jacket. He had a hot dog in one hand and a soda in the other, grinning like he was the king of the world. "Par-TAY!"

Oyster, standing nearby, pumped his fist in the air. "Par-TAY!"

"Oyster, NO!" Max shouted. But it was too late—Oyster had jumped onto the couch and did a full trust fall into a group of partygoers. They barely caught him, but he cheered like he'd just won an award.

Melanie stood beside Phoebe and Max, watching the madness unfold. She whistled. "Wow. Your parents really committed to this teenage thing, huh?"

Phoebe groaned, rubbing her temples. "I said I wanted them to remember what it was like to be teenagers, not act like..." She motioned helplessly toward Barb, who was now wearing Phoebe's clothes.

"Oh, ew! I'm gonna have to burn those," Phoebe muttered.

Melanie laughed. "At least Hank isn't wearing your clothes."

As if on cue, a loud rip echoed through the room. Hank had just pulled off his Velcro pants... revealing a pair of Phoebe's leggings underneath.

"Ahhh!" Phoebe screamed. "Add that to the burn pile!"

Max smirked. "I mean, gotta admit, he kinda pulls it off."

Melanie nudged him playfully. "Max, focus. This party is getting way out of hand."

Phoebe sighed. "We need to turn Mom and Dad back into adults and shut this whole thing down."

Just then, Cherry ran up to them, eyes wide with excitement. "Phoebe, what happened to your parents?! It's like you shot them with a cool ray!"

Phoebe groaned. "I should have used the cool ray."

Melanie grinned. "I dunno, Phoebe. I think I like your mom as a teenager. She's kinda iconic."

"Not helping, Melanie!"

Then, Cherry pointed toward the dance floor. "And look—your mom is dancing with Winnie Lee!"

Phoebe froze. "Winnie Lee? She's here?!" She frantically scanned the crowd and yep—there was Winnie, laughing and dancing with Barb.

Phoebe turned to Max, suddenly serious. "Okay. Change of plans. We have to keep this party going."

Max blinked. "Wait—what?! You just said—"

Phoebe grabbed him by the jacket. "If I shut this party down right now, Winnie Lee is going to think I'm a total loser."

Max scoffed. "Pretty sure that's not what makes you a loser, but okay."

Phoebe ignored him. "We need to keep the party alive. Max, you and Oyster need to start playing now."

Max grinned, turning to his bandmate. "Oyster, you heard her. Let's give these people a show."

Oyster threw up a rock sign. "Rock 'n' roll, brah!"

Melanie smirked. "She was talking about Max and Oyster, not you."

Oyster gasped, clutching his chest. "Harsh."

Max turned to Oyster, holding up his fingers. "Count us down."

Oyster grinned. "Two, three, four!"

The band kicked into gear, the electric guitar blasting through the speakers as the party exploded into cheers. Winnie Lee whooped, Barb and Hank fist-bumped, and Phoebe closed her eyes, already regretting everything.

Melanie leaned in, grinning at Phoebe. "Well... at least it's your house, right?"

Phoebe groaned. "I hate everything."

The party was in full swing, and Phoebe couldn't believe it—this was actually going well.

The music was loud, the energy was high, and Winnie Lee was here. She and Cherry stood off to the side, grinning as they scrolled through photos on Cherry's phone.

"This is going so well," Cherry gushed, snapping another picture of the party.

"I know! Your social life is set!"

Phoebe scoffed playfully. "Um, our social life is set."

The two of them squealed, linking arms as they jumped up and down in excitement.

Meanwhile, over by the snack table, Melanie was sipping her soda, watching the chaos unfold. She nudged Oyster, who was stuffing his face with nachos.

"So, be honest, on a scale of one to ten—how much of a disaster is this about to be?" she asked, smirking.

Oyster wiped his mouth and grinned. "Oh, easy ten. But hey, free snacks!"

Before Melanie could respond, a new problem made itself known.

"Check it out, girls!" Barb—er, Barbie—called out, holding up a small leather-bound book. "I found someone's journal!"

Phoebe's stomach dropped.

Max's eyes widened in panic. "That's my thought book!"

"Actually, Max likes to call it his 'thought book,'" Barbie teased, flipping through the pages.

Max lunged forward. "Give me that!"

Barb dodged him easily, flipping to a random page. "Ooooh, let's see what kind of thoughts my dweeby little son has." She cleared her throat dramatically. "'Dear Diary... Can you have athlete's foot if you're not an athlete?'"

The room erupted into laughter.

"Gimme that!" Max snapped, but Barb held it out of reach.

Phoebe gasped. "Mom—uh, Barbie! That's so not cool. You need to respect people's privacy—especially in front of Winnie Lee!"

