As Conkers the Clown's wand crackled with eerie green energy, Luke felt a wave of cold wash over him, freezing him in place. His limbs, once strong and agile, seemed to vibrate with an odd tingling sensation that started at his fingertips and spread rapidly through his entire body. His breath hitched, and he squirmed against the ropes that bound him, but with every movement, the tingling grew stronger, sharper.
The energy from the wand surged, and Luke’s vision blurred for a moment. His legs trembled as he felt them begin to weaken, the once lean muscles shrinking and softening. His feet, clad in his usual black sneakers, started to slip out of the shoes as they became too big for him. He looked down in alarm as his toes peeked out, his legs now childishly short and scrawny.
"W-What's happening to me?" Luke gasped, his voice cracking in a higher pitch than before. He grabbed at the ropes that held him, only to see his fingers twitching and shrinking before his eyes, becoming pudgy and small like a child’s.
A sudden pressure built in his chest, forcing him to take shallow breaths. His clothes—his usual cool, black jacket and pants—were suddenly too large, hanging off his diminishing frame like a costume that no longer fit. His hands disappeared into the oversized sleeves, his legs swam in the fabric of his pants, now dragging on the floor beneath him.
Conkers cackled from the sidelines, watching with twisted delight as Luke's transformation accelerated. "Oh, how adorable! A big, brave Cyber Warrior turned into a tiny tot!"
Luke tried to protest, but his words came out as a high-pitched squeak. His face felt hot, his cheeks rounder, his eyes wide and innocent as his perspective on the world shifted—everything around him growing larger, more intimidating. The ropes that once held him firmly now hung loose as he shrank down to a fraction of his former size, slipping free but powerless to escape.
His heart pounded in his chest, and a wave of helplessness washed over him. His sharp mind, which had always been his strength, felt fuzzy and confused. He tried to think of a way out, to focus on his training, but it was like trying to grasp at sand slipping through his fingers. Instead, an unfamiliar giddiness bubbled up inside him—a carefree, childish excitement that made no sense, given the danger he was in.
With a final pulse of magic, Luke felt his body settle into its new form. His arms were short and stubby, his legs wobbly and weak. His head felt heavy, his thick black hair now a little boy's crew cut. He looked down at himself—his once-cool teenage outfit now an oversized heap of fabric around him. He was no more than five years old.
Tears pricked at the corners of his wide eyes, not out of fear, but out of frustration. Something deep inside him screamed that this wasn’t right, but it was drowned out by the childish confusion clouding his thoughts. He wanted to run, to fight, to call for help—but he also wanted to play, to giggle, to have fun at the circus like all the other kids.
Before he could react, Conkers snapped his fingers, and with a flick of his wand, a brightly colored cage appeared at the edge of the stage. The bars were twisted into playful shapes, painted in gaudy reds and yellows, but their intent was clear—they were a prison.
“Let’s get you somewhere safe, little one!” Conkers said, grinning maniacally as he hoisted the now tiny Luke into the air. Luke squirmed in the clown's grip, his legs kicking uselessly, but he was no match for the towering figure that tossed him easily into the cage.
The door slammed shut with a metallic clang, and Luke stumbled backward, tripping over his too-large clothes. His little hands grabbed at the bars, pulling himself up, but they were cold and unyielding. His heart raced as he tugged and pushed, but the strength he once had as a warrior was long gone.
“I-I don’t wike this!” Luke’s words tumbled out in a childish lisp, his mind struggling to keep up with the unfamiliar sounds of his own voice.
From the crowd, monstrous figures leaned forward, their glowing eyes fixed on the tiny boy trapped onstage. They cheered and laughed, their grotesque faces contorted with amusement as they watched the former Black Cyber Space Warrior reduced to a helpless child.
Conkers leaned over the cage, tapping the bars with his wand as if to mock him. "Oh, you’ll get used to it, little Lukey! There's plenty of fun to be had here in my Big Top! You’ll forget all about being a warrior soon enough. After all, you’re just a sweet, excitable boy now."
Luke felt his bottom lip tremble as he looked up at the towering clown. A deep part of him, the part that was still a Cyber Warrior, wanted to scream, to break free, but all that came out was a sniffle, followed by a soft whimper.