Clowning Around - Part 3 [A Clown Girl TG Story]

Commissioned by Azena

Eric is a serious man who he hates all things silly, so when a mysterious woman in a clown outfit appears and claims he’s her long-lost sister, he isn’t too pleased. He’s even less happy when she drags him through a magical portal to Clown Town, transforming him into a jester girl in the process! 

~

The days seemed to fly by; maybe time flowed differently in Clown Town, or maybe he was just getting used to it. Either way, Eric began to find a strange sort of rhythm with his new family. Mama took him clothes shopping, Papa taught him how to make a corndog that actually tasted really good, and Dottie was respectful of his space. Well, as much as Dottie was capable of. She was always there, and if he asked to spend time with her, she almost burst into tears with pure excitement. It was cute, and it felt nice having somebody want to spend time with him, which is how he and Dottie ended up sitting by the upside-down river, just talking. The river itself made no sense. It flowed backwards up the mountain, waterfall and all. But Eric had learned not to question these things. 

“So, what did you and your human friends do for fun?” Dottie asked. “If you didn’t juggle or tumble or…anything?”

“We…well, we had work drinks at bars and meetings.” He fidgeted nervously with a loose ruffle. “I didn't really have friends so much as colleagues. I found people tiring most of the time.”

“Oh good, so it wasn’t just us. You just had a stick up your butt, generally.”

“Hey!”

“What? It’s true! And I said had, not has. You’ve really loosened up since you got here.”

“Yeah…”

Eric gripped the grass between his fingers; he wasn't sure how to feel about that. The truth was that he’d been having so much fun in Clown Town the last few days he’d forgotten about getting home. A strange sense of guilt swirled in his guts, he’d been a clown for a few days, maybe a week and it was already eroding his old sense of self. He felt like he should have been fighting it more, or at least not feel so comfortable so quickly. 

“Hey, why the frown? Let’s turn it upside down!” Dottie said, throwing an arm around her. 

Eric rolled his eyes fondly. She’d been trying so hard to give him space lately he could throw her a bone. 

“What did you have in mind?” 

“A classic Clown Around! With the whole family!”

“Clown Around?”

“To see who can be the best clown. Mama, Papa and I used to do it all the time, but you’ve never done it!”

Eric thought for a moment, that same sense of confliction keeping him in place before he pushed it away with a determined smile.

“Alright, you’re on.”

The two of them raced home over the hill, giggling like children to get Mama and Papa, who were just as excited when they heard the plan. Eric couldn't help but feel excited. He didn't even care that his shoes were jingling with every step anymore. Papa marked out a ring in the centre of their backyard, finishing it with a dramatic flourish. 

“Alright, clowns!” Papa announced. “It’s time for the first-ever Full Doo-Dah Family Clown-Off! Each clown must do their best to impress the others, and only the funniest, silliest, most outlandish performance will win the title of Doo-Dah Supreme!"

Eric giggled. He couldn't help it. He hadn’t realised how much she’d grown to love the silliness—the joy of letting go, of being utterly ridiculous. 

Mama went first. She whipped out a squirt flower from her lapel, but instead of spraying water, it shot out a tiny stream of confetti. She did a goofy pirouette, stumbled purposefully, then gave a dramatic bow. Pulling the lapel of her outfit one last time and sending a rain of confetti into her own face. The rest of them erupted into laughter, including Eric. 

"My turn! My turn!" Papa cried. 

He picked up a comically large mallet and swung it through the air like he was about to whack something, only for the head of the mallet to wobble loose and go flying off, landing with a soft thud beside him. Papa threw his hands up in surprise, staggered backward as though he’d just seen a ghost, and toppled to the ground in an exaggerated faint. The pratfall was masterful; if Eric didn't know better, he'd think the man actually fell. 

Then it was Dottie’s turn. She reached behind her back and produced a collection of long, colourful balloons. With hands working at lightning speed, she twisted and turned the balloons until she'd created an entire zoo of animals, each one tossed into the air and juggled in one hand as she made the next. In the end, she threw them all into the sky and balanced them on her head, only for them each to pop in turn to Dottie's mock surprise. 

Eric couldn't help it; he was in tears laughing. It was so stupid, but he couldn't help it. He could barely stand up straight for his own turn. He took a deep breath and reached behind his back, pulling balls from hammerspace and dramatically showing them off. 

“Go on, Eric!” Mama cheered. “Show us what you’ve got!”

For the first time, that name didn't sound right, but he pushed it aside. He had a performance to put on! 

