Our TG Caption

The next morning dawns with a heavy sense of anticipation. The usual cheerful sounds of breakfast preparation in Ben and Sarah's kitchen are muted, replaced by a nervous energy. The children, sensing the unusual atmosphere, are quieter than usual, their curious glances towards teenage Ben more frequent.
After a tense breakfast, Ben and Sarah gather their children in the living room. You and Alexa sit slightly apart, offering silent support. Ben takes a deep breath and begins to speak, his voice a little shaky.
"Okay, guys, Mom and I have something really important to tell you. Something that might sound a little strange, but we need you to listen and try to understand."
He explains about the wave of light, the worldwide change that affected everyone. He talks about how it felt, the confusion and the shock. The children listen intently, their initial curiosity turning to wide-eyed amazement.
"So, everyone changed?" the little boy asks, his voice hushed. "Girls became boys, and boys became girls?"
Sarah nods. "That's right, sweetie. It was a very strange day."
Then comes the hard part. Ben hesitates, looking at Sarah for reassurance. She gives him a gentle nod.
"And... and something else happened," Ben continues, his gaze shifting to his children. "There was a way to stop the wave, but it was... temporary. And it had some unexpected side effects."
He explains about the spell, the Arbitrary Abeyance, and its unpredictable nature. He tries to explain, in simple terms, how it not only stopped the gender change but also... changed him back to how he looked when he was younger.
The children stare at him, their faces a mixture of disbelief and dawning comprehension.
"So... you're saying..." the little girl begins slowly, "...that you're still our dad... but you look like you did when you were a kid?"
Ben nods, his eyes filled with hope. "That's right. It's still me, your dad. Just... in a younger body."
A long silence hangs in the air, broken only by the ticking of the living room clock. The children look at each other, then back at Ben, their minds clearly trying to process this unbelievable information.
Then, the little boy does something unexpected. He walks over to Ben and reaches out a small hand, gently touching his arm. "It feels like you," he says softly, his eyes searching Ben's face.
The little girl follows suit, her expression still a bit uncertain. "But... you look so different."
"I know," Ben says, his voice thick with emotion. "But it's still me inside. I still love you both more than anything."
Sarah steps forward and puts her arms around her children, pulling them close. "It's true. He's still your dad. It's just... a very strange situation."
The conversation that follows is filled with questions, disbelief, and a gradual acceptance. The children ask about his memories, about things only their dad would know. Ben answers them patiently, sharing stories and details that slowly convince them that, despite his teenage appearance, he is indeed their father.
The days that follow are a strange mix of the old and the new. Ben and Sarah navigate the challenges of having a teenage version of their father/husband in the house, while also trying to maintain a sense of normalcy for their children. You and Alexa become trusted confidantes, helping to explain the situation and offering support.
Ben has to re-enroll in high school, a surreal experience for someone who has already lived through it. Alexa, surprisingly, embraces the opportunity to relive her school years with a newfound perspective. You find yourself in a strange limbo, too old for high school but not quite fitting back into your adult life.
The search for a way to reverse the de-aging continues, with Alexa spending hours at the library, poring over ancient texts and forgotten lore. The internet proves surprisingly unhelpful, with any mention of a "Gender Wave" or "Arbitrary Abeyance" dismissed as online fiction.
Life in Ben's household settles into a new, albeit bizarre, rhythm. There are moments of humor, like Ben struggling to remember teenage slang or getting carded for buying rated-PG movies. There are also moments of profound strangeness, like Sarah having to adjust to having a teenage husband again.
One evening, as you, Ben, Sarah, and Alexa are sitting in the living room, the children having finally accepted the unbelievable truth, Alexa looks up from a dusty book with a hopeful expression.
"Guys, I think I found something," she says, her voice filled with excitement. "It's another spell... one that talks about reversing temporary transformations."
A wave of hope washes over the room. Could this be it? Could this be the way to return Ben, and perhaps yourselves, to your adult forms?
"What does it say?" Ben asks, his voice filled with anticipation.
Alexa clears her throat and begins to read, her eyes scanning the ancient text. The spell is long and complex, filled with unfamiliar words and arcane symbols. As she reads, a sense of unease begins to creep into the room.
"It says... it requires a significant amount of personal energy... and a catalyst... something that represents the original state..." Alexa hesitates, her brow furrowed. "And... it says there's a risk. If the spell isn't performed correctly... the transformation could become permanent... or even... unstable."
The hope that had filled the room just moments ago begins to dissipate, replaced by a heavy sense of uncertainty. The possibility of returning to your old lives is tantalizingly close, but the risk of failure is terrifying. The Arbitrary Abeyance had offered a temporary reprieve, but the path back to normalcy, if it even exists, is fraught with danger. The choice of whether or not to attempt this reversal spell hangs heavy in the air, a decision that could change all of your lives forever.