The morning sunlight piercing through the heavy cream-colored silk curtains should have felt beautiful. It should have been a sign of a hopeful new day for a wealthy woman on Long Island.
But for Elly, that light was a cruel reminder that her nightmare wasn't over.
She blinked, staring at the ceiling painted in a European fresco style. For a few seconds, her Gen Z brain hoped she would see her moldy boarding house ceiling or Korean boyband posters on the wall. But what greeted her was a crystal chandelier worth the price of a subsidized housing unit.
'Still here,' she thought miserably. 'I'm still Auntie Elly.'
She stretched beneath the goose down duvet, feeling her new body, fresh and fit. Strangely, even though her soul was mentally exhausted, this Eleanor Stane body felt incredibly prime. No back pain, no stiff neck from sleeping wrong. Money really could buy comfort, and decades of routine spa treatments clearly yielded real results.
Elly sat up, threw off the covers, and walked sluggishly toward the bathroom. After washing her face and staring in horror at the reflection of the beautiful mature woman in the mirror for the umpteenth time, she decided to start the day.
Her first step was choosing an outfit.
She stepped into the giant walk-in closet. This room looked more like an exclusive boutique than a wardrobe. The scent of cedar wood and expensive leather wafted in the air. Elly walked down the rows of dresses, her fingers dancing over the expensive fabrics.
'Okay, Elly. Focus. You have to look like a classy billionaire's wife. Don't grab a hoodie... oh wait, this woman doesn't even own a hoodie,' she complained internally as she looked at the collection of clothes, all of which were formal or semi-formal.
She was just about to grab an ivory white blazer suit when that infernal chiming sound was heard again.
Ding!
The walk-in closet door behind her slammed shut on its own. A loud click signaled that the automatic lock had been engaged.
Elly jumped, the blazer in her hand nearly falling.
"What the—"
The neon pink holographic screen appeared right in front of her face, blocking her view of the Hermes bag shelf.
[Good Morning, Magical Girl! (≧◡≦) ♡]
[Daily Mission Detected: Basic Transformation Training!]
[Description: A hero must always be ready! Before facing the evils of the world, you must recognize your own power. Don't mess up the incantation when fighting aliens!]
"Wait, wait, wait!" Elly took a step back, her hands swatting the air as if she could push the screen away. "Now? Here? I haven't had breakfast! And the door... hey, open the door! I have claustrophobia!"
[The door will open automatically after the Host completes the First Tutorial Transformation. Minimum Transformation Duration: 5 Minutes.]
Elly ran to the door, trying to turn the gold handle. Locked tight. She even tried banging on it.
"Damn System! Open up! The servants will hear!" she hissed in panic.
[Please follow the pose instructions on the screen. Failure to perform the pose accurately will result in a mild electric shock for motivation! ☆]
'Electric shock?!' Elly's eyes widened. 'Is this a system or a torture device?!'
A diagram image appeared on the screen. It was a classic 90s anime magical girl pose. Right leg bent backward as if jumping cheerfully, left hand on the hip, and right hand forming half a heart above the head, index finger and thumb curved.
And the incantation... God, the incantation.
"I don't want to do this," Elly whimpered, her face turning beet red. "I am biologically a 44-year-old woman! This is an insult to the dignity of the elderly!"
[Motivation shock countdown: 5... 4... 3...]
"Okay! Okay! You fascist system!"
Elly threw the white blazer onto the floor. She stood in the middle of the room, on the soft Persian carpet. With a body trembling from shame, she lifted one leg. Her balance wavered for a moment, age factor, perhaps, but she managed to hold it. She placed a hand on her hip and raised the other above her head.
The pose felt ridiculous. She imagined if Obadiah or Tony Stark saw her now, she would definitely be admitted to the nearest mental hospital immediately.
[The Incantation, Host!] the text on the screen urged.
Elly took a deep breath, squeezing her eyes shut tight.
"For... For the sake of Eternal Starlight..." her voice squeaked out small.
[Voice volume undetected! Louder! With FEELING!]
"For the sake of Eternal Starlight!" Elly screamed, her voice cracking from frustration. "Bloom my Soul! Prism Heart, Make Up!"
At that second, the world around her exploded in rainbow light.
Orchestral music coming from nowhere began to play. An upbeat song with bells and violins that was nauseating.
Elly felt a strange sensation. Her body felt light, as if gravity had lost its grip. Ribbons of pink light wrapped around her body, replacing her silk bathrobe. She felt fabric expanding, the sensation of wind on her legs, and something heavy appearing in her hand.