With a grin, he tossed the first ball into the air, then the second ball followed, then the third. Before he knew it, his hands were moving in a smooth rhythm, each ball soaring up and coming down faster and faster. 

Eric felt himself relax, the movements coming more naturally, almost like he was dancing. His heart fluttered with a happiness that was both new and deeply satisfying. He even threw in a little spin, adding an extra flourish and making the ruffles on his outfit flare. He tossed one ball up a little higher, then caught it on the tip of his nose. He balanced it there, feeling his nose wiggle slightly under the weight, but it held! Dottie gasped in amazement, her eyes as wide as saucers, and even Papa looked impressed.

The moment seemed to freeze, and Eric took in the smiling faces of his family. He'd always thought clowns were for children, the lowest form of entertainment, but now he realised that clowning wasn’t just about tricks or costumes—it was about making people laugh and bringing joy. It was about being bold, silly, and free, and he loved every bit of it.

“Zippy wins!” Dottie declared, running forward and knocking him to the ground with a tight hug. For once, Eric didn’t feel annoyed and instead giggled, holding his big sister close. Mama and Papa joined in the hug pile, and Eric breathed deeply; he felt at home.

~

The rest of the day passed in a blur of laughter and excitement. Eric didn’t hold back his new clown instincts at all and instead embraced them. They had chocolate chip pancakes for dinner and watched a sad clown drama that had them all sobbing uncontrollably. Despite the insane trappings, it really did feel like a normal day with his family. The kind he hadn't had in years. As he got ready for bed, he pulled the balls from behind his back and smiled at them. A little thrill ran down his spine as he remembered his performance out on the lawn; it had been good. Maybe it was time for an encore. 

Eric kept up the performance despite the empty room. He balanced on the ball, juggling away until the moment felt right and pratfell as dramatically as he could. The laughter overwhelmed him. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had so much fun. Actually, he could; it was yesterday. Now that he fully embraced his new life and body, Clown Town had become a place of joy! 

He leaned over his shoulder and faced the mirror, admiring his outfit and make-up. He looked amazing and felt it too. He winked at his reflection and squeezed his red nose, letting it honk a few times with a giggle. Then, without warning, the mirror shifted and changed, transforming into a familiar portal of swirling colour and light. 

“I…is that?” He whispered, approaching the portal slowly. “Home?”

The word tasted bitter on his tongue, and it took him a moment to realise why: he’d started to think of Clown Town, of Dottie, Mama and Papa, as his home. He’d wanted to summon this portal for so long, but now that it was in front of him, he felt strangely conflicted. 

Out of curiosity, more than actual want, he stepped into the kaleidoscope of light and felt himself falling. He landed heavily, only barely managing to stay on his feet. He blinked away the lights and found himself back in his black and white apartment, in awe of just how boring it looked. Organised, tidy but so dull. The world seemed greyer even when he looked out the window at the green park below like a filter had muted the colours. The colour seemed so much more vivid in Clown Town. 

Slowly, he walked around the room, the jingle bells on his feet the only sound. He looked over his accounting degree on the wall, the work laptop full of safe, familiar work. It took a moment to boot up, but when it did, little black-and-white numbers filled the screen. Seeing them didn't comfort him, though; in fact, he felt a yawn building up that he frantically had to squash.

“This is what you wanted.” He told himself, “You’re home, Eric.”

The words felt empty and cold. He didn't feel like he was home at all. In fact, he felt a creeping sense of boredom slowly overcoming him. He looked down at his body, still in his harlequin outfit, jingle bells hanging off his shoes and hat. He hadn't changed back. Going through the portal the first time had transformed him into his true clown self, but the reverse hadn;t happened. 

Eric remembered a lesson his human father had once taught him: if you can’t make a decision, flip a coin. If the result makes you happy, do it. If it makes you disappointed, then you really want the other option anyway. Looking over himself once more, Eric realised he was glad he wasn't back in his male body. He gave the room one last look, then grinned. 

“Thank you, you’ve been a wonderful audience but I have to go.” He said, giving a dramatic bow right down to the floor before standing up and honking his clown nose once more.

This time, when the portal appeared, he pirouetted right through it, and when he passed to the other side, Eric was no more. Instead, Zippy Doo-Dah stood proud. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the scent of candy corn and candy floss.

“It’s good to be home.” She grinned, dodging out of the way of a jester balancing on a stick. She gave him a playful wave and started skipping home. Her family were probably wondering where she was.