You sip your lemonade while Uncle Jack downs his in one gulp, pours himself a second, downs that in one gulp and the after pouring yet another, he begins to pace back and forth. Something inside, a very tiny voice in your subconscious screams that you should know something is wrong because Uncle Jack keeps calling you John, but it is drowned out by a second, much larger voice explaining that your name is Jennifer and that John is a name your Uncle accidentally called you when you where younger and since then it sort of stuck.
Uncle Jack has stopped his pacing and looking at you he says, "This may sound strange, but I'm going to try something. I am going to try and dispel the magicks of the costume."
Concentrating, Uncle Jack gets a far off look on his face and then slowly begins to chant. You sit, sipping your lemonade, wondering if this is some type of game Jack is playing. Your Uncle ceases his chanting, a look of worry crosses his face, he mutters something you think sounds he is talking about upping something, begins to concentrate once again and then starts to chant.
It is only after the third attempt, that you pipe up and ask, "Uncle Jack, what are you doing? I haven't tried on a costume yet."
Uncle Jack looks at you, pauses and then sitting down he asks you carefully, "How much do you know about wizards and witches and the connection they have to our family? Specifically to your mom's side of the family?"
You shrug, not sure how to answer this. You mom has always discouraged what she calls the stereotypical witch from being used as Halloween decorations and she never did like those stories about witches and wizards. Looking at you Uncle, you shrug once again and tail twitching, you sip your lemonade and then ask, "Why?"
A serious look cross his face and sipping his drink, he begins to explain. "I, your mother's brother, am a wizard. Everyone in our family is either a witch or wizard. The same goes for your mother, who is a witch. Your father is a wizard, but it is very rare for his side of the family to inherent something like that. Now, your parents went on summer holiday, with one rule for me to follow; I was to watch you and when you turn sixteen in about a month, the coming of age for a wizard or witch, I was suppose to look for any signs of magick. Unfortunately, I was distracted and instead invited you down to the basement to try on one of the costumes, something I should not have done and am now regretting."
He breathes a heavy sigh and then Uncle Jack mutters, "Your mother is going to kill me."
Thoughts race back and forth inside your mind as you sit drinking your lemonade, which you notice is not getting any emptier. Finally you look up at your Uncle Jack and ask, "Do I have any magick powers like my parents?"
Uncle Jack looks at you and then quietly tells you, "Yes, you do. In this current form, I can sense the magickal energies rippling off of you in waves. Something I could barely perceive before when you where a male, John."
You twitch you whiskers and then ask, "But wouldn't this be considered evil magick, like mom keeps going off about?"
Uncle Jack laughs at this and then explains, "No, John. This is not evil magick. For one reason and one reason only; the people get to choose what they become. Granted, the magicks of the costumes help a bit by reading what's inside the person's heart and mind, but in the long run it is all up to choice."
You have no response and instead sit quietly drinking your lemonade. Uncle Jack stands and then says, "I have one more spell I'd like to try. If that is okay?"
Something inside you screams that it is not okay, but your curiosity has been piqued and so you simply nod a yes. Uncle Jack begins to concentrate and then once again begins to chant. Suddenly a white ball of energy begins to form in front of him and as he begins to chant faster and faster, the ball grows until when it is about the size of a softball, it rockets towards you and the slams into you.
Suddenly everything about Jennifer is put to sleep, something you can feel in the back of you mind. And the moment you realize this, it is the moment that you realize that your name is John and you are stuck in the body of a nine year old female.
You can feel your tail twitching back and forth, the whiskers that attach to your button like nose sending your brains bits of information about the world around you, the weasel like ears that are hidden in your dark red hair picking up every little sound around you and just then you realize that you are wearing a very tight pair of jeans that are pressing into your now very female crotch. All this passes through your mind and then just as Uncle Jack stops chanting, muttering about another spell that is a failure, you wail out loud, "Uncle Jack, what have I done? Am I stuck like this? I don't want to be female!"
A look of surprise crosses Uncle Jacks face and he mutters, "I must have brought back your male memories, John."
Looking at you, he begins to ask you questions, like what your age is, which you answer fifteen, and all sorts of other questions. After a bit, he seems satisfied, but then starts to ask you another volley of questions. Questions you think only a girl, or a woman, would know. Uncle Jack looks at you and then tells you, "This is all very peculiar."
A pressure suddenly announces something and looking at Uncle Jack, you tell him in an voice that hints at embarrassment, "Not as peculiar as this going to sound. I have to go to the bathroom, but I am not sure what to do. The plumbing between my legs is a bit unfamiliar to me."
Uncle Jack gives you an odd look and then says, "Be right back," and then disappears into the front of the shop.
He is back in a couple of minutes, a young woman following. Looking at you, Uncle Jack explains, "This woman can assist you and she will not ask embarrassing questions."
You nod and allow the woman to lead you to restroom. Under her guidance, you undo the button in the back of your jeans and sit down to pee, which for you is truly an odd sensation. Especially to feel the urine exiting your body from a small hole between your legs. After that, you wipe yourself dry, as the woman explains that all females do this in order to avoid odours and disease. Afterward, you wash your hands and return to the kitchen.
There Uncle Jack sits you once again and explains in a serious tone, "I am sorry John. But while you where in the bathroom, I consulted my books and magicks. The truth of the matter is you are stuck as a girl until I find some way to fix this. Now I maybe able to, but there is such a slim chance of that happening. The best I can do in the meantime is offer you back the memories of Jennifer. You'd be comfortable, I guarantee that and you would also be happy. But, the longer you stay as Jeniffer, the least likely you will ever return to being John. Especially when that body starts puberty and your witch powers become apparent at sixteen."
You look at your Uncle Jack, but before you can say anything, he tells you, "I want you to think carefully on this. I figure a good couple of hours will do. Do you think by dinner time you could have an answer?"
You nod and your Uncle Jack claps his hands together, muttering, "Jolly good." and then beckoning the woman over, he says, "This is Matty. She used to be a lizard that climbed into one of the costumes for warmth. She went from being a lizard to a human, something that confused her and I wound taking her on as an assistant for the shop."
Looking at Matty, Uncle Jack tells her, "I would like you to take my niece out. Show her the town. Have a good time. Take her swimming at the beach. Go shopping. Have a girl's day out. Take her to a movie. Okay. If you go swimming, her bathing suit and towel is in her suitcase that you took up to her room."
Matty nods and then holding out a hand to you, asks in a light and airy voice, "Well, what do you say? Shall we, those unfortunates that accidentally tangle with magicks, have a girl's day out?"
You look at your Uncle Jack and then at Matty. Finally taking her hand, wondering what your decision will be by the time dinner's ready, you nod and let her lead the way, your Uncle waving goodbye and telling you and Matty, "Have a good time."