Barbie flipped her hair and smirked. "Um, don't tell me what to do. You're not my mother, and Winnie's my girl! Boom!" She threw up a peace sign and sauntered off, giggling as Winnie playfully nudged her.

Melanie turned to Phoebe, suppressing a laugh. "So, just checking—this is what you wanted, right?"

Phoebe groaned. "Shut up, Melanie."

Max was still fuming about his stolen thought book when he turned back to his band. The music was going strong, the crowd was hyped—but then he spotted Hank.

Doing something stupid... again.

"All right, all right," Max called into the mic. "This next song is called... What Is My Father Doing?!"

The band members exchanged confused looks.

Oyster leaned over. "Dude, I don't think I know that song."

Melanie, now standing near the stage, followed Max's gaze.

There, at the foot of the stairs, was Hank, collecting cash from a group of partygoers.

"Hey, hey, hey! You can't go down there!" Max yelled.

Hank grinned. "Makin' bank, brah. A dollar gets you a ride on the party slide! WOO!"

"That's not a party slide! That's the lair slide!" Max shot back.

Hank shrugged. "You're a lair slide." He high-fived some random teenager before diving headfirst onto the slide.

Melanie snorted. "Honestly? That's kinda genius."

Phoebe barely had time to process that disaster before she spotted another one.

Teenagers were gathered around the gaming setup in the corner, poking at very dangerous-looking buttons.

"No, no, no, no, no! Hey! Don't touch that! Don't push that! Don't mix that!" Phoebe ran over, waving her arms.

One guy cackled as he pressed a button on a high-tech console. "Dude, we just launched a rocket into space!"

Phoebe's jaw dropped. "Wait—what?! No, you didn't! That's just my video game, it couldn't possibly—"

A loud BOOM shook the house. The kids all cheered.

Phoebe turned to Max, panic rising. "Max, we need to shut this party down right now."

Max groaned. "Oh, now you wanna shut it down?"

Before she could answer, he spotted something even worse.

"OH NO—MY BRAINMELT!" Max rushed over to the gaming setup, snatching up his prized gadget. He pressed a button, but nothing happened. "Why isn't this thing charged?! Who plugged their phones in here?!"

The room erupted into laughter.

"That's it! EVERYONE OUT!" Phoebe shouted. "Don't make me get my parents!"

A brief silence. Then—

"Hey, everybody!" Cherry called from across the room. "Mr. Thunderman's breaking stuff upstairs!"

The entire crowd cheered and rushed upstairs.

Max slumped against the wall, defeated. "Oh, now they leave."

Oyster, still eating nachos, turned to him. "Dude, can I charge my phone here?"

Max groaned. "OUT!"

Upstairs, the crowd had gathered around Hank, chanting:

"Hankosaur! Hankosaur!"

Hank raised his arms dramatically. "Screeeech!"

The teenagers cheered.

Max facepalmed. "Oh no."

Melanie folded her arms, watching in amusement. "Your dad's super strong, Max."

Max forced a laugh. "Super? Nah, there's nothing super about my dad. See? Anyone can do that."

He attempted to copy Hank's ridiculous display of strength—only to immediately crunch his fingers in the process.

"See?" Max forced a pained smile, shaking his now very broken hand. "My hand's hardly broken."

Phoebe stomped up to him, furious. "Max, thanks to Mom, Winnie's never going to invite me to another party again, and Dad's about to expose our secret!"

Max smirked. "What, that you have athlete's foot?"

Phoebe growled. "I'M TALKING ABOUT—"

She pointed dramatically at Hank, who was currently trying to lift the entire couch while the crowd cheered.

Max winced. "Oh. That secret."

Melanie clapped her hands together. "Soooo... I'm guessing we're in big trouble?"

Phoebe groaned, already regretting everything. "You have no idea."

The party was still in full swing, and Phoebe was barely holding it together. Teenagers danced on the furniture, someone was trying to microwave a glow stick, and Hankosaur was still the main event.

"We need to turn Mom and Dad back into grownups so they can end this party now."

Max adjusted his guitar strap, unfazed. "Definitely."

Phoebe sighed in relief—until Max casually added:

"Right after Oyster and I play our last song."

He strummed an obnoxiously loud chord on his guitar.

Phoebe groaned. "MAX!"

Max winced. "Okay, okay! Geez." He set the guitar down. "Let's end this party."

Phoebe glanced around. "Where's your BrainMelt?"

"Downstairs charging."

Her face lit up. "Great!"

"But it needs four more hours."

Her face immediately fell. "Not great. We don't have four hours."

Melanie, who had been watching the chaos unfold from the couch, perked up. "Wait, hold on—didn't your dad just lift a couch? Can't we just have him, I don't know, punch the BrainMelt until it works?"