When the light faded, Elly opened her eyes.
She stood in front of the large closet mirror. And she screamed.
"KYAAAAAAA!"
The reflection in the mirror was a nightmare. Her face was still Eleanor Stane's face: mature, stern, with gold-rimmed glasses and a sensual beauty mark.
But her body...
She was wearing a dress more suitable for a kindergartner's birthday party. Her mini skirt puffed out super short with layers of neon pink and white petticoats. There was a giant ribbon on her chest. Her long legs were wrapped in long white stockings with ribbons on the thighs. On her head, a large headband with fake angel wing decorations perched sweetly.
"What is this?!" Elly touched her skirt which felt stiff and plastic. "I look like an auntie going through a severe midlife crisis!"
The contrast between her cold aristocratic face and this clown costume was painful to watch. She looked like a cosplayer who wore the wrong costume to a shareholder meeting.
Suddenly, the wand in her hand chimed.
Ding!
She looked at the object she was grasping. A gold and pink magic wand, with a winged heart-shaped tip spinning slowly.
[Transformation Successful! Welcome to Magical Girl Mode!]
[Loading Starter Pack Power Data...]
The system screen displayed a list of abilities next to her head.
1. Limited Levitation: Fly prettily up to a maximum height of 10 meters. Anti-gravity skirt active (panties safe from peeking).
2. Heart Rod - "Love Blaster": Love energy shot that explodes on contact.
3. Shield of Affection: Protective shield.
4. Healing Kiss: Healing peck.
"Healing kiss?" Elly read the last point with a look of disgust. "I'm not kissing anyone! Especially not Obadiah!"
She waved her wand in annoyance. "This is a plastic toy! How can this thing save the world?"
Accidentally, her thumb pressed a small jewel-shaped button on the wand's handle.
The heart-shaped tip of the wand glowed brightly.
"Eh?"
BOOM!
A ball of pink energy shot out from the tip of the wand. The object slammed into the glass shelf across the room, the shelf dedicated to Limited Edition bags.
The explosion didn't produce fire, but rather a burst of blinding light and millions of glitter flakes and virtual rose petals scattering with the force of a hand grenade.
CRASH!
The sound of breaking glass echoed terribly.
Elly gaped. Pink smoke billowed from the shelf. When the smoke thinned, she saw a tragic scene. A crocodile skin Hermes Birkin bag worth fifty thousand dollars was now scorched, torn, and covered in tacky glitter.
"I'm dead," Elly whispered. Her face was pale as a sheet. "That... that costs more than my tuition fees up to a PhD..."
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The banging on the closet door almost made her jump to the ceiling (which was possible since she now had levitation).
"Mrs. Stane?" The maid's voice sounded panicked from outside. "I heard an explosion! Are you alright? Madam?"
Elly's heart stopped beating. If the maid came in and saw her dressed like a lost Sailor Moon amidst the ruins of expensive bags, Eleanor Stane's reputation would be destroyed forever. She would be sent to a drug rehab center this very day.
"D-Don't come in!" Elly shouted spontaneously. She realized her voice was too panicked, so she cleared her throat and changed her tone to be lower and more haughty. "I mean... do not enter. I am changing clothes."
"But Madam, it sounded like..."
"I dropped a perfume!" Elly cut in quickly. "A big bottle. Broken. Glass everywhere. Very dangerous. Do not enter until I call."
Silence for a moment behind the door.
"V-very well, Madam. Are you injured?"
"No. Leave. Prepare my breakfast. I will be down shortly."
"Yes, Madam." The maid's footsteps sounded hesitant before finally walking away.
Elly exhaled in relief, her body slumping onto the carpet floor. Her mini skirt puffed out around her like an inverted umbrella.
"System! Cancel transformation! Now!"
[Mission Complete! Good job, Host! The door is no longer locked.]
Light enveloped her again, and a second later, the embarrassing costume vanished. Elly was back wearing her silk bathrobe. Her magic wand disappeared into particles of light.
She stood up, her legs feeling heavy again. An overwhelming exhaustion suddenly attacked her. Even though the transformation only lasted five minutes, it felt like her energy had been drained dry.
Elly stared sorrowfully at the carcass of the Hermes bag covered in glitter.
"Damn," she cursed. She picked up the remains of the bag and hid them in the very back of the closet, behind a pile of winter shoe boxes. "I'll figure out how to dispose of it later."
