The early morning light filtered into the room, casting golden beams over the quiet pile of blankets and sleeping limbs. Jess lay curled on one side of the pile, fast asleep with an arm draped protectively around Megan and Jeff.
But Megan wasn’t sleeping.
Eyes wide and mischievous, she had been pretending for the last five minutes—waiting for the perfect moment. Carefully, she slipped out from under Jess’s arm and tiptoed across the room. Clutched in her hand was the Chronivac.
With a few eager taps, she whispered, “Treasure chest… full of magical dress-up costumes... make it real and right over—there!”
With a gentle shimmer of light and a faint chime, a large, ornately carved chest appeared in the corner of the room, draped in ribbons and star-shaped sequins. A golden latch popped open on its own.
Megan grinned and skipped back to the blankets. She gave Jeff a light nudge.
“Pssst. Jeffy,” she whispered.
“Mmrgh… huh…?” he mumbled, half-opening one eye.
“Come on, I found something amazing. You have to try one on!” she giggled, tugging on his arm.
Too sleepy to question her enthusiasm, Jeff stumbled upright and let himself be guided to the chest. He rubbed his eyes groggily as Megan rummaged through a pile of costumes.
“This one!” she beamed, holding up a sparkly pink-and-white dress with delicate wings, a tiara, and silver ballet flats. “You’d be soooo cute!”
“I—what? No—wait—” Jeff tried to object, but before he could gather his bearings, Megan had already tugged the outfit over his head, the costume slipping into place like magic.
The moment the last piece touched him, the transformation began.
A glowing swirl of light encircled him, rising from his toes to the top of his head. His oversized pajama shirt vanished in sparkles, replaced with the frilly magical girl costume. His hair shimmered as it grew down to his shoulders in soft golden waves, his cheeks lifted and softened, his eyes shimmered just a bit bigger and more sparkly. A wand even popped into his hand, glittering with a heart-shaped gem.
Chime!
Jeff blinked.
Then stared at himself.
Then shrieked.
“What the heck?! What—what is this?!” he yelled, his voice higher-pitched than usual. He spun around, catching his reflection in the tall mirror now conjured by the magic. “I look like—like—some glittery fairy girl from a cartoon!”
Megan clapped with delight. “You do! Like a total magical princess fairy! You're adorable!”
“I didn’t agree to this!” Jeff snapped, pulling at the skirt and wings. “Why do I have sparkles?!”
Jess stirred on the floor nearby, her eyes cracking open at the noise. She blinked a few times and then burst into laughter. “Oh my god, Jeff… you look so cute.”
“I’m not cute!” he shouted, stomping his slippered foot, which only made him look more like a cartoonish tantrum-prone magical girl.
Jess grinned, still groggy. “I dunno, Jeffy. I think the tiara suits you.”
Jeff folded his arms, cheeks burning. “I was half-asleep, this doesn’t count.”
Megan gave him a pleading look. “Please? Just play for a little bit. It’s not permanent! You look so cool now—like we’re real adventurers!”
Jeff looked between his reflection and Megan’s hopeful face. Despite himself, some of the anger dulled. The costume shimmered every time he moved, leaving behind little sparkles that faded in the air.
He sighed. “Fine. Maybe I’ll play for a little. But I want my own wand. And I swear, if this tiara glows again, I’m taking it off.”
Megan squealed and threw her arms around him.
Jess just smiled from the blanket pile. “Looks like today’s gonna be magical.”