not as his male self, but as the girl he'd been turned it, Mike tried to figure out how it was possible as he was marched into the apartment and presented to his mother, who didn't say anything to him, merely look at him, as if she expected something from him.
"Like the apology for whatever I supposedly said or did," Mike thought as his dad snapped, "Well, young lady. Do you have something to say to your mother."
At a loss as to what he should say, let along be sorry for, Mike looked down at his feet and shifted in place, deciding to wait to see if anything would give him a clue as to why should be so. When it became clear he wasn't going to say anything, both his parents exchanged a glance between them before his father said, "Go to your room. You're grounded for two weeks. No TV. No friends. Nothing. And while you're are there, I want you to think about what you said and the apology you owe your mother."
Suddenly unable to remain quiet any longer, Mike screamed out, "This is so unfair," and twisting away from his parents, he fled through the apartment and toward his room, which now had a sign on the door that stated it was Michelle's Room instead of Mike's Room. Pushing his door open, he slammed it behind him the instant he was in. Not even giving the dark room a second glance, he kicked off his shoes, took a couple steps across the bedroom and threw himself onto his bed. Hugging one of the plush on the bed close, he buried his face underneath one of his pillows and wondered how his already worse problems could get any worse, and how it was he was to get back to Spelstorm Manor.