Max shook his head. "That's not how tech works, Melanie."

Melanie shrugged. "I dunno, seems like it'd be worth a shot."

Phoebe ignored both of them, her eyes widening as an idea struck. "Wait. The story of Mom and Dad's first kiss."

Max recoiled. "What? Are you trying to make this bad night even worse?"

"No, I'm trying to save it! Mom and Dad's first kiss was electric! We could use it to supercharge the BrainMelt!"

Melanie blinked. "...I have so many questions."

Max made a disgusted face. "Can't we just stick a lightning rod to it and hope for the best?"

"Come on, it's just one kiss! We just have to get them together—it shouldn't be too hard."

Phoebe's optimism was immediately shattered by the sound of Barb's voice.

☆☆

Max leaned against the wall, arms crossed, smirking. "Why are we down here? The party's upstairs."

Phoebe shot him a look. "Because this is the VIP lounge—for the cool kids."

Melanie, lounging on Max's workbench and munching on a stolen cupcake, raised an eyebrow. "You sure about that? Because this place looks more like a storage room for evil science projects than an exclusive hangout."

Max rolled his eyes. "Yeah, well, the cool kids don't question the setup. They just appreciate the invite."

Phoebe clapped her hands together. "Focus, people! We need to recreate Mom and Dad's first kiss."

Max groaned. "Why do you say that like it's a good thing?"

"Because it's the only way to supercharge the BrainMelt and turn them back into adults."

Melanie smirked. "So... let me get this straight. You want to force your parents to relive their most romantic moment? In a basement? While a bunch of teenagers trash your house?" She popped the rest of the cupcake into her mouth. "Bold move."

Phoebe ignored her and grabbed Max by the shoulders. "Listen, I'll lower the temperature in the room. You give Dad a jacket."

Max blinked. "Right. Because nothing screams 'romance' like mild hypothermia."

Hank shivered dramatically. "Man, is it just me, or did it get cold in here?"

Max slid up next to him, a grin plastered on his face. "Oh, someone looks chilly. Here, take my totally not suspicious jacket."

Hank took it with a nod. "Hey, good lookin' out, son—uh, I mean, dude."

Barb gave Max a skeptical glance before wrapping the jacket tighter around herself. "Alright, what's your angle? You trying to get brownie points or something?"

Max laughed nervously. "No angle! Just, you know... looking out for my favorite parents."

Melanie, watching from the side, whispered to Phoebe. "Yeah, this totally isn't working."

Max sighed. "Okay, so freezing them didn't work. What now?"

Phoebe huffed. "Don't you have some kind of love potion or something?"

Max scoffed. "Why would I have a love potion? Ask all my girlfriends—oh wait, I don't have any. That's why I'm in a band."

Melanie grinned. "Harsh, dude. But also, facts."

Phoebe crossed her arms. "This is just like you, Max! You get us into these messes and then can't get us out!"

Max gasped, dramatically placing a hand on his chest. "Excuse me? I get us into these messes? Last I checked, melting their brains was your idea!"

Phoebe groaned. "I planted the seed. You ran with it."

Max smirked. "Who runs with seeds? I'm a villain, not a farmer!"

Melanie burst out laughing. "Oh my gosh, you two are ridiculous."

Before Phoebe could snap back, a voice called from upstairs. "Hey, Blabbermans! You're missing the fireworks!"

They turned just in time to see sparks fly across the room—

Barb and Hank finally locked lips.

ZAP!

A wave of electric energy pulsed through the lair. The lights flickered, the walls rumbled, and—most importantly—

The BrainMelt lit up like a Christmas tree.

Phoebe gasped. "It worked! Get the BrainMelt!"

Max grabbed it just as Melanie covered her eyes. "Ugh! Gross! It's happening!"

Melanie handed Phoebe a random beaker. "Here, in case you puke."

Phoebe swatted it away. "That's not how this works!"

ZAP!

The BrainMelt fully charged, releasing a final jolt of energy—

Hank and Barb suddenly froze. Then, their adult minds snapped back into place.

Barb blinked. "Why are we in Max's lair?"

Hank glanced down at himself. "And why am I wearing Phoebe's clothes?"

Max quickly hid the BrainMelt behind his back. "Uh... good question!"

Hank narrowed his eyes. "Max... is that the BrainMelt?"

Max hesitated. "Uh—"

Barb gasped. "Did you melt our brains?!"

Max immediately pointed at Phoebe. "I can't lie to you, Dad. Phoebe did it."

Phoebe smacked his arm. "Excuse you! It was both our idea!" She sighed. "We just... wanted you guys to remember what it was like to be teenagers so you'd let us go to that party."

Barb's eyes widened. "We let you go to that party?!"