She realized one important thing at that moment. Without that embarrassing costume, she had absolutely no power. She couldn't repair the bag with a snap of her fingers. She couldn't fly. In her normal form, she was just Eleanor Stane, an ordinary woman who was wealthy but powerless. All her magical powers were locked tight behind incantations and poses that destroyed her self-esteem.
Her head throbbed with pain. The combination of stress, shame, and panic made her migraine flare up.
She needed fresh air. She needed to get out of this house that felt like a gilded cage. But where to?
She didn't want to run into Obadiah. The man was surely at the office or in his secret lab. Meeting Ezekiel wasn't a good idea right now either; she wasn't ready to face a teenage genius who could probably smell something wrong with his mother in just one glance.
She needed entertainment. She needed to see something familiar, something that reminded her why she was in this world.
A name flashed through her mind.
Tony Stark.
A thin smile slowly appeared on Elly's face.
Tony Stark, the main character. The man who started it all. Right now, Tony hadn't become Iron Man yet. He didn't have a reactor in his chest. He was still the arrogant playboy enjoying life in Malibu.
"Warn him about Afghanistan?" Elly muttered to herself while choosing a casual navy dress. "No, that's a stupid idea."
That event was still six or seven months away. No kidnapping plans had been made at this time. If she suddenly showed up and said 'Hey Tony, don't go to the Middle East next year', Tony would just laugh at her or think Elly was high on sedatives. She could be considered crazy, and that would endanger her position.
But just a visit? As a caring 'Aunt'? Or as a fellow shareholder wanting a weekend getaway? That was a valid excuse.
After all, Elly (the Gen Z soul) was a huge MCU fan. The chance to see Tony Stark with her own eyes, to see the legendary workshop in Malibu before it got destroyed in the third movie... that was an irresistible temptation.
"Consider it a VIP meet and greet," she said while putting on her large sunglasses.
One hour later, Elly was already inside a black limousine gliding smoothly toward the private airport. She had informed the head butler that she was going to the Stane property in California for a "surprise inspection" and to rest due to a headache. No one dared to ask further.
On the runway, a Gulfstream G550 private jet belonging to Stane International was waiting. The plane was sleek, white, and radiated an aura of absurd wealth.
Elly stepped up the plane stairs in stilettos, this time she had stuck more band-aids on her feet. The flight attendant welcomed her with a wide smile and a respectful bow.
"Good morning, Mrs. Stane. The Captain is ready to depart anytime."
"Thank you. We leave now," Elly replied briefly.
She entered the cabin, the interior lined with cream leather and mahogany wood. Much more spacious than her boarding room. Much more spacious than her parents' house in her previous life. She threw herself onto the soft leather seat.
"A drink, Madam?" asked the flight attendant. "We have your favorite 1995 Château Margaux."
Elly almost nodded, because that was what the original Eleanor would do. But imagining the taste of bitter alcohol in the morning made her stomach churn. She didn't like alcohol.
"No," Elly refused. She thought for a moment. "Bring me... Diet Coke. With lots of ice. And a wine glass."
The flight attendant blinked in confusion for a moment, but her professionalism took over immediately. "Certainly, Madam. Diet Coke in a wine glass."
A few minutes later, the plane began taxiing toward the runway. Elly stared out the oval window, watching the buildings of New York slowly drift away. She held the crystal glass filled with black fizzy liquid, swirling it slowly as if it were the most expensive wine in the world.
The jet engines roared, pressing her body against the seat back as the plane took off. Elly felt a slight tremor of excitement in her stomach. Not because she could fly, she had already experienced embarrassing manual flight this morning, but because she was heading toward the center of the story.
Six hours journey to Malibu. Six hours to mentally prepare to meet the real-life version of Robert Downey Jr..
"System," she whispered softly, making sure no cabin crew were nearby.
[Present, Host! (´｡• ᵕ •｡`) Is there anything I can help with?]
"Is Tony at his house right now?"
[Scanning Main Character Location... Complete! Anthony Edward Stark is currently at his residence in Malibu, Point Dume. Status: Experimenting on his vintage hot rod engine. Alert Level: Zero.]
Elly smiled askew. A signature Eleanor Stane smirk that looked cunning yet beautiful.
"Good. Don't let him know I'm coming. I want to give him a surprise."
She sipped her Cola, the soda bubbles tickling her nose. Out there, the blue sky stretched limitlessly. For a moment, she could forget that she was a middle-aged magical girl who had a villain husband. For a moment, she was just a tourist in her dream world.
Malibu, here I come.