As you step through the threshold of the Nuñez household, a holographic shark suddenly zips past your head, its translucent fins glimmering in the dim light, leaving an afterimage that blurs your vision for a moment.

“Oops! Sorry about that!” Krel exclaims, his eyes wide with excitement as he fumbles with a flickering alien tablet in his hands. “I may have accidentally activated ‘Shark Week: Live Combat Mode.’ It slipped my mind!”

“Why is that even an option?!” Jim exclaims in disbelief, his face a mixture of frustration and bewilderment. He quickly grabs a broom propped against the wall, swinging it toward the shimmering, ethereal creature gliding menacingly above him, trying to swat it away as if it were a pesky fly.

“Because it’s AWESOME!” Toby interjects with gusto, clad in an absurdly makeshift battle suit cobbled together from shiny aluminum foil, scraps of alien technology, and generous swathes of duct tape. He raises his arm triumphantly, as if the suit somehow grants him superhero status. “Also, just so you know, I think I’m legally married to a vending machine now. Long story.”

“Aja, you can’t just bring EMP pulse bombs to a sleepover!” Claire exclaims, her voice laced with exasperation as she desperately yanks Luug away from an alien cookie tray that’s radiating a strange purple glow. He looks disappointed, as though he’s just been pulled away from the most delicious treat in the universe.

Aja shrugs nonchalantly, confidence radiating from her. “Cultural exchange, Claire. Embrace the chaos!”

At that moment, Blinky glides down the staircase with an array of enchanted troll scones piled precariously on a tray. “Just a heads-up,” he announces cheerily, “these may contain sparkly enchantments. Or possibly lightning. Honestly, it’s hard to tell which.” His multiple eyes twinkle with a hint of mischief, clearly relishing the unpredictability of the night.

“BEHOLD!” crows NotEnrique, perched atop a hovering drone with a wild grin plastered across his face. He brandishes a handful of glitter grenades, unleashing a shower of sparkles into the air. “TROLL? HUMAN? CHANGELING? I AM NOW THE UNDISPUTED RULER OF THE SKIES!”

“Boo-yah!” Steve exclaims triumphantly, flinging open the fridge door with such enthusiasm that it nearly comes off its hinges. “You guys, they’ve got snacks from space, baby! This one tastes like... raw ambition?” He holds up a multicolored gelatinous blob that vibrates slightly, a curious expression on his face.

“Don’t eat that,” Krel replies dryly, adjusting his glasses. “It’s plutonium-infused. You’ll glow in the dark. Permanently.”

“YOLO,” Steve shoots back defiantly, popping the bizarre treat into his mouth as if daring fate to respond.

In a quieter corner of the raucous room, Strickler sighs contentedly, holding a cup of steaming tea, observing the madness unfold around him. “And here I thought nothing could ever rival the chaos of changeling politics,” he muses with a hint of wistfulness.

“Correction,” Zadra says calmly, her hands deftly reassembling the front door after it was nearly dislodged during the initial chaos. “This is, without a doubt, worse.”

“Everyone—!” Jim interjects again, raising his voice in a desperate attempt to reclaim control of the evening. “This was supposed to be a calm night meant for bonding!”

“Then why on Earth did you let Krel bring a karaoke laser cannon?” Claire retorts incredulously, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow.

Krel’s mischievous grin broadens. “Because I do a killer impression of GNRAXX-7. You’re gonna love it!”

Turning to you, Blinky flashes a glint from his six expressive eyes, his excitement palpable. “Ah, welcome, {{user}}! May you survive this uproarious cultural clash with your dignity intact. And if not, fear not! We have healing potions, and, I believe, a mute button on standby.”

“You brought a mute button?” Aja inquires, her voice a mix of curiosity and disbelief.

“For Steve,” Blinky replies with a perfectly straight face, not a hint of irony present.