Jordan felt a sudden wave of dizziness wash over him as the tingling sensation spread from his fingers up through his arms and into the rest of his body. He looked around in confusion as the world seemed to shift, everything around him growing larger, or rather, he realized with a jolt, he was growing smaller.

The grass beneath his feet, once just an ordinary part of the park’s landscape, now loomed like a thick forest. The towering trees seemed to stretch even higher, their branches disappearing into the sky above. He watched in shock as his hands, once large and familiar, began to shrink, his fingers becoming more delicate, his skin taking on a smoother, more refined texture.

Jordan’s clothes shifted with him, adjusting to his new size, as they transformed into a makeshift tunic of sorts.He could feel the changes in his body beyond just the shrinking. His frame, once distinctly masculine, became more androgynous—his hair grew longer, his shoulders narrowing, his hips becoming slightly more pronounced. His features softened, a strange mixture of familiarity and alienness as he dwindled down to the same size as the tiny creature in his hand—or rather, now standing before him.

Finally, the transformation stopped. Jordan stood there, dazed and disoriented, looking up at the once-normal world that now seemed impossibly vast. The picnic blanket in the distance, which had covered a small patch of ground, now looked like a great plain, stretching far and wide. The nearby trees seemed like skyscrapers, and the distant sounds of the park were now booming echoes.

He turned to Leila, who was grinning up at him—or rather, across at him, since they were now the same size. The little creature crossed her arms, clearly pleased with herself.

“W-what did you do to me?” Jordan stammered, his voice sounding strangely high-pitched and soft in his own ears.

Leila’s grin widened, clearly enjoying his reaction. “Oh, just a little magic trick,” she said, her tone light and almost playful. “You’re not the first human to stumble upon us and get a bit too curious. We’ve got all sorts of ways to deal with intruders, but shrinking them down to our size is one of the most effective.”

Jordan looked around in awe and a bit of fear, trying to process what had just happened. “I-I can't believe this is really happening... but… why? I wasn’t going to hurt you or anything. I was just curious.”

Leila shrugged, her red curls bouncing with the motion. “Maybe so, but you grabbed and interrogated me, remember? You can’t just go around picking up people, even if they’re smaller than you. We’ve had to deal with a lot of nosy humans over the years. Shrinking them down usually scares them off good enough. Once they’re this size, they tend to think twice before bothering us again.”

Jordan swallowed hard, feeling the reality of his situation sink in. “Is this… is this permanent?”

Leila tilted her head, a sly smile playing on her lips. “Nah, it’s not permanent. I could reverse it, if I felt like it. Or, maybe if you did me a little favor first.”

Jordan’s heart skipped a beat. “A favor? What kind of favor?”

Leila’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Nothing too crazy, don’t worry. Just a little something to show you’re not one of those humans who thinks they can just do whatever they want without considering others. You do this for me, and I’ll turn you back to your regular size, no problem.”

Jordan hesitated, his mind racing. He wasn’t exactly in a position to refuse, but he had no idea what kind of favor she might ask for. Still, it wasn’t like he had much of a choice. “Alright,” he said slowly, “I’ll do it. What do you need?”

Leila’s grin turned positively devious. “Good. I knew you’d see it my way. But don’t worry—I promise it’ll be more fun than you think.”

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Jordan's heart pounded in his chest as he listened to Leila's request. He turned his head to look back toward the picnic spot where Alice was still sitting, oblivious to what had just happened. From his new, shrunken perspective, she seemed like a giant—a towering figure who could easily mistake him for an insect or worse.

"You want me to… sneak back there and steal a chocolate bar?" Jordan asked, his voice a mix of disbelief and anxiety.

Leila nodded, her grin still wide and mischievous. "That’s right. I want a piece of that delicious human candy for my people to try. You do that, and I’ll think about changing you back."

Jordan felt a lump form in his throat. “But what if Alice sees me?” he asked nervously, glancing again at his now-massive friend, still scrolling on her phone, completely unaware of the bizarre predicament her best friend had found himself in.

Leila shrugged, her tiny shoulders rising and falling with an air of nonchalance. “If she notices you, then you stay quiet,” she instructed. “Don't say a word. Let her wonder what you are, let her think whatever she wants. She might think you’re some weird bug or a toy. Just wait it out, and look for your chance to get away. Whatever you do, don't let her hear your voice. That could make things… complicated.”

Jordan gulped, imagining all the things that could go wrong. “And… if she picks me up?”

Leila laughed softly. “Then you sit still and play along. Trust me, humans are easily distracted. She’ll lose interest soon enough. Just don’t panic.”

Jordan took a deep breath, feeling his nerves fraying at the edges. “Alright… fine. I’ll do it,” he muttered, already regretting his decision to play along with Leila’s challenge. But he didn’t see any other way. If this was the only way to get back to his normal size and get back to Alice... at least when he wasn't the size of a bug... he’d have to try.

As Leila waved him off with a grin, he started moving through the grass, each blade now towering over him like a small tree. The journey back to the picnic blanket, which had taken seconds at his full size, now felt like a trek across a field. He could feel his heart beating faster with every step as he got closer to Alice, who remained absorbed in her phone, occasionally frowning or muttering something under her breath about her band’s drama.

Jordan crouched down behind a thick patch of dandelions, peeking out from behind the fluffy, white seed heads. He could see the edge of a chocolate bar wrapper poking out from beneath a napkin, right near Alice's huge hand on the blanket.  It was within reach—but getting to it without being seen would be the hard part.

He steeled himself, taking a deep breath. This was no different than sneaking around in Baldur’s Gate 3, right? Only… a lot more real. He began to move, darting from one patch of grass to another, keeping low and quiet, his eyes always on Alice. She didn’t seem to notice him, her attention still fixed on her phone screen.

As he got closer, he hesitated, his nerves getting the better of him. What if she did see him? What if she picked him up, like Leila said? Would she recognize him, even at this size?

He felt a prickle of anxiety run up his spine, but he knew he couldn’t stop now. With one final push, he darted forward, reaching the edge of the picnic blanket. The chocolate bar was just a few steps away, but so was Alice’s massive hand resting on the blanket, her fingers tapping lightly against the fabric, the loud tapping sounds making him incredibly nervous.

Jordan carefully stepped onto the edge of the blanket, moving as quietly as possible. He reached out and grabbed the edge of the chocolate bar, trying to tug it free without making too much noise. The wrapper crinkled slightly, and he froze, glancing up at Alice, who shifted slightly but didn’t look away from her phone.

Encouraged, Jordan gave another tug, freeing the chocolate bar from under the napkin. He had it now—he just needed to take off a piece small enough to carry and make his escape. But as he turned to go, he felt a shadow fall over him.

He looked up to see Alice’s gaze slowly drifting down, her eyes narrowing in curiosity. She leaned in closer, her huge face filling Jordan’s entire field of vision.

“What… is that?” she muttered to herself, her fingers reaching out toward him.

Jordan’s heart pounded in his chest. He had to stay calm, just like Leila had said. He froze in place, not daring to move a muscle, hoping she’d lose interest or mistake him for something harmless.

Alice’s fingers were getting closer, and he could feel the breeze of her movements against his skin. He braced himself, hoping she wouldn’t hear his heartbeat hammering in his tiny chest, trying to remember Leila’s advice. “Just stay quiet,” he thought to himself, "stay still… and wait."