The moment my hand made contact with Bakugo's shoulder, the world shifted.

Time didn't just slow—it stopped. Everything froze in place: the teacher mid-yell, a girl mid-sneeze, one guy with his mouth full of chips. The classroom looked like someone had hit pause on reality, except for me and—unfortunately—Kacchan.

He was staring at my glowing hand on his shoulder, his expression a mix of rage and confusion. "What the hell are you—"

Before he could finish, the glow from my palm erupted, enveloping us both in a blinding light.

"Kacchan, meet your new destiny," I said with the smuggest grin I could muster. "Say hello to Princess Explosia!"

The light pulsed, and then the transformation began.

The glow swirled around Bakugo, lifting him off the ground as if gravity had suddenly given up on him. He flailed, his usual string of curses spilling out, but his voice was oddly muffled, like someone had turned the volume down.

Pink sparkles erupted around him, spiraling like a glitter tornado. His clothes dissolved in a flash of light, replaced by something new. Something magnificent.

First came the tutu—oh, yes, the tutu. A fluffy, obnoxiously pink masterpiece with layers upon layers of shimmering fabric. It flared out dramatically, the edges dusted with gold sparkles that glittered in the frozen light.

Next, his shirt reformed into a fitted, satin bodice adorned with tiny sequins that caught the light and threw rainbows in every direction. A delicate lace trim lined the neckline, because why not?

Fairy wings sprouted from his back, delicate and translucent with a kaleidoscope of colors that shimmered like sunlight on water. They flapped once, releasing a trail of glitter into the air.

Then came the shoes: pointe ballet slippers, tied with long pink ribbons that crisscrossed up his calves in perfect symmetry. His feet pointed elegantly as if he'd been born for the stage.

A tiara appeared next, settling into his wild blonde hair. It was a small, dainty thing, encrusted with tiny diamonds and topped with a single, glowing ruby in the shape of—what else—a spade.

And the pièce de résistance? A glittering wand appeared in his hand, topped with a starburst of light that sparkled like fireworks. A trail of pink and gold stardust followed every tiny movement of the wand, adding an extra layer of flair.

His face, somehow, remained perfectly framed by the glowing transformation, giving him the appearance of a furious ballerina about to wage glittery war.

As the transformation completed, the glow faded, leaving Bakugo suspended in midair, fully decked out in his new Princess Explosia outfit. The spade symbol glowed faintly on his chest, right where his heart would be.

The silence stretched for a beat. Then two.

I couldn't help it. I laughed. Hard.

"This..." I gasped, clutching my stomach. "This is the best thing I've ever done in my life. You—you're perfect, Kacchan!"

Bakugo's eyes snapped to mine, blazing with a fury I could feel even through the glitter and satin.

"WHAT THE ACTUAL F—"

But his voice was drowned out as the magic released him from midair, setting him gracefully on the ground—on his tiptoes.

The world remained frozen, but I could see his fists trembling with rage. The wand in his hand sparked with energy, sending out little bursts of light.

"You... DEKU!" he roared, his voice echoing in the strange, suspended reality. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!"

I grinned, backing away slightly but unable to hide the sheer joy on my face. "Oh, just... unlocked your true potential, Princess Explosia."

He lunged toward me, but the moment his wand moved, the entire room around us unfroze, and reality snapped back into place.

Everyone in the classroom turned to stare at Bakugo, now fully decked out in his sparkling pink costume, fairy wings and all.

The silence was deafening.

Then came the laughter.

Bakugo didn't even hesitate. As soon as the first laugh broke out in the classroom, he turned on me like a rabid animal. His face was a combination of pure, unfiltered rage and absolute humiliation, framed by glittery wings that fluttered faintly behind him.

"You're DEAD, Deku!" he snarled, grabbing me by the collar and yanking me off my feet.

"Hey, hey, hey!" I yelped, flailing as he dragged me out of the classroom. I barely had time to glance at the stunned faces of our classmates before the door slammed shut behind us.

My shoes squeaked against the floor as Bakugo hauled me down the hallway, his grip on my shirt iron-tight. He didn't say a word—just muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, I'm gonna blow that damn nerd into space.

"Uh, Kacchan?" I wheezed as he rounded a corner. "This seems a little—ow—unnecessary. Also, did you know your wings leave a glitter trail? It's very majestic."

"Shut your damn mouth!" he growled, practically kicking open the door to the boys' bathroom.

He shoved me inside and slammed me against the nearest wall, his crimson eyes practically glowing with fury. His sparkly wand clattered to the ground, but his fists lit up with familiar orange sparks.

"Fix. This. NOW!" he barked, jabbing a finger into my chest.

I blinked at him, trying very hard not to laugh again. "Fix what, Princess Explosia? Your tiara's a little crooked, but—"

The explosion came fast, but not as fast as... whatever stopped it.

Bakugo's fist swung toward me, his palm sparking with a blast that I was sure was going to knock me into next week. But instead of connecting, his hand hit—nothing.

I mean, not exactly nothing. It was like an invisible wall had sprung up between us. His attack fizzled out mid-air with a faint buzz, leaving him frozen in place.

"What the—" Bakugo muttered, staring at his hand. He tried again, swinging harder this time. Same result. The invisible force stopped his attack cold, the sparks from his quirk dispersing harmlessly.

I stared at him, my mouth slightly open. "Uh... is this, like, a magical girl perk or something? Because this is kind of awesome."

"SHUT UP!" he yelled, his face turning an impressive shade of red. He swung again, this time with both fists, but the force field—or whatever it was—held firm.

"Seriously, Kacchan," I said, watching him flail like an angry toddler, "I don't think violence is going to solve this particular problem. Maybe try meditating? Or, you know, embracing your inner sparkle?"

That did it. He lost it.

"DIE, DEKU!" he screamed, his entire body crackling with energy. He launched himself at me full force, palms blazing with explosions, his glittery tutu puffing out dramatically with the motion.

But no matter how hard he tried, his attacks just... didn't land. Every punch, every blast, every furious yell—all of it bounced harmlessly off the invisible shield protecting me.

"Stop running, you damn nerd!" he shouted, panting as he threw yet another failed punch.

"I'm literally not running," I said, standing perfectly still with my arms crossed. "Also, fun fact: your wings sparkle brighter when you get mad. It's actually kind of beautiful."

"SHUT UP!"

He kept going, his attacks becoming more and more desperate. But with each failed attempt, his rage seemed to morph into something closer to panic.

"You—you did this to me!" he spat, his voice cracking. "Undo it! Undo it RIGHT NOW!"

I sighed, leaning casually against the wall like I wasn't currently being assaulted by a glittering ball of rage. "Look, Kacchan, I'd love to help, but I'm pretty sure this is, like, magical girl law or something. Once you're in, you're in. No take-backsies."

Bakugo froze, his fists trembling at his sides. "You're lying," he growled. "This is some kind of sick joke. It has to be."

I shrugged, pointing to the glowing spade mark on my palm. "You see this? It's legit. You're one of us now, Kacchan. A proud member of Team Magical Girl. Congratulations!"

His eye twitched, and for a second, I thought he might actually explode himself out of sheer frustration.

"This isn't over," he said through gritted teeth, his voice low and dangerous. "I'll find a way to fix this, and when I do... you're dead."

"Sure, sure," I said, waving him off. "But until then, maybe work on your pirouettes. You've got the legs for it."

The bathroom door slammed behind him, leaving me alone with the faint smell of smoke and a few stray glitter particles floating in the air.

I looked down at my glowing hand, the spade mark pulsing faintly, and let out a long, shaky breath.

This was... a lot. But if nothing else, I'd just discovered one undeniable truth:

Bakugo in a tutu was the best thing that had ever happened to me.