It had been a few days since Devon and Astral had switched bodies, and the situation hadn't improved much. They were both struggling to adjust to each other's lives, but they had also started to get a little bit more comfortable with their swapped roles.
Devon, still trapped in Astral's body, had learned how to move more gracefully—though it wasn't perfect—and had started to find his footing with her magic, though not without difficulty. Meanwhile, Astral, in Devon's body, was still getting used to being so... human. Her wings were gone, and her magic was just a faint, distant thing she couldn't seem to touch.
The past few days had been a roller coaster of confusion, accidents, and laughter, but as they sat together in the living room that evening, they both knew that something needed to change.
"This is crazy," Devon muttered from Astral's body, slouching on the couch. "I mean, I can't even *feel* the magic. I don't know how Astral does this every day."
Astral, sitting across from him in Devon's body, laughed nervously. "Trust me, it's not easy for me either. Being in this body is... exhausting. I mean, *look at me," she said, gesturing to herself. "How do you handle all this... human-ness?"
"I don't know," Devon sighed, scratching the back of his head. "But it's getting harder to ignore. I can't even do basic stuff right. I mean, I can't even get a smoothie to taste good!"
Astral giggled at that. "I can tell. You look like you're going to explode every time you try to make one."
"That's because I *don't* know how to make smoothies without wings!" Devon grumbled. "And don't get me started on your magic. I can't even *feel* it, much less control it. I'm just... floating through life like it's all a dream."
They both fell silent for a moment, the weight of their swapped lives hanging in the air.
"I've been thinking," Astral said after a long pause. "Maybe... maybe we should try something different. I don't think we're going to figure this out by just sitting around and hoping it'll fix itself."
Devon looked at her, intrigued. "What do you mean?"
"I mean..." Astral hesitated, biting her lip. "I think we need to try using our magic, in each other's bodies. If I'm in your body and can't do anything with it, and you're in mine, maybe there's something we're missing. Something we need to unlock. Maybe our magic is tied to more than just being in the right body. Maybe we need to... combine what we know."
Devon sat up straight, feeling a flicker of hope for the first time in days. "You're saying we try... magic together? Even though we're in the wrong bodies?"
"Exactly," Astral nodded, her eyes determined. "We'll try to focus on what's really important—what connects us to our magic. I think it's worth a shot."
Devon rubbed his chin, thinking about it. "Alright. Let's give it a try. What's the worst that could happen?"
Astral smiled. "Exactly."
--
They stood together in the middle of the living room, both of them ready for whatever came next. They closed their eyes, focusing on the magic they knew they had—Astral focusing on the human side of herself, trying to channel the magic from Devon's body, and Devon focusing on the aspects of Astral's magic that he could feel—no wings, no connection to her full powers, but something... something deep down that might be their key.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a sudden surge, their bodies shuddered in sync, like an electric charge running through them both.
Astral gasped. "Did... did you feel that?"
Devon nodded, wide-eyed. "Yeah. That was... different. I can feel something! But it's not quite right. It's like... something's missing. The magic feels... incomplete."
"You're right," Astral said, her eyes narrowing as she tried to focus. "Maybe it's not just about the bodies. Maybe it's more about... our connection."
As if on cue, both of them felt a powerful pull—a magnetic force tugging at them from somewhere deep inside. It was the magic, but also something more—a bridge forming between their bodies. Their energies collided, swirled, and for a moment, they were *one, connected by the force they had always shared.
And then, with a sudden flash of light, they were standing in their own bodies once more.
--
Devon blinked, feeling the rush of familiar magic surge back into him, the energy he had missed in Astral's body now flooding his own. He grinned, looking down at his hands, amazed that everything had returned to normal.
Astral, now back in her own body, laughed out loud, stretching her wings for the first time in days. "Finally!" she cheered. "It worked!"
Devon grinned back at her, feeling the weight lift off his shoulders. "We did it! I can't believe we actually fixed it."
Astral gave him a playful nudge. "You're lucky I'm nice. Otherwise, I would've left you in my body for a *lot* longer."
Devon rolled his eyes. "Sure, sure. Thanks for the help, by the way. I'm just glad we're both back where we belong."
For a moment, they just stood there, savoring the feeling of being themselves again.
--
The next day, things had returned to normal. Well, almost. Astral was back to her usual confident self, and Devon had his human life to get back to. But there was something different now—a stronger bond between them. A shared experience that would shape how they saw each other, no matter what came next.
As they walked to school, side by side, Devon glanced over at Astral with a smile.
"Hey," he said, his voice more relaxed than it had been in days. "Next time we switch, let's, I don't know, figure it out first. No more surprise body switches."
Astral laughed, giving him a mock glare. "Deal. But I'm not letting you borrow my body again. Ever."
Devon grinned. "Fair enough."
And as they continued on their way, ready to face whatever adventures life had in store for them, they both knew that, no matter what, they would always have each other's backs.
--
The End