Phoebe winced. "Uh... about that..."

Melanie popped up beside them. "You guys threw the party."

Barb's face twitched. "Oh, no. No, no, no—"

Barb stormed upstairs. "PARTY'S OVER! EVERYBODY OUT!"

Hank followed, pointing at random kids. "Let's go! Move it, move it!"

Teenagers screamed and scattered in every direction. Cups flew, music cut off, and a stampede of partygoers rushed toward the exits.

Melanie casually grabbed another cupcake on her way out. "Welp, that was fun while it lasted."

As the dust settled, Max turned to Phoebe. "Well... that could've gone worse."

Phoebe smirked. "Your diary is still out there somewhere."

Max's entire face dropped. "Oh no."

Melanie chuckled. "Now that's a problem I cannot fix."

The mini-vacuum whirs as it sucks up confetti, empty cups, and the remnants of last night's party. Max and Phoebe, both exhausted, slump over the kitchen counter, barely able to keep their eyes open.

"Phoebe? Max?" Barb calls out cheerfully. "We're hungry."

Hank stretches dramatically, still wearing his party sunglasses from the night before. "Yeah, we want breakfast!"

Phoebe groans, rubbing her temples. "You just woke up, and you're already demanding food?"

Hank nods enthusiastically. "Yep!"

Barb throws an arm around Hank and grins. "Now make us breakfast."

"And then clean up after us," Hank adds. "And give us money!"

Max throws his hands up. "Okay, yeah, no. We're not doing all that."

Melanie, sprawled lazily on the couch, watching the chaos unfold, snickers. "Honestly, I respect the hustle. If I had brain-melting kids, I'd milk it too."

Barb suddenly grabs Hank's hand, twirling into his arms. "You should totally kiss me, Hankosaur!"

"Mwah! Mwah!" Barb and Hank dramatically kiss.

Phoebe's face twists in disgust. "Breakfast coming right up!" She practically dives for the fridge, desperate to do anything that isn't witnessing her parents' overly dramatic teen romance.

Max shudders. "I can never unsee that."

Melanie smirks, tossing a bag of popcorn onto the counter. "You guys need therapy. Like, yesterday."

A loud whirring sound fills the air.

"Oh, look! It's our two siblings who didn't melt our parents' brains!" Nora calls from outside.

Max sighs dramatically. "Oh, great."

Billy and Nora rush inside, fresh off their overnight stay with Cousin Blobbin. The eccentric billionaire himself, dressed in a velvet robe and sipping from a goblet, steps in behind them.

"Hi! How was your night?" Billy asks.

"We had so much fun," Nora says. "Though, not as much fun as you two."

"What are you talking about?" Phoebe asks.

"You guys are trending," Billy says, holding up his phone. "Hashtag coolest parents ever."

Barb gasps and claps her hands. Hank beams with pride.

Melanie leans in, glancing at the screen. "Oh, yeah. That's never getting deleted."

Barb is still staring at Billy's phone, mesmerized. "Look at all these comments! 'Best party ever.' 'Wish my parents were this cool.' Oh, here's one—'Hankosaur and Barbzilla for prom royalty!'"

Hank chuckles, flexing his arms. "We are a power couple."

Phoebe snatches the phone from Billy. "Okay, great. You're famous. Now can we please focus on turning you guys back into normal adults?"

Max scoffs, arms crossed. "Normal? Have you met them?"

Melanie leans casually against the counter, flicking popcorn at Max. "Oh, don't act like you don't love it. Your whole family is a walking sitcom."

Max glares at her, brushing popcorn off his hoodie. "I tolerate it at best."

Melanie smirks. "Uh-huh. And I tolerate you at best."

Max rolls his eyes. "Oh, please. You wouldn't last a day without me."

Melanie gasps dramatically, placing a hand on her chest. "Excuse me? I was surviving just fine before you and your dramatic villain monologues entered my life."

Max smirks, stepping closer. "Yeah? Then why do you keep hanging around?"

Melanie pokes his chest. "Because someone has to make sure you don't accidentally take over the world."

Max scoffs. "Like I accidentally became the smartest person in the family?"

Melanie raises an eyebrow. "Oh, is that what we're calling it now? 'Smart?' I was thinking more along the lines of 'reckless disaster with good hair.'"

Max smirks. "You think my hair's good?"

Melanie groans, turning away. "Ugh, this is why you're insufferable."

Max follows her, his grin growing. "Come on, say it. Just admit you think I'm the best thing that ever happened to you."

Melanie spins back around, pointing at him. "You are not the best thing that ever happened to me!"

Max leans in slightly, voice dropping to a teasing whisper. "But I am up there, right?"

Melanie hesitates, then rolls her eyes. "Somewhere near the bottom of